Chapter 435: One of the Hidden Dangers |
Jiang Chen listened, his face a picture of utter bewilderment. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly. Who is it?”
Wang Ze continued, “It’s the newcomers who just joined the Spirit Farm. They’ve been secretly digging up all sorts of information about you. Especially… bad news.”
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
It was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense.
At the end of the day, these people hadn’t been at the Spirit Farm for long and had yet to truly integrate.
Prying into the background of the sole Spirit Cultivator was a natural instinct.
But specifically hunting for bad news? That left a foul taste in the mouth.
Wang Ze sighed in relief. “Thank the heavens you’re a decent person with an even temper. You’ve never thrown your weight around as a Spirit Cultivator to bully anyone.”
While Jiang Chen couldn’t please everyone, he at least hadn’t earned the ire of the majority.
Jiang Chen pondered for a moment. “Senior Brother, keep a quiet eye on them for me. Let’s see what these people are really plotting.
They can hate me all they want, but if they disrupt the peace and harmony of the Spirit Farm, I won’t tolerate it.”
Wang Ze patted his chest. “Consider it done.”
By this time, the two had reached the foot of the mountain.
Jiang Chen immediately summoned Shattered Moon Flowing Frost, and together they took to the skies, streaking toward the Earth Vein.
Along the way, the devastation was clear. Many Spirit Farms had been severely affected.
Even those without active spirit plants were desperately trying to salvage their soil.
Wang Ze watched the bleak landscape, his heart pounding. “What a cursed start to the year.”
Jiang Chen nodded grimly. “Indeed.”
Before long, the two arrived at the entrance to the Earth Vein.
He remembered his last visit half a year ago. The guard had changed; the burly Shan Fei was gone, replaced by a female earth cultivator radiating a faint, earthen-yellow glow.
“I am Bei Qinghui. I have taken over for Senior Brother Shan and will be stationed at this entrance year-round!”
“Since the Spirit Cultivator of the Spirit Farm graces us with his presence, I naturally will not impede you!”
“Please, enter!”
Had it been anyone else, or had Wang Ze arrived alone, they would have been halted and rigorously interrogated.
But catching sight of the Spirit Cultivator token swaying at Jiang Chen’s waist, she dared not cause offense.
Her transition from a stony glare to a fawning smile took less than a breath.
Jiang Chen was taken aback. “The Luo River Bei Clan?”
Bei Qinghui lifted her chin with considerable pride. “That is correct. I am a member of the Luo River Bei Clan.”
Within the Azure Realm, beyond the three great immortal sects and the five imperial dynasties, lay countless Cultivation families.
The three most illustrious among them were the Luo River Bei Clan, the Poria Ouyang Clan, and the Southern Peak Five Sons.
The prefix denoted their ancestral lands, the suffix their bloodline.
Without exception, their lineages stretched back over a millennium. Some ancient families boasted histories rivaling the immortal sects themselves-a truly terrifying foundation.
Along the Luo River, the Bei Clan ruled as absolute sovereigns; every member walked as a lord among mortals.
Outsiders clawed desperately for any connection to the Bei Clan. Siring a child with one of their bloodline was the ultimate prize.
While it might not guarantee ascension to the heavens, it ensured a lifetime free from poverty and hunger.
Thus, despite having just met Bei Qinghui, Jiang Chen already held a deep impression of her.
Without further delay, the three hurried into the cavernous depths of the Earth Vein.
Following a brief report, the Earth Vein Manager, Yang Zhenyue, emerged from the shadows.
His expression was carved from stone, his gaze sharp enough to cut iron.
Jiang Chen frowned, sensing the tension. “Manager Yang, what happened?”
Yang Zhenyue’s face darkened. “The Earth Vein suffered another leak. The collapsed mineral veins are trivial, but we lost several formal disciples.”
Jiang Chen and Wang Ze exchanged a heavy glance, the gravity of the situation settling over them.
Disasters had already struck the Spirit Farm, and now the Earth Vein was bleeding as well.
Could Fire Peak, the Earth Fire Zone, and even the Rain Pavilion be suffering the same unrest?
Yang Zhenyue composed himself, his sharp eyes locking onto Jiang Chen. “The Abyss Master has already informed me of the disaster at the Spirit Farm. The Formation Masters are currently gathering.”
Jiang Chen looked slightly surprised. “If you already knew, why did Elder Mu send me?”
Yang Zhenyue shifted his gaze toward Wang Ze and Bei Qinghui. The two instantly understood the silent dismissal, turning on their heels and walking away.
Once they were alone, Yang Zhenyue sent a narrow thread of sound directly into Jiang Chen’s mind. “Remember Rong Long?”
Jiang Chen nodded. “Vividly.”
Yang Zhenyue continued his transmission. “The Punishment Hall utilized Soul Searching on him. They discovered he left behind several hidden dangers.
Coincidentally, you’ve recently dabbled in insect cultivation, haven’t you?”
Realization dawned on Jiang Chen. “So that’s it.”
Yang Zhenyue beckoned with a wave of his hand. “While the Formation Masters are still assembling, let’s go take a look.”
Hearing this, Jiang Chen immediately sent a voice transmission to Wang Ze. “Senior Brother, I have some other matters to attend to. You can either wait for the Formation Masters and leave with them, or head back now.”
In the distance, Wang Ze’s eyes lit up. “Formation Masters?!”
Half the reason he had tagged along was to rub shoulders with a few Formation Masters.
The guy he used to collaborate with had lost his mind, abandoning the immortal sect to become a live-in son-in-law for some minor Cultivation family.
…
…
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen followed Yang Zhenyue, plunging deeper into the subterranean labyrinth of the Earth Vein.
With the Manager personally clearing the path, their speed was blistering.
He lost track of time before a hollowed-out mineral vein finally appeared ahead.
Compared to the main tunnels, the internal space of this vein was claustrophobically small.
The moment they stepped inside, a pungent odor assaulted his nose.
At first sniff, it carried a cloying floral sweetness, but a deeper breath revealed the rancid, fishy stench of fermenting feces. It was a deeply complex, stomach-churning aroma.
Yang Zhenyue spoke calmly. “I’ve been here once before. I discovered a spirit insect nesting in the depths.”
Jiang Chen’s interest was instantly piqued. “Let’s go take a look.”
They hadn’t ventured far before the creature came into view.
It was the size of an adult’s fist, its carapace a dull, dark gold etched with dense, concentric rings.
Its head sported a pair of thick, shovel-like horns, and its six legs ended in vicious barbs. A vertical seam split its back, pulsing with a dim, earthy-yellow light from within.
But the most eye-catching feature was the monstrosity resting beside it.
A massive ball of dung, larger than a human head, radiating that complex, foul stench.
Yang Zhenyue pointed. “That is the spirit insect.”
Having mastered the Myriad Insects Secret Record, Jiang Chen recognized it at a glance. “A Dung Gold Beetle?”
The creature’s greatest strength was rolling dung. Its greatest weakness was also rolling dung.
Wherever it nested, a massive sphere of compressed, fermented waste was guaranteed to follow.
It could be used to fertilize a Spirit Farm, providing nourishment almost on par with the Minor Rain Spell.
However, since accumulating the dung took considerable time, its practical value was rather low.
Furthermore, a single dung ball could only nourish a handful of spirit plants-nowhere near enough to sustain an entire acre of a Spirit Farm.
Yang Zhenyue offered a rare, half-joking smirk. “I’d say this little beast is perfectly suited for you spirit farmers. Hurry up and catch it.”
Jiang Chen’s mouth twitched violently. “I… don’t really need this thing.”
Hearing this, Yang Zhenyue raised his right hand, heavy earth Qi gathering in his palm. “Then it must be destroyed.”
Jiang Chen hastily reached out to stop him. “Wait, wait, wait! A friend of mine might actually like it.”
Yang Zhenyue urged him on. “Then pack it up quickly. We need to hurry to the next location.”
Jiang Chen pulled out a spirit beast ring and stored the Dung Gold Beetle inside.
As for the dung ball… he decided to leave that right where it was!
