Chapter 436: The Unicorn Beetle |
Before long, Jiang Chen and the others arrived at the second hidden danger.
This was not a Spirit Vein, but an extremely deep underground cavern. The surroundings bristled with prismatic crystals, each pulsing with the violent, crackling energy of the thunder attribute.
The atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy, making the hairs on the back of one’s neck stand on end.
Yang Zhenyue spoke up. “I came to investigate this second hidden danger earlier. This place is full of Thunder Resonance Stones. At the deepest part sits a giant stone with a spirit insect attached to it.
Compared to the Dung Gold Beetle from before, this one feels far more formidable.”
Following his lead, the two ventured into the deepest part of the cavern.
Sure enough, a massive Thunder Resonance Stone loomed before them, standing over three zhang in height.
Clinging to its center was a larva half a chi long. It was silvery-white and semi-transparent, its body layered like overlapping armor, with a slender, needle-like horn protruding from its head.
Its six legs were spindly, ending in fleshy suction cups.
Jiang Chen instantly recognized it. “This is a variant of the unicorn beetle, the Thunder Gold Kui!”
Yang Zhenyue nodded slightly. “Indeed, an exotic insect.”
Spirit insects were divided by strict quality grades.
Starting from Mortal Grade, they ascended through Spirit Grade, Rare Grade, Immortal Grade, and finally, Divine Grade.
Variants, also known as exotic insects, started at the Rare Grade and were inherently priceless.
It was akin to a sword cultivator yearning for a peerless blade or a Top Grade sword pellet.
For many insect cultivators, this was a prize they would chase their entire lives.
Now, it rested right before Jiang Chen, well within his reach. Yet he was in no rush. Instead, he cupped his hands and bowed to the man beside him. “Thank you, Manager Yang!”
Yang Zhenyue waved a hand. “We are on the same side. There is no need for thanks.”
Although the Lord of the Harvest and the Lord of the Abyss maintained a facade of constant conflict, everyone clearly understood their true relationship.
Now, one was a Manager under the Lord of the Abyss.
The other was a Spirit Cultivator under the Lord of the Harvest.
To some extent, they served the same master, so naturally, he would lend a hand.
After all, aside from wasting a bit of time, Yang Zhenyue suffered no real loss.
Jiang Chen drew his Spirit Beast Ring once more and walked slowly toward the Thunder Gold Kui.
Perhaps sensing his approach, the little creature’s needle-like horn immediately sparked with crackling lightning, looking quite intimidating.
If there were no outsiders present, Jiang Chen would have simply grabbed it with his bare hands.
But with Yang Zhenyue watching from behind, he could only summon several Black Iron Vines. He controlled the dark tendrils to wrap around the Thunder Gold Kui, grounding the violent lightning energy within its body into the soil.
After a short while, the little creature seemed entirely drained.
It went limp, refusing to move even an inch.
Jiang Chen seized the opportunity and quickly swept it into the Spirit Beast Ring.
Although it was not yet tamed, he could easily manage it once he returned home.
After all, he had already mastered the Myriad Insects Secret Record to its absolute peak.
As the saying goes, it is impolite not to reciprocate. Moreover, Yang Zhenyue had gifted him two spirit insects today, and this Thunder Gold Kui was exceptionally valuable.
Therefore, Jiang Chen drew ten jin of Top-quality Spirit Wine from his Jade Green Gourd and handed it over. “You probably wouldn’t care for ordinary gifts. Try some of the wine I brewed.”
Yang Zhenyue took it, took a deep swig, and immediately praised, “I’ve long heard your brewing skills are top-notch, even better than that old drunkard Jiang Bo!”
Jiang Chen replied modestly, “I cannot compare to Immortal Jiang. It is merely passable.”
Yang Zhenyue said seriously, “I can still tell whose wine tastes better.”
With that said, Jiang Chen could not argue further and simply changed the subject. “We have dealt with two hidden dangers. How many remain?”
Yang Zhenyue estimated the time and shook his head. “Three more places. But the formation masters should be gathering soon. Let us continue this later.”
Jiang Chen nodded slightly. “Alright.”
…
…
When the two returned to the Earth Vein, the formation masters had indeed gathered.
And there were not just ten people; there was one extra.
It was even an old acquaintance of Jiang Chen’s.
As soon as she heard about helping at the Spirit Farm, she had been incredibly enthusiastic and eager.
Even though it was clearly stated that ten people were enough, she still insisted on joining.
Jiang Chen was somewhat surprised when he saw her. “Tie Xin?”
She immediately walked over and whispered, “The wine is finished. Give me more.”
Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. “I will give you some after we install the Warm Sun Array, alright?”
Tie Xin pouted. “Fine.”
Subsequently, Jiang Chen, Wang Ze, and the eleven formation masters, including Tie Xin, flew straight toward the upper cave entrance.
Once outside, Jiang Chen summoned his Shattered Moon Flowing Frost to carry everyone, streaking swiftly toward the Spirit Farm.
“The snow is still falling!”
“If this continues, the Spirit Farm definitely won’t hold up.”
“Not just the Spirit Farm. Our Earth Vein hasn’t been peaceful lately either; things keep happening.”
The formation masters huddled together, chatting as they traveled through the biting wind.
Jiang Chen and Wang Ze listened silently. From their words, they learned that various bizarre incidents had been occurring frequently within the Earth Vein.
Not only Yellow Earth Essence leaks and Spirit Vein collapses, but also incidents of disciples vanishing without a trace.
When they were later tracked down using special methods, they were discovered to have been turned into solid stone statues.
Wang Ze couldn’t help but send a voice transmission. “Junior Brother Jiang, why does it feel like ever since the dragon vein in the Canglan Sea was severed, the whole world has started to rot?”
Hearing this, Jiang Chen’s gaze darkened.
In truth, he had no clue what was causing the myriad of disasters plaguing them now.
After all, that dragon vein was in the Canglan Sea, an unfathomable distance from here.
But he had to admit, Wang Ze was right. Ever since that incident, all sorts of calamities had been occurring with alarming frequency.
Especially over at Mystic Heart City; so far, not a single word had returned.
The number of core and formal disciples from the Cloud Sea Sect alone exceeded five hundred. Combined with the disciples from the other two major immortal sects and numerous lesser Cultivation sects, even if the total didn’t break ten thousand, there were at least several thousand cultivators trapped there.
If something happened to all of them, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Before long, the group arrived at the Spirit Farm.
As a Spirit Cultivator, one of Jiang Chen’s daily duties was to patrol these very fields.
Therefore, he knew the terrain like the back of his hand.
He immediately divided the eleven formation masters into pairs, taking Tie Xin himself. Forming six groups in total, he assigned them to six distinct locations.
Of course, some places did not require their aid.
For example, the large families in the Spirit Farm, like The Zhao Clan and The Wang Clan, had already installed their own formations.
Therefore, Jiang Chen’s arrangements were straightforward.
They would start installing the Warm Sun Array in the areas with the highest concentration of independent cultivators and Spirit Farms, then gradually work their way out to the remote Spirit Farmers with smaller plots.
The moment the formation disk was embedded into the snowy ground, gilded Warm Sun runes flared to life on the surface. The runes spread outward from the formation eye, enveloping acre after acre of the Spirit Farm.
Each rune flowed sluggishly, like molten gold seeping into the frost.
At first, it offered only a faint warmth. But as time passed, the temperature steadily rose.
It never reached a scalding, burning heat. Instead, it felt like the gentle rays of a rising sun, slowly melting the invasive snow and driving back the encroaching death of the cold!
