Chapter 437: Fanning the Flames |
Cold Abyss Snow.
The longer this invasive disaster lingered, the more devastating its toll became.
Fortunately, it took less than four days for the cultivators to realize the true nature of the threat and launch their countermeasures. The key lay in the Formations.
The Warm Sun Array, refined through countless modifications, had become remarkably simple. Any Formation Master could lay it down with ease.
Furthermore, when it came to disaster relief, the Immortal Sect always bore the cost of materials. The sheer volume of resources burned mattered little.
Thus, in less than half a day, the vast majority of the Spirit Farms-especially the dense clusters worked by independent cultivators-were bathed in the glow of Warm Sun Arrays.
Some were massive, casting their protective light over dozens of acres of second-grade Spirit Farms.
Others were small, desperately shielding a single, solitary acre.
The Spirit Farms, once entombed by the parasitic blizzard, now radiated a gentle heat. The invasive snow and jagged ice began to melt away at a visible pace.
“I just wonder how deep the rot goes. How much did we truly lose?”
“Speaking of which, those newcomers took a heavy beating!”
Seeing the melting frost, many let out long, ragged sighs of relief.
As time trickled by, the snow continued to fall beyond the barriers, but the Spirit Farms slowly clawed their way back to life.
However, for Ji Mingxuan and the other formal disciples who had just entered the core Spirit Farms, it was a massacre. Every single one of their spirit plants had withered and died, leaving them with a total crop failure.
When Jiang Chen returned to the palace on Flat Top Mountain, he even heard people actively fanning the flames against him.
They claimed that the Spirit Cultivation Envoy’s sluggish response was the sole reason for their catastrophic losses.
They argued he bore an inescapable responsibility and demanded retribution, their voices thick with agitation.
Jiang Chen observed this brewing storm with an impassive gaze. At first, it was only Ji Mingxuan’s faction stirring the pot, but soon, several bitter Spirit Farmers blindly followed suit.
Yet, their clamor was swiftly drowned out by the more level-headed Spirit Farmers, such as Miao Huayu and Xu Linshan.
Even so, the crowd gradually fractured into three distinct camps.
The first camp consisted of the instigators.
The second camp stood firmly behind Jiang Chen.
The third camp merely watched from the sidelines, eager for a spectacle.
For now, while the rumors brushed against Jiang Chen’s reputation, the damage was negligible.
After all, his past actions and pragmatic nature were plain for all to see.
A dry, mocking smile tugged at Jiang Chen’s lips. Condemning me from the moral high ground. These fools certainly know how to play the game, he thought.
But the louder they barked, the less he cared. Anger was a luxury he wouldn’t afford them.
Simply put, it was a pit. Once you jumped in to argue, you rarely climbed back out clean.
His absolute priority remained the Cold Abyss Snow. As for those slinging mud, he would bury them in it later.
Thus, Jiang Chen immediately sought out Elder Mu. “Manager.”
Elder Mu glanced up. “How is the situation being handled?”
Jiang Chen delivered a crisp report. “The vast majority of the Spirit Farm is now secured beneath Warm Sun Arrays. Only a handful of remote patches remain exposed for the time being.
“But overall, the impact has been minimized.”
Elder Mu gave a slow, measured nod, the weight of centuries in his gaze. “Well done.”
Erasing the scars of this disaster in a single stroke was an impossible dream.
For the first few days, everyone had been lulled into believing it was merely a harsh winter snow.
It wasn’t until the third day, when the snow mutated into a ravenous blizzard, that the true horror of the situation dawned on them.
Jiang Chen asked carefully, “And the Spirit Farmers who lost their harvests?”
Elder Mu offered a faint smile. “The Immortal Sect will cover the losses of those affected by this calamity.”
Jiang Chen exhaled a quiet breath. “That is good to hear.”
Elder Mu spoke with a dry chuckle. “Dongting is, after all, one of the three great Immortal Sects. If we lacked even this much backbone, our disciples would have scattered to the winds long ago.”
Jiang Chen nodded in deep agreement. “Indeed.”
Elder Mu then asked, “Have you inspected those hidden dangers?”
“There were five in total,” Jiang Chen replied promptly. “Manager Yang and I secured two of them. We lacked the time for the remaining three, so they must wait.”
Elder Mu warned, “That Rong Long is a high-level Formation Master. Do not underestimate him.”
Jiang Chen immediately cupped his hands. “Understood.”
With that, he turned and departed the hall.
At this stage, the duties of a Spirit Cultivation Envoy were largely finished.
Rather than lingering to listen to outsiders stir up trouble, he preferred the quiet sanctuary of his home to tend to his insects.
The Dung Gold Beetle was of little concern, but the Thunder Gold Kui was a genuine treasure.
Eager to begin, Jiang Chen hurried back to Red Leaf Valley.
He slipped into his room, his figure blurring as he stepped into his personal spatial realm. With a flick of his wrist, he released both insects from the spirit beast ring.
The moment the Dung Gold Beetle emerged, it began frantically scouring the ground for dung. Unfortunately, the only creature producing waste here was the Dragon Carp in the distant lake, leaving the beetle to scurry about in anxious frustration.
The Thunder Gold Kui was entirely different. Thrust into an unfamiliar environment, it didn’t recklessly discharge its lightning. Instead, it suppressed its aura to the absolute limit.
Utilizing its semi-transparent carapace, it camouflaged itself, melting seamlessly into the surrounding terrain.
Jiang Chen nodded approvingly. “The one over there only has dung in its head.
“Unlike this one. It actually possesses some cunning.”
According to the meticulous records within the Myriad Insects Secret Record, taming a Thunder Gold Kui required the cultivator to possess either Thunder or Metal-attribute spiritual power.
Although Jiang Chen possessed a Thunder-Fire Spirit Root, it was not a pure Thunder Spirit Root; it merely carried a secondary thunder affinity. His Golden Core also lacked pure Thunder Magic Power.
Thus, he had to settle for the next best option: utilizing the Magic Power of a Metal Spirit Root.
Jiang Chen retrieved a Thunder Sound Stone. As he crushed it into a fine, granular powder, he steadily infused his Magic Power into the dust.
Rolling the mixture between his fingers until it formed pellets the size of rice grains, he crafted the Golden Thunder Bait-a delicacy irresistible to the Thunder Gold Kui.
The moment it was finished, a faint, elusive fragrance drifted through the air.
At first, the Thunder Gold Kui remained hyper-vigilant, frozen like a statue.
But as the pile of Golden Thunder Bait grew, the aching void of its depleted lightning power finally shattered its restraint.
It crept toward the bait with agonizing caution. It didn’t strike immediately, instead probing the air, testing for traps.
The alien environment kept the little creature’s instincts on a razor’s edge.
Jiang Chen, wielding absolute control over his personal space, stood mere inches away. Yet, he was like a phantom, his presence entirely erased, not a single wisp of his aura leaking out.
After several tense moments of testing, satisfied that no danger lurked, the Thunder Gold Kui finally began to nibble at the Golden Thunder Bait.
Because the pellets were only the size of rice grains, it snapped them up one by one.
With every bite, its rigid guard softened.
Seizing the perfect moment, Jiang Chen forced a single drop of his blood from his fingertip. It fell from above, striking the Thunder Gold Kui’s carapace. The insect flinched violently in fright.
But almost instantly, its rigid shell began to soften.
Burning his Magic Power, Jiang Chen used his own blood as ink, his fingers moving in a blur to carve the Kui Pattern Contract Rune into the creature’s yielding flesh.
The instant the rune seared into its armor, the Thunder Gold Kui detonated the last dregs of its lightning power, thrashing in a desperate, final struggle for freedom.
However, its opponent was Jiang… Five Elements Spirit Root… Heavenly-Grade Golden Core… Chen!
