Chapter 629: The Ancient Scourge Is Quite Delicious

Chapter 629: Chapter 581: The Ancient Scourge Is Quite Delicious

A turncoat?

A master?

And an extra surprise?

Hearing the Colorful Insect’s surrender, Shi Ming was a little surprised. The suppressed exotic beast seemed to have abandoned all its dignity and ideas, even willing to take the initiative to recognize Shi Ming as its master and offer him the origin of the Bicolored Celestial Calamity.

‘It seems that brute force is more persuasive than reason after all.’

‘It seems that in the face of absolute power, it has been truly reborn.’

The moment the Colorful Insect willingly acknowledged him as its master, Shi Ming knew he had achieved a complete conquest over this Celestial Calamity-level exotic beast—a conquest of its will and spirit.

‘This makes the next part of the plan much smoother.’

He pondered for a few seconds, his voice echoing within the Hundred-Floor Celestial Tower.

“Are you worried that I will break our agreement, just as I broke my promise to the Evil Thought Flower?”

“Don’t worry.”

“You are different from it.”

“We have cooperated multiple times, and the outcome has been to my satisfaction every time. The understanding between us is not something a treacherous creature like the Evil Thought Flower could ever compare to. I will return the origin of the Bicolored Celestial Calamity to you as promised. Freedom will also be within your grasp.”

His voice carried a rare hint of gentleness.

‘Even when dealing with an exotic beast, one must implement the carrot-and-stick policy. Most creatures in the universe respond to this approach. Excessive force can sometimes prevent the perfect outcome; a balance of hard and soft tactics is the best way to advance the plan.’

“Your proposal is excellent.”

“The Evil Thought Flower’s power came from the fallen Evil Thought Heaven. Since Evil Thought Heaven, one of the Four Great Ancient Evils, left behind a way to rise again, the other three likely have their own contingencies. If you can help me sense the residual power of the other three Ancient Evils, I don’t mind helping you become the most powerful exotic beast.”

“You should understand that I have that kind of power.”

“We have proven once again that cooperation can indeed lead to a win-win situation.”

With Shi Ming’s current strength, he could indeed easily slay a so-called immortal Celestial Calamity. If he wished, he could sweep his Spiritual Power through the Hundred-Floor Celestial Tower right now, suppress the Colorful Insect with the authority of his Eye of the Divine, and annihilate it with his formidable Spiritual Power.

But as his power grew, he also understood that while a Celestial Calamity could spark a disaster within a civilization, its destructive potential was far inferior to that of an Ancient Evil. If he could use the Colorful Insect’s unique traits to uncover the contingencies of the other three Ancient Evils and completely sever their hopes of resurrection—while also breaking through the shackles on some of his own stats—it would be a good way to make the most of the Colorful Insect’s talents.

‘The proposal is certainly acceptable.’

Shi Ming was never a boss who only made empty promises. He extracted a droplet of crimson blood from his palm. This was purified source blood from the Evil Thought Flower; the symbols of corruption and malice within it had vanished, making it essentially a pure energy supplement.

The drop of source blood fell into his Sea of Spirit.

It then penetrated the towering Hundred-Floor Celestial Tower and floated beside the Colorful Insect.

‘Enough with the stick; it’s time for a little carrot.’

The Colorful Insect’s proposal was exactly what Shi Ming had originally planned. Having the other party suggest it, however, simplified some potentially complex communications. This small drop of pure source blood was enough to restore the Colorful Insect, which had lost its Bicolored Origin, to the level of a Celestial Calamity. And as a Celestial Calamity-level being, even while suppressed within the Sea of Spirit, it would be able to sense the power of nearby exotic beasts more clearly, becoming a perfect exotic beast detection radar.

“This…”

“This is for me?”

The Colorful Insect had spent the last few dozen days in a state of unease.

From an exotic beast’s perspective, once it lost its use and could be killed, it was bound to suffer the same fate as the Evil Thought Flower—to be devoured and absorbed. Its previous pledge of allegiance had been nothing more than a final struggle. It didn’t believe Shi Ming would acknowledge its value, as that value was not irreplaceable.

‘But now, it seems this human isn’t so despicable after all… He clearly could have devoured me completely, just like that flower, yet he’s willing to honor his previous promise…’

After hesitating for a hundredth of a second, the Colorful Insect ravenously absorbed the power within the drop of source blood. This was a higher-level power, and having been finely processed by Shi Ming, it was an absolute delicacy that no exotic beast could refuse.

‘So good!’

‘Incredible!’

‘The taste of an Ancient Evil… not bad at all!’

As a Celestial Calamity, the Colorful Insect had never dreamed that it would one day get to taste its superior. An Ancient Evil—lofty and remote, existing only in its bloodline memory—and now it was consuming its source blood. ‘If this happens a few more times,’ it thought, ‘then becoming the strongest Celestial Calamity, just as Shi Ming said, might not be entirely hopeless.’

Shi Ming watched the voraciously feeding Colorful Insect.

“Little Ban,”

“While the source blood of Evil Thought Heaven is powerful, it’s not a perfect match for you.”

“The powers of Slaughter Heaven or Sinful Heaven share the same roots as you. If you can find their remnants, you might be able to truly evolve. While it’s impossible for you to become a new Ancient Evil, there’s a good chance you could become a King of Exotic Beasts.”

The vacuum vortex in the Sea of Chaos dissipated, and a massive amount of chaotic aura flooded back in to fill the void. This region of the universe returned to its usual state.

Only, the exotic beasts lurking here had been completely wiped out.

The legend of the ‘Xian’ was no more. In the days to come, explorers of the Star Sea would never again see a living Xian beast, nor would they be corrupted by the malice here.

Everything was settled.

Shi Ming once again rode the Sun-Shooter back to the edge of the Sea of Chaos. During this time, the Great Haul had remained there, with Ah Jian and the Three-Eyed Golden Crow guarding the drifting vessel and carrying out the special mission Shi Ming had assigned them.

“Master, news of your arrival at the edge of the Sea of Chaos has already spread throughout the Star Sea.”

“We used Amonev’s power and the channels of the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country to inform many of the Pillar Stones and false gods of the other Cosmic Countries.”

Shi Ming nodded.

He had Ah Jian and the Three-Eyed Golden Crow fabricate the identity of a young, ambitious, genius explorer who had mastered one numbered Nirvana skill. This persona had arrived at the edge of the Sea of Chaos with the goal of acquiring another. The point wasn’t to attract the attention of the old-timers in the Star Sea, but to make the exotic beasts hiding within it sense an opportunity.

The Evil Thought Flower corrupted Bertutan.

‘The power of other exotic beasts has likely already infiltrated the Star Sea.’

Using himself as bait to make them stir and reveal themselves was one of the methods he had come up with to lure out the other exotic beasts. If he could use this chance to find the residual power of the other three Ancient Evils, then have the Colorful Insect inside him identify and trace it to its source, it would save him a significant amount of time.

Of course, if there were any unexpected discoveries, Shi Ming would gladly accept those as well.