Chapter 115 - 112: Peaceful Development, Returning to Cyan Peak County

Chapter 115: Chapter 112: Peaceful Development, Returning to Cyan Peak County

SCREECH!

The cries of the Thunder Roc and the Black Thorn Eagle echoed across the sky. They landed amidst gusts of roaring wind. The Worker Insects that had been waiting nearby immediately scurried forward to unload the packages they carried. Naturally, this trip was to deliver the items his father, Qin Hu, had purchased in Bishui City.

The Thunder Chasing Cloud Bow and the Wind and Thunder Spear Riders manual were invaluable treasures, but beyond them lay an abundance of "Materials"—various resources meant for setting up Arrays and Artifact Refining. Ever since the connection between the Insect Swarm and Bishui City had been established, the Black Thorn Eagles had never ceased their takeoffs and landings. All the materials Qin Yu needed could now be transported through the air. This method’s efficiency was far superior to that of horse-drawn carriages.

Walking forward briskly, Qin Yu took out the Thunder Chasing Cloud Bow and examined it carefully in his hands. Barring any accidents, this bow would accompany him for a very long time. As the Sovereign of the Insect Swarm, his path of growth was bound to be paved with storms of blood and carnage. He himself had to wield enough power to continue down this path. Sword Skill and the Bow and Arrow. These were the two directions he had chosen for himself. For the sword, he had the Evil-breaking Saber. Now that he finally possessed a suitable Bow and Arrow, his strength would see a significant boost.

Upon closer inspection, the body of the Thunder Chasing Cloud Bow was a cyan-white color that resembled flowing wind, adorned with natural wood grain and cloud patterns. A purple streak of lightning, like a living creature, spiraled outward from the grip toward both ends. At first glance, it did not look much different from an ordinary bow. However, when his vigorous Qi and Blood Force merged into the bow, its true might was instantly revealed. The body of the bow was enshrouded in a gentle breeze, with sparks of lightning faintly flashing across its surface.

He pulled a long arrow from the accompanying quiver. He nocked the arrow and drew the bow. As the bowstring was pulled back, the wind howled and thunder roared. A cyan-purple brilliance shot forth like Flowing Light, effortlessly piercing through a rocky mountainside a thousand meters away before erupting in a violent explosion.

"What a fine bow!" Qin Yu’s eyes lit up. He had merely used an ordinary arrow, yet the destructive power was astonishing. With his Archery Skill paired with the Insect Nest’s superhuman calculation abilities, hunting down a Great Demon with Qi and Blood like a Dragon would be a breeze.

"Then there are these three Gamma-level Upper Grade Wind and Thunder Arrows. With these three arrows, I even have the confidence to kill those in the Sea of Killing Intent Realm!" Taking out the three long arrows covered in Secret Patterns and shining with a cyan-purple luster from the quiver, Qin Yu felt deeply satisfied. Arrows were one-time use consumable treasures. A single shot meant tens of thousands of silver taels vanished into thin air. But their destructive power was absolutely astounding.

"I’ll have to ask Father to go to the Treasure Pavilion and purchase another batch of Arrows. They don’t have to be Gamma-level Upper Grade. Gamma-level Low Grade or even Delta-level will suffice."

After putting away the Thunder Chasing Cloud Bow, Qin Yu picked up the Wind and Thunder Spear Riders Secret Technique. He flipped through it casually. The most valuable part of this Secret Technique was the specific "patterns" it detailed for inscribing on the body, as well as the forging methods for Armor and mount saddles. With such a Secret Technique, one could hire an Artifact Refiner to forge the equipment according to its instructions. Then, elite Martial Artists could be selected to have the "patterns" inscribed upon them. Paired with Daoist Armor, they could drill and train according to the methods outlined within.

"Store this in the Insect Nest and begin the Simulation Project!" After sending the Secret Technique into the Insect Nest for careful analysis, Qin Yu paid it no more mind.

This would be another time-consuming and labor-intensive grand project. Not to mention the most Basic evolution and mutation of the Insect Swarm units, currently, the Simulation Project that provided the most significant enhancement to the Insect Swarm was undoubtedly the Gu Insect simulation based on the Ten Thousand Poison Gu Refining Scripture. Units like the Black Thorn Eagle and the Thorn Snake had experienced massive leaps in strength as a result.

However, the emergence of the Microscopic Insect Nest and the Blade Insect did not mean the simulation was over. It was only the beginning, and subsequent processes would require continuous Enhancement and optimization. The Blade Insect possessed decent cutting capabilities, but its penetrative power was lacking. Since he already had the Microscopic Insect Nest, wouldn’t it be perfectly reasonable to develop a few more different types of "ammunition"?

When the Four-winged Black Thorn Eagle was first bred, its strength was merely Qi and Blood Like a Tiger, and its size wasn’t considered massive. Could it be mounted onto the Thunder Roc or even the Three-legged Golden Crow to further elevate its offensive capabilities? There were also other various types of Gu Insects, such as the Blood Shadow Gu and the Vajra Gu, that could be developed. The Insect Swarm was not lacking in resources right now, so he could afford to invest heavily in this.

Of course, there were also Arrays! With the Hundred Array Formulas, the Poison Shadow Mysterious Array, and the newly acquired Wind and Thunder Spear Riders, a massive amount of resources would similarly need to be invested for simulation.

In fact, the large quantity of resources purchased this time was precisely for setting up Arrays. From the most Basic Array Plates and Town Banners to the various Materials required for refining, Qin Hu had dropped nearly a million silver taels in a single visit to the Treasure Pavilion. If it weren’t for the Hundred Fruit Brew, they simply wouldn’t have been able to afford it. Spending money like water—this was the perfect embodiment of that phrase. Every time Shopkeeper Mr. Zhou saw Qin Hu, he beamed with the joy of seeing the God of Wealth himself.

Opening a package by his side, Qin Yu picked up a transparent Crystal Stone the size of a thumb. The moment it rested in his palm, he could clearly sense the surging Energy within. This was a Low Grade Primordial Stone. It contained pure Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Although Qi Sea Realm experts had opened the Bridge of Heaven and Earth and could breathe in Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to strengthen themselves, the Primordial Qi drifting freely through the world was thin and incredibly volatile. Absorbing it directly was highly inefficient. Relying on inhaling Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to improve one’s strength could take a century, and even then, one might not successfully open the Nine Qi Meridians.

Primordial Stones were the best solution. A single Low Grade Primordial Stone could save half a month of painstaking Cultivation. The Primordial Qi Energy within could also serve as an Energy Source for Arrays. However, Primordial Stones were equally exorbitant in price. A single Low Grade Primordial Stone was equivalent to ten thousand silver taels, and even then, there was demand but no supply. To purchase one, a significant premium usually had to be paid. Qin Hu bought ten of them in one go, costing him a hundred and twenty thousand taels. And that was even a discounted friends-and-family rate!

"I have all the Materials now. The research progress on Arrays and Dao Soldiers must also begin. The utmost priority is the protection of the Insect Nest. The Poison Shadow Mysterious Array is very suitable, but its level is too high.

"I can start by utilizing some of the simple Illusion Arrays and Trapping Arrays recorded in the Hundred Array Formulas."

Qin Yu turned to look at the Insect Nest in the center of Snake Valley. Several Needle-spine Crawlers burst out from the soil, and the surrounding vegetation formed by the Mimic Fungal Mat began to shift. This was a Basic Array from the Hundred Array Formulas—the "Green Wood Mysterious Array." It inherently lacked any potent offensive or defensive capabilities, but the Array could be used to distort light and perception. Upon entering the Array, thick fog would rise and illusions would abound. If one could not break the Array, it would be extremely easy to lose one’s sense of direction, and even Divine Sense would face interference.

Setting up this kind of Array was actually quite troublesome. It required transplanting and modifying a large number of trees. However, for the Insect Swarm, which possessed the Mimic Fungal Mat, it was an incredibly simple task. It could be adjusted at will according to one’s needs.

As for the fog? Such a thing was all too easy for the Insect Swarm. The mountains and forests were filled with miasma, and Plant Demon Fiends like the Bloodsucking Vine could actively spew mist with hallucinogenic effects. In the past, Qin Yu had not put this into practice. If it couldn’t be controlled, suddenly conjuring a cloud of fog would be extremely eye-catching. It was better to just rely on the Mimic Fungal Mat for camouflage. But having the assistance of an Array changed things. It could shroud the entirety of Snake Valley, leaving no anomalies visible from the outside. But the moment anyone stepped within the Array’s perimeter, they would be met with a blanket of fog and a multitude of Illusion Realms.

"I’ll start with the most Basic Illusion Arrays. Later on, I can add Trapping Arrays and Killing Arrays to thoroughly protect the Insect Nest.

"Snake Valley is no more than a thousand miles away from Cyan Peak County.

"Once factions like the Blood Demon Sect and the Bishui River Dragon Palace come looking, it’ll be easily discovered."

Qin Yu gazed into the distance. Within the perception of the Mind Network, dozens of Insect Nests had already been incubated. Although most were Tier One Insect Nests, utilizing these Nests as nodes allowed him to link up the endless stretches of the Wilderness Mountain Range. The Mimic Fungal Mat was expanding from these points to cover the entire region.

At Three Immortals Mountain, situated at the very core of the mountain range, an imposing Tier Two Nest stood tall. The location here was even better than Snake Valley. Through the perception of the Three-legged Fire Crow, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi here was noticeably denser than anywhere else. This was precisely why the Mountain-Splitting Demon King, the Seven-Colored Spirit Deer, and others loved cultivating here.

In its vicinity, exploring Worker Insects had also discovered several mineral veins. Not far away, they had even found a dormant volcano that would occasionally spew out thick smoke and bursts of fire. This was the former Cultivation ground of the Red Feather Demon King. But for the Insect Swarm, volcanoes and magma could serve equally well as sources of Energy. The Energy within could be extracted and harnessed for the Swarm’s use. The Fungal Mat was meant for exactly this job. In the inherited memories of the Insect Swarm, if the Fungal Mat was allowed to develop continuously, it could plunge deep into the earth’s veins and siphon an entire planet’s "blood"—its deep magma—completely dry!

The Shegu Mountain Range was one of the Insect Swarm’s research bases. But in the near future, Three Immortals Mountain would serve as another core development zone for the Insect Swarm. Naturally, there was also Flood Dragon Lake, which would serve as the development base for the underwater Insect Swarm. The Demon Fiends weren’t stupid; the locations they had chosen were indeed optimal for development.

This battle had thoroughly wiped out the Demon Fiends in the Wilderness Mountain Range, allowing the Insect Swarm to flourish. Yet, the hidden dangers were just as immense. The Blood Demon Sect had continuously suffered personnel losses at his hands. Who knew if they would dispatch an even stronger entity to wipe out the Insect Swarm? The Bishui River Dragon King’s last illegitimate child had died at the hands of a Three-legged Fire Crow. That bloodline curse served as a constant reminder that retaliation could strike at any time.

One must always have contingency plans. Qin Yu naturally needed to make advanced preparations to prevent being wiped out in one fell swoop!

"For this period, we will develop quietly, digest our gains, and occupy the entire Wilderness Mountain Range.

"However, we cannot let our guard down. Centered around the Wilderness Mountain Range and the Bishui River branch bases, we will breed a batch of scouting units and expand outward!

"Only by knowing the enemy and oneself can one emerge victorious in every battle.

"This time, the Insect Swarm will take the initiative to strike!"

After laying out this series of arrangements, Qin Yu leaped onto the Thunder Roc’s back and cast a glance down at Snake Valley, where the mist was gradually rising. Having spent so long in this desolate wilderness, it was about time he returned to Cyan Peak County.