Chapter 28 - 27: Sky Hunt

Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Sky Hunt

Amidst the mountain forest, a winding caravan trudged along the narrow path. The woods suddenly trembled as a dozen dark silhouettes darted rapidly through the trees. Their elusive, fleeting movements resembled ghosts, yet the hundred-plus people in the procession felt an inexplicable sense of security.

This was because these were the Qin Family’s War Beasts!

"These Rapid Insects seem larger in size, and their auras are much stronger." In the center of the procession, Qin Hu looked at the Rapid Insects that had come to receive them.

"Your eyes are sharp, Father. This batch of Rapid Insects is indeed stronger," Qin Yu said with a faint smile. "Their strength has already reached the Bone Forging Realm, and as time passes, they will only grow stronger."

Combat and evolution. The Insect Swarm was constantly improving and evolving. The Rapid Insect that had completed its evolution during the battle was just the beginning. When the Insect Swarm successfully analyzed the Golden Eagle’s bloodline genes and integrated Demon Force into their system, another enhancement for the Rapid Insects began.

This time, it was not a random mutation. Instead, the Insect Nest optimized them, infusing the Demon Force—which was essentially Qi and Blood Force—as well as the Demon Fiend’s bloodline talent directly into the Rapid Insects’ bodies.

Take the Black Thorn Eagle, for example. It was formed by fusing the Golden Eagle’s bloodline genes with the Insect Swarm, naturally retaining a portion of the Golden Eagle’s innate talents. However, this fusion seemed to have somewhat compromised its bloodline abilities, only slightly enhancing its perception and control over the Wind. Still, considering the massive leap in overall combat power, the trade-off was entirely worth it. A secondary evolution later would easily make up for any shortcomings.

As for the Rapid Insects, Qin Yu favored the Wolf Demon Bloodline talent, which he had encountered during his first slaughter. Once activated, that innate bloodline ability caused a temporary but explosive surge in speed and strength.

The Rapid Insects were positioned as Light Armor units. Their path was one of swiftness and ferocity, similar to a wolf pack in combat. But to achieve this, he needed to fully analyze the Wolf Demon’s bloodline, which required both Energy and time.

"The Bone Forging Realm?" Ouyang Xue exclaimed from the carriage.

Although she was not skilled in Martial Arts, coming from a prominent family meant she possessed the necessary foresight and understood exactly what this signified. This single batch of Rapid Insects could effortlessly sweep through the entirety of Cyan Peak County. And incredibly, this was solely the result of Qin Yu’s efforts over a few short days.

She had seen that Insect Nest with her own eyes. As long as it was fed enough flesh and blood, a tiny insect could grow into its fully mature form in a terrifyingly brief amount of time. It was simply horrifying.

"They can break through again?" Qin Hu’s expression was filled with shock.

The sight of the Rapid Insects slaughtering on the battlefield had left everyone in awe; a mere twenty of them had easily blocked the Demon Fiends’ most ferocious attacks. And that was when they were merely at the Muscle Refining Realm! Just how powerful would they be at the Bone Forging Realm?

If they broke through the Bone Forging Realm, wouldn’t they reach the Qi and Blood Realm? Being able to mass-produce Qi and Blood Realm War Beasts? Thinking of this, Qin Hu couldn’t help but feel his mouth go dry. If that were truly the case, what did Snake Demon Li Tianyi, with his Qi and Blood like a Dragon, even amount to? If over a hundred Qi and Blood Realm Rapid Insects swarmed him, they could exhaust him to death!

"Heh, theoretically, there’s no problem. However, it still requires time and proper cultivation. The time and resources needed for their growth will also increase significantly."

Qin Yu smiled faintly, deliberately revealing his bottom line to his parents. If he kept everything hidden and acted entirely on his own, it would inevitably cause them needless worry, which might inadvertently lead to trouble down the line. The familial warmth of this life was far too precious to him; it was something he absolutely had to protect, even if it cost him his life.

"Look up at the sky."

Both of them raised their heads, only to see a flock of birds of prey flying silently through the clouds. Qin Hu’s pupils instantly contracted, while Ouyang Xue’s face turned completely pale.

Red-bellied Eagles were considered formidable birds of prey. With wingspans exceeding one and a half meters, they were more than capable of fighting off ordinary wild beasts. Yet, at the end of the day, they were still just ordinary animals. Now, surrounded by four Red-bellied Eagles, a true behemoth soared through the sky. Its thick, sturdy body, wings covered in Scale Armor spanning over twenty feet, razor-sharp talons, and a body completely adorned with Bone Spikes made it look far more vicious than even the most terrifying Demon Fiends.

"This is a Black Thorn Eagle, and its strength is also at the Bone Forging Realm," Qin Yu explained. "I will have them circle the sky at all times. If they spot any unexpected situations, they will notify the manor immediately."

"Is this... your trump card?" Qin Hu’s eyes reddened slightly. "You need a massive amount of flesh and blood? I will have the family purchase as much as possible with all our might. If Cyan Peak County isn’t enough, we’ll go to other counties! This is the greatest opportunity for our Qin Family’s rise!"

Outside the Qin Family Manor.

When the caravan arrived nearby, a large swarm of Worker Insects and Rapid Insects immediately surged out, dragging all the livestock toward the Insect Nest in the Mine Cave. There were over a hundred domestic pigs and more than two thousand assorted poultry. Although they were merely ordinary livestock, their flesh and blood still contained ample Energy. Once completely digested, they would provide at least five thousand Energy points. This was an undeniably handsome yield.

After chatting with his parents at the Qin Family Manor for a while and bringing them up to speed on certain matters, Qin Yu decisively headed toward the Mine Cave’s Insect Nest.

Inside the valley of the Mine Cave, the massive amount of livestock was being rapidly slaughtered by the Worker Insects and then tossed directly into the Insect Nest. The ten-meter-tall Insect Nest covered an area of over a hundred square meters and contained numerous internal cavities. Its digestive capabilities were vastly superior to before. Huge pigs weighing hundreds of pounds were digested at a visible speed the moment they were thrown inside.

However, Qin Yu had no mind to pay attention to any of this right now.

Amidst a low, resonant cry, the Black Thorn Eagle violently swooped down from the sky, suddenly spreading its massive wings right before hitting the ground to land steadily in front of him. Looking at this colossal beast, Qin Yu couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. He immediately vaulted onto the Black Thorn Eagle’s back, slipping a pre-prepared harness over it to firmly secure himself against the jagged Bone Spikes. The creature’s massive size, with its twenty-foot wingspan, easily accommodated Qin Yu sitting at the base of its neck.

FLAP! FLAP!

The Black Thorn Eagle slowly beat its wings before soaring straight into the sky, carrying Qin Yu upon its back.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The fierce Winds howled as the Black Thorn Eagle let out a series of steady, deep cries in the sky. Feeling the rushing gale against his face and watching the ground shrink further and further away, Qin Yu was filled with boundless pride and ambition. He couldn’t even hold back a long, triumphant shout.

Flight! This was one of the ultimate dreams of all mankind, and today, he had finally achieved it. The sheer joy of the moment was simply beyond description. It was incredibly exhilarating!

A long while later.

Having calmed down, Qin Yu drew his Bow and Arrow from his back. With the Purple Vine Bow in hand, he locked his gaze onto a running fox on the ground, nearly a thousand meters below. Countless calculations flashed through his mind. ℴℴ𝘮

SWISH!

An Armor-Breaking Arrow shot out. However, the arrow merely grazed the fox’s scalp.

The Black Thorn Eagle’s flight speed was simply too fast; at full tilt, it could instantly break the sound barrier! Even with his Archery reaching the level of Microcosm, the fierce Winds howling in the sky and his absolute lack of prior aerial experience made it exceedingly difficult to hit a fox a thousand meters away in a dense forest.

Qin Yu made some slight adjustments and fired another arrow. It took three consecutive shots before he finally managed to kill the fox.

"Just as I thought. Shooting from the sky is completely different from shooting on the ground," Qin Yu mused, his heart brimming with joy.

Although it was somewhat troublesome, as long as he mastered the technique, attacking Demon Fiends on the ground would be an absolute breeze—an overwhelming strike from a higher vantage point! Without hesitation, Qin Yu continued to practice. He fired arrow after arrow, rapidly grasping the core tricks of aerial Archery Skill.

Half a day later.

The Black Thorn Eagle suddenly went into a high-speed dive from the sky. Amidst the roaring sonic booms, countless calculations frantically flashed across Qin Yu’s eyes. He continuously drew the Purple Vine Bow, sending black arrows flying out in the blink of an eye. The arrows rained down like a torrential storm!

BANG!

Seven or eight pig-like Demon Fiends, each over ten feet long with a single horn on their heads, were sprinting madly through the jungle. One after another, they let out miserable wails before crashing heavily to the ground.

WHOOSH—

A hundred meters above the ground, the diving Black Thorn Eagle abruptly spread its wings and soared back into the sky, immediately heading toward the next target. As for the corpses left on the ground, the Worker Insects would naturally come to clean them up.

Hunting Demon Fiends was undeniably the best training method!

"What a pity that the Black Thorn Eagle lacks any ranged attack capabilities. Otherwise, its deterrence would be even greater," Qin Yu thought to himself.

Suddenly, he let out a gasp of surprise, a flash of joy appearing in his eyes. An image had just appeared in his mind. It was a visual transmitted by a Black Thorn Eagle out on reconnaissance. Approximately three hundred miles away from his current location, it had discovered a Demon’s Nest!

Almost at the exact same moment, a message was transmitted from the Insect Nest.

"Giant Bear Demon Fiend fully analyzed. Its biological genetic structure has been integrated into the Insect Nest!"

"Similar biological genetic fragments have been discovered within the Insect Nest’s database. Fusion available..."