Chapter 55 - 54: The Blood Demon Sect’s Prying and the Insect Swarm’s Expansion

Chapter 55: Chapter 54: The Blood Demon Sect’s Prying and the Insect Swarm’s Expansion

At the Qin Family Manor, the Black Thorn Eagle landed.

Qin Yu strode into the courtyard, making no attempt to hide the smile on his face as he headed toward his parents.

"Father, Mother, I have finalized the deal with the Demon Suppression Bureau. From now on, the legacy of the Five Poison Sect will serve as the foundation of our Qin family."

Waiting there, Qin Hu’s face also flushed with joy. The heavy anxiety that had been weighing on his heart finally lifted. Although he had been certain that the personal disciple of the Demon Suppression General wouldn’t go back on his word in broad daylight, he still felt an indescribable surge of excitement when the news was confirmed.

"Good! Good! Good!" Qin Hu cheered repeatedly. This meant the Qin family’s opportunity to rise had arrived. It wouldn’t be long before they truly soared.

The group immediately went inside, and Qin Yu recounted the general course of events to the two of them. They didn’t plan to interfere with whatever Qin Yu decided for his future. Qin Yu hadn’t kept much from them, so they knew he definitely possessed some sort of hidden legacy. A small place like Cyan Peak County could not trap him; stepping out into the wider world was inevitable. However, this process needed to remain under Qin Yu’s control.

After finishing his account of the transaction, the joyful expression on Qin Yu’s face faded, replaced by solemnity.

"But there is still one thing I need you to do, Father.

"These past few days, I’ve had the Red-bellied Eagles and Black Thorn Eagles monitoring Cyan Peak County from above, and I’ve noticed some anomalies. Especially today, during my transaction with the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"Someone was secretly watching us.

"These weren’t men from the other three major families. In all likelihood, they were hidden scouts from the Blood Demon Sect."

Cyan Peak County was one of the targets for the Blood Demon Sect’s blood sacrifice. Qin Yu didn’t know if this was just Li Tianyi’s doing to break the array in Snake Valley, or if the Blood Demon Sect had other plans. Therefore, his surveillance of Cyan Peak County had never ceased. And with the Insect Swarm’s aerial surveillance, combined with the Insect Nest’s real-time data analysis, he indeed found something unusual.

"The Blood Demon Sect!" The expression on Qin Hu’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a ferocious glare.

Qin Hong was Qin Yu’s grandfather, but more importantly, he was Qin Hu’s father. They originally thought it was a simple Demon Fiend attack. Though they had been grief-stricken, eight years had passed, and they had managed to let it go. In a world plagued by Demon Fiends, such tragedies were all too common, and the Demon Fiend responsible had already been slain by the experts of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

But suddenly learning that the Demon Fiend attack had been orchestrated by the Blood Demon Sect instantly detonated his fury, naturally shifting his hatred toward them.

"I understand. Give me the intel, and I will handle it."

"Alright," Qin Yu nodded. Though the Insect Swarm was strong, it wasn’t omnipotent. Cyan Peak County wasn’t the boundless mountains, and the Blood Demon Sect wasn’t a disorganized group of Demon Fiends. Pure slaughter wouldn’t be enough.

"And it’s not just the Blood Demon Sect. We can hide the fact that our Qin family obtained the Primordial Mansion Realm legacy of the Five Poison Sect for a while, but not forever. If other factions catch wind of it, they will likely covet it." As Qin Yu spoke, a bottle of elixirs appeared in his hand—it was the White Bone Regeneration Pill.

"This is the Demon Suppression Bureau’s secret medicine, the ’White Bone Regeneration Pill’. It’s a Gamma-level Low Grade Elixir. As long as a Qi and Blood Martial Artist isn’t killed on the spot, this can heal them. It also has the effect of invigorating the blood and regenerating flesh.

"There’s also the ’Nourishing Heart Pill’ and the ’Dragon and Tiger Pill’.

"Father, take a White Bone Regeneration Pill first to completely heal any hidden injuries in your body. Then, you can safely consume the ’Nourishing Heart Pill’ to achieve a breakthrough. As for this ’Dragon and Tiger Pill’, you can take it later, Father. It will save you years of bitter cultivation."

Qin Hu had long reached the Peak of Bone Forging. Half a year ago, a failed breakthrough had damaged his heart and lungs. Although he had basically recovered after consuming the heart of the Blazing Flame Tiger Demon to heal his injuries, it inevitably left some lingering hidden dangers. Not to mention the accumulated wear and tear on his body from years of practicing martial arts and fighting. Taking one pill would allow him to attempt his breakthrough in peak condition. This would naturally greatly increase his chances of success, and even if he failed, his life wouldn’t be in danger. As for the Nourishing Heart Pill and the Dragon and Tiger Pill, their benefits went without saying.

"What? Gamma-level elixirs? I’ve already recovered. What do I need these for? And these other elixirs too. On your path of martial arts cultivation, you will inevitably face many life-and-death crises. You should keep them." Qin Hu was initially shocked, but he immediately refused. Using such treasures on him would be too much of a waste.

"Father, I have other ways to heal rapidly. These elixirs aren’t important to me. Besides, it won’t be long before I break through to the Qi and Blood Realm.

"Once I join the Demon Suppression Bureau, I won’t lack for this kind of elixir. We need you at the helm here in Cyan Peak County. The Bone Forging Realm isn’t enough to deter the factions secretly watching us."

Qin Yu shook his head. To him, the Insect Nest was the best healing place. As long as he wasn’t killed instantly, no matter how severe the injuries, they could be completely healed in a very short time. Its effects were far superior even to the White Bone Regeneration Pill. It just wasn’t as convenient to carry around.

As for increasing his strength? With the Insect Swarm’s assistance, his growth speed had already reached the limit. Ordinary elixirs were truly of little use to him.

Qin Hu fell silent. He knew this was just Qin Yu’s excuse to get him to accept the elixirs. He really was time for him to break through.

***

After properly settling all matters at home, Qin Yu finally mounted the Black Thorn Eagle and flew toward Snake Valley. For a long time to come, that place would serve as the core of the Insect Swarm.

"The Blood Demon Sect!"

As fierce winds howled through the sky, Qin Yu’s eyes filled with contemplation. Upon discovering traces of the Blood Demon Sect, he hadn’t immediately dispatched the Insect Swarm to eliminate them. Instead, his main goal was to bait out the true power behind them. Even in this Snake Valley area, experts from the Blood Demon Sect would likely show up.

He needed to make preparations in advance. To plan ahead. Keeping those people under surveillance was the best choice. He wanted to figure out how the Blood Demon Sect operated in the shadows and find more clues.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the Black Thorn Eagle flapped its wings and slowly descended.

In just one short day, Snake Valley had undergone a drastic transformation. The vast majority of the valley was already covered by a thick layer of purple fungal mat, which continued to expand outward. It turned the entire Snake Valley into an eerie expanse of purple.

In the center of a mountain-like pile of fleshy corpses sat several massive biological structures with spiral-shaped maws. Surrounding Worker Insects continuously tossed flesh and corpses into them. These were "Decomposition Chambers". They could greatly accelerate the recycling of flesh and blood resources, while simultaneously analyzing the life genes of the corpses thrown inside.

And surrounding the Insect Nest was a ring of pulsating "Evolution Chambers", each about five or six meters tall and covered in numerous spikes. The Evolution Chamber was the core structure for the Swarm’s evolution. Each one could be dedicated to researching the evolution of a specific Insect Race unit, making them even more powerful. The next stage of evolution for Swarm units like the Rapid Insects, Profound Armor Barbarian Bears, and Black Thorn Eagles, as well as the cultivation of Gu Insects from the *Ten Thousand Poison Gu Refining Scripture*, all relied on them.

Relying solely on the Insect Nest to analyze and evolve multiple Swarm units took too long and was highly inefficient. These Swarm structural systems could significantly reduce the pressure on the Insect Nest.

On another side of the fungal mat sat a massive biological structure truly in the process of gestation. Its volume was much larger than any of the other auxiliary chambers.

That was a "Hatching Ground." It could vastly accelerate the gestation speed of Swarm units.

With ample energy, the Insect Swarm had already entered a period of high-speed development. Leaping down from the Black Thorn Eagle, Qin Yu stepped onto the thick fungal mat. He found a random spot near the Insect Nest and sat down. Immediately, a massive number of dense tentacles extended out, enveloping him and turning him into a cocoon. The injuries he had intentionally left behind earlier needed to be completely healed.

As the cocoon pulsated, his will anchored itself within the Insect Nest’s Mind Network. With the gestation of the fourth Insect Nest and a massive number of Swarm units, the Swarm’s Mind Network had grown increasingly robust. As waves of power continuously fed back to him, Qin Yu could clearly feel his strength increasing with every passing second. In a few days at most, he would reach the Peak of Bone Forging and step into a higher tier.

The development speed of the Insect Swarm would surpass anyone’s imagination. Three months? For the Swarm, three months would bring absolutely earth-shattering changes.

As his thoughts turned, an astonishing amount of data and information flashed rapidly before his eyes. Over a hundred Rapid Insects were gathered at a large lake not far from Snake Valley, divided into small squads to hunt in all directions. Further away, dozens of Black Thorn Eagles led the way along more than ten large rivers connected to the lake, exploring deeper into the Cang Mang Mountain Range.

Thousands of different visual feeds appeared before him. Countless pieces of information converged within the Swarm’s Mind Network. Under the Insect Nest’s analysis, further decisions were made, accelerating the expansion of the Swarm.

"Large numbers of aquatic Demon Fiends discovered in the lake. The Swarm requires aquatic units. Once the analysis of the serpentine Demon Fiends is complete, they can be prioritized for cultivation..."

"New Demon’s Nest discovered. Black Thorn Eagles investigating..."

"Suspected abandoned structures discovered. Signs of possible human survival. Dispatching Rapid Insects to explore..."

Driven by the Swarm’s will, the Swarm’s tentacles continuously extended outward. The scenery deep within the Cang Mang Mountain Range gradually emerged clearly from the fog.

"Heh. This is how the Swarm should be."