Chapter 1966 - 1965: The Ant Race Takes the Blame

Chapter 1966: Chapter 1965: The Ant Race Takes the Blame

The next day.

As usual, several dozen members of the Demon Clan were recruited into Li Feng’s guards at the campsite, and then the team continued forward as before.

By noon.

Bi Fang swooped in directly from the Southern sky and landed on Li Feng’s shoulder.

"I thought you left on your own, senior?"

Li Feng teased, as Bi Fang had been gone for about two days. With her speed, it would take less than an hour to fly hundreds of miles in a round trip, yet she had been away for so long.

Bi Fang spat, "Hmph, it’s a pity that I risked myself to gather some news for you, and this is what you think of me."

"Oh, is senior here to deliver good news?"

Li Feng asked.

Bi Fang rolled her eyes, unwilling to reveal it so easily, "Why does it have to be good news? It could be bad news."

Li Feng smiled faintly, "We’ve been away from Half Border Mountain for several days now, and it’s been three whole days since we broke through that campsite at the foot of the mountain. If the Demon Clan at the rear noticed anything unusual, they would surely send a messenger swiftly to the campsite ahead."

"Yet, no news has come in these two days. Sometimes, no news is good news, so I think the news brought by senior might be good."

Bi Fang scoffed with disdain.

"It seems you’ve had a stroke of luck. The demons who discovered the campsite burned to ashes didn’t expect a human group, but pointed their fingers at the Ant Race in Molten Lava Volcano."

"Oh?"

Li Feng’s eyes flickered, surprised that the Ant Race took the blame, which he hadn’t anticipated: "What’s going on?"

Bi Fang smirked, "You want to know?"

With an air of ’beg me if you want to know,’ Li Feng remained silent, not asking; Bi Fang grew impatient after waiting a good while.

"Hey, why are you staying silent? Don’t you want to know why?"

Bi Fang felt a bit annoyed, having lingered nearby for a day and more to investigate the matter, even hearing shocking news, yet this guy remained mute.

It made her feel like throwing punches into thin air.

"I don’t want to."

"With the Ant Race taking the blame, there’s no immediate worry for me, and that’s enough. As for why the demons let the Ant Race take the blame, why should I care."

Li Feng said with an air of indifference. He certainly wanted to know why, but he wouldn’t show it and fall into Bi Fang’s trap. It was too easy for him to see through this game.

Bi Fang felt as if a herd of alpacas ran through her mind.

"Hmph, if you don’t want to know, never mind." Bi Fang had her temper, and she flew off Li Feng’s shoulder toward Sikong Yu, who was dressed in a cloak on the nearby horned rhinoceros, chattering away about her day’s experiences.

Hearing this, Sikong Yu furrowed his brow: "Does he know too?"

Bi Fang spat, "He wants to know, but I won’t waste my breath on him; I need to rest first."

After speaking, Bi Fang burrowed into a small tent on the horned rhinoceros’s back, which was her abode.

Sikong Yu pondered for a moment before leaping directly onto Li Feng’s horned rhinoceros: "Bi Fang didn’t tell you about the Ant Race?"

"She told you?"

Li Feng replied.

"Let’s hear it."

Sikong Yu didn’t hold back, and directly shared all the news Bi Fang had gathered with Li Feng.

"Bi Fang went to the campsite we flattened. When she arrived, thousands of demons had gathered there, and from these demons’ mouths, it was learned that significant events have indeed occurred in the Molten Lava land these days."

"Oh, did the Ant Race and Demon Clan turn against each other?"

Emperor Yue’s group could reach Molten Lava Volcano smoothly, mainly because the Ant Race turned a blind eye. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so easy for Emperor Yue’s group to reach the volcano.

So it’s very likely that the Ant Race made some private agreement with the Candle Dragon Demon Country, and the two demon clans blamed the campsite incident on the Ant Race for a reason.

"The Ant Queen collapsed, and reportedly a new king emerged within the Ant Race. This new king was not the former Ant King but rather a commander under the Ant Queen. This new king killed the Ant Queen and took control of the Ant Race’s power, massacring those loyal to the Ant Queen, while some fled."

"This information came from an Ant King under the Ant Queen, and simultaneously, this new Ant King led his army to sweep through the area around the Molten Lava Land, capturing many Spiritual Beasts and even any demons encountered, leaving desolation in his wake. Reportedly, tens of thousands of demons have been obliterated by the Ant Race."

"Such indiscriminate attacks have already threatened the northern routes for the demons, so I suspect the demons will first have a showdown with the Ant Race to eliminate them; otherwise, their rear could be cut off at any time."

"As for us flattening that campsite, it’s also suspected to be destruction by the Ant Race, so no one suspects us."

Sikong Yu spoke with a hint of exuberance, because this was incredibly good news.

It’s known that the Molten Lava Land, watched over by Vermilion Bird, has always been Ancestor Dragon City’s stronghold in the Southern territory. As long as Molten Lava Land isn’t overtaken, the Candle Dragon Demon Country would find it challenging to fully attack First Line Pass, let alone step into Ancestor Dragon City’s traditional influence area.

Li Feng smiled upon hearing this: "Seems like the heavens favor me. The Ant Race turmoil, new king replacing the Ant Queen, and indiscriminate attacks on the demons mean the Candle Dragon Demon Country’s army can’t fully attack First Line Pass without eliminating their rear concerns."

Sikong Yu nodded, agreeing:

"Yes, exactly. The Candle Dragon Demon Country is still in the Southern Molten Lava Land. Before their army crosses the Barbaric lands to reach First Line Pass, they must skirt around the Molten Lava Land. Previously, with Vermilion Bird guarding, it was our Ancestor Dragon City’s stronghold."

"Even Vermilion Bird has always been a thorn in the side of the Candle Dragon Demon Emperor. In the last great battle, they took advantage of our Ancestor Dragon City’s internal disruptions to invade the Molten Lava Land aggressively, where Candle Dragon Demon Emperor didn’t hesitate to severely wound Vermilion Bird even at mutual loss."

"This time, without Vermilion Bird guarding the Molten Lava Land, the Candle Dragon Demon Country could’ve driven straight in, but unexpectedly, the Ant Race’s internal strife also threatens the demon country’s rear."

"Though the strength of this new Ant King is unknown, the Ant Race army, numbering in millions, is enough to give the Demon Clan a headache for a while, especially since it likely affected their front camp."

Li Feng squinted, seeming to see an opportunity.

"What are you thinking?"

Li Feng smiled and said: "Nothing much, everything remains as we discussed last night. In the coming days, both you and Ouyang Qiuhai should remain out of sight, reduce your presence, then detour back to First Line Pass. Perhaps this time offers an opportunity."

It’s completely unexpected for the Ant Queen to have died, an occurrence Li Feng wouldn’t have anticipated. That day, when confronting the Ant Race army, Li Feng exhausted all efforts to use the Soul-breaking Needle on the Ant Queen. Yet, her strength shouldn’t have led directly to her death, even if she was the weakest among the five lords of the Molten Lava Land.

After all, the Ant Race’s true strength lies not in individual combat, but within its infinite ant army.

As for the new Ant King.

Li Feng didn’t concern himself too much, though what he never expected was that the Ant Race would yield not a king this time, but an Ant Emperor.