Chapter 69: Insect Kills Murong Xiao (Two Chapters Over 8000 Words, Did My Best!)

Li Wei placed the stone coffin and the Nine Emperors Banner on the ground. For caution, he took the Yellow Dragon Sword and walked step by step towards the spring's source.

The mystical energy ahead was incredibly dense, like a swirling cloud, continuously releasing smoky waterfalls.

The stone platform inside was invisible to the naked eye.

"Whirring sounds!"

Strange noises echoed.

From within the swirling cloud of mystical energy, the sound of vibrating wings emerged, like cicadas or moths, loud and piercing.

Li Wei's eyes narrowed slightly. He pushed off with his foot and floated back about two zhang away.

"Whoosh!"

The cloud of mystical energy was dispersed by flapping wings, and from within, a massive, strange insect resembling a moth slowly crawled out. It was a full three feet long, emitting a multicolored, glazed light from its entire body. Its six sharp claws looked forged from metal, with extremely keen hooks.

Its eyes held a dangerous and fierce aura as it crawled forward, its wings spreading and vibrating.

Its outer wings were dazzling and colorful, while its inner wings were thin and membranous like those of an ordinary insect.

The Senior in the Stone Coffin said, "This is bad! They've hatched prematurely. It must be because the Heaven-Law Earth Spring has expanded. Quickly use the Insect Script to subdue it!"

"Which Insect Script should I use?" Li Wei asked, backing away as he sensed the danger.

The Senior in the Stone Coffin replied, "Back then, I carved the seven Insect Scripts onto seven different insect eggs. Even if they've hatched, the scripts should be imprinted on them. But why can't I see the Insect Script now?"

The Senior of the Ancestral Tablet, who evidently had a deeper understanding of the world's strange insects, said, "It's because their level exceeds our estimation. If I'm not mistaken, this should be a Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor, not a Marquis-grade, but an Emperor-grade. The Insect Script you carved back then has been hidden within its body."

"What? Emperor-grade?" Master Jar's shocked voice rang out.

The Senior of the Ancestral Tablet said, "Looking at its current size, it's already three feet long, clearly not a larva. I estimate its combat power is no weaker than a Longevity Realm martial cultivator."

Hearing this, Li Wei's vision went dark, and his calves began to cramp.

Was he here to subdue insects, or to feed them?

The Senior in the Stone Coffin, being extremely rational, quickly analyzed, "No! There's no food in King Cang's Tomb, so it's impossible for it to grow from a larva to the Longevity Realm. Moreover, if it truly possessed Longevity Realm power, its intelligence would be extremely high, and it would have long since broken out of the tomb and escaped. Li Wei, it's bluffing!"

Li Wei could clearly feel the terrifying aura emanating from the approaching Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor. How could he dare to bet that it was bluffing?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He said, "Perhaps there's another good way!"

He immediately performed the Fusang Divine Tree Meditation Technique, simultaneously mobilizing the spiritual flame in his Glabella Spirit Realm to activate the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish.

The two bronze fish spun once, and spatial power erupted.

"Whoosh!"

A ripple of subtle spatial energy spread out. Instantly, the approaching Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor was pulled into the blood-mud ground on the Buddha's Relic, completely unable to break free.

Moments later.

The voice of the Senior of the Ancestral Tablet came from within the Buddha's Relic: "It truly was bluffing. It has reverted to its true size, only an inch long. It's a larva."

"Whirr! Hiss!"

From the cloud of mystical energy beneath the Heaven-Law Earth Spring, six one-inch-long Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors flew out. They were only the size of moths, dazzling and splendid with their multicolored bodies.

They flew extremely fast, like arrows, attacking Li Wei in unison.

Without a second thought, Li Wei immediately entered the microscopic world of the Buddha's Relic, deciding to subdue the first one.

After experiencing intense weightlessness, Li Wei fell onto the blood-mud ground, which was only a few zhang in size. He looked at the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor perched on the blue-and-white ash jar. The insect's body had indeed shrunk to about an inch in length.

Li Wei relaxed and smiled, "Just a larva, yet it already possesses such strong intelligence. You almost scared me."

"Whoosh!"

The first Insect Script condensed and flew out from his glabella.

Recently, Li Wei had not neglected his cultivation of mental power. The spiritual flame in his Glabella Spirit Realm had grown twofold, now the size of a bean.

The Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor shot up, like an arrow released from a bowstring, directly piercing through the Insect Script and hurtling towards Li Wei's glabella.

The first Insect Script was useless against it!

Li Wei held his sword horizontally to block.

"Clang!"

A metallic clanging sound, like iron blocks colliding violently, rang out.

The force unleashed by its impact was more terrifying than the long arrows shot by Murong Xiao, shaking Li Wei back repeatedly and causing him to almost lose his grip on the Yellow Dragon Sword.

The sound of flapping wings rang out.

It burst with speed, made a turn, and slammed into Li Wei's chest.

Li Wei dared not confront it head-on and immediately dodged sideways. At the same time, the second Insect Script was completed in his glabella and flew towards it.

As soon as the spiritual Insect Script flew out, it resonated with the Insect Script within the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor's body.

The script within its body flickered, its flight speed slowed, and it was subjected to a certain suppression.

"Whoosh!"

The next instant, it was struck by the Insect Script and fell to the ground.

Li Wei looked at the deeply gashed wound under his armpit, made by its wing, almost reaching the bone. He didn't get angry; instead, he laughed through the pain, "Such a small body, yet it contains such terrifying power. And this is just a larva."

A moment later, a sense of lingering fear set in.

Fortunately, the second Insect Script worked; otherwise, today would have been quite dangerous.

"Quickly use your blood to draw the second Insect Script. The characters are the same. Only then will it be truly subdued, and from now on, it will obey only you," the Senior of the Ancestral Tablet reminded him.

With Li Wei's current mental power strength, he could only stay on the Buddha's Relic briefly before being pulled back into the original world space.

Time was precious. He took out one of the six treasures he had bought earlier, the Insect Script Needle, and immediately got to work.

He managed to engrave the blood-infused Insect Script onto the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor's abdomen just before the sensation of weightlessness appeared. Afterward, he immediately picked up the Ancestral Tablet and the ash jar, and after experiencing weightlessness, they returned together to the underground space of King Cang's Tomb.

Li Wei knew very well that with his current cultivation level, he was no match for six Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors.

There was only one way: first, bring them all into the microscopic blood-mud space. Then, subdue them one by one.

He took the Senior of the Ancestral Tablet and Master Jar with him because he was worried they might be attacked by the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors.

At that moment, the six Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were frantically slamming into the stone coffin, making loud thudding sounds as if punching and kicking. Fortunately, the stone coffin's material was special, otherwise, the Senior Coffin's remnant body would likely have been torn apart.

"Whirr! Hiss!"

Sensing Li Wei's presence reappear, the six Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors surrounded and attacked him.

Li Wei stood firm, unafraid. He waited until the six Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were within three zhang (about ten meters) before forming a hand seal and using the spiritual flame to activate the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish.

"Whoosh!"

After a ripple of spatial energy surged, the six Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were caught in one fell swoop and all drawn into the Buddha's Relic.

After activating the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish three times in a row, Li Wei's glabella darkened, and his spiritual flame nearly extinguished due to the unsustainable consumption.

After steadying himself, he walked step by step towards the Heaven-Law Earth Spring and entered the Abbot's Dao Domain. Once he confirmed there was no danger, he sat down cross-legged, absorbing the radiant particles gushing from the spring above his head, and breathing in the mystical energy.

He cultivated both mental power and martial arts simultaneously.

Half a day later.

His glabella glowed brightly once again.

A "pop" sound resonated above his head, and a faint yet straight beam of light shot up from his celestial spirit.

The beam of light was as thick as a finger and extended nine zhang (about thirty meters) high.

Everything fell into place naturally. Li Wei opened the Seventh Spring Celestial Spirit, officially entering the Peak of the Gushing Spring Realm.

The three remnant souls in the distance closely observed the various changes in him. They were shocked by the thirty-meter celestial light, but no longer reacted with the same wide-eyed astonishment as before; they had grown somewhat numb.

Master Jar said, "Old Coffin, you initially planned for two years in the Gushing Spring Realm? I think he'll enter the Five Seas Realm in just one year."

"Faster is naturally better," the Senior in the Stone Coffin responded. "But from now on, every step must be taken solidly. The Wind Mansion and Ancestral Field are not so easy to open. Didn't some pure immortal bodies also stop at the Seven Springs? Talent can be elusive. Those with extraordinary talent need to work even harder and push themselves, as a slight laxity can lead to a rapid decline. Sometimes, those with humble beginnings who struggle at first grow stronger as they progress."

The remnant corpse in the stone coffin placed immense hope on Li Wei, treating him like a blood relative or nephew, wishing him to continue making rapid progress, yet also feeling anxious about potential setbacks. As the guide for the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish's master in his early cultivation, the pressure on him was immense.

Five days later.

The two stone gates of King Cang's Tomb, tens of meters high, slowly opened. Li Wei walked out, carefully examining and sensing his surroundings. Only when he found no trace of Li Ling or martial cultivators from the Cangli tribe did he feel a little relieved.

Upon reaching the plaza in front of the mausoleum, he turned and bowed deeply three times to King Cang's Tomb.

Regardless, he had gained an extraordinary opportunity here. The Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were nurtured and hatched by the Heaven-Law Earth Spring, and one should be grateful.

He did not touch, nor could he move, the alien coffins piled in the mausoleum plaza, as each one was inscribed with formation scripts.

Stepping out of the Ancestral Realm.

Outside, it was already May. The weather was hot, and the yang energy was blazing.

In the primeval dense forest, cicadas chirped, birds sang, and crows flew as rabbits scurried, unlike the deathly stillness of the Ancestral Realm.

Having finally seen daylight again, coupled with breaking through to the Seven Springs Realm and subduing seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, and with all his injuries healed, Li Wei was full of vitality and in high spirits. He ran swiftly along the mountain path.

He came across a pool beneath a waterfall.

"Splash!"

He jumped in, washing off the thick grime that had accumulated on his body over the past month.

The pool water was bone-chillingly cold, but he felt a sense of profound relief.

After getting out, he changed into his last clean robe, which he kept in his Evil Camel Bell, and strode briskly out of the mountains. Along the way, everything seemed vibrant and full of life; he felt like kissing every blade of grass and tree, and repeatedly marveled at the beauty of the world.

It wasn't until two days later, when he emerged from the dense forest of the Mangshan Mountain Range, that he saw a human-shaped black shadow flying in mid-air. His good mood instantly vanished.

It was Murong Xiao!

She had a large magic bow and a quiver on her back.

"So much time has passed, and she's still haunting me. Did she assume I'd eventually come out of the Mangshan Mountain Range?"

Li Wei retreated back into the forest and hid.

After a moment of thought, he formed a hand seal. His glabella lit up, and streams of radiant particles flew out, pouring into the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish hanging around his neck.

"Whoosh!"

The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were summoned. Seven fist-sized clusters of multicolored light emanated from their bodies as they flew around Li Wei, appearing to dance.

Li Wei communicated with them using his mental power, instructing them to deal with Murong Xiao in mid-air.

The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were not entirely obedient. Their powerful bloodline allowed them to resist the Insect Script to some extent. Of course, the most important reason was that Li Wei's mental power was currently too weak.

With no other choice, Li Wei took out the three-hundred-year-old precious Nine-Leaf Cattail herb. He plucked seven shimmering, fragrant leaves and fed them to the moths.

After each eating a cattail leaf, the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors became exceptionally joyful, chirping excitedly.

Li Wei quickly put away the remaining cattail and said with his mental power, "If you don't do any work, don't even think about eating again. This Nine-Leaf Cattail is worth thirty thousand silver coins. What you're eating isn't food; it's gold, it's silver, it's my blood. Go now!"

"Oh no, she's leaving."

Li Wei, accompanied by the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, sprinted out of the dense forest in pursuit.

Murong Xiao flew two hundred meters above the ground, resentment thick in her heart. "So much time has passed, and they still make me search this area every day? Do they really think I'm a member of the Changlin Gang? That kid probably died inside after accidentally entering the Jiuli Tribe's Ancestral Realm. I should return to Yao Pass first!"

"Murong Xiao!"

A familiar voice called out, faintly drifting up from the ground.

Murong Xiao turned her head to look at the ground behind her. Who else could the figure waving to her from the Su River bank be but Li Wei? Her eyes first showed surprise, then overflowed with delight.

"He's truly audacious!"

Murong Xiao knew she couldn't kill Li Wei, so she immediately flapped her wings, preparing to fly towards Yao Pass to report.

Yao Pass City had gathered many masters eager to take Li Wei's life, including her allies, Tang Yan, the Deputy Leader of the Changlin Gang, and Xue Zheng, Fourth of the Seven Springs Hall.

"Whirr! Hiss!"

A dense flurry of wing beats surrounded her. Her vision blurred, and all she could see were multicolored light spots everywhere.

"Thwack!"

"Slice!"

The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors continuously darted through and around her. Soon, this Gushing Spring Realm expert, ranked twenty-first in the Seven Springs Hall, was reduced to a corpse and plummeted from mid-air.

Li Wei rushed to where the corpse had fallen. Seeing Murong Xiao, riddled with holes, he couldn't help but exclaim, "How brutal!"

The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors flew towards him, chirping and demanding the Nine-Leaf Cattail.

Li Wei threw the remaining cattail to them and immediately squatted down to search the corpse.

He took the money pouch, which felt heavy.

When he opened it, it was full of glistening Gushing Spring coins, at least fifty or sixty of them. This was equivalent to five or six hundred thousand copper coins.

For a top 100 martial artist, it wasn't a huge amount.

The truly valuable item on Murong Xiao was the three-meter-long magic greatbow. Li Wei picked it up and tried to pull the string, but the bow was too long and awkward for him.

It would, however, be perfectly suited for a tall, deformed human martial cultivator.

After sinking Murong Xiao's body into the river, Li Wei tossed the magic greatbow into his Evil Camel Bell, intending to sell it for money.

Standing under the blazing sun, he looked south along the Su River. The entire horizon was enveloped in ethereal radiance, especially a pillar of light rising from the ground, incredibly bright, as if it could pierce beyond the cosmos.

Li Wei observed his surroundings and realized he had passed through this area before, which was located between Yao Pass City and Buried Immortal Town.

In other words, the area shrouded in ethereal radiance was Buried Immortal Town.

"What exactly happened in Buried Immortal Town? It's been a month, and it still hasn't settled down?"

Li Wei was extremely curious but dared not get involved in the major events there. He decided to head to Yao Pass City, which was governed by the Beast Li tribe. After a month of eating dry rations, he longed for a delicious bowl of hot noodle soup and a comfortable bed to sleep in.

He would set off for the Jiuli Hidden Sect tomorrow.

After the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors devoured all the cattail, they swarmed around him again, flying incessantly in front of his face, almost blinding him!

"No more, no more! All the herbs I bought earlier have been fed to you!" Li Wei quickly activated the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish, drawing them into the Buddha's Relic, finally finding some peace.

The Senior of the Ancestral Tablet had told him that Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were herbivorous strange insects, only consuming various precious medicinal herbs.

Feeding them until adulthood would require a vast amount of precious herbs.

"Sigh! What a burden. It feels like I'm raising seven little ancestors. I should still go to Yao Pass and buy some more medicinal herbs. After all, they're Emperor-grade strange insects; I can't let them starve to death as larvae!"

Li Wei disguised himself, smearing dirt on his face and letting his hair fall loose, making him appear extremely disheveled and wretched.

Although a month had passed and the commotion had surely died down, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Along the way, he saw giant ships sailing on the Su River towards Buried Immortal Town, and powerful martial cultivators riding exotic beasts speeding past him. There were also even more formidable figures, using hundred-meter-long giant birds as mounts, carrying magnificent golden palaces as they flew across the sky.

Yao Pass City was now bustling with activity. Sect disciples were everywhere, and martial art experts gathered in groups.

Throughout Lizhou, and even the other six southern provinces, martial cultivators and mentalists had arrived, drawn by the news.

As soon as Li Wei entered the city, he caught a familiar scent.

Li Ling leaped out from the crowd, gently patted his shoulder, then flashed to stand in front of him, smiling with bright eyes and white teeth. "You're really daring, coming to Yao Pass. Don't you know many people want to kill you for a reward?"

Li Wei was stunned for a moment. "How did you...?"

"Your crude disguise might fool others, but not me," Li Ling said. "Don't be afraid. Now that you're in Yao Pass, you're in Jiuli Tribe territory. I'll protect you. Come with me!"

Li Wei could finally confirm that Li Ling indeed had a way to precisely pinpoint his location. He asked, "Where are we going?"

"To see my father!"

Li Ling thought for a moment, then added, "And my mother, my brother, my fourth uncle... Oh, and my sixteen-year-old cousin. This time, it's for real."

Li Wei stopped, staring at her with a strange look.