Chapter 1381: Empress

Everyone was stunned. Calamity Worms? These were legendary, world-ending, catastrophic creatures, appearing only during historical great calamities. They had actually appeared here?

"Calamity Worms are unique entities. This one must only be a descendant, not having evolved to the full rank yet. Otherwise, even as a larva, we would all be doomed to annihilation!"

The people of the Celestial Immortal Clan whispered, revealing its origin.

Many people present had heard of the so-called Calamity Worms. Especially the people from the Dao and Buddhist clans understood more deeply, as these creatures were involved in world destruction and the beginning of new eras, with an immense impact. Their ancestors were extremely powerful, having survived great calamities, and naturally understood some truths.

Since ancient times, ten Calamity Worms had appeared. Any single one of them was catastrophic, capable of annihilating the world. It was rumored that some Calamity Worms might have been released from beneath the Four Extremes Floating Earth! Among them, the Hundred-Spotted Ladybug was ranked as the ninth Calamity Worm in history.

All of this happened in a flash. Chu Feng, however, paid no mind to it. He had never even heard of descendants or Calamity Worms.

He immediately took action, because the insect was spewing extremely terrifying flames that ordinary cultivators couldn't handle—it was actually Samadhi True Fire. He dodged the Samadhi True Fire, and with a flick of his finger, sword energy crisscrossed, striking the ladybug and causing it to let out a piercing shriek as it was cut into two.

However, at this moment, disaster also struck. From the magma, the incessant sound of flapping wings heralded the emergence of thousands of ladybugs, all with golden spots, densely packed and covering the sky.

"As expected, they are hybrid descendants; there are so many of them!" exclaimed the people of the Celestial Immortal Clan in surprise.

"Mad insects!"

Chu Feng was surprised. The insects' consciousness was chaotic, exploding only with killing intent. The harsh sound of their wings, like grating metal, filled the air as they rapidly swooped down. Naturally, not all of them were God King-level ladybugs; many were at the God level, some even at the Saint level, and a few were at the Golden Body level. But with so many gathered together, it was truly a bit mad and terrifying; the sky was almost entirely obscured.

Chu Feng took action, sending out magnetic marrows one after another. He had to concentrate to set up an unimaginably complex medium-sized field: Heaven and Earth Lock! For a moment, the void twisted, time seemed to halt, and the area became completely silent. Then, Chu Feng leaped away, quickly disappearing from the area.

A moment later, the field he had set up exploded, collapsing completely because there were simply too many mad insects inside, some even at the quasi-Heavenly Venerate level. However, this was enough; Chu Feng had already left the area.

He believed that within this Grand Emperor's terrain, even if some special insect species resided there, they were intentionally confined and kept within fixed zones, making it impossible for them to move freely throughout the entire region. Who could rampage unimpeded within the Grand Emperor's terrain? It was utterly impossible! Unless a true Calamity Worm emerged.

Indeed, even after the field Chu Feng had set up disintegrated, the endless ladybugs rushed out but none dared to pursue Chu Feng. In mid-air, terrifying energy erupted as a group of enraged mad insects turned towards the outer cultivators, taking their anger out on them and using them as scapegoats.

At this moment, everyone wanted to curse. They were just a step slower than Zhou Zhengde, walking at the back, and now they were so unlucky as to have to shield him from disaster. For a time, all the clans displayed their divine abilities and took action to fiercely resist the overwhelming, golden-spotted ladybugs. The battle was very fierce, mainly because there were simply too many mad insects; they were boundless, sweeping over like a storm.

"Ah..." Someone screamed. After being covered by a swarm of insects, they instantly became a skeleton, their flesh and blood gone, and even their soul light completely devoured. Their end was tragic. "Ah..." Others, engulfed by the flames spewed by the ladybugs, turned into blazing torches before becoming human-shaped ashes.

"Wipe them all out!" Everyone was stunned, and then some became desperate, attacking with full force. Fortunately, there were quite a few quasi-Heavenly Venerates present, who protected their clan's elites and ruthlessly slaughtered the insects. Ultimately, they successfully passed through this area, killing countless insects, and entered deeper into the Grand Emperor's terrain.

"Brother Zhou, you're still here!"

Someone discovered Chu Feng, seeing him stopped among sparse bushes in the distance, with flames flickering around him as he was deep in thought. It was indeed Chu Feng. He wasn't rushing forward because he had a persistent feeling that the short mountain opposite was very special and extraordinary, and yet it was a mandatory path.

He was pondering. The Grand Emperor's terrain was too dangerous; if the most terrifying flames were truly unleashed, who could possibly withstand them? According to legend, entering the Grand Emperor's Heavenly Furnace and burning one's true self would allow one to achieve a leap in life and an all-encompassing sublimation, provided one could endure it. However, Chu Feng was skeptical: could people in this world truly endure such terrifying flames? Could there be some conspiracy or trap here?

However, after careful observation, he also found that while some areas of this zone were enveloped in flames, they also truly possessed abundant vitality. "I hope the legend is true, and rebirth through fire isn't a delusion," Chu Feng mused, discerning some truth and strengthening his resolve, "but for true nirvana, to become even stronger!"

However, a faint abnormal fluctuation from the short mountain ahead startled him, making him feel increasingly uneasy. Something strange? He silently observed, somewhat surprised, his heart growing increasingly restless as if something was about to surface and reflect in his mind.

At this moment, Jiang Luoshen arrived with people from the Overseas Celestial Immortal Island, and cultivators from the Dao and Buddhist clans, among others, also arrived successively.

"This is it! The ancestral artifact in my hand is reacting," exclaimed the woman from the Overseas Celestial Immortal Island. "There are traces left by the Empress here!" The woman, who had a crystalline red mole between her eyebrows and had been calm and serene just moments ago, now had her beautiful face filled with uncontrollable excitement.

In an instant, Chu Feng's mind rumbled, clouds and mist churned, and lightning abruptly flashed, filling his eyes with strange visions. He saw a large black dog snarling at him, then lifting its head to continuously howl at the dark clouds and blood-colored lightning. Instantly, Chu Feng understood everything: it was that large black dog that had tampered with him. Back then, an emperor lay dead on the damaged bell, accompanied by the large black dog. Chu Feng was fortunate enough to witness them, and at that time, the black beast barked wildly, urging him to find an Empress. Was this an imprint left on him, meant to be triggered upon encountering one?

In an instant, Chu Feng sobered up and came back to his senses.

In reality, the short mountain became increasingly extraordinary, shrouded in mist, making him sense a special aura. At this moment, the people from the Overseas Celestial Immortal Island sensed it even more strongly. They held special artifacts which actually caused a resonance, making the short mountain tremble violently.

Everyone else's hearts pounded, not knowing what was about to happen. Clearly, the people from the Overseas Celestial Immortal Island had come with a special purpose, not purely to temper themselves!

"What are you doing?!" roared a green-haired minotaur from deep within the Grand Emperor's terrain.

However, the next moment he fell silent.

With a crack, the peak of the short mountain collapsed! From the crumbling mountain, incredibly dense white mist rose. For a moment, all nearby flames extinguished, as if frozen. Chu Feng's scalp tingled. He saw a person in the white mist: a woman in white, sitting cross-legged in mid-air, with unparalleled grace and beauty!