Chapter 319: An Army of 260,000 Insect Beasts? Sword Pointed at a Million

A subtle awkwardness and anxiety filled the air.

Gu Yuexi’s usually cold and arrogant eyes were now fixed on the mosquito before her, which was clutching tightly to the Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal.

She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling gently as she awaited Chu Sheng’s response.

In fact...

The opportunity she had prepared to "trade" with Chu Sheng was far more valuable than this Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal.

But right now, Gu Yuexi had to have this Emperor’s Soul Crystal!

’Why?’

’Because if I don’t raise my Spiritual Realm quickly, I might just become this damn mosquito’s Contractor...’

At the same time.

Chu Sheng, hugging the Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal, narrowed his mosquito eyes and studied Gu Yuexi’s proud yet awkward expression.

’An opportunity?’

He believed that the Little Empress before him wouldn’t lie. Although she hadn’t specified what the opportunity was, her solemn tone suggested it was indeed significant.

’Although I could seize opportunities on my own without Gu Yuexi giving them up...’

’Still, since my reincarnation, many resources have only been discovered and obtained by following this "Reborn Empress."’

’From that perspective, this "Empress tool" has her uses.’

’Alright, alright, seeing how this woman is staring so pitifully... I’ll just grant her this Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal.’

’It’s a win-win for me anyway!’

"BUZZ! (Alright, seeing how sincere you are, I, Lord Mosquito, will reluctantly agree.)"

As Chu Sheng buzzed, he casually nudged the Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal toward Gu Yuexi with his leg.

Gu Yuexi snatched it and let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks."

"Don’t worry. This Empress keeps her word. That opportunity will definitely not disappoint you!"

Chu Sheng waved a leg dismissively.

After stowing away the Emperor’s Soul Profound Crystal, Gu Yuexi reverted to her usual dead self—a cold, stone-faced expression.

"Since the deal is done, we should go."

"BUZZ! (What’s the rush? I’m not finished here!)"

Chu Sheng suddenly flapped his wings and rose into the air, his gaze turning toward the dark cave from which they had come.

’Those Soldier Bees!’

Before, due to his realm limitations, he could only drool over those several thousand Fifth-Grade Late Stage and even Peak Soldier Bees, unable to collect them.

But now?

’Heh heh, I, Lord Mosquito, am a Peak of Fifth-Grade Great Demon Beast! Capturing you little minions will be a piece of cake, won’t it?’

Just as Chu Sheng was about to set off in search of the Soldier Bees, a dense buzzing of wings suddenly echoed from all directions.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ—

The sound was laced with anxiety, terror, and... confusion.

In the darkness, hundreds, even thousands, of black figures were flying back from different directions within the cavern!

It was the swarm of Soldier Bees that had been guarding the entrance to the hive!

They had sensed the hive’s collapse and the dissipation of their matriarch’s aura. Like a group of children who had suddenly lost their home and mother, they rushed back in a frenzy.

However, all that awaited them was a pile of melting ruins.

Several thousand massive Soldier Bees surrounded the huge, shapeless black gelatinous mass, letting out sorrowful wails.

They didn’t attack Chu Sheng or Gu Yuexi, as if they had completely lost their will!

Looking at this utterly bereaved swarm of Soldier Bees, Chu Sheng felt not a shred of sympathy. Instead, he was blooming with joy.

’Oh dear, how pitiful!’

’No more home, right? No more mommy, right?’

’It’s fine!’

’Out with the old, in with the new!’

’Since you’re all homeless, come to Daddy’s bowl!’

’Daddy will give you a bigger, more spacious new home!’

Chu Sheng hovered in mid-air, a fatherly smile touching his lips as he gazed down at the dense swarm of Soldier Bees below.

’These are all elite monsters at Fifth-Grade Late Stage or higher!’

’And now, they’re all mine!’

’Nether Flame Insect Nest, absorb!’

BUZZ... In an instant!

The chaotic buzzing vanished.

The swarm of Soldier Bees had no ability to resist and were directly absorbed into the Nether Flame Insect Nest.

Chu Sheng estimated there were a good four thousand of them!

He delightedly opened the Nether Flame Insect Nest’s system panel.

[Current Nether Flame Insect Nest Capacity: 260,000/1,024,000]

[Current Insect Beast Species—]

[Spirit-Devouring Worm: 30,000 (Fourth-Grade Middle Stage), 32,000 (Larva), 2,000 (Specially Modified)]

[Bloodthirsty Demon Bee: 192,000 (Fourth-Grade Middle Stage), 4,000 (Fifth-Grade Late Stage/Peak of Fifth-Grade)]

[Special Individuals: New Cockroach Warrior, Reconnaissance Louse]

’An army of 260,000 Insect Beasts!’

’This trip to Secret Realm Nine has increased my numbers four or fivefold!’

’It’s not enough. Still not enough!’

’The current capacity of the Nether Flame Insect Nest is over a million! As soon as I have enough Life Essence, I’ll have the Spirit-Devouring Worms start breeding like crazy, then use more Life Essence to raise their realms!’

’When that time comes, I’ll command a true... army of a million!’

...

「Within a quaint, Spiritual Qi-rich estate in Huaxia’s Sichuan Province.」

This was the ancestral home of the Zhao Family, a Martial Arts Family in Sichuan Province.

Deep within the ancestral hall rested dozens of faintly glowing Jade Tokens. These were the Lifebound Soul Tokens of the family’s core disciples. If a disciple met with a fatal mishap outside, their Soul Token would issue a warning.

Suddenly.

HUM—

Space distorted with a violent ripple.

A figure, drenched in blood and with an extremely faint aura, fell out of the void and slammed onto the cold floor of the ancestral hall with a heavy THUD.

The old man guarding the hall jumped in fright. When he got a clear look, his face turned pale with shock.

"Is... is that the Young Master?!"

The man on the floor was in tattered clothes, with barely a patch of uninjured flesh on his body. Covered in blood, he had clearly just survived a near-death battle.

It was none other than the square-faced senior who was thought to have been "killed" by the Soldier Bee swarm in the hive’s maze!

It turned out he hadn’t truly died.

In his final, life-threatening moment, his life-saving trump card—an extremely precious "Ten Thousand Miles Escape Sky Talisman" bestowed upon him by a family elder—had passively activated, forcibly tearing open space and pulling him back from death’s door.

"Quick! Call the Patriarch! Call a physician!"

The old man shrieked, and the entire estate instantly descended into chaos.

A short while later, a large quantity of Miracle Elixirs had been poured down his throat.

The square-faced senior finally stirred and slowly regained consciousness. His eyes shot open, pupils dilated, a lingering terror and despair still haunting his gaze.

He desperately clutched the sleeve of the person beside him as if it were a lifeline, his lips trembling as he stammered out a few broken words:

"Nine... Secret Realm Nine... bee... hive..."

"All... all dead..."

"Qin... Qin Wudao..."

After saying this, his head lolled to the side, and he fainted once more.

...

「Kyoto University.」

A heavy atmosphere hung over the academic affairs building.

A teacher stood with a phone in hand, his expression grim.

The call was from the Zhao Family in Sichuan Province.

"Something terrible has happened."

His voice was raspy.

"Secret Realm Nine... it might be out of control."

"A student on a mission is already dead. Qin Wudao, and the rising freshman star Gu Yuexi, are also inside!"

Silence filled the conference room.

This was more than just a matter of a few dead students.

In this era of flourishing Martial Dao, exploration of Secret Realms inherently came with both opportunity and danger. It was normal for students to die every year.

What wasn’t normal was that the dead this time involved the Qin Family!

You have to admit, not all lives are valued equally.

Never mind Gu Yuexi, a prodigy with the bearing of a Future Empress.

Qin Wudao!

He was the sole direct heir of the Qin Family’s current generation, the apple of the Qin Family Patriarch’s eye!

If Qin Wudao really died in a school-managed Secret Realm, it would likely cause a massive earthquake throughout all of Kyoto!

"What are you all standing around for?!"

The director of academic affairs slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.

"Notify the Qin Family immediately! Give them a full report! Don’t delay for a second!"

"Also, everyone here, follow me. We’re heading to the Secret Realm at once!"

...