Chapter 123: Aetherophagous Beetle
Chapter 123: Aetherophagous Beetle
"Mercy, Senior Cultivator! It's me—still me!"
As Qin Tianhe dragged Guangming before Lv Yang for the second time, Guangming blurted out desperately before Qin could even speak:
"Senior Cultivator, I’m still useful!"
"There are over a dozen Pure Land disciples left behind. I can handle them! And the Dao Court—I can help you deal with them too!"
Terrified that Lv Yang might kill him on impulse, Guangming spoke rapidly, his voice faster than his usual chants, desperately showcasing his worth. But Lv Yang ignored him, glancing sideways with growing irritation:
"Shut up."
Guangming immediately clamped his mouth shut, not even breathing loudly, fearing he might anger the merciless cultivator before him.
Meanwhile, Lv Yang gazed toward the horizon.
At the same moment, Dragonfang Taoist of the True Transmission Sect suddenly lifted his grotesque dragon head, his massive eyes narrowing toward the ground.
"Something's coming."
As he spoke, the ground cracked open, and a dark, armored figure emerged slowly.
It was a demonic insect.
Human-sized, jet-black, with sharp mandibles and compound eyes that shimmered with cold, metallic light.
"What is that? A beast kin?"
The True Transmission Sect disciples exchanged curious glances. Zhong Ming’s mind raced with possibilities—could its bloodline be used in alchemy?
Xu Xin studied the creature’s strength, while Dragonfang Taoist wondered if its razor-sharp mouthparts could be transplanted onto his own body.
Bi Fei Yuan had other ideas. She struck a seductive pose, observing her divine ability’s reaction, testing if the creature would respond to her charm. Her eyes gleamed with artistic interest.
The other sect disciples chattered excitedly.
But the insect tilted its head, then surprisingly spoke:
The voice started garbled, then sharpened into a deep, resonant declaration:
"Extraterrestrials... Leave! This world rejects your presence!"
Silence fell.
All sect disciples—including the five True Transmission experts—stared at the creature in unison. The eerie quietness unsettled the beetle, making it instinctively retreat.
Xu Xin chuckled first:
"I thought it belonged to some insect-taming Daoist Court expert. Turns out it’s just a local. Pointless chatter."
"Stop wasting time", Dragonfang Taoist snapped, his tone impatient. "Dissect it and see what abilities these natives possess."
Bi Fei Yuan licked her lips. "No need for dissection. I’ll find out quickly enough."
Zhong Ming alone distanced himself, scoffing silently at his companions’ childish fascination.
The beetle, now realizing it was viewed as mere prey, grew furious—only to freeze when Lv Yang, who had remained silent, suddenly turned his gaze toward it.
The creature emitted a shrill shriek… then exploded.
A crimson cloud erupted, swarming with thousands of miniature beetles the size of rice grains. They descended like a tidal wave.
Instinctively, Dragonfang Taoist unleashed a torrent of dark flames, engulfing dozens. But the fire dimmed as the beetles consumed it, then flared out—multiplying several times over!
The other disciples unleashed divine abilities and fabao (treasures), but every killed beetle only multiplied further, its remains birthing new swarms.
Within moments, the horde reached Lv Yang’s feet.
"...Interesting."
Lv Yang finally raised an eyebrow. With a mere glance, the entire swarm dropped dead, raining down like crimson hail.
He plucked one from the ground, scrutinizing it between his fingers. "This insect... possesses a cultivation rank? But it’s not self-cultivated."
He turned skyward. Thanks to Yanluo Patriarch’s refinement of the【Yanmo Hall】, the guardian deity Su Nu had regained her peak strength through the Buddhist disciples’ power in the Ten-Thousand Spirit Banner. Through her, Lv Yang sensed an overwhelming hostility emanating from the world itself.
The flora, fauna, and even ambient spiritual energy radiated visceral hostility toward them. Only three colossal cosmic forces suppressed this primal hatred. Without those restraints, outsiders like them would find cultivating the world’s energy impossible—inhaling its lingqi (spiritual essence) would instead corrode their very essence like venom.
"True Monarchs", Lv Yang mused. The three Golden Core Sovereigns were clearly the culprits suppressing this world’s natural defenses. Yet even so, the realm retained some resistance—manifested in the beetle’s unnatural rank. This was merely a fragment of its power. The true ruler—the Chosen One—must be the swarm’s queen.
"Aetherophagous Beetle?" Yanluo Patriarch’s voice sounded suddenly. "I thought them extinct. Unexpected that I’d see one again."
Lv Yang asked, "You recognize it, Patriarch?"
"Of course", Yanluo replied, laced with mild reprimand. "You, my successor, should’ve studied our sect’s ancient records. The Aetherophagous Beetle feeds on cosmic energy. An ancient extraterrestrial species once obtained by a late-Founding God cultivator overseas. He bred twelve hundred ninety million swarms, their collective aura darkening the heavens, unmatched even by Founding Gods."
"The cultivator even forged a formation diagram to command them, daring to challenge a True Monarch’s dominion."
A trace of admiration entered Yanluo’s tone. "Overseas lands may be barren, but their cultivators truly dare to dream."
Lv Yang’s eyes gleamed. "What happened next? Did he succeed?"
"He did. He marched to Jiangxi, but a Pure Land Bodhisattva, annoyed by his swarms, crushed him and his entire horde in one palm strike."
Yanluo sighed. "Yet this proves the beetle’s might. To require a True Monarch’s intervention—its worth is undeniable."
(End of Chapter)
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