Chapter 411: Lord of the Earth's Crust

Chapter 411: Lord of the Earth's Crust

"It really is it!"

Ji Xinghuo felt something was odd. He had long given up the search, focusing solely on harvesting spiritual source energy and even deliberately avoiding the search areas of other hunting teams.

Yet, the harder he tried to avoid it, the more it seemed to find its way to him.

At this moment, the Earth Devouring Insect remained still underground, seemingly resting and unaware of Ji Xinghuo's presence lurking in the shadows.

His vision of the world was clear as day, his gaze piercing through the soil that was over four thousand meters thick as he carefully observed this massive Earth Devouring Insect. It was much larger than any he had ever seen before, with a total length of over forty meters and a diameter of more than three meters!

Aside from its size, which was several times larger, the biggest difference between it and ordinary Earth Devouring Insects was its shell. It was covered in an extremely thick crystal stone armor, appearing as if it were carved from crystal, evidently incredibly hard.

This matched the description given by the exotic who had once encountered it.

"Crystal Armor!"

An ultra-limit exotic ability, its function was to transform the outer skin into a silicon-based crystal stone armor, capable of effectively resisting physical attacks.

Ji Xinghuo confirmed that it was indeed the one.

On the Black Ring Star's network, people had summarized several encounters with it and speculated that this seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect must possess at least one star-fall exotic ability, namely "Gravity Earth Field", and there was a high probability that it had a second star-fall exotic ability as well.

This ability was related to the earth, allowing it to burrow deeper and move faster underground.

Some guessed that it was most likely the "Lord of the Earth's Crust"!

This ability was far more powerful and rare than Gravity Earth Field. Just as its name suggested, the Lord of the Earth's Crust could move freely within the planet's crust and also possessed multiple abilities to manipulate geology, such as sensing the pulse of the earth, burrowing, and causing earthquakes.

If it encountered danger or a powerful enemy, it could simply drill deeper into the earth's crust, which would even give a Star Shepherd a hard time.

That was why this seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect always managed to escape pursuit.

Ji Xinghuo did not act rashly.

He estimated that the Earth Devouring Insect was over four thousand meters deep underground, and if it didn't come up, he would be helpless even knowing its location.

"Lure it out?"

Ji Xinghuo had been in the Silent Wasteland for so long that he had already killed tens of thousands of Earth Devouring Insects, and he considered himself quite knowledgeable about these monsters.

He had encountered three calamity-level Earth Devouring Insects, and the stronger they were, the more cautious they became, never easily taking the bait.

This seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect was surely even smarter and harder to lure out.

While Ji Xinghuo was still pondering his next move, the Earth Devouring Insect suddenly moved, quickly traveling through the earth's crust.

He quickly followed suit, maneuvering through the shadows.

"So fast!"

After following it for a while, Ji Xinghuo was astonished.

Although the Earth Devouring Insect's speed underground couldn't match his own flight, each undulation of its body allowed it to advance several dozen meters through the high-temperature, high-pressure crust, averaging a speed of over a hundred meters per second.

Fortunately, it was completely unaware that it was being tailed, meandering aimlessly underground.

Sometimes it ascended, and sometimes it dove deeper.

Ji Xinghuo relied on electromagnetic induction and the Ultimate Dark Force Ball to keep track of the Earth Devouring Insect's location.

When it dove deeper than ten kilometers, the induction became blurred, but it seemed that it couldn't withstand the increasing temperature and pressure of the earth's crust for long, mostly staying at a depth of over five thousand meters.

After tracking it for hundreds of kilometers, the Earth Devouring Insect finally stopped and then rose to within a thousand meters of the surface, lurking motionlessly.

"Another Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect!"

Ji Xinghuo immediately understood its intention—it was about to hunt another Earth Devouring Insect.

He realized, "No wonder there are so many Earth Devouring Insects in this vast Silent Wasteland, yet so few that have evolved to the calamity level."

This Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect was completely unaware that it was being watched, and it had its eyes set on a prey as well.

They were a group of Cloud-Leaping Gazelles.

There were very few species that could survive in the Silent Wasteland, and the Cloud-Leaping Gazelle was one of them, with a large population even exceeding that of the Earth Devouring Insects. They were also highly sensitive to ground vibrations, always ready to leap high into the air at the slightest sign of trouble, and they ran fast too.

It was thanks to these quick reactions and escape abilities that the Cloud-Leaping Gazelles could survive the threat of the Earth Devouring Insects.

However, they still remained at the bottom of the food chain, serving as the primary prey for the Earth Devouring Insects.

There were several dozen Cloud-Leaping Gazelles in this group.

They were scattered over a range of several hundred meters, maintaining distance from each other. Half of them were nibbling on leaves, occasionally raising their heads to look around warily, while the other half kept watch, listening for any underground movements.

Underground, the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect slowly rose, approaching the center of the Cloud-Leaping Gazelle group.

And from even deeper, the seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect was also closing in.

A mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!

Witnessing this scene from the shadows, Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but smile, for he was the oriole in this scenario.

He looked up.

It was daytime, and there were several hunting teams within a hundred-kilometer radius. If he were to make a move, he would have to act quickly and decisively.

After several silent and stealthy movements, he arrived ahead of time above the group of Cloud-Leaping Gazelles, about a hundred meters from the ground.

He gripped the Electrostatic Warblade in his hand, his pupils completely black, and his aura hidden.

Finally, the moment arrived.

The Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect rose to just a few meters below the Cloud-Leaping Gazelles and suddenly unleashed a gravity mutation, causing gravity to surge by more than twenty times within a few hundred meters. The startled gazelles immediately jumped, but their height was only about ten meters, and they fell back within the range of the gravity mutation.

The ground rumbled.

Sharp spikes erupted from below, impaling the falling Cloud-Leaping Gazelles, whose desperate cries filled the air as blood splattered everywhere.

It was a successful ambush, and the entire group of Cloud-Leaping Gazelles was nearly annihilated.

The Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect eagerly burrowed out of the ground, opening its ferocious maw to spray a stream of grayish-white viscous fluid that resembled molten tar. It coated and corroded the gazelles' bodies, preventing them from escaping.

It began to feast, widening its anterior end to swallow the gazelles whole, fur and all.

However, in its moment of indulgence, the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect let its guard down.

It ignored the danger emanating from the deeper depths of the earth and failed to notice Ji Xinghuo above.

Ji Xinghuo silently looked down at the scene below.

The seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect gradually rose, moving from three thousand meters to two thousand meters, then to one thousand meters. When it reached five hundred meters, the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect, which was in the midst of devouring its prey, finally sensed the impending danger, but it was too late.

The earth trembled slightly, emitting a strange muffled sound.

The soil hardened like rock.

The Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect had only burrowed a few meters when it became trapped, as if stuck in a quagmire. At the same time, gravity surged by more than two hundred times, and even though it countered some of the restraints by manipulating gravity, its burrowing speed still dropped to less than one percent of its original pace.

On the other hand, the seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect remained unaffected and swiftly swam upward with incredible speed, manipulating the earth to compress its prey.

Gigantic earth spikes made of compacted soil impaled the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect's body.

In excruciating pain, it writhed and rolled.

In the blink of an eye, the hunter had become the hunted.

As the seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect rose, Ji Xinghuo also descended from mid-air. Jiu You detached from his body and landed on the ground first, ready to strike, while Mini Qinghong dove into the soil, preparing for a thunderous strike.

The struggles and painful roars of the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect masked the movements and auras of Ji Xinghuo and his two battle pets.

Crack!

Amidst a deafening explosion, the Flood-level Earth Devouring Insect was crushed by the terrifying pressure of the earth, its blood splattering and seeping into the soil.

Unconcerned, the seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect drew closer, widening its anterior end to begin consuming its prey.

Suddenly, it paused.

"It's discovered us!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed.

Without hesitation, he ordered his battle pets to attack.

Jiu You unleashed the Dark Energy Vortex Field, and the black vortex descended upon the ground, sucking in soil, grass, and everything else towards its center. However, with a diameter of only 15 meters, the Dark Energy Vortex Field couldn't cover the entire body of the Earth Devouring Insect, and its suction power was partially weakened.

Nevertheless, it pulled the seismic-level Earth Devouring Insect out from underground, exposing half of its body.

"Roar!"

Qinghong instantly expanded to over thirty meters and pounced, brandishing its Rending Claw. It savagely slashed into the half of the Earth Devouring Insect's body that was trapped outside the Dark Energy Vortex Field.

Sparks flew.

The incredibly hard crystal armor immediately shattered, and the sharp claws penetrated deep.

Qinghong bit down on the Earth Devouring Insect's midsection, but within the gravity earth field, its speed and strength were affected, preventing it from exerting its full power. It could only bite down while unleashing bolts of lightning from its mouth.

At this moment, the Earth Devouring Insect had broken free from the Dark Energy Vortex Field, and half of its body was still underground. Its upper body frantically struck out at Qinghong.

A wave of electromagnetic radiation descended from the sky.

Boom!

Before the Earth Devouring Insect's anterior end could strike Qinghong, it was hit by the electromagnetic radiation, and its crystal armor and grayish blood exploded.

Just one strike had inflicted severe damage.

The electromagnetic radiation pierced through its anterior end, and Ji Xinghuo maintained his gaze from above, manipulating the radiation to continue cutting.

He made a grasping motion in the air, and his spiritual energy burst forth as he attempted to manipulate the soil within a hundred-meter radius of the Earth Devouring Insect, forcing it to detach from the earth.

However, the ground seemed like an immovable iron plate, difficult to control.

Boom!

The earth shook violently.

The land within a kilometer radius underwent violent tremors, and countless rock spikes instantly formed, dozens of meters long, shooting towards Ji Xinghuo in the sky. Their numbers were so great that they darkened the sky.

At the same time, Ji Xinghuo felt the gravity affecting him surge once more, and a tremendous force pulled him downward towards the ground.

Jiu You's body expanded and liquefied, instantly transforming into a flood that covered the earth. The black liquid fire engulfed the Earth Devouring Insect, and the towering waves prevented it from burrowing underground. The scorching hot and icy cold liquid wrapped around its crystal armor, causing it to begin disintegrating in the blink of an eye.

"Trying to escape?"

Ji Xinghuo's body turned into a bolt of lightning as he dodged the countless spikes shooting towards him and struck out at the Earth Devouring Insect.

A thunderous roar echoed through the air.

The earth spikes blocking his path in mid-air exploded one after another, and Ji Xinghuo grew to a height of over five meters, his eyes flashing with electric light. Entering his Overload, Dragon Madness, and Dark Avatar peak state, he slashed with a powerful Lightning Cutter.

As he unleashed his full power, Qinghong and Jiu You worked together seamlessly, entangling the Earth Devouring Insect.

Clang!

The Electrostatic Warblade struck the midsection of the Earth Devouring Insect, and while its crystal armor provided some resistance, it was still sliced open, the warblade embedding itself within.

Surprise flashed in Ji Xinghuo's eyes.

This Lightning Cutter had failed to cut the Earth Devouring Insect in half, and the warblade was now stuck in its body.

Countless streams of gray blood gushed forth, instantly transforming into the corrosive sticky fluid that covered a range of several hundred meters.

Ji Xinghuo instantly teleported to safety.

Qinghong, however, due to the effects of the two-hundred-fold gravity, had her speed greatly reduced, and she was sprayed with the sticky fluid all over her body. Fortunately, the Sacred Dragon Scales protected her, and she managed to escape its grasp for the moment.

The sticky fluid mixed with the liquid black fire, and in an instant, it was like gasoline that had been ignited, turning into a vast black sea of flames.

This had no effect on Jiu You, and the black waves continued to crash down, submerging the Earth Devouring Insect.

The Earth Devouring Insect let out a painful howl.

After teleporting away, Ji Xinghuo cautiously observed the situation. He found that despite the severe injuries it had sustained, the Earth Devouring Insect's wounds immediately healed, and half of its body was still underground, frantically absorbing energy from the earth to treat its wounds.

"As expected, it's the Lord of the Earth's Crust!"

Ji Xinghuo's heart sank.

Lord of the Earth's Crust was an upper-tier exotic ability related to earth pulses.

This Starfall-level exotic ability not only allowed unimpeded movement within the planet's crust and manipulation of geological changes, but it also granted the ability to sense vibrations with incredible precision. Moreover, the efficiency of drawing energy from the earth was several times higher than that of Earth Pulse, and the rate of wound recovery was so fast that it seemed to possess an immortal body!

If they couldn't separate the Earth Devouring Insect from the ground and cut off its energy source, it would be almost impossible to kill it.

"This is troublesome..."

Ji Xinghuo felt a headache coming on. This Earth Devouring Insect was too massive, weighing over two thousand tons, and trying to separate it from the ground was extremely difficult.

Moreover, it wasn't going to just sit there and take the beating; it would fiercely counter-attack.

At this moment, the Earth Devouring Insect took advantage of Qinghong's reduced size as it struggled free from the sticky fluid, ignoring the black liquid fire waves crashing down on it, and desperately burrowed underground.

"Stop it!"

Ji Xinghuo shouted.

Jiu You's flood-like form immediately began to churn, the black seawater shrinking and deepening, forming a vortex at the bottom that entangled the Earth Devouring Insect and lifted it upwards.

Qinghong also transformed into a colossal being once more, leaping into the vortex and biting down on the Earth Devouring Insect. Her Rending Claw danced as she slashed open massive wounds on the insect's body, the liquid black fire seeping into the wounds and causing internal destruction.

"Roar..."

The Earth Devouring Insect howled in agony, but its wounds healed in the blink of an eye.

However, no matter how Qinghong and Jiu You entangled and bit down, the Earth Devouring Insect relied on its massive body and Gravity Earth Field to keep half of its body in contact with the ground, fully utilizing the effects of the Lord of the Earth's Crust.

Its wounds healed instantly, and its crystal armor swiftly regenerated.

In its pain, the Earth Devouring Insect went berserk, counter-attacking wildly.

The ground split open, revealing bottomless abysses that tried to swallow Jiu You's liquid form, and countless earth spikes shot towards Qinghong. Giant rocks, like cannonballs, soared into the air and exploded upon impact with Qinghong's body under the influence of the Gravity Earth Field.

The earthquake continued unabated.

The land within a radius of several kilometers was turned upside down, and the three colossal beings fought fiercely.

While dodging attacks, Ji Xinghuo also tried several times to strike, using electromagnetic radiation, Lightning Cutter, and Ball Lightning, but he still couldn't instantly kill the Earth Devouring Insect. It not only had formidable defense, but it also had no apparent weaknesses.

As long as it wasn't instantly killed, even severe injuries would heal in the blink of an eye, and it showed no signs of fatigue during the battle.

The Lord of the Earth's Crust ability wasn't originally this powerful.

But when combined with the Earth Devouring Insect's massive body, it exhibited a strength akin to an Eclipse-level exotic ability! Ji Xinghuo was momentarily stumped, unable to find a solution to counter it. After more than ten minutes of intense combat, the Earth Devouring Insect remained unscathed.

Neither Qinghong nor Jiu You had sustained any injuries either.

The battle had reached a stalemate.

Just as Ji Xinghuo was considering his next move, his electromagnetic senses detected multiple hunting teams approaching, and the orbital satellites had long since locked onto this area. In the high skies, several shuttles entered the atmosphere from outer space.

Additionally, a king-level powerhouse appeared on the horizon, rushing towards them at supersonic speeds!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end