Chapter 563: Might of the Golden Core Ancestor

A Xanxia Novel!! Text / This Chapter:

Two mighty figures, at least of the mid-stages of Qi Refining, intended to visit the tribe. Commander Li dared not refuse, though his heart groaned with secret despair and acute terror.

Their tribe was a weak and vulnerable things; should they displease these two giants, a mere wave of a hand might see the entire settlement erased.

For the Insect Race, any gathering that could be called a tribe numbered at least in the millions. Yet while a settlement might be razed, wiping them out entirely was a task fraught with near-impossible difficulty; it was by virtue of their staggering numbers and formidable reproductive prowess that the Insect Race had endured from the remote antiquity to the present day.

Untold numbers of ancient races had vanished into the dust of time, yet the Insect Race remained, scattered across every corner of the Demon Realm, a testament to their harrowing capacity for survival.

"This Immortal has dined upon all manner of the Demon Race, yet those of the Insect Race remain utterly unpalatable to me; I have never once touched them." The Immortal Fairy wore an expression of deep loathing, striving to distance herself from the insects. Even as a grand Immortal Chef, she was not so desperate as to culinary dress just any ingredient.

"Then again, there is no need for this Immortal to feast upon the Insect Race anyway. After all, they have never provoked me."

"Fairy, did all the demons you ate provoke you first?"

"Naturally. You have no concept of how savage the Demon Race truly is. They harbor a particular fondness for devouring cultivators; to them, the flesh and blood of a cultivator is a magnificent tonic. Before this Immortal ascended to immortality, I was hunted by demons day and night."

"Those days were far from easy. If you did not slay them, they would slay you. This Immortal could only rise in fierce resistance, and so I slaughtered quite a few of the Demon Race."

"This Immortal was not like Ying Tian or the Qilin Immortal, who were born under lucky stars. Their fortunes were absurdly grand, with one fortuitous encounter following another. The Nine-Layered Immortal had the Lianshan Clan at his back, never wanting for cultivation resources. And as for the Immortal of Time, there is even less need to speak of him—when this Immortal had just entered the Qi Refining stage, he was already at the Tribulation Transcendence stage."

"I built everything from nothing, so impoverished that I could find no resources for my cultivation. In those times, if you did not grow stronger through resources, your only fate was to be slaughtered. Thus, I ate the demons I killed."

The Immortal Fairy sighed, remembering how profoundly difficult that era had been. The perilous situations and death traps she had encountered were too numerous to count. Fortunately, she was adept at combat and her rate of growth was sufficiently swift, allowing her to weather those crises time and again.

Led by Commander Li, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou finally arrived at the insect tribe.

According to Commander Li's introduction, their tribe was named after the 'Qiang' and was called the Qiang Insect Tribe, while the party seeking to wed Song Xiaomi was the Jiang Insect Tribe.

"We are here, it is right ahead!"

Commander Li spoke, pointing toward the distance.

Following the direction of Commander Li’s finger, Lu Yang peered into the deep recesses of the mountain forest, where dots of starlight glimmered, presenting a scene of remarkable beauty.

Only when they drew closer did they realize the illumination came from the glowing posteriors of fireflies.

The Clan Chief was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the tribe, anxiously awaiting news from Commander Li. Before he could even spot the commander, he discerned two colossal figures looming through the darkness, resembling man-eating beasts of prey, their eyes gleaming as they fixed their gaze upon the tribe.

As a formidable insect of the third layer of Qi Refining, he felt a fatal pressure bearing down on him in the presence of these two titans.

These two monsters were at least of the sixth layer of Qi Refining!

A calamity capable of wiping out their entire race!

"All hands, on high alert!"

At the Clan Chief’s command, the warriors of the tribe sprang into action, wielding tiny toothpicks and small pebbles, aiming them squarely at the two great monsters.

"Chief, do not strike! Do not strike!" Seeing this, Commander Li ran over in a panic to explain. If they angered these two mighty figures, a situation that was perfectly fine would instantly turn into a disaster.

"These two are Senior Meng Yang and Senior Lu Jingzhou of the Prison-Suppressing Sect. This is their first time visiting the Demon Realm, and they merely wish to tour our tribe."

Only then did the Clan Chief breathe a sigh of relief. If a battle truly ensued, even a victory would have been a pyrrhic one.

"I have brought back the young mistress and Chi Shui."

Song Xiaomi and Chi Shui were bound securely, stumbling as they were brought before the Clan Chief.

"Father, I do not wish to marry him!"

"Chief, please believe in me! Give me time, and I will certainly cultivate to the seventh layer of Qi Refining!"

The Clan Chief glared fiercely at Song Xiaomi and Chi Shui, the pressure of his third-layer Qi Refining cultivation manifesting with terrifying intensity: "Nonsense! Is this a matter of what you wish? I shall entertain our two distinguished guests first, and deal with you afterward!"

"Take them down and lock them up!"

The Clan Chief then turned around with a placating smile: "Distinguished guests, please, this way."

"Hold on a moment, do not take them away just yet," Meng Jingzhou interred.

"My lord, what are your instructions?" the Clan Chief inquired with utmost deference.

Meng Jingzhou stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his tone flat and unbothered: "I wouldn't call it an instruction. Though I have never cared much for tales of lovers finding their happy ending, I despise even more the sight of people using power to oppress others and forcing marriages!"

"If the two of you truly share a mutual affection, then this tribe of yours—I shall protect it!"

Having finally found an opportunity to show off, how could he possibly let it slip away without acting?

Lu Yang cast a disdainful sideways glance at Meng Jingzhou, easily discerning his companion's thoughts.

How utterly unaccomplished. To put on grand airs before a swarm of insects who reached the third layer of Qi Refining at best—what kind of skill was that? He should at least wait for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to arrive and serve as a proper foil.

Song Xiaomi and Chi Shui were overjoyed, never expecting that a powerhouse of this caliber would proactively offer them protection.

The Clan Chief was equally delighted; his daughter would not have to be wedded off, and the tribe would gain the protection of a mighty figure. This was a stroke of immense fortune.

Upon learning that the tribe would be sheltered by two great powers, the entire clan erupted into cheers, hosting a warm and enthusiastic banquet for the pair.

The two young men noticed that there were very few humanoid insects within the tribe; the vast majority were insects that had not taken human form. These insects possessed spiritual intelligence but lacked the faculty of speech.

Those capable of taking human form held vital positions within the tribe, such as defending the village, managing its affairs, and venturing out to hunt. The insects who had apprehended Song Xiaomi and Chi Shui were precisely those charged with protecting the village.

The Qiang Insect Tribe strained every resource to entertain the two guests. They did not seem to be hosting humans for the first time, appearing quite experienced in the matter.

As the two sat cross-legged, a procession of ants moved in synchronized lines, carrying massive bowls, utensils, melons, fruits, and decorative blossoms for them to enjoy.

Lu Yang took a bite of an unnamed fruit, finding it crisp and refreshing, and took a small sip of the juice within his bowl, which slid down his throat with a chilly crispness.

These were all fine delicacies unobtainable in the Central Continent, unique specialties of the Demon Realm.

Fireflies gathered together to serve as a bonfire, resembling a river of stars, a magnificent sight to behold. Viewed from above, the two looked as though they were seated amidst the Milky Way itself.

The sole blemish on the evening was the dance performance, which consisted of swarms of mosquitoes buzzing and fluttering directly before their eyes.

Fortunately, Meng Jingzhou possessed astonishing willpower, suppressing the primal urge to swat the mosquitoes to death with a casual slap.

The night passed in lively festivity.

The following morning, uninvited guests breached the borders of the Qiang Insect Tribe.

A large contingent of insects from the Jiang Insect Tribe arrived. Among them, a transformed insect sat perched upon a leaf, his expression haughty and his attitude toward the Qiang Chief laced with utter contempt, showing no intention of even stepping down from his leaf.

He was Qing Dong, the son of the Jiang Insect Tribe's chief.

He noticed two small hills standing not far from the Qiang Insect Tribe and found it somewhat puzzling; they certainly hadn't been there during his last visit.

No matter, he chose not to dwell on it.

"I heard that my fiancée attempted to flee yesterday. Is there any truth to this?"

"Nephew Qing Dong, you must be joking. No such thing occurred!" The Qiang Insect Chief denied it outright.

Qing Dong’s eyes narrowed slightly: "Are you implying that I am mistaken?"

From his form, there suddenly erupted the unmistakable fluctuations of the fourth layer of Qi Refining!

The Qiang Insect Chief was struck with shock; he had not expected the youth to already be a powerhouse of the fourth layer of Qi Refining at such a tender age!

In the entire history of the Qiang Insect Tribe, no such genius had ever appeared!

As the confrontation hung in a tense deadlock, a dull, thunderous boom rumbled through the air. The earth trembled violently, causing the ordinary insects to fall to the ground in sheer terror, and Qing Dong himself tumbled heavily from his leaf.