Chapter 122: Qi-Devouring Worms
"Spare me, exalted cultivator! It's me, still me!"
When Qin Tianhe dragged Guang Ming before Lü Yang for the second time, Guang Ming couldn't wait to shout before Qin Tianhe even opened his mouth:
"Exalted cultivator, this humble monk still has uses!"
"There are over a dozen Pure Land monks remaining in the rear—this humble monk can deal with them. Besides them, there's also the Dao Court—this humble monk can help you against the Dao Court."
Guang Ming feared Lü Yang had already been blinded by bloodlust and might casually behead him. His words spilled out at the speed he normally chanted scriptures, desperately showcasing his value. Yet Lü Yang ignored him, instead casting an impatient glance his way:
"Shut up."
Before Lü Yang's words even faded, Guang Ming immediately clamped both hands over his mouth—not daring to speak, he even held his breath, terrified of provoking the great demon before him.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang turned his gaze toward the distance.
Almost simultaneously, True Disciple Daoist Jiaolong seemed to sense something as well. Raising his mutated dragon head, his enormous draconic pupils fixed directly on the ground.
"Something's coming."
At these words, the other True Disciples instantly grew alert. The next moment, the earth split open as a segmented, armored figure slowly crawled out.
It was a monstrous insect.
Nearly human-sized, its entire body pitch black as if drenched in ink, with sharp mandibles and compound eyes densely packed, gleaming with a cold light.
"What is this... a yao-beast?"
Several Saint Sect True Disciples showed curiosity. Chongming's first thought was whether this insect's bloodline could be used for alchemy.
Xu Xin carefully observed the insect, assessing its strength.
Daoist Jiaolong pondered whether the insect's sharp mandibles could be transplanted onto himself—and if so, where would be most suitable.
As for Bi Feiyuan, her thought process was rather unique. She deliberately posed seductively before the insect, observing changes in her divine ability as if testing whether it would react to her. She even seemed inspired, as if considering painting its portrait.
Other Saint Sect disciples pointed and murmured about the insect.
Faced with their chatter, the black insect tilted its head, then opened its mandibles—slowly producing sound.
At first, the noises were chaotic.
But soon, its voice grew clear and deep: "Outsiders... get out. Mother... this world does not welcome you!"
The moment these words were spoken, all overlapping conversations ceased abruptly.
Every Saint Sect disciple, including the five True Disciples, stopped speaking simultaneously. Nearly a hundred pairs of eyes swiveled as one to fix upon the black insect.
The desolate wilderness fell silent. The eerie stillness made the insect twist uneasily, instinctively retreating several steps.
The next second, Xu Xin laughed:
"I thought it was some Dao Court insect-tamer's spirit pet. Turns out I was wrong... it's a native of this realm. What a waste of words earlier."
"Don't waste time."
Daoist Jiaolong also showed impatience: "Dissect it quickly. See what special abilities these natives have."
Bi Feiyuan licked her red lips: "No need for such trouble. I'll know once I surpass it."
Only Chongming maintained an expression of normalcy, as if disdaining to associate with the other Saint Sect disciples, keeping a disgusted distance from the insect.
Seeing himself treated like meat on a chopping block, the black insect's voice grew angry as it prepared to speak again. But at that moment, Lü Yang—who had remained silent—suddenly shifted his gaze toward it.
"Hssss—!"
Instantly, the previously aggressive insect seemed to witness something utterly terrifying. With a sharp screech, it exploded!
Yet it didn't die—instead transforming into a crimson cloud.
As the cloud churned, a piercing buzzing roared forth. Upon closer inspection, it was actually thousands of rice-grain-sized monstrous insects!
They swarmed forward en masse!
Instinctively, Daoist Jiaolong raised his dragon head, spewing demonic flames that engulfed dozens of insects, attempting to reduce them to ashes.
But soon, he frowned.
"Something's wrong..."
Before he finished speaking, the demonic flames dimmed and extinguished as if being eaten away. The insects surged forth again—now several times more numerous than before!
In moments, the other True Disciples and Saint Sect disciples all attacked—some unleashing divine abilities, others hurling magical treasures. Yet astonishingly, while these attacks killed some insects, those that consumed the attacks split into even greater numbers!
In the blink of an eye, the insects fought their way to Lü Yang.
"...Interesting."
Only then did Lü Yang raise an eyebrow. With a single glance, the previously ferocious insects instantly lost all vitality.
They fell like rain.
Lü Yang casually plucked one, rubbing it between his fingers as he examined it: "This worm... actually has status? No—it doesn't seem self-cultivated."
The next moment, Lü Yang looked up at the sky. Perhaps because Ancestor Nether Whisper had improved the [Yama Palace], allowing guardian deity Su Nu—empowered by the Buddhist cultivators within the Myriad Spirits Banner—to regain peak condition. With her enhancement, Lü Yang keenly sensed an intense malice.
This malice came not from any person, but from the very world itself.
Flowers, birds, fish, insects—even the spiritual energy of this realm—harbored extreme hostility toward him and the surrounding Saint Sect disciples.
Only now, this malice was suppressed by three even greater forces.
Otherwise, "outsiders" like them shouldn't even be able to refine spiritual energy here—recklessly absorbing it might even poison them.
"True Lords..."
Undoubtedly, the culprits forcing this world to tolerate outsiders despite its hatred were the three Golden Core True Lords.
Yet even so, this world retained some capacity for resistance.
The result was the status bestowed upon these insects—and this was only partial. The true Chosen One should be the insect king among them.
"Is this... a Qi-Devouring Worm?"
Ancestor Nether Whisper's voice suddenly spoke up: "I thought these were extinct. Never expected to see them again today."
Lü Yang asked curiously: "Ancestor recognizes them?"
"Of course."
Ancestor Nether Whisper's tone carried reproach: "As the inheritor of my Witch Ghost Path's legacy, haven't you read the transmitted Dao Canon?"
"Qi-Devouring Worms—as the name suggests, they devour heaven and earth's energy. An ancient extraterrestrial species that once fell beyond the seas, obtained by a late-stage Foundation Establishment Grand True Person who cultivated them, eventually refining 1.29 billion monstrous insects. With one breath, they could blot out the sky—no Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand them!"
"That Grand True Person caused quite a stir back then."
"With 1.29 billion Qi-Devouring Worms, he even refined a formation diagram to coordinate them, boldly declaring he would challenge True Lords as a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."
Here, even Ancestor Nether Whisper showed admiration: "Admittedly, the lands beyond the seas are barren—their cultivators truly lacked perspective."
Lü Yang grew more curious: "Then what? Did he really go?"
"He went."
Ancestor Nether Whisper shook his head: "He went to Jiangxi. Then a Pure Land Bodhisattva found his insect swarm too noisy and annihilated him and all his worms with a single palm strike."
No suspense whatsoever.
Even so, Lü Yang understood the terrifying potential of Qi-Devouring Worms.
Though a True Lord could obliterate them with one strike, the fact that a True Lord's intervention was required itself testified to their formidable nature.