Chapter 137: The Beast and Insect Uprising
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
“The Purifying Lotus has appeared!”
The cry tore through the tense atmosphere, drawing every eye toward the swamp. There, a delicate blue lotus swayed gently in the breeze, its petals parted just enough to reveal plump, glowing seeds nestled within. The sight was mesmerizing, a treasure beyond compare.
Excitement rippled through the crowd, but before anyone could move, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently, sending shockwaves through the air. A cacophony of cries—birds, beasts, and insects—rose around them, blending into a symphony of chaos. The earth beneath their feet seemed to pulse with life, as if something monstrous was about to break free.
Suddenly, from the soil, poisonous insects of all shapes and sizes began to crawl out, their bodies glistening as they surged toward the heart of the swamp, forming an unstoppable flood.
The air vibrated with the menacing buzz of wings. Looking up, they saw gigantic bees, each one larger than a human head, swarming toward them. Vultures and other scavenger birds joined the fray, their eyes glowing with hunger as they zeroed in on the group. In mere moments, the swamp had transformed into a breeding ground for venomous creatures and ferocious beasts, each more terrifying than the last.
“Aah!” The shriek came from a cultivator paralyzed with fear, unable to dodge in time as a poisonous beast lunged at him. Its sharp teeth sank into his face, and within seconds, his skin began to rot. The stench of decaying flesh filled the air, drawing more insects and beasts toward him like moths to a flame.
“No! Get away! Get away!” he screamed, raising a barrier of spiritual energy in a desperate attempt to save himself. But the barrier was fragile, and under the relentless assault of the creatures, it shattered within moments. The swarm engulfed him, his screams cut off abruptly as he disappeared beneath the mass of writhing bodies.
“Run! Run for your lives!” Panic erupted among the cultivators as they scrambled to escape, terror driving them in all directions. But they didn’t get far. After only a few steps, they too were overwhelmed by the advancing swarm, their bodies quickly reduced to nothing but bones.
“Get behind me.” Yu Zhao’s voice was steady but urgent as she quickly formed hand seals, her fingers moving with practiced precision. In an instant, several illusionary formations appeared before her, their ethereal light creating a barrier that masked their presence. These formations concealed their scent and dulled their movements, making them nearly invisible in the surrounding chaos.
Ji Han Zhou, moving in perfect sync with Yu Zhao, urged Mo Ci and the others to gather close. His voice was low and commanding. “Stay close and don’t wander off.”
Though Mo Ci and the others weren’t fully aware of the extent of Yu Zhao’s abilities, they trusted her completely. Without hesitation, they followed her lead, staying close behind.
What they witnessed next was nothing short of miraculous.
As the snakes, insects, rats, and other creatures neared the group, it was as if they encountered an invisible barrier. They veered away, moving around them as though the group didn’t exist, continuing their rampage without noticing the small cluster of cultivators.
While Mo Ci and the others exchanged astonished glances, Ji Han Zhou couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride as he observed their reactions. They had no idea just how capable Senior Sister Yu Zhao truly was.
After all, he and Yu Zhao were the closest companions in the world.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the youngest female disciple from the Hundred Flowers Valley let out a soft whimper and clutched tightly onto Yu Zhao’s sleeve.
“Big Sister Yu Zhao, you’re amazing. With you here, I’m not scared at all,” she murmured.
“Me too, Senior Sister Yu Zhao,” another voice piped up.
“And me!”
Ji Han Zhou’s face darkened. This was outrageous! They were getting too close!
While Yu Zhao focused on maintaining the illusions, the others began to display their unique abilities. Yao Wuji, with a smirk, summoned a gigantic red spider and sat cross-legged on its back. The spider’s eyes glowed with a sinister light as it spun webbing from its fangs, aiming it at Fang Cheng Lang and Cui Jue.
The sticky spider silk, though colorless and odorless, clung to their bodies. It didn’t cause discomfort, but the poisonous insects and beasts recoiled from it, giving them a wide berth.
Yao Wuji’s smirk widened as she looked at Fang Cheng Lang. “I’ve saved your lives again,” she said, her tone dripping with arrogance.
These two were amusing; she wasn’t ready for them to die just yet.
Understanding her twisted sense of humor, Fang Cheng Lang chose not to respond. Instead, his eyes scanned the chaotic scene, searching for Yu Zhao.
He spotted her standing protectively in front of a group of unfamiliar men and women. Her face, once so familiar to him, now showed a determination that was completely foreign.
For a moment, he was dazed.
Little Six had grown into someone strong enough to shield others from the storm.
The realization struck him like a blow.
What was lost could never be regained.
“What are you staring at? Your little lover?” Yao Wuji’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She followed his gaze and immediately pinpointed the person he was fixated on, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
“How interesting,” she murmured.
Fang Cheng Lang’s heart raced. He wanted to say something, to defend Yu Zhao, but he hesitated. He feared provoking Yao Wuji’s suspicions and bringing unnecessary trouble to Yu Zhao. So, he forced himself to look away, swallowing his anxiety.
By now, only a few people remained standing, struggling to hold on. Most of the others had already perished in the earlier battles or under the onslaught of the insect beasts.
Meanwhile, the creatures drawn to the Purifying Lotus were launching a fierce attack on the swamp.
The swamp was merciless, poisoning or swallowing any creature that entered its domain. But the beasts and insects were relentless, charging forward without regard for their own lives.
One after another, they surged into the swamp, their numbers so vast it was impossible to count.
But the swamp’s ability to consume them was overwhelmed. Soon, the surface of the swamp was littered with the corpses of the fallen creatures, like logs floating in a river.
Seeing this, the cultivators began to calculate.
This might be their only chance to harvest the Purifying Lotus. If they could reach it before the swamp consumed the insect corpses, they might make it back safely.
Desperation fueled their resolve.
With a series of whooshing sounds, a dozen figures broke free from the surrounding beasts and swiftly approached the swamp.
The first cultivator to step onto the insect corpses successfully made it into the swamp, igniting a frenzy among the others.
It was actually possible to cross. What were they waiting for?
More figures flashed by, racing toward the Purifying Lotus.
Yu Zhao’s eyes flickered with temptation, but she quickly suppressed the impulse. The mysterious dangers of the swamp loomed large in her mind, and she couldn’t risk the lives of those behind her.
She had a strong feeling that the Purifying Lotus wouldn’t be so easy to obtain.
“Hahaha! The Purifying Lotus is mine!”
Among those fighting to claim the lotus, one person moved with astonishing speed. While the others were just entering the swamp, he had already reached the center, closest to the lotus.
His eyes blazed with greed as he reached out without hesitation to grab the stem of the lotus.
Everyone else held their breath, their eyes betraying a mix of emotions—envy, fear, and anticipation.
Just as his fingertips were about to touch the lotus stem, a beast’s head, covered in black mud from the swamp, suddenly shot out and bit him in the waist.
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
He didn’t even have time to scream before he was bitten clean in half, his body devoured in a few swift bites.
The sound of bones grinding against teeth echoed in the ears of every cultivator, sending chills down their spines.
A beast that could live in this swamp, unaffected by its dangers, was beyond terrifying.
“Ah!” A sudden scream broke everyone’s trance.
Looking toward the sound, they realized it came from the remaining cultivators who had hesitated to advance due to their fear of the swamp beast. They had lingered for a few moments too long.
In those few seconds, the swamp had already begun to swallow the insect corpses. With their escape route cut off, they were trapped. Desperate, they tried to leap over the swamp, but the all-pervasive miasma caused them to fall. Eventually, they were consumed by the swamp, becoming part of its deadly ecosystem.