They returned to the [Eight Trigrams] headquarters, where Kan Water examined Fan Daoyi's physical condition again.
After a thorough examination, the results came back, and surprisingly, Fan Daoyi was in excellent health.
Kan Water looked at the report in his hand, "No harmful residues found. What did you find over there?"
Fan Daoyi told the truth, but only about the part that went into the flower field.
"Entering a dream, Guixu?"
"Hahaha, I did it! I did it!"
The Apothecary's voice trembled with excitement, his gaze fixed on the vessel before him. Inside, a deep blue liquid flowed slowly, continuously providing nutrients to the flesh and blood within, enabling it to grow.
A fanatical light gleamed in the Apothecary's eyes as he reached out a trembling hand to touch the vessel.
Just then, his vision was suddenly blocked by a rotating, twisting crimson hole. Before he could react, a slap landed on his face.
The Apothecary was stunned by the sudden slap. He instinctively covered the half of his face that had been slapped and stood there dumbfounded.
"You beast, what have you become!" came the Flower Tender's voice, and she slowly walked out of the hole.
The Apothecary was about to unleash a curse when he received another heavy blow to his right cheek. Before he could switch sides, his left cheek was also struck.
"Are you crazy?!" the Apothecary finally snapped out of it, yelling, "Three, three! Do you know how much trauma these three big guys have instilled in a researcher like me?"
The Flower Tender, not one to back down, retorted with a barrage of insults, "Ha, you think you can take three of them? If it weren't for the problems at your hospital that brought Dao Yi in with you, would a lowly gardener like me have taken three blows?"
Upon hearing the Flower Tender's words, the Apothecary was momentarily stunned. The anger on his face gradually turned into calm. Trusting them, the Apothecary spoke calmly but with a hint of seriousness, "You've made me take the blame?"
"Hehe." The Flower Tender only let out two dry laughs.
"I knew it!" The Apothecary's tone held a hint of helplessness, but also a touch of relief.
After the three slaps, the two were considered even. The Flower Tender shifted his gaze to the petri dish, watching the flesh and blood multiply and grow.
"So, how did it go on your end?" the Flower Tender asked.
The Apothecary followed the Flower Tender's gaze to the petri dish, his eyes deepening. He said in a low voice, "This disaster is... Insect Disaster."
Here, they asked Xun Wind to deduce several possibilities.
First, the hospital patients were examined to see if they could survive despite missing organs. They cooperated with the examination, but strangely, the patients suddenly lost their lives during the process.
Soon, whether intentionally or by coincidence, the patient's family and some reporters joined forces. Filled with grief and indignation, they pointed the finger at the authorities, placing all the blame on them for the patient's death.
The authorities acted swiftly, organizing professionals to conduct a detailed investigation into the incident and issuing a rigorous report to explain the entire process. The report detailed the inspection procedures and stated that this unexpected incident was impossible.
However, the family members, still immersed in grief, were blinded by anger. They were unwilling to calm down and listen to the official explanation, insisting on their own views, leading to a stalemate.
Alternatively, they could report Fan Daoyi's verbal evidence, and the authorities would approve their investigation. They could then obtain the flowers from the hospital for research, but they turned out to be just ordinary bouquets.
It was deduced that it might only take effect within the Guixu, so it was brought into the Guixu as well. As a result, it remained an ordinary flower, without any effect.
We tried every solution, but none of them worked.
"Do you need direct evidence?" Fan Daoyi took out a booklet of papers, which he had taken from the Flower Tender; it contained the Apothecary's research data. "Can this prove it?"
They immediately surrounded him, their eyes all fixed on the data on the paper. Only Qian Heaven, Kun Earth, and Kan Water Shui looked at it carefully; apart from Fan Daoyi, the others looked completely bewildered.
They all shared the same thought: what on earth are these scribbles?
"Boss, I need that flowerpot from the hospital," Kan Water said.
Without the slightest hesitation, Qian Heaven stretched his hand into the air. Immediately afterward, a miraculous scene unfolded: his hand and arm seemed to pass through an invisible barrier and vanished instantly. A moment later, accompanied by a slight spatial fluctuation, he reappeared before everyone, carrying a pot of flowers.
It would be more accurate to say that his ability was stolen rather than deprived.
"Sister Kun Earth, please come and help me with Li Fire," Kan Water called out again.
Kun Earth nodded slightly and began to use her abilities. With a gentle wave of her hands, a wave of energy began to flow slowly around the potted flower, stabilizing and controlling the chaotic data.
As for Li Fire, she took out a butterfly knife and cut a piece of flesh from her arm, from which bright red blood immediately flowed out. The flesh was buried in the soil, and the blood dripped onto the flowers.
As for the piece of skin that had been peeled off, it quickly healed and returned to its original state.
Using this potted plant as a medium, and relying on the experimental data developed by the Apothecary, an unstable channel gradually emerged in the air.
The ease with which a 'door' to the Guixu was created gave me a bad feeling.
Qian Heaven frowned, his expression growing increasingly grave. He looked at Xun Wind and said, "Xun Wind, Intuition whether these kinds of 'gates' are being artificially mass-produced."
Upon hearing this, Xun Wind slowly closed his eyes, concentrated all his energy, and Intuition. At first, in a short period of time, he did not perceive any signs of a large number of channels being created. He did not stop there, but continued to push the timeline forward.
Five days, six weeks, seven months, a year... a large number of 'gates' appeared and gathered in the sky above the entire Azure Cloud City!
Further explore this idea, such as what caused so many channels to appear.
Then he saw figures wearing animal masks, holding flowers in their hands, offering themselves as sacrifices.
Plant vines enveloped them, and when the vines receded, these creatures transformed into insect-like forms. They were enormous, with exoskeletons as hard as iron, radiating a metallic sheen, and countless compound eyes flashing with an eerie red light.
Countless insects of varying sizes flew out from the passage in the sky. These swarms surged forth like a black tide, blotting out the sun.
The swarm of insects began to prey on humans, and Azure Cloud City was instantly overrun. The once bustling streets were filled with blood and severed limbs, and the screams of people mingled with the hissing of the insects. Then, they continued to expand outward, devouring everything in their path, leaving desolation in their wake like a locust plague.
Intuition continues; search for a leader within the swarm.
He saw a pair of scarlet eyes and met their gaze.
Instantly, an Intuition. Blood flowed from his eye sockets, and his vision went completely black.
Upon hearing the sound, Kan Water rushed over and covered Xun Wind's eyes with one hand, the cool yet slightly warm touch soothing his eyes.
Xun Wind felt the excruciating pain gradually disappear. He slowly opened his eyes, and his blurred vision returned to clarity.
He seemed to have just woken up from a nightmare, completely exhausted and weak. He collapsed onto the sofa, panting heavily, trying to calm his breathing.
"Insect... Insect Disaster!"