Raising Ironfire Ants

Two months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Billowing Cloud Peak.

The location of the Golden Billows Sect's mountain gate.

Sect Leader Jin Jiuxiao sat in the center, with an elder standing respectfully below him, reporting, "The Sunset Glow Sect has recently promoted three Foundation Establishment cultivators in succession, one of whom is named Wang Yuan. Wang Yuan was originally a steward of the Silver Horn Mountain in the Sunset Glow Sect. After Lu Qingfeng came to Silver Horn Mountain, he began to follow Lu Qingfeng. He was originally of mediocre talent, but he was able to stand out among the many True Qi Realm in the Sunset Glow Sect. It seems that he is highly valued by Lu Qingfeng."

"After several secret surveillance attempts, I have finally discovered that Wang Yuan is indeed still in contact with Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng is currently hiding on a small mountain not far from the Sinkhole Mine Mountain. Fearing that I might alert him, I did not appear rashly after confirming the situation and have come to report this."

Since the chaos in the Gathering Cloud Mountains and the infighting among the four factions began, Lu Qingfeng led Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu to hide in the deep mountains.

First, the Demon-Slaying Fort left Silver Horn Mountain empty.

The three factions investigated but were unable to locate Lu Qingfeng.

Two months ago, when the fighting subsided, Lu Qingfeng settled down at Sinkhole Mine Mountain, near the Peak Rain Mountain. Wang Yuan, a mere True Qi Realm deacon, was originally insignificant. However, a month ago, he refined the Blazing Sun Pill and advanced to the Foundation Establishment.

He immediately stood out from the many inconspicuous True Qi Realm cultivators of the Sunset Glow Sect.

Following this lead, Lu Qingfeng's whereabouts were no longer a secret.

"Lu Qingfeng— "

A thoughtful look appeared in Jin Jiuxiao's eyes.

Looking at the old man standing to the side, he asked, "Elder Sun, what do you think should be done with this boy?"

This Elder Sun, whose real name is Sun Li, is one of the two Supreme Elders of the Golden Billows Sect, with the Body Tempering Realm cultivation. However, what Jin Jiuxiao values even more than his cultivation is his wisdom and meticulous mind.

They rely on him for many things, big and small.

Sun Li's face was full of wrinkles, and his eyes were cloudy, yet occasionally flashed with a sharp light, clearly indicating that he was not a kind person.

Upon hearing Jin Jiuxiao's question, he pondered for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Sunset Glow Sect can be kept, but Lu Qingfeng cannot be kept."

Upon hearing this, the elder at the bottom of the table immediately became serious.

"The Sunset Glow Sect can be spared, but Lu Qingfeng cannot be allowed to live—"

Jin Jiuxiao repeated it in a low voice, a smile appearing on his face.

Sinkhole Mine Mountain.

This is a mine that is sunken deep underground. Most of the minerals are located deep underground, with abundant reserves of copper and iron. Occasionally, rare minerals such as gold and silver can also be found.

In the very center of the mine.

A formation connects the sky above and the earth below, with flames surging within.

A figure strolled leisurely through the area, and the flames all parted to make way for him.

It was Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng arrived at a cave, which was empty. After a short while, a faint sound was heard. Two black ants, each only the length of a finger joint, scurried out of the ground and appeared in the cave.

Upon seeing Lu Qingfeng, she happily rushed over.

Lu Qingfeng smiled and extended his palm.

Two black ants landed in Lu Qingfeng's palm and frolicked, trying to please him.

This is the Ironfire Ants.

It took two months.

First, he arranged the Peak Rain Mountain and Sinkhole Mine Mountain, then carefully hatched two Ironfire Ant Eggs, and used the methods in the "Odd-Insect Heart Sutra" to construct the Soul-Refining Grand Array.

Two months later, the Ironfire Ant Eggs finally hatched three days ago. Through the Soul-Refining Grand Array, they were tamed and controlled by Lu Qingfeng.

Ironfire Ants possess considerable power once they hatch.

Heaven-Soaring and disappear into the earth; they are capable of anything.

"Ironfire Ants".

Lu Qingfeng looked at the two black ants in his hand and felt their joy.

The fierce and terrifying Ironfire Ants had transformed into this form in Lu Qingfeng's hands. If Lu Rong were to see it, he would surely be Celestial Person.

Lu Qingfeng watched quietly as the two Ironfire Ants frolicked.

A faint wisp of black flame flickered on their bodies. Lu Qingfeng reached out and squeezed them, feeling the intense heat emanating from the black flames, as well as the sheer strength of the Ironfire Ants themselves.

He used considerable force, yet he could only feel the hardness of the Ironfire Ants, and could not cause them any damage.

"As expected of the Ironfire Ants."

Lu Qingfeng was overjoyed. These were just newly hatched Ironfire Ants; nominally mature, they still had much potential to be explored.

Their current strength is not even comparable to that of a hundred-one Ironfire Ants at its peak.

Even Core Formation True Person cultivator would find it difficult to destroy the divine body of a peak-level Ironfire Ants.

Lu Qingfeng initially didn't understand, but after obtaining the "Odd-Insect Heart Sutra" and personally cultivating them, he realized that the Ironfire Ants' defensive capabilities were truly well-deserved.

First of all Ironfire Ants is an unusual species, ranking ninety-ninth on the Odd-Insect Ranking.

Secondly, Ironfire Ants feed on copper and iron ore, which gives them a body as strong as steel.

Finally, it was tempered by magma and fire, which absorbed copper and iron and cast it into its body.

In this way.

Only a tiny Ironfire Ants could possess such defense.

Lu Qingfeng prepared insect food to feed them, and specially selected a mining area so that the two Ironfire Ants could freely consume copper and iron. With the help of the drawn-in magma and the True Solar Flame in the sky, the Ironfire Ants grew rapidly.

Although it has not yet reached its peak, ordinary Qi Guiding and Liquid Condensation Realm cultivators cannot easily destroy it.

There were only two Ironfire Ants; that was hardly a significant number.

It is not a poisonous insect; its infamous reputation comes entirely from the 'Ironfire Ant Swarm'.

Whether it is a single Ironfire Ants or fewer than several thousand, it is not a cause for concern.

Only when they reach a certain scale, in large groups of thousands, do they become truly terrifying.

The black flames merged into one, possessing immense power.

Thousands upon thousands of Ironfire Ants formed spears and broadswords, sweeping across the void. They were fast and extremely sturdy. Ironfire Ants bites could penetrate any defense.

"Two Ironfire Ants."

"Unfortunately, they were all female ants."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head.

Two female ants cannot reproduce naturally. Lu Qingfeng hatched two Ironfire Ant Eggs, but he was unable to expand the Ironfire Ants population.

With just two Ironfire Ants, the amount of Refined Crystal that can be produced is negligible.

"Although Ironfire Ants are a strange and unusual insect, they are still ants after all. They reproduce quickly and have a short cycle. If we can get two female fire ants to lay eggs, it will not be difficult to make the Ironfire Ants grow into a large population."

Lu Qingfeng pondered, "It would be good to let the Ironfire Ants go out and find male ants to mate with, and then come back to lay their eggs."

Ironfire Ants find it easy to locate their colony by relying on connections among themselves.

Lu Qingfeng couldn't move the Ironfire Ant Swarm, but he could make the female ants mate and then return to lay eggs.

In this way.

The only concern is that there may be no Ironfire Ant Swarm in the Gathering Cloud Mountains or the surrounding area, or that the two Ironfire Ants may die halfway through their search for their colony.

"We still need to breed the Ironfire Ants to make them stronger and reduce the chances of them dying outdoors."

This period of time is not long.

The breeding cycle for Ironfire Ants is inherently faster than that of other unusual insects.

Sufficient insect food and copper and iron ore can shorten the time by almost half.

If the Violet Insect Bell can be refined, it can shorten the time by more than half.

"The original Violet Insect Bell has incredible effects. The simplified version only has a limit on the upper limit of cultivating rare insects. However, it is still very effective before the Ironfire Ants reaches a certain level."

After a moment's thought, Lu Qingfeng released the two Ironfire Ants back into the cave and turned to leave the Sinkhole Mine Mountain.

Peak Rain Mountain.

Two months have passed, and little has changed.

Lu Qingyu was cultivating in the cave abode.