The Social Experiment

Myriad Insect City.

In contrast to its name, the city itself is not eerie or terrifying.

On the contrary, the streets were bustling with people, clean and wide, exuding a lively and human atmosphere.

Initially, it was just a distribution market located at the entrance of Myriad Insect Valley. Later, as more and more people gathered there, it gradually formed into a city.

Myriad Insect Valley is pleased with this outcome.

After all, they were just cultivators, not true immortals, and it was impossible for them to completely detach themselves from the mortal world.

"Braised golden-edged water turtle, peel and eat immediately, one bite and your mouth is full of oil!"

"Roasted maggots, big and fragrant!"

Before Lu Bai and Li Mu even stepped into the city, they could already hear various hawking cries from across the city gate.

Perhaps because it is located near the Myriad Insect Valley, almost all the food sold on the street consists of various kinds of insects.

Although Lu Bai had no prejudice against eating insects, he really didn't have much of an appetite.

After walking for a while on the streets of the city, I also encountered many cultivators from the Myriad Insect Valley. When they wanted to buy things from ordinary merchants, they obediently paid their money.

If one didn't know the true situation under the rule of the Myriad Insect Valley, just looking at this bustling scene, one might really think that the mortals living here are doing quite well.

In reality, the shops in this city are not something that ordinary people can afford to open.

Pick any shop that sells roasted insect meat, and you'll likely find a connection to one of the elders of the Myriad Insect Valley.

As for shops selling Spirit Insect, magical artifacts, and elixirs, they are even less likely to be run by ordinary people. They can't even get their hands on the goods, so what are they selling?

"Smiling Face Boss, what are we doing here?" Li Mu finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked.

Didn't I tell you?

Lu Bai casually asked a question in return, then explained, "I want to conduct a social experiment, and I plan to start with the Myriad Insect Valley."

To be honest, he didn't have any particular opinion about the Myriad Insect Valley; it was simply the closest Myriad Insect Valley to him.

Lu Bai unleashed his divine sense, covering the entire Myriad Insect City, and casually marked the cultivators within the city whose cultivation level was above the Nascent Soul stage.

There aren't many cultivators of this level in the city.

After all, Nascent Soul stage cultivators have a lifespan of over a thousand years, and even in the most prestigious sects, they can be considered a backbone force.

"Social experiment?"

Li Mu was completely bewildered, feeling that such terms seemed somewhat out of place in the world of cultivation.

"Come with me."

Having identified his target, Lu Bai headed straight for a luxuriously decorated building.

It was a shop selling elixirs and Spirit Insect. The shop's signboard vaguely revealed some floating palaces and pavilions, shrouded in mist and clouds, which was truly magnificent.

Based on his perception, this shop, in more commercial terms, is directly operated by Myriad Insect Valley, eliminating middlemen and their markups.

The customers in the shop all possessed cultivation; they weren't all cultivators from the Myriad Insect Valley.

To be precise, more than 70% of them were cultivators from other immortal sects and some independent cultivators.

The Spirit Insect and insect medicines produced by Myriad Insect Valley are still very useful when one's cultivation level is relatively low.

Moreover, there are almost no costs involved. The breeding is left to the mortals under its jurisdiction, and Myriad Insect Valley only needs to provide some larvae.

Thanks to this revenue-generating method, Myriad Insect Valley is among the wealthiest sects in the immortal realm.

"Esteemed guests, what brings you to my Immortal Gu Tower?"

As soon as Lu Bai and Li Mu stepped into the store, a disciple of the Ten Myriad Insect Valley warmly greeted them.

There was nothing that could be done; Lu Bai's cultivation level was too high, while Li Mu had not yet embarked on the path of cultivation and had no cultivation at all.

Therefore, the Myriad Insect Valley disciple in charge of receiving guests had no way of knowing what level of cultivation the two people possessed.

Considering that no ordinary person would dare to tease them, the disciple of Myriad Insect Valley naturally assumed that two important customers had arrived.

Lu Bai cut to the chase, saying, "Could you take me to see the head of your Immortal Gu Tower?"

Upon hearing this, the disciple from Myriad Insect Valley hesitated for a moment before asking, "Does this distinguished guest know Steward Lai?"

"I don't know him." Lu Bai shook his head.

"Well, that's troublesome. May I ask what brings you here to see Steward Lai, esteemed guest?"

"It's nothing serious. I'm going to have him inform your Valley Master that I have something to discuss with Valley Master. This matter concerns the life and death of your Myriad Insect Valley."

Lu Bai spoke the absolute truth throughout, yet it did sound incredibly absurd.

The disciple from Myriad Insect Valley could no longer maintain his smile and forced a bow, "I have no right to comment on this matter. May I ask where your master's sect is?"

"I should be considered a cultivator of the Qingwang Sect."

Lu Bai wasn't in a hurry. In his perception, the Nascent Soul stage cultivator from Myriad Insect Valley was still upstairs.

"Pfft~"

Someone let out a disdainful sneer.

Those who entered the shop were all cultivators, all of whom were sharp-eared and sharp-eyed.

Moreover, Lu Bai did not deliberately conceal the conversation, and even without any intention of eavesdropping, he still overheard most of what was happening on their side.

"Little Kuai, can't you tell? This guy's an idiot. Does he think just any random person can meet the Valley Master Myriad Insect Valley?"

"The Qingwang Sect has offended so many immortal sects and is on the verge of destruction. How can they say that it involves the life and death of the Myriad Insect Valley? Haha, aren't they talking about the opposite?"

The commotion drew the attention of many cultivators in the shop, and many who were unaware of the cause and effect asked others about it out of curiosity.

Xiao Kuai's expression turned cold, but since he was running a business, he at least didn't attack directly. "Fellow Daoist, you should leave on your own."

"No..." One of the Myriad Insect Valley disciples, who was tending to the neatly arranged shelves, saw Lu Bai's appearance clearly, his eyes widened in disbelief.

One of the guests looked horrified and hurriedly told his companion to leave, "Quick, quick!"

"That person, wasn't that person dead?"

"Who is it? Who died?"

"Lu Bai of the Qingwang Sect, a top expert among the younger generation, capable of competing with the older generation of cultivators." The disciple who was arranging the shelves finally exclaimed in surprise, his voice sounding as if it were squeezed out of his throat, almost a low growl.

"What?! It's him!"

The shop was full of cultivators, and even those who had never met Lu Bai had heard about what had happened at this year's Dao Commencement Assembly.

They couldn't discern the truth behind rumors like single-handedly killing hundreds of Nascent Soul stage or triggering the Immortal Lightning Tribulation, but they were certain that those with great reputations were unlikely to be charlatans, at least not beings they could casually ridicule.

Xiao Kuai decisively took out a communication talisman to notify Steward Lai upstairs.

The next second, the roof of the Immortal Gu Tower was suddenly violently blown open, and the Steward Lai fled the scene as if he were escaping.

Cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above in the Immortal Sect are qualified to understand the truth of the Dao Commencement Assembly.

Therefore, Steward Lai knew very well that if Lu Bai came in person, even if the Valley Master came, he probably wouldn't be a match for him.

With my small arms and legs, I'd better start running first.