The Insect Prison Site

The lush mountain forest rang with the alternating calls of insects and cicadas, lending the landscape an air of peace and serenity.

A sudden buzzing came from the woods. Then more than a dozen enormous flying insects resembling wasps, each ten feet long, burst out of the forest.

"Hahaha! Boss, we've struck it rich! Who would've thought we'd find an Insect Prison Site on this unremarkable Sangkong Mountain? If we report it, we'll earn ourselves a huge commendation!"

On the back of the leading wasp-like insect, a lean man shouted in excitement. He was speaking to a burly man in black who was likewise astride a flying insect.

"Don't let your guard down. We still have a swarm of Blood-Mustached Mosquitoes chasing us! Tiger-Striped Bees aren't fast. If those beasts catch up, forget any commendation-we might not even keep our lives!"

Although the burly leader in black was delighted as well, he still managed to keep a cool head.

As he spoke, a cloud of blood-colored mist abruptly spread through the entire forest behind their Tiger-Striped Bees. Fist-sized crimson mosquitoes poured out in dense swarms, sweeping toward the fleeing bees.

"Damn it! How are those things so fast?!"

The lean man, who had been shouting excitedly just moments ago, paled at the sight. Fear flooded his eyes, and he began cursing.

"Enough! What good will cursing do? Get out the Mosquito Repellent!"

The leader in black barked at him, taking a medicine bottle from his Mustard Seed Bracelet first and throwing it toward the bloody mist. With his other hand, he sent out a streak of spiritual energy, shattering the bottle just as it approached the Blood-Mustached Mosquitoes.

Bang!

A cloud of gray vapor burst from the bottle, forming a thin veil of smoke between the leader riding his Tiger-Striped Bee and the Blood-Mustached Mosquitoes behind him...

Although Blood-Mustached Mosquitoes were only low-level spirit insects, they possessed an exceptionally powerful ability to suck blood and carried potent venom. Once surrounded by a swarm, even a Divine Soul Realm expert or a high-level spirit beast had little chance of escaping.

Yet this terrifying swarm met its nemesis in that thin veil of smoke. Every Blood-Mustached Mosquito that entered the gray vapor reeled as though drunk, unable even to fly steadily, before finally dropping straight out of the sky.

"Pah! A bunch of disgusting low-level bugs! No matter how savage you are, you still have to bow obediently before the boss's Mosquito Repellent!" The lean man, who had thrown out a bottle of Mosquito Repellent himself, let out a long sigh of relief before puffing himself up again.

The leader in black was long accustomed to this. He knew all too well what sort of man his subordinate was.

His Mosquito Repellent had been prepared specifically to deal with low-level mosquito-type spirit insects, so its effectiveness was hardly surprising. It was also one of the means by which he had established himself as a member of the Heavenly Meridian.

"Enough. Let's go back to Flying Spirit City and report this to the city lord!"

"You got it, boss!"

Flying Spirit City was a small city on the western edge of the Spirit Insect Continent, under the Heavenly Meridian, one of the four meridians of the Spirit Insect Tribe.

Its city lord, Flying Locust, was a Fourth Grade Sovereign Spirit Insect Master who possessed a divine insect, the Black-Feathered Star Locust. His combat prowess was said to rival that of a Fifth Grade Supreme.

Although the Spirit Insect Tribe called themselves the masters of the Spirit Insect Continent, the continent had in fact had only one true master over the past tens of thousands of years: its countless spirit insects.

As for the Spirit Insect Tribe, the territory they occupied amounted to less than one percent of the entire continent!

Flying Spirit City was no exception. The members of the Spirit Insect Tribe living in and around it numbered fewer than two hundred thousand, yet this little city was the only one within a thousand miles.

Ever since its first city lord founded Flying Spirit City, the city had constantly expanded outward.

That expansion continued for over a century before the city reached its present size. Countless powerful Spirit Insect Masters had fallen in the process, though many vast Insect Prison Sites had also been discovered and subsequently occupied, becoming insect sources under Flying Spirit City's control. These so-called Insect Prison Sites were actually much like the ruin spaces found elsewhere in the Great Thousand World...

However, these "ruin spaces" on the Spirit Insect Continent generally contained large numbers of powerful spirit insects raised by the spaces' owners. After their owners died for one reason or another, the spaces would seal themselves, trapping the spirit insects inside as though in enormous cages.

Those confined within the Insect Prison Spaces did not die immediately. They continued to grow until the resources within the spaces were exhausted, then fell into dormancy...

As the years passed, some powerful spirit insects, or those with inherently stronger vitality, survived. The weaker ones either became food for the stronger insects or had all their vitality worn away by time, leaving nothing but empty shells.

Whether living spirit insects or mere shells, they all held value for Spirit Insect Masters. In particular, these insect prisons often housed powerful spirit insects from ancient times. If someone was lucky enough to obtain a few ancient insect eggs, they would make a killing!

For all these reasons, insect prisons were of the utmost importance to any faction or individual.

When Flying Locust, the lord of Flying Spirit City, heard a servant report that two Flying Spirit City Guards had discovered a new Insect Prison Site, he immediately ordered that they be brought before him.

"Greetings, City Lord!" Feeling the terrifying aura emanating from above him, the leader in black suppressed his excitement and knelt, his voice trembling slightly.

The lean man beside him fared even worse. He slammed his forehead against the floor and did not even dare utter a sound...

Flying Locust glanced at the two men below. The leader in black was a commander of the Flying Spirit City Guard, with strength at the early phase of the Divine Soul Realm. The lean man was merely at the Spirit Wheel Realm.

These two low- to mid-ranking guards would ordinarily never have qualified for an audience with the city lord. They had only gained this opportunity thanks to the Insect Prison Site.

"Tell me where this Insect Prison Site you discovered is, and what grade it is..." Flying Locust's majestic voice rang out, branding itself deep into their souls.

A Supreme expert's body was like heaven and earth itself. Every word and action exerted a terrifying pressure on those below the Supreme level. This disparity in the very level of their existence was not something easily resisted.

"Reporting to the city lord, the new Insect Prison Site is on Kongsang Mountain, seven hundred and twenty kilometers outside Flying Spirit City. Terrifying Blood-Mustached Mosquitoes blocked the outskirts, so we couldn't venture deep enough to learn much. But in my judgment, this Insect Prison Site is at least a heaven grade insect prison!"

A heaven grade insect prison was one that was highly likely to contain heaven-grade spirit insects...

Such a place was enormously appealing to most Spirit Insect Masters, but Flying Locust showed a hint of disappointment.

There was nothing to be done. Four insect prisons had been discovered around Flying Spirit City: three heaven grade insect prisons and one ordinary insect prison. Not a single one had reached divine grade, much to City Lord Flying Locust's frustration.

Hearing that this latest discovery might be another heaven grade insect prison, he immediately lost most of his interest. He waved a hand. "All right, you may leave. For promptly reporting your discovery of an insect prison, you are awarded third-class military merit. Go and collect your rewards..."

Flying Spirit City employed five classes of military merit, with first class the lowest and fifth class the highest. Third-class military merit was a middling reward, but it would not only allow the two men to rise in military rank, it would also earn them a large quantity of spirit stones and a heaven-grade spirit insect. For two ordinary city guards, this was already a blessing as vast as the heavens.

After dismissing the two men, Flying Locust pondered for a moment, then summoned the guard outside and gave him a few instructions.

Soon afterward, Flying Spirit City's City Lord's Estate issued a notice: an unidentified insect prison had been discovered on Kongsang Mountain, suspected to be heaven grade. Its danger level was unknown, and all interested Spirit Insect Masters were welcome to explore it.

The moment the news spread, the previously quiet Flying Spirit City erupted into excitement!

A heaven grade insect prison might be of little value to a Supreme expert like Flying Locust, but to ordinary people, it was like pies falling from the sky!

If a Spirit Insect Master obtained a heaven-grade spirit insect, even someone merely at the Spirit Wheel Realm could immediately command power comparable to an expert of the Three Heavens Realm.

More importantly, a heaven-grade spirit insect was already powerful enough to be nurtured as a life-bound spirit insect. Just as ordinary cultivators refined spirit beast essences, only a Spirit Insect Master who had refined a life-bound spirit insect could truly be considered a Spirit Insect Master!

For a time, countless people sprang into action.

Since everything about this insect prison remained unknown, most people managed to stay rational despite their eagerness. They knew venturing in alone could well cost them their lives, so many began calling on friends or forming temporary exploration teams.

When the travel-worn Heavenly Insect arrived at Flying Spirit City, this bustling scene was what greeted him...

What's happened now? Why is everyone so worked up, as though they've been injected with chicken blood?

Outside the city gates, Heavenly Insect muttered inwardly as he watched the bustling crowds by the distant walls. Then he paid them no further attention and prepared to enter the city.

According to the original owner's memories, Heavenly Insect's home was in Flying Spirit City. His parents had once enjoyed formidable reputations in this little city, following City Lord Flying Spirit on campaigns east and west and earning distinguished merits.

Unfortunately, before the original owner left, his parents vanished without explanation. Heavenly Insect's family, which had once made him the privileged son of officials, rapidly declined until he was the only one left...

During that time, the first city lord, Flying Spirit, also fell in battle, and his son Flying Locust inherited his position.

Flying Locust had displayed extraordinary talent from childhood and had even been singled out by the tribe for intensive training for a time. Although he was ultimately eliminated and sent back, his strength still far surpassed that of people raised in a small place like Flying Spirit City.

As the saying went, each new emperor brought his own courtiers. While the old city lord remained in power, he had taken good care of the original owner out of affection for Heavenly Insect's parents, providing considerable resources for his cultivation every year.

But once Flying Locust took over, the original owner was completely cast aside...

At this point in his recollections, Heavenly Insect shook his head speechlessly. He could still feel the original owner's hatred for City Lord Flying Locust in the memories left behind. Clearly, he had blamed the man for his family's decline.

Yet looking at it now from an outsider's perspective, Heavenly Insect felt there was nothing wrong with Flying Locust's actions.

After all, people could not-or at least should not-spend their whole lives lying on their parents' achievements and living off them!

Besides, the main reason the original owner's family had declined was his own lack of aptitude. He had squandered enormous resources only to barely reach the late phase of the Divine Soul Realm. Someone like that had little value worth nurturing.

As he recalled all this, Heavenly Insect continued toward the city.

But just as he reached the gates, notices issued by the city lord suddenly came into view.

"An... insect prison?!"

The next instant, the information about insect prisons inherited from the original owner's memories surfaced in Heavenly Insect's mind.

Heavenly Insect, who had intended to ignore the notices, immediately sucked in a sharp breath. Delight then spread across his face.

"A heaven-grade spirit insect?!"

"Perfect! Aren't I missing a sufficiently powerful heaven-grade spirit insect to protect myself? And now one's practically delivered itself to my door!"

Moreover, these insect prisons did not contain spirit insects alone. They might also hold legacy secret arts or special materials left by the powerful Spirit Insect Masters who had created the Insect Prison Spaces. Heavenly Insect needed all of these.

Of course, if he was lucky enough, finding a few spirit souls or shells left by heaven-grade spirit insects would be good too.

"Excellent. It's settled. I'll head to this Insect Prison Site first!"

Heavenly Insect made his decision on the spot!

Of course, he had no friends or relatives to call on. So many years had passed that probably no one in Flying Spirit City recognized him anymore...

As for teaming up with others, Heavenly Insect waited nearby and quietly observed for a while. He then discovered that those forming teams were all rotten fish and spoiled shrimp, their strength utterly lacking. If he, a Heaven Fusion Realm cultivator, went along with them, wouldn't he just be acting as their babysitter?

In that case, he would be better off trying his luck alone.

After all, it was only a heaven grade insect prison. The danger was limited, and Heavenly Insect's current strength was certainly enough to handle it.

"Kongsang Mountain, seven hundred and twenty kilometers outside Flying Spirit City? Good. Let's take a trip!" Heavenly Insect tapped the Golden Armored Rhinoceros Beetle beneath his feet, turned around, and set off swiftly toward Kongsang Mountain.

Quite a few others departed at the same time. Most rode all manner of strange flying spirit insects, heading toward their shared destination.

As Flying Spirit City belonged to the Heavenly Meridian, nearly everyone living there was a member of that meridian. Since the Heavenly Meridian specialized in flying spirit insects, one hardly ever saw anyone traveling on their own two legs...

Riding flying spirit insects had practically become instinctive for everyone. The journey of a few hundred kilometers took only two or three hours.

As Heavenly Insect gazed down at Kongsang Mountain, now shrouded in red mist, a hint of gravity gradually settled between his brows.