His Wish Fulfilled

Evolving a Six-Eyed Blade Mantis to the supreme spirit insect level had given Heavenly Insect's strength another considerable boost. At the very least, he no longer had to worry about the Ancient Sword Butterfly being a lone tree unable to hold up the sky in battle.

If he merely wanted to establish himself in the Flying Salamander Domain, his current strength was already enough. But if he wanted to compete for a place in the Insect World, his forces were still somewhat thin.

Only two months remained before the Insect World opened, leaving Heavenly Insect little time to prepare. The only improvement he could still actively pursue was a breakthrough in his cultivation.

As for anything else, that depended on how much Elder Tian Zhe was willing to invest in him...

After returning to Flying Salamander City, Heavenly Insect immediately learned from Demon Butterfly that the Domain Lord had summoned him earlier. He hurried to the Domain Lord's Manor.

"Hehe, City Lord Heavenly Insect, you've been quite busy these past few days. Well? What do you think of Flying Salamander City?"

Domain Lord Tian Yuan asked with a soft chuckle as he studied the "youth" before him, who ought to have been several decades old.

"Flying Salamander City is magnificent and vast, a city of countless wonders. With a powerhouse like you presiding over it, my lord, I'm sure it will only prosper further."

"Hahaha, you certainly have a way with words!"

Although Tian Yuan knew perfectly well that this was flattery, he was still delighted.

He looked Heavenly Insect up and down, growing increasingly pleased with him.

"Your strength and talent are the finest I've seen in all these years. And since we both come from the Twelve Branches, I'll allow you to make one request on that account. Provided it isn't too excessive, I can grant it!"

He was also doing this to determine Heavenly Insect's true purpose: whether he had some ulterior motive or genuinely only wanted to serve under him.

Heavenly Insect pondered for a moment. With the Ancient Sword Butterfly and the Six-Eyed Blade Mantis in his possession, he now had some confidence to stand on. This was the best time to reveal his goal.

"Thank you, my lord!"

"I came to the Flying Salamander Domain seeking nothing else. I merely heard that the Insect World would open soon, so I would like to ask for your help in gaining the opportunity to compete for one of our Twelve Branches' places!"

At these words, Tian Yuan paused briefly before breaking into hearty laughter.

"Just as I thought! I knew someone with the strength and potential you've shown wouldn't willingly settle for a subordinate position in my Flying Salamander Domain!"

"I've overstepped, my lord. Please forgive me!" Heavenly Insect hastily put on an apprehensive expression.

Still smiling, Tian Yuan waved a hand. "Enough. There's no need for these empty formalities with me."

"I was curious before, too. What could have brought a genius like you to the Flying Salamander Domain Alliance Gathering as a mere city lord?"

"After turning it over in my mind, the Insect World was the only explanation I could think of. And sure enough, I guessed right!"

"Nothing escapes your discerning eyes, my lord!" Seeing that Tian Yuan was not angry, Heavenly Insect's anxious heart settled. He immediately offered a composed reply.

"Hehe, you slippery brat!"

"Since you hail from my Flying Salamander Domain and belong to the Twelve Branches, recommending you wouldn't be particularly difficult...

"But don't celebrate too soon. The entire Twelve Branches has only ten places for this opening of the Insect World.

"And five of those places have already been claimed by our five greatest young geniuses. For the remaining five, several hundred members of the younger generation are qualified to compete.

"Every one of them comes from an extraordinary background and has been carefully nurtured since childhood. Their combat strength must not be underestimated."

At this point, Tian Yuan paused and glanced at Heavenly Insect. His expression remained calm, with a faint confidence beneath its seriousness.

He seemed very confident that he could secure a place, which made Tian Yuan nod inwardly in approval once more. "I know you possess a powerful divine insect like the Ancient Sword Butterfly, but your own cultivation is your greatest weakness...

"Unless you can pass the body tribulation before the contest begins and strengthen your body enough to withstand more of the damage from the Ancient Sword Butterfly's terrifying sword aura, allowing it to unleash its full power...

"Otherwise, I suggest you abandon this extravagant hope. Even if I help you qualify for the contest, you will never be able to snatch a place from those people."

Heavenly Insect met Tian Yuan's scrutinizing gaze with sharp, blazing eyes. "Rest assured, my lord. I'm confident I can overcome the body tribulation within a month!

"And my body is already reasonably strong. I don't think bringing out the Ancient Sword Butterfly's power will be difficult then...

"Besides, although the Ancient Sword Butterfly is my strongest spirit insect, it isn't my only one with supreme-level combat strength!"

As his words fell, a strange, overbearing blade aura suddenly erupted around Heavenly Insect!

Even Tian Yuan could not help being moved.

He had already investigated Heavenly Insect's background thoroughly. He knew that Heavenly Insect came from nothing more than a declining minor family within the Twelve Branches. Unless something unexpected happened, once Heavenly Insect married and had children, the next generation would even lose the right to bear the main clan's surname.

Yet this man, with no one to rely on, had returned after vanishing for more than ten years and undergone a complete transformation!

That was not all. Through his own efforts, he had acquired two supreme-level spirit insects, including an unusual breed like the Ancient Sword Butterfly. He was even stronger than heirs nurtured by powerful families!

This really is unexpected...

Tian Yuan muttered inwardly, then quietly raised Heavenly Insect's standing in his mind another notch.

But that was even better. Did this not make Heavenly Insect all the more valuable?

"Very well. Since I've already given my word, I'll pull some strings for you," Tian Yuan agreed after a moment's thought.

"But this isn't something a mere Domain Lord of the Flying Salamander Domain can decide. I can only do my best. Whether it succeeds will depend on your luck."

Joy appeared on Heavenly Insect's face. Paying no attention to the latter part, he immediately cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you, my lord!"

Who doesn't know your father is an elder...? You may not have the authority as the Flying Salamander Domain Lord, but an elder of the Twelve Branches certainly has the right to recommend someone for a place!

"Stay in the Domain Lord's Manor and cultivate for this month. Do your best to reach the body tribulation within that time, and leave everything else to me..."

"But in that case, it wouldn't really be appropriate for you to remain Flying Spirit City's city lord. Do you have a suitable replacement to recommend?"

"I think Deputy City Lord Demon Butterfly would be an excellent choice. The Spirit Butterfly Lineage she represents is currently the strongest faction in Flying Spirit City, and she possesses a supreme spirit insect, the Black-Feathered Star Locust. She is more than qualified to serve as city lord."

He had promised to help the Spirit Butterfly Lineage rise, after all, so Heavenly Insect put Demon Butterfly forward without hesitation.

Naturally, Tian Yuan had no objection.

Moreover, as long as Heavenly Insect distinguished himself in the contest, even if he ultimately failed to secure a place, Tian Yuan and his father would certainly not treat him poorly. Demon Butterfly, whom he had recommended, would then sit as firmly as Mount Tai in her position as city lord!

Perhaps the Domain Lord's Manor would even show Flying Spirit City and the Spirit Butterfly Lineage greater favor in the future...

Setting aside all the turmoil of the outside world, Heavenly Insect began another period of arduous cultivation in the place the Domain Lord's Manor had arranged for him.

Although little time had passed since his breakthrough to the Heaven-reaching Realm, with Golden Cicada as his cheat and a top-tier spiritual art like the Golden Cicada Rebirth Art, his cultivation advanced faster than anyone could imagine.

Even though he had not specifically secluded himself to cultivate his spiritual energy, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the early Heaven-reaching Realm. He was only one step away from its middle stage...

Of course, a breakthrough of one minor stage was nowhere near enough to satisfy Heavenly Insect. He intended to use this final month to push his cultivation all the way to the body tribulation!

"What's so difficult about that? As long as you finish cultivating the first cycle of the Golden Cicada Rebirth Art, overcoming the body tribulation will only take a matter of minutes!" Golden Cicada's arrogant voice rang in Heavenly Insect's ears again.

Heavenly Insect firmly believed this as well.

He had only just begun cultivating the Golden Cicada Rebirth Art, yet his body had already been tempered to this extent, rivaling that of an ordinary body tribulation cultivator. If he completed the first cycle and underwent his first rebirth transformation, his own strength alone would certainly make him invincible below the supreme level.

"The Golden Cicada Rebirth Art is powerful, certainly, but the amount of spiritual energy it consumes each time I cultivate is terrifying. I doubt all the supreme spirit liquid I have would even be enough to complete the second cycle..."

The cocoon of light housing Golden Cicada trembled slightly. Amid a burst of golden light, his voice rang out again.

"There's nothing to be done about that. The more powerful a spiritual art is, the more spiritual energy its cultivation requires. Don't you understand that much?"

"Besides, my Golden Cicada Rebirth Art is a body-tempering method of the very highest tier. It would be strange if it didn't consume a lot!"

"All right, all right, I was just making a comment. I didn't say your spiritual art was bad. Why are you reacting so strongly...?"

"Hmph!"

Faced with Golden Cicada's thoroughly haughty display, Heavenly Insect was speechless. He decided to ignore him and began cultivating.

And so the days passed.

Immersed in cultivation, Heavenly Insect had long forgotten the passage of time outside. He was wholly absorbed in the tremendous improvements the Golden Cicada Rebirth Art brought him.

After more than half a month of cultivation, Heavenly Insect had no idea that his entire body now resembled a gleaming golden Buddha statue, as though its surface had been coated in gold leaf...

Only, this Buddha statue seemed poorly made. The gold leaf had cracked in many places and even curled up, revealing the fresh flesh and skin beneath, lustrous and white as jade.

With every completed cycle of the Golden Cicada Rebirth Art, the body shed an outer shell. Judging by Heavenly Insect's current state, he was finally about to complete its first cycle!

Crack, crack, crack...

Faint sounds of cracking rang through the secluded chamber, piercing in its silence.

Heavenly Insect still sat cross-legged, cultivating with his eyes closed, but dense cracks had appeared all over him... Strictly speaking, these cracks were not on his body, but on the "gold leaf" coating its surface!

As the cracks grew denser, the "gold leaf" covering his entire body suddenly shattered, falling to the floor in golden, scale-like fragments.

At that moment, Heavenly Insect's entire body emitted a faint glow as he sat cross-legged, like a piece of peerless jade newly unearthed.

And compared with the graceful young gentleman with flowing black hair he had once been, Heavenly Insect now possessed a different kind of beauty, sporting a gleaming thousand-watt light bulb atop his shoulders.

"The first cycle..."

Having stopped cultivating, Heavenly Insect gently clenched both hands. Feeling the mighty power flowing through his body, a fiery gleam rose in his black eyes.

Only when he noticed a slight chill on his scalp did Heavenly Insect raise a hand in confusion and touch his head...

It felt as though he had touched a smooth piece of jade. Without applying pressure, his palm could even slide off on its own!

"What the hell!"

Heavenly Insect himself jumped in fright.

I only made a breakthrough. How did I end up shaving my head and becoming a monk?

At a thought, new hair surged wildly from beneath his scalp. Within a few breaths, it had grown down to his waist again...

Drawing a ribbon from his waist, he simply tied back his long hair. Only after feeling that the chill on his scalp had vanished did Heavenly Insect let out a long breath.

Fortunately, after completing the first cycle, many parts of Heavenly Insect's body could regenerate endlessly. Even if his hair, nails, or teeth fell out, he could regrow them with a thought.

"Next, I have to pass the body tribulation..."

Truth be told, Heavenly Insect was still a little nervous.

His body had already been extremely powerful, stronger even than those of some experts who had passed the body tribulation. Now that he had reached this point, however, its strength could rival a Spirit Artifact!

Everyone knew that the stronger one's body was, the greater the suffering one endured during the body tribulation.

With a body like his current one, Heavenly Insect truly did not know what he would face next...

Of course, a powerful body brought considerable benefits as well. Once he passed this tribulation, the improvement he gained would also be greater!

After all, risk always went hand in hand with power.

Drawing a deep breath, Heavenly Insect slowly closed his eyes again and returned to cultivation.

Under the direction of his mind, the vast spiritual energy within Heavenly Insect began circulating swiftly through his meridians, completing circuit after circuit without end...