Acceptance

The merits and demerits of the old cliff stronghold are now history. The new territory is secluded and secure, so there's no need for further comparisons and deliberations. Lu Heng turned and walked into the Shelter, heading straight for the Planting Room.

The wooden door hinges creaked softly as he pushed it open. The Star Force that permeated the room year-round rushed out, a faint coolness brushing against his cheek.

The Planting Room area is spacious enough to be divided into several cultivation plots. A shallow pond on one side holds water quietly, with water Purifying Water Lotus floating on the surface, their large, round leaves spread out, their surfaces shimmering with tiny starlight. The growth-promoting effect in this entire area is stable and effective, making it the highest quality cultivation core area in the territory.

Lu Heng took out the Moonlight Tree from his pocket and, without hesitation, chose the most central plot of land in the Planting Room where Star Force was most concentrated.

Excavate, plant seeds, backfill, and compact the soil.

The whole sequence of movements was swift and efficient. He squatted down, his fingertips grinding through the moist, soft humus, carefully breaking up the clods of soil to prevent sharp stones from scratching the tender roots. The slender, silvery-white sapling was firmly planted in the soil, its tiny roots slowly probing into the earth, quietly absorbing the surrounding Star Force. Lu Heng stared at the sapling for a moment, and could see a faint light slowly flowing across the surface of the trunk.

After settling the Moonlight Tree, Lu Heng began transplanting the Blood-Devouring Vine.

The moment the roots were disturbed, the vines immediately showed clear resistance. Having been rooted for a long time, they had long adapted to the old soil environment and had an instinctive resistance to relocation. The branches curled up and tightened, clinging tightly to the original soil, unwilling to move. A few thin branches gently tugged to the side, the force weak, more like a powerless protest.

Lu Heng simply ignored it.

With steady and deliberate movements, carefully clear away the tangled roots, completely dig out the root system, and transfer the vines and soil together to the reserved secondary plot for planting.

No empathy is needed, no explanation is required.

Resource allocation is inherently based on priority. The Blood-Devouring Vine has a fixed growth ceiling, and its potential has already been exhausted. Compared to the Moonlight Tree and the Purifying Water Lotus, its cultivation priority is already low, and it has no right to choose its environment.

After the setup was complete, Lu Heng bent down to observe and immediately noticed the problem.

The Blood-Devouring Vine was too quiet.

He recalled the first time he subdued this vine. Whenever there were injured wild beasts or remains of flesh and blood nearby, the vine would spread wildly. In the past, this vine was extremely ferocious. As long as there was even a trace of flesh and blood around it, its tendrils would dance wildly and restlessly, greedily plundering all flesh and blood energy. That was its bloodthirsty nature etched into its very essence.

But now, after spending a long time in the Planting Room filled with Star Force, its appearance has completely changed.

Pure and gentle stellar energy is a nutrient several times more potent than that of ordinary flesh and blood.

Having grown accustomed to high-level energy nurtured with meticulous care, its bloodthirsty instincts have gradually dulled. Ordinary corpses and flesh can no longer arouse its desires. The vines wither and lie quietly on the ground, the branches droop, completely devoid of the fierce and malevolent aura of a war plant.

If this continues, the Blood-Devouring Vine's hunting instincts will be completely worn away.

By then, it will be nothing more than an ordinary vine, completely losing its practical value in combat.

Lu Heng's gaze darkened slightly.

It is necessary to replenish it with a large number of fresh corpses, using blood and energy to re-stimulate its origin and awaken its dormant ferocity.

Otherwise, this vine that accompanied him through countless battles would eventually be ruined.

He stood in the Planting Room, pondering feasible ways to obtain materials. The scattered Zombie corpses in the city had low energy and severely decomposed flesh, making them of poor quality and ineffective for activation. Obtaining a large quantity of high-purity zombie sources was simply impossible in the short term.

As he was pondering, the bracelet on his Wristband gave a slight jolt.

There were no danger warnings, only a simple notice: a large number of wild animals have gathered at the entrance of Moonview Valley.

Lu Heng cleared his mind, turned and left the Planting Room, exiting the Shelter.

Passing through the stone fence, their feet trod on the thick, short grass of Moonview Valley, soft to the touch. A damp mist drifted from the small lake in the center of the valley, carrying a faint scent of aquatic plants. The Bone Demon followed quietly behind him, his heavy footsteps crunching over the grass without making a sound. Lu Heng placed his hand on the hilt of the Insect Armor Sword, gently pulling it out an inch to check the blade was intact before sheathing it. They continued slowly towards the valley entrance.

The valley entrance is open and well-ventilated, with trees standing on both sides.

He looked up and the scene before him exceeded his expectations. Not only was there a dark, dense pack of Wolf Pack, but all sorts of forest creatures had gathered there. The Wolf Pack were in the center, with the Wolf King standing at the front of the pack; to the side stood several Giant-Horned Deer, their huge antlers gleaming matte in the dim forest light, their ears twitching slightly as they looked at Lu Heng; Tusked Boar huddled together to one side, their thick, stiff manes standing upright, their snouts twitching gently; Ghost Tiger in the shadows, their low-key presence making the surrounding vegetation seem quieter, their chests rising and falling steadily; Dark-Spotted Leopard stood loosely on the flanks, their muscles taut, their eyes calm, without any restless agitation, their tails slowly brushing the ground.

Large and small wild animals crowded together in the open space at the valley entrance, their numbers vast and their formation orderly. There were no growls, no bared teeth, no defensive, aggressive postures; the entire herd was unusually docile and quiet. They simply waited silently, making no rash move.

The Wolf King took two steps forward alone and looked up at Lu Heng.

A consciousness slowly seeped into Lu Heng's mind, straightforward and clear, without a trace of malice.

Deep in the forest, the insect infestation persists.

The Insect Queen that were wiped out earlier were only the main force; branch Insect Mother still remained deep underground. These remaining Insect Mother hid underground, laying eggs and reproducing day and night, continuously hatching new Insect Swarm.

Newly formed Insect Swarm roam the forest, feeding on vegetation, hunting small creatures, and constantly encroaching on the forest's living space.

All the wild beasts in the forest spontaneously resisted and besieged the scattered Insect Swarm. However, the Insect Mother was hidden in her underground nest, a secret location, and the power of the scattered beasts alone could not completely eradicate the threat. The Insect Swarm continued to reproduce and expand, and the Frost Forest would once again fall into Insect Plague.

The Wolf King's request was simple.

They invited Lu Heng to join forces and venture deep Inner Region the forest to completely dispel and wipe out all remaining Insect Mother forces, eradicating any future threats.

Lu Heng stood quietly at the entrance of the valley, looking at the entire herd of beasts gathered before him.

A sudden, profound realization dawned on me.

In the past, the wild beasts in the forest were more or less driven by self-interest when they showed kindness, goodwill, or gifts. Whether it was coveting the nourishment of Star Force or respecting the authority of their territory, they all needed something from him.

But today is completely different.

There is no incentive of energy, no binding of authority, and no exchange of benefits.

Forest creatures, faced with a common disaster, spontaneously sought to stand together.

They no longer saw him as an outsider or a powerful figure passing through.

Regardless of status, strength, or gifts.

In this land of the Frost Forest, these wild beasts have completely come to regard him as part of the forest.

The wind rustled through the trees at the valley entrance.

Lu Heng cast his gaze toward the deep, secluded forest in the distance.

As long as the remnants of the Insect Mother are not eliminated, the forest will never have peace—this is a consensus among all forest creatures.

He, on the other hand, needed a large number of high-purity insect corpses to awaken the bloodthirsty nature of the Blood-Devouring Vine.

A joint effort to eradicate the virus—a win-win situation.

Hidden dangers can be eliminated, and nutrients can be obtained.

Without any hesitation, Lu Heng looked at the Wolf King and spoke calmly:

"Let's go, let's set off now."

A short sentence spread throughout the valley.

The Wolf King responded, and the pack exchanged messages silently. The once quiet pack slowly adjusted its formation. Without any shouts or howls, all the beasts silently prepared to set off.

Lu Heng turned around, quickly confirmed that the Insect Armor Sword was properly worn, and gestured for the Bone Demon to follow beside him.

No more stopping.

One person, one Bone Demon, and a group of wild beasts turned and stepped into the vast forest, heading towards the area where the Insect Mother was hiding deep in the Frost Forest.

Lu Heng walked at the head of the herd, his gaze fixed on the layers of trees ahead.

This time, he was no longer venturing into danger alone. The entire forest's creatures accompanied him.

As we ventured deeper Inner Region the forest, the Withered Branch crunched underfoot. The trees on either side grew denser, their canopies slicing sunlight into dappled patterns. A familiar, faint, pungent odor slowly drifted into the air—the unique smell of Insect Swarm's nest, a strange mix of earth and insect eggs. The further we went, the clearer the scent became.

Lu Heng gripped the Insect Armor Sword at his waist.

The Insect Mother hidden underground was unaware that the power of the entire Frost Forest had been gathered and was heading towards its nest.