The Path to Immortality: Starting with an Analysis of Basic Concepts

Zhu Yu was amazed when he saw Xiao Yu kill and plunder the life force of more than a dozen insects in an instant.

"As expected of a special type of magic, it's truly powerful..."

"Unfortunately, it cannot be parsed..."

Xiaoyu's innate magical abilities were so powerful that he naturally coveted them, but he didn't know if it was because he lacked sufficient information or because the difference between the demonic insect and the human body was too great to analyze.

"I wonder if the Buddhist Library has any relevant information recorded..."

As soon as the thought crossed Zhu Yu's mind, he didn't stop. He used the "Corpse Control Technique" to condense eight corpse beetles, which strolled through the gaps in the Qingling Fruit Forest, clearing away the insects that Xiao Yu had missed one by one.

Time passed slowly.

As a large number of ordinary insects were eliminated, the man and the insect drew closer to the center of the orchard, and the residual scent of the demonic insects gradually appeared in the air.

Zhu Yu dared not be careless, for who knew if a demonic insect with extraordinary talent and magic might appear in the orchard? He erected a spiritual energy shield, held the Vajra Talisman in his palm, and followed behind Xiao Yu, who was searching for the demonic insect's whereabouts, ready to activate it at any time.

soon.

The slowly flying little jade wings suddenly vibrated rapidly, like lightning, and flew straight towards a Qingling fruit tree.

Silently.

A branch broke off from the trunk and fell to the ground, splashing withered leaves and dirt. From where the broken branch lay, a brownish hue slowly peeled away, revealing a foot-long, headless, segmented body.

"Um?"

Zhu Yu reached out and caught the fallen insect head, which was just an empty shell, resembling a lizard's head. He then took the body into his palm, pieced it back together with the head, paused for a moment, and asked in confusion:

"What kind of insect is this? A centipede with a lizard's head?"

Looking at it closely, it just didn't look right.

To adapt to survival, insects often molt into the most suitable physical form for survival, but the insect in his palm is like a failed product that did not complete the molting process.

I didn't think much of it.

He put away the strange insect's empty shell and followed.

But as he continued to collect the empty shells of the demonic insects that Xiaoyu had killed, he gradually sensed that something was amiss.

Rove beetles with locust heads, fire ants with three pairs of deformed wings, giant water bugs with stingers on their carapaces, three-headed tussock moths, and golden-ringed wasps with one head and two bodies…

All the demonic insects are deformed, like a strange creature forcibly mixed together, and they are all of the lowest grade.

These demonic insects are all transformed from ordinary insects!

"Something's not right, something's really not right..."

Zhu Yu looked solemn, his mind connected with the gluttonous Xiao Yu, and he instructed her to bring him the demonic insects when she cleared the orchard.

hum…

After eating two full meals in a row, Xiaoyu did not refuse. Soon, it returned carrying a demonic insect that resembled a millipede, had a pair of dragonfly wings, and two stingers on its tail.

Zhu Yu raised his hand and pulled it into his palm. He used his spiritual power to knock it unconscious. He then scanned its body with his divine sense and sensed the chaotic and poisonous aura within it. He frowned and stared intently.

[Target: Demonic Insect]

[Species: Street fly/Dragonfly/Earwig]

[Tier 1 Low Grade: 78%]

[Talented Spells: None]

[Status: Chaotic, Dying, Breeding, Unknown...]

"Um?"

"This race, a three-in-one entity? And its current state..."

Zhu Yu was taken aback, then came to his senses and stared at the status column.

In a daze.

A bright green mark appeared in my mind.

Upon closer inspection, it appears to be composed of countless insects pieced together, with different forms of insects visible on every side, in every corner, and in every place.

Its aura was exactly the same as the chaotic and poisonous aura that permeated the Spirit Field area, and it also contained a trace of aura similar to that of the Moon Elf, but it was extremely faint.

Just then.

An angry and agitated thought surged from the mark, but as if sensing something, the anger and agitation dissolved like water. After a pause, a cautious and doubtful thought emerged.

"?"

"Who is he? A Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

The thought crossed Zhu Yu's mind, but he quickly suppressed it. "It shouldn't be. Compared to the moon spirit, this thought is too weak, like a firefly compared to the bright moon..."

Since he wasn't a Foundation Establishment cultivator, there was nothing to be afraid of. After a slight hesitation, she replied with a "?".

But the next moment.

The thought, seemingly gripped by some unknown fear, froze for a moment before abruptly retreating.

Before Zhu Yu could make a move.

The mark suddenly dimmed, a crack appeared in the middle, and then it crumbled into dust and disappeared.

Zhu Yu: "?"

No? Why did it suddenly run away?

He was also preparing to communicate with this spiritual entity about the insect's situation...

When Zhu Yu's consciousness returned to his physical body, the insect in his palm had already lost its life force. He summoned Xiao Yu to his side and checked her over; there was no trace of that consciousness left behind.

This made him even more certain that the thought was definitely not a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Zhu Yu breathed a sigh of relief, but doubts lingered in his mind.

The ability to manifest one's thoughts within the imprint indicates that this is no ordinary Qi Refining cultivator; most likely, it is a Qi Refining cultivator who has reached the pinnacle of building a Dao foundation.

But why did he cause an insect plague in the Lingtian area?

Aren't you afraid of dying?

And how did he manage to create such a widespread insect infestation with these deformed insects?

Zhu Yu couldn't figure it out for a moment, so he suppressed it deep in his mind for the time being. He led Xiao Yu into the last acre of Qingling Fruit Forest, and when he looked around, he was stunned.

"Um?"

What about insects?

at the same time.

The cultivators in the entire spirit field area were stunned.

Suddenly, a multitude of insects burrowed into the sacred soil, and some of them died suddenly for unknown reasons.

The chaotic and malevolent aura that permeated the air vanished like a gust of wind.

The escalating insect plague suddenly disappeared!

Lingtian Hall, three stories.

"Um?"

An old man with a face as cracked and raked as the earth was engrossed in a book when he suddenly seemed to sense something and exclaimed in surprise:

"Jiao Zuo's breakthrough attempt failed?"

His brows furrowed as he muttered to himself, "Even if his life force is damaged, it shouldn't have failed right after the ritual began..."

While I was wondering...

A two-headed, four-tailed hornet flew in through the window and landed on the table in front of the old man. It cautiously extended its divine sense and transmitted its voice:

"Senior Brother Wu, I wonder which True Person from the Spirit Field Palace has awakened?"

"Huh? He's not dead?"

Wu Fengqi was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head upon hearing Jiao Zuo's words, saying, "How would I know anything about a True Person's whereabouts?" As if realizing something, he suddenly said, "You sensed the aura of a True Person, which is why you suppressed the ritual?"

"well…"

Upon hearing this, Jiao Zuo sighed, recalling the immense power he had encountered, and trembled all over, clasping his hands in a fist.

"I applied to the sect for this breakthrough site. If I have disturbed your enjoyment, please put in a good word for me, Senior Brother Wu. I will be very grateful in the future..."

He can only suppress the breakthrough ritual for a short time. If it goes on for too long, the ritual's effectiveness will greatly diminish, and then he won't need to break through; he can just wait to die.

"Sure, sure..."

Wu Fengqi smiled and nodded, "Fellow Daoist Jiao, please proceed with the ceremony. Rest assured, the Spirit Field Palace will not deliberately obstruct you."

Upon hearing this...

Jiao Zuo seemed relieved, arched his legs, and flapped his wings to leave.

Wait until he leaves.

Wu Fengqi closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, he opened them and asked in confusion, "No real person has returned..."

But he didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a passerby who had glanced at Jiao Zuo out of curiosity, scaring him into suppressing the breakthrough ritual.

The outer room.

The cultivators of the Spirit Field Palace were overjoyed that the insect plague had receded and were preparing to find a way to exterminate the insects buried in the spiritual soil.

But their joy was short-lived.

The previously hidden insects burst forth from the soil, voraciously devouring the spiritual plants and herbs, and then, as if in fast-forward, rapidly reproduced and laid eggs…

"grass..."

"They're out again..."

"Why is this insect plague so strange..."