Chapter 51: Soul Loss and Spirit Gathering, 1000-Legged Poisonous Centipede

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Soul Loss and Spirit Gathering, 1000-Legged Poisonous Centipede

Bloodshot streaks, resembling writhing, serpentine insects, continuously drilled into his pupils.

With every streak of blood that entered, his pupils shrank a fraction, and his body hunched a bit more.

Outside the Spirit Field, the crowd watched in confusion, unsure of what he was doing. Steward Ma frowned slightly, seeming to understand the man’s actions.

A hunchbacked old man narrowed his eyes and muttered, "The Soul Loss and Spirit Gathering technique... just how many spirit insects has he bound?"

Hearing this, a young man brimming with doubts leaned in and asked with an apologetic smile, "Senior Brother, do you know what’s going on with him? Could you explain it to me?"

The old man turned, sizing him up, and chuckled. "How long have you been binding that toad of yours?"

The young man thought for a moment before replying, "About two years?"

The old man smiled. "Haven’t thought about finding a few more to practice with?"

The young man shook his head repeatedly, pouring out his grievances. "I can barely afford to feed one! If I get a few more, would I even be cultivating for myself, or would I just be paying tribute for their cultivation?"

The old man paused, then reached out to pat his shoulder with a gratified expression. "It’s rare for you to see things so clearly. Just call me Old Wang."

The young man’s eyes lit up. He cupped his fists and greeted, "Junior Brother Liu Yong pays his respects to Elder Wang.

"Elder Wang, what exactly is going on with that man? What Magic is he using? Why aren’t there any Spiritual Power fluctuations?"

Elder Wang’s expression sobered up, and he said lightly, "He is using the Soul Loss and Spirit Gathering technique. At the cost of damaging his own soul, it temporarily increases his soul’s capacity to endure strain."

"Damaging his soul? Increasing his soul’s capacity?" Liu Yong muttered aloud. He understood the individual words, but they made no sense to him when put together.

Elder Wang explained softly, "When you used the Insect Control Technique to form a contract with your toad, didn’t it feel like a massive boulder was weighing down your mind?"

Liu Yong’s expression changed slightly, and he frowned. "It’s exactly as you say, Elder Wang. After contracting Little Gold, it took me a full half-month to recover."

Elder Wang smiled. "Contracting a spirit insect means bearing the mental pressure it brings.

"Our cultivation realms are low, and our souls are weak. The more spirit insects we refine, the greater the pressure becomes...

"But there are always some fools who covet the power that spirit insects bring," he continued, turning his gaze toward the Cultivator standing in the Spirit Field with a playful smile. "They cultivate Magic that temporarily boosts their soul’s capacity, allowing them to contract even more spirit insects.

"However, a temporary boost is ultimately fake. Once the Magic is undone and they return to normal, they not only have to endure the agony of a fractured mind, but they also have to bear the crushing weight of all those spirit insects!

"These people are either fools or madmen...

"And look, that fool over there is one of them."

Liu Yong followed his gaze into the Spirit Field.

By now, the Cultivator with his face covered by a gray cloth was hunched over even more severely than Elder Wang, his dark red pupils shrunk to the size of beans.

He withdrew his Technique. Without him making any further movements, a faint RUSTLE echoed from within the Spirit Field.

Within a few breaths, he suddenly crouched down.

When he stood back up, he was holding a black-and-red insect as long as an arm and as thick as a thumb. The insect’s body was stiff, utterly devoid of life.

Outside the Spirit Field.

Steward Ma’s eyes flickered.

The Cultivator in the gray cloth approached Steward Ma, gripping the dead insect.

"Lord Steward, is this the Black Blood Moth Mother Insect?"

Steward Ma shook his head. "No, it’s a Guard Insect that protects the Insect Mother."

The Cultivator looked disappointed and casually tossed it onto the ground.

A faint RUSTLE echoed from the Spirit Field once more.

A palm-length, pitch-black centipede with densely packed legs crawled out. Wherever it passed, a corrosive HISS rang out.

Following that, one after another, a total of nine pitch-black centipedes emerged and clustered over the corpse of the Black Blood Moth, gnawing at it.

Upon seeing the nine centipedes, Elder Wang’s pupils contracted. He exclaimed in shock, "Low-grade venomous insect, the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede! You are Wu Yong!"

Hearing this, Wu Yong turned his head to glance at him but said nothing.

Elder Wang’s expression turned slightly grim, and he fell silent.

Liu Yong wondered, "Wu Yong? I think I’ve heard that somewhere." He glanced at the man with a curious and puzzled expression.

Steward Ma glanced at the nine centipedes on the ground and said flatly, "Next plot."

Under Steward Ma’s lead, the crowd headed toward Dong Xing’s Spirit Field. Wu Yong’s pupils remained the size of beans. He followed along with the nine Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes trailing beside him, leaving trails of black ash wherever they crawled.

In Dong Xing’s courtyard.

Li Changsheng and Dong Xing sat across from each other, chatting and laughing.

Xiaohua rested at Li Changsheng’s feet, while Big Bro and Little Bro flew in circles mid-air.

Dong Xing pointed up at them. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "How many Spirit Stones would it cost to have them catch insects?"

Li Changsheng thought about it, then held up three fingers. Since this was his first time taking on a job outside, he shouldn’t charge too much. He figured three Spirit Stones would be about right.

Seeing this, Dong Xing breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled. "Oh, thirty Spirit Stones! I’ll pay it.

"But you have to guarantee that all the Black Blood Moths in my Spirit Field are completely eradicated!"

Li Changsheng was momentarily stunned by the sum of thirty Spirit Stones, but he quickly assured him, "Rest assured, Senior Brother Dong! If the Black Blood Moths aren’t thoroughly cleared out, you can come find me. I’ll do a second sweep for you without charging a single cent."

Dong Xing was delighted to hear this. "Then it’s a deal!"

With that, he took out thirty Spirit Stones and placed them on the table.

Watching him produce thirty Spirit Stones so effortlessly, Li Changsheng’s mind stirred. Instead of pocketing the Spirit Stones right away, he asked, "Senior Brother, before this infestation broke out, were there many insects in your Spirit Field?"

Dong Xing didn’t know what he was getting at, but he answered candidly, "Many? Of course there were many! Unfortunately, only the Spiritual Qi of a Mid-grade Spirit Field can sustain an insect-repelling runic formation. Otherwise, I would have bought a set no matter the cost."

Li Changsheng was briefly confused by the mention of an insect-repelling runic formation, but he continued to ask, "Senior Brother, would you like to never worry about insects in your Spirit Field again?"

"Yes, of course I would," Dong Xing replied without a second thought.

A smile blossomed on Li Changsheng’s face as he pitched his idea. "How about this... I have an annual subscription plan over here..."

He carefully explained the concept of fighting insects with insects to Dong Xing. It wouldn’t require Dong Xing to lift a finger; Li Changsheng would manipulate his spirit insects to clear the pests for him year-round, guaranteeing that he would never have to worry about them again.

Dong Xing listened with a dumbfounded expression. "This..."

Li Changsheng raised a hand to stop him, speaking earnestly. "Senior Brother, let’s not talk about Spirit Stones just yet!

"Let’s do this: I’ll clear out the Black Blood Moths from your Spirit Field first, and while I’m at it, I’ll get rid of the other pests too.

"We can talk more after you see the results!"

Dong Xing nodded blankly. "Alright. I’ll have to trouble you, Junior Brother."

Li Changsheng nodded, swung himself onto Xiaohua’s back, and patted the boar.

OINK, OINK...

Xiaohua grunted twice and stood up.

Looking at the exceptionally majestic Xiaohua, Dong Xing said enviously, "You have great fortune, Junior Brother. This Spirit Beast is truly magnificent!"

Li Changsheng’s eyes shifted, and he suddenly asked, "You want one, Senior Brother?"

Dong Xing was taken aback, then immediately answered with excitement, "I do, of course I do! How many Spirit Stones do you want, Junior Brother? Just name a price!"

To his discerning eye, Xiaohua was definitely not an ordinary Spirit Beast raised in a common pen, but one that had awakened an innate Magic.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Li Changsheng shook his head and said, "I definitely can’t sell Xiaohua."

Dong Xing frowned. "What do you mean, Junior Brother?"

"Xiaohua has an only son, and he’s about to be ready for sale."