Eternal Cultivation of Alchemy - Chapter 3422: More Insects

Chapter 3422: More Insects

“Grade 10,” the Insect Sage said with much thought to his words. “As of yet, we’ve only managed to find a single species of insect that we could claim to be Grade 10. And sadly, no one has managed to make anything out of them.”

Alex couldn’t help but grow curious. “What sort of insect is it?” he asked.

“It’s unlikely we will get to it,” the man said. “But in case we do, why ruin the surprise?”

He turned around and kept walking. There were multiple rooms for Grade 4, some of which extended out onto the balcony and beyond for sunlight. Many rooms were fitted with special environments for the insects. Alex saw various insects that, had he been in the lower realm, he would’ve been excited to get. But in the Immortal realms, it just didn’t make sense for anyone to get them.

Grade 5 had a considerable drop in the number of insects that were present. In total, there were no more than 12 types of insects, each in varying numbers. Compared to the hundreds he saw in the first 2 grades and then the dozens after that, this was noticeably fewer.

“We should continue,” the Insect Sage said. “These won’t be good for you either.”

“That they may not be, but I’m still curious what sort of insects there are. What do the disciples of the palace get as their actual insects?” he said.

“Of course,” Rockcrust said as he began giving a short explanation of what they were.

“The Two-Horned Beetles are good at absorbing Earth aura from the surroundings and can later be used as Earth treasures when needed. They reproduce very quickly but are a bother to raise well. If you’re not keeping track, they start cannibalizing themselves for the aura and quickly kill themselves.”

“The Nightsilk Spiders create black webs that are considered luxury fabric material. They also have a weak poison in them that can be improved. They are easier to take care of than others but don’t reproduce as well. There’s also the issue that the mother eats her own children, so you have to separate them the moment they are born.”

“The Shadow Mites…”

The man kept explaining the various insects, and Alex listened to them carefully. After he went through it all, Alex contemplated which one he would get if he had to choose. Of the ones that were there, it would likely be the Two-Horned Beetles for their ability to gather Earth aura, or the Black Snails, which had hard shells and could be used for defensive measures.

“These are quite impressive,” Alex said in the end. “Your disciples start here, huh?”

“Yes, depending on what they can afford. The Nightsilk Spiders are the most sought-after insects among these, as their silk can be sold for a fair price outside,” the man explained. “If they can afford it, they go for the next grade.”

“I can see that,” Alex said as he turned around once more and then continued.

Moving on to Grade 6, there were only 7 insect species in total.

Two types of them were tiny ants that could become working ants. One was a hornet that had potent venom in its sting. One was a spider whose silk was as strong as metal and was used to make various weapons. One was a cicada with the ability to use sound-based attacks. One was a scorpion that could explode to release devastating damage in an area. Finally, the last one was a dung beetle that had an excellent sense of smell and could be trained to recognize the presence of many things through its senses alone.

Alex liked the dung beetles the most, but only because he had no need for any insects to become another source of strength for him. So long as they solved different issues that he couldn’t simply handle himself, he was happy with them.

However, Whisker was sadly much better than these insects at smelling things, so Alex quickly ignored them.

Finally, he arrived at Grade 7, which was what the Insect Sage had suggested he should start with.

“For 200 Silkworms, you should be able to get 2 species of insects of Grade 7. You could even get 3, but we would have to cut down on the number of each that you’ll be getting,” the man said. “Truthfully, I suggest you take one from Grade 7 and one from Grade 8. That will be perfect,” the Insect Sage explained.

Alex looked at the man. “Really?” he asked. “I was honestly hoping to get the ones at Grade 10 if I could.”

The Insect Sage laughed at first, and so did Strongclaw, who was silently following beside them. A second later, however, he stopped with a strange look on his face.

“You’re serious?” the man asked.

“Is it wrong for me to be serious about this?” Alex asked. “What man wouldn’t want what everyone else claims to be the best?”

“As I’ve said, no one has successfully raised Grade 10 insects,” the man said. “It’s not that I want to keep you from getting them, but I am genuinely trying to help you. Don’t get those. Get a Grade 7 and a Grade 8 insect. If you don’t want them, get a Grade 9 instead. But don’t go for Grade 10.”

Alex thought for a bit. “For 200 Heavenly Silkworms, can I get any of the Grade 10 insects?” he asked.

“Up to 10 that you can awaken,” the man said. “But only if you can awaken them.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised. I had assumed you would entirely refuse to give me any. But you’re at least willing to let me try.”

“We let everyone try. So far, very few have managed to awaken them, which is why we suggest you don’t go for them,” the man said.

“But some have, right?” Alex asked. “So that should be enough.”

The man simply shook his head in the end. “Do what you want. I have warned you enough.”