Chapter 261: Chapter 254 Bloodsucking Locusts 1
This was the first time he had encountered armor that could withstand the Ink Blade’s Blade Qi.
Not far behind him, the large spider fighting the Red-eyed Golden Toad also collapsed onto its back, its eight legs folding in, and then it remained motionless after the woman’s death.
When the master died, the insects bound to them through a spirit contract perished as well.
Their fates were closely linked to their master’s.
Originally engaged in battle with the jumping spider, the Red-eyed Golden Toad, seeing it suddenly die, opened its mouth to devour it.
“Wart Toad, show some mercy with your mouth!”
Qin Niu quickly dismounted and gathered the body of the Phantom Jumping Spider into a basket.
If the Golden Toad ate it, the benefits would be very limited since it was already a Grade Seven Beast Pet.
It would be better to keep it to feed to the Ant Queen later.
A Grade Five White Termite Ant Queen consuming an entire Grade Six Phantom Jumping Spider would gain considerable benefits.
It might even advance directly to Grade Six.
Having witnessed the collective combat prowess of these formidable Insect Masters from the Nine Insect Gang, he felt an urgent need to cultivate a super White Termite colony. Then he wouldn’t fear any Insect Master he faced.
After collecting the body of the Phantom Jumping Spider, he quickly scavenged the woman’s corpse for valuables.
He stripped off the soft armor immediately.
The Insect Bags and Insect Jars at the waist of the woman’s corpse were clearly high-quality items, and he happily took them all.
Those Insect Bags came in a wide variety of styles and were made from superior materials, totaling eleven, suitable for housing various insects.
Some of the Insect Bags still contained insects.
These were insects that hadn’t been released in time.
Qin Niu could feel that they seemed to be still active, indicating they had not formed a spirit contract with the woman.
Now was definitely not the time to open and check.
He decided to keep them for now.
Unexpectedly, he found two silver notes inside the woman’s bodice, amounting to fifteen hundred taels.
Truly poor.
But at least there was an old, yellowed book.
The Spider Technique Scroll.
Ordinary Insect Control Books were typically named as certain scriptures, notes, or rearing manuals. It was uncommon to name them as scrolls.
The word “technique” was a high-level term in the cultivation world.
Just like “Taiyi” or “Primordial,” such terms would never be used casually.
The same was true for Insect Control Books.
The Spider Technique Scroll was of medium thickness and appeared quite old. Some of its corners were worn away.
The cover seemed to be made of animal hide, and the inside consisted of specially made satin pages.
It appeared to be quite high-end.
Qin Niu knew this could be something valuable; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been kept close by the female Insect Master.
Once he finished plundering, he grabbed the corpse and carelessly tossed it into the nearby bushes.
Before long, it would be consumed clean by wild beasts and ants.
This woman, the fourth disciple under Elder Jiu Yin, had a pretty face and a particularly alluring figure, likely much favored by Elder Jiu Yin. Now she had been slain by Qin Niu’s blade.
Elder Jiu Yin would probably go into a rage.
Since the fourth disciple’s strongest insect was a Grade Six Phantom Jumping Spider, Elder Jiu Yin, being her mentor, would possess at least a Grade Seven insect.
Qin Niu had no trouble dealing with the Grade Six Phantom Jumping Spider because he had a Grade Seven Red-eyed Golden Toad at his disposal. Otherwise, he might have been flustered just trying to handle one spider.
There might even have been danger.
However, he had over twenty thousand White Termites, with over four thousand capable of Mental Attacks and Spirit Control.
In a desperate situation, he should have a great chance of victory.
Mental attacks were indeed an against-the-heavens ability; it was just too bad there was so little Thousand Eyes Tree Blood.
If he could obtain it like Ancient Banyan Tree Blood, getting two large jars a day,
then he could breed as many Ghost Ants and Puppet Ants as he wanted.
“Qin Niu, those Phantom Jumping Spiders and Bloodsucking Locusts suddenly fell into disarray, and the four leading Grade Five Phantom Jumping Spiders died on the spot. What happened on your side?”
Master He Shan came galloping over on his lion.
His personal guards followed closely behind.
Several of the personal guards had bleeding faces and hands, clearly bitten by the Bloodsucking Locusts.
Those tiny mosquitoes are truly formidable.
“Just now, a female Insect Master died.”
Qin Niu knew he couldn’t keep this a secret.
There was no need to hide it.
“This, this… She died so quickly!”
Master He Shan’s eyes revealed a look of horror, and when he looked at Qin Niu, there was a significant change.
“While the other disciples of Elder Jiu Yin have not yet reacted, let us hurry to Luoshui Town!”
He did not ask how Qin Niu had managed to take out his opponent.
Master He Shan led his people quickly towards Luoshui Town.
They were not far from the town now.
With no obstacles in their way, everyone made very good progress and arrived at the town in less than the time it takes to eat a meal.
Now, Luoshui Town had become a town of the dead.
Everyone had been killed.
In the darkness of night, the entire town was eerily quiet.
“Let’s go and burn the enemy’s boats first.”
Master He Shan was also a ruthless person.
This was to cut off the enemy’s retreat.
The enemy forces had likely already crossed the Tianshui River and attacked the heartland of the Black Tiger Gang.
It all depended on whether Deputy City Lord Bai was effective.
“Strange, why isn’t there a single enemy?”
“Idiot, the enemy has likely gone to raid other villages and towns by now. Along this road are many major towns with large populations; if they really fall into their hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.”
“My wife and children are at home; they absolutely cannot fall into the hands of those devils from the Nine Insect Gang.”
The Insect Masters discussed among themselves, many filled with worry.
“Qin Niu, where did the enemy cross the river?”
“Right ahead! If we walk along the river for two or three miles upstream, we will be able to see it.”
Qin Niu led the way ahead.
Master He Shan, concerned about his safety, followed closely beside, staying highly vigilant and ready to react to any enemy at any moment.
“It’s strange that Elder Jiu Yin only sent disciples to guard the roads leading into Luoshui Town; this doesn’t seem like that old fellow’s style. You four, go downstream along the Tianshui River and look for the enemy’s tracks. If you discover the enemy’s moored ships, come back and report immediately.
Remember, do not act rashly.
Elder Jiu Yin is cunning and full of tricks; he won’t let us destroy his boats across the river that easily. You are not his match, and upon discovering the enemy ships, return immediately to report quietly.”
Master He Shan instructed the four guards he had sent out.
Qin Niu led the way ahead.
After traveling more than two miles upstream, they faintly made out large shadows on the river surface.
They could vaguely make out the shape of a large number of boats moored on the river.
“The time has come for us to make a name for ourselves; let’s burn those boats and leave the enemy with no escape.”
Master He Shan’s spirits lifted, and he promptly led everyone forward.
The enemy would definitely have left soldiers to guard it, but in Master He Shan’s eyes, ordinary soldiers were nothing significant.
They could be wiped out easily.
“Be careful!”
In the darkness, row upon row of Bloodsucking Locusts were perched on trees and grass by the river.
The moment Qin Niu and Master He Shan got close, the locusts immediately arched their bodies, leaping towards them.
The stretching ability of these locusts was extremely strong.
When contracted, they were only a little over an inch long, about as thick as a finger.
But when they stretched out their bodies, they could actually reach a length of seven to eight inches.
Keep in mind, an inch is approximately 3.3 centimeters, so seven or eight inches is equivalent to more than twenty centimeters in length.
The three Bloodsucking Locusts leaping towards Qin Niu were still in the air when they simultaneously shuddered and fell to the ground.
Fourth had already led the ant horde to protect their master at the earliest opportunity.
The Red-eyed Golden Toad, having missed out on the corpse of the Grade Six Phantom Jumping Spider and likely starving by now, seized the opportunity. Its long tongue shot out like lightning, pulling a Bloodsucking Locust straight into its mouth.
Such a small Bloodsucking Locust was nothing more than a little snack for it.