A corner of Beast Valley.
The beast pens.
Li Changsheng waited for a moment. Hearing no more wolves howling, he pushed open the door and walked out.
His gaze fell upon the center of Beast Valley.
In the distance, he could see densely packed wolf carcasses, and people.
Dozens of them were rummaging through the corpses, searching for something.
Li Changsheng took a deep breath. The faint stench of blood filled the air.
’At least a few hundred people must have died...’
Li Changsheng felt a chill run down his spine, but he was also grateful that he had chosen a remote location.
If he had been in the center of Beast Valley, facing that seemingly endless horde of wolves, he wasn’t sure he could have survived, even with his swarm of insects and Xiaohua.
Thankfully, the wolf calamity was over.
And he was still alive.
Just as he turned to go back inside, a particular beast pen caught his eye.
’It looks like there are still ten Tusked Pigs in Mu Feng’s pen...’
A glint appeared in Li Changsheng’s eyes as he muttered to himself, ’The wolf calamity just ended. No one will be paying attention to this place...’
After a moment’s hesitation, he focused his thoughts and summoned the swarm of insects, directing them toward the pen.
Li Changsheng checked the wooden house first, then came out looking disappointed.
But upon entering the beast pen, his expression turned to one of excitement.
’Senior Brother Mu sure raised them well!’
Looking at the plump and sturdy Tusked Pigs, Li Changsheng focused his thoughts.
BZZZ...
The swarm of insects split into ten groups and swarmed into the pen.
OINK... OINK...
Inside the pen, the Tusked Pigs let out piercing squeals, which died down after just a few moments.
Watching the Red-winged Blood Bamboo devour the Tusked Pigs, Li Changsheng felt a mix of joy and regret.
’If these were all mine, I could multiply my stock several times over by next year. I’d definitely earn the title of ’Pig King’.’
But he didn’t dare. Knowing what had happened in Beast Valley, he was trying to keep a low profile, not draw attention. He was afraid of being the one led to the slaughter.
Why would he go looking for trouble?
Inside the pen, as the Red-winged Blood Bamboo fed, the patterns covering their bodies began to change, and the Spiritual Qi within them slowly grew stronger.
Soon, the Tusked Pigs’ bodies visibly shrank, yet the insects’ stomachs were like bottomless pits, still devouring.
Time passed slowly, and the sky gradually darkened.
Inside the pen, all that remained of the ten Tusked Pigs were their shriveled, dull hides.
Li Changsheng focused his thoughts.
BZZZ...
One by one, the Red-winged Blood Bamboo drilled out of the beast hides and returned before him.
The originally thumb-sized Red-winged Blood Worms had swelled to the size of a baby’s fist. Their patterned bodies looked as if they were forged from refined steel, and their ferocious mouthparts were especially terrifying to behold.
Li Changsheng’s gaze sharpened.
[Target: Slave Insect]
[Race: Red-winged Blood Bamboo]
[Grade: Ungraded (75%)]
[Talent: Blood Devour.]
[Status: Healthy.]
Li Changsheng said joyfully, "Just a bit more flesh and blood, and they’ll evolve into true Spirit Insects..."
After he formed the contract, the Red-winged Blood Bamboo had undergone a mutation under the influence of his Magic. As long as they devoured enough flesh and blood, they could become true Spirit Insects.
He believed that before long, he would have a hundred fearless Tier One Spirit Insects.
He quickly cleaned up the scene.
Li Changsheng carried the Tusked Pig hides back to his home.
The night grew even darker.
The wolf calamity during the day had reduced Beast Valley’s population by several hundred people, and the Spirit Beasts they left behind became hot commodities.
During the day, everyone had a tacit understanding and refrained from making a move.
But as night fell, masked figures emerged from their homes, brandishing weapons and starting to fight over the spoils.
Most, however, stayed near their own beast pens, afraid that others might be eyeing their own Spirit Beasts.
Although Mu Feng’s pen was far away, several groups of people still came to see if he was dead.
Seeing the empty and unguarded pen, they all regretted not acting sooner. With a silent curse, they hurriedly turned back.
But one of them seemed to notice something. He looked down, sniffed the air, and his eyes lit up.
Looking up toward the darkness not far away, a flash of excitement appeared in Ma Wu’s eyes. "Heh, pretty clever. Hiding in plain sight."
With that, he scurried back in the direction he came from.
Back inside his house, Li Changsheng had no idea that someone had set their sights on him once again.
Outside the house,
Xiaohua was lying in the yard, chewing on a cucumber.
GRUNT... GRUNT...
Just then, Xiaohua suddenly scrambled to her feet. The bristles on her back stood on end as she stared warily into the darkness, letting out a low growl.
From the darkness, a figure slowly approached.
Up close, its body was nothing but skin and bones, and most of its fur had fallen out. A three-leaved, crimson-gold plant grew from its back.
It was the very Blood Wolf that had started the wolf calamity.
Only now, it seemed to be in even worse condition.
Looking at Xiaohua in the yard, greed flickered in the Blood Wolf’s eyes. Saliva dripped from the corner of its mouth as it slowly stalked toward her.
AWOOOO...
As the wolf drew closer, Xiaohua’s low growls turned into a piercing howl.
Inside the house, Li Changsheng’s eyes snapped open.
He thought another robber had come and cautiously peeked outside through a crack in the door.
The Blood Wolf ambled up to the courtyard gate, then leaped lightly over it and into the yard.
It began to slowly circle Xiaohua.
Xiaohua kept her head facing the Blood Wolf, letting out threatening howls from time to time.
’Hiss...’
After getting a clear look at the creature facing Xiaohua, Li Changsheng was confused for a second. Then, suddenly, his expression froze, and he couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air.
’It’s that Blood Wolf!’
’How did it end up like this?’
Despite the Blood Wolf’s drastic change in appearance, Li Changsheng still recognized it.
Just then, the Blood Wolf seemed to lose its patience. It leaped into the air, instantly appearing at Xiaohua’s side, and snapped its fanged maw at her neck.
AWOO...
Caught off guard, Xiaohua was bitten directly, and blood immediately began to seep from the wound.
The Blood Wolf greedily lapped up the blood.
Xiaohua thrashed wildly, but the Blood Wolf seemed stuck to her body, impossible to shake off no matter how hard she struggled.
Inside the house.
Li Changsheng grew anxious. He had worked so hard to raise Xiaohua; how could he let her become food for the Blood Wolf?
Besides, he could tell the Blood Wolf had been severely wounded—gravely wounded.
Otherwise, taking down Xiaohua would have been a matter of a single swipe of its paw. It wouldn’t need to resort to such a shameless, persistent attack.
Li Changsheng’s expression turned grim as he focused his thoughts.
BZZZ...
From the roof of the wooden house, a swarm of Red-winged Blood Bamboo took flight, speeding toward the Blood Wolf.
The Blood Wolf glanced at them, a flash of disdain in its eyes.
’Just a swarm of ungraded insects. They can’t even break my skin.’ It then returned its focus to devouring Xiaohua’s blood, which was rich in Spiritual Qi.
The Red-winged Blood Bamboo swarmed onto the Blood Wolf’s body, plunging their ferocious mouthparts viciously into it.
The Blood Wolf was a demon beast, after all. Even without its Demonic Power, its hide was still incredibly tough.
When the mouthparts of the Red-winged Blood Bamboo struck its skin, it was like striking cowhide. They only managed to create a slight indentation without breaking through.
But what happened next made the Blood Wolf suffer a great loss—and ultimately cost it its life.
The Spiritual Qi within the Red-winged Blood Bamboo erupted. The patterns on their mouthparts flashed, and like sharp swords, they easily pierced the wolf’s hide, furiously injecting a potent blood poison into its body.
AWOOOO...
The intense pain forced the Blood Wolf to release its bite. It fell back onto the ground, rolling and howling in agony.