Chapter 1110, Going Deep

Translator: Jon

Translation Checker: Silavin

 

The Vanguard members could easily destroy the enemies in the insectoid passageway.

 

The influence of Yuan Metal Force Field was still weak at this depth; it was almost negligible. Moreover, the insectoid blood could help fend off the Yuan Metal Force Field, so their powers were not affected.

 

Considering the powers of Long Bai and Pang Zhen, they could even instantly destroy the great insectoids, not to mention that they had only come across insectoids below the Divine Ocean Realm so far.

 

The team continued to press on. Ninety per cent of the Vanguard members had nothing to do as only people at the head had a chance to fight the enemies.

 

However, everyone knew it was temporary.

 

The insectoid passageway was long. The further down they went, the more their powers were suppressed. Also, Long Bai and Pang Zhen couldn’t possibly stay at the head all the time as they had to preserve their energy.

 

There would come a moment when some people would replace them so that they could get some rest.

 

Around two hours later, someone at the head suddenly shouted, “Where’s Lu Yi Ye?”

 

“I’m coming!” Lu Ye quickly brushed past several people and reached the person who had spoken. With the help of the flickering torchlight, he saw a burly Body-tempering Cultivator pressing his hand against a mantis-like insectoid near the wall. As the cultivator’s Spiritual Power surged, the mantis couldn’t struggle out of his restriction regardless of how hard it tried.

 

It was an insectoid in the Divine Ocean Realm. It was also the first one which met the requirements that they had come across.

 

Lu Ye couldn’t just randomly enslave some insectoids. He had to select those in the Divine Ocean Realm. That way, he could ensure that they had a better chance to succeed.

 

Through various means, the Vanguard members found out that Lu Ye was able to enslave insectoids. As such, when Lu Ye dashed forward, many Divine Egos extended from different directions. They were trying to find out what he was about to do.

 

Lu Ye pressed his fingers at the mantis’ forehead and used his Divine Ego to speak to Nian Yuexian. “Senior Sister Nian, please use a Soul Attack to shatter this insectoid’s Soul Power Shield.”

 

Although he could do that himself, he had never learned a Soul Secret Technique. Moreover, his Soul Power was weaker than that of Nian Yuexian. It would be easier for Nian Yuexian to make a move to destroy the insectoid’s Soul Power Shield.

 

Nian Yuexian immediately launched a Soul Attack. After the mantis was attacked, it hissed and struggled even harder. However, the Body-tempering Cultivator from Thousand Demon Ridge pressed it down, making sure it couldn’t resist.

 

Lu Ye then activated his Divine Ego. When he realised the mantis had little resistance left, he easily planted Soul Control in its mind.

 

The mantis instantly fell silent.

 

Detecting something, the Body-tempering Cultivator asked in shock, “Is it… done?”

 

Lu Ye nodded. “Yes. Please release it.”

 

The Body-tempering Cultivator did that as he was told and discovered that the mantis indeed stopped struggling. He was amazed. “It’s incredible!”

 

Beastmasters might be able to enslave insectoids as well, but they couldn’t do so with ease. It required a complicated process, and they would easily fail.

 

However, it only took Lu Ye several breaths of time to enslave an insectoid in the Divine Ocean Realm.

 

The Body-tempering Cultivator wondered how Lu Ye even achieved that.

 

He then asked a sensitive question. “Can you… use this Secret Technique on Humans?”

 

Lu Ye instantly felt they were all paying close attention to him.

 

Such a Secret Technique was bizarre and unfathomable. It would be horrifying if the Secret Technique could be used on Humans.

 

Lu Ye replied, “Intelligent beings have powerful Divine Souls, so it’s difficult to enslave them. The Secret Technique is practically useless against Humans. It’s only effective against unintelligent beings like these insectoids.”

 

In reality, the Secret Technique could be used on Humans. That was how Dao Thirteen was enslaved.

 

Naturally, Lu Ye wouldn’t give them an unsettling answer in this situation.

 

It was a wonder if the Body-tempering Cultivator even believed him. After he dipped his head, he turned around and continued moving forward.

 

Lu Ye and Nian Yuexian followed them. A mantis in the Divine Ocean Realm had joined their team as it moved forward hideously.

 

As they went deeper, more and more insectoids in the Divine Ocean Realm were captured and enslaved by Lu Ye using Soul Control.

 

Around three days later, they had dozens of insectoids in their team. Their steps were loud as they followed these cultivators. Lu Ye was seated on the back of an insectoid while Nian Yuexian was seated on another one.

 

Given how unhurried they seemed, they didn’t look like they were launching an attack against the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. Instead, they looked like they were on a trip to the countryside. Many Vanguard members frowned at them.

 

Long Bai, Pang Zhen, and several people at the head had been replaced. They had done that a few times. Since they were all Divine Ocean Realm Masters in the Seventh Order and above, they could collaborate perfectly. Sometimes, not even a single word was needed. An exchange of glances or a gesture would allow them to know what was on each other’s minds.

 

Now, Tang Yi Feng and several Body-tempering Cultivators and Combat Cultivators were at the head. At this depth, the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field on the cultivators was finally felt. Since they had covered themselves with insectoid blood, they could still fend off the influence.

 

Lu Ye was located near the head, but he wouldn’t directly deal with the enemies.

 

As they went deeper, they included more and more insectoids in the Divine Ocean Realm in their team. But because of this, their speed of going forward slowed down.

 

It was to be expected. The further down they went, the suppression of Yuan Metal Force Field became increasingly stronger. They naturally had to be careful when soldiering on.

 

Moreover, it would take them quite some time to capture the insectoids in the Divine Ocean Realm.

 

The Vanguard members of the other eight Zhous didn’t face this trouble. Their only mission was to kill all the insectoids that got in their way.

 

As such, there was no doubt those in Bing Zhou were the slowest in moving forward. Pang Zhen and Long Bai verified that when they communicated with the higher-ups of other Zhous.

 

They had come across several great insectoids, but they were now Lu Ye’s slaves.

 

On the eighth day after they entered the insectoid passageway, Pang Zhen suddenly approached Lu Ye from the back of the group and asked caringly, “Can you still hold on?”

 

Although Lu Ye’s skill in enslaving the insectoids was incredible, everyone believed there was a limit to it. Supposedly, every insectoid he controlled would add a bit of burden to his Divine Soul.

 

Most importantly, Lu Ye had said at the great conference that he could only control around 200 insectoids at most.

 

Now, he had enslaved more than 200 insectoids, which was why Pang Zhen asked him that question.

 

After giving it some thought, Lu Ye said, “I think we have more than enough insectoids now.”

 

Although he could control even more insectoids, there wasn’t a need for that. Around 200 insectoids in the Divine Ocean Realm were sufficient for him to execute the next step of the plan. Any more than that, it wouldn’t help much.

 

Pang Zhen nodded and told the people at the head, “If you bump into insectoids in the Divine Ocean Realm, there’s no need to capture them. Just kill them all!”

 

At this depth, they were only left with 60 per cent of their powers. Also, they were exhausted from a long time of fighting. If they came across the great insectoids, it would be risky for them to try to capture the enemies. It would be more effective to just kill the great insectoids.

 

One had to know that the attack against the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm was divided into three stages. The first stage was the easiest to complete. On the other hand, the initial phase of the second stage was the most dangerous.

 

The Vanguard members naturally had to preserve as much energy as possible.

 

After the cultivators at the head received the order, they could soldier on more quickly.

 

One day later, they saw some light in front of them. At that moment, they knew they were about to reach the end of the insectoid passageway. The source of the light was where the portal was located.

 

As expected, when they reached the source of the light, they saw a huge oval portal which looked like a blurred mirror. As the surface undulated, more and more insectoids emerged from the portal.

 

The cultivators looked at the portal and understood that once they passed through it, they would reach the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm, which was the source of the insectoid plague.

 

They had taken the first step, and it was time for the second step. If everything went well for them, they would solve the crisis that had been ongoing for years.

 

“Just get some rest now and restore your powers,” Long Bai ordered, then he told some people to stay in front of the portal and kill the insectoids.

 

The people from all nine Zhous had to take action at the same time. Although the Vanguard members of all nine Zhous had arrived at the portals, ready to storm into the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm, their soldiers were still on their way.

 

When the Vanguard members entered the insectoid passageways a while back, the soldiers of Jiu Zhou also plunged into the chasms and converged at different parts of the insectoid passageways before soldiering on.

 

With the Vanguard members paving the way, they faced less pressure. They just had to deal with the insectoids they came across.

 

Now, the soldiers of all nine Zhous were heading towards the depths of the insectoid passageways. It could be said that the cultivators of Jiu Zhou had filled the different insectoid passageways. Although they were scattered in different parts, they only had one goal.

 

Only when all the soldiers were ready would the Vanguard members storm into the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. Otherwise, they couldn’t hold on for a long time even though they were all in the Seven-Order Divine Ocean Realm and above.

 

When the others were getting some rest, Lu Ye was still busy.

 

He had to tie a certain number of Explosive Fire Spirit Stones to each enslaved insectoid. Otherwise, these insectoids alone couldn’t cause a large-scale commotion.

 

Things would be different with the help of Explosive Fire Spirit Stones. The items could be easily detonated and cause strong fluctuations of Spiritual Powers. Insectoids were sensitive to the fluctuations of Spiritual Powers. Once the stones exploded, the attention of the insectoids would be drawn.

 

Then, the Vanguard members could seize the chance to barge into the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm and quickly build a defence line.

 

He wasn’t the only one being swamped with work, though. He had the help of some people. It was decided in advance.

 

Despite that, it still took him around two hours to finish getting prepared.

 

Lu Ye examined the insectoids for the last time and confirmed there was no problem. Only then did he approach Tang Yi Feng and Pang Zhen. “I’m ready.”

 

Pang Zhen said, “I’ll leave the following matter to you, then. You have to be careful and always prioritise your safety.”

 

Tang Yi Feng ordered, “If you come across any danger, you have to come back immediately.”

 

“I understand.” Lu Ye nodded solemnly.