Chapter 1097, Protection

Translator: Jon

Translation Checker: Silavin

 

There wasn’t an insectoid nest at the end of the insectoid passageway. Instead, it was a portal that led to a Great Hidden Realm, in which many insectoid nests and insectoids existed. The news was truly shocking.

 

If the news was spread, it would send a shock wave across the Cultivation World of Jiu Zhou.

 

Anyway, the information revealed by these images wasn’t entirely bad.

 

They had been planning on what they should do after they found the insectoid nest. They believed that the space beneath the ground wasn’t big, so they couldn’t deploy too many people. Only some of the top Divine Ocean Realm Masters would join forces to destroy the insectoid nest.

 

However, they didn’t have to worry about it now since it was the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. The images showed that the Hidden Realm was vast. As long as they could immediately build the defences after they entered the place, they could continuously send more people over. Given the large number of cultivators in Jiu Zhou, they could storm into the Great Hidden Realm and destroy the enemies.

 

As many thoughts turned over in Tang Yi Feng’s mind, he quickly asked a key question. “Is there any Yuan Metal Force Field in the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm?”

 

“No.” Lu Ye shook his head. “As far as I’m concerned, the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm is a small world. It isn’t beneath the ground.”

 

“That’s great!” Tang Yi Feng’s eyes brightened as it was some invigorating news. As many ideas turned over in his mind, he suddenly thought of another question. “I can see there are nine portals in the Great Hidden Realm. Have you found out where those portals lead to?”

 

Lu Ye replied, “I was about to tell you that. I’ve entered all nine portals. According to the ten-point map, all nine portals correspond to the nine major continents of Jiu Zhou. In other words, if we enter a chasm in Lei Zhou and keep going down, we’ll reach the portal connected to Lei Zhou. If we enter a chasm in Wu Zhou, we’ll eventually find the portal connected to Wu Zhou.”

 

“That’s such a coincidence.” Tang Yi Feng was astounded.

 

Lu Ye said meaningfully, “I share the same sentiment.”

 

A glint flashed across Tang Yi Feng’s eyes as he understood what Lu Ye meant. Since they knew what was going on, they didn’t have to make everything clear.

 

“By the way, I’ve discovered that insectoid blood seems able to help fend off the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field.”

 

Tang Yi Feng nodded. “We already realised that long ago.”

 

In the past few years, many Divine Ocean Realm Masters of the two sides had explored the chasms. Naturally, they had detected such a piece of obvious information. Despite that, it was difficult to make use of it.

 

Although insectoid blood could help ward off the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field, its effect was limited. It wouldn’t be useful if it couldn’t completely block out the influence.

 

“Now, both the Grand Sky Coalition and Thousand Demon Ridge are researching this. We’re trying to invent something that can completely block out Yuan Metal Force Field using insectoid blood, but we haven’t achieved anything so far.”

 

“Do you think those from Thousand Demon Ridge might be hiding the results from us?” Lu Ye asked.

 

Tang Yi Feng smiled helplessly. “What’s the point of them doing that in this situation? It’s not like they’ll deal with the insectoid plague on their own. If such an item is successfully invented, the two sides will work together to fight the enemies. As such, we don’t have to worry about them hiding anything from us. If they can invent it, they’ll immediately share the result with us, and it’s the same for the Grand Sky Coalition.”

 

Lu Ye reckoned that the older man had a point. The insectoid plague had affected the entire Jiu Zhou, not just any side. In the end, both parties had to join forces. No one could stay idly by and watch a good show.

 

Not only would they not hide anything, but they would also immediately share it with the other party the moment they discovered something major.

 

“Yi Ye, I have to take this important credit from you.” Tang Yi Feng clenched the Image Stones with a solemn expression. “Do you understand why?”

 

Lu Ye nodded. “Yes.”

 

In the past few years, many old cultivators had exerted themselves to explore the chasms, but they couldn’t find any useful information. Nevertheless, Lu Ye managed to capture the images of the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. If word got out, it would be humiliating for the old cultivators, and Lu Ye would be the centre of attention.

 

A tree that grew too tall would be destroyed by wind.

 

Back then, Lu Ye had kicked up a storm when he was in the Spirit Creek Realm and Cloud River Realm, and the top Sects of Thousand Demon Ridge were eager to destroy him. Now that he had finally faded from the public eye in the past few years, he naturally couldn’t take centre stage at this point, especially when this matter had something to do with the future of Jiu Zhou.

 

It wasn’t that Tang Yi Feng wanted to take the credit from Lu Ye. It was his way of protecting the young man.

 

It was also the reason why Pang Zhen told everyone at the great conference to keep it a secret that Lu Ye could make United as One Ward Nexuses.

 

Tang Yi Feng was a famous Divine Ocean Realm Master, and he was responsible for exploring the chasms. If he showed them some results at this point, they would naturally be surprised, but it wasn’t too awkward.

 

Certainly, Lu Ye understood his intention.

 

“I have to meet up with the other Elders. Yi Ye, go back to the Pass first and don’t go anywhere else during this period.”

 

“Yes.”

 

A moment later, Lu Ye left Grand Sky City and flew towards Surging Waves Lake Pass.

 

One day later, many people assembled in the Hall of Harmony.

 

It had only been half a year since the last great conference. Supposedly, they wouldn’t hold a conference again so soon. It wasn’t even time for a small conference yet.

 

However, upon receiving the messages, they still went to Grand Sky City in a hurry. They knew that unless something major had happened, they wouldn’t have been asked to attend a conference at this point.

 

As usual, the conference was hosted by Pang Zhen as he was seated at the head. The higher-ups of the Grand Sky Coalition in Bing Zhou were seated around the oval table.

 

No one was absent. It was rare for all the higher-ups to gather at the same time.

 

All of them turned to look at Pang Zhen. Since he was the one who asked them to come, he certainly knew what had happened.

 

Without delay, Pang Zhen raised his hand and cast some rays of light at these people. Those were Image Stones. “I’ve asked everyone to come here because Elder Tang has discovered something special. Please have a look.”

 

They lifted their hands to catch the Image Stones and used their Divine Egos to look into the items.

 

In an instant, the auras in the Hall of Harmony turned chaotic.

 

Just like how astounded Tang Yi Feng was when he first saw the images in the stones, it was the same for these people at the conference. Although they had no idea where the place was, they figured it was the source of the insectoid plague.

 

They suppressed their shock and continued going through the images. When some people were done with it a moment later, they donned solemn expressions. However, no one asked anything, for they knew Pang Zhen would explain it.

 

Until everyone was done going through the images, Pang Zhen said, “Divine Ocean Realm Masters of the two sides have been exploring the chasms ever since the insectoid plague broke out. Unfortunately, we haven’t made any progress so far after a few years. The images that Elder Tang has brought back are valuable, and they have cleared many of our doubts.

 

“According to the information we’ve gathered, we’ll find an insectoid passageway after entering a chasm. We’ve speculated that the insectoid nest is at the end of the insectoid passageway. Now, it seems that the speculation is wrong. There’s no insectoid nest at the end of the passageway. Instead, it’s a portal that leads to the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm.

 

“There are countless chasms in Jiu Zhou. However, whichever chasm we enter, we’ll eventually reach a portal. There are a total of nine portals in Jiu Zhou. I’m sure you’ve seen that there are exactly nine portals as well in the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. They correspond to the nine major continents of Jiu Zhou.

 

“The bad news is that the source of the insectoid plague is more severe than we thought. The Insectoid Great Hidden Realm is vast, and there are countless insectoids. There are even giant insectoids which are even more powerful than great insectoids. I’m sure you’ve seen how powerful those giant insectoids are. No individual cultivator can go against them. Honestly, I’ve been a cultivator for years, but I’ve never seen insectoids like them.

 

“The good news is that since those giant insectoids are too massive, they can’t crawl out of the insectoid passageways to devastate Jiu Zhou. That’s the reason we have never detected their presence.

 

“There’s one more piece of good news. There’s no Yuan Metal Force Field in the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm!”

 

All of them were surprised upon hearing that.

 

An Elder said, “In that case, as long as we can enter the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm, our powers will no longer be suppressed.”

 

“The problem is how we can enter the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm.”

 

“Since Elder Tang has been there, he must have a way.”

 

They stared fixedly at Tang Yi Feng, who shook his head. “Only I can use that way to enter the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm. No one else can use it, and the method can’t be made available to everyone.”

 

All of them were disappointed. No one would think Tang Yi Feng had lied to them. After all, it was every cultivator’s wish to get rid of the insectoid plague. Moreover, everyone knew Tang Yi Feng was a righteous person. If the method could be made available to everyone, he wouldn’t hide it from them.

 

“Can we ask Elder Tang to build a Teleportation Ward in front of the portal? If that’s feasible, we can be sent to that place directly,” someone suggested.

 

Pang Zhen said, “Elder Tang and I have thought of this method, but Elder Tang isn’t adept at the Way of Wards, so he can’t set up a Teleportation Ward. Also, even if we can make use of ward keystones and ward nexuses, Elder Tang can’t build a Ward while keeping it running at the same time. Additionally, that place is too deep beneath the ground, and there’s the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field. Even if a Ward is built, it most likely won’t work.”

 

He gently knocked on the table. “So, the most pressing issue for us is how we can fend off the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field. We have to solve this problem before we can come up with a plan.”

 

This was truly frustrating. In the past, they didn’t even know that the Insectoid Great Hidden Realm existed. Now, they were aware of it and had seen what it was like in the Hidden Realm, but they couldn’t go there and destroy the enemies.

 

Pang Zhen turned to look at Chao Ye. “Commander Chao, those at the Ministry of Military Supplies have to work harder. The insectoid plague has been ongoing for nearly three years. Cultivators like us are still unaffected, but too many commoners are unable to do farming. They rely on the grains they’ve stored for survival, but this can’t go on forever. If nothing changes, most people in Jiu Zhou will die in a few years.”

 

Commoners were the foundation for the Cultivation World. If there were too few commoners, the Cultivation World would be affected as well. That was the reason cultivators were not allowed to drag the commoners into any fights within Jiu Zhou.

 

Many Medical Cultivators and Pill Cultivators were working for the Ministry of Military Supplies, and they were trying to invent something based on insectoid blood that could help fend off the influence of Yuan Metal Force Field. Unfortunately, they hadn’t made any progress.