Chapter 1221
The Zerg's Request, Ghostly Outpost
Chief Xu Li led him up the honeycomb insect tower that led the Void Insect Clan to the outer heavens, during which he truly witnessed the sheer size of the Void Insect Clan!
Their numbers are countless, and each of them possesses cultivation. They have clear divisions of labor, are all loyal to the Empress, and are united as a powerful force.
Individual holy sites on the mainland are no match for them, but they have remained quiet for many years, never venturing out to fight for territory, and have been developing in a low-key manner.
Finally, we arrived at the very top of the outer void.
Here, as the forefront, a large number of Zerg still come and go, constantly stacking layers to build towers, as if the construction has no end.
Inside, many auras are already waiting.
Lin Shan followed them into a round table conference hall and found twelve powerful figures sitting there, all of whom were at the Nascent Soul stage. The Void Insect Clan actually had such a strong foundation!
"These are the twelve elders of our clan, and this is the Lin Sect Master, the prodigy of the human race in this world. It is our first time meeting, so please get to know each other."
With the introduction of Chief Xu Li, the reactions of the Nascent Soul stage insectoid elders varied.
Most people just nodded slightly as a greeting, while the rest either smiled, ignored him coldly, or closed their eyes to rest. Lin Shan didn't pay much attention to them.
After waiting for about fifteen minutes, it suddenly became bright overhead!
Then a beam of light shone down, revealing a figure in a long, scale-clad armor dress. Her face was shrouded in a ball of white light, and she had two long tentacles on her head. Her voice sounded like that of a seventy-year-old woman, but she spoke with shrewdness and competence.
"Everyone's here, let's get down to business."
All the elders stood up, staring intently at the sky above them, including Chief Xu Li and Lin Shan.
"How is the formation of the Void Fleet progressing?"
"Your Majesty, it's almost done. We can support three hundred years of travel in the outer void. Our people have collected the vital energy and resources of this realm and the free-floating world, and have made ample strategic reserves."
"Any new developments over at the Underworld?"
"It is said that troops have already been dispatched and will arrive at this border in three years. We don't have much time left."
"Okay, from this moment on, dismantle the insect tower and build a fleet, and strive to complete it within six months."
"When will Your Majesty return?"
"I have traveled to the outer world and found the dark side of a broken world. I am currently fighting against the original species within it. I expect to force them to compromise in two years. At that time, you should hurry over."
The Zerg high-level meeting was openly and honestly presented to Lin Shan, an outsider, without any attempt at concealment.
He understood the gist of it.
It seems that the Voidlings have been hiding from an organization called the Underworld, and no one knows what its origins are, which causes them to migrate every once in a while.
Moreover, it sounds extremely serious, as if it involves the survival of the race and should be avoided at all costs!
The Voidlings' presence in this world is merely a temporary measure; they are just passing through sooner or later. Building insect towers to collect resources and organizing fleets to multiply and grow stronger is also to offset the losses incurred from wandering in the Void in the future.
The Queen Mother of the Void Nest travels to the outer heavens year-round, searching for her next place to settle down. Even the Void Realm experts in the lower realms are never free!
After the arrangements were made, the twelve elders left the meeting hall one by one, each busy with their own affairs. Only then did the Queen Mother turn around, and the Xu Li clan chief introduced Lin Shan.
"Mother, this is the young man I told you about last time."
The figure in the light and shadow couldn't be seen to have an expression, but one could guess that it was kind and friendly, responding with a smile.
"I know, your name is Lin Shan, right?"
Lin Shan bowed slightly.
"It is I. I am grateful to the Zerg for saving my life and killing the Ghostly Inspector of the Netherworld Holy Land, which saved my companions and me from disaster. I have returned here to repay this debt of gratitude."
"Hehe, thank you for your thoughtfulness. The Netherworld Holy Land is the outpost of the Ghost Realm in the mortal world, filled with scheming and cowardly creatures. I have long disliked them, so this was just a convenient matter! Now, my Void Insect Clan does indeed have something that requires the help of the humans in this world. It just so happens that the clan leader mentioned your matter to me, and thinking about it, asking you for help is the most convenient option."
"please say."
The Queen Mother of the Void Nest is straightforward and doesn't mince words. They helped Lin Shan establish good relations in the past, and now it's time to repay the favor and settle the score. There's nothing wrong with them making a request.
"I need the pursuers from the Underworld to arrive in this realm after my clan leaves. You can provide them with a guiding coordinate to help delay them for a while."
As she spoke, seemingly afraid that Lin Shan might misunderstand, she casually clarified a point.
"Don't worry, the Underworld is not targeting humans. You are not in any danger. Besides, I left 30% of my race as a sacrifice for that guiding coordinate, so it's not like I'm deceiving them."
"The underworld?"
Lin Shan heard this term for the first time and still doesn't know what it is.
The chieftain of the Xuli tribe beside him explained:
"This is an ancient organization from all the heavens and myriad worlds, specializing in reaping the lives of various races living in the void. Conflicts and battles are constantly taking place in the vast dark void, and races perish every moment in this world. It may seem distant to you natives protected by your original world, but it is a disaster for the void races."
This thing is not complicated to explain, but for people who don't have relevant background knowledge, it is indeed something that refreshes their understanding.
Because in the worldview of the lower realm of cultivation, it is nothing more than the troubles of this realm, while after ascension, it is a matter of the immortal realm.
From one cage to another.
But in the vast, boundless void outside, there lies an even greater dark jungle!
Countless void creatures live inside, their lives filled with bloodshed, brutality, slaughter, and annihilation. Compared to the outside world, the people living in this world live a relatively peaceful life.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a paradise!
The background of this matter is extremely ancient, and because it has little to do with Lin Shan, the other party only gave a brief explanation.
"The microcosm is a limitation, but also a safe haven."
"Just like you, as a native of this world, you grew up comfortably under the protection of the world, but now you are stuck in the late stage of the primordial spirit, so you can only try to ascend step by step."
"We void creatures have no cultivation restrictions and can become Void Realm Emperors like Mother, but we have always wandered in the dark void, living a precarious existence and drifting from place to place."
"This is because in ancient times, the human race, as the victor of all the heavens, established its dominant position in the Immortal Dao Era, thereby seizing the remaining influence of all the great and small worlds. Other races could only become marginal figures, struggling to survive in the cracks between the myriad worlds."
"We are also completely baffled by the origins of the Underworld, but some speculate that it was the main force that resisted the human race, or a testing ground for a powerful being in the Immortal Realm, or even a servant of faith during the Great Calamity of the Epoch. In short, it is extremely terrifying, and all races tremble with fear at the mere mention of it."
“We were targeted years ago and have been forced to move around to countless places. We don’t expect you to be of any help; just delay us.”
Lin Shan understood. The matter wasn't complicated, and the other party had repeatedly assured him that there was no danger to him. If he felt there was danger, he didn't have to do it; it wasn't mandatory. He could help within his own capabilities, and the other party had also laid many traps. After that, the Xu Li clan chief gave him a coordinate.
However, there's no rush. According to their calculations, the Underworld will arrive in three years.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lin Shan inquired about the Nether Candle Holy Land from them. He had never received any relevant information from other holy lands. The Nether Candle Holy Land was extremely well hidden. He had sent people to search this realm for so long but could not find its exact address. It seemed to have vanished into thin air after the spiritual tide ended. Only the Void Insect Clan knew a little about it.
He had almost been killed by the Ghost Realm Inspector back then, and the other party might have long forgotten that grudge, but he remembered it well.
"The Ghost Realm is a faction in the Nine Netherworlds, whose influence extends to all the heavens and myriad worlds, covering a wide range of aspects. In some ways, it is even stronger than the Underworld Hall. The Nether Candle Holy Land is just a pawn. You can cut off a few tentacles without any problem, but it is best not to provoke them."
The Queen Mother of the Void Nest is knowledgeable, has high cultivation, and has lived a long time. She has a deep understanding of the lower realm's void, but it is only limited to a certain aspect.
As the leader who single-handedly supported the Void Zerg, he often had too many constraints, so it was not recommended that Lin Shan take the initiative to contact the Nether Candle Holy Land.
"After death, one doesn't necessarily have to report to the underworld. If one is killed by the messengers of the ghost realm, one might end up in the Nine Netherworlds. I suspect they specialize in hunting geniuses to recruit soldiers in the Nine Netherworlds. Those small fry are just laborers who risk their lives. It's okay to kill them in self-defense; the victor is king, the loser is villain, and one must accept the consequences. But the Netherworld Holy Land should have a true Netherworld expert in charge."
The higher you go, the more you come into contact with the darkness of the lower realms; it's not as simple as it appears on the surface.
Chief Xu Li also advised Lin Shan not to be too careless. Although the late-stage Nascent Soul realm can dominate the lower realm, there are many things that cannot be discussed openly.
Losing reverence could mean losing your life!
Sometimes, once you reach a certain position, the more you know, the more you realize you don't know, and sometimes knowing more only adds to your troubles, making you feel constrained in your actions.
"Okay, I see."
Lin Shan spent half a day as a guest of the Void Zerg, but seeing that Chief Xu Li also had many things to do, he then took his leave.
As he departed, he witnessed firsthand the dismantling of the insect tower that stretched to the heavens, and fleets of ships gradually sailing into the vast void. He couldn't help but take a deep breath.
This visit reopened his worldview, deepening his impression of the cruelty of the void. It seemed to vaguely correspond to the Great Cataclysm of the Epoch. The Immortal Realm appeared peaceful and prosperous, but the mortal realm was actually turbulent.
Lin Shan wasn't that impulsive. He listened to advice and decided not to investigate the Youzhu Holy Land if he couldn't find out.
"The current goal is to prepare everything and ascend safely and smoothly."
Heading east, we arrived in the Song Dynasty.
After traversing the Yanyun Mountains, I made a special trip to Yichuan Market to reminisce about the route I had taken before leisurely arriving at the Peacock Clan in the Luosong Mountains.
Eighty years later, this place remains exactly the same.
The Peacock King was a great master, and the cultivation of the demon race was slow; it was normal for them to stagnate for hundreds of years.
"Nephew Lin, you've arrived."
"Uncle Kong, is Brother Chicken here?"
Not long after, Brother Chicken emerged from seclusion and appeared before Lin Shan, wriggling slightly. Upon seeing him, it flapped its wings and flew up, pecking at the hair near his ear – a unique way the two greeted each other.
"Wow~ You've been in seclusion for so many years, and you've actually reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm!"
"Hehe, aren't you also at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm?"
Lin Shan laughed and patted its wings. He saw a spotted puppy rushing over from his trouser leg, grabbing him and staring blankly at him, holding the broken bowl left by Master Pu between its paws.
It was the innate spiritual embryo that Brother Chicken hatched back then!
This dog was born in the Kun Sect of Nine Luminaries Peak in the Chu Kingdom. Later, it was hatched by Brother Chicken and taken away to be raised and cared for. Despite being taken care of for so long, it still shows no signs of growing up.
However, according to the standards of demon beasts, his cultivation level has reached the peak of the fourth rank, and he is just a little short of becoming a Nascent Soul Demon King. On the surface, he is still a tiny little guy.
“The innate spiritual embryo is extraordinary. Before it is fully awakened, it is no different from an ordinary demon beast. How to cultivate it can only be explored by trial and error, since there has never been a precedent before.”
The Peacock King took the little guy away, leaving the two of them some time to catch up.
Lin Shan didn't care about those things. Instead, he asked Brother Chicken how he had been all these years and whether the whereabouts of the Red Lotus Ancestor had been found. These were the things he really wanted to know.
"Lin Fan and I mobilized both the human and demon cultivation circles of the entire Song Kingdom, searching everywhere we could, but we found no trace of the Ancestor."
At this point, Brother Chicken couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"Even a junior like the Reed Demon King can't sense it. Ancestor, you probably really have to start all over again. You should know the long cycle that plant spirits go through before they gain intelligence. It often takes thousands or hundreds of years to get started and exert their power, and it can even take tens of thousands of years to recover to the Nascent Soul and Primordial Spirit stage."
This is indeed taking far too long.
They might not be able to wait even after countless years of ascension. Even if they grow up without awakening their memories, the Red Lotus Ancestor probably wouldn't remember them, let alone recognize them.
"Ugh"
Recalling the moments they shared with this elder, they were speechless with regret. They had done their best and left the rest to fate; this was all they could do.
Not long after, Lin Fan received the news and also came here.
"Brother, you've arrived so quickly! I thought you'd be in seclusion for at least a hundred years!"
Lin Shan glanced at him and saw that Lin Fan was also in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, so his speed was actually not slow.
Generally, cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage have a lifespan of nearly two thousand years. Many of them are stuck at the early Nascent Soul stage for life because they have exhausted the foundation they accumulated before reaching the seventh step of the Nascent Soul stage.
Each subsequent realm requires a long period of refinement. Many people sit in meditation for hundreds of years with little progress. To break through a realm in less than a hundred years is enough to be considered a genius in that realm!
"I still have some Earth Spirit Pills here, but they're pretty much useless now. You can have them all."
He gave away the many pills he had received from the Pure Lotus Hermit, and distributed the remaining Nascent Soul stage pills to his two good brothers, since keeping them would only lead to them gathering dust.
Neither of them stood on ceremony and accepted the gifts without hesitation.
"Brother, now that your cultivation has reached a bottleneck and you can no longer advance, shouldn't you prepare for ascension?"
"more or less."
Lin Shan didn't know when he would ascend, but he definitely needed to make thorough preparations. Ascension was the ultimate event, and he had to be extremely cautious!
Therefore, in addition to catching up with old friends, the purpose of this trip was also to borrow books and gather intelligence.
"Your Zixiao Sect has a lineage in the Upper Realm, so you must be quite knowledgeable about ascension. Do you have any experience or lessons from your predecessors?" (End of Chapter)