Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Three Sects United
Seeing Zhu Taiyuan’s face full of worry, Song Minghui comforted him, saying:
"We might as well first assess the scale of the locust plague. If it’s really troublesome, we can join forces with various families and sects to eradicate the plague. I’m sure they would be willing to help and won’t just stand by."
"That seems to be our only option."
Zhu Taiyuan nodded, not belittling Song Minghui despite her being a disciple from the Cyan Mountain Sect and not an elder.
Yuan Lang’s friendly attitude towards Lu Zhiwei, taking the initiative to greet her, also led Zhu Taiyuan to speculate that Yuan Lang and Lu Zhiwei shared a deep friendship.
Within the sect, with Xuu Qingshan, a Crystallization Stage cultivator to back him, Yuan Lang’s reputation and status were not low, comparable to Zhu Taiyuan’s.
Before Zhu Taiyuan could speak, Yuan Lang slowly opened his mouth.
"I’ve heard that there are a few Insect Kings at the Sixth and Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation within the swarm. I’m not worried about dealing with these Insect Kings; what’s most troublesome is the large scale and vast numbers of this swarm. With just us, I’m afraid we’ll be overwhelmed once the fight begins."
"Yes, I’ve been thinking about this too. To completely eradicate this locust plague, we’re bound to expend significant effort."
Lu Hongniang spoke.
After a few discussions, the people from the Heaven-Facing Sect also arrived.
Leading them was a Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation middle-aged female cultivator named Sun Jinxiu.
The Heaven-Facing Sect was actually the first to act against the locust plague, having already engaged it in Pingyuan County.
This time, they came in pursuit of the locust swarm.
The swarm had devoured hundreds of acres of fertile fields in Pingyuan County, and such actions had already angered the Heaven-Facing Sect.
The three groups met in Zhurong County, getting familiar with one another.
All three teams were led by Late-stage Qi Cultivators, without any Foundation Establishment cultivators being sent.
This sudden emergence of the locust swarm had put all parties on alert, worried that someone might be orchestrating things behind the scenes, prompting them to strengthen defenses at their bases and avoid sending high-tier combat power away lightly.
And since the Heaven-Facing Sect had already dealt with the swarm in Pingyuan County and understood its strength, there was no need to dispatch Foundation Establishment cultivators, as Late-stage Qi Cultivators were enough to handle it.
The only problem was that the swarm was too numerous and too difficult to eradicate.
By the next morning, everyone encountered the first wave of locusts.
This wave came from Pingyuan County, rushing through forests, lakes, and heading straight for Zhurong County.
From a distance, everyone frowned.
This swarm was so vast that it resembled a massive black mountain, casting a broad shadow.
With the sunlight blocked out, it was pitch black beneath the locusts, with hands invisible in the darkness.
As they moved at high speed, a buzzing sound filled the air, akin to thousands of flies swarming around the ears.
"The number of locusts is just too overwhelming; there must be over a hundred thousand."
Seeing the locusts swarm across the land and rush toward Zhurong County, Song Minghui’s face changed, sensing the difficulty.
With the locusts approaching, cultivators used their eye power to see their true form.
Each locust was enormously large, reaching the size of poultry, nothing like the small insects of ordinary locusts.
Among them, some were even half-human-sized, comparable to the size of the Insect King Mantis that once appeared in the Cyan Mountain Sect’s Spirit Field.
Their sizable appearance and vast numbers, resembling a swarm of missiles, made their jaws incredibly formidable.
Their mouths were highly flexible and sharp, easily biting through cattle hides, with unusually fierce instincts, omnivorous and quite bloodthirsty.
Lu Zhiwei witnessed a wild boar startled from the forest, only to be swiftly engulfed by the swarm upon appearing in their path.
Thousands upon thousands of locusts opened their mouths and consumed the boar clean in an instant, not even leaving the bones behind.
If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, it would be unimaginable that a wild boar could fall prey to these locusts.
Imagine if this swarm entered Zhurong County and spread to densely populated areas, what would happen?
Unthinkable!
If even a wild boar had no chance of resistance, what about ordinary people, the elderly, women, and children?
"This locust swarm is fierce and bloodthirsty, extremely barbaric. Wherever they pass, nothing is left; flowers, trees, poultry, and beasts—all become their food in a frenzy clean sweep."
Sun Jinxiu spoke, understanding why the swarm hadn’t been completely wiped out in Pingyuan County. Even a single wave of this swarm posed a significant challenge for her.
If the remaining swarms also converged now, how could Zhurong County be defended?
"No more waiting; strike immediately before the swarm enters Zhurong County’s borders to annihilate them as much as possible!"
Zhu Taiyuan said, having already deployed magical artifacts and led his disciples into action.
Zhurong County is a protected town of the Shenxiao Palace, where most of the mortals are the kinsfolk of the Shenxiao Palace’s disciples.
If Zhurong County were to fall, devoured by locusts, it would destroy the foundation of the Shenxiao Palace.
"Zhu Daoist is right, we must act quickly,"
Sun Jinxiu agreed, immediately rallying her disciples: "Do not delay any longer!"
"Alright."
Lu Zhiwei, not one for words, merely nodded.
Accompanied by Song Minghui, Lin Han, and others, Lu Zhiwei led the charge, using the Wind Manipulation Technique to head towards the locust swarm.
The three forces, numbering over a hundred, formed a fan-shaped formation and advanced toward the swarm.
Lu Zhiwei was the first to act, wielding the Zhaoyun Sword to strike at the swarm, cleaving the foremost locust with one blow.
Once slashed, the locust’s corpse hadn’t even hit the ground before being fought over and consumed by the ensuing locusts, immediately devoured.
These locusts would cannibalize their dead companions, leaving no flesh to waste.
Everyone took action, each demonstrating their divine techniques.
Strong figures like Lu Zhiwei, Zhu Taiyuan, and Sun Jinxiu wielded flying swords, magical artifacts, and treasure disks to slay numerous locusts in one move.
A large number of locust corpses fell like raindrops, with some being devoured by other locusts while most thudded heavily to the ground, creating a crackling sound.
Other disciples such as Zhang Nianchuan used flying swords to slash the locusts, but even more unleashed the Fireball Technique, Blast Technique, Fire Talisman, and other frenzied attacks.
In an instant, the swarm’s numbers dramatically decreased, with nearly ten thousand locusts wiped out.
The locust bodies piled on the ground, forming small mountains, lying scattered and looking quite menacing.
Even though everyone achieved remarkable feats, slaughtering such a significant number of locusts,
the swarm was still overwhelmingly vast, numbering over a hundred thousand. The endless buzzing of wings fluttering like a sandstorm made onlookers want to retreat.
Just as the forefront locusts were cleared away, more swarmed forward undaunted, charging toward Zhurong County without fear or pause, as if inexhaustible and tireless.
Despite everyone’s numerous achievements, annihilating a massive number of locusts with each strike,
the sight of the swarm’s dark cloud continuously encroaching meant that in the midst of resistance, they could only dodge and retreat, unable to halt the swarm’s advance.
Straying even slightly and getting swept up by the swarm into the dark cloud could mean serious trouble, with no certainty of survival.