Chapter 632: Locust Plague

Yishan County.

This place is far from Fengwu Province.

Amid the great mountains, Fang Xing walked barefoot, draped in animal hides—no longer resembling Fang Yun's former appearance.

Fang Yun's identity was only useful within Fengwu Province.

Once crossing provincial borders, inspections grew stricter, making exposure inevitable.

Even if no flaws existed yet, time would only widen them.

After using the identity to study the customs and folkways of Zhou Shenchao's cities, wandering through brothels and pleasure quarters to learn about the enemies of the Goddess of Love, he discarded his documents entirely and resumed his Druid attire, walking among nature.

"The natural world of different regions truly has its own distinct scenery…"

"Though human culture is part of nature, I have not yet reached that height…"

The Druid's path of nature can embrace all things—but only if one is strong enough!

Strong enough to define them!

Otherwise, it's wiser to begin with plants and animals.

For something slightly more unusual, one might try the path of darkness and corruption.

But no matter the direction, fully embracing "human culture" within nature demands sufficient power.

Even Fang Xing's current level is somewhat insufficient.

"The Druid's heart of nature has had a great influence on me…"

Otherwise, I would have struggled to abandon my original plan of investigating brothels and enduring the open air and sleeping outdoors…

As Fang Xing pondered, he stepped out of a range of hills and saw a paved road.

On the road stood a group of people, ragged and yellow-skinned, emaciated—refugees!

"What's going on?"

Fang Xing moved swiftly, blocking their path, and asked casually.

Acting as one pleases, freely and naturally—that was his current principle.

Acting this way seemed closer to the heart of nature.

"Who are you?"

A man stepped forward to block Fang Xing.

Fang Xing glanced at his bony frame, then at the elderly, children, and women behind him, nodding silently.

"Me? Just a herder of nature."

Fang Xing replied: "Has disaster struck nearby?"

"Yes… a locust plague."

The man's expression darkened: "Don't go any further—if you enter the disaster zone, you'll weep. You won't find a single bite to eat…"

"So it's a locust plague."

Fang Xing nodded. The Druid's belief was balance—too much of anything was bad.

Since he had seen it, he would resolve it.

"But with so many of you, just one locust plague has left you helpless? What about your grain stores?"

Farmers wouldn't abandon their land unless driven to desperation—Fang Xing found this strange.

Given Zhou Shenchao's wealth, they shouldn't have been reduced to this by a single locust plague.

"Why do you ask these questions? Who are you really?"

The man's face held a trace of suspicion.

"I said—I'm a herder of nature."

Fang Xing paused, then tossed a seed.

A flash of green light settled upon the seed.

—Plant Growth!

In an instant, a massive breadfruit tree sprouted, bearing fruits the size of human heads.

Fang Xing plucked one, casually communed with the fire element, and roasted it: "Roasted breadfruit tastes like bread… well, you probably don't know what bread is—it's something like naan…"

The man's throat moved at the scent of food, but he didn't move.

After all, the scene looked utterly bizarre.

Yet behind him, a little girl with eyes green with hunger dashed forward, snatched a breadfruit, and began devouring it.

"Delicious…"

As crumbs flew everywhere, the man couldn't help but offer his water bag, fearing she'd choke to death.

Moments later.

The makeshift group halted, each holding a breadfruit, wolfing it down.

"Luckily your bodies are still strong—but don't eat too much. I'm afraid you'll choke or burst."

Fang Xing smiled.

"At least dying full is better than starving."

The man patted his belly, looking content.

At that moment, Fang Xing noticed several elders in the group carefully taking from their bundles small shrines and divine emblems—and placing the finest portions of food before them.

Seeing this, Fang Xing understood—no further questions were needed.

"I see. Your demeanor—surely you're a penitent of some church?"

The man chuckled bitterly: "Truth is, there's nothing to hide—our village had no grain left; all our savings went to temples and churches…"

Fang Xing nodded—he guessed.

Zhou Shenchao's pantheon had so many churches and clergy who produced nothing—they needed to be supported.

And they held real, absolute power.

Besides, it rarely even came to this point.

In this world, there truly were eighteen layers of hell, designed to terrify the faithless.

The ignorant masses, unwilling to eat themselves, offered their last morsels to the gods, fearing eternal torment in hell after death.

Even the enlightened dared not speak against it.

After all, believers claimed life was but one lifetime, while the suffering of hell and bliss of the divine realm lasted forever.

Fang Xing had nothing to say about this.

After parting with the refugee group, he advanced toward the disaster zone. The further he went, the fewer plants remained, the more desolate the land became.

"Locust plagues usually stem from droughts and floods—essentially, abnormal climate—they don't appear suddenly…"

"But all these refugees say only locusts struck. Was the disaster resolved? Or…"

Fang Xing's gaze grew dark.

If a deity tied to the Disaster Domain was involved, they'd likely exploit natural calamities to frighten followers into faith.

Does Zhou Shenchao's pantheon have such a being?

Buzzing!

After advancing several hundred li, Fang Xing saw swarms of insects like dark clouds.

Locusts themselves were insignificant—but in such numbers, they blanketed the sky, overwhelming and unstoppable.

Wherever they passed, the earth lay bare, as if newly wounded.

Not a single word, not a single line, not a single detail was out of place!

"My heart of nature is stirring…"

Fang Xing murmured.

At that moment, a swarm of locusts sensed his aura and surged toward him.

Among the countless locusts, threads of demonic energy lingered—clearly, supernatural-level demonic insects commanded them.

"In the name of nature!"

"I declare… you are enemies of nature!"

Fang Xing raised his staff.

Whoosh!

In an instant, a hundred li around was shrouded in dark clouds; heavy raindrops fell like beans.

—Call Wind, Summon Rain!

The raindrops carried an extreme chill.

Locusts froze instantly, dropped to the ground, and turned to corpses.

After rotting, they would become excellent fertilizer for the earth.

"Hm?"

The Druid's perception alerted Fang Xing to several demonic locusts attempting to flee.

The next instant—

Plop! Plop! Plop!

Icicles rained down, striking the demonic insects dead center.

The supernatural force within shattered their spiritual armor, pinning them firmly to the ground.

"When a species overpopulates, destroying most of its numbers is also protecting nature…"

"Too bad the definition of balance is too narrow… but this method works fastest."

Fang Xing walked forward calmly, harvesting materials from the dead demon insects, silently thanking nature's bounty.

……

A hundred li away.

"Hmm?"

A temple warrior clad in bright armor, wielding a longsword, was slaying demon insects when he suddenly glanced at the dark clouds nearby: "This rain is suspicious—someone is meddling!"

His name was Lu Zhong, a temple warrior serving the God of Redemption.

The God of Redemption was a traditional benevolent deity, fond of aiding the weak and rescuing those in peril.

All His temple warriors had sworn knightly oaths to forever uphold justice and acts of goodness.

Naturally, as a specialized divine class, temple warriors were far stronger than other professions and possessed many signature abilities.

For instance—Detect Evil!

But the definition of "evil" was, of course, determined by the God of Redemption.

Within this god's framework, anyone who defied Zhou Shenchao's laws, possessed transcendent power outside the Imperial Academy or temple system—especially ancient Daoist lineages—was deemed "evil," regardless of whether they had committed any evil acts.

As a high-tier temple warrior nearing the threshold of legendary status, Lu Zhong's sensitivity to evil was exceptionally acute.

He glanced at the swarming locusts before him and the piles of white bones, then turned away decisively.

Greater evil awaited his judgment than these locusts!

……

"Hmm?"

Fang Xing, who was summoning wind and rain to exterminate the locusts, suddenly sensed someone intruding upon his natural domain.

"That overflowing supernatural aura, and that repulsive scent—could it be a temple warrior?"

Fang Xing thought for a moment, then wiped his face.

His appearance shifted instantly into that of a pale-faced middle-aged scholar, a paper-house realm materializing in his hand.

To blend in within Zhou Shenchao, he'd naturally don the mask of a dark cultivator first.

If this temple warrior managed to strip away his dark cultivator disguise, he'd finally understand true despair.

Not long after, he spotted a suit of armor walking through the rain.

Multicolored spiritual light shimmered across the armor, causing raindrops to rebound automatically—it was a miraculous item impervious to water and fire.

From within the armor came the temple warrior's resolute voice as he raised his hand and cast a spell: "Detect Evil!"

A beam of spiritual light struck Fang Xing.

In an instant!

A dense, nearly black blood-red glow erupted around him.

"So it's true—evil-doer, perish!"

Seeing this, Lu Zhong's eyes turned blood-red; he swung his greatsword, and holy light descended.

—Supreme Holy Slash!

"Guess I should've checked the almanac today—ran into these rigid temple warriors…"

"By their god's definition of 'evil,' I truly am a man overflowing with sin…"

Fang Xing mentally grumbled as paper money suddenly rained from the sky.

Amidst the neighing of spectral steeds, an army of paper warriors burst forth from the paper-house realm in his hand.

(End of Chapter)