Chapter 102: Shell Insect and Xue Chiluo

Su Huchen’s face fell instantly. “Old Bao, what do you suggest?”

“What if we give it a bit more insect crystal?” Bao Junyi scratched his head.

“How much insect crystal should we give it?” Su Huchen asked again.

“Give it twenty pieces, each about the size of an egg?” Bao Junyi thought to himself—that’s already a lot; if he gave more, he couldn’t afford it.

“Alright, let’s go talk to it.” Su Huchen’s face lit up at once—larger insect crystals were far more valuable.

Old Bao had really bled for this one.

…

Su Hanlin finished reporting the important matter and hurried back.

Just then, Xue Chiluo had finished eating the biscuit.

Su Hanlin handed it another small piece of insect crystal to chew like a biscuit. “What do you usually do at home, Xue Chiluo?”

“I take care of my younger siblings. I hunt insects and help my Zu Zu clear the underground spiritual energy channels so the spirit fields grow richer. I’m very capable—every spirit plant in my backyard is tended by me.” Xue Chiluo said proudly, all while continuing to crunch the insect crystal.

Zu Zu?

Su Hanlin, connecting the context, assumed instinctively that “Zu Zu” meant “master’s master”—this “master-master” was likely its affectionate term for its owner.

“You’re really capable, Xue Chiluo. Does your master-master treat you well?” From Xue Chiluo’s tone, it was clearly proud.

Su Hanlin immediately began praising Xue Chiluo’s abilities.

Hearing this human also commend its capability, Xue Chiluo’s impression of him improved further.

“Of course it does. Without my Zu Zu, where would I even come from?” Xue Chiluo said.

Su Hanlin thought—it was true. Without a Wu, how could Xue Chiluo have hatched?

“Besides, my Zu Zu can’t do without me now. Who else would look after so many younger siblings?” Xue Chiluo said boastfully.

“Now that you say it, I agree—your master-master truly can’t do without you.” Su Hanlin said.

“Of course.”

Su Hanlin asked again: “So, for this excavation of the insect nest, how much food do you want?”

“At least a pile of these little stones?” Xue Chiluo said.

“Alright, twenty pieces of insect crystal, each the size of an egg. Perfectly a pile—how’s that?” Just then, Bao Junyi and Su Huchen walked in.

As soon as Bao Junyi arrived, Xue Chiluo fidgeted uneasily.

But it didn’t flee at once from this Purple Mansion cultivator—Bao Junyi was inwardly quite satisfied.

This Xue Chiluo, which had eaten the mother insect, had grown to a full foot tall—and could even speak.

It truly startled him.

“Egg? You’re sure you’re giving me stones the size of eggs?” Xue Chiluo asked again. It had seen eggs before—its home kept a clutch of spirit chickens. Two hens laid an egg every one or two days.

“We won’t lie to you,” Bao Junyi said.

“Alright then, I agree to lead you there.” Xue Chiluo nodded in agreement.

“Do we need to move you out of the pot and onto the ground? How will you guide us?” Su Huchen asked.

“Have him carry my pot. I’ll point the way. We head that direction.” The speaking Xue Chiluo thought: It’s just guiding a path—what else do you expect me to do?

Tunnel through earth? Can you even keep up?

Xue Chiluo waved one of its branches, clearly indicating the direction.

That was toward Beicheng—the exact diagonal opposite of Chengdong.

Now that the direction was known, the three of them hurried swiftly toward Beicheng with Xue Chiluo.

“It’s noticed me. It’s furious.”

They hadn’t even entered Beicheng yet.

Xue Chiluo shouted it out loud.

“Don’t be afraid—the Neijian Office’s experts are already in position,” Bao Junyi immediately soothed the little Xue Chiluo. Along the way, they hadn’t moved too fast; Bao Junyi had urgently contacted many city experts.

Some had already arrived; others were on their way to Beicheng.

“It’s about to burst out,” Xue Chiluo suddenly shouted.

Before its words had even faded, the Qian Li Lake—the only lake within the city, nearly thirty mu in area—suddenly trembled.

In an instant, the lake’s water level dropped over a foot.

“Is that thing beneath the lake?” Bao Junyi’s face darkened instantly, pressing urgently.

“Yes, right beneath the lake. It’s coming out, it’s coming out!” Xue Chiluo said, frantic and rapid.

Bao Junyi immediately ordered his subordinates to evacuate all ordinary people and low-cultivation cultivators around Qian Li Lake.

“Why can the insect nest still move?” Su Huchen said, his face grim. “Could it be a Starfall Insect Nest?”

Before he’d even finished speaking, another massive tremor erupted beneath Qian Li Lake—BOOM! BOOM BOOM!

This time, the lake’s water level dropped over a full meter.

Something at the lake’s center seemed to be rising from beneath the water.

Qian Li Lake was shallow, only three or four meters deep. The thing beneath had pushed up a massive mound of earth in the center—now only half a foot from breaking the surface.

“Can you see how large it is?” Bao Junyi said darkly. “It’s six mu in size. This insect nest grew this big? Former City Inspector Ma Jue truly deserves to die.”

Sssss!

A deafening insect cry erupted from underground. Then a massive black-shelled insect burst forth.

As it broke through the earth, the entire lake water surged wildly into the hole it had torn open.

Within moments, Qian Li Lake was completely drained.

Before their eyes stood a colossal insect—twenty to thirty meters tall, its black carapace covering at least six mu of surface area.

Nearby ordinary people and low-cultivation cultivators were terrified.

This insect was simply too huge.

Under the Neijian Office’s organization, they began fleeing in panic.

If they didn’t run now, they might never get another chance.

The giant insect’s cold eyes paid no attention to the fleeing humans. Its gaze locked directly onto Xue Chiluo.

Then it emitted a strange insect cry.

“It says it’s going to eat me,” Xue Chiluo said with unusual excitement. “Bro, hurry up and take me away! Let’s get far off and watch how it tries to eat me.”

Xue Chiluo had noticed many powerful humans gathering nearby, forming an invisible encirclement—they clearly intended to hunt this insect. Good! Now it wasn’t afraid.

Su Hanlin burst out laughing. “I thought you wanted me to carry you up and give you a chance to eat that big insect.”

Instead, it was asking him to run away with it!

“That’s a Shell Insect—a terrifying war weapon and hatching base evolved by the Starfall Insect Clan,” Bao Junyi said grimly, feeling his face burn with shame.

He’d been here over two years and never imagined such a monstrous enemy lurked beneath his own feet.