Chapter 80

At dinner, Su Hua suddenly said to Su Jin: “Auntie, there’s a pest infestation in Xicheng. They say it’s terrible—within just two or three days, many households’ backyard spiritual plants have been destroyed.

Some families lost a third of their plants in half a day—massive losses. Shouldn’t we adjust our protective array?

The current array is designed to save spirit stones, so it doesn’t block wind or rain, and small insects can still fly through.

We’re growing the Academy’s assigned spiritual plants in our backyard. If those get eaten, we’re finished.”

After all, this house belongs to Uncle Grandpa, so Hua spoke directly to Su Jin.

“No need to change the protective array, Xiao Hua—haven’t you forgotten we have Xue Chi Luo?”

“No matter what bugs come, they’re just bringing us food,” Su Jin explained.

Su Hua instantly relaxed. Of course—Xue Chi Luo was stationed in their backyard.

Ever since that little thing appeared, she hadn’t bothered catching bugs again!

“We have Xue Chi Luo, so no need to worry about pests,” Su Jian added. What joke—our Xue Chi Luo eats even the small monsters outside the city. Why fear a pest outbreak?

In the following days, Nancheng and Beicheng also began suffering pest infestations.

Only Dongcheng remained untouched.

Su Jin waited several days—yet no bugs came to her doorstep?

What was going on?

Not just her—even the heads of every major family in Xiancheng were growing restless.

Why wasn’t Dongcheng affected?

Was there some treasure hidden in Dongcheng?

Especially the great clans and organizations residing in Dongcheng began secretly investigating.

As soon as they started their covert checks, they noticed something strange.

The insects causing the outbreak were a mutated black locust, extremely small—no bigger than a soybean. They ate anything they encountered.

In Xicheng, Nancheng, and Beicheng, no pesticide could kill them all.

Kill a batch today, and in two or three days, another swarm arrived.

And these new swarms had stronger pesticide resistance—spraying barely killed any.

So manual extermination was more efficient.

But no one could stand guard in their backyard every day! And these black locusts reproduced too fast. At first, they still feared humans—if people chased them, they fled.

But within five or six days, as their numbers swelled, they no longer feared people at all.

Some even dared to fly at people and bite them.

Their behavior immediately drew the attention of the Police Inspector’s Office.

Xiancheng issued an order: all families and major factions must assist in the citywide extermination of black locusts.

Su Clan Academy.

The Su clan had lived for generations in Dongcheng, so they had suffered no pest damage yet.

But no damage didn’t mean no one cared.

Since the outbreak began, everyone followed its progress daily.

The key issue was the infestation grew worse each day.

Yet neither Xicheng, Nancheng, nor Beicheng had found any powerful or effective method to exterminate them.

This caused pests to multiply, more households to suffer, and losses to mount. Rumor had it that some infants under a year old, left alone while their parents were away, were bitten to death.

One morning, Liu Shi arrived ten minutes late for class.

This had never happened before.

As students speculated why Liu Shi was late, he stepped onto the podium and announced: “Starting today, your afternoon cultivation sessions are replaced with pest extermination drills. The Academy will provide tools. Each of you may choose three pieces of equipment.”

“Form groups of three, with a team leader responsible for leading extermination.”

“I’ll provide backup—if any team encounters danger, call me immediately.”

Upon hearing this, many students groaned.

Damn it—no more cultivation sessions, how would they use the spirit array to break through quickly?

Su Yunhu, Su Linyuan, and others’ breakthroughs to Qi Refining Second Layer would be delayed.

But since Liu Shi had spoken, the Academy’s schedule wouldn’t change.

“Though you’ve lost afternoon cultivation, you may bring your spirit arrays home to practice. Now, class begins.”

With no afternoon cultivation, students rushed to train after morning class ended.

Even with little time, they still squeezed in some practice before lunch.

Previously, this time had been spent relaxing and chatting.

Even after returning to the Third Classroom, Su Jin and the others didn’t practice or rehearse any techniques.

They all activated spirit arrays to cultivate.

If lunch was slightly delayed, they could still complete half their daily cultivation progress.

Su Jin’s cultivation speed could increase further.

She was Qi Refining Second Layer, Soul Refining Second Layer, and Body Refining First Layer.

Her triple-cultivation pace was faster than others’.

After completing seventy percent of her daily cultivation task, Su Jin joined the others for lunch.

Then Liu Shi gathered everyone to select pest extermination tools.

In the First Classroom.

Liu Shi had brought many items: bug nets, lightning paddles, fire gourds, and more.

Students selected equipment based on academic ranking. Naturally, Su Wuji went first.

Su Wuji chose the fire gourd and two other tools.

Then Su Cheng, then Su Jin.

Su Jin didn’t pick the powerful fire gourd—she chose the bug net, lightning paddle, and insect-repelling powder.

Then the other students selected theirs.

Once everyone had chosen, Liu Shi organized them into teams.

Su Wuji, Su Cheng, and Su Jin were placed together. After grouping, Liu Shi led them to a street near Dongcheng to exterminate the rampant pests.

On this street, black locusts swarmed the air, dark and dense, nearly filling the entire road.

At Liu Shi’s signal, the young students split into small groups and charged in.

Su Jin sprinkled insect-repelling powder on herself, then raised her lightning paddle and swept it horizontally through the flying swarms.

PAPAPAPA!!

A series of crackling thunder sounds erupted—countless black locusts struck by the paddle were instantly killed or stunned, falling to the ground.

Su Jin used her soul threads to swiftly collect them into a small jar hanging at her waist.

Since the bugs wouldn’t come to her doorstep for a meal, she’d catch more and bring them back to feed Xue Chi Luo.

Su Jin continued swatting—PAPAPAPA!

Then quickly gathered the dead or severely wounded bugs into her jar.

Soon, she filled one jar.

At this point, with so many students working together, the pest density began to thin.

But the enraged insects now began biting people.