Wu Yuan watched as the Queen Bee clutched the wisp of Lunar Essence, absorbing it with ravenous delight. He nodded in satisfaction.

“A newly Awakened Queen is truly the easiest to train. A single strand of Lunar Essence, and she’s completely subdued.”

“Serve me well,” he murmured, his voice low and commanding. “And I will not mistreat you.”

With the loyalty of the matriarch secured, Wu Yuan reached into the hive and extracted a chunk of honeycomb. The substance was crystal clear, glowing with the warm, golden hue of ancient amber.

Instantly, a rich, floral aroma exploded in the confined space.

Wu Yuan inhaled deeply, the scent alone sending a jolt of vitality through his meridians. The air grew thick with sweet, intoxicating Spiritual Qi.

“This Spirit Bee Honey is extraordinary,” Wu Yuan praised, his eyes gleaming. “Just the fragrance proves it is a rare treasure. If I consumed this, the Spiritual Qi contained within would save me days of bitter cultivation.”

He carefully stored the honey away, treating it with the reverence due a high-grade pill.

Gently detaching the hive, Wu Yuan’s mind turned to the broader situation. “Little Green Mountain has been drenched in the Emperor’s Sap. Who knows how many spirit insects have been born in the wild? I must seize this Fated Chance. Every spirit insect I subdue strengthens my army.”

Motivation surged through him. He turned towards the tunnel entrance.

“I wonder what Bibo and Big Old Black have found. Hopefully, they haven’t returned empty-handed.”

As if summoned by his thoughts, Big Old Black came tearing into the mine tunnel. He held a struggling black beetle in his claws, shouting as he ran.

“Boss! Boss, look! I caught a spirit insect! Check it out, this thing is fierce!”

Wu Yuan glanced at the black beetle. His experienced eyes instantly assessed its value: minimal. The carapace could be used for low-level artifact refining, but it possessed little combat potential. It wasn’t worth the spiritual energy to form a contract.

“Keep it,” Wu Yuan instructed calmly. “Raise it in a separate pit. See if you can find a mate for it and breed a swarm. Quantity might make up for quality later.”

“Mission accomplished, Boss!” Big Old Black beamed, puffing out his chest. “Don’t you worry. I’ll feed it until it’s fat and strong. I’ll make it birth many offspring!”

He tucked the beetle away, then leaned in with a conspiratorial smirk. “By the way, that old geezer Bibo has been out all day and hasn’t caught a thing! I’m still the best, right, Boss?”

Wu Yuan internally rolled his eyes. The rat was petty, constantly badmouthing Bibo to curry favor. However, Wu Yuan didn’t intervene. A little internal rivalry kept his subordinates sharp. Competition breeds motivation; perhaps it would push them to unlock more of their Potential.

Just then, Bibo strolled in, his gait slow and deliberate. He offered a jade slip to Wu Yuan with both paws.

“Great King,” Bibo said, his voice smooth and professional. “This is a map of the spirit insect distribution I have scouted. There are several large clusters that require immediate attention.”

He paused, his expression serious. “Specifically, the Fire Ant colony. They have already established a significant presence. If we delay, they will become a plague. Their aggression is high, and if they expand, they will threaten our territory.”

Wu Yuan took the jade slip and injected his Qi to scan the contents.

The map detailed several threats. There was a colony of Spirit Silkworms gathering on a massive mulberry tree—likely a mutated plant—but they were passive.

The Fire Ants were the priority.

[Green Intelligence: The Fire Ant colony may produce Ant Crystals. Usage: Artifact Refining or enhancing resistance to Fire Poison.]

“Fire Ants…” Wu Yuan mused. “If their scale grows too large, Little Green Mountain will become a dead zone for us.”

His eyes lit up at the mention of the loot. “But Ant Crystals are excellent resources. Absorbing them could refine my body and boost my fire resistance. This is a profitable hazard.”

Wu Yuan closed the jade slip, his brow furrowing in calculation.

A short while later, Wu Yuan stood on a ridge, gazing down at a clearing.

In the center stood a massive mound of earth, easily the height of a grown man. It was a fortress of dirt and saliva.

Countless Fire Ants moved in and out of the tunnels like disciplined soldiers. Their mandibles clamped tight around the corpses of insects, small animals, and even the scattered remains of minor spirits. They moved with terrifying efficiency.

Bibo, standing beside Wu Yuan, stroked his grayish-white whiskers.

“Great King,” Bibo suggested respectfully. “In my opinion, we should summon the main rat swarm. We can use sheer numbers to dig open the nest. Once the interior is exposed, I will enter and capture the Ant King and Queen. It will be a simple matter.”

Hearing Bibo take the lead, Big Old Black panicked. His round eyes bulged, and jealousy flared in his chest.

“Boss! Let me do it!” Big Old Black shouted, shoving his way forward. “Why summon the swarm? That would waste valuable mining time! I… I recently Awakened the [Gray Demon Rat] bloodline by a Fated Chance! I even learned a new spell! This is the perfect time to show you my power!”

Bibo blinked, startled. Then, the corner of his mouth twitched upward in a barely perceptible smirk.

“Great King,” Bibo said smoothly. “Since Big Old Black is so enthusiastic, perhaps we should grant him this honor. I yield the stage to him.”

Big Old Black froze. His bravado vanished instantly, replaced by a look of colorful horror.

“Huh?” he stammered.

Wu Yuan looked at the large rat. He was actually curious about this new bloodline ability.

“Approved,” Wu Yuan nodded. “Go ahead. Show me exactly what makes your new spell superior to the average rat.”

Big Old Black’s face crumpled. He forced a smile that looked uglier than a grimace of pain.

“Then… then I’ll go!”

He turned slowly toward the imposing ant nest. His eyes narrowed, filling with a gritted-teeth hatred—not for the ants, but for the situation he had talked himself into. He looked at the nest as if it were his mortal enemy.

“RAAAHH!”

Big Old Black dug his four claws into the earth.

A crimson mist of Blood Qi began to rise from his fur. As the Qi circulated, his body began to swell. Muscles knotted and bulged, bones cracking and lengthening. In the blink of an eye, he doubled in size.

His originally burly frame now looked monstrous, rippling with veins. He crouched low, resembling a ferocious war-hound, exuding a savage, violent aura.

He didn’t bother with probing attacks.

Boom!

Like an arrow released from a taut bowstring, Big Old Black shot forward.

He crossed the distance in a few breaths and slammed headfirst into the ant mound. The impact was devastating. The hardened earth shattered, sending dirt and debris flying.

Without pausing, Big Old Black began to dig frantically, tearing straight down into the heart of the colony.

Instantly, the nest erupted.

A red tide of Fire Ants swarmed over him. Within seconds, he looked less like a rat and more like a giant, writhing ball of insects.

Sizzling sounds filled the air as thousands of ants sprayed formic acid onto his fur. The acid burned away his hair, leaving his skin exposed to their mandibles. They gnawed viciously at his flesh.

But the [Gray Demon Rat] transformation had turned his muscles as hard as ironwood.

Most of the ants couldn’t even pierce his hide. The acid sizzled harmlessly against his toughened skin. Only the elite soldier ants, possessing cultivation of their own, managed to tear small wounds into him.

Yet, even as blood welled up, the crimson Qi swirling around Big Old Black surged to the injury. The flesh knitted together visible speed.