Chapter 464: What a Mess
This little creature had saved him from danger countless times.
A vague sense of dread had always lingered in his heart, warning him not to let it eat too many items that contained a lot of spiritual energy. Yet, no matter what, this little foodie remained his most dependable trump card in times of trouble.
Just moments before his escape, Chu Liang had snatched up the little golden butterfly that had gnawed its way through the barrier, ensuring it wouldn't be left behind in Southern Bastion Mountain. But in the span of a heartbeat, when he took it out again, the tiny creature was already wrapped in a golden cocoon.
It had become a golden cocoon, roughly the size of a fist.
This wasn't the first time it had wrapped itself in a cocoon. Every time it emerged from a cocoon, it transformed into something new. What might it become next?
As Jiang Yuebai previously mentioned, the Heaven-Devouring Bug's power increased with every transformation, with each transformation equating to an increase of one realm. By the seventh realm, it would be exceptionally hard to control, and at the ninth realm, it would be like the legendary Demon God.
It started out as a little maggot, evolving into a silkworm and then into a radiant golden butterfly... Should it undergo another change, it would likely reach the fourth realm of the Heaven-Devouring Bug.
The most terrifying trait of this creature was that it could devour endlessly, advancing without understanding the Great Dao. All it had to do was eat.
While the amount of spiritual energy needed to advance to the next realm would increase, it would eventually reach that realm through slow, steady consumption.
It was still quite dangerous.However, this little creature had saved him countless times and had never displayed any signs of defiance. Chu Liang couldn't bear to kill it just like that. Had it not been there, he would have met his doom on numerous occasions.
After much contemplation, he decided to wait and see.
He would wait until the little golden butterfly completed its transformation, observe what it became, and then determine its fate. For now, with the White Pagoda in his possession, he could still keep it under control.
Having placed the golden cocoon inside the White Pagoda, he finally looked up to look around, ready to make his way back to Mount Shu.
He seemed to be deep within a dense forest, tucked away in a valley and nestled against the mountainside. The Southern Regions were rugged and mountainous, with terrain like this all around, making it hard to pinpoint his exact location.
Just as he was about to step out, he heard the cheerful sound of laughter coming from outside, as if men and women were frolicking nearby.
With a swift extension of his divine sense, Chu Liang investigated, but what he found made him hesitant to step outside.
…
It turned out that a man and a woman were locked in an embrace outside. The man wore a snug purple outfit and looked to be middle-aged, while the woman, slightly younger, had a seductive figure and fair skin. They had engaged in playful banter all the way here, which resulted in their clothing being disheveled.
He decided to keep himself hidden for now, planning to wait until they were gone before stepping out.
While they were cultivators, their auras indicated they had only reached the third realm. Additionally, it was clear they had practiced various cultivation methods. Compared to Chu Liang's current strength, they were much weaker, which meant they naturally wouldn't be able to detect him.
To his surprise, the two suddenly stopped moving forward. Chu Liang could hear their breaths growing heavier.
"You're so naughty," the woman said coquettishly. "Out here in the wilderness, what do you intend to do?"
"With the sky as our blanket and the earth as our bed, wouldn't we be enjoying the same pleasures that the ancients did, embracing nature?" the man laughed heartily.
I really don't recommend doing that… Chu Liang silently frowned.
Great… Even after being teleported to a random location, I've stumbled upon this thrilling scene. Unbelievable.
"Don't mess around; I'm already pregnant," the woman said softly.
"Huh?" The man looked taken aback.
"Relax, it's not yours," she replied with a snort.
"Well..." His surprise quickly turned into laughter. "I was just shocked! If it were mine, I'd be thrilled! After all, the child would be the future leader of our Red River Sect."
"Haaa, don't even mention it," the woman sighed as she replied, a hint of resentment in her voice. "This child has really put me in a difficult situation."
"How so?" the man asked gently.
"Old Zhao did the math and realized the timing doesn't add up. He seems to suspect I had an affair with Elder Chen, and he's been questioning him for days," the woman said, feeling wronged. "But the child is clearly Elder Bai's!"
Chu Liang: "?"
After listening to just a few sentences, he could hardly wrap his head around what he was hearing.
As for the Red River Sect, he did have some impression of it.
This small sect was not well-known and had connections to both righteous and the diabolical sects.
Various sects that were neither strictly righteous nor evil, such as the Red River Sect, were scattered across the Southern Regions, and the reason why Chu Liang knew of this particular one was because this sect guarded an area known as the Myriad Poison Mountain.
The mountain was home to numerous poisonous creatures, making it a place ordinary people dared not venture near. More than a dozen sects of various sizes surrounded it, carefully monitoring for any potential escape of these dangerous, venomous creatures beyond the mountain's edge.
To reward their efforts in protecting the Myriad Poison Mountain, the Imperial Supervisory Bureau provided these sects with resources and subsidies. In addition, the sects made substantial profits by capturing and selling poisonous creatures.
The most famous of these sects was the Valley of the Three Absolutes.
It was only because of his connection to Luo Yao that Chu Liang became somewhat familiar with the sects near the Myriad Poison Mountain.
"I really envy how lucky Old Bai is," the man said with a chuckle.
"Quit the sarcasm," the woman chided. "Would you actually wish for this kind of 'luck'?"
"Heh," the man laughed awkwardly.
Before he could say anything else, a loud roar echoed from the distance. "You shameless woman! You actually have other men besides me and the sect leader?!"
This time, the voice sounded old and weathered.
Chu Liang had no intention of spying, but his curiosity got the better of him, so he extended his divine sense to take a peek.
He saw an elderly man with white hair and a long beard in a flowing robe, chasing after them and hurling insults like "adulterous couple" and "shamelessness."
"Elder Bai!" The man from before was startled and quickly protested, "It's not what you think..."
"I saw it with my own eyes, so what else could it be?" Elder Bai retorted angrily. "You dare say that this is not adultery?"
"No... wait?" The man was about to argue but suddenly paused. "Aren't you in the same situation as me? Why are you scolding me?"
He was panicking, but as he thought it through, everything clicked.
Even if we're both having an affair... How does it make sense for you, an adulterer, to accuse another adulterer? Does being involved with the same woman automatically turn us into enemies?
"Uh..." Elder Bai was taken aback.
He felt his chest swell with anger but struggled to find the words to argue back.
After a pause, he shouted, "You two have conspired in adultery! I'll take it upon myself to clean up the sect for the sect leader!"
Excellent. Finally, the old man realized he shouldn't confess to being involved, Chu Liang remarked inwardly.
In the next moment, the sharp clashing of metal echoed as both sides drew their weapons.
However, since their cultivation levels were both at the third realm, the fight was far from spectacular. Elder Bai was slightly stronger, pushing the man in purple back after just a few exchanges.
The woman felt she could no longer stand idly by and watch, so she joined the fight. With two against one, Elder Bai soon found himself on the losing end.
With a loud shout, he hurled something, gritting his teeth as he yelled, "Die!"
"Ah!" the man in purple cried, "A Scarlet Demon Spider! You dared to bring poisonous creatures out of the Demon Spider Forest! The sect leader will not forgive you if he finds out!"
"I'll kill you both today and claim my reward. Why would the sect leader blame me?" Elder Bai retorted.
"Old Bai! The child I'm carrying is yours!" the woman cried out, her voice filled with despair.
"What?" Elder Bai's voice trembled, and the flow of his foundational qi halted abruptly.
But almost immediately, he cried out in pain, "Ah! You wicked woman, you dared to attack me with the Five Poison Sword! You..."
"The child is yours, yes, but you just tried to kill me. Do you expect me to show you mercy?" the woman replied coldly.
"Even if I die, I'll take you both down with me!" Elder Bai roared furiously.
"Run!" the man in purple's voice echoed from several hundred zhang away. "He took a Fiery Heart Pill! He plans to drag us down with him before he dies!"
"Trying to escape?!"
A whooshing sound followed, and the group seemed to chase one another, vanishing from sight in an instant.
…
After waiting for a while and confirming that they wouldn't return, Chu Liang finally stepped out.
It wasn't that he was afraid of these third-realm cultivators; it was mainly too awkward. If he ran into them, what would he even say? May this family of yours soon be blessed with a noble child. Harmony brings wealth?
In just a few moments, it felt like he had watched a drama unfold over dozens of episodes.
All the words that could describe what he had just seen could be summed up in a single sentence: What a mess!
Chu Liang stepped out and was about to leave when he suddenly sensed a faint demonic aura on the ground.
Looking around, he spotted palm-sized red spiders with black markings scuttling quickly through the fallen leaves. They appeared fierce and terrifying.
There were about four or five of them.
As they sensed the presence of a living person, they moved toward him. However, when they got closer and detected his powerful aura, they hesitated and stopped.
These were likely the "Scarlet Demon Spiders" the man had mentioned earlier. In their frantic chase and escape, they had left these creatures behind.
They really have no sense of responsibility, Chu Liang thought.
Although Chu Liang didn't know much about these creatures, he knew these were dangerous and venomous creatures from the Myriad Poison Mountain. And so, he decided to eliminate them to ensure the safety of others.
He didn't even reach for his sword; instead, he raised a finger and made a gentle pointing motion.
Puff!
A burst of Geng Metal Sword Qi shot out from his fingertip, instantly obliterating several of the Scarlet Demon Spiders.
Even if these Scarlet Demon Spiders had cultivated a bit, they were merely second-realm creatures. Their venom was their greatest threat, but they were no match for Chu Liang.
However, when their bodies burst open, black blood oozed into the soil, instantly turning a patch of earth black. The leaves in the vicinity immediately withered and corroded, leaving only hollow spots.
It was clear that their venom was highly potent.
Since no one else was around, Chu Liang casually refined their imprints. As his divine sense entered the White Pagoda, a red glow shimmered, and a slender strand of light emerged.
[Scarlet Venom Silk: Silk infused with Scarlet Demon Venom. Upon contact with human skin, they emit toxins that cause paralysis and loss of consciousness. The venom is so strong that it can't be blocked by clothing.]
GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts
Translator: GT