Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 70

Over the past month, most of the ones who lost at the Alchemy Gathering left, along with their relatives and friends . Losing was losing, but wouldn't seeing the gains of the winners made them feel even more downcast? Thus, the packed Ancient Immortal Valley was slightly less crowded . But even so, there were still countless cultivators waiting when a group flew out from the core area .

"It's senior brother Wang Zifeng! Heavens, he reached the peak, the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm! " A Drifting River Sect female cultivator gave a piercing cry, adoration written all over her ecstatic face .

"Senior sister Yun Xueqing reached the 9th layer of Foundation Establishment, her aura's waves are like a lake's ripples . A sign that she is close to having a breakthrough with our sect's cultivation method . Senior sister Xue Qing will most likely reach the Golden Core realm in a year! "

"Radiant Scarlet Tree is worthy of being an ancient spiritual plant, to have such a miraculous effect . They are practically reborn, and even the two Golden Core seniors have increased auras . "

"Sigh, I was so close to entering the top ten, so close to getting this chance . I can't accept it, my heart's unwilling to accept it!" Someone grieved .

"Hmph, close indeed, since you didn't even pass the first test!" Another cultivator sneered .

the stunned and admiring female cultivators nearby, had their faces show contempt at this .

They mocked him again and again out of humiliation, filling the air with obscenities . If it wasn't for the Ancient Immortal Valley's punishment hanging over their heads, they would have struck already!

Among the ruckus, Qi Jiao had no intention of watching this drama . Her pale face looked over the incoming group with tightly held hands .

Qin Yu wasn't here . . . Did something happen? Was his plan regarding the Radiant Scarlet Tree discovered by Ancient Immortal Valley?

The group landed, and the guide from the Ancient Immortal Valley gave a report then left after being told not recklessly share this information .

Wang Zifeng, Yun Xueqing and the rest were drowned by the crowd .

"Ah, someone actually tried to destroy the Radiant Scarlet Tree and he was even a hidden Golden Core cultivator! Too bad that not even his self-destruction was enough to affect the Radiant Scarlet Tree . "

"So that's why only eight returned . Was the other one his helper, also trying to destroy the Radiant Scarlet Tree?"

"That's actually false!" A Drifting River Sect cultivator had contempt written all over his face, "The back-door user Qin Yu couldn't resist the attraction of the Radiant Scarlet Tree, even though he stayed there for a month . He must have already been devoured by the Radiant Scarlet Tree's protector spiritual insects by now!"

"Ah, so that was him . He deserved it . He had no right and still managed to force his way in . Only to be wasted away!"

Qi Jiao's body shook while her charming face was deathly white .

…

In the scarlet enveloped valley, the buzzing never stopped . All of the Blue Winged Ants flew out, gathered together into a sphere . And in the center of this sphere was the presumed dead Qin Yu .

Each hand held a Great Sun Tree leaf . They released a hazy golden sun-like glow, as if they were gold!

The Blue Winged Ants had ruthless characters . Qin Yu's brow was covered in fine sweat, trying his best to restrain his aura and not reveal any evil intentions . At some point in this confrontation, the ant swarm parted to reveal a stronger ant, covered in patterns that flew towards him . It gazed coldly at Qin Yu, and even though it was just an ant, it held unbridled arrogance!

It was the Ant King!

The Blue Winged Ants were different from other types of ants . There was no ant queen focused on growing the swarm's numbers, as the descendants were born through the union of a male-female pair . The strongest Blue Winged Ant was considered the swarm's Ant King—holding the greatest power—and all Blue Winged Ants followed his will .

What's admiring was that the Blue Winged Ants mate for life, and if their partner died, the other soon followed by sacrificing himself for love .

Even the Ant King wasn't excepted from this .

The Ant King flew in front of Qin Yu, gazing deeply with its compound eyes, making him feel as if he was transparent . Hesitating slightly, it landed in Qin Yu's hand and began eating the Great Sun Tree's leaves, not stopping until it was finished . Then it flew to his other hand and resumed its feast .

After eating the two leaves, the Ant King spread its delicate wings, shuddering from excitement . It was feeling unprecedented satisfaction and happiness! Too bad there were only two . He didn't get to fully enjoy their taste as they were already gone .

It glanced at Qin Yu, then shook its wings, preparing to fly away . This dumb human no longer held any value now .

Qin Yu cursed inwardly, but he never showed it . With a flick of his wrist, another pair of leaves appeared . The Ant King was so happy he never stopped chewing! 'Eat, eat, these leaves can be grown . ' The more it ate the higher were Qin Yu's chances of success!

For a Blue Winged Ant, the aura of the Great Sun Tree leaves was more addicting than drugs by ten times, even a hundred times . As they watched the Ant King gorging himself, several strong Blue Winged Ants stood out from the ant swarm, feeling restless . They were all Ant King's competitors, close to Ant King in power .

In the end, there was one who couldn't handle temptation and charged at the Ant King, fighting over the leaves . Instinct told it that if it ate some leaves, then there was a high chance of becoming the new Ant King!

Ant King shrieked out of anger and flew to meet it . They were upon each other in a flash, fighting with savagery .

The and swarm was quiet, overwhelmed with reverence . This was a fight for the position of king, to change their ruler .

The Ant King crushed the skull of his opponent—then ate it—covered in it and its rival's blood . He shrieked as his cruel eyes swept the area and made the restless competitors lower their heads one by one, submitting—once again—to their king .

Just then, the blood on the Ant King squirmed suddenly and appeared like red hot metal as strings of it burrowed inside its body!

Qin Yu made quick hand gestures and pointed at the Ant King . It shrieked in pain, looking resentful at Qin Yu .

The shriek caused the ant swarm to go crazy, as many of them charged over . They need just one breath to completely devour Qin Yu . His face didn't change and threw many Great Sun Tree leaves with a wave of his hand . The charge of the ant swarm had slowed down, as they were compelled by the leaves' enticement to frantically eat them .

The cry of the Ant King grew increasingly urgent .

The delayed swarm was once again charging at Qin Yu, but it was already too late . All of the blood on Ant King's body entered inside as it shrieked . Its resentfulness and fierceness disappeared from its eyes, now replace with obedience and fondness .

The Blue Winged Ants—maws gaping—were motionless before Qin Yu . They gazed doubtfully at this human, unable to come to terms why their king's aura was now around him . This made them feel endless reverence and deterred from being arrogant .

Qin Yu let out a long breath as his back had long been soaked in cold sweat . One step slower and he would have been ant food! Thank god the information in the Beast Manipulating Art was real . He put his blood inside the Great Sun Tree leaves the Ant King ate and then mixed it with its blood to form a Soul Imprint .

Once the Soul Imprint entered—and the blood mixed—the Ant King would regard him as the closest person, never questioning his orders . Along with controlling the Ant King, he would also control the ant swarm . This was Qin Yu's plan from the start .

The Ant King landed in his palm . Its finger-long body was covered by a hard shell, slightly cold and similar to jade . Qin Yu laughed, petting it with his finger, as the Ant King let a low cry in content and twisted around in his palm .

Qin Yu smiled with glee when he was reminded of the day when thousands upon thousands of Blue Winged Ants took almost no time to kill the three Golden Cores experts .

He shook his hand, "Go, show me your strength!"

The Ant King shrieked and the Blue Winged Ants flew to it, razing everything in their path like a dark cloud .

Radiant Scarlet Tree's Domain prevented anyone who wasn't allowed entry to approach it . Its hard defense was revealed when it wasn't even harmed by the self-detonation of the Golden Core cultivator . But now, Qin Yu has the best spy, making this spiritual plant completely vulnerable to his ministrations .

Sending his thought across, caused the Ant King to shriek which made the Blue Winged Ants swarm fly toward the Radiant Scarlet Tree . Then returned with precious, fiery red and beautiful fruits .

Qin Yu sat down cross-legged and ate the sweet and tasty Radiant Scarlet Fruit . As it entered his stomach, a fire ignited and spread everywhere, but he felt no pain . This fire entered his organs and bones—transforming into pure spiritual energy—then converged in his Dantian .

This effect was far greater when compared with the Little Blue Lamp's purified pills!

Qin Yu opened his eyes and smiled happily . Yet he was in no rush to cultivate and he quickly walked under the Radiant Scarlet Tree . Within the past month, he had used The Art of Medicine to find the location of the reproductive root .

The Ant King led the ant swarm, pried open the soil and exposed the thick root . Qin Yu inspected it, 'This is it!'

He waved his hand, and the swarm landed on the root, tearing at its surface . He was convinced of The Blue Winged Ants' might as they could even pierce through a Golden Core's energy shield . But regarding this root, it was incomparably difficult, proven by the scratching sounds made by the ant mandibles against the wood .

What was strange though, was the fact that no matter how many wooden splinters were taken out, there was no sap leaking .

It was like a disguise!

Moments later, when the ant swarm retreated the only thing left was the core part . It had a soft and tender fiery color along with fine roots . The true Radiant Scarlet Tree's reproductive root .

The Radiant Scarlet Tree trembled and exploded with a rich crimson light . It was good to be prepared, as he already retreated far away . The scarlet light had no effect on the Blue Winged Ants—and after several sweeps—it dispersed .

The Ant King held the reproductive root and flew over . Qin Yu took out a dark green jade case and then carefully placed the root inside . He also stuck a talisman to prevent any vitality from leaking . Only then he relaxed .

So far, all of his objectives have been completed on this trip to the Ancient Immortal Valley .

Qin Yu smiled, 'Next is cultivating!'

This Radiant Scarlet Tree has survived for countless years, making its spiritual energy of heaven and earth reach a terrifying level . With even the small amount inside the Radiant, Scarlet Fruit was incredible . Furthermore, this place was already sealed, making it highly unlikely for anyone to show up . Such a good opportunity to cultivate must not be missed!

And as for leaving? The Blue Winged Ants were the seal's key . With this key, Qin Yu could come and go as he pleased .