Chapter 2: Soul-Eating Insects

Inside the Worm Nest Space.

Zhou Chen circulated the “Heart of the Dao Demon Seed,” slowly condensing a strange purple rune in the palm of his hand. He then inserted it into the Soul-Devouring Worm egg. The Soul-Devouring Worm was still dormant, and the demon seed easily imprinted itself deep within its soul.

All fifteen mother worms inside the eggs were sealed. The threads on the eggs were not silkworm threads but seals arranged by an ancient Qi refiner using secret techniques. Following the inheritance stored in his sea of consciousness, Zhou Chen formed a series of magical seals, embedding them into the threads.

The next moment, the threads unraveled automatically, revealing the original appearance beneath. Freed from the constraints of the threads, the Soul-Devouring Mother Worm slowly awakened from its slumber. This was a creature much smaller than a fly, almost invisible to the naked eye. Its body was jet black and bizarre in form, with a pair of wings reminiscent of a bee.

The Soul-Devouring Mother Worm affectionately circled around Zhou Chen’s spiritual will a few times before finally settling in his palm. Through the demon seed, Zhou Chen could fully command the Soul-Devouring Mother Worm. Though once a ruler of the worm nest, it had lost all memory and was starting anew.

At this moment, Zhou Chen also noticed three Soul-Devouring offspring worms glaring at him from within the original egg. If the mother worm wasn’t in his hand, they likely would have attacked him already. He took the mother worm and the three offspring out of the worm nest space inside his sea of consciousness, planning to first test their power.

As for the spring water and peach tree, Zhou Chen had tried to touch them but couldn’t; there seemed to be some form of prohibition.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

After Zhou Chen’s soul returned, the sound of dogs barking came from outside the window. His expression darkened as he walked over and looked down. There, a beautifully groomed poodle was chasing a girl, barking fiercely.

“Damn it, still no leash!”

This poodle belonged to a wealthy woman in the community who walked it every morning and evening, never on a leash. The dog wasn’t just playing; if it caught you, it would really bite! Its owner neglected discipline and never punished it for biting, so it had grown arrogant and ruthless, terrorizing the neighborhood.

The girl with the backpack was Zhou Chen’s younger sister, Zhou Xiaoyan. This wasn’t the first time the poodle had chased and bitten her; several times she had narrowly escaped being bitten. But there was nothing they could do—the wealthy woman’s husband was powerful, and the neighborhood management turned a blind eye.

Zhou Chen saw the wealthy woman sitting on a bench, playing on her phone, indifferent to her dog attacking people. In her words: “So what if it bites? It won’t kill you. If you want to sue me, just say so—my husband’s legal advisor isn’t for show!”

“Hmph, you only have yourself to blame for your dog. Don’t blame me.”

“Go, devour its soul!”

Zhou Chen commanded the Soul-Devouring Mother Worm on his shoulder, who then sent a frequency wave to the offspring worms, transmitting the order. The three offspring worms sped toward the poodle, moving at least ten times faster than flies or mosquitoes.

“Awooo~!”

The poodle, once in hot pursuit, suddenly collapsed, whining pitifully. Its eyes rolled back, frothing at the mouth. Zhou Xiaoyan, exhausted from being chased, breathed a sigh of relief and dashed home.

“Oh, my dear boy, what’s wrong with you?”

The wealthy woman hurried over to check on the poodle and called emergency services. The dog convulsed violently, clawing wildly, even scratching her face as if in unbearable pain.

Inside the poodle’s ears, the three Soul-Devouring Worms greedily consumed its soul, tearing and absorbing it bit by bit. The agonizing process lasted minutes until the dog finally died.

Zhou Chen felt no sympathy; after all, it was just a damned beast.

When the ambulance arrived, the medical staff were speechless to find the “son” they were supposed to save was a poodle. Seeing the wealthy woman’s intimidating demeanor, the staff initially avoided trouble, but she insisted on saving her “son.”

“Ma’am, 911 is a service for humans, and even if we wanted to help, we’re not veterinarians!”

The woman tried to cause a fuss but suddenly clutched her head in sharp pain, screaming. The medical staff lifted her onto a stretcher, preparing to take her to the hospital.

As the ambulance left the community, the three Soul-Devouring Worms flew out through a gap in the vehicle, returning to Zhou Chen’s bedroom.

Zhou Chen did not use the worms to kill the wealthy woman, only to teach her a profound lesson. His mindset had not yet fully shifted from an ordinary person to a cultivator, but this was enough.

The woman’s soul was damaged, causing anything from memory loss to severe mental instability.

Night had fallen.

Zhou Chen’s family of five gathered for dinner. Besides his younger sister Zhou Xiaoyan, he also had an older sister, Zhou Yuting, a senior intern at the city hospital who commuted with their parents.

The dinner conversation revolved around Zhou Chen’s act of bravery and his injuries. In the past, the topic would have been his upcoming college entrance exam and the need to study hard, but after recent events, the family had come to terms with things.

Their family member was brave enough to fight villains; his character and courage were unquestionable. There was no need to obsess over studying, especially with less than twenty days left before the exam.

Even if given another semester, improving grades would be an uphill battle.

Near the end of the meal, Zhou Xiang couldn’t help but ask, “Xiao Chen, the exam is coming soon. Which university do you want to apply to?”

At this question, everyone’s eyes turned to Zhou Chen.

He finished the chicken soup, set down his bowl, and with a calm yet confident expression said, “Capital City University, Traditional ChineseI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.