Chapter Seven: The Secret Art of Insect Cultivation

The Ghost Doctor half-closed his eyes and murmured, “The art of nurturing insects has been passed down since ancient times. By raising vicious and unusual insects in swarms, one can command an army capable of facing thousands. Among the ten most terrifying vicious insects in the world, I, the old ghost, have nurtured one of them. It was this very insect that saved your life that day.” At this, the Ghost Doctor seemed to realize his words might have struck a sensitive chord with Tong Jin. He lifted his eyelids slightly, and seeing that Tong Jin showed no displeasure, he continued with relief, “The vicious insect I raise is called the Corpse-Dissolving Poison Ant, ranked ninth among the top ten vicious insects. Once bitten, the wound never heals; without exception, the victim’s flesh gradually decays until death.”

At this point, the Ghost Doctor looked up and gave Tong Jin a glance filled with disdain, thinking to himself, “Of course, that terrifying freak like you is excluded.”

Tong Jin listened with great interest. “Old ghost, is this poison ant really that formidable? Where is it? Show me now!”

The Ghost Doctor toyed with a white porcelain jar in his hands. “No rush. Once you finish reading this secret manual on insect nurturing, I will take you to see it to your heart’s content.”

Tong Jin pouted helplessly and lowered his head to leaf through the thick tome in his hands.

...

Meanwhile, a hundred miles away from the Medicine Valley, in the city of Tai’an, a silent struggle for dominance was unfolding. Tai’an was a moderately sized mountain city in the Central Plains. Though it could not rival the splendor of larger capitals, it was built along the mountains with a bustling market and thriving commerce. It was a hub where merchants constantly passed through, owing to its geographical advantages. The majestic mountain scenery also lured travelers to pause and linger. As with all such strategic cities, fierce contests for territory and power were inevitable.

Where there is a martial world, there is strife. Though Tai’an seemed small, three great families each controlled their own areas: the Chen family guarding the southern thoroughfare, the Tong family residing by the mountains, and the Yao family seated in the eastern part of the city.

Not long ago, the annihilation of the Tong family sent shockwaves throughout the Central Plains. Rumors swirled—some said the Tong family had angered a colossal force, others claimed that the Chen and Yao families conspired to seize the Tong family’s position in Tai’an, joining forces to wipe them out. Regardless of the rumors, the Tong family’s destruction was an undeniable fact. With their absence, a vacuum in territory and commerce emerged, sparking fierce competition between the Chen and Yao families and other minor factions.

Both the Chen and Yao families sought to rapidly expand their influence, aiming to dominate alone. Many other factions also eyed this opportunity, hoping to replace the Tong family and establish a tripartite balance of power.

Everyone believed the Tong family had been utterly wiped out, unaware that in the final moments, the family head had risked his life to escort his grandson, Tong Jin, out of the city.

---

Amid the fierce struggle engulfing Tai’an, no one noticed a black figure flickering within the ruins of the Tong estate, battered and burnt like broken walls under the pouring rain.

“Tch tch tch, how infuriating! Where the hell did that old Tong hide the Eastern Star?” came a cold, eerie voice amid the ruins. The black figure was the Yin Sha. Rain failed to dampen her at all; droplets veered away half an inch from her body as if repelled.

The eyes beneath her black robe gleamed sharply, clearly stronger than before. A skilled observer would be astonished to find that Yin Sha, already at the peak of the Refining Qi Realm, was showing faint signs of breaking through to the Divine Refining Realm.

The peak of the Refining Qi Realm was considered top-tier in the Central Plains. Beyond it stood the Divine Refining Realm, attained after breaking through by refining one’s spirit. Achieving this level meant cultivating a divine embryo inside the body, akin to a second life; as long as the embryo survived, even if the body was destroyed, one could regenerate. Should Yin Sha succeed in breaking through, she would claim a seat among the continent’s elite.

“Come to think of it, I should thank that kid’s body,” Yin Sha said with a sinister smile, sensing the stirring power within her. “Just a bit more and I would break through to the Divine Refining Realm. Then, tch tch tch, the position of Soul Guard Pavilion’s master will be mine.”

She looked up at the ceaseless rain and murmured to herself, “That kid doesn’t have that thing on him, and I’ve searched everywhere here. So where is it hiding?” With that, she vanished into the relentless downpour.

...

Back in the Medicine Valley, the cave dwelling halfway up the cliff remained untouched by the storm. The Ghost Doctor snored softly with his eyes closed, while Tong Jin’s thick tome had been flipped through to its final pages.

Finally, Tong Jin stood up, exhaled heavily, and turned to say, “Hey, old ghost, I’ve finished reading. Get up and take me to see the poison ants.”

The Ghost Doctor jolted awake and yawned widely, irritated by the sudden noise. “Raising your voice like that, disturbing a poor old man’s rest.”

“Heh heh, old ghost, I finished reading. You should take me to see the Corpse-Dissolving Poison Ant now.” Tong Jin smiled ingratiatingly. “The book made those ants sound so terrifying, it’s driving me crazy.”

The Ghost Doctor stretched lazily. “Finished, huh? Not bad. But you can’t see the ants just yet.”

“Why not?” Tong Jin was disappointed. “You said once I finished reading, you’d take me.”

The Ghost Doctor yawned again and patted his belly. “Old ghost is hungry now. Only after filling my stomach will I have the strength to take you to see those insects.”

Tong Jin was speechless and rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll go find something to eat.” He turned to rush out of the cave.

“Wait, wait!” The Ghost Doctor called hurriedly. “You don’t have any skill now. It’s pouring rain—where do you expect to find food?”

Tong Jin froze, suddenly remembering he had no real strength, not even comparable to a common adult. A wave of gloom swept over him.

“Here!” The Ghost Doctor tossed a cloth bundle over. Tong Jin caught it and spread it open on the ground. Inside was a small wooden box and a ceramic medicine bottle.

“Open the ceramic bottle and apply the medicine inside to your body. As for the wooden box, open it only when you encounter prey. Also, there’s rain gear at the cave entrance,” the Ghost Doctor instructed, then fell silent, closing his eyes again, his light snoring resuming.

Tong Jin was puzzled but followed the instructions. He opened the ceramic bottle, and a strange smell immediately wafted out. Enduring the odor, he smeared the ointment roughly over his body, donned the rain gear, and stepped out of the cave.