40: Chapter 40 The Radiance of Sun and Moon, the Deep Cave Revealed

The gray-white tide of Corrupted Termites surged forward with a tooth-grinding rustle. The four Queens stood at the forefront of the defense, their energy armaments shining brilliantly. Facing this filthy swarm, they unleashed an unstoppable momentum.

Queen Chaoyang gave a soft shout, the Wings of Sunbeam behind her flaring open as she transformed into a streak of golden lightning and cut into the swarm! As she swung her solar dual swords, a blazing cross-shaped sword qi—the Sunwheel Cross Slash—erupted, exploding like a miniature sun within the swarm. The Corrupted Termites directly hit were instantly carbonized and annihilated, while those nearby were ignited by the high heat, turning into twisted charcoal amidst piercing shrieks. Her fighting style was like the scorching sun in the sky, burning away all filth with the most violent light and heat.

Queen Yetan's figure flickered like a ghost at the edge of the swarm. Her Moonbeam Dual Daggers drew countless cold silver threads, precisely slicing into the termites' joints or compound eyes. The movement of the termites she hit suddenly stiffened, and a faint sound of freezing came from within them; they were then completely frozen and shattered from the inside, turning into dust. Her combat was silent and efficient, like a death flower blooming under the moon.

Queen Zhufeng remained steady in mid-air, her Windrunner Longbow drawn like a full moon. "Streaming Wind Rapid Fire!" she shouted clearly, and countless air arrows poured down like a torrential storm. Not only did these air arrows have incredible piercing power, but they could also explode into sharp whirlwinds upon impact, dragging the Corrupted Termites within range into the vortex and tearing them apart. She could always accurately find the densest and weakest points of the swarm to carry out devastating fire coverage.

Queen Qinglian stood like a pillar of strength, her Jade Wave Staff tapping lightly as a massive Water Blossom Canopy firmly protected the rear. When the termites crashed into the canopy, it was as if they had fallen into a viscous purification swamp; their speed dropped sharply, and their shells were continuously eroded by the water. She tapped her staff repeatedly, and Healing Water Lotuses landed on the tree trunks stained by corrosive liquid, struggling to maintain their vitality, while Purifying Water Bombs acted like heavy hammers, smashing any termite groups trying to assemble.

The Queens blocked the vast majority of the pressure, while the few that slipped through were handled by the four Host teams.

Zhang Hao and Lin Wan (Sun Sunflower Kingdom): Zhang Hao relied on Logical Connection to predict trajectories, using an enchanted dagger to precisely pick off targets. Lin Wan used Nature Resonance to soothe the trees and guided faint Solar Essence to assist in purification.

Mo Li and Bai Zhi (Evernight Epiphyllum Kingdom): Mo Li used Shadow Affinity to weave through and scout, while the white light from Bai Zhi's Purification Ring slowed the termites' movements, creating fatal opportunities for Queen Yetan.

Shi Yan and Feng Ling (Gentle Breeze Dandelion Kingdom): Shi Yan held the line with Earth Guardian, while Feng Ling used Breath of Freshness to disperse corrosive toxic gas and disrupt the swarm's perception.

Lan and Aoki (Flowing Water Lotus Kingdom): Lan used Water Manipulation to condense water into arrows, slowing the enemy's speed; Aoki used Life Perception like a living radar, providing early warnings for sneak attacks.

The battle was intense and efficient. Under absolute power and tacit cooperation, this wave of Corrupted Termites was quickly wiped out. The air was filled with a burnt smell and a deeper aura of decay.

The battle ceased, and Queen Chaoyang put away her dual swords. Her gaze swept across the mess on the ground, finally settling on the massive breach where the swarm had emerged earlier. Termites no longer poured out from there; instead, there was a deep, irregularly edged, massive hole that continuously seeped an ominous, dark energy. The walls of the hole were abnormally smooth, as if they had been repeatedly rubbed and gnawed by something, with viscous dark secretions and clear bite marks remaining on them.

"These Corrupted Termites might have been ordinary creatures themselves," Queen Chaoyang's voice was heavy as she explained to everyone, "but they were eroded and twisted by the evil power of the Lord of Corruption, turning into tools that know only how to devour and destroy. They hollowed out the World Tree, built nests, and spread corruption... This hole is one of the passages leading to their nest! We must find their source and destroy the core that injects the Power of Corruption into their bodies, otherwise, the World Tree will be completely hollowed out from the inside!"

Her words made everyone's heart skip a beat. The enemy was not a simple swarm of insects but an army of erosion supported by a terrifying source.

"First, purify the remaining corruption here to prevent it from spreading," Queen Qinglian said decisively.

The four Queens acted again, the four Origin powers of sun, moon, wind, and water turning into waterfalls of light, washing over the contaminated trunks and the edges of that unsettling hole. Bai Zhi's Holy Grail, Feng Ling's Breath of Freshness, the Solar Essence guided by Lin Wan, and Aoki's vitality also joined in, working together to clear the surface residue of corruption energy.

However, inside that deep cave entrance, heart-palpitating and continuous ominous fluctuations still emanated; the surface purification seemed like a drop in the bucket.

The purification came to a temporary halt, and everyone's gaze focused on that pitch-black hole. The path ahead was clear—to save the World Tree, they had to go deep into this gnawed passage and strike directly at the corruption nest.