13: Poison Bee Intelligence Network

Cold raindrops hammered against the vines hanging at the entrance of the Stone Crevice, making a dull and monotonous sound.

Inside the Stone Crevice, the cold, damp air felt like solidified lead, pressing heavily on Mo Juren’s heart.

He leaned against the icy rock wall, each breath like pulling a broken bellows, a tearing pain deep in his chest intertwined with the needle-like prickling from the Lei Linggen (Thunder Spiritual Root) core in his Dantian, constantly reminding him of his body’s exhaustion.

However, at this moment, heavier than the physical pain was the overwhelming sense of crisis, like a thorn in his back, almost suffocating him!

Han Li had discovered traces of the demonic liquid!

Those few spots of dark green demonic liquid residue at the edge of the Black Rot Poisonous Marsh, almost washed away by the rain, were seared into Mo Juren’s mind like a red-hot iron.

Those eyes, as calm as a deep pool yet seemingly able to see through everything, must now be like the most patient hunter, in some dark corner, piercing through the rain, coldly locking onto him, the “prey”!

The secret of the magic bottle, the existence of the sequence, could be exposed at any moment!

Han Li would never let go of such a significant clue!

Passive waiting would only lead to death!

He must counterattack!

He must, right under Han Li’s nose, weave a net of his own!

A net covering the entire Seven Mysteries Sect, capable of foreseeing all crises!

Venomous Stinger Bee Swarm!

Monitor the Seven Mysteries Sect… discover Han Li tracking…

“Ant King!” Mo Juren’s voice was hoarse and dry, like sandpaper rubbing, yet it carried an undeniable resolve, piercing through the Soul link into the chaotic consciousness core of that Red Copper Ant King fortress, “Alert! Expand the range! Anyone approaching within a hundred zhang of the Stone Crevice… kill!”

“Roar!” The Ant King’s massive body trembled violently, and the red glow in its lava-like compound eyes surged, transmitting back a furious and resolute intention of obedience.

Its heavy segmented limbs crushed rocks, crashing through the obstructing vines, like a moving war fortress, leading six scythe-wielding giant ant guards exuding a fierce aura, rolling into the desolate rain, setting up a perimeter around the Stone Crevice!

Heavy footsteps and low roars echoed in the rain, forming an invisible death barrier.

Mo Juren’s gaze, like a tempered blade, turned to the silent, pitch-black magic bottle in the corner.

The bottle was as deep as an abyss, and the silver-purple Lei patterns flowing on its body were dim.

Creating a new sequence was the only solution he could think of at this moment!

Poisonous Stinger Bees… need poison!

A large amount of potent, deadly poison!

He struggled to stand, enduring the intense pain in his body.

The dull ache in his chest and abdomen made his vision blur, but he gritted his teeth, a strong metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.

“Rabbit…” A cold and urgent thought was transmitted through the Soul link, “Follow me… one last time… to the Poisonous Marsh! Collect… highly poisonous substances!”

On the pile of dry grass, the Supple Bone Rabbit’s large Rabbit ears twitched violently, and she difficultly opened her ruby-like eyes, which were filled with extreme exhaustion and fear.

The chilling sense of being watched, like maggots clinging to bone, from the edge of the Poisonous Marsh last night still left her with lingering fear.

Her small face was as pale as paper, her body trembled slightly, transmitting back a faint and painful resistance: “Ma… Master… scared… there… there are terrifying people…”

“Must go!” Mo Juren’s will was like a cold steel whip, carrying an irresistible force, “No choice! If you want to live… follow me!”

Immense grievance and fear instantly overwhelmed the Supple Bone Rabbit, and tears welled up in her ruby-like eyes.

But the shackles of the Soul link and the desperate meaning in her Master’s words overpowered her fear.

She bit her pale lower lip, using her last ounce of strength to struggle to her feet, her small body swaying as if she would break at any moment.

Mo Juren no longer hesitated, pushing aside the damp vines, and was the first to rush into the pouring rain.

The Supple Bone Rabbit stumbled after him, her large Rabbit ears pressed tightly against the back of her head, trembling in the cold rain, the sense of weakness from the Soul link like a flickering candle in the wind.

The target was clear—the Black Rot Poisonous Marsh!

The rain poured down, and the mud was knee-deep.

Mo Juren trudged through the wind and rain, relying on memory and instinct.

The Supple Bone Rabbit forced herself to stay alert, her large Rabbit ears like the most precise radar, catching every subtle sound around them, her ruby-like eyes vigilantly scanning the dark jungle shrouded in rain, any rustle of leaves startling her like a bird shot by an arrow.

Finally, that pungent stench, a mix of decaying vegetation and a strange sweet, bloody smell, returned.

The outline of the Black Rot Poisonous Marsh appeared in the rain, dark green mud churning with viscous bubbles, like the ominous stomach of a giant beast.

Mo Juren’s heart was in his throat!

He was like the most vigilant leopard, his Thunder Corpse Claw slightly raised, the leaping electric arcs ready to strike.

His gaze was as sharp as a knife, sweeping over the edge of the Poisonous Marsh and the surrounding dense forest, not missing any rustle of leaves.

The Supple Bone Rabbit was even more nervous, almost unable to breathe, her large Rabbit ears standing straight up, her ruby-like eyes fixed on the direction where the demonic liquid traces remained last night, her body taut as a bowstring.

Time slowly passed in the suffocating silence.

The cold rain washed over everything.

Besides the splashing of rain and the gurgling of the Poisonous Marsh bubbles, there was no other sound.

That chilling sense of being watched, like a thorn in his back, from last night… seemed to have disappeared?

Had Han Li left?

Or was he hiding deeper?

Mo Juren dared not relax in the slightest.

He moved like a ghost to the edge of the Poisonous Marsh, his target the twisted, strangely purple-black poisonous plants—Bone Rotting Grass, Heart Corroding Vine, and the colorful, demon-like poisonous moss clinging to rotten tree trunks!

These were all natural sources of potent, deadly poison from Mo Juren’s memories!

He no longer moved cautiously; time was life!

The Thunder Corpse Claw, carrying a cold aura of destruction, swung out violently!

Sizzle—!

Silver-white electric arcs entwined with grey-black Qi instantly erupted!

Tough poisonous grasses and vines broke, withered, and charred under the violent Lei light and Corpse Qi!

Mo Juren moved as swiftly as the wind, using several tough, broad leaves from the Poisonous Marsh, which he had prepared beforehand, to quickly wrap and roll up the highly poisonous branches, roots, and moss that had been shaken off or directly severed by the power of the Thunder Corpse Claw!

Sap seeped out, staining the broad leaves a strange purple-black, emitting an even stronger sweet, putrid stench!

The entire process was as fast as lightning, taking only a dozen breaths!

Mo Juren already held three bulging broadleaf packages, constantly oozing venom!

“Go!” He growled, without any lingering, turning to leave!

The Supple Bone Rabbit, as if granted a great pardon, immediately followed closely.

Like startled birds, they desperately ran back to the Stone Crevice through the heavy rain and mud.

It wasn't until he pushed aside the vines and stepped back into the cold, damp, but temporarily safe Stone Crevice that Mo Juren exhaled a long, trembling breath of relief, as if he had escaped a disaster.

The Supple Bone Rabbit directly collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, her small face filled with lingering fear.

They were temporarily safe.

But the crisis was not over.

Mo Juren carefully placed the three broadleaf packages, emitting a strong poisonous gas, on the ground.

He sat cross-legged, enduring the intense pain in his body and mental exhaustion, carefully placing the silent, pitch-black magic bottle in front of him.

The mouth of the bottle was slightly tilted, like a silent giant maw.

Next, was the key!

Poisonous Stinger Bee Swarm!

He took a deep breath, his eyes becoming extremely solemn.

He first picked up a broadleaf package containing purple-black Bone Rotting Grass roots, and very carefully tore a small opening.

Immediately, an extremely pungent, spicy scent with a strong metallic, bloody smell permeated the air, making one dizzy and nauseous.

Using a small wooden stick, he very cautiously picked out a small section of root stained with viscous purple-black sap, held his breath, and slowly dropped it into the bottomless, pitch-black mouth of the magic bottle.

Sizzle—!

Like cold water dripping into hot oil!

The moment the Bone Rotting Grass sap fell into the bottle’s mouth, a viscous, purple-black smoke, like a living creature, suddenly rose!

The smoke churned, and countless tiny purple electric sparks flickered and jumped within it like venomous snakes!

The entire Stone Crevice was instantly filled with this strong, pungent poisonous smoke!

Mo Juren coughed repeatedly, his chest burning as if with fire!

He dared not stop, immediately grabbing another package containing Heart Corroding Vine branches and leaves!

Tear it open!

A cold, strangely sweet and faintly bloody scent spread!

He again picked out a few serrated-edged vine leaves oozing black sap and dropped them into the bottle’s mouth!

Sizzle—!!!

Like hot oil poured into ice water!

The sap of the Heart Corroding Vine violently collided with the purple-black poisonous smoke that had not yet dispersed inside the bottle!

The ear-piercing corrosive sound was like thousands of ghosts wailing!

The purple-black smoke was instantly replaced by an even more viscous, cold, ink-like pitch-black dense fog!

The dense fog churned, and purple-black and ink-black lights, like two venomous Dragons, fiercely intertwined and fused, emitting a heart-pounding “crackling” sound!

The magic bottle itself was trembling violently!

Finally, it was the broadleaf package containing the colorful poisonous moss!

Tear it open!

A scent mixed with decay and a strange sweetness spread!

Mo Juren threw the abnormally colored moss clumps, like spilled paint, all at once into the bottle’s mouth!

Boom—!!!

Like ice cubes thrown into a boiling oil pot!

Three types of highly potent poisons, each with distinct properties, violently collided and reacted inside the magic bottle!

The poisonous mist spewing from the bottle’s mouth instantly transformed into an indescribable, viscous, tar-like terrifying cloud of dark green, purple-black, and ghastly grey!

The cloud churned and expanded, with countless colorful tiny electric sparks wildly jumping and bursting within it!

It emitted a destructive aura, a mix of corrosion, potent poison, chaos, and frenzy!

The few moss plants stubbornly growing in the corner of the Stone Crevice instantly withered and carbonized!

Even the surface of the hard rock was corroded with a “sizzling” sound!

The few dim silver-purple Lei patterns on the magic bottle were completely activated by this violent poisonous reaction, suddenly lighting up with urgent and bright purple light!

Like a dying star erupting its last brilliance!

Mo Juren was forced back by this terrifying aura, his back pressed tightly against the cold rock wall, his heart pounding!

This demonic liquid… was even more dangerous than he imagined!

Compared to the Ant King’s demonic liquid, this was simply a minor witch meeting a great one!

If the aura emitted during refinement was so terrifying, how horrible would the finished product be?

Just as this violent poisonous reaction reached its Peak, and the three-colored poisonous mist was almost devouring the entire magic bottle, even threatening to burst the Stone Crevice—

Buzz!!!

The magic bottle suddenly trembled!

All the lit silver-purple Lei patterns on the bottle body suddenly converged and retracted!

Like an invisible, greedy vortex, it erupted with a terrifying suction force, fiercely pulling and compressing the churning, almost out-of-control three-colored poisonous mist at the bottle’s mouth inwards!

Hiss hiss hiss… A grating sound, like thousands of poisonous insects being crushed!

In just a few breaths, the churning, tar-like three-colored poisonous mist was completely swallowed!

The bottle’s mouth returned to calm, still profound.

The purple light of the Lei patterns on the bottle body also rapidly dimmed, as if all its power had been exhausted.

The next moment, under Mo Juren’s extremely tense gaze, from the slightly tilted mouth of the bottle, a drop of viscous, dark, dark green liquid, as if all the filth and potent poison in the world had condensed, slowly, with a heavy feeling that made one’s Soul tremble, gathered and dripped!

Plop!

This drop of dark green demonic liquid was deeper and more viscous than any previous one, like melted emerald, with no hint of starlight on its surface, instead faintly exuding an unsettling, dark gloom that seemed capable of devouring light!

An aura, a mix of the metallic pungency of Bone Rotting Grass, the cold sweetness of Heart Corroding Vine, the decaying sweetness of poisonous moss, and some deeper, more chaotic, destructive force, silently permeated the air; just the aura made Mo Juren feel dizzy and nauseous!

It’s done!

Poisonous Refined demonic liquid!

The Materials for Sequence 003!

Venomous Stinger Bee Swarm!

Mo Juren’s heart hammered like a drum in his chest, filled with both the excitement of success and great apprehension facing the unknown creation.

He endured the discomfort, using a smooth stone chip to very cautiously scrape up this drop of dark green demonic liquid, which exuded a terrifying aura.

The target was the ordinary wild bees that had crawled into the Stone Crevice to shelter from the rain at some unknown time, and were now trembling with fear and clinging to the rock wall, too terrified to move, due to the Ant King’s terrifying aura.

These wild bees were not large, yellow and black all over, and were the most common variety.

Mo Juren’s eyes were sharp.

He dared not use the complete demonic liquid; the dosage was too large and would undoubtedly be destructive.

He carefully used the tip of the thinnest blade of grass to dip an almost imperceptible, barely visible speck of dark green demonic liquid.

Then, holding his breath, he gently, as if plucking a flower, very precisely dabbed the almost non-existent demonic liquid from the tip of the grass onto the slightly trembling mouthpart of one of the wild bees!

Just as that almost imperceptible speck of demonic liquid touched the wild bee’s mouthpart—

“Buzz—!!!”

The wild bee, as if thrown into a Hell furnace, began to shake violently!

It emitted a high-pitched, distorted buzz, full of extreme pain!

Its originally docile yellow and black body instantly turned scorching red!

Its wings frantically flapped against the rock wall, producing a grating “slap, slap” sound!

Its body began to swell at a visible rate!

Its carapace became shiny, like poisoned metal!

Its compound eyes glowed with chaotic red light!

This reaction… was even more intense than that of the giant ant back then!

Even more painful!

After only a few breaths, the wild bee’s buzzing abruptly stopped!

Its body suddenly stiffened, then “thumped” onto the cold rock, motionless.

A very faint life fluctuation, carrying a chaotic and destructive aura, emanated from it, then quickly subsided.

Dead?

Couldn’t withstand the poison?

Mo Juren’s heart sank.

The dosage was still too large!

This demonic liquid was too potent!

Gritting his teeth, he again took an even smaller speck, almost just a trace of its aura, and dabbed it onto the mouthpart of the second wild bee.

This time, the reaction was slightly slower, but still violent!

The wild bee struggled frantically, buzzing piercingly, and it lasted for more than ten breaths before gradually subsiding, but it did not die. Its body also swelled and changed color, its compound eyes flickered with chaotic red light, and its power fluctuations stubbornly climbed amidst the pain!

This was the dosage!

Mo Juren’s eyes burst with astonishing brilliance!

He followed suit, “feeding” the remaining wild bees this minuscule amount of poisonous demonic liquid one by one!

Inside the Stone Crevice, a series of hair-raising, continuous painful buzzing and frantic wing-flapping against the rock wall immediately erupted!

It was as if a Hell insect nest had been opened!

Mo Juren stared intently at these wildly struggling wild bees, whose bodies were constantly mutating, feeling the chaotic yet rising life force field within them, his heart in his throat.

Time slowly passed amidst the painful buzzing.

Suddenly!

Buzz, buzz, buzz—!!!

The mutated Poisonous Stinger Bees suddenly stopped struggling!

They flapped their wings and hovered in mid-air!

Their bodies had swelled several times, now the size of a thumb!

Their entire bodies presented a glossy dark green, like a poisoned dagger!

Their carapaces were thick, their edges gleaming with a cold, eerie light!

The originally tiny stinger at their tail had now become like a poisoned steel needle, half an inch long, its tip shimmering with a chilling, eerie blue light!

Their compound eyes were no longer simple structures, but had transformed into countless tiny compound eyes, flickering with chaotic red light, like evil gems embedded in dark green helmets!

A fierce aura, a mixture of virulent poison, rage, and chaos, like an invisible poisonous miasma, instantly permeated the entire Stone Crevice!

They hovered, their dark green wings vibrating at high speed, emitting a low, threatening buzz.

Their chaotic compound eyes locked onto the only living thing in the Stone Crevice—Mo Juren!

Killing intent!

Icy killing intent!

One of them, the largest and darkest in carapace color, like a poisonous jade carving, the Bee King, suddenly let out an even more piercing buzz!

The eerie blue stinger at its tail suddenly aimed at Mo Juren!

Swoosh!

A dark green afterimage tore through the air!

Its speed surpassed the limits of vision!

That poisoned, eerie blue stinger, like an invitation from the God of Death, shot towards Mo Juren’s throat!

Mo Juren was scared out of his wits!

How could his heavily injured body withstand this sudden, fatal attack?!

“Roar—!!!”

Just at this critical moment!

An extremely violent roar exploded!

The Red Copper Ant King, blocking the entrance of the Stone Crevice, suddenly turned, its giant mandibles, like a battering ram, carrying a terrifying foul wind, struck first, sweeping fiercely towards the dark green afterimage shooting towards Mo Juren!

Clang—!!!

A piercing clang of metal!

A shower of sparks erupted from the Ant King’s giant mandibles!

The shooting eerie blue stinger was violently knocked away, embedding itself in the distant rock wall, emitting a “hiss, hiss” corrosive sound!

“Ow!” The Ant King let out an angry roar. Where its giant mandibles had been grazed by the stinger, a faint scorch mark appeared on its hard red copper carapace!

The penetrating power and toxicity of this stinger far exceeded imagination!

The dark green Bee King was shaken by the Ant King’s violent blow, tumbling a few times in the air. After stabilizing its body, the chaotic red light in its compound eyes became even more ferocious, staring intently at the Ant King, its tail stinger raised again, emitting an even more piercing threatening buzz!

The other Poisonous Stinger Bees also seemed to be stimulated, their tail stingers all aimed at the Ant King, their buzzing merging into a continuous sound, full of hostility!

Internal conflict within the sequence?!

Rebellion right after birth?!

Mo Juren’s heart instantly sank to rock bottom!

This Venomous Stinger Bee Swarm was exceptionally fierce, daring to challenge even the Ant King’s deterrence!

Once out of control…

“Quiet!” Mo Juren forcibly suppressed the surging Qi and blood, his cold and authoritative voice, like a thunderclap, slammed through the Soul link into the chaotic consciousness core of the dark green Bee King!

At the same time, a wisp of extremely pure Thunder Spiritual Power, vibrant with life, like the toughest shackles, fiercely pierced in along the link!

Buzz!

The massive body of the dark green Bee King suddenly trembled!

The frantically flickering red light in its compound eyes was instantly dimmed and frozen, as if doused with a basin of ice water!

The raised stinger at its tail also slowly dropped.

The coercive force of the Soul link and that wisp of pure Thunder Spiritual Power, like invisible reins, forcibly reined in the neck of this fierce poisonous beast!

The other Poisonous Stinger Bees, sensing the change in the Bee King’s will, quickly reduced their buzzing, and their tail stingers slowly retracted, but the chaotic red light in their compound eyes still flickered, full of restless energy.

Mo Juren let out a long breath, tinged with the smell of blood, cold sweat already soaking his inner garment.

He looked at the six dark green Poisonous Stinger Bees hovering in the air before him, exuding a virulent and fierce aura, his eyes incredibly complex.

He succeeded… but it was also incredibly dangerous!

This Sequence 003 · Venomous Stinger Bee Swarm was by no means a docile scout, but a lethal weapon with deadly stingers!

What was the price…?

Just as Mo Juren’s mind settled slightly and he was about to try to communicate with the Bee King through the Soul link—

“Master… Master…” Supple Bone Rabbit’s weak voice, with a hint of an unusual fluctuation, echoed in his mind, “They… they have… something… on them…”

Mo Juren followed the direction indicated by Supple Bone Rabbit, and saw that on the glossy dark green carapaces of the Poisonous Stinger Bees, near the base of their wings, at some unknown time, a small cluster of extremely tiny, fuzzy, blood-red sprouts had grown, in an extremely bizarre way?!

The sprouts were extremely small, but their color was as vivid as freshly congealed blood, appearing exceptionally eerie against the dark green carapace!

They wiggled slightly, as if alive, emitting an extremely faint, yet Soul-stirring… bloodthirsty craving that made Mo Juren’s Soul tremble deep down!

The price?!

Mo Juren’s pupils suddenly contracted!

He instantly understood why Supple Bone Rabbit was so terrified!

These blood-red sprouts… were clearly the sprouts of some bloodthirsty plant!

They needed… to be watered with fresh blood?!

“Price: Requires regular absorption of living beings’ vital blood to nourish the symbiotic Bloodthirsty Vine!”

A cold stream of information instantly flooded his mind!

Mo Juren looked at the slightly wiggling blood-red sprouts on the carapaces of the Poisonous Stinger Bees, then at Supple Bone Rabbit trembling in fear in the corner, and finally, his gaze fell on his own Thunder Corpse Claw, which was entwined with destructive lightning arcs.

Creation… destruction… power… price…

One linked to another, like an endless abyss!

However, he had no choice!

“Bee Swarm!” Mo Juren’s voice was cold as iron, carrying an unquestionable command, “Target… the entire Seven Mysteries Sect! Monitor! Search for… that person’s whereabouts!”

He forcibly imprinted Han Li’s vague image and aura characteristics onto the Bee King through the Soul link, “Any abnormalities… report immediately!”

“Buzz—!” The Bee King let out a short, sharp buzz, the chaotic red light in its compound eyes flickering, transmitting back a cold, bloodthirsty, yet absolutely obedient will.

The next moment, six dark green deathly shadows, like poisoned arrows from a bow, instantly pierced through the rain curtain of vines hanging at the entrance of the Stone Crevice, silently merging into the bleak downpour and darkness outside!

An intelligence network composed of deadly Poisonous Stinger Bees, with a bloodthirsty price, quietly unfurled over the Seven Mysteries Sect.

Inside the Stone Crevice, Mo Juren closed his eyes wearily, leaning his back against the cold rock wall.

Supple Bone Rabbit was curled up, her large Rabbit ears trembling slightly.

And about two hundred feet away from the Stone Crevice, deep within the dense canopy of a giant ancient tree.

Han Li’s figure seemed to blend into the texture of the tree trunk.

Cold rainwater dripped from the strands of hair on his forehead, but his eyes, as calm as a deep pool, were as sharp as a hawk’s, piercing through the heavy rain curtain, accurately fixed on the direction of the Stone Crevice entrance.

In his hand, he still held the fragment of a waist token, its edge stained with dark red blood, engraved with half a skull wolf head emblem.

Suddenly, he frowned slightly, as if sensing something extremely subtle and unusual.

His gaze, like the most precise probe, slowly swept over the rain curtain and branches near the entrance of the Stone Crevice.

Just a moment ago, he seemed to feel a few extremely faint life fluctuations, carrying a chaotic and virulent aura, abruptly leaving that Stone Crevice and rapidly disappearing into the rain curtain…

The direction… seemed to be towards the interior of the Seven Mysteries Sect?

What was it?

Poisonous insects?

Or…

Han Li’s gaze became even deeper.

He did not move, only hid his body deeper in the shadow of the tree trunk, like the most patient hunter, quietly waiting for his prey’s next move.

Inside the Stone Crevice, beneath Mo Juren’s tightly closed eyelids, his eyeballs moved slightly.

Through the Soul link, he could vaguely sense the six Poisonous Stinger Bees, like invisible ghosts, flying rapidly in different directions towards the Seven Mysteries Sect, under the cover of the heavy rain.

From the Bee King’s chaotic and bloodthirsty consciousness, fragmented, distorted “images” tinged with a virulent aura were continuously transmitted back—

Gray tiled rooftops washed by the rain, flickering lantern shadows, tightly closed carved wooden windows, the blurry figures of patrolling Disciples…

The monitoring… had begun.

However, just as this monitoring network had just been laid out—

Buzz!

From the Bee King’s chaotic and bloodthirsty consciousness, an extremely clear “image” with strong warning fluctuations was suddenly transmitted back!

The image came from the shadow of a tree canopy beside a secluded path leading from the Seven Mysteries Sect to Shen Shou Valley!

Although separated by a heavy rain curtain, and the image was fragmented and distorted, Mo Juren instantly recognized it!

A blurry back, wearing ordinary gray Disciple robes!

His figure was slender, silently hiding in the shadow of a giant ancient tree, facing… the direction of the Stone Crevice!

Although it was just a back, that posture of blending into the environment, that calm aura like a mountain…

Han Li!

The Venomous Stinger Bee Swarm… had discovered him!