The Path of Immortality: Starts With Creating Water Bear Gu

Chapter 66: (1): Obtaining the peak-grade Spiritual Insect

After resting for a while and replenishing their energy with some food, the group set off again. They walked intermittently, stopping to rest every half day. It took them five days to reach the edge of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

As soon as they entered the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, Long Xuan saw ancient trees towering before him. The trees had thick, tall trunks and lush foliage, forming a sea of green. When the wind blew, he could smell the scent of grass and wood, mixed with the rich presence of spiritual energy.

The concentration of spiritual energy here was much higher than in the market town, making it an ideal environment for cultivation.

However, no family dared to settle here. Despite the excellent cultivation environment, they would be the first to suffer in the event of a beast tide.

The Ten Thousand Great Mountains were named because they comprised over one hundred thousand peaks, continuously extending one after another. The vast area they covered was unimaginable.

It was said that the Ten Thousand Great Mountains spanned across countless regions, with the Far west being just a small adjacent part.

Within this vast forest, countless powerful spiritual beasts and many unknown mysteries were hidden.

It's no exaggeration to say that the overall strength of spiritual beasts far exceeded that of humans.

After all, most humans were born as mortals unable to cultivate, and the small portion that can practice cultivation needs to grow through acquired efforts.

Spiritual beasts, on the other hand, were born with combat abilities, inheriting all their skills innately. They also had a high reproduction rate, with a single brood producing more than ten offspring.

If not for the disorganized state of the spiritual beast world and their low intelligence, humans could never have been the dominant species in this realm.

Given this situation, no family dared to settle in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

Upon entering the edge of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, the group slowed their pace to conserve their spiritual energy, no longer using it to hasten their journey.

Entering this area was considered dangerous; battles could break out at any moment, making it crucial not to recklessly waste spiritual energy.

Everyone became extremely cautious, frequently casting vigilant glances around.

Old Ma was the most cautious, advising, "Everyone, be careful. In the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, dangers come not only from spiritual beasts. Often, insects can be more hazardous and harder to defend against than spiritual beasts."

The group nodded in agreement. Compared to spiritual beasts, insects were not necessarily stronger but were much smaller and harder to detect. A single careless moment could lead to being bitten, making them more troublesome than large spiritual beasts.

Moreover, these insects could be deadly despite their size. A single bite could be fatal.

"Old Ma, we’ll be careful even if you don't remind us. But why is your face so pale? If you're not feeling well, you can still go back now."

"Once we reach deeper areas, it will be too late to turn back. We won't be able to escort you back," Old Li Laodao remarked, kindly reminding Old Ma after noticing his pale face.

Hearing this, Long Xuan instinctively looked at Old Ma’s face. Indeed, his face was frighteningly pale, devoid of any color, as if he were about to die.

This was definitely not the face of a healthy person; something was definitely wrong with Old Ma’s body.

He was perfectly fine just a moment ago. Long Xuan felt that his sudden change was not due to illness but was likely caused by something in the forest.

"Is that so? I feel fine," Old Ma said, touching his face. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground uncontrollably.

It was then that the group noticed a large mosquito on Old Ma’s back. Its six long legs clung tightly, and its needle-like mouth was deeply inserted into his back. Its belly was already swollen, ready to burst.

The elderly woman Han Mei, who was closest to him, and adept with needles, swiftly shot the mosquito down, saving Old Ma’s life.

Seeing the large mosquito fall from his back, Old Ma’s face turned white, muttering in disbelief, "How could this be? I was so careful."

He had just been warning others in a senior's tone, but now he was the one who got bitten. His face flushed red with embarrassment.

"With such skills, you’re advising others?" Zhang Ling chuckled softly.

Long Xuan didn’t laugh; instead, he looked surprised. This time, he truly realized the terrifying nature of insects in this world.

In his previous life, he believed mosquitoes were the least likely to evolve.

If they didn't evolve to produce the maddening itch-inducing toxins, would humans bother killing them?

Even if they caused itching, couldn’t they just stay in one place and drink their fill before flying away? But no, a single mosquito would bite ten different spots before it was satisfied, naturally inviting humans to swat them.

Moreover, they evolved to produce a buzzing sound, acting like a tracking device, as if they feared people wouldn’t know where they were.

If mosquitoes hadn’t evolved these traits, humans wouldn’t bother with them. Who cares about a little blood? Mosquitoes could survive just fine.

However, mosquitoes in this world had evolved exceptionally well, flying without making any sound. No one noticed when it landed on Old Ma’s back.

Furthermore, their bites were painless and didn’t cause itching, making them undetectable. They only made one puncture and drank until they were full.

This world’s mosquitoes were so adept at evolving that even a cautious person like Old Ma fell victim, nearly being sucked dry.

Long Xuan was shocked, quickly brushing his hand over his back. Finding nothing, he discreetly moved to the middle of the group.

This way, if a mosquito tried to sneak up on him, his teammates behind him would notice in time.

Wait, any smart mosquito would target the person at the back first, not fly into the middle of the group and risk exposure.

Thinking this, Long Xuan felt even more secure.

Not just Long Xuan, but everyone checked themselves after Old Ma’s incident.

This self-check revealed even more issues.

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