Blood Worm of Quin Mou Mountain
The city was behind him, its chaos and enemies left to fester in their own anger. Zheng Yun walked down the winding dirt path, his black robe fluttering in the gentle wind. He had no attachments to this place. No regrets. Only the hunger for power drove him forward.
As he traveled, he stopped at a small roadside restaurant. The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, and the place was lively with chatter from merchants, wandering cultivators, and travelers.
Zheng Yun sat at a corner table, ordering a simple meal. His presence drew occasional glances—after all, his face was still young, yet his eyes held a deep coldness that unsettled people.
Two men at a nearby table whispered, unaware that Zheng Yun was listening.
"Did you hear? Someone slaughtered the Han siblings in the city. The family is in an uproar."
"Yeah, I heard they've sent bounty hunters. Whoever did it must be insane."
Zheng Yun smirked slightly but said nothing. He finished his meal quickly, paid, and left the restaurant, stepping back onto his path.
His destination: Quin Mou Mountain.
The Cave of Insects
The jagged peaks of Quin Mou Mountain loomed ahead, their tips lost in the misty sky. It was a dangerous place, home to wild beasts, rogue cultivators, and ancient secrets. But Zheng Yun had a clear goal.
He had heard rumors of a rare creature living deep inside one of the caves—a Blood Worm.
These worms were violent and parasitic, known for consuming flesh and devouring the spiritual essence of their prey. But if controlled, they could become terrifying weapons.
As he entered the dark, damp cave, the air grew thick with a sickly-sweet smell. The walls were covered in a strange red mucus, and the deeper he went, the more he could hear the unsettling squirming sounds of countless insects moving in the shadows.
Zheng Yun was prepared.
From his storage bag, he pulled out a live deer he had captured earlier. The animal thrashed in fear, its eyes wild, but Zheng Yun showed no mercy. He slit its throat and let the blood pour onto the cave floor.
The reaction was immediate.
A wave of insects erupted from the darkness, their eyes gleaming with hunger. Mandibles clicked, legs scurried, wings buzzed. The deer's corpse was instantly swarmed, its flesh torn apart within seconds.
Zheng Yun stood still, watching with cold detachment.
Then, among the chaos, he spotted it—the Blood Worm.
Larger than the others, its body pulsed with an eerie red glow. Unlike the mindless insects around it, this one had intelligence. It moved cautiously, sensing Zheng Yun's presence.
Zheng Yun didn't hesitate. With a swift movement, he trapped the Blood Worm inside a special jade container, sealing it with a formation. The moment it was captured, the other insects reacted aggressively.
A deafening screech echoed through the cave as the creatures turned their attention toward him.
The Battle in the Darkness
Zheng Yun dashed toward the exit, but the insects swarmed him from all sides. Their sharp legs slashed at his robes, their mandibles snapping at his flesh.
He gritted his teeth and unleashed his spiritual energy, forming a blade of condensed Qi in his hand.
Slash! Slash!
His strikes were precise. Every move cut through the creatures with ruthless efficiency. Blood and insect limbs splattered against the cave walls.
But more kept coming.
He couldn't waste time.
Instead of fighting endlessly, he activated a fire talisman, throwing it into the cave.
The moment it touched the ground—
Boom!
Flames roared through the cavern, swallowing the remaining insects in an inferno of destruction. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, but Zheng Yun didn't look back.
He leaped out of the cave, landing on the rocky ground outside. Behind him, the cave burned, and any surviving insects screeched in agony.
Zheng Yun exhaled slowly, brushing the blood off his sleeves.
The Blood Worm in his container wriggled violently, trying to escape. But it was his now.
Another step forward. Another tool for his rise to power.
Zheng Yun turned his gaze to the horizon.