Chapter 2164: Mother of the Borers

"What? You also possess artifacts like the Star Boundary Plate or Realm-Breaking Pearl?" Han Li asked, a thought flashing through his mind.

"The Star Boundary Plate and similar items alone aren't enough to accomplish this," the maiden in linen cautioned, still sounding a bit uneasy. "Once we establish contact with that old monster, I will naturally prepare everything for your next visit, Daoist Han. However, such an item is exceedingly precious even to Guangyuan Zhai and has strict usage limits. Even if you acquire it, traveling back and forth between our Demon Realm and yours will be extremely difficult, Brother Han. It must be used with utmost caution, only when absolutely necessary."

"Don't worry," Han Li replied, "if it's truly a consumable item, I will naturally use it carefully and avoid any waste."

Upon hearing that he could indeed obtain a treasure capable of inter-realm travel, Han Li was naturally overjoyed and readily agreed.

Lan Ying saw the sincerity in Han Li's expression and nodded in satisfaction.

"Oh, there's one more thing I've been a bit unclear about," Han Li remembered, hesitating briefly before asking, "I wonder if Fairy is at liberty to answer it for me?"

"More questions? Brother Han, just ask away, why be so polite?" the maiden in linen replied with a slight start, then immediately smiled.

"I'd like to know why the Demon Realm's current invasion of the Spirit Realm is so different from previous ones; it seems to aim for long-term occupation. When I entered the Demon Realm this time, I found that ordinary demons were unaware of this matter. It appears that those invading the Spirit Realm are exclusively the direct forces of the Saint Ancestors and some controlled low to mid-tier demonic beasts," Han Li asked, his gaze fixed on the maiden in linen, his expression solemn.

Upon hearing Han Li's question, the expressions of the maiden in linen, Zi Ling, and "Aunt Zhu" beside her all shifted.

"Although I am aware of this matter," Lan Ying said apologetically after a long hesitation, "due to the sect's prohibition against 'interfering in conflicts between realms,' it is not convenient for me to disclose the truth."

"Since this matter puts Fairy Lan in a difficult position, then let's consider that I never asked," Han Li said, seeing the situation. He naturally didn't press further, merely nodding slightly to show his understanding.

"Brother Han, if you wish to inquire about this matter, you needn't ask Sister Lan. As a disciple of the Six Extremes Sect, I happen to know some relevant inside information," Zi Ling said, finally sighing after her expression shifted several times.

"Oh, is this something you can conveniently discuss? If it's inconvenient, then never mind. I can spend some time to uncover the details myself," Han Li asked cautiously, initially a little pleased but then recalling something.

"Don't worry, you needn't be concerned," Zi Ling replied with a wry smile. "Although this matter was originally only known to those of the Saint Ancestor level, with the war between our realm and the Human Realm having raged for so many years, this information simply cannot be kept secret much longer. Even we, the disciples of the Saint Ancestors, already know some details. Before long, I believe all high-ranking members of the Demon Realm will be aware of the Demon Realm's great catastrophe, so there's no need for secrecy."

"The Demon Realm's great catastrophe? Then I shall truly listen with utmost attention," Han Li said, his heart tightening, not daring to be careless.

"Alright, Sister Lan Ying and Aunt Zhu already know about this, so it won't hurt to discuss it here. If I say anything incorrectly, I hope Sister Lan Ying will kindly point it out," Zi Ling said, after a moment's thought, with a serious expression.

"To be honest, our sect doesn't understand too much about the Demon Realm's great catastrophe, certainly no more than Sister Zi," the maiden in linen replied with a wry smile. "We only know that if it's not handled properly, the Demon Realm might truly face a great disaster. The Saint Ancestors, led by the three great Demon Ancestors, have almost entirely focused their efforts on this. The invasion of the Spirit Realm appears to be merely one of their backup strategies for dealing with it." Although she didn't say anything specific, she did convey some vague information.

Han Li felt a slight tremor in his heart as he listened.

"Sister Lan is not at liberty to elaborate, so I shall recount the tale of the great catastrophe," Zi Ling began. "It's a long story, with its origins tracing back to not long after the Demon Realm first opened. It's said that in those days, many now-extinct races still lived across various realms. And even True Immortals and True Demons from the Upper Realm could occasionally contact their kin in the lower realms. But during that period, an obscure branch of an ancient insect race in one particular realm suddenly gave birth to a Moth Mother, a creature whose power surpassed that of an ordinary True Immortal. This Moth Mother not only possessed a natural dark elemental body but could also devour all kinds of energy from heaven and earth simultaneously. Even more terrifying was its absolutely astonishing reproductive speed, and its offspring also inherited the dreadful ability to devour the energy of the world. It is rumored that several of the most fearsome insects circulating in various realms today, such as the Gold-Devouring Beetles, might have inherited related bloodlines from this Moth Mother, which is why they also possess the divine ability to devour all things." Zi Ling paused here, giving Han Li a meaningful look.

Han Li's expression remained unchanged as he listened, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

At this point, Zi Ling continued:

"It is said that in just over a thousand years, this Moth Mother led hundreds of millions of offspring to completely slaughter all other races and living beings in their original realm. Then, after another ten thousand years, the entire realm withered and eventually collapsed because all its heaven and earth energy had been devoured. However, just before the realm's destruction, the Moth Mother used immense divine power to forcibly break through space with her offspring, leaving the shattered realm and entering another nearby one. In merely tens of thousands of years, the same scene unfolded in this new realm; its energy was similarly exhausted, and it began to collapse. Thus, over the next hundred thousand years or so, this Moth Mother, along with her offspring, successively destroyed several realms, eventually attracting the attention of the Upper Realm. By some unknown means, two True Immortals actually descended in their true forms, leading this Moth Mother and her offspring to the Demon Realm, where a fierce battle ensued. I heard that the intense conflict back then was so devastating that it nearly tore the heavens and earth apart, affecting countless regions. Many of the perilous lands and secret realms in the Demon Realm today were formed after that great war. The final outcome of this battle was that all of the Moth Mother's offspring were annihilated, while she herself, gravely wounded, was sealed by the two True Immortals using a Celestial Realm technique into what is now the Land of Primordial Seal, condemned to eternal slumber."

"Since they captured this Moth Mother," Han Li asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he heard this, "why didn't the two True Immortals simply take its life? Why go to the trouble of sealing it? Could it be that the current great catastrophe of the Demon Realm is due to this Moth Mother reawakening?"

"Why those two True Immortals didn't eliminate the Moth Mother is hard to say due to the immense passage of time. Perhaps the Moth Mother possessed some life-saving ability that made it impossible to truly destroy her. Or perhaps after such a fierce battle, the two True Immortals themselves were severely wounded and unable to accomplish it. Regardless of the reasons back then, Brother Han, your current conjecture is correct. The Moth Mother did indeed begin to gradually awaken over ten thousand years ago, and she has since bred numerous offspring, constantly assaulting the seal. After being alarmed, the three great Ancestors have continuously used various methods from the outside to strengthen and reinforce the seal, and they've dispatched people to constantly slay the various low and mid-tier moths that burst forth from the seal's cracks. However, this merely delays the time until the Moth Mother truly breaks free from the seal. Once her main body escapes, the fate of the Demon Realm is unimaginable. That Moth Mother will not take any captives or servants; everything will be devoured completely by her. This is the true great catastrophe of the Demon Realm." As Zi Ling spoke her last words, a worried expression appeared on her face.

"Listening to Zi Ling's words, if this Moth Mother truly brings about the destruction of the Demon Realm, couldn't it also potentially cross realms and come to our Spirit Realm?" Han Li's face suddenly turned exceedingly grim as he couldn't help but ask.

"The Spirit Realm isn't the only realm adjacent to the Demon Realm; there are several others," the maiden in linen stated. "However, if the Demon Realm ceases to exist, there is indeed a certain probability that the Spirit Realm will become the next target. And even if it isn't, once the surrounding realms have all perished, the Spirit Realm certainly won't be able to escape this catastrophe."

"So that's how it is," Han Li slowly articulated after a long period of somber contemplation. "This means that as long as this Moth Mother can be dealt with, not only will the Demon Realm immediately withdraw its forces, but it will also resolve a major future catastrophe for our Spirit Realm."

"How could the Moth Mother be so easily dealt with?" Zi Ling said with a faint sigh. "If you could truly accomplish this, not only would the current war between the two realms vanish like smoke, but even getting the Demon Realm to cease its Sacred Sacrifice harassments of the Spirit Realm would be a simple matter. However, unless a True Immortal descends from the heavens, such a notion is merely a pipe dream."

"Indeed, this isn't something I can intervene in right now," Han Li murmured. After his expression shifted several times, he finally shook his head and temporarily put the matter aside. "Fortunately, from your tone, the seal can hold for quite some time, so we can only wait and see."

Such a significant matter, concerning multiple realms, should be left for the Mahayana cultivators of the Spirit Realm to handle. He was currently just a mere Body Integration cultivator, unable to bear such a weighty responsibility.

At the very least, upon returning, he could first inform Mo Jianli, the Mahayana cultivator within his clan, about it.

Having made up his mind, Han Li no longer brought up the related matter. Instead, he chatted with Zi Ling and the others about his experiences and observations in the Demon Realm, before finally taking his leave with Zi Ling.

However, as Han Li accompanied Zi Ling out of the pavilion and along the small path leading out of the dense forest, they saw, at the exit, seven or eight armored demon guards surrounding an exceptionally luxurious beast-drawn carriage.

"Brother Han, since you're also returning to the city, let me give you a ride in my beast carriage," Zi Ling said softly, pausing her steps and turning to Han Li. "I still have some things I need to tell you in more detail along the way."

"Alright, I also have a few matters I'd like to discuss with you," Han Li nodded, not declining.

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