Chapter 1580: Soil Fertilizer Ball

"Hmm?" He handed the basin to the ape spirit. "What else have you figured out?"

"The powerful force secretly supporting Qingyang – I know where it comes from now!" He Lingchuan said slowly. "The Divine Temple!"

All signs indicated that Qingyang and Baitan had colluded. However, He Lingchuan sensed an unusually powerful third force backing them.

Qingyang was merely a regent, without real power.Baitan represented only a portion of the officials and military commanders, not the popular choice.For them to dare stir up such immense waves in Yao State, they needed an incredibly powerful backing!

What kind of force would dare support Qingyang's audacious plan?What kind of power could buy up three to four tenths of Yao State's grain in just one month?Could Qingyang, or a few military commanders, really achieve something like that?

The answer was obvious: in Yao State, the only entity with such background, connections, and power, apart from the Yao royal family itself, was naturally the Divine Temple.

Dong Rui also nodded: "Yes, Qingyang and Baitan alone are still too weak. The people of Yao have worshipped Miaozhantian for over a hundred years; this place is full of fanatical believers. Whomever Miaozhantian says it supports, the devotees will support. Even the Yao King doesn't have that kind of prestige."

Mortal emperors are born, age, sicken, and die; they make mistakes, become confused, and can even be beheaded. How could they compare to a deity, high above and boundless in power?For Dong Rui, "devotion" was almost synonymous with "fanaticism."

Gulping loudly, the ape spirit drank milk from the basin as the two spoke, finishing it in one go.When it put the basin down, a white mustache of milk foam ringed its mouth.Before it could wipe itself, Ling Guang quickly handed it a wet wipe.

"But the Yao King has served Miaozhantian meticulously, yet Miaozhantian plans to act against him? Hmph, were all those thousands of temples built in vain?" Dong Rui picked up a pastry and chewed it, his words muffled. "A deity's heart truly cannot be warmed."

"It depends on your perspective," He Lingchuan said, taking a sip of the milk. "This taste is truly excellent; it's worth promoting. From the Yao royal family's viewpoint, sincerity doesn't always beget sincerity, which feels somewhat unrewarding. But if you were Miaozhantian, this entire Yao State would be your sheepfold, and the Yao King merely a farmer tending it for you. If he doesn't do his job well, or fails to meet your expectations, you would naturally replace him."

Ultimately, the Yao King believed the country was his, but the deity clearly thought otherwise.

Daylight broke, and it was time for He Lingchuan to go to the large construction site in the city's outskirts.The Yao King wanted no delays in the new city's construction.He Lingchuan also planned to question the ministers who attended the banquet last night.He urgently needed more details. Bai Ziqi, who he had initially sent north following the Immortal Qianhuan lead, had suddenly returned to Yao State. Was there another reason behind his unexpected return?

Dong Rui expressed some concern: "Hey, don't you have to go to the palace today? It's too dangerous."It was He Lingchuan's day to report on construction progress to the Yao King. However, Bai Ziqi had only arrived in Tianshui City yesterday. Had they already set a trap in the palace, waiting for He Lingchuan to walk right into it?

"No problem, I have a plan." He Lingchuan countered, "What have you found from your study of the 'yellow buns' Tian Yun secretly buried at Yongquan Villa?"

At the mention of this, Dong Rui became animated: "Aha, I guessed right! More insect puppets!"

"What filling? I mean, what's inside them?""Don't they all look the same to you? Round and earthy?""Yes, like stale coarse-grain buns, and one was even a bit deflated.""Actually, the insect puppets inside are all different," Dong Rui explained. "These things shouldn't be called 'egg spores.' 'Exoskeletons' would be more accurate, because what emerges from them isn't necessarily a newly hatched larva."

He Lingchuan let out an "Oh": "Like caterpillars, though they hatch from eggs, they still need to pupate once before transforming into butterflies?""Exactly, that's the principle!" Dong Rui showed a pleased expression, as if teaching a bright student. "These exoskeletons are actually pupae, containing insect puppets waiting to transform into their final forms. Two of them, once unearthed, will become powerful individuals whose future appearances I cannot yet estimate, much like the drastic change in form from a caterpillar to a butterfly."

"The other two are problematic," Dong Rui said, scratching his head. "One will evolve into an ant queen, and the other into a bee queen. Tian Yun is truly cunning. If I were him and wanted to cause more trouble for the enemy, these two would indeed be excellent choices."

He Lingchuan thought for a moment: "Approximately how long until they hatch?"

"Hatch?" Dong Rui snapped, annoyed. "Didn't you remember a single word I just said? It's metamorphosis! The other two exoskeletons will likely emerge from their pupae in twelve or thirteen days, while the bee queen and ant queen will mature earlier, probably breaking out of their casings in about three days, and then begin to reproduce underground or under tree bark.""I deduce that the bee eggs and ant eggs they lay will all hatch within an hour at the latest—yes, now you can call that process 'hatching.'" Dong Rui didn't forget to scoff at He Lingchuan. "Remember the seventy-year cicadas we captured in Rong Mountain?"

"I remember. They were tainted with divine blood, which caused unprecedentedly rapid mutation and reproduction. It's essentially rapid force multiplication, isn't it?"

"Bee queens and ant queens are ruthless production machines. Before Tian Yun's next visit to the villa, they will likely have produced an entire swarm of bees and a colony of ants. They would be extremely useful for both reconnaissance and attack, and the insecticides spread around the villa might not even inflict fatal damage on them."

He Lingchuan interrupted: "Before Tian Yun buried these 'yellow buns,' he must have precisely calculated their metamorphosis time."

Dong Rui snorted twice: "For a skilled demon puppeteer, that's basic training."

"Conversely, we can infer that Tian Yun actually plans to make his move in about ten-odd days," He Lingchuan said, cracking his knuckles. "This timing is very deliberate."Both knew very well what would happen in ten-odd days. "Do you think they will also choose the day the Emperor's Dew descends to act?"

"On that day, the entire city will be in chaos, giving him an opportunity," He Lingchuan said, consulting the expert. "If the Emperor's Dew erupts, will they still be able to control their insect puppets?"

"If it's the same culprit who attacked Situ Yu, I believe they can," Dong Rui said solemnly. "Their control is very strong. Even if the Emperor's Dew erupts, the likelihood of the demon puppets losing control or turning against them is very small – unless the puppeteer is severely wounded."

He Lingchuan asked, curious: "If you were severely wounded, I doubt the ape spirit and the bat would turn against you, would they?"

"Of course not," Dong Rui shook his head. "I've always kept them by my side precisely because I've established a strong emotional bond with these two demon puppets, and also with Number Sixty-Six inside the egg."

As he spoke, the ape spirit reached out a furry hand to secretly touch the pastries on the table, only for Dong Rui to slap its paw: "No manners!"

Indeed, Dong Rui rarely used other demon puppets, and He Lingchuan had thought he was simply too lazy. "Can't that other demon puppeteer do the same?"

"He controls insect puppets! How big are an insect's brains?" Insect puppets operate mostly on instinct. "Now you know why I don't like insect puppets, right? You can't domesticate them!"

"But what about the spider demon sisters...?"

"They are ancient great demons; look how big their brains are," Dong Rui said, unwilling to discuss the matter with an amateur. "Judging by these insect puppets, the demon puppeteer organization Tian Yun belongs to must have started researching this aspect very early on."

"Actually, insect puppets do have undeniable advantages compared to ordinary beast puppets. By accelerating generational change, they can adapt more quickly to the influence of divine blood. Furthermore, they actually have two opportunities to 'break out of their shells,' and they remain dormant inside their exoskeletons, which makes them easier to control."

So, the person named Tian specializing in insect puppets had their own practical considerations. Though, it's still unclear if his surname is genuinely Tian.

"Since they're in your hands, they won't hatch, or rather, won't metamorphose anymore, right?"

"I've halted their metamorphosis process, but I need to keep them for thorough study." Other people's creations and insights were very valuable to Dong Rui. He was a prime example of a self-taught master, yet he still needed to broaden his horizons and gain new inspiration from his peers.

"If you dug up these 'yellow buns,' would Tian Yun know?""Hard to say. The intricacies of this field are profound."

He Lingchuan stood up: "I'm off. You stay at the villa; don't wander off."Until the sky fell, he still had work to do.Before leaving, he once again instructed Wanqiu Feng that if Zhao Song raised an army, everyone should evacuate as quickly as possible according to He Lingchuan's prior arrangements.

As soon as Bai Ziqi entered Yuquan Palace, a blast of cold air hit him.This cold would take anyone by surprise, making them gasp for breath as the air inhaled instantly condensed into countless tiny ice crystals, chilling them to the bone upon entering their lungs.The rocks and buildings within Yuquan Palace were covered in a thick layer of white snow.It wasn't frost; it was snow.Just one wall separated the inside from the outside, yet the temperature difference was at least twenty degrees.

Bai Ziqi exhaled a plume of white mist as soon as he spoke: "Yuquan Palace seems even colder now?"It hadn't been this extreme the last time he visited.The palace attendant leading the way respectfully said: "Yes, for the past three years, Yuquan Palace has grown colder each year."

And ever since the Yao King's birthday celebration concluded, Yuquan Palace had grown colder by the day. The palace seemed to possess its own barrier; snow would gently fall throughout the night. By morning, the palace attendants would have to come out and clear the snow, at least enough to create a path for the Yao King to walk.However, the Yao King no longer walked here.He was old and frail, unable to withstand such biting cold.

"Eh?" Turning a corner, Bai Ziqi paused slightly. "Where's that old pear tree?"The old pear tree was the centerpiece of Yuquan Palace, its verdant canopy gracefully towering, its white blossoms fragrant like jade and snow. It had left a deep impression even on the well-traveled Bai Ziqi. But this time, upon entering, Yuquan Palace felt strangely empty.Where was the tree?

The palace attendant hesitated before whispering: "The treasured tree has... vanished."

Bai Ziqi was somewhat surprised: "When did that happen?"He received various news from Yao State from time to time, but minor details like "a tree dying" typically wouldn't reach his ears.

"On the day of His Majesty's birthday celebration, the treasured tree's blossoms and leaves flew away, and it suddenly withered."

Bai Ziqi let out a soft "Oh": "I see."He had only asked out of passing curiosity, not taking it much to heart, and proceeded through Yuquan Palace towards Qingyin Pavilion.