Chapter 1109: Pioneer Battalion

Winds Stir the Nine Provinces

The Nine Provinces consist of nine major landmasses. The two major factions, the Vast Sky Alliance and the Myriad Demon Ridge, each control three of these. The remaining three—Bing Province, Tian Province, and Ding Province—are disputed territories, with each faction holding half.

Thus, the vanguard camp in Bing Province this time is comprised of powerful cultivators from both major factions. Each side has dispatched their strongest to gather, an unprecedented and grand assembly only possible during such unique times and circumstances, a sight rarely witnessed otherwise.

On the third day after returning to the pass, before dawn, Lu Ye pushed open the door and emerged from his sleeping quarters.

Amber was perched on his shoulder. Compared to over a year ago, Amber's aura was significantly stronger. After more than a year of uninterrupted cultivation and consuming a large number of demon cores, Amber's growth was strikingly evident.

After all, it was an exotic beast, and with Yi Yi cultivating alongside it, its growth rate, though not matching Lu Ye's current pace, was significantly faster than that of ordinary human cultivators.

Currently, Amber, though not yet at the level of a Divine Sea Realm demon beast, was not far off.

For Lu Ye, during battle, as long as Amber was by his side, he could draw power from it, so a slightly lower strength for Amber was not an issue.

It was precisely for this reason that Lu Ye kept Amber by his side; the counterattack against the great insect secret realm was not a war that could be won overnight, and every bit of external assistance was crucial.

He looked up at the starry sky, which was still dotted with countless stars, signaling undoubtedly good weather for the day.

His gaze inadvertently swept across a section of the starry sky, where he noticed a star that was noticeably much brighter than when he had last observed it, though he didn't know why.

However, his attention was soon drawn to a figure nearby. After a brief look, he exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Sister Nian?"

Nian Yuexian was actually there, and from her demeanor, it seemed she was waiting for him.

"Ready to depart?" Nian Yuexian asked.

Lu Ye nodded. "After all, I'm a junior, and in a sense, a partial host. It wouldn't be right to keep the seniors waiting. It's better to go early. Senior Sister Nian, are you..."

"I'm also part of the vanguard camp," Nian Yuexian explained.

Lu Ye understood.

Given Nian Yuexian's strength, it was only natural for her to be assigned to the vanguard camp. "Then let's go together," Lu Ye invited.

Leading Nian Yuexian into the Heavenly Secret Hall, they passed through a teleportation formation and arrived directly near the great rift.

The hundreds of cultivators at the two passes were still faithfully performing their duties, annihilating the insectoid creatures that crawled out from the great rift. This task had long become second nature to them; often, as soon as the insects emerged, they were instantly obliterated.

It was still early, and apart from Lin Yue, who was stationed there, no other Divine Sea Realm cultivators were present.

Lu Ye stepped forward, exchanged a few words with Lin Yue, and then stood quietly in place, waiting.

As dawn broke, powerful auras continuously flew in from different directions, arriving and descending upon the location. These were undoubtedly all members of the vanguard camp gathering there.

There were cultivators from both the Myriad Demon Ridge and the Vast Sky Alliance. As numerous powerful auras converged, the hundreds of cultivators at the two passes immediately felt immense pressure, not daring to show the slightest negligence.

By the time it was fully light, over two hundred members of the vanguard camp had already gathered there, and their numbers were still increasing.

Feeling the auras of the incoming individuals, Lu Ye was secretly astonished.

Although he knew that the Nine Provinces harbored countless hidden talents and endless strong cultivators, hearing about it was one thing, witnessing it firsthand was another. Not a single vanguard camp cultivator who had gathered there had a cultivation below the Seventh-Layer Realm; all were at or above it, with an astonishing 20 percent even reaching the Ninth-Layer Realm.

At this rate, the entire vanguard camp would comprise at least several hundred members.

Moreover, this did not represent the full might of Bing Province. It was impossible for all Divine Sea Realm cultivators above the Seventh Layer to enter the insect passage; both the Myriad Demon Ridge and the Vast Sky Alliance had to leave a portion of their forces behind to maintain stability in Bing Province.

If one province alone possessed such strength, what would the entire Nine Provinces be like?

Lu Ye found something rather interesting: the powerful cultivators who had gathered were not as sharply divided as expected, nor was there the anticipated tension upon meeting. Many, despite belonging to different factions, still chatted and laughed with each other.

This was rarely seen among lower-level cultivators; the less cultivated they were, the more prone they were to conflict when clashing. Conversely, those with higher cultivation, having witnessed and experienced more, often remained calm and composed, conversing freely.

Lu Ye felt many scrutinizing gazes, both intentional and unintentional, sweeping over him.

Among the Divine Sea Realm cultivators present, his cultivation was the lowest and he was the youngest, which was one factor. Another was the dissemination of certain information.

Currently, everyone knew that the Spirit-Connected Formation Plate was his creation, and that he had ventured deep into the great insect secret realm to bring back extremely valuable images. Moreover, he had even contributed the method for extracting the insect essence.

It could be said that he played a decisive role in facilitating the Nine Provinces' opportunity to counterattack the great insect secret realm.

Furthermore, at his young age, he had already achieved the Fourth Layer of the Divine Sea Realm cultivation. Anyone who wasn't blind could realize that no matter how the tides of change shifted in the Nine Provinces in the future, he would secure a prominent position.

Given the current situation, the entire Nine Provinces owed him a debt of gratitude. Thus, while many scrutinized him, there was little hostility.

Even if they harbored apprehension, no one dared to show any hostility in such an occasion or at such a time.

"Hahaha, I'm late!" A hearty laugh rang out, followed by a figure sweeping in from the direction of Dark Moon Forest Pass, with over a dozen powerful cultivators trailing behind him.

"City Lord!" Many powerful cultivators from Myriad Demon Ridge immediately saluted, and even numerous cultivators from the Vast Sky Alliance cupped their fists in greeting. Lu Ye recognized this person as Long Bai, the City Lord of Myriad Demon City in Bing Province, whose status was equivalent to Pang Zhen of the Vast Sky Alliance.

His main body had not met this person, but last night, Long Bai, leading some Divine Sea Realm members of the vanguard camp who were resting at Dark Moon Forest Pass, had summoned his clone, Li Taibai.

As the most dazzling rising star of Myriad Demon Ridge in this generation, Li Taibai was naturally highly regarded by Myriad Demon City's high-ranking officials. Long Bai did not hesitate to praise and reward the clone, which gave Lu Ye an opportunity to learn a little about this person.

After a round of greetings, Long Bai turned to Lu Ye and laughed heartily, "This young friend must be Lu Yiye. Indeed, his bearing is extraordinary."

Lu Ye bowed. "Greetings, City Lord Long."

"I know a lot about your affairs, young friend," Long Bai said. "If one day you're unhappy in the Vast Sky Alliance, you're always welcome to join my Myriad Demon Ridge!" As he spoke, he winked at Lu Ye, clearly implying something.

Yu Huajin had betrayed the Vast Sky Alliance, even seeking to use the Myriad Demon Ridge's power to kill Lu Ye. This incident occurred at Dark Moon Forest Pass, so how could Long Bai, as City Lord of Myriad Demon City, not be aware? In fact, he had personally issued all decisions regarding that matter, and it was he who had ordered Lin Yue to warn Lu Ye, allowing Lu Ye to take precautions.

As soon as he said this, many on the Vast Sky Alliance side frowned. Although they knew Lu Ye would never agree to such a thing, this blatant attempt at poaching was truly rather audacious.

"If you can't speak properly, don't speak nonsense! No one thinks you're mute!" a voice called from afar. As the words finished, several figures descended into the field, notably Pang Zhen and the Sect Master, among others.

Long Bai burst into hearty laughter. "Old Pang, you're late."

Pang Zhen nodded slightly. "There were some matters that caused a slight delay."

One was the City Lord of Myriad Demon City, the other the Vice-Alliance Master of the Vast Sky Alliance. In terms of cultivation, status, and strength, both were equal, and they were the principal leaders of this vanguard camp's offensive into the great insect secret realm.

As soon as the two met, they held a brief discussion.

A moment later, Pang Zhen announced loudly: "For over three years, the insect plague has ravaged the Nine Provinces, exhausting our cultivators and causing immense suffering among our common people. Today, we gather here as the vanguard to enter the insect passage and counterattack the great insect secret realm. This is a heavy and arduous task, and we cannot afford to fail. Let us put aside past grievances; there are no factional divisions here today. I hope all of you can unite your efforts to annihilate the insect race!"

All present were Divine Sea Realm powerhouses with extensive cultivation, every single one above the Seventh Layer. There was no need for an overly passionate pre-battle mobilization; everyone knew what they would face upon receiving the order. Thus, Pang Zhen merely spoke a few simple words.

Next, the insect blood was distributed.

Each person received a jar, and Lu Ye also received one.

"Wait for me here!" Nian Yuexian instructed. After receiving her jar of insect blood, she flashed away towards the distance.

Not only her, but all female cultivators did the same.

Primarily, applying insect blood to the body was a delicate task, requiring no missed spots, and it was inconvenient for the female cultivators to do so under so many watchful eyes.

With the female cultivators gone, the remaining male cultivators had fewer reservations. They each proceeded, and in no time, everyone was covered in a greenish hue, not even their hair was missed.

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, everyone gathered again. Lu Ye looked up and saw figures with green-tinged skin, finding the scene quite comical.

Of course, to outsiders, he must have looked equally grotesque.

"Depart!" With a low shout from Pang Zhen, he and Long Bai were the first to descend towards the great rift. The others followed closely, and instantly, the scene became lively.

Below the great rift, the insectoid creatures still crawling out suffered greatly. Where the numerous Divine Sea Realm cultivators passed, nothing was left standing in an instant; no trace remained.

Lu Ye was mixed in with the crowd, with Nian Yuexian beside him, feeling somewhat bored. Such a scene and such a lineup simply didn't require his intervention.

All he needed to do was wait for those ahead to capture some Divine Sea Realm insectoid creatures and then apply methods to enslave them. The light from above gradually faded, and soon everyone arrived at the entrance of the insect passage. Pang Zhen and Long Bai still led the way, with others following.

Having had one experience of venturing deep into the insect passage, Lu Ye was not entirely unfamiliar with it.

Several hundred people moved like the wind, collectively rushing into the insect passage in mere moments. However, due to the limited size of the insect passage, they couldn't advance abreast, so the entire group formed a queue that wasn't overly long.

Lu Ye was positioned somewhat towards the front, mainly because he needed to enslave the insect race, and it would be difficult to do so if he were too far back.

Nian Yuexian was likely responsible for his safety, staying by his side at all times.