Chapter 1540: Four-Stage Gold-Swallowing Ant Queen

A deafening roar echoed as enormous silver lightning snakes emerged from the thunderclouds, continuously slithering within them. Accompanied by repeated thunderclaps, they exuded an intense oppressive aura.

Inside the bamboo building, the Devouring Gold Ant Queen let out a low hiss. Tens of thousands of Devouring Gold Ants crawled out from beneath the building, all scurrying towards their queen.

They climbed onto the Devouring Gold Ant Queen, completely enveloping her and making her resemble a massive chunk of gold from a distance.

A tremendous clap of thunder sounded. A large hole ripped open in the bamboo building's eaves, and a thick silver lightning bolt shot through it, striking the Devouring Gold Ant Queen inside.

With a deafening boom, the entire bamboo building exploded. A dazzling silver light engulfed the Devouring Gold Ant Queen, and powerful shockwaves blew away half of the building.

This was just the beginning. The thunderclouds high above churned violently like boiling water, and strong winds began to rage. Many rare flowers and exotic plants grew on Qinglian Peak; as the wind whistled past, it made them sway wildly.

Tremendous thunderclaps echoed from above as thick silver lightning bolts descended, striking the area where the bamboo building once stood. Dazzling lightning enveloped the entire courtyard, sending dust flying.

Wang Changsheng stood atop the wall of a small courtyard with blue tiles, gazing towards the courtyard where the Devouring Gold Ant Queen was.

A clear phoenix cry rang out as the Thunder Phoenix flew in from a distance, with Wang Qingling seated on its back.

"Ninth Uncle, what's the situation?" Wang Qingling asked, her face full of anticipation.

She was unaware of the Seaguard Ape's existence. The Wang family didn't possess any Fourth-tier spirit beasts, nor even Fourth-tier spirit insects.

"It's just begun its tribulation," Wang Changsheng sighed. "I don't know if it can pass this trial." He added that it's much harder for spirit insects to advance than for spirit beasts. Spirit beasts have a certain chance of transforming into human form when they reach the Fourth-tier, but spirit insects remain insects even at the Fourth-tier; their transformation into human form is even more difficult than for spirit beasts.

He had been in seclusion for ten years, yet remained at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. According to his analysis, a simple reliance on arduous cultivation wouldn't be enough to break through to the late stage.

Wang Changsheng suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, Qingling, has Qingshan returned yet?"

If Wang Qingshan had returned, he and Wang Ruyan could embark on a journey. It was extremely difficult for Nascent Soul cultivators to advance further; many would often travel to experience local customs and seek opportunities for breakthroughs.

"Not yet, but he should be soon! Seventh Brother has been at Taiyi Immortal Sect for about ten years, so he's probably on his way back," Wang Qingling truthfully replied.

Wang Changsheng seemed to sense something. He turned his head to look into the distance, where a black light was flying towards them. Before long, the black light stopped in front of Wang Changsheng, revealing Ye Haitang.

Ye Haitang concealed her aura, making it impossible for Core Formation cultivators to discern her true cultivation level.

Ye Haitang smiled charmingly and asked, "Uncle, Cousin Qingling, long time no see. Who is undergoing tribulation?"

"It's my spirit insect," Wang Changsheng asked somewhat nervously. "Haitang, why have you suddenly returned? Is everything alright over there?" The Wang family had thousands of clansmen at the Zhenhai Sect ruins, serving as their hidden strength and reserve force.

"Nothing's wrong, everything's fine," Ye Haitang explained with a smile. "I've run out of Yellowspring Pills, so I came back to find Cousin Qingqi and ask him to help me refine some."

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng felt relieved.

A rumbling thunder echoed as the thunderclouds churned violently, and hundreds of thick silver lightning bolts poured down.

A deafening roar erupted, shattering the courtyard walls with powerful shockwaves and destroying the formation. Rolling air currents stirred up dust everywhere.

As the dust approached within fifty feet of them, the Thunder Phoenix flapped its wings, stirring up a strong gust of wind that dispersed the dust.

After a while, a colossal roar sounded from within the thunderclouds, which then transformed into a mountain-sized silver lightning ball that plummeted from the sky.

Boom! A dazzling silver light enveloped an area of several miles. Several courtyards were pulverized by the powerful shockwaves, and smoke and dust swirled everywhere as the entire Qinglian Peak shook violently.

The unusual activity on Qinglian Peak attracted the attention of many clan members. Fortunately, Wang Yingjie and Wang Mengfen maintained order in the outer perimeter, preventing others from approaching the peak.

After a moment, the silver lightning dissipated, revealing that the entire courtyard had been flattened by the lightning tribulation.

Wang Changsheng leaped down to the ground, extending his divine sense.

A charred object lay sprawled in a giant crater. The pit was scorched black and emitted wisps of heat.

Wang Changsheng frowned. A crack suddenly appeared on the black object, rapidly widening, and the Devouring Gold Ant Queen crawled out.

The Devouring Gold Ant Queen was shimmering golden all over, as if forged from pure gold. Its pair of thin wings spanned about ten feet when unfurled, its abdomen was swollen, and its foot-long golden antennae twitched constantly.

Judging by its aura, it had indeed advanced to the Fourth-tier.

Wang Changsheng now possessed a Fourth-tier spirit insect. Feeling the powerful aura emanating from the Devouring Gold Ant Queen, Wang Changsheng's face lit up with joy.

He wondered what special abilities the Devouring Gold Ant Queen had gained by reaching the Fourth-tier. The Third-tier Devouring Gold Ant Queen was unremarkable, without any significant divine abilities. He hoped its situation had improved upon reaching the Fourth-tier.

He flicked two fingers, and a blue light shot out. It was a two-foot-long blue short-halberd, which he aimed at the Devouring Gold Ant Queen.

The Devouring Gold Ant Queen crossed its two scythe-like forelegs to block. The blue short-halberd struck its forelegs with a muffled clang, leaving them completely unharmed, without the slightest mark.

Wang Changsheng's face showed delight. Difficult to harm even with a magic treasure—just this point alone meant that, using insect manipulation techniques, the Devouring Gold Ant swarm was effectively a set of metal-attribute magic treasures.

"Ninth Uncle, a Fourth-tier spirit insect should have mastered other divine abilities. However, it has just finished its lightning tribulation, so let it rest for a while!" Wang Qingling said, her face full of envy. She only possessed the Ice Wind Jiao and the Earth Dragon Earthworm. The Ice Wind Jiao was already Third-tier Upper-grade, and the Earth Dragon Earthworm was Third-tier Middle-grade. As for the mutated Netherworld Spider, she was only responsible for its cultivation, not its actual rearing. The mutated Third-tier Netherworld Spider was simply no match for the Ice Wind Jiao, being significantly smaller in size.

Wang Changsheng nodded, put away the Devouring Gold Ant Queen, and said, "Qingling, you go back and rest! Try your best to cultivate the Ice Wind Jiao to the Fourth-tier. Haitang, come with me; your uncle has something to ask you."

Wang Qingling gently patted the Thunder Phoenix's back. The Thunder Phoenix flapped its wings and flew towards Bailing Peak, quickly disappearing from sight.

Wang Changsheng and Ye Haitang landed in a secluded small courtyard with blue tiles. The uncle and niece sat in a stone pavilion and began to chat.

"Uncle," Ye Haitang began, "Aunt's Soul Devouring Golden Cicada has already been cultivated to Third-tier Middle-grade. I've captured all the high-tier specters in the outer areas of the Myriad Ghost Sea, but the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada doesn't seem to benefit much from devouring high-tier specters." As she spoke, Ye Haitang released a ten-foot-tall Soul Devouring Golden Cicada. When Wang Ruyan had given it to her, it was Third-tier Lower-grade, but now it was Third-tier Middle-grade.