The War Between Birds and Insects

“A worm…”

“A plump, massive worm writhed not far away…”

A Qi Condensation stage bird demon gazed at the blood-red monstrosity crawling nearby, its aura of fresh blood-food so potent that it almost completely overwhelmed her instincts.

Birds preying on worms was an immutable law of nature.

Yet, why would such a succulent, massive worm appear in this place?

‘Never mind,’ she thought, ‘no matter the reason. Before my companions notice, I must devour this great worm.’

Fluttering the wings on her back, she swooped down to attack the worm.

“Screech—”

Just then, the blood-red monstrosity seemed to notice the ambushing bird demon, rearing its body like a snake and spitting out crimson liquid from its maw.

“Slow, too slow. Wouldn’t it be better to just let me eat you?”

The bird demon dodged sideways, her talons poised to seize the blood-red monstrosity.

To her astonishment, the worm made no attempt to evade, instead wrapping itself instantly around her body, tracing up her very claws.

‘I’m finished—’

‘This, this must be a wicked scheme orchestrated by the Myriad Insect Hall!’

****

Qin Yan and Fangyuan observed the scene from a distance.

“That bird, it truly is gluttonous…”

Fangyuan wore a faint smile, watching the bird demon struggle against the blood-red monstrosity.

That very monstrosity was, in fact, her Blood Leech Gu.

This entire setup served as bait, luring the bird demon.

With the aid of Qin Yan’s artifact, named ‘Void,’ the two held their breath in the distance, patiently awaiting their prey to take the hook.

As the saying goes, ‘The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.’

“Next, we should release this bird demon, allowing her to report back, shouldn’t we?” Qin Yan remarked, observing the distant scene.

After all, slaying bird demons was not their ultimate objective.

“Precisely!”

Fangyuan nodded, then manipulated her Blood Leech Gu, orchestrating it so the bird demon believed it had narrowly escaped the blood-red monstrosity’s assault through its own prowess.

Soon after, they watched as the bird demon flew off into the distance, shrieking all the way.

“Enemy attack! The insect race is attacking!!!”

This was their scheme, simple yet effective: to sow discord.

Even if the bird demon hadn’t fallen for the trap, and had merely observed the blood-red monstrosity with caution, the news of the insect race plotting against the bird race would still naturally have reached the bird clan’s ears.

Not long after, a formidable surge of power emanated from within the bird race—the aura of a Golden Core stage cultivator at its peak.

The Cave Master of Thousand Bird Cave, a Great Roc demon who had cultivated to this stage, unfurled her wings and soared into the sky.

Her formidable aura, utterly unmasked, proclaimed her presence.

Now that events had escalated to this point, and with her cultivation being the highest among those present, the unfolding situation had far exceeded her expectations.

If she didn’t act now, when would she?

Even without the previous bird demon’s report, she could no longer hold back.

“Sisters of Thousand Bird Cave, heed my command! Follow me, and let us slaughter those insects of the Myriad Insect Hall, turning them into our blood-food!”

“Turn them into blood-food!!!”

Hundreds of massive birds swiftly soared from the dense forest, heading towards the distant direction of the Myriad Insect Hall’s demon race.

They had long desired to do this.

These accursed insects of the Myriad Insect Hall usually hid themselves within deep mountains and vast valleys, refusing to emerge.

Now, however, they had unexpectedly poured out en masse, presenting nothing short of a buffet.

Meanwhile, the insect cultivators of the Myriad Insect Hall reacted swiftly, as if they had long anticipated this very scene.

The deep-seated enmity between them and Thousand Bird Cave, spanning many years, seemed destined to be resolved completely on this day!

The Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall emerged from among the insect demons, flying alone to confront the multitude of bird demons.

Gazing fixed upon the leading Cave Master of Thousand Bird Cave, whose cultivation was only at the middle Golden Core stage, she knew she should logically be no match.

However, their Myriad Insect Hall was not without its trump cards.

“On this very day, let the grievances between our two races be settled here!!!”

The Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall roared, and immediately, the entire area began to shake violently.

A trace of Nascent Soul stage aura erupted from beneath the earth, its sheer power silencing every cultivator present.

A colossal black insect, vast as a mountain range, with two antennae atop its head and a thousand legs, then crawled forth from the depths of the earth.

The Nascent Soul stage aura emanating from this monstrous creature was undisguised.

Though it possessed only the form and not the true spirit, it was still a Nascent Soul stage shell, powerful enough for the Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall to contend with the Cave Master of Thousand Bird Cave.

“Oh, Ancestor, let our Myriad Insect Hall rise today, under your watchful gaze!”

The Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall gazed at the majestic figure, tears involuntarily welling in her eyes.

This was once their Myriad Insect Hall’s Nascent Soul Ancestor, who, after death, had allowed their descendants to refine their remnant body, preserving it as the Myriad Insect Hall’s ultimate trump card.

The Cave Master of Thousand Bird Cave, witnessing this, dared not be arrogant.

Even though the Nascent Soul before her was indeed merely a puppet, she nonetheless revealed her true form.

A Great Roc demon, adorned with black feathers, materialized in the high heavens, then swooped down to attack the colossal insect.

In an instant, the two were locked in a fierce battle.

The other bird cultivators and insect cultivators likewise engaged, and both sides plunged into a massive war.

Ultimately, these two races had existed in this region long before humanity ever appeared.

The profound enmity between them had long since become irreconcilable.

Furthermore, there was absolutely no possibility of some absurd plotline involving bird cultivators falling in love with insect cultivators, or vice-versa.

The fundamental root of their conflict lay entirely on the level of the food chain.

The Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall, observing the Great Roc locked in battle with the colossal insect, also divided her attention and joined the fray.

Controlling the puppet while simultaneously fighting, she displayed remarkable proficiency, as if she had practiced this very act countless times.

Evidently, such a scenario had played out in her mind countless times.

For insect cultivators to suppress bird cultivators in battle—such a turn of events was truly a reversal of natural order.

Yet, cultivation itself was, by its very nature, an act of defying the heavens!

****

Qin Yan and Fangyuan, having already retreated to a nearby location, watched the unfolding scene.

“That Great Roc demon appears to be faltering.”

Fangyuan observed the scene, a look of complete control on her face, and spoke.

“To think the insect race possessed a Nascent Soul stage trump card!

Though merely a shell, if the insect race defeats the bird demons, wouldn’t dealing with the Sword Sect afterward be effortless?”

Qin Yan replied.

“If the insect race holds such a trump card, how could the Sword Sect possibly be without one?”

Fangyuan’s lips curved into a faint smile, her expression inscrutable.

Qin Yan watched Fangyuan’s teasing expression, a flicker of annoyance stirring within him.

Even at such a critical juncture, the young woman before him remained so enigmatic.

Yet, before he could speak, a piercing shriek from a bird echoed across the heavens.

The Golden Core stage Great Roc demon was caught, its body ensnared by the colossal insect’s Nascent Soul stage shell, and then, one of its wings was brutally ripped off by the Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall.

“The Great Roc is finished.”

Qin Yan couldn’t help but utter these words upon witnessing the scene.

As expected, in the very next moment, the peak Golden Core stage Great Roc was about to be strangled to death by the colossal insect.

“Accursed insect cultivators! So be it. Things have come to this; let us all perish here!”

She let out a final roar, and with that, she met her demise.

The remaining bird race cultivators, witnessing this horrific sight, trembled with fear, their fighting spirit utterly crushed.

They scattered in all directions.

The insect race, too, had suffered heavy losses, with their corpses strewn across the ground.

However, the insect race’s top combatants remained alive.

The middle Golden Core stage Hall Master, though her aura was weakened, was exuberant.

The colossal insect’s body, too, was covered in wounds, several of which appeared deep enough to sever it into multiple pieces.

Subsequently, the insect demon cultivators turned their spearheads, advancing towards the Sword Sect.