Yang Hong had run back and forth for seven days, killing the last seventh-tier Scarlet Fire Locust and several lower-tier ones. He then scoured the area within a hundred-mile radius, ensuring no more Scarlet Fire Locusts were present, before returning to Rocky Mountain.
"Sect Leader, it's been almost half a day since any Scarlet Fire Locusts have passed nearby. Is the swarm over?"
As soon as Yang Hong emerged from underground, the fastest amongst them, Chasing Clouds Chongshan, immediately flew over and asked excitedly.
"Not yet!
Something is very strange. We attracted trillions of Scarlet Fire Locusts with the insect repellent, but they were all only first to third-tier. Higher-tier locusts, apart from the initial appearance, have not shown up again."
Yang Hong spoke as he looked at the still falling heavy snow, then gazed into the depths of the Purple Kun Mountain Range.
"Perhaps those fourth-tier and above Scarlet Fire Locusts have all gone to battle on the mountain?"
He had heard the continuous sounds of shouting and fighting within the Purple Kun Mountain Range, as well as the constant calls for sect cultivators at the foot of the mountain to join the fray through the powerful techniques of the great cultivators.
However, he and Clear Wind Mountain Villa had their own plan for killing enemies and did not join the commotion.
"Sect Leader, should we go and join the battle? I heard the great cultivators transmitting messages, asking all cultivators to retreat to the Yu Rou Plain. It seems the Purple Kun Mountain Range has fallen, and the swarm has crossed it."
Hearing Yang Hong's musings but receiving no new orders, Zhong Chengfeng asked anxiously.
Yang Hong shook his head and said, "Alright, let's not join the commotion for now. With our cultivation and numbers, going there would be suicide.
Our most urgent task now is to find the Scarlet Fire Locust eggs and eliminate the Scarlet Fire Locust swarm from its very root."
"But, we have this! We can help greatly."
As soon as Yang Hong finished speaking, Zhong Chengfeng shook a red pill in his hand and said urgently.
He seemed eager to participate in the battle at Yu Rou Plain.
Yang Hong lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then nodded. "You take those who wish to participate. Remember, only those who volunteer. And by the way, pass the formula for the insect repellent to the cultivators over there."
"Thank you~ Sect Leader is generous, Sect Leader is wise~ Ah, Sect Leader is wise!"
Upon receiving Yang Hong's permission, Zhong Chengfeng immediately knelt down and expressed his profuse gratitude.
Yang Hong was taken aback, and then he remembered that this disciple of his, an outer disciple, was originally an elder in the cultivation world of Yu Rou Plain, and had hundreds or even thousands of offspring living in Yu Rou Plain.
He looked at this outer disciple, whose luck had upgraded from blue to purple, and suddenly understood his eagerness and gratitude.
"Go. Take all the remaining seventh-tier Scarlet Fire Locust corpses with you. There are more alchemists there, and they can refine them faster together."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Sect Leader."
Zhong Chengfeng knelt and bowed again, then found some people to accompany him over the Purple Kun Mountain Range.
Yang Hong dared not touch the corpses of the seventh-tier Scarlet Fire Locusts that had consumed the insect repellent, as they were bound to carry the "prion virus." He also instructed everyone at Clear Wind Mountain Villa not to let their bodies come into contact with them.
He had also asked Zhong Chengfeng to be extremely careful when refining pills.
Finally, Zhong Chengfeng led over 300 people, all of whom were Golden Core Realm cultivators of fourth-tier and above.
Yang Hong had no special requirements for them, only saying they should return alive before sending them off.
At this moment, the old man Chasing Clouds Chongshan reappeared beside Yang Hong.
"Sect Leader, we still cannot directly detect the Scarlet Fire Locust eggs. Those eggs are exactly like ordinary sand and soil!
Even the eggs of first-tier Scarlet Fire Locusts have extremely high camouflage abilities. This is their racial talent!"
As he spoke, Chasing Clouds Chongshan handed Yang Hong a handful of dirt.
"Hmm~"
Yang Hong knew that Chasing Clouds Chongshan had given him Scarlet Fire Locust eggs, but upon receiving them, he found that in terms of appearance, texture, and properties, it was just a handful of ordinary soil. Even with his divine sense examining it carefully, he could not immediately distinguish the real soil from the eggs.
Heh~
Yang Hong snorted coldly and clenched his right hand, forming the dirt into a hard clod. A drop of green liquid was squeezed out. He confirmed that there were Scarlet Fire Locust eggs in this handful of dirt.
Seeing Yang Hong drop the clod, Chasing Clouds Chongshan said with a wry smile, "Sect Leader, do you now understand why the Scarlet Fire Desert has been unable to eliminate the Scarlet Fire Locusts for over ten thousand years?"
"I understand now. I truly understand. You might not comprehend how powerful my divine sense is, but if even my divine sense cannot directly distinguish the Scarlet Fire Locust eggs, then ordinary cultivators will be even less likely to find them."
"Then how did you used to kill these eggs?"
"Freezing! Using the strongest freezing spells!
However, I don't think freezing will be very effective this time."
As he spoke, Chasing Clouds Chongshan reached out to catch a falling snowflake.
"Indeed. With such widespread snowfall this time, any eggs that could be frozen are already dead. As for those that can't be frozen, a few more freezing spells would only increase their resistance to freezing."
Looking at the falling snow, Yang Hong also sighed helplessly.
"Do Scarlet Fire Locusts have any other characteristics? For example, what do they fear, or what do they dislike?"
"Over the past ten thousand years, this old man has not discovered anything these devils fear. As for what they dislike, perhaps only Iron Thorn Grass."
"Iron Thorn Grass? Do you have any? Let me see."
"Here it is."
Chasing Clouds Chongshan took out a three-foot-long, bamboo-like plant covered in dense spikes from his storage ring.
"Iron Thorn Grass was originally quite common in desert oases, but because its growth requires a large amount of water, it has gradually been eradicated.
When mature, Iron Thorn Grass produces a red, poisonous fruit. While not lethal to Scarlet Fire Locusts, its scent makes them unwilling to approach."
Yang Hong took the Iron Thorn Grass and asked in confusion, "If that's the case, why did you cultivate it extensively?"
"Because it's poisonous. The toxicity of Iron Thorn Fruit is not high, but it causes unbearable itching to anyone who comes into contact with it."
"I understand. Do you have the seeds of Iron Thorn Grass? Give them all to me."
"Sect Leader, you're not planning to cultivate it extensively, are you? It's useless, and it's easy to poison ourselves."
Hearing Yang Hong's request, Chasing Clouds Chongshan did not immediately produce the Iron Thorn Grass seeds. This was because there was something he hadn't mentioned: the appearance of the Iron Thorn Fruit holds considerable attraction for birds, and they often mistake it for food, sometimes even dying from it.
He did not want Yang Hong to fill Clear Wind Mountain with Iron Thorn Grass.
"Give them to me. My spiritual plant cultivation techniques are beyond your imagination."
Yang Hong did not explain further, extending his palm and saying with a firm tone.
"Alas~ Alright."
Chasing Clouds Chongshan dared not refuse any longer, as Iron Thorn Grass seeds were not rare items; they could be purchased at any moderately sized cultivation market.
"Leave a few people and a few birds here to stand guard. The rest, both people and birds, can return. You have all worked hard during this period. Once the swarm is over, I will reward your merits."
"Thank you, Sect Leader~~"
Upon hearing Yang Hong say he would reward their merits, both people and birds were filled with anticipation.
Yang Hong possessed far too many good things.
Chasing Clouds Chongshan seemed to have something he desired already, as his mouth began to water.