Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Locust King
The first wave of locusts swarming towards Zhurong County numbered just over a hundred thousand.
Everyone fought hard for hundreds of rounds, and when they felt their magical power was more than half consumed, they looked at the locust swarm again and found only forty percent had been eliminated.
The number eliminated was less than half of this swarm of locusts.
Compared to the swarm of a million locusts that attacked Pingyuan County, this group of locusts is insignificant.
Buzzing!
A violent wing-flapping noise caused everyone’s eardrums to tremble with annoyance; a Locust King, half the size of a human and hideously shaped, suddenly charged out.
The Locust King was hidden in the center of the swarm, driving the locusts to press forward and confront Cultivators on Lu Zhiwei’s side.
At this moment, seeing its subordinates being constantly slaughtered and falling like rain, it could no longer hold back. No longer hiding its form, it actively charged out.
Its body was entirely red, its back covered with shells, exuding a pungent bloody smell.
Particularly, its pair of compound eyes was as big as fists, blood-red all over.
Its jaws were full of sharp teeth, looking very terrifying and difficult to deal with.
Judging from its aura, it had reached the Eighth-Layer Qi Cultivation, the strongest in the whole swarm.
Its pair of compound eyes, like searchlights, emitted blood-red light and scanned everyone as if a hunter selecting its prey, fixing its hunting gaze on Lu Zhiwei.
Rumble!
Having chosen its prey, it instantly flapped its wings and charged, making a piercing noise as it appeared in front of Lu Zhiwei, who had just decapitated two locusts, causing her to feel dizzy and ringing in her ears.
The stench from the Locust King made Lu Zhiwei want to vomit.
In fact, this was already one of the Locust King’s attack techniques, able to use its wings to emit sound waves that disturb the mind.
Once stayed under such a sound wave attack for a long time, a cultivator’s eardrum would not withstand it and rupture, resulting in loss of hearing.
Moreover, this sound wave was most likely to cause a cultivator to feel irritable, making it difficult to calm down with a mixed mindset and a painful brain.
In this state, performing spells and using magical artifacts would be greatly affected for a cultivator.
Being targeted by the Locust King as an attack objective, Lu Zhiwei dared not be careless at all.
For such sound wave-like attacks, she had not learned corresponding defensive techniques and could only grit her silver teeth for a swift battle.
With no regard for magical power consumption, Lu Zhiwei performed the Taiyi Celestial Ruins Sword Technique, unleashing the lethal move ’Heavenly Line’.
The Zhaoyun Sword transformed into a stream of light, almost imperceptible.
Like a slender thread, carrying a solemn sword power, it streaked through the air with a burst sound, rapidly slashing towards the Locust King.
The Locust King was startled, instinctively neither meeting the attack head-on nor dodging.
Instead, it controlled the surrounding locusts to swarm over as shields in front of it, forming a flesh wall to block.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
A series of explosions sounded as hundreds of locusts were slain by the Zhaoyun Sword, releasing an even more intense bloody smell.
The Locust King successfully evaded this strike, continuing to direct a large number of locusts to charge at Lu Zhiwei, following closely itself and attempting to overwhelm Lu Zhiwei with sheer numbers.
"Assist Lu Daoist, first slay the Locust King!"
At this time, Zhu Taiyuan’s shout rang out.
He had long seen the Locust King show up and now witnessed Lu Zhiwei become the target of attack, wishing to rescue his companion and take the opportunity to kill this Locust King.
This was an excellent opportunity to slay the Locust King.
"Quickly, help Elder Zhiwei!"
Song Minghui also saw Lu Zhiwei under siege, alarmed at the sight of her about to be overrun by a vast swarm of locusts.
She called the Cyan Mountain Sect disciples to lend aid, quickly heading toward Lu Zhiwei for support.
Once the Locust King was slain, this swarm would enter a leaderless state for a short time, stopping its advance to gather and fight in the air, birthing a new Locust King.
This was a very effective method to deal with a locust swarm.
Valuable experience that was explored and summarized by senior cultivators and passed down to future generations for dealing with locusts.
"Master, this disciple is here to assist you!"
Zhang Nianchuan acted quickly, wielding the Cyan Bamboo Sword and slashing towards the Locust King.
At the same time, Yuan Lang was also quick to act.
He was already following beside Lu Zhiwei, driving magical artifacts to decapitate locusts.
At this time, seeing Lu Zhiwei in danger, he immediately lent his assistance.
The first to rush to Lu Zhiwei’s side was Sun Jinxiu. She directly wielded a magical artifact and struck at the Locust King.
Sun Jinxiu’s magical artifact, a Golden Light Blade, already reached Tier Two Lower Grade, instantly fending off the Locust King.
The Locust King, relying on its swift speed, evaded the Golden Light Blade’s attack, retreating to the front of the locust swarm, giving Lu Zhiwei a chance to catch her breath.
"Black Gold Celestial Net!"
Following the attack was Song Minghui.
She released the Black Gold Celestial Net, the net opening wide and expanding rapidly to a size of over ten feet, covering toward the Locust King to capture it in one move.
Including the Locust King, hundreds of locusts around were within the coverage scope of the Black Gold Celestial Net.
This strike, Song Minghui did not expect to capture the Locust King at once.
The Locust King, with its rapid speed, was far from being as easy to catch as imagined.
And indeed, it was so.
As the Black Gold Celestial Net descended from the sky and was about to enclose the Locust King, the Locust King evaded while controlling the dense swarm to counterattack, continuously obstructing the net from falling.
The Black Gold Celestial Net was blocked by such a large number of locusts, as if confronting a small mountain head-on, making it difficult to enclose further.
But the net’s inherent paralyzing effect sent the locusts it touched into chaos, flying shakily.
Whoosh!
Zhang Nianchuan seized the opportunity, launching two Fire Bomb Techniques, erupting a scorching sea of fire and burning a large half of the locusts within the Black Gold Celestial Net.
Subsequently, cultivators from Shenxiao Palace were not to be left behind, all casting Fire Thunder Skill, Blazing Fire Technique, and other fire attribute attacks to completely wipe out the locusts within the net.
Against such swarms, the Shenxiao Decree’s role could not be effectively utilized, while consuming much magical power.
Cultivators from Shenxiao Palace chose the most effective fire attack with very considerable effects.
Under the attack of various fire magic, a large number of locusts were turned into ashes and dissipated into the air.
Witnessing the Black Gold Celestial Net failing to capture the Locust King, Lu Zhiwei was not disappointed.
She once again wielded the Zhaoyun Sword, actively engaging the Locust King.
With full force, she executed the Taiyi Celestial Ruins Sword Technique, transforming the Zhaoyun Sword into a surprising slash through the void, instantly decapitating the hundreds of locusts blocking in front of the Locust King.
Witnessing Lu Zhiwei’s power, the Locust King dared not fly out of the swarm again, constantly hissing to summon the surrounding swarm to block Lu Zhiwei.
But by this time, Song Minghui and Zhang Nianchuan had already struck again, unsparingly directing flying swords and spells at the swarms around the Locust King.
The Locust King’s attempt to summon the swarm to defend was in vain, as the swarms around it were being killed or restrained by Song Minghui and Zhang Nianchuan, unable to reach its side.
Noticing the Locust King’s vulnerability with no swarm as a shield, Lu Zhiwei seized the opportunity.
With a sweep of her elegant hand, a red jade-like round ring abruptly flew from her fair wrist, expanding rapidly in the air to become a red ring the size of a person.
Tier One High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, Vermilion Bird Ring!