Chapter 750: Flying Messages

    “Mama is in trouble!” A furious shout rang out.

    A surge of spiritual energy followed as a large gray insect shot into the air.

    Little Gray whirled around in panic before finding his bearings. His furious gaze landed on the line of blinking red lights that extended from him all the way east.

    These were signal flies, only used during great emergencies. Using powerful light beams, one bug could relay messages to the next bug which was over a kilometer away. With hundreds and thousands of these signal flies, the insect kingdom could communicate nearly instantaneously over long distances.

    “Mama! I’m coming!” He shrieked as he shot off towards the east.

    He was furious.

    He had been obediently overseeing the queen’s western border with the humans. It was an important duty, one reserved for his queen’s strongest and most loyal son.

    He had been keenly observing the battle above Beast God City which seemed to have erupted out of nowhere. He was worried that the two human Spirit Kings would end up bringing their battle to the Glittering Forest, causing countless insect casualties in the process. The matter was so serious that he had left his base for a forward observation post along the border.

    At this exact moment, someone or something had dared to attack his home, his mother, his queen.

    He had to make it back. He had to make it back in time!

    He was willing to expend all of his spiritual energy and even his life to protect her.

    ---

    The same signal flies were arrayed towards the east, south, and north. Green Giant, Spike Head, and White Deng received the same messages at around the same time. Like Little Gray, the other three mantis lords also charged back to assist their queen. However, given that they had all been lured out of their normal posts, it would take them twice as long to return. All of them were anxious and angry, ready for a life-or-death battle.

    But these weren’t the only signal arrays. Two more were also activated that stretched even further south and north, directly into the territory of the other two beast kings.

    In the north, within the territory of King Huo Tu, it was the poisonous Huo Ping who received the message. The fat toad had gone south just a few days prior to investigate why the Glittering Forest had activated their defensive formation along the border. He was currently situated in a hidden lair among the endless mountains. It gave him a great view of the south and was comfortably furnished.

    When he saw the message from the signal flies, he was still in the midst of healing from his burns. Even as a Spirit Lord, it would take him over a week to recover. Half of his body was covered in brown medicinal goo while he had already emptied three jars of wine he had taken from a human town.

    Dulled by the medicine and the alcohol, he barely registered the importance of the signal flies. He knew that he should do something about it but he didn’t know what. There was certainly something strange going on but he didn’t know if he should care.

    After all, the king had said just that a few days ago. Therefore, why should he, Huo Ping, stick his neck out? Regardless of what, the king would just punish him again, dunk his head into a pool of magma or use his body as target practice.

    “My lord, what should we do about the signal flies?”

    “My lord, wake up?”

    “What... huh? Oh...” Huo Ping blinked his bleary eyes, “It doesn’t matter. The king has said it''s not a big deal.”

    “Y... yes, my lord!” His subordinate croaked.

    “And bring me more wine!”

    “Yes!”

    ---

    At the same time that the beasts were receiving their alerts, the human side had also sent off their messages. The border between the Beast God Sanctum and the Glittering Forest was always well-defended. Thousands of high-level disciples stood guard behind several fortresses, freshly reconstructed after the insect army’s attack a year prior.

    All of them glared at Chen Wentian with ill intent.

    Chen Wentian stopped in midair and let himself be surrounded. He looked around with a casual smile, not saying a thing and letting them guess. Why did he stop these messenger falcons? Why did he ask for an alliance in the first place? What was his purpose for all of this?

    Qiu Chuyi stepped forward slightly and asked, “Are you Chen Wentian? Who are you really?”

    Chen Wentian turned toward him with a smirk.

    “Enough of this!” Qu Shen shouted.

    His Sky Lord’s Claymore swept out towards Chen Wentian, aiming to maim, if not kill.

    This time, Chen Wentian made no effort to dodge. He simply let his body be cleaved in two.

    “What!”

    “Heavens!”

    “Chen Wentian!”

    Several shocked voices cried out as his body separated and then turned into black smoke.

    “Where did he go?”

    “What happened?”

    “Silence!” He Zicheng roared with immediate effect, “It doesn’t matter, we’ve all fallen into his trap. Where did his disciples go?”

    There was no answer.

    He Zicheng spat, “Useless! They are probably long gone by now... Okay, listen up! There is something going on to the east that that Chen bastard didn’t want us to find out about. Qu Shen, we’re going to investigate. You four, stay and guard the city.”

    “Yes, my lord!”

    “Understood!”

    With that, He Zicheng shot off toward the Giant Stone Forest with Qu Shen by his side. The two were like an old couple. After a furious argument and fight, they were suddenly a team again. Having just been played by an outsider, there was nothing better that could bring them together.

    ---

    Thank you to all my patrons!

    Support me and read ahead by up to 200 chapters!

    p /kigreenwriting

    Join my discord for updates, delays, and my ramblings :)

    d iscord.gg/dY5UApw