CHAPTER 515: 514

Unexpectedly, the rustling poisonous insects on the ground all came to an abrupt halt, no longer advancing, and a few individual insects even started retreating, causing a slight disturbance among the massive insect army.

Shangjia Moti’s face darkened as he knew precisely why the insects were retreating; under such strong, masculine energy, even if he brought out his cultivated Five Tiger Generals, they likely wouldn’t last very long. He was a Gu refiner, and if the Gu insects were of no use, it meant that he was, figuratively speaking, laid out on a cutting board for someone to carve up at will.

He crushed a few of the insects that had retreated to his feet with his foot. Since even the seven-tailed centipede could be dealt with by this person, there was no use for these common insects.

"Who exactly are you?"

The situation seemed to be slipping out of his control. This Witchcraft National Master did not want years of hard work to be destroyed in an instant, especially not by some obscure individual here for revenge. He was the dignified State Preceptor; how could he allow a minor character to fool him?

"Why do you want to kill me!"

Ye Tian also decided to play dumb all the way through. After all, the words were out, and even if Shangjia Moti didn’t act against him, Ye Tian couldn’t just leave. He had to stand his ground here, even if only to avenge those who had been killed by Moti.

Shangjia Moti pondered for a moment. He didn’t seem to have sent out any Gu to harm people recently; could it be that his sect brothers, who were not very successful, were to blame? With this thought, he changed his tone and said, "Sir, I really don’t understand what you mean by your words. Could you perhaps clarify?"

The poisonous insects on the ground were all withdrawn, retreating like a tide. The dense insect army vanished in an instant, leaving the earthy yellow ground as it was, with only the subtle traces of insects’ passage and nothing else out of the ordinary.

"You can see this ground clearly?"

Shangjia Moti spoke with a hint of surprise. The ability to see things clearly in the darkness was called "cat eyes" in the Witchcraft Technique, referring to the ability, as the name suggests, to see things in the dark like a cat. But how could a human ever develop the eyes of an animal?

He might believe it if it were about movements as agile as an animal’s. His father had mentioned that in Huaxia, there was a martial art developed from the bodily movements of animals, known as Five Animals Qigong. If mastered, it could kill people imperceptibly.

But how could something like cat eyes, which involves unchangeable bodily mechanisms, truly exist? If not that, then how to explain the man’s actions just now? Having lived for over eighty years, it was the first time Shangjia Moti felt the presence of pressure, this genius who was hailed as a rare sight in a century, was now panicked.

Based on his previous conjecture, this fellow practitioner’s skills were clearly much higher than his own. Could it be that even the Ice Worm would not be safe?

Seeing that Ye Tian did not speak, Shangjia Moti grew more convinced of his earlier guess. It seemed this person indeed came for him. "Sir, since we’re fellow practitioners, why the need to press so hard against each other?" The doorway was pitch black, and Shangjia Moti could not make out Ye Tian’s age; he only knew he was a man, so he addressed him as ’sir.’

Ye Tian, who was shaking his head and unsure of how to answer the previous question, was momentarily stunned by this "fellow practitioner" address.

"I admit, your Insect Control Skill is indeed superior to mine. I am willing to present the Ice Worm to you, as long as you spare my life."

Just like that!?

Ye Tian felt puzzled and incredulous but mostly suspicious. He looked dumbly at his open hand before him, then back at the face of the man opposite him. Although it carried a smile, it also showed a lifetime of craftiness and coldness.

Once villains start doing evil deeds, it becomes a habit; they can’t suddenly act kindly. If he really did have a moment of kindness, what awaits you the next second would be ruthless cruelty.

"Where is the Ice Worm?"

"In the house, I’ll fetch it for you."

"I’ll wait for you."

The more one speaks, the more likely one is to slip up. Ye Tian strictly abided by this rule, speaking as little as possible, waiting to see what the other would do.

Shangjia Moti nodded slightly, turned, and walked into the room. Ye Tian watched his figure disappear at the doorway, then waited for him to come out.

The courtyard was laden with hidden dangers. Ye Tian dared not to step into it lightly. Although he had frightened away those poisonous insects, it did not mean he was unafraid of being bitten. Why would he foolishly take an extra step forward to invite such a bite?

He was initially worried that this man might escape through a back door or some hidden corner of the house, but, to his relief, the man did not make such a decision.

"This is the Ice Worm."

A box appeared in front of Ye Tian, though "in front" was actually a distance of twenty paces.

"Put it on the ground."

Ye Tian’s words still came in an arrogantly nonchalant manner as if that made him seem more formidable.

Shangjia Moti bent over, gently placed the box on the ground, and then retreated two steps back, quietly standing at a distance watching Ye Tian.

The box was exquisitely made, with tight patterns and fine seams, adorned with meticulous decorative engravings, wrapped with a layer of beautifully embroidered Shu brocade. At a glance, the uninitiated would certainly mistake it for a jewelry box belonging to a lady in her boudoir.

Ye Tian walked over, uncertain of what was inside the box. He also regretted not having asked the man to open the box for inspection. Now he wanted to kick the box open with his foot, but a button on the box necessitated using hands to do so.

He bent down and picked up the box from the ground. The ivory button that held it shut was inserted horizontally into the lock of the box. The chill emanating from the box made Ye Tian shudder; it was not a coldness that common species could emit.

This should be it.

His fingers gently moved aside the ivory pin, the silk and brocade connected to the pin swung to the side, and he carefully lifted the lid...

Shangjia Moti’s lips quivered, but in that sudden moment, a white light shot out from the slight breeze created by the opening of the box, darting straight for Ye Tian’s face.

Trapped!

A smile of satisfaction spread across Shangjia Moti’s face, but it hadn’t stayed there for more than three seconds before it stiffened. His face, usually as expressionless as tree bark, was now displaying a look of sheer horror in front of Ye Tian.

Ye Tian was lucky. If not for having mastered the Second Finger at an earlier time, he might not have been able to catch the insect that burst forth so abruptly.

The Cold Jade Running Snake, the only species in nature that gets smaller as it grows older—however, this was only mentioned in books.