Chapter 2: A Wisp Of Insect Yuan
The Fierce Insect Cauldron returned to calm, quietly staying in the depths of his sea of consciousness.
Accompanying the Yin Water Centipede being refined and subdued, a close connection formed between him and the Yin Water Centipede, a warm current flowed into his body, driving out the chill soaked in by the mountain rain.
“After several months of effort, consuming a hundred pounds of beast blood essence, finally one exotic insect is done.”
The moment the Yin Water Centipede was refined and subdued, Su Yan’s suspended heart finally settled back into his stomach.
The Fierce Insect Cauldron was an object from his previous life, with a strange appearance, just like a decorative piece made last week.
Seeing a new curio he liked, he bought it to play with as a hand warmer.
He never expected that after stumbling upon “great luck,” it would follow him to this world.
He knew the mystical nature of the Fierce Insect Cauldron, so he bet all his treasures on it.
Several months of mountain hunting income remained almost untouched, not even the family high-interest loans were repaid, all spent on beast blood.
Though it was beast blood, it still cost money, over ten copper coins per pound.
Hundreds of pounds of beast blood were refined by the Fierce Insect Cauldron into essence, barely reaching the standard just a month ago, waiting for this exotic insect.
With a thought from Su Yan, the Yin Water Centipede emerged from the Insect Realm.
The Yin Water Centipede no longer had its ferocity, moving with his thoughts, as nimble as an arm’s extension without any sluggishness.
“With the Yin Water Centipede, at least I’m a bit safer, and activating the Fierce Insect Cauldron can even manifest my learned skills, truly an unexpected joy.”
“The Yin Water Centipede at this size doesn’t look like a juvenile state, this so-called ‘newborn’ must be the Fierce Insect Cauldron tracing back to origins, making it grow a bit more to break the limit?”
The Yin Water Centipede kept crawling, rustling around Su Yan.
Don’t think that just because Su Yan caught it with a fishing net, that was taking advantage of an unaware target.
If it broke free and bit him once, Su Yan wouldn’t be able to leave this woods.
Suppressing his inner joy, he took a couple of deep breaths to calm down: “Still need to be careful, having an insect tamer doesn’t mean I’ve gotten stronger myself, ironworking requires one’s own hardness, must find a method to practice martial arts, and before that, act cautiously.”
Thinking this, Su Yan threw the fishing net and backpack entirely into the Insect Realm.
Although the Insect Realm is exclusive for insect tamers, where insect tamers can recover injuries upon entry, other things can also be placed inside.
After tidying up, destroying his footprints and the traces where the Yin Water Centipede appeared, he busied for about half an hour.
Only then did Su Yan quickly take another path back, his steps light, as if unburdened, vastly different from when he entered the mountain.
Coming out from the mountains, the rain had completely stopped, and it was nearly night.
Yun Qian Village was pitch black, unusually quiet.
Back in his room, he closed the fence gate of the yellow earth courtyard, didn’t hang the straw raincoat and straw rain hat in the courtyard, took them all off inside the house, afraid others would know his whereabouts.
Changed into hemp clothes, hung the straw sandals to dry, Su Yan then sat on the edge of the wooden board bed, released the Yin Water Centipede to examine it closely, pondering future plans.
“The Fierce Insect Cauldron is activated, Insect Realm for raising insects, this insect tamer produces a strand of insect yuan daily to nourish the insect master, that must be the warm current just after refining.”
On the way back, Su Yan had noticed some differences, his steps much lighter, the usual weakness feeling lessened.
Mountain hunters handle many mountain goods like herbs and small beasts in the mountains, but reluctant to eat or drink, saving money not just to support the family.
Also for handing over mountain fee to the Lin Family and taxes to Dali, after all that, the remaining money isn’t enough to see meat.
No much oil in the stomach, and at a youthful age, physical quality naturally can’t improve.
But nourished by insect yuan, though just a strand, it’s like spring wind turning into rain, moistening things silently, mending his weak body a bit.
He toyed with the dark purple large centipede in his hand, feeling affectionate, thinking: “Refined one exotic insect, now the Fierce Insect Cauldron is truly awakened, no wonder the previous information was vague.”
A Tier 1 Insect Master can control insect tamers not exceeding Tier 1.
At this point, only needing a hundred pounds of beast blood essence and one Tier 1 insect or an unranked insect with spiritual anomaly, can refine a new insect tamer.
However, for Su Yan, this is not a simple matter.
Never mind how rare exotic insects are, Su Yan waited a long time to find a trace.
Just a hundred pounds of beast blood essence costs several taels or even over ten taels of silver.
This silver is enough for a poor family’s yearly expenses.
He risked his life mountain hunting for goods, also occasionally hunting small wild beasts like rabbits in the mountains, to barely save enough beast blood.
“A second insect tamer is impossible in a short time, but the Yin Water Centipede isn’t weak and can continuously strengthen, it’s my biggest asset now.”
“What to do now: first, quickly strengthen the Yin Water Centipede, second, practice martial arts, relying solely on one strand of insect yuan daily, the strengthening speed is still too slow.”
After half a year of inquiring, Su Yan had heard some things.
Poor for literature, rich for martial arts, even more so in this world where physical martial prowess transcends the ordinary.
Those mastering martial arts are mostly from big families in the city, the upper class.
Great families’ martial arts are never taught outside, yamen selection is strict, needing connections and backing, just stuffing money won’t get in, these two paths are absolutely impassable.
Poor families wanting to learn martial arts have only two paths.
One is selling oneself to forces like Tian Feng Weapon Shop, Hundred Herbs Hall, Little Mountain Association, Fishing Gang, etc., as an apprentice servant, enduring three to five years, perhaps getting a chance to practice martial arts.
The other path is apprenticing at a martial arts school.
Yun Cang Town isn’t big, yet has three martial arts schools: Golden Ape, Seven Blades, Black Stone.
Save up fifty taels to apprentice at a martial arts school, become a nominal disciple, though just nominal, can still learn some real stuff.
“Apprentices like slaves, no need for me to endure three to five years, meaning take the martial arts school path.”
“Learning martial arts costs money, and this poll tax, mountain fee also due in one or two months, needs money, got to hurry into the mountain.”
——
The next morning, the Yin Water Centipede had bred a strand of insect yuan, Su Yan absorbed it into his body early.
More obvious than yesterday’s warm current, as if his whole body was soaked in a hot spring.
The feeling of his body gradually filling came immediately, pale complexion receded a bit, still fair but healthier.
“Strength seems to have increased a bit, body deficit gradually filling, can move around now.”
Stretching, push-ups, crunches, lifting stones.
Su Yan didn’t exercise in the courtyard, but practiced the basic movements inside the house, not standard, but he could feel the obvious difference in his body.
Previously without oil, the more he exercised, the worse his body got, now with insect yuan slightly supplementing, every bit more exercise strengthens the body a bit, all significant help.
About two hours, drenched in sweat, face slightly red, Su Yan roughly figured out his condition.
“Body strengthened a bit, not only no longer weak, but comparable to a sturdy adult man.”
At fifteen or sixteen years old, long-term malnutrition, in the mountain hunting team, he was mostly the one dragging behind.
If not for Uncle Xie pulling and caring for him, he’d have starved long ago.
“Military body fist did three sets without manifesting, daily life herbology and herb identification, Uncle Xie taught me much, also no manifestation, seems these skills can’t form casually.”
Su Yan was a bit disappointed, on the spirit panel, still only mountain hunting skill, and one Yin Water Centipede insect tamer.
“No such thing as everything as desired in the world, having the Fierce Insect Cauldron and controlling insect tamers is already enough.”
He composed himself, shouldered the bamboo backpack, put most of the wheat cakes into the Insect Realm, a small half into the backpack.
Bamboo bow and bamboo arrows into the Insect Realm, hand holding woodcutting knife, then went out the door, to mountain hunt in Yunling Mountain.
Just out the courtyard gate, ran into an acquaintance head-on.
“A Yan, wait.”
Su Yan looked at those people, a man around forty, wearing a straw hat, dressed in coarse hemp clothes, striding over.
Behind him also carrying a backpack, woodcutting knife at the waist, clearly preparing to mountain hunt.
“Uncle.”
Su Yan greeted politely.
Xie Yuzhu is his neighbor, back when his predecessor’s father was alive, the two often teamed up into the mountain.
“Come mountain hunt with us, slippery mountain paths after rain, insect beasts appearing unpredictably, if danger happens, there’s mutual support.”
Mountain hunting after rain is actually risky, familiar paths become more slippery, fallen trees, new streams, mud swamps may appear.
Poisonous insects and fierce beasts may also temporarily change habits, forced out by rainwater.
More unstable factors naturally mean more danger.
After Xie Yuzhu spoke, the several fellow villagers who were mountain hunters behind him frowned.
“No, I’m slow-handed, don’t recognize all things, will drag everyone’s harvest.”
Xie Yuzhu’s face changed slightly, those mountain hunters showed awkward expressions.
“A Yan, what you’re saying, how could we”
Su Yan just shook his head, said: “Uncle, you go into the mountain early, after rain there are always new mountain goods, don’t let people from other villages take them first.”
With that, he shouldered the backpack toward Yunling Mountain, leaving Xie Yuzhu and others looking at each other, quite awkward.
Xie Yuzhu wanted to help Su Yan, but team mountain hunting has its rules, some harvests to share.
A seasoned mountain hunter can find many things along the way, fast speed, high efficiency.
But if a newbie, not only slows the pace, but may miss mountain goods.
Bringing one along for three or four months straight, without an adult sharing extra to compensate everyone, naturally unwilling.
“Uncle Xie is kind-hearted, but every family has difficulties, willing to share benefits for free, and I’m not suited for teaming up.”
Su Yan quickened his steps, soon entered Yunling Mountain from another path, tall trees towering, shrubs and weeds half-person high, soon hiding his figure.
And after entering the mountain about three or four li, he released the Yin Water Centipede, which slipped into the shrubs.
