Chapter 12: The Five Virtues Of The Rooster
Having chosen a direction, he began exploring on foot.
Unfortunately, after a good half day, he still couldn’t see any sign of Insectoid Race monsters.
“Aren’t there supposed to be a lot of Insectoid Dimension monsters? Where are they?”
Wu Xian couldn’t help but start doubting himself.
Just as he was saying that, a series of engine roars came from behind him. Immediately after, several cool mountain motorcycles sped past him and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
At that moment, he finally understood【Artillery Fortress】 why there was a vehicle rental service over there.
Someone had even recommended it to him at the time, but he thought it was too expensive and didn’t rent one.
“Whatever, saving some money is good too.”
But reality told him that saving this money was a bit tough.
After half an hour of trekking, he was already starting to question his life choices.
Activating the Scroll Painting, he summoned the Chicken King. “This rooster is so big; it should be rideable, right?”
If not, he could just requisition the God of Wealth’s Black Tiger for now.
Just as he was about to climb onto the Chicken King’s back, another engine roar sounded in his ear. A somewhat worn mountain motorcycle sped over, executing a handsome brake drift that kicked up a large cloud of dust.
“Want a ride, little ghost?” The man dangled a toothpick from his mouth, looking over forty, with dark skin and clothing that had a distinct wasteland style. “Thirty bucks, take it or leave it.”
Wu Xian was stunned in surprise, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.
He couldn’t help but recall the motorcycle brothers outside his hometown train station in his previous life.
“Twenty.” Wu Xian responded after thinking.
“Deal, hop on~!”
Old Brother Mo grinned, signaling Wu Xian to get on the back seat and showing him the payment code.
After paying and getting on, the old driver immediately switched to wild off-road mode, jolting Wu Xian badly. “So young and already daring to enter an instance alone? Not afraid of dying~!”
“Aren’t you alone too?”
“Can you compare to me? I’m an old hand,” the brother boasted. “For these Insectoid Race instances, I’m more familiar with them than my own home. If I hadn’t just bought this second-hand motorcycle and wanted to recover some blood, I wouldn’t bother wasting time carrying passengers.”
“There’s a patch of area up ahead with monsters spawning; it’s pretty suitable for a little ghost like you to practice.”
Not long after, the motorcycle drifted to a stop.
“Here you go, right ahead.”
After saying that, the brother ditched Wu Xian and sped off without even looking back.
Wu Xian looked at the area ahead where Insectoid Monsters were appearing and felt it was more cost-effective than renting; at least the old driver knew where monsters spawned.
On the wasteland littered with Insect Carcasses, Insectoid Race monsters were scattered sporadically, gnawing on the remains of other Insectoid Race members. They were all First Order Insectoid Race monsters, about the size of medium dogs.
The Scroll Painting was thrown out, and the Chicken King made a flashy entrance, its sharp gaze instantly locking onto prey.
Perhaps sensing the danger, the feeding Insectoid Monsters became alert one after another. Upon seeing Wu Xian, the living human, they immediately charged over.
But upon getting close, they were intimidated by the Chicken King’s aura and hesitated to approach.
“Cackle—!”
The Chicken King cackled once, and the several Insectoid Monsters trembled like their courage had broken.
At the same time, the Chicken King flapped its wings and pounced.
With a casual swipe of its powerful chicken claws, it easily tore off half the Insectoid Monster’s body. A peck from its beak easily pierced the tough shell.
The remaining Insectoid Monsters struggled to counterattack but were completely suppressed by the agile flapping Chicken King, unable to find their bearings.
In no time at all, the several Insectoid Monsters were reduced to a pile of limbs, a gruesome sight.
The Chicken King, absorbing “Experience Points energy,” was still not satisfied. Its sharp eyes scanned around, beginning to search for other prey.
Through the Scroll Painting sensation, Wu Xian could clearly feel that some of the Chicken King’s attributes had grown somewhat. This was the【Rooster’s Five Virtues】 talent effect.
By killing Otherworldly Monsters, it could strengthen the Five Virtues passives, improving certain attributes and abilities.
Civil Virtue: Reduces Spiritual Power consumption
Martial Virtue: Increases attack power
Courage Virtue: Feather protection ability
Benevolence Virtue: Toxin resistance ability
Faithfulness Virtue: Timing control and agility ability
And the【Exorcism and Evil Avoidance】 talent allowed the Chicken King’s crow to carry a powerful deterrence effect, especially pronounced against snakes, rats, insects, and ants.
It could truly be called a natural Insectoid Race killer.
The subsequent path was devastating, as if entering a bug-free realm. The Chicken King grew braver and fiercer with each battle.
All Wu Xian had to do was follow behind the Chicken King and pick up “trash.” Unfortunately, First Order Insectoid Monster materials weren’t valuable; they could only be sold by the jin.
Fortunately, the Chicken King seemed able to sense the aura of Insectoid Race monsters. After a devastating sweep, Second Order Insectoid Race monsters began appearing ahead, with the number and density of Insectoid Monsters also increasing.
“What is the Chicken King going to do?”
Seeing the Insectoid Monsters gathering in groups, more and more, Wu Xian had no choice but to release the God of Wealth protection.
With the God of Wealth’s current Aura of Wealth reserves, these mixed First and Second Order Insect Swarms couldn’t break the God of Wealth’s Aura of Wealth Protection at all.
Moreover, as the God of Wealth’s spirituality increased, the defensive effect of the Aura of Wealth had also been enhanced. Previously, 100 points of Aura of Wealth could block 100 points of damage; now, 90 points could block 100 points.
Crucially, Aura of Wealth Protection only consumed Aura of Wealth, not Spiritual Power, so there was no need to worry about Spiritual Power consumption.
“That’s…?!”
Moments later, looking at the Insectoid Race Mother Nest ahead, surrounded and protected by the Insect Swarm, Wu Xian finally understood.
The Chicken King was going straight for the heart.
But facing the “heavily guarded” Mother Nest, the freshly promoted Two-Star Chicken King was clearly struggling a bit. Its attack power was sufficient, but its Health Points and defense couldn’t hold up. The Painted Spirit Body visibly dimmed under the Insect Swarm’s killing and gnawing.
Fortunately, the Chicken King wasn’t fighting alone.
The God of Wealth glanced over, its body Aura of Wealth turning into Flowing Light that enveloped the Chicken King entirely. The Black Tiger beneath it roared, deterring the Insect Swarm.
The Chicken King, which had been at a disadvantage the second before, instantly perked up, as if invincible, charging toward the Mother Nest without restraint.
“Tsk tsk, maybe this is the power of money?”
Wu Xian couldn’t help but think of those pay-to-win players in online games from his previous life, all flashy and cool.
Meanwhile, on the other side, a handsome youth in Dengfeng Art Studio uniform was attempting to breach the Mother Nest location.
A flame elf Painted Spirit in front of him controlled flames, burning the Insect Swarm, while another mechanical cannon fire blasted fiercely. However, the Insect Swarm was too numerous.
“Still can’t break through, huh?”
The youth sighed helplessly. He had his eye on this Mother Nest for a long time, but it was still just short.
Just as he was about to give up, the number of Insect Swarms ahead suddenly began to decrease, greatly relieving his pressure.
“What’s going on? The Insect Swarm seems to be gathering toward the Mother Nest.”
The youth was both surprised and suspicious, hurriedly leading his two Painted Spirits to close in on the Mother Nest.
…
On Wu Xian’s side, the Chicken King had gone straight for the heart. With its sharp claws digging, it dragged a plump big meat worm out from the Mother Nest. A peck from its beak struck the Mother Insect’s vital point, killing it instantly.
With the Mother Insect dead, the Insect Swarm lost its backbone and became chaotic and disordered. Some Insectoid Monsters even started killing and devouring each other, the scene a total chaos.
“The Mother Insect is a good item.”
Wu Xian excitedly stepped forward to examine the Mother Insect corpse.
Though weak, the Mother Insect was a rare material of extremely high value.
But before he could be happy for a few seconds, he was startled by a burst of intense combat noise.
Looking over, he saw a flame elf and a mechanical butcher clearing Insectoid Monsters along the way, approaching this side.
Behind the two Painted Spirits followed a handsome youth, who was now staring at him in utter disbelief.
“Hello, I’m Zhou Qi, a second-year student at Dengfeng Art Studio.”
Zhou Qi suppressed his inner shock and cupped his fists in greeting, unable to imagine how the person in front of him had done it.
Could it be just with those two unfamiliar Painted Spirits by his side?
“What can I do for you?”
Wu Xian eyed him warily.
This person had Level Three Spiritual Power Cultivation, with two Painted Spirits—one Three-Star, one Two and a Half Stars—plus his identity as an Art Studio student, a proper young talent.
“To be honest, my recent Scroll Painting concept requires the unique spirituality characteristics of the Mother Insect,” Zhou Qi hesitated before speaking. “Would you be willing to part with it?”
Hearing this, Wu Xian relaxed his vigilance a bit. “What’s the price?”
Zhou Qi was delighted and quickly quoted: “How about thirty thousand?”
For a Second Order Insectoid Race rare material, this price was reasonable.
“Take it or leave it at thirty-five thousand.” Wu Xian calmly raised the price.
“Deal.”
Though Zhou Qi was a bit conflicted, this brother in front of him piqued his curiosity too much.
Soon after, both sides exchanged—one hand money, one hand goods—in pleasant cooperation.
“Can you reveal how you killed your way into the Mother Nest?” Zhou Qi couldn’t contain his curiosity.
“Just killed my way in, that’s all,” Wu Xian had no interest in explaining and instead probed: “By the way, what exactly is the Mother Insect’s rare characteristic used for?”
“The Mother Insect’s rare characteristic contains certain information network related to the Insectoid World, which is an extremely important part of perfecting related Scroll Painting concepts.” Zhou Qi explained. “Of course, this is something only Scroll Painters deal with; it doesn’t mean much to you Spirit Tamers.”
“Oh, I see.” Wu Xian nodded in understanding, pretending to be impressed. “So you find inspiration this way, making associations and concepts?”
“You could say that, but that’s only part. Mainly, it depends on comprehension and talent.”
Wu Xian half-understood, pondering getting another Mother Insect to study back home and see what that so-called “information network” was about.
He then bid farewell to Zhou Qi, with the Chicken King clearing the path, devastatingly departing.
Watching the Chicken King mow down enemies like chopping melons and cutting vegetables, Zhou Qi’s heart remained unsettled for a long time.
“I’ve never heard of such a powerful Scroll Painting in the Elf System or Exotic Beast System. Could it be some niche inheritance from a family?”
While racking his brains, he suddenly slapped his forehead.
“Tsk~ Forgot to ask for contact info!”
…
