# Chapter 1330: God-Eating Insects
"We are both sword bearers of the Nether King Sword Grave. You should understand my purpose in taking Zhu Qingyi away. The Sky-Scorching Sword was lost from my hands, and I have the responsibility to retrieve it." Canglan Martial Saint said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Retrieving the Sky-Scorching Sword is your business, but Zhu Qingyi is my prisoner. Of course, she is now in your hands, and you have the right not to return her."
"Whoosh——"
The Abyssal Ancient Sword flew out, hovering before Zhang Ruochen, with densely packed sword-shaped sword qi neatly arranged, pointing straight at Canglan Martial Saint opposite.
Since they had once fought together against enemies, Zhang Ruochen gave Canglan Martial Saint one chance to reconcile. But now, with both sides standing on opposing fronts, there was no need to remain as courteous as before.
The six female saints also became tense. To be honest, they did not want to be enemies with Zhang Ruochen, much less fight to the death.
Canglan Martial Saint's eyes sharpened, a flicker of hesitation appearing in them. She said, "Zhang Ruochen, we don't necessarily have to be enemies. Why must we resort to such drastic measures?"
"You were the one who struck first," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Fine, I can return Zhu Qingyi to you, but you must agree to one condition: when dealing with Situ Fengcheng, you must bring me along."
Canglan Martial Saint had guessed Zhang Ruochen's true purpose, so she negotiated terms with him in advance.
"If you want to cooperate with me, you must at least show some sincerity first," Zhang Ruochen said.
Canglan Martial Saint said, "I've already agreed to return the person to you. Isn't that sincere enough?"
"Apologize," Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
Canglan Martial Saint struggled to suppress the anger in her heart. "Your request is too excessive!"
"Excessive? Fortunately, we once fought together, once faced enemies side by side. If it were someone else, I wouldn't waste so many words with them, nor would I give them another chance to cooperate."
Canglan Martial Saint stared at Zhang Ruochen with almond-shaped eyes, looking as if she wanted to devour him, yet she refused to bow her head and admit fault.
Although Qing Mo had been knocked back by Canglan Martial Saint, she was not injured. She walked back to Zhang Ruochen's side and transmitted her voice: "Young Master, Canglan Martial Saint is, after all, the foremost of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens. She holds a high position and has a proud heart. Besides the Empress, who could make her lower her head?"
"Do you also think this request is too excessive?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Qing Mo nodded vigorously and transmitted again: "Making Canglan Martial Saint apologize is simply impossible. We already have many enemies; we shouldn't create more."
In the distance, Canglan Martial Saint took a deep breath, gritting her snow-white teeth. "Zhang Ruochen, you win. This time I'll compromise, but I won't owe you any favors anymore. If the imperial court catches you in the future, don't come begging me."
Then, Canglan Martial Saint walked up to Zhang Ruochen, flames burning in her eyes. She directly threw Zhu Qingyi to the ground, turned her peerless face away, stared at the wall on the right side of the stone path, and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ambushed you and taken your prisoner."
Qing Mo and the six female saints were all stunned. They never imagined that Canglan Martial Saint would actually compromise and apologize to Zhang Ruochen.
Even if this matter were spread, no one would believe it.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I don't see your sincerity. I don't accept such an apology."
"Don't push it too far. We're this close—do you believe I can capture you right now and make you a prisoner too?"
Canglan Martial Saint clenched her ten fingers, gritted her teeth, her body burning like a furnace.
Now, she and Zhang Ruochen were only three steps apart, a distance almost negligible for Saint realm beings. If she really struck, Canglan Martial Saint was fully confident she could capture Zhang Ruochen.
"No matter how close you are, you can't capture me."
Zhang Ruochen was even more confident, showing no fear. Instead, he took three steps forward.
The two drew even closer, now only a fist's distance apart. The rounded curve of Canglan Martial Saint's chest was almost pressed against Zhang Ruochen.
Neither of them backed down; both had very sharp personalities.
Qing Mo and the six female saints held their breath, staring intently at the two of them, feeling that a great battle was probably inevitable.
The two stalemated for a long time. Canglan Martial Saint's gaze was heavy, as if she were contemplating something.
In the end, she did not take the risk to try. She withdrew the flames she had released outside her body and said, "Now, humanity faces internal and external troubles. This is not the time for continued infighting. We should unite and face the enemy together. I'm sorry. This time, I indeed acted improperly. After all, we once fought side by side. No matter the circumstances, I should not have ambushed you secretly. If we must fight, it should be an open and fair battle."
Zhang Ruochen turned around and walked toward the formation barrier. "If there's a next time, it will be a fight to the death."
From childhood to adulthood, Canglan Martial Saint had always crushed her opponents with overwhelming strength, never submitting to anyone, including her brother who ranked first in the "Heroes' List."
Today, due to various reasons, she was suppressed for the first time, forced to bow her head. Naturally, she felt quite unwilling to accept it.
"Zhang Ruochen, you despicable bastard. Once I retrieve the Sky-Scorching Sword, I will definitely defeat you in front of everyone and let you know the power of the foremost of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens."
Canglan Martial Saint felt very wronged and also a bit regretful, thinking that her performance just now was too shameful. She should have decisively struck and fought him for a thousand rounds, punching his smug face into a pig's head.
Zhang Ruochen did not show the slightest hint of smugness, but Canglan Martial Saint felt he was extremely smug, and just thinking about it made her very angry.
The six female saints could all feel the fury radiating from Martial Saint. At this moment, she was like a female tyrannosaurus, so they all stayed far away from her, not daring to say a word.
Zhang Ruochen used the power of space to create a space rift and slashed it toward the formation barrier.
"Whoosh——"
The formation barrier tore open a one-zhang-wide gap. After the space rift closed, the opening in the formation barrier also began to merge rapidly. Everyone quickly used their fastest movement techniques and all passed through.
Entering the formation barrier, the concentration of heaven and earth spiritual qi increased dramatically.
In the sky, lightning flashed. Heaven and earth spiritual qi condensed into liquid form, turning into a fine drizzle falling to the ground.
"Spiritual qi turning into rain—this is too exaggerated. Even the Central Imperial City doesn't have such dense heaven and earth spiritual qi," one female saint exclaimed in amazement.
"Training here, I'll definitely be able to break through my current realm soon."
...
After entering the formation barrier, the Cosmic Divine Wood Map in Zhang Ruochen's Qi Sea became restless, emitting a series of cracking sounds. On the surface of the scroll, more than ten cracks appeared in succession.
"Boom."
Chaos qi surged outward even more violently. The Cosmic Divine Wood Map seemed to have reached the brink of complete shattering.
"Why is the Cosmic Divine Wood Map undergoing such changes?" Zhang Ruochen was secretly alarmed.
"Watch your step."
Canglan Martial Saint grabbed her sacred sword and stabbed downward fiercely, striking at a spot beside a female saint's right foot.
"Bang."
A blue fire insect crawled out from the soil, about to bite her right foot, when it was struck by the sword and sank into the ground.
Canglan Martial Saint withdrew her sacred sword and looked at the tip, her expression turning grave. "It wasn't killed. What kind of insect is this?"
"Whoosh!"
The blue fire insect flew out from the ground in another direction and bit a female saint's left hand.
With a hiss, the female saint's entire arm burst into blue flames, rapidly spreading toward her shoulder and head.
"Plop."
Zhang Ruochen swung his sword, directly severing her arm.
The female saint let out a low, pained cry. Blood gushed from her shoulder wound as she quickly retreated to Canglan Martial Saint's side.
"What are you doing?" Canglan Martial Saint said in a deep voice.
Zhang Ruochen did not respond to her, his eyes fixed only on the severed arm on the ground.
That severed arm had already burned to ashes.
Canglan Martial Saint understood what had happened and sucked in a breath of cold air, her expression turning even uglier.
The female saint whose arm Zhang Ruochen had severed turned deathly pale, realizing that she had just walked past the gates of hell.
"Could it be the legendary God-Eating Insects?"
Zhang Ruochen's face was also extremely stiff at this moment, every muscle in his body taut to the limit.
"This is no place for them. They must be sent out immediately," Zhang Ruochen said.
Canglan Martial Saint did not know what God-Eating Insects were, but she understood that this place was indeed too dangerous for the six female saints. One misstep and they would fall.
"Qing Mo, your vigilance is too poor. Retreat with them as well," Zhang Ruochen said with extreme seriousness.
Qing Mo had long been scared weak in the knees. Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, she felt as if she had been granted amnesty. "Young Master, maybe we should all retreat. This place is too dangerous."
If the Cosmic Divine Wood Map had not undergone such a tremendous change, Zhang Ruochen would definitely have retreated as well. But now, he had to go find answers.
Perhaps, here, the Qiankun Realm could be fully born.
After sending them out, only Zhang Ruochen and Canglan Martial Saint continued deeper into the hall complex. There, a mass of green light mist enveloped all the halls, not only emitting heaven and earth spiritual qi but also seeming to release innate sacred qi from within.
While staying alert to the ground, Canglan Martial Saint asked, "What exactly are God-Eating Insects?"
The blue fire insect from earlier could not even be pierced by her full-force strike, and Canglan Martial Saint felt a sense of dread, uncertain of herself.
Zhang Ruochen said, "According to legend, God-Eating Insects are tree insects of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, born together with it and dwelling inside the tree trunk. Because they gnaw on the wood of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, they are called God-Eating Insects, though they cannot actually devour gods."
"Isn't the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree itself a god? Being able to dwell inside a divine tree and gnaw on it—God-Eating Insects are already terrifying enough, aren't they?" Canglan Martial Saint said.
"If you're afraid, it's not too late to retreat now," Zhang Ruochen said.
Facing creatures like God-Eating Insects, who could not be afraid?
Canglan Martial Saint really wanted to retreat, but hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, she felt unwilling to concede. "If you're not afraid, why would I be?"
She quickened her pace and actually walked ahead of Zhang Ruochen.