# 355
**Chapter 355: Clearing the Field**
The Mortal Divine Realm of Utter Darkness was originally a power that used the most primal darkness to erode everything within its range—objects or living beings. Anything tainted by the night would fall under Lin Qiye’s control.
Due to his previous realm, this ability could only be used to control relatively light objects like Straight Blades or arrows. Now that Lin Qiye had entered the River Realm, both his control and destructive power had increased significantly.
He could now use the erosion of darkness to tear apart parts of a River Realm peak-stage giant ant with his bare hands!
As his realm continued to grow, it would only be a matter of time before he could tear through the sky or fold a throne of steel with his bare hands, just like Wu “Old Dog.”
The first soldier ant had temporarily lost its mobility, but the other two didn’t pause for a moment. They instantly arrived in front of Lin Qiye, their spiked tentacle-limbs stabbing out!
The two Straight Blades hovering around Lin Qiye sliced through the air, precisely intercepting the spiked limbs. The blades clashed violently with the sharp spikes, sending sparks flying!
At the same time, transformation magic flared on Lin Qiye’s body. In an instant, he transformed into a red-haired caretaker in a green uniform—Hongyan!
“Hongyan’s” hands were covered in dense dragon scales as she gripped one of the soldier ant’s scythe-like mandibles. Her muscles bulged as she forcefully pried the mandibles apart…
*Rip—!!*
With terrifying strength, “Hongyan” tore the ant’s mandibles apart with her bare hands!
But she wasn’t done. Taking advantage of the ant’s frantic struggle, “Hongyan” shoved her hands into its mouth and violently tore open its esophagus. A blinding flame began to brew in front of her chest.
*Boom—!!!*
The crimson dragon breath poured directly into the ant’s esophagus. Its shrill screech lasted only a moment before cutting off. Moments later, thick black smoke billowed from its body…
The dragon breath had been perfectly contained within the ant’s body—no flames leaked out. The ant’s shell grew scorching hot, as if a fireball had been stuffed inside.
“Hongyan” casually tossed the charred ant to the ground. The other soldier ant, finally breaking free from the Straight Blades, lunged forward, its two spiked limbs striking toward her body with deadly precision.
Two bursts of magical light flared from “Hongyan’s” body. Before the spikes could touch her, she vanished entirely.
The first spell was a transformation back into Lin Qiye. The second was a reverse summoning spell!
As the ant froze in confusion at “Hongyan’s” disappearance, Lin Qiye—now holding two Straight Blades—appeared above its head!
“Chariot of Thunder, Earth-Shaking Lightning!” Lin Qiye intoned.
*Crack—!!*
Two arcs of deep blue lightning flared across the Straight Blades, crackling loudly. The sharp blades, wrapped in dancing thunder, stabbed precisely into the ant’s antennal grooves!
The ant’s body convulsed violently. Even with its antennae pierced, it didn’t die immediately. Its spiked limbs stabbed upward again toward Lin Qiye on its back.
Soldier ants had far stronger vitality than worker ants.
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow. Darkness crept over the two spiked limbs, halting them mid-air just before they touched him.
“If that didn’t kill you… then I’ll just have to…”
Lin Qiye gripped the blades buried in the ant’s head and wrenched them apart. Lightning surged through the ant’s skull, tearing it in two!
The black soldier ant collapsed, lifeless.
Lin Qiye pulled out the Straight Blades and flicked off the green blood. He walked toward the first ant—the one whose legs he’d torn off earlier.
Though immobilized, the ant could still swing its spiked antennae. But such attacks posed no threat to Lin Qiye, with his perception and superhuman reflexes.
He dodged the strikes while using Utter Darkness to corrode the spikes. With a light clench of his fist, the corrupted spikes turned and stabbed back into the ant’s own body!
Lin Qiye’s blades flashed in rapid succession, severing the ant’s remaining legs and slicing off its antennae—reducing it to a limbless, writhing trunk like the worker ant in the iron box.
Lin Qiye nodded in satisfaction as the ant thrashed like a snake on the ground.
The worker ant he’d caught earlier had been too fragile. This soldier ant should last longer as a guide.
By now, the others had mostly cleared out the remaining worker ants. A wide clearing had been carved into the forest, littered with ant limbs and corpses.
Surprisingly, Cao Yuan hadn’t asked Lin Qiye for help. He’d struggled alone in a corner until the fiendish aura around him faded and he returned to normal.
He leaned weakly against a tree, pale and clearly drained.
“You okay?” Lin Qiye asked, walking over.
Cao Yuan smiled and shook his head. “I didn’t let it out completely this time. I managed to suppress the Black King’s aura with willpower. It’s exhausting, but it’s good mental training—helps with breakthroughs.”
Lin Qiye relaxed at his words.
Just then, a blood-soaked Mumu bounced onto Lin Qiye’s back, ignoring the mess, and danced excitedly on his shoulders.
To Mumu, the ants’ spikes were weapons—so it had devoured every last one. It was in a great mood.
Lin Qiye sighed and set it down. Looking at the corpses, his eyes lit up as an idea struck him.
Meanwhile, A Zhu—cowering behind a tree and nervously watching Baili Pangpang and the others—shrieked as Lin Qiye lifted him by the collar.
“You two, gather all these corpses. I need them,” Lin Qiye said to Mumu and A Zhu.
A Zhu’s face crumpled. “Director, why is it always me?”
“Because you’re my caretaker.” Lin Qiye patted his shoulder kindly. “No dinner until it’s done.”
A Zhu: (???︿???)
Lin Qiye set the two down and walked toward the dazed Li Deyang. He quietly hid the bloodied Straight Blades behind his back and asked solemnly:
“If I told you right now that we’re really just here to film a documentary… would you believe me?”