Chapter 67

"Is there really a Bug King?"

Yang Tiangang, upon seeing his son, actually wanted to inquire about the array formation, but after glancing at Xu San and Zhang the Blacksmith, he ultimately asked about other matters.

The matter of the Bug King was indeed extremely important. If it could be confirmed, the next time a locust disaster occurred, the primary task would be to find and kill the Bug King.

Moreover, the locust disaster in Yu County had swept through various regions, bringing continuous bad news. If it could be confirmed that each locust swarm contained a Bug King, it would be of great benefit to Yu County's efforts to combat the locust disaster.

In his previous life, the existence of the Bug King was discovered three days after the locust disaster began. It was now the second day of the disaster. Even if Yang Junshan did not reveal the secret of the Bug King, it would be discovered by someone else the next day. After being verified by cultivators in various regions over the next two to three days, the locust disaster in Yu County would gradually be suppressed.

Yang Junshan nodded and said, "There is indeed a Bug King!"

He then recounted his experience on West Mountain. Zhang the Blacksmith snorted when he heard that the locust swarms that attacked Tuqiu Village and Tushi Village were the same, and that Yang Junshan and his companions had actually relieved the pressure on Tushi Village after killing the Bug King. "What a lucky break for those bastards in Tushi Village!"

Yang Tiangang pondered for a moment and said, "Although we cannot yet confirm that every locust swarm contains a Bug King, this matter should still be reported to Liu Zhenzhu. If other villages also confirm the existence of the Bug King, it will undoubtedly be very beneficial for combating the locust disaster."

Xu San, with a hint of jealousy, said, "So, Brother Yang, you are likely to achieve another great feat. Recently, there have been rumors in town that Liu Zhenzhu may be promoted, and the Heaven-Shaking Sect will select a Wu Ren realm cultivator to take over as the town's guardian. Brother Yang is probably the top candidate. In the future, you might even be taken in as an outer sect disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect and become the head of a town!"

Although the losses suffered by Tuqiu Village in the locust disaster had not yet been fully assessed, it was certain to be much lower than those of the previously affected villages, which was already a significant achievement. If the matter of the Bug King were added, it would be difficult for Yang Tiangang's contributions to go unnoticed by the Heaven-Shaking Sect.

Although Yang Tiangang reported the possible existence of the Bug King in the locust swarms to the town's guardian, Yang Junshan was not particularly concerned about this matter, as it would ultimately help reduce the locust disaster in Yu County.

What Yang Junshan truly cared about was that, although the secret of the Bug King would not remain hidden for long, the cultivators at this time did not know that the Bug King was actually a demonized demon locust, and that the body of a demon locust contained a spirit. Therefore, even if the cultivators who killed the Bug King obtained a spirit, they did not realize that every Bug King in each locust swarm contained a spirit.

Yang Junshan secretly told Yang Tiangang about this and showed him the pair of winged spirits he had obtained. Both were amazed. Previously, when Yang Junshan obtained a pair of bear paw spirits, the couple was already overjoyed. Now, their son had found another pair of spirits, even though they were of lower quality and had a very limited range of use, they were still a pair.

"Do you mean that the Bug Kings in other locust swarms might also have spirits in their bodies?"

Yang Tiangang glanced at Zhang the Blacksmith and Xu San, especially Xu San's daughter-in-law, and then quietly cast a spell, creating a strange wave around him to prevent others from overhearing.

Yang Junshan recognized this spell as the "Silent Spell," which was often used by cultivators when discussing confidential matters. Once this spell was cast, even if Xu Qing had a talent for hearing, she would not be able to hear the conversation between the Yang family members with her current cultivation level.

Yang Junshan smiled and said, "Killing a few Bug Kings can't be a bad thing, right? It would only enhance your reputation. If there are indeed spirits, you'll have a great gain!"

Yang Tiangang's face showed signs of interest, and his wife, Han Xiumei, also urged, "I think what our son said makes sense. This disaster is so widespread that everyone's life will be hard. If we can obtain a few spirits, we can at least exchange them for a few hundred jade coins, which will cover our expenses for a long time!"

Seeing that even his mother was joining in the persuasion, Yang Junshan knew that the matter was almost certain to proceed. In fact, Yang Junshan could have done it himself, but with his current cultivation level, finding a demon locust in a locust swarm was not an easy task. For a Wu Ren realm cultivator like Yang Tiangang, who already had spiritual awareness, it was much easier.

As the locust swarm that attacked the village turned into a scattered group, the number of ordinary locusts, though still greater than the demon locusts, was significantly reduced. With the united efforts of the villagers, by the morning of the second day, the locust swarm in Tuqiu Village was largely under control. By the third day, the locusts were being cleared on a large scale, and by the fourth day, the locust swarm in Tuqiu Village was almost completely eradicated, making it the first village in the Wasteland Town to overcome the locust disaster.

The losses caused by the locust disaster in Tuqiu Village were roughly estimated. Only about 70% of the spirit grains in the spirit fields were harvested, as they were not yet fully mature, resulting in a 40% reduction in yield compared to previous years.

When the news spread, the villagers of Tuqiu Village were not disheartened but rather overjoyed, even more so than in previous years of good harvest. This was because news of the disaster in various regions of Mengyu County was continuously reaching Tuqiu Village. From these reports, it was clear that other villages in Mengyu County had not even managed to save 60% of their harvest, and very few villages had only lost 60% of their harvest.

Only the farms near the county seat of Mengyu County had saved a similar amount of harvest as Tuqiu Village, but this was due to the presence of a True Person realm cultivator. Other villages were lucky to save 30-40% of their harvest, making Tuqiu Village stand out in Mengyu County.

If the entire village of Tuqiu only managed to save 60% of its spirit grains, then the Yang family had at least saved 80% of their spirit grains.

Thanks to the effectiveness of the locust repellent powder, the spirit fields of the Yang family were not severely damaged by the locusts. Only about 10% of the spirit grains were damaged due to uneven distribution of the powder, and the rest of the losses were due to early harvesting.

This locust disaster not only increased Yang Tiangang's prestige in Tuqiu Village but also made him a celebrity throughout Mengyu County. There were many rumors in Wasteland Town that after Liu Zhenzhu left, Yang Tiangang would likely be transferred to the town, either as the guardian or at least as a deputy. In a few years, Wasteland Town would inevitably be handed over to him.

However, while everyone in Wasteland Town was discussing Yang Tiangang, the village chief of Tuqiu Village was lurking outside a village in the Wasteland Town of Mengyu County.

Using the method provided by Yang Junshan, Yang Tiangang left Tuqiu Village quietly on the day the locust disaster was resolved. He then went to Tumeng Village and Tuyuan Village, where he found and killed two Bug Kings and over a hundred of their guards without alarming the Wu Ren realm cultivators in those villages. He indeed obtained two lower-quality spirits, which greatly increased his confidence and joy.

However, by this time, the locust disaster in Wasteland Town had been largely controlled. Yang Tiangang then came to this village in the Wasteland Town.

The locust disaster in this village had not yet been completely resolved. From a distance, the spirit grains in the spirit fields had already been severely damaged, and it was uncertain whether even 30% of the harvest could be saved.

Yang Tiangang observed from outside the village for over an hour. Using the special techniques for finding demon locusts that Yang Junshan had mentioned, he had basically determined the location of the Bug King. However, the area was too close to the village, and he was likely to alert the Wu Ren realm cultivators in the village once he made his move.

To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Yang Tiangang was waiting for an opportunity to act when the Bug King moved away from the village. However, he was also getting anxious. According to the timeline, the information about the Bug King that he had reported to the Heaven-Shaking Sect should have been verified by now. Once the Heaven-Shaking Sect disseminated this information to various villages, his chances of hunting Bug Kings and obtaining spirits would be greatly reduced.

At this moment, there was a commotion in the locust swarm. Yang Tiangang's spirits were lifted as he saw spells exploding in the locust swarm, killing many locusts and creating a clear path through the swarm.

Two Wu Ren realm cultivators walked out of the village, chatting and laughing. The one in front was none other than Qian Chunlai, with whom Yang Tiangang had a past conflict.

"Strange, what is Qian Chunlai doing in the Wasteland Town?"

Yang Tiangang quickly concealed his aura, fearing that the two cultivators of the same realm would detect him. Fortunately, these two did not expect anyone to be hiding during the locust disaster and did not use their spiritual awareness to search the surroundings.

"This matter is settled. I hope Village Chief Ye will speak well of me to your brother-in-law. I will be very grateful!"

Qian Chunlai looked very serious and sincere.

The other cultivator who escorted Qian Chunlai out of the village laughed and said, "Don't worry, Brother Qian. I will take care of it. My brother-in-law will definitely speak well of you."

Qian Chunlai expressed his gratitude with flattery, and the two bowed to each other. As Qian Chunlai left, he handed a brocade bag to the other person. Based on Yang Tiangang's experience, the bag likely contained a significant amount of jade coins. It was unclear what Qian Chunlai was doing, but he was willing to invest a lot.

After Qian Chunlai left, Village Chief Ye leisurely crossed the locust swarm and returned to the village. The locust disaster had been ongoing for five or six days, and even the most sluggish villages should have controlled the situation by now. However, Village