[Jade Armor Bug][A metal-eating bug. Over time, it sheds its skin. The shell is like jade, hard as iron. It can strengthen bones and fortify the physique.][Can be refined.]
Su Yan held the smallest 'shell' in his hand. Compared to the other two, its color was duller and opaque, as if mixed with impurities.
If he had bought only this one, the old man, who was a master of Skin Refining Great Completion, might have lowered the price even further, as the quality was clearly poor.
But Su Yan was different. The Fierce Bug Cauldron had subtly vibrated, indicating that within this so-called 'shed shell' was clearly a living Exotic Bug.
It was this sensation that had first drawn his attention to the item in the Temple Market.
"The Jade Armor Bug isn't ferocious. It doesn't react even when held like this."
Su Yan didn't know much about the Jade Armor Bug. This was an Exotic Bug from the Wild Mountain, something he hadn't had contact with before.
Refine!
There was no hesitation.
Over the past few days, whenever he killed wild beasts or Savage Beasts, he would quietly allow the Fierce Bug Cauldron to devour a portion of the beast blood.
Although the quantity was small, accumulating over time, he had already gathered enough to surpass a hundred jin of essence blood. Refining the Jade Armor Bug now was more than enough.
Not long after, with the power of the Fierce Bug Cauldron injected, the bug shell immediately cracked, revealing the Jade Armor Bug inside, covered in a jade-like carapace and with rounded claws.
The Jade Armor Bug was enveloped by the power of the Fierce Bug Cauldron, transforming into a white light that submerged into the Cauldron.
[Jade Armor Bug 1/100 (Infancy Stage)]
The Jade Armor Bug was successfully refined. When Su Yan summoned it again, it was about half the size of his palm.
It was entirely white with a subtle glow, looking more like a jade ornament.
"Its ability..."
As his perception deepened, a look of delight suddenly crossed Su Yan's face. He sent a thought.
A subtle white light gathered on the Jade Armor Bug's body, revealing a faint, almost invisible white membrane of armor.
Su Yan swung his dagger. It struck with a clang, as if hitting an iron ingot.
"What fine Jade Armor! It doesn't seem to have an offensive method, but it possesses this kind of defense."
The delight in Su Yan's eyes grew stronger. He reached out to grasp the Jade Armor Bug.
Under his control, the Jade Armor Bug climbed onto his body, its claws tightly clasped, clinging to his palm.
At this moment, the layer of Jade Armor that should have been covering the bug began to spread, gradually enveloping Su Yan's skin.
The color of the Jade Armor faded, but it was definitely still there.
Su Yan sliced with his dagger, and a faint clang still sounded, as if he were wearing an invisible suit of armor.
However, after barely ten breaths, the Jade Armor Bug immediately weakened slightly, and the Jade Armor quickly dissipated.
Su Yan took out a Poison Dragon Pill and placed it in front of the Jade Armor Bug, wanting the little guy to replenish its energy.
However, the Jade Armor Bug retreated a few steps, showing resistance. It turned its head and crawled toward the discarded shell.
"I thought wrong."
Seeing this, Su Yan suddenly realized.
The Pale Bone Venomous Centipede and the Velvet Fire Scorpion ate Poison Dragon Pills because they were poisonous creatures among Savage Beasts.
But not every Savage Beast or Exotic Bug would thrive on poison.
The Jade Armor Bug's jade-white mouthparts ground together like sharp gears, making a crunch sound. The discarded shell, comparable to metal and stone, was at this moment as brittle as a cookie.
It ate three shells in a row, taking a full fifteen minutes. Finally, the Jade Armor Bug regained much of its luster.
[Jade Armor Bug 54/100 (Infancy Stage)]
Su Yan, seeing its progress, fed it some ordinary Blood Strengthening Pills he had also purchased from the Hundred Herbs Hall. Although he had bought them, he knew that as his cultivation progressed, he needed to switch to better medicine.
It was a good time to feed them to the Jade Armor Bug. Seeing it open its mouth and chew, it swallowed them.
Its growth rate increased a bit, but it was nowhere near the effect of the bug shells.
Su Yan gradually understood: "Even the controlled spirit-bugs have their own habits. By consuming the right resources, their growth can be faster... Hiss, but if that's the case, the more I raise, the more resources I'll need."
He couldn't help but frown slightly, and a thought suddenly sparked in his mind.
'Li Feiyu kills and sets fires, while Celestial Venerable Han is revered by all. If I shed my mask and resort to dark deeds, wouldn't that solve the resource problem?'
The thought just arose when he dismissed it. He was not deep in the Wild Mountain yet, and even with a hidden identity, it would be difficult to act rashly.
Amass resources slowly, claim the title later. To get rich, raise more bugs...
With his current strength, layered with the Tiger Fiend Soft Armor and the Jade Armor ability, plus his Small Completion Poison Dragon Golden Body Art and the solidified Stone Fetus of the Golden Ape Jade Body Art, he possessed a foundation of Small Completion.
With this layered defense, even a Blood Shifting Realm expert would find it difficult to kill him swiftly.
With the aid of the Pale Bone Venomous Centipede, he could even contend with a Blood Shifting Realm expert.
Su Yan's eyes flickered, and he shook his head: "Be more cautious. Once I enter the Wild Mountain, I should first let the Velvet Fire Scorpion undergo metamorphosis and let the Jade Armor Bug make some more progress. That way, I can proceed with greater stability."
With a plan settled, Su Yan put the Jade Armor Bug away, along with the Vital Serpent Toxin Stem.
It was about time for the team to depart. He could not delay. Once they reached the Golden Ape Village, received their missions, and entered the Wild Mountain, it would be like a fish leaping into the wide ocean.
However, as he put away his things, the Blood Strengthening Powder made him pause.
He had bought this item merely as a disguise, but what he had said earlier was not entirely false.
His Herb Identification Technique allowed him to clearly sense that the powder contained something similar to the essence blood he condensed—it wasn't like ordinary blood.
"Forget it. I'll check it out if I get a chance."
He tossed the Blood Strengthening Powder into the Bug World Space, putting it aside for now. Although the powder was slightly more effective, the effect was limited, and he was not interested in researching it at the moment.
He left the room and arrived in the courtyard of the branch hall. Everyone was already assembled.
The guards hadn't changed, but the Inner-Sect disciples had mostly acquired a new weapon or two.
Dian Jing had exchanged his wooden bow for a refined steel longbow and carried a steel machete at his waist.
Not all disciples were skilled in archery, but a sharp dagger or a long spear was still a useful weapon.
Li Jinshan looked serious. He strode over, his gaze sweeping over the group: "Everyone, brace yourselves. Move out!"
Su Yan acutely noticed that Li Jinshan's demeanor was completely different from his earlier relaxed state. This was not a pretense of a Senior Brother putting on a stern face, but genuine apprehension about a serious matter.
"Senior Brother Gao, what's going on?"
Unable to discern the situation, Su Yan rode his Scaled Horse quietly up to Gao Zheng, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear.
Gao Zheng cautiously glanced at Li Jinshan, then whispered: "It's escalated. Gu Hong, the foreman of the Little Mountain Gang, lost an arm last night and had his foundation poisoned. Even if he is cured, he won't be able to break through to the Nourishing Vitality Realm for three to five years. Gu Changfeng, the Little Mountain Gang's Great Manager, has only this one son. How can he let this go?"
Su Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. So that was it.
"Are they going to attack?"
Gao Zheng shook his head: "They can't attack openly, but they've already put up a dark bounty. I'm afraid some people will target the disciples of the Golden Ape Martial Hall, especially in the Wild Mountain."
The Little Mountain Gang, along with the Seven Sabers Martial Hall, failed in their scheme against the Golden Ape Martial Hall and suffered a huge loss instead.
Now, people in the Jianghu have put up a dark bounty for the heads of Golden Ape Martial Hall disciples. Many independent martial artists and Knife-Takers (assassins) are likely tempted.
The Wild Mountain is a killing field; murder and seizing treasure are common. Now, with a bounty on a head, who wouldn't be tempted to earn extra silver?
From now on, as soon as they leave the Golden Ape Martial Hall's sphere of influence in the Wild Mountain, they will inevitably be targeted.
Su Yan's eyes flashed, but he suddenly felt that the situation was not that simple.
Even to avenge his son, finding a way to assassinate the people involved last night would make sense. But why escalate it to this extent?
With Gu Changfeng's cultivation level, which was close to the True Intent Realm, couldn't he do that much?
'Hmph, the more action, the more scheming. I'm afraid his real intention isn't about the wine, but something else. But it has nothing to do with me. If the sky falls, the tall man carries it.'