It was an ant plague, thousands of ants were charging towards them. There were ants from all the sizes, from 10 cm to 3 meters, meaning that there were from 10 years to 10.000 years old in the plague. Specifically, they seemed to be Fifteen Ton Ants, considered as the most numerous spirit beast, at the same time that the one with more predators. However, they had some peculiarities that the usual Fifteen Ton Ants didn't have. Some of them had wings in their back and were flying, this was only supposed to be for the queens. Moreover, their eyes were purple instead of the usual brown or black, and they were surrounded by a dark aura.
Being Fifteen Ton Ants explained some of Bai's incapacity to detect them as these ants had a hard shell and cultivated internally, not being able to let even an ounce of spirit power outside. This caused them to have great strength but a lack of spirit skills. Even though, there was something wrong with them. Even without spirit energy, Bai could have been able to detect their vitality, but he couldn't. It was like his senses were absorbed by them.
Individually, it wouldn't cause any problem from Bai's group to fight them. But with such sheer number, once they became surrounded, they would tire themselves to death, before being swallowed by the plague.
Bai's group continued running "Why don't we attack them? Most of them are young, working together it won't be impossible to take care of them" Bai said without stopping.
"It's useless!" Xiao Wu shouted.
"They are not normal. They are stronger and normal attacks can't damage them. And the worst it that it didn't matter how much you kill, more will come after you." Tang San explained "We only met 10 of them and in less than 5 minutes became a plague-like that."
Now that Bai took a closer look fixated, Chenxiang attack never directly targetted them. She threw a light explosion at the ground in front of them to delay them. Moreover, she focused on the quickest flying ones, stopping them. If it were for her, she couldn't have any problem to run away from them, but Xiao Wu and Tang San couldn't.
At first, they were faster than them, escaping without problems, but they seemed tireless. They continued chasing them without stopping, it seemed like they could detect their position, their numbers increasing with time. After running for 3 days, Chenxiang, Xiao Wu, and Tang San were tired.
Bai's group arrived at an area with trees, leaving the barren land. There wasn't much spirit energy but there was some.
"Crrrrrrrrrrr!" The ants' mandible sounded hitting each other. As the plague passed through the tree area, they left it devoid of any energy, exactly the same as the barren land before, answering Bai's question of who the culprit was.
"Crrrrrrrrrrr!" More ants could be heard, this time in front of them. Bai's group found themselves surrounded by all sides, running away was impossible, forcing them to fight, Chenxiang landing to the group.
It was an interesting picture, seeing at the barren land, a little oasis with three trees and 4 people surrounded by a black see of ants.
"It seems that we can't run away more" Bai said invoking his twin sword, 8 spirit rings appearing under him. Bai threw at the other 3 two Double Stuff Oreos. He already knew that they were tired, his Oreos at least would help them a little recharging their spirit power.
"CRRRRRRRRRRR!" Suddenly the ants seemed to become even madder as the charged towards the group.
Bai lifted his swords preparing to fight, a light smile in his face. Even after so many combats, most of them against powerhouses, Bai was sure that his specialty was fighting against a great number of enemies. Making this situation a perfect opportunity to truly shine.
Bai's 5th ring shined "
"I already told you!" Tang San said "They are immune to normal attacks, you need to use strong ones even for the 10 years old." Tang San 4th and 6th ring shined. From Tang San hands, blue vines shot around them, creating a 2 meters wall surrounded the group of 4.
This time, around Bai appeared 100 more swords, they had different colors as they were imbued with different intent. Infusing to 100 it wasn't a joke of his expending of sword qi, but he would recuperate.
The 100 swords were shot towards them, this time it wasn't absorbed. The swords pierced through the plague killing more than 200 ants in the process. Bai's 6th ring shined brightly, with each kill, he absorbed their spirit power, mental strength, and stamina, making Bai able to fight continuously without tiring him out. However, each absorption was strength for Bai like some familiar feeling from them, but he put it aside from the time being.
"CRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Tang San's Blue-Silver Grass's barrier didn't even last a second before being devoured by countless ants.
"Prepare all!" Bai shouted "I would try to cut through them, follow me closely!" The only option was trying to cut through them with their strongest attack, trying to create a path. However, even Bai wasn't so sure if it would work. With the ants numbers, any path would close quickly and he didn't know even at what direction, they must escape or where there wasn't antes.
Anyway, Bai focused on his swords as he prepared to unleash his All Swords "Hurry! Come here!" A warm voice shouted from Bai's back. The last trees that were there, had joined between each other creating some kind of gate. Bai and Xiao Wu quickly knew that it was one of the portals used to travel around the forest.
They quickly reacted. Bai turned around, he took Chenxiang in a princess carry and jumped towards the gate while Xiao Wu did exactly the same with Tang San.
The crossed the gate finding themselves in a green corridor. In front of them, a beautiful blue-haired young woman had her arm extended over the gate, her palms glowing with a green light full of vitality. It was Xie Lingling.
Lingling stopped giving energy to the gate that started closing. Just before closing, from the gate a two meters long arm shot towards Lingling who was unable to put any defense.
Just as the ant mandibles were about to bite Lingling, a sword pierced the ant's head, it was Bai. "CRRRRRRRRRRR!" even with the head pierced, the ant showed his high vitality, swinging its right leg towards Lingling, its claws threatening to cut Lingling apart. This time, Tang San was the one who reacted, swinging his black Clear Sky Hammer smashing the leg to shreds. Keeping the momentum, he continued swinging his hammer to the ant's thorax, destroying the ant's body that leaked a black liquid, not moving again.
All of them fell to the ground, sitting on it with mental and physical fatigue.
"Thanks, Lingling" Bai said. "Thanks!" Said Xiao Wu and Chenxiang.
"No problem" Lingling smiled at Bai "Thanks for the ant"
"Without you, we would have there. Truly thank you, miss Xie" Tang San said.
She simply nodded at Tang San saying a low "Thank you too."
"What the fuck was that about?" Bai asked
Lingling recuperated her emotions at her face as she made a worried and sad face "Something happened. Star Duo Forest, no, maybe even all the continent could be destroyed by it. And it had some relation with you Bai." Lingling stood up and cleaned her green dress that was made what it seemed to be flower petals. "I will tell you later with the others. Follow me" She turned walking along the corridor.
"What are you referring to that it had to do with me?" Bai stopped her taking her arm.
Lingling made a difficult face, worry, pain, uneasy mixed in it. She looked at Bai's eyes "It's about Mayi"