Morning arrived in the Glittering Forest. The insects that ruled the night had retreated to their lairs, only to be replaced by insects that ruled the day. Their transparent wings fluttered under the glows of the rising sun, shaking off dew drops that glistened with colorful lights.
A flock of huge dragonflies took off from their perches underneath the leaves of a massive tree. Their bodies were long and thin but their wings were over four or five meters in width. They flew with vigor and agility. They could dodge the most exquisite attacks and they could carry away prey as heavy as a whole cow.
The dragonflies zoomed through the forest, below the foliage, dodging past tree trunks. They ignored other insects that could have been prey. They all seemed to have a single purpose and headed in the same direction.
After flying through what seemed like half of the forest, the troop of dragonflies arrived in a clearing. There, there were several large green mantises, a small army of cockroaches the size of donkeys, and curiously, a gaggle of humans.
These humans, all bound by ropes, consisted of male and female, young and old. They were completely out of place in the Glittering Forest. This place was the domain of insect beasts. Even human immortals would think twice before pushing their way this deep. But here were at least a hundred humans a stone's throw from Queen Sundew's doorstep.
When the huge flying troop arrived, some of the women started screaming which led to the young crying. The men tried to comfort them but something else proved far more effective.
A particularly large mantis that stood over two meters tall stalked into the midst of the humans and spoke in a sharp, grating voice, "Silence! If you still want to live, then shut your noisy mouths!"
By all measures of common sense, the human prisoners should have known that they were all going to die sooner or later. But they held onto a thin thread of hope that at least they would be able to live a little while longer. The women stopped screaming and they all worked to quiet the rest.
"Good, you can take these away to the queen mother." The mantis waved a long blade-like limb.
At this command, the dragonflies' wings buzzed. Each one gathered up as many humans as it could carry and flew into the air. As quickly as they came, they were gone, carrying their precious cargo back the way they had come.
Nestled within the grasp of one dragonfly was a peculiar pair of humans. There was a young man with short black hair and an average face accompanied by a petite beauty with long silver hair. Unlike the other prisoners who were frightened beyond their wits, these two were calm. Their expressions even contained traces of amusement as if they were on a sightseeing tour rather than being sent to their deaths.
"So, it begins." Chen Wentian said in a low voice.
"So, it begins." Jasmine repeated.
This was the final part of their plan, the way to sneak directly to Queen Sundew without causing a fuss. The mantis queen had a large appetite, especially when it was close to recovering from its injuries. It didn't take much to pretend to be its food.
Finding these captured humans was simple enough. Some were cultivators who dared to explore the wilderness. Others had been captured from human frontier settlements that bordered the forest. Humans killed beasts. Beasts killed humans in turn. There was nothing out of place in this dangerous world.
As such, both Chen Wentian and Jasmine paid little attention to the plight of the prisoners being carried through the air around them. They were unfortunate souls. They might not end up in an insect's stomach today but they were all likely to perish in the ensuing battle between Spirit Kings. It was a guarantee that countless mortals would be wiped out, humans and insects alike, for simply being in the wrong place.
"What are you thinking?" Chen Wentian asked.
Jasmine shook her head and snuggled up closer to him, "Nothing."
"Are you nervous?"
She snorted, "Never. And before you start fussing again, I know what to do. You've been talking about it nonstop."
"Alright."
Truth be told, Chen Wentian was a little nervous. He wasn't nervous about the upcoming clash. Even if they were unsuccessful, it was only against a wounded Spirit King so it was not exactly life-threatening. No, he was more worried about what would happen after they succeeded, after Queen Sundew returned to Jasmine's control as the mantis queen was always meant to.
That was an uncertainty he couldn't predict. But he hoped that he had sufficiently sexed up Jasmine these past days and weeks. He had catered to her every whim and filled her stomach with everything she desired. He hoped it was enough.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked in turn.
He looked at her, "I'm thinking… you look so gorgeous in every possible situation, even now."
She smiled and let out an amused breath of air, "Pervert hubby… you better control that thing in your pants. It would give away our cover if we started doing it beneath this insect."
He chuckled. Yeah, it was probably enough.
---
Across the vast lands but still within the eastern region of the Eastern Sanmu Subcontinent, another group faced their own challenges this morning. Chen Wentian, using Chen Mo's soul, and his disciples prepared for the events of today. It all came to today, they had to keep everyone's attention on Beast God City regardless of what happened.
"When does the auction start?" Chen Wentian asked idly as he sat in a chair, watching Zhou Ziyun and Li Yuechan get ready.
The two women were helping each other with the final details of their outfits. Both had chosen pure white today along with silk veils that hid most of their face except for their eyes. From a distance, they were almost like a pair of sisters. But up close, they couldn't be any more different.
"Master, you know when it starts. It's not for another two hours." Zhou Ziyun replied.
Her hair was naturally dark brown and slightly curly at the tips. It was tied up in an elegant bun along with a plethora of jewels and gold pins. This served to highlight her slender neck and the attractive angles of her chin.
"And the items, you each have them?" He asked.
"Yes, master. I double-checked just now." Li Yuechan replied.
Her hair was sleek and black. It hung down her back in an ebony cascade. From every direction, she was unmistakably a beauty in every sense of the word. Even the most modest battle robe could not hide her luxurious curves that were always a treat for the eyes.
"Good, just checking." Chen Wentian said with a sigh, "I will rely on you both today. Do your best."
Li Yuechan smiled, he could tell even with the veil, "Master, you can count on us."
"Master, we're ready." Zhou Ziyun said.
"Mmm."
He got up and examined his outfit. It was black from head to toe, highlighted by accessories made of polished black jade. It made him seem more like a brooding young master of some rich clan than anything. When accompanied by his two disciples in pure white, it was especially fitting. He liked it.
"Alright, let's go cause some trouble!" He said.
"Yes, master!"
---
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