After a month of arduous cultivation, the queen had finally broken through to the late stage of qi gathering. She was exhilarated, but also aware that she was approaching a limit. The queen knew that if she wanted to advance any further, she would need to find a method to breakthrough. As she pondered her other options, she remembered the tales of a captain-level ant. These creatures were rare and incredibly powerful, with abilities that surpassed those of other ants. She knew that to create such an ant, she would have to consume a significant amount of cultivators, but the thought of the strength and potential of a captain-level ant was too enticing to resist. The queen began to plan for the ritualistic consumption of the cultivators, selecting those with the most potential to contribute to the captain-level ant's strength. With each cultivator consumed, the potential of her future captain will grow stronger. The thought of what she could accomplish with such a powerful creature at her side was both thrilling and terrifying.
The queen summoned both ants, Wan Qing and Wan Xi, to her chamber. They scurried in and bowed before their queen. She explained to them that they needed to attack the village to give birth to a new captain level ant. Wan Qing and Wan Xi were surprised and confused by this order. "My queen, forgive us for our ignorance, but what is the importance of a captain level ant?" asked Wan Xi. The queen replied, "A captain level ant possesses unique potential and strength that can help us conquer even more territory. However, to give birth to one, I will need to consume several cultivators as nourishment." Wan Qing and Wan Xi were taken aback by this revelation. They had never heard of such a thing. "Is that even possible, my queen?" Wan Qing asked. The queen nodded, "Yes, it is. And we will make it happen."
Wan Qing and Wan Xi felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement as they thought about their previous village, now seeing it as their future territory. Although they felt a twinge of guilt for attacking their former home, they were ultimately relieved that their fellow villagers would soon join them in building a new ant kingdom. They believed in their newfound strength and abilities, having broken through to the early qi gathering stage.
Wan Qing and Wan Xi's immense confidence in attacking their previous village comes from the strength of their queen and the aura that they felt leaking out of her. They were convinced that nobody in the village would be able to stop her. They had seen the queen's power firsthand, and her strength was beyond anything they had ever encountered before. Her aura was like a dense fog that surrounded her, making it impossible for anyone to get close. Wan Qing and Wan Xi knew that with the queen's power backing them, they could easily conquer the village and establish a strong foothold for their ant kingdom. They were nervous about attacking their previous home, but they were also excited to see their fellow villagers join them in building a new society.
A month had already passed since the village cultivators fortified their defenses, waiting for the anticipated attack from the terrifying ant-like monster that they had heard about. As days went by and no attack came, the tension and nervous atmosphere in the village gradually dissipated, and the villagers began to relax. They started to think that perhaps the monster was just a demon beast that lost its way from the deep forest and was not actually coming after them. They went about their daily tasks and routines with a sense of normalcy, forgetting about the initial fear and anxiety that had taken hold of them. But little did they know, the danger was still looming, and it was only a matter of time before the queen and her ants would strike.
The village leader sat in his home, feeling regretful about calling his son back from the sect. He thought that the problem of the strange creature in the forest was gone and that his son will return for no reason. He was worried that his son would become frustrated and that his time spent at the sect would be wasted. The village leader considered sending another letter back to the sect, but he didn't want to seem indecisive and irresponsible. Instead, he decided to wait and see if any more attacks arise in the future. If not, they can always try to hunt the creature in the forest. Once it considered humans its prey, it'll definitely come back someday.
At night, the atmosphere in the village drastically changed. The once peaceful and calm atmosphere was replaced by a gloomy and eerie feeling. The villagers could sense something was wrong. They could smell the thick scent of blood in the air, and it sent shivers down their spines. The village leader knew something terrible had happened. He quickly gathered a group of cultivators and went to investigate. The sight that met them was horrific. As they ventured out into the darkness, they discovered the remains of their fellow cultivators, strewn across the ground. The sight sent chills down their spines and fear spread rapidly among them. They realized that the threat they thought was gone had returned, and it was more powerful than they could have ever imagined.
Under the cover of darkness, Wan Xi and Wan Qing led the way as the queen and her two subordinates infiltrated the village. They knew exactly where to find the weaker cultivators, who were asleep in their homes, and silently assassinated them one by one. The ants were quick and efficient, leaving no trace of their attack. As soon as they finished their mission, they slipped out of the village, disappearing back into the forest. The only thing that remained was the ominous smell of blood that hung in the air.
The next morning, the villagers woke up to a grim reality. The air was thick with the smell of blood, and the silence in the village was unnerving. Everyone was confused about how the attack happened so suddenly, and how the enemy knew exactly where to strike. The fear and confusion grew as they started discovering the remains of their fellow cultivators who were brutally murdered in their sleep. The villagers knew that they had to act quickly to protect themselves from the unknown threat that had invaded their village. Some of them began to organize and plan their next steps while others grieved for the loss of their friends and family. The atmosphere was heavy with a sense of helplessness, and the fear of the unknown.