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Chapter 450 The Grand Gathering of the Holy Land of Witchcraft! (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

The Holy Land of Witchcraft is not the kind of secluded sect hidden from the secular world that ordinary people imagine. It is more like a place of inheritance established by the strong members of a clan, with its core area hidden on a high peak surrounded by mountains.

On the surrounding mountains, from top to bottom all the way to the mountainside, there are rows of two-story wooden buildings, with a rough count of no less than a thousand on each mountain peak.

At the foot of the mountain, rows of wooden tables stretched out like an endless dragon. People of all ages, dressed in distinctive ethnic costumes, sat facing each other, chatting and beaming with happiness.

When Li Chen and his companions arrived, their 'outsider' attire stood out conspicuously even amidst the bustling street.

"They're eating... bugs? Is this even edible?" Yang Ci Daoist followed behind Li Chen and noticed a child at a long table not far away stuffing a fried scorpion, which was slightly larger than his arm, into his mouth. He couldn't help but swallow hard.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuying immediately looked at the long table and saw that each plate on the table was filled with insects.

There were countless kinds of insects, including bee pupae, cicada pupae, grasshoppers, scorpions, and centipedes, most of which the Zhu Zhu Ying had never even seen before.

Especially when the elderly and children put it in their mouths, the look of enjoyment on their faces gave Zhu Zhuying, a woman, goosebumps.

Li Chen's expression remained calm, but he felt no discomfort, only a slight surprise.

The Tian Ce Empire is vast, and each region has its own unique food culture. In fact, many regions within the Tian Ce Empire have the custom of eating insects such as bee pupae and grasshoppers. They are all insects, but the villagers near the Witchcraft Holy Land simply serve more insects on their tables.

In a region rife with Gu cultivators, what's the big deal about discovering more edible insects?
"Elder, are you new to the sacred land of witchcraft? Why don't you come in and have a taste? I guarantee you'll like it." A middle-aged woman who was eating stopped what she was doing and looked at her with a kind expression.

The people here are very hospitable. If someone from out of town comes, they will treat them to good food and drink. They will bring out things that they themselves would not normally eat, to make the guests feel at home.

The problem is that the food they eat is difficult for people who haven't been exposed to it before to swallow.

Yang Ci Daoist had only said it involuntarily, and upon hearing the woman's words, he subconsciously glanced at Li Chen, not daring to answer for a moment.

As Li Chen's subordinate, he is currently in the 'assessment' phase, so he naturally has to fulfill his duties as a subordinate. He had already spoken out of turn earlier, so how could he dare to make a decision on his own now?

"Yes, this is indeed our first time here." Li Chen nodded with a slight smile, showing some curiosity about the scene of every household sitting at a long table.

The middle-aged woman explained with a smile, "Today is our Li people's insect feast, which is to commemorate the ancestors who used Gu magic to open up a living space for our Li people. So every household will bring out a long table from their home to eat together."

"You've come at just the right time. There's a special bonfire party for the Li people tonight, which will be quite lively."

At this point, the woman slapped her forehead, as if she had remembered something, and continued, "I see that you are all dressed in extraordinary clothes. You must be here to do business in our sacred land of witchcraft, right? You probably won't be able to see the Holy Lord today, but the Holy Maiden will be attending the Hundred Insect Banquet. You can find her by walking along the long table."

The Holy Land of Witchcraft and Sorcery was actually quite xenophobic in the past, and only in recent years has it gradually begun to trade with merchants of the Tian Ce Dynasty, but this is limited to a small number of merchants who have been recognized by the Holy Lord.

To be honest, only a few merchants see the business opportunity and are willing to take these local specialties out to sell in exchange for a certain profit.

Most chambers of commerce thought this thing looked scary and wondered how anyone could eat it, so they didn't invest in it.

Like other major cultivation sects, such as Jade Void Immortal Mansion, the Holy Land of Witchcraft and Sorcery has a unique business of selling talismans, while some sects sell elixirs.

Because people from powerful factions also need to eat and purchase cultivation materials, they have contact with the outside world.

The Holy Lord of the Witchcraft Holy Land was originally an old-fashioned and conservative person who thought self-sufficiency was quite good. However, he was also an ambitious person who wanted to expand the influence of his own power.

Let those who cultivate using Gu become a legitimate form of cultivation.

Therefore, contact with the outside world is unavoidable, and in fact, more contact is necessary.

One of the heirs of the sacred site of witchcraft, Ma Hei, also holds a certain official position in the court.

Although he was only Xu Zifeng's deputy, he still held a certain position, and the local officials still gave him face.

This made the Holy Lord of the Witchcraft Holy Land feel that an official career might be a good path.

Not only in the sacred land of witchcraft, but also this year, many Gu cultivators have entered military camps, utilizing the characteristics of insects and possessing special abilities in reconnaissance.

Moreover, Gu can enhance the abilities of people with average strength and talent.

Some high-ranking officers in the Ministry of War are considering whether to purchase some Gu worms, such as the Brute Force Gu or the Copper Skin Gu, so that the soldiers can greatly improve their combat effectiveness.

However, some generals wondered if this product might have side effects.

Seeking external help might bring short-term improvements, but if the side effects are significant, the gains outweigh the losses.

What the Holy Lord needs to do next is to improve the Gu worms as much as possible to minimize the side effects.

It's impossible to say there are no side effects. Except for a very few rare Gu worms, most of them have side effects.

Only by minimizing side effects can the Gu worm develop.

Moreover, the lifespan and feeding of Gu worms are issues that most people, without professional training, simply cannot handle.

Of course, Li Chen unintentionally solved the problem later, but no one knows about this kind of unconventional operation.

Now that Li Chen had arrived at the sacred land of witchcraft, he asked the woman if she knew where the Yin-Yang Gu was.

He asked casually, and sure enough, the woman didn't know.

The woman said that she was just an ordinary person, and that insects are high in protein and good for the body. She added that they usually couldn't catch so many insects to eat, and that they only had this much to eat today because of the festival.

As for the Yin-Yang Gu, it's estimated that only Gu masters would know about it. After thinking for a moment, the woman said, "If you want to know, why don't you ask the Holy Maiden? She should know about the Yin-Yang Gu."

The so-called Holy Maiden is the daughter of the Holy Lord of the Witchcraft Holy Land. She is very young and knows the market very well. It is the Holy Maiden who is in charge of contacting those merchants.

To ordinary people, the Holy Maiden is a lofty and unattainable figure, but she also has her own responsibilities, such as developing the sacred land of witchcraft.

And she appeared at the Hundred Insect Banquet today.

(End of this chapter)