Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 176 Ladybug? The Zhou Family's Visit

Xu Chuan smiled upon hearing this.

"Stop joking around, let's get down to business."

Xu Mingshu suppressed her smile, nodded slightly, and then began to communicate with all the spirit insects within the mist array.

As if receiving some signal, the spirit insects in the formation all flew towards one place.

buzz~
Thousands of spirit insects gathered around Xu Mingshu in an instant.

These low-level spirit insects have low intelligence; even a little divine interference can make them lose their sense of direction, and communication is quite troublesome.

Xu Mingshu also went through a lot of effort to obtain some information.

Examples include "queen insect," "food," and "hunger."

"Father, a queen insect has appeared in our Moon Lake County?" Xu Mingshu's eyes flashed with surprise as she looked at Xu Chuan in shock.

Based on these few words, Xu Chuan deduced the whole story.

"I reckon this queen insect has been dormant for a long time before awakening, just like your iron-devouring flying ant. Under special circumstances, it can remain dormant for hundreds of years without dying."

Although they are weak individually, they all possess unique abilities that we cannot match.

It seems that the queen insect awoke and wanted to grow, so she bred many of these low-level spirit insects and sent them out to find spirit objects.

The queen insect may not be particularly strong, but her intelligence is definitely not weak, and she holds a special position among spirit insects.

Xu Chuan looked at Xu Mingshu and said with a faint smile, "You only need to control one queen insect, which is equivalent to having an army of tens of thousands of spirit insects."

Xu Mingshu's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Of course, you can tell from the low-level spirit insects it hatches that this insect queen is not at the level of an ancient rare insect. However, if you carefully nurture it, you should be able to improve it quickly."

"Father, shall we go find the Queen Insect?"

"No rush, let them cause a ruckus in Moon Lake County for a while. By the way, can you tell what kind of spirit insects these are, their habits, and what they fear?"

Xu Mingshu then caught one and examined it closely. "These are not yet adult insects. If they reach adulthood, even martial artists with acquired skills will have little chance of harming them."

It has antennae on its head and a carapace on its back with faint red spots, so it should be a red-spotted insect.

This type of spirit insect is very common. Its shell is hard and can withstand swords and has a certain resistance to fire. When the red spots are obvious, it means that it has reached the stage of adulthood.

It likes to eat the leaves and stems of spirit rice, and it will also gnaw on the branches and leaves of spirit herbs.

What other characteristics are there?

"The strength of the Red Spotted Spirit Insect is determined by the red spots on its carapace. The stronger the insect, the more spots it has. The highest number of spots seems to be seven, which is comparable to the late stage of Qi Refining."

However, very few seem to reach the level of the seven-spotted red spot worm.

Ladybug?!
Xu Mingshu examined many more, some of these spirit insects being adults and some being larvae.

"The growth potential of the red spot worm is average, but what about the queen?"

"According to records, the queen of the red spot worm is relatively rare. Many Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stage cultivators are willing to cultivate one, and the highest level they can cultivate is Foundation Establishment."

The offspring born after the foundation-building stage of the red spot worm start as three-star red spot worms, grow to five-star as adults, and can easily reach seven-star with a little training.

This is where the true value of the queen of the red spot worm lies; without a queen, it is extremely difficult for the red spot worm to grow to the seven-star stage.

Upon hearing this, Xu Chuan nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "That's not bad either. By the way, Ming Shu, you haven't said what she dislikes or fears yet?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure either." Xu Mingshu scratched her head. "That half of the 'Insect Control Manual' doesn't record such details, so even low-level cultivators could easily kill it."

After pondering for a moment, Xu Chuan said, "Later, you control one of the larvae and come with me to the herb garden to see what it likes and what it will avoid."

"Great idea!" Xu Mingshu's eyes lit up.

"What about these spirit insects?"

"If left unattended, some will inevitably get through the fog array by accident."

Find an iron box, put some spirit rice leaves inside, and lure them in to trap them. They don't have the ability to eat iron flying ants and can't escape. I can use this information for further testing.

“Father is right. I will trap them first, and then go to the herb garden to find you.”

Xu Chuan nodded slightly and went ahead to the herb garden of ordinary medicinal herbs.

About one stick of incense later.

Xu Mingshu flew over, and upon closer inspection, two insects, each about a third the size of a fingernail, were perched on her shoulder.

“Father, I have chosen a larva and an adult.”

"Not bad, there is progress."

Then, the two began their experiment.

The vast medicinal garden contains hundreds of different kinds of common medicinal herbs. Among them, there are three types of larvae that dislike them and will fly away when they encounter them, but the adults will not.

Next, we went to the herb garden.

Most larvae and adults like it, and a few can barely eat it, but there is one kind that neither larvae nor adults dare to approach.

If you force your way close, you will lose all your strength and fall to the ground nearby.

"Father, what is this spiritual herb?" Xu Mingshu asked curiously after retrieving the spiritual insect.

"Houttuynia cordata has a slightly pungent odor and is a neutral herb with various mild effects such as nourishing the body, detoxifying, and healing."

Several common elixirs will use this.

Xu Mingshu leaned closer to smell it and indeed there was an unpleasant odor that made her frown. She looked at Xu Chuan and saw that he was also frowning and deep in thought. She asked curiously, "Father, what are you still worried about? Didn't we find the herb that can restrain the red-spotted insects?"

"It's too restrained. If others find out and use it to deal with you, then even if you control this swarm of insects, it won't be of much use."

Upon hearing this, Xu Mingshu remained silent.

"A pungent odor is enough for even ordinary alchemists to recognize the identity of a spiritual herb. I tried to combine other spiritual herbs that red spot worms dislike with a trace amount of houttuynia cordata juice to make a colorless and odorless medicinal liquid."

“Nothing can stump Father.” Xu Mingshu grinned and said.

“However, I also have a question. Everything in the universe has its counterpart. I wonder if eating houttuynia cordata can promote the growth of red spot worms.” Xu Chuan said, looking at Xu Mingshu. “After you have mastered the red spot worm swarm in the future, you can try it and maybe you will have some success.”

"Yes, father."

In the following days, Xu Chuan was busy preparing the juice and then had Xu Mingshu assist in the experiment.

In a short period of time, he conducted dozens of experiments.

Two days later, they finally made a discovery.

During this period, more and more red spot insects appeared around the county town, and many aristocratic families' spiritual fields suffered. Many spiritual rice plants had their stalks eaten and were basically beyond saving.

Even though the Zhou family sent several cultivators to guard the area, many of the insects still succumbed to the infestation.

Each household only has a few hundred to a thousand of these red spot worms, and most of them are still larvae, making them very easy for cultivators to kill.

It's fine if they are discovered in advance, but if they are accidentally allowed to enter the rice paddy, it will be a big problem.

Before he knew it, the spirit rice was destroyed by his own magic.

To kill such tiny spirit insects without damaging the spirit rice, it is likely that only those cultivators with the most precise control could achieve this.

However, cultivators usually don't bother to figure out such techniques; they mostly pursue power and area-of-effect attacks.

Almost every family suffered a loss, and in order to prevent the damage from spreading, they sent their own cultivators to take turns looking after the rice day and night until the remaining spiritual rice matured.

In the past, if they could pay taxes with old rice, they might not have been so nervous. But now, who knows if the next time the rules will be the same as the last imperial envoy?

If the amount of spirit rice is insufficient, ten times the resources are needed to make up for it.

The larger the spiritual field, the more cultivators need to look after it. They have almost nothing to do but stay there and guard it.

This is extremely detrimental to the arrangement and development of family members.

The Zhou family was also in a terrible predicament because of this.

They caught some and gave them to Zhou Sen to study, hoping to find a way to drive them away. Zhou Sen didn't understand spirit insects, so he could only use the most rudimentary method, like a headless fly bumping around, constantly trying different approaches.

Half a month later, they still hadn't gained anything.

“Patriarch, if you don’t know how to control insects, it’s as difficult as climbing to heaven. I’ve heard that Xu Mingshu of the Xu family seems to know a bit about the art of beast taming. Why don’t we go and ask her for guidance? Even if we don’t gain anything, I would like to exchange ideas with Fellow Daoist Xu.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shaoyuan pondered for a moment before saying, "Then let's go. I imagine the Xu family's spirit fields have also suffered severe damage from this insect infestation."

The patriarch held the Xu family in high regard, and providing assistance now would ensure they would remember this favor.

Zhou Sen nodded slightly.

Soon after, they set off for Dongxi.

The area around Dongxi was still shrouded in mist, eerily quiet and peaceful.

"Elder Zhou Sen, what brings you to Dongxi today?" The patrol guards came out and, seeing that it was Zhou Sen who had come to visit, immediately bowed and paid their respects, not daring to be negligent.

Is your eldest elder at home?

"Here I am."

"Take me inside."

"Yes."

Zhou Sen entered the cave and then took to the air on his sword. He suddenly realized that the cave seemed to have changed quite a bit since he first came here.

"The Xu family has started to expand into the mountains?" Zhou Sen looked into the distance and saw that many mountain peaks were covered with palaces.

"That's true. Now that they've all become families of cultivators, they can't just mingle with ordinary people every day."

Many aristocratic families are like this, with the cultivators within the clan residing in one place, separate from the mortal family members.

"However, which mountain should I go to to look for him?"

After muttering to himself for a while, Zhou Sen landed on the ground and asked the patrol captain for directions. The captain pointed out the mountain where the Immortal Arts Hall was located.

Zhou Sen nodded slightly and flew towards the Immortal Art Hall.

However, he encountered a formation barrier, and a faint light screen appeared, which surprised him.

Do you want this?
This array barrier may seem weak in its defensive capabilities, and he felt he could break through it with a single blow, but in the territory of the human clan, it would be a great disrespect.

Seeing guards stationed at the foot of the mountain, it flew towards them.

"Elder Zhou Sen." The two recognized each other and immediately bowed.

"I've come to visit your Grand Elder. Please help me break the array barrier."

"Yes."

One of them quickly took out a jade tablet and stuck it on the array's light barrier, instantly creating a huge gap in the barrier that allowed people to pass through.

"Elder Zhou Sen, please."

Exhausted, Zhou Sen went up the mountain with a blank expression, heading towards Xianyi Hall.

He felt as if he were visiting a superior clan, having to pass through numerous checkpoints and restrictions.

Who exactly is the Foundation Establishment family?!

Upon arriving at the plaza in front of the Immortal Arts Hall, Zhou Sen transmitted his voice, saying, "Fellow Daoist Xu, I, Zhou Sen, have come to pay a visit. May I have the honor of meeting you?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Chuan turned to look over and then said, "Qingyi, you can study and practice on your own first. I'll go and entertain Elder Zhou Sen."

"Yes, Great Elder."

Xu Chuan got up and went out. He soon saw Zhou Sen standing in front of the square and greeted him with a smile, saying, "Brother Zhou, what brings you here so suddenly today? Are you so free from clan affairs?"

"Hmm, why do you look a little pale?"

Zhou Sen sighed, "It's all because of your Xu family. There's a layer of fog outside, another layer of array restrictions on this mountain, and yet another layer around the entire Immortal Arts Hall. It's really making things very troublesome."

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I think you're just envious, Brother Zhou."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled wryly and pointed at him, saying, "Your eye for talent is truly sharp!"

"When my Zhou family cultivates a disciple skilled in formations, we will surely make others envious and feel envious in the same way."

"Hahaha~"

Xu Chuan chuckled and said, "Let's go, let's talk in my meditation room."

After entering the house and sitting down...

With a casual wave of his hand, Xu Chuan conjured a blue jade pot and two jade cups on the coffee table, each containing two or three thumb-sized emerald green tea leaves.

Using spiritual power, the spring water in the blue jade pot was instantly boiled, and then poured into the jade cup.

"Brother Zhou, please, how about trying this tea?"

Zhou Sen nodded slightly, picked up the jade cup, and as the rim of the cup lightly touched his lips, he immediately raised his eyebrows, revealing a look of surprise.

A burst of spiritual energy exploded from the bottom of my tongue.

"This tea is excellent. Its refreshing coolness, like that of orchids, first rushes into the nasal cavity and then slowly sinks into the throat. A wisp of spiritual energy wanders between the teeth, like tender buds breaking through frozen soil, carrying the coolness of snow water seeping into the meridians, making the tea not feel scalding hot at all."

In other aristocratic families, this would certainly be considered a top-grade spiritual tea.

Xu Chuan took a sip himself, then smiled faintly and said, "It doesn't count as spirit tea. Real spirit tea uses very precious tea leaves. I've only had the privilege of drinking it once or twice in the capital."

"Brother Xu is joking. How can our remote and impoverished Yuehu County compare to the capital? Even in my Zhou family, this tea would be considered a mid-to-high grade."

"By the way, Brother Zhou, what brings you here to see me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sen sighed, "It's all because of the insect infestation. I thought the incident with the Lu family was just a coincidence, but who would have thought that an insect infestation would actually occur, and all the spirit fields of each family have suffered."

Our Zhou family's spiritual fields are vast, and the losses have been enormous.

"If it weren't for the large amount of rice we had left over from the previous two years, we'd probably be having a headache over taxes this year too."

He paused, then looked at Xu Chuan, "Your Xu family has also been affected by pests, hasn't it?"

"We did indeed discover quite a few traces of spirit insects some time ago," Xu Chuan nodded.

Zhou Sen nodded and said again, "If there are any difficulties with the spirit rice, you can talk to my Zhou family. Our two families are allies and should help each other."

"Thank you. I will definitely ask if I need anything."

Zhou Sen took another sip of spiritual tea, then looked at Xu Chuan and said, "By the way, has your Xu family ever studied those spirit insects? I heard that your daughter, Xu Mingshu, knows a bit about beast taming. I wonder what her insights are?"

So that's what you were planning.

Xu Chuan immediately understood and said with a faint smile, "They are indeed researching it, but Ming Shu has never received a proper inheritance of beast taming skills, so her skills are only minor."

Of course, she also recognized the spirit insect as a low-level spirit insect called the Red-spotted Worm; although weak, it seemed to reproduce very quickly.

"Yeah, every now and then a swarm of insects appears, and I don't know where they come from," Zhou Sen complained.

"Xu is also studying it, but it will probably take some time."

"If you achieve any results, please remember to inform my Zhou family. My Zhou family will definitely provide a good reward."

"That's natural."

After a while.

Zhou Sen didn't even get to see Xu Mingshu before taking his leave.

When leaving Dongxi.

"Xu family tea is good, but have I forgotten something?"

Zhou Sen shook his head and said, "Never mind, at least we know this spirit insect is a red-spotted worm. We can check the ancient books when we get back and see if there are any solutions."

(End of this chapter)