Void Beetle Evolution Guide

"When Ahri and I were exploring the secret vault, we found a Darkin weapon."

Upon hearing this, Talia and Kai'Sa exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty. As Shurima citizens, they were no strangers to the legends of the Darkin, which tended to portray them as fallen celestial warriors rather than tyrannical warlords who controlled their own territories.

"What do you want?" Saifei seemed to hear the voice and walked out of the sauna. The moment she pushed open the door, billowing steam engulfed her figure.

Her fit body exuded steam, and the subcutaneous blood vessels dilated under the steam, causing a blush to appear on her skin.

If you look closely, you can see that her buttocks, which are in direct contact with the chair, have an unnatural red patch, like a ripe apple exuding an alluring color.

"Put your clothes on. I brought you a weapon. Try it out and see if it fits." If there weren't so many people watching, Wild Hunt would have liked to go over and slap her on the butt a few times.

"I'm not interested in this kind of reward. You'd be more interested in me taking off my clothes," Sefie muttered, but she still obediently went to the shower to change.

“I’ll go check it out too.” Kasha was already curious about Darkin weapons, and seeing Wild Hunt and Sephiroth preparing to leave, she immediately got up and left, taking a towel from the wooden tub next to the pool and wrapping it around herself.

"Kasha, wait for me! I want to go see too!" As soon as Kasha set off, Talia, who was always following her like a shadow, naturally wouldn't miss out and hurriedly followed after her.

Of the five people, only Ashe stayed behind, while the others followed Wild Hunt outside to find a place to test their weapons.

Before leaving, Wild Hunt noticed that Ashe was still somewhat sullen, seemingly not having fully recovered from the Sejuani incident, so he kept an eye on her and decided to come back later.

Chapter 343 Another Darkborn Weapon?

The group followed Wild Hunt to a snow-covered hillside. Sephie, unwilling to walk any further, urged, "Alright, what weapons did you prepare for me? Take them out and let me see."

Without a word, Wild Hunt tossed the Darkin Halberd out of the hive, the heavy halberd embedding itself in the snow. Under the influence of crimson magic, the surrounding snow melted at a visible rate, revealing the decaying frozen soil beneath.

"Wow, this looks promising." Sephie crossed her arms and looked slightly interested.

With the dragon's discerning eye, ordinary weapons are simply beneath her notice, but divine weapons are not so easy to find.

Take that anchor for example; most people couldn't handle it, which is why she was even slightly interested. When she's too lazy to transform, she just takes it out to intimidate others and for aesthetic purposes.

"Uh, did you hear that? There's a sound... that keeps drilling into my head..." Talia said, rubbing her forehead, her head aching.

“That’s the Darkin sealed within the halberd speaking to you. He will try to trick the host into picking up the weapon, and then take the opportunity to devour the host and reshape the body. So, no matter what he says, don’t listen to him, and don’t touch him physically.”

Taking the opportunity, Wild Hunt explained the forbidden matters to the group, causing Warspear to instantly open a trembling crimson eye. The Darkin sealed within let out a hoarse roar: "Aaaaah! You bastard! When I get out, I'll kill you!!!"

"Hey, you said I can't touch this thing, but then you said I could use it as a weapon. What do you mean?" Sephie frowned deeply, starting to wonder where she had gone wrong to make the Wild Hunt so difficult.

Aside from being a bit lazy and not very obedient to Kasha's discipline, and taking advantage of her size to torment Portil, she hasn't done anything particularly annoying, has she? Even if she has, it's not a big mistake, so why would she use this deadly thing against her?

“I’ve tried it. The blood magic on this weapon can’t penetrate armor, so you can pick it up through your armor, but there must be no skin contact. However, the sound it makes is still very seductive. When you’re not using it, put it back in the hive immediately to avoid having your mind affected.”

"Now that we've discussed the taboo, let's talk about its advantages." Wild Hunt paused, then added, "Because this weapon has the characteristic of devouring flesh and blood, its impact on mortal bodies is devastating. An ordinary person would be torn to pieces with just a slight graze."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Sephie immediately reached out a hand and grabbed the strange halberd covered in flesh and blood.

Saifi usually wears the cheongsams that Wild Hunt gives her, and the parts of her limbs that the cheongsams can't cover are covered with a layer of sheer black stockings, even her ten fingers are covered.

This outfit is actually made entirely of skin-armor mimicry clothing, but it's too risky to think that it can block blood magic with just a thin and breathable textile structure.

With a thought, Saifei's originally thin black silk began to expand, like wildly growing flesh and blood, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into scales that covered her entire arm, almost indistinguishable from her original dragon claws.

With the protection of this thick scale armor, she finally drew her halberd and held it up to examine it carefully.

On the shark-mouth-like blade, a bulging, scarlet eye stared unblinkingly at her.

"Human, why do you possess the aura of a dragon? Yet your physique is perfect for a host." The voice of Taroosh, the Darkin, slithered into Sephiroth's mind like a venomous snake, echoing the arrogance of a dragon.

"Go to hell, I am a dragon!" Sephie was inexplicably enraged and cursed loudly.

"When can dragons take human form? But this is even better." The blood-red eyes trembled with excitement: "Now, quickly shed that hideous shell of void and accept my power. If you and I join forces, we will be invincible."

"The era of the Darkin is long gone. They're invincible now, but how dare these artificial false gods like the Ascended make such boastful claims? Even our dragon race doesn't boast as much as you," Sephiroth said disdainfully.

After the fall of Shurima, the former Celestial Warriors fell to the Darkin, each considering themselves the rightful rulers and seeking to restore Shurima's glory, leading to a chaotic situation of warring factions.

Therefore, most of these Darkborn who were sealed away because they started the war harbored ambitions of domination.

"You dragons have also colluded with the void; you are a disgrace to the dragons!"

"I want you to take care of it!"

There was no point in arguing; Sephie, with her domineering and independent nature, couldn't stand the weapon defying her. She immediately strained with both hands, attempting to break the halberd in two.

However, no matter how hard she tried, the halberd remained completely still, not even bending in the slightest.

"Hahaha, the weapon that seals me is forged from a dead star! You think you can break it? You're dreaming!" Tarouch laughed wildly. "If it were that easy to destroy, I would have escaped long ago!"

Enraged, Sephiroth shoved it back into the ground and turned to ask, "Wild Hunt, is there any way to destroy it?"

"Hurry up! Use whatever means you have. I'd love for you to destroy this cage so I can see the light of day again," Tarouch shouted frantically from the side.

"Your attempt to provoke me is too simplistic. I'll stay in that dark cage for all eternity!" Sephie immediately retorted.

After she had vented her anger, Wild Hunt replied, "There is no precedent for Darkin weapons being destroyed. Perhaps only the Protoss who seal them can do something about it."

"Is there any way to shut it up?" Sephie persisted.

"Throw it into the insect nest, out of sight, out of mind."

Sephie was clearly not satisfied with the answer, when Kasha suddenly spoke up, rubbing her chin: "I've thought of a way."

"What is it?"

"Throw him back into the depths of Shurima, let him keep company with those bugs."

"You're too vicious. You do exactly what others are afraid of most." Wild Hunt sneered twice.

As expected, Tarouch reacted extremely strongly upon hearing this. The crimson eyeballs on the halberd blade trembled wildly, and an angry roar exploded in everyone's minds: "Don't joke like that, it's not funny at all!"

"Alright, when I'm tired of playing with it, I'll throw it there. Let it be gnawed and trampled by the insects it hates most every day, never to have a moment's peace." Seeing that the other party had revealed a weakness, a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes, and he spared no effort in ridiculing it.

"Stop messing around! I can be your weapon, just don't throw me into the void," Taroosh finally relented.

"It's too late." Saifei sneered. "Who cares whether you agree or not? I'm in charge now."

"What if I said I sensed the aura of another Darkin weapon?" Seeing that he was about to lose the right to speak, Tarouch took the initiative to reveal a shocking piece of information.

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. Another Darkin weapon... Is this some kind of common item? So easy to find?

“I’m not lying to you. I can take you there, and once you see it, you’ll believe me, right?!” Tarouch said confidently, as if it were really true.

A moment of silence fell over the crowd, their eyes meeting with hesitation and consideration.

Finally, Kasha coughed lightly, breaking the silence: "Since we have nothing to do right now, why don't we go take a look? If it's true, it can reduce a potential threat, which would be a good deed."

“What if he’s playing tricks?” Portil asked.

“It’s alright, whether it’s another Darkin weapon or not. If he dares to say that, there must be something waiting for us there. We’ll find out when the time comes.” Kai’Sa’s expression suddenly turned icy as she changed her tone: “If he’s really playing tricks, no one can stop me from banishing it to the depths of Shurima, where it will never see the light of day again.”

Chapter 344 Ash Opens Her Heart

The four of them made a last-minute decision to go and investigate the place Tarouch had mentioned, and so they hurriedly set off, heading north, just like they had come here not long ago.

Because they didn't know how far it was, only the direction, and how long the journey would take—maybe half a day, maybe ten days or half a month—Kasha had Wild Hunt say goodbye to Ashe on their behalf.

Wild Hunt, who had originally intended to talk to Ashe, also took on the mission and returned to Ashe's side.

The perspective shifts, and Aisha, unaware of what's happening outside, remains soaking alone in the hot spring, lost in thought.

"Soaking for too long will cause your skin to swell."

Hearing the voice that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Ashe quickly turned her head and saw Wild Hunt appear in a grand manner, then walk into the hot spring and sit down next to her.

He was completely naked and made no attempt to conceal himself, so when Ashe saw the swinging object, she immediately lowered her head out of guilt, already guessing what was about to happen.

“You seem to have something on your mind.” Wild Hunt reached out and put his arm around Ashe’s smooth, jade-like shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

The gesture carried a deliberate intimacy, and was somewhat greasy, but he enjoyed it, relishing the feeling of coercion that forced a respectable woman to lower her guard.

"Is it that obvious..." Ashe was a little shy, but she did not resist, letting Wild Hunt hug her and being open with him.

Wild Hunt fulfilled her conditions, and she had no reason to refuse, so she accepted the moment with equanimity.

However, Wild Hunt didn't want to see her thinking about other people's affairs when she was facing a turning point in her life.

"I guess it's because of Sejuani?"

Hearing Wild Hunt's words, Ashe looked worriedly at the horizon: "Knowing Sejuani as I do, she would rather starve than submit. Even if Lissandra really gave away the broth from the big jar for free, she wouldn't eat a single bite."

"Don't worry, she already drank the meat soup from the big vat while she was on the mountain, so she won't feel hungry until at least next winter."

"But her people have never drunk it."

“You’re a bit obsessed. It’s fine if you sympathize with Sejuani out of consideration for our past relationship. But her people are all bandits and executioners to you Avarosans. You can’t sympathize with them, no matter who you are.”

“I understand all of that. I just hope she can at least have enough to eat. Sejuani didn’t rob because she was evil. If there were any other way to get enough to eat, she wouldn’t risk her life to do this.”

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I won't judge your situation by external moral standards. But the fact is, she can't do it, but that doesn't mean there's no way. I believe you already have several ways to help her, but will she, with her traditional values, accept your changes?

Ashe sighed heavily. Wild Hunt's words made sense. Sejuani's biggest problem was that she clung to tradition and was inflexible, relying solely on hunting to support her people, and resorting to raiding when there wasn't enough prey. This kind of model was destined to never grow large.

Since they look down on farming, then they should trade the hides and bones they obtain from hunting! Each takes what they need, and they can easily obtain enough food to get through the winter.

But her inherent arrogance has ruined her; the relationship between the two sides has now deteriorated to an irreparable point, and even her desire to trade is no longer accepted.

The extra fur that couldn't be eaten could only be offered as a sacrifice to the bear spirit in order to be accepted.

“Don’t overthink it. Life will find its own way,” Wild Hunt said. “Those people will go and drink Lissandra’s meat soup when they’re hungry. Do you think Sejuani would stop them and watch them starve to death? If people’s hearts are scattered, then so be it. This shows that Sejuani’s abilities are limited and she can’t make Winter’s Claw stronger. Letting things shrink and purify people’s hearts is her way out.”

"Let nature take its course..."

Wild Hunt's words suddenly made Ashe realize that Sejuani, unlike herself, did not have the ambition to unite Freljord, or in other words, the ambition to unify it.

All she ever wanted was for her people to live with dignity in the harsh north, not to dominate the ice plains. But the traditional path was no longer viable, and she was inflexible.

Although Lissandra distributing broth will cause a large number of Winter's Claw members to leave, it's better than watching them starve to death.

With fewer mouths to feed, Sejuani's burden was lighter, and she no longer had to force herself to struggle for survival every day.

"Thinking about it carefully, if I could have a small but loyal tribe to follow me, and we could cooperate to hunt and be self-sufficient, it wouldn't be such a pleasant way to live," Ashe sighed. "If I had a choice, I would also like to take over my mother's tribe in an ordinary way and live a peaceful and stable life, rather than embarking on the thorny road of unifying Freljord."

"Then why did you found Avarosa in the first place?" Wild Hunt continued to ask, sensing that Ashe was about to open up on her own.

Aisha gazed at the rising steam from the hot spring, her eyes filled with melancholy and helplessness. "When I picked up that bow, my fate was already sealed."

"The first group of people I took in were far too weak, utterly powerless against the raiding party. In order to lead them to survive on the cruel ice plains, I had no choice but to try to unite the weak. Only when the weak unite can they fight against the strong. And it was this act, along with the ice bow in my hand, that made them connect me with the prophecy, and they all believed that I was the successor of Avarossa, and that I would lead my brothers and sisters of Freljord back to unity... And so I was involuntarily bound to the chariot of the great cause, carrying their expectations, and racing wildly on this road to unification."

"Alright, let's stop here. Don't overthink it; it'll only make your hair turn white." Wild Hunt comforted her, gently lifting Aisha's beautiful, frost-like hair. The steam from the hot spring grew thicker, obscuring their figures.

Seeing his actions, Ashe's gradually lowered guard suddenly tightened again. Her eyes darted around, and she smoothed her hair and whispered, "But I already have white hair... Won't white hair make me look older? Maybe I looked better with blonde hair?"

This cautious, pitiful appearance, like a soft feather, stirred the heartstrings of a mad hunter.

Wild Hunt smirked and suddenly reached out, lifting Ashe's legs firmly and placing them on his muscular thighs.

One hand smoothly wrapped around her slender waist, while the other hand, burning hot, slowly moved upwards along her smooth, jade-like thigh.

"Let me help you forget your unhappiness." Wild Hunt whispered in Ashe's ear, his warm breath brushing against her neck, leaving a blush.

"Hmm..." Aisha suddenly became shy.

The man who had just been talking to her like a confidant suddenly started touching her inappropriately. This sudden change left her somewhat bewildered.

However, she didn't dislike it. Biting her lip, she curled up, resting her head on his shoulder, letting his fingers slide and play in the shallows.

In her heart, she already saw herself as the woman of the Wild Hunt, not as a war mother.

Chapter 345 Liberating One's Nature

In the open-air hot spring, the rising steam, like nimble sprites, weaves a light veil, quietly enveloping the figures of Wild Hunt and Ashe in a dreamlike haze.

Ashe, the revered Warmother, appeared shy and timid in the face of the Wild Hunt's passionate and direct actions. Her former boldness and magnanimity had quietly faded away, and she resembled a naive and timid young woman, unable to utter a single word.

She let Wild Hunt gently lift her legs and place them on his strong thighs. With a slight pull of her arm around his shoulder, she half-pushed and half-reluctantly leaned into his arms, nestling against his shoulder with a touch of tenderness.

Ash felt she should perhaps respond more proactively to this initiative. She didn't actually resist, but her muscles were inevitably stiff and tense from the tension. No woman could be at a stage in her life without feeling nervous.

Her snow-white hair cascaded freely into the hot spring, soaking up the moisture and clinging to her fair, smooth skin. Her long, elegant neck flowed smoothly, like a meticulously sculpted work of art, without a single flaw.

Beneath the surface, the Hunter's strong arms, burning hot, moved slowly yet steadily upwards along her alabaster thighs, like a traveler searching for an unknown treasure.

This ambiguous yet passionate touch startled the water droplets clinging to Ashe's eyelashes, causing them to tremble and fall into the water, creating tiny ripples.

She closed her eyes shyly, only her willow-leaf eyebrows trembled slightly uncontrollably, sometimes furrowing and sometimes relaxing, the degree of undulation being linked to the depth, movement, and sensation of the fingers probing in.

The rising mist grew thicker and thicker, like an invisible net, trapping the two of them in this warm, humid, and hazy space.

Aisha's breathing rhythm was completely disrupted. At first, it was only slightly rapid, but within a few minutes, her panting became increasingly heavy. The misty steam, which was already causing chest tightness, exacerbated the situation, causing her cheeks to flush with an alluring blush.

In this moment of confusion and infatuation, Ashe suddenly felt a surge of pride as a War Mother. How would other War Mothers act in a similar situation?

They would openly enjoy the services of the blood oath, shouting out loud without any restraint, urging the men to work hard, instead of being timid and hesitant like her, enjoying it without daring to breathe, afraid that others would hear how comfortable she was.