Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points - Chapter 358

Chapter 358: Chapter 351: Kidnapped to Be Cannon Fodder_1

If Qin Niu, inexperienced in the ways of the world, naively believed what this person said and walked right into a trap by revealing himself, what awaited him was likely death.

Countless fireflies danced and illuminated the entire forest.

Under the old man’s control, they consciously avoided the area around the Ancient Banyan Tree.

Qin Niu was secretly delighted.

Because his hiding spot was right on the edge of the Ancient Banyan Tree Maze.

With his familiarity with the terrain, he could easily walk along the edge of the maze created by the Ancient Banyan Tree.

Even using the fireflies, the old man came up empty-handed.

Just as Qin Niu thought his hiding spot had not been discovered, the old man looked directly towards where he was hiding.

“Friend, can you now reveal yourself for a face-to-face talk? You must be a descendant of an Immortal Master to understand such a profound formation, right?”

This was what the old man had been wary of.

Formations were a highly esteemed skill among cultivators.

Especially for cultivators at the lower Spirit Qi Realm, it was something to aspire to.

“There’s no point in hiding anymore!”

Seeing that Qin Niu still didn’t speak or show himself, the old man frowned slightly.

A large number of fireflies gathered towards the area where Qin Niu was hiding.

Then, the glow from their tails lit up the area like daytime.

He had never thought there was such a use for fireflies.

Qin Niu learned another application for insects.

He racked his brains but couldn’t figure out how the old man had discovered him.

The fireflies had approached the area, but they kept a considerable distance.

He had stayed hidden the whole time, and his form was well-concealed by the vegetation.

But he had still been found.

“This old man’s twelve Blood Spiders are a gift to you, my friend! That formation of yours looks quite dangerous. Was it left to you by your ancestors?”

The old man was actually more interested in the Ancient Banyan Tree Maze.

This was a wake-up call for Qin Niu; the maze was not as hidden as he thought.

A true expert, upon approaching it, could very likely detect its existence.

Now that his hiding place had been discovered, and the Ancient Banyan Tree Maze was revealed to be a formation, it was basically futile to think about using the maze to deal with this person.

Qin Niu’s mind raced through possible strategies.

They were enemies, not friends.

It was either his death, or mine.

The other party didn’t immediately launch an attack because he was unsure of Qin Niu’s background.

He was worried that an Immortal Master might be backing Qin Niu.

If such a being did exist, any attack on Qin Niu by the old man would be suicidal.

“Why don’t you hide inside the formation? Don’t you have control over it?”

The old man continued to ask.

And he tentatively moved closer to Qin Niu’s hiding place step by step.

Without a clear understanding of Qin Niu’s background, he would definitely not act rashly.

But as the old man spotted more and more flaws, Qin Niu’s situation grew increasingly dangerous.

In these deep mountains, no cry for help would reach the heavens, nor would it move the earth.

No one was coming to his rescue.

Qin Niu was well aware that facing a Spirit Qi Realm powerhouse, running away was futile.

No matter how fast he was, he couldn’t outrun a Spirit Qi Realm powerhouse.

Unable to escape, unable to win, he was left with essentially one path—death.

It made him break out in a cold sweat.

To hide inside the maze of the Ancient Banyan Tree?

The thought was tempting and also foolish. The Ancient Banyan Tree might have taken a liking to him, even seeing him as half a ‘companion,’ but at night it couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.

Once inside its maze, everything was absorbed as nourishment without exception.

Except as a last resort, Qin Niu would definitely not enter the Ancient Banyan Tree Maze and seek his own death.

“Right, isn’t there a Demon Bird in the deep mountains? Why not deceive this person with words and lead them to the highest peak in the deep mountains?”

After having this thought, Qin Niu steadied his spirit.

“Fellow cultivator, your Blood Spider was taken by my mentor. My mentor is a being of the Terrestrial True Immortal Grade One, who wouldn’t just take your possession for nothing. You may follow me to meet my mentor, and he will grant you some opportunities.”

For powerhouses at the Spirit Qi Realm, what they desire the most is not to rear a powerful insect.

Even if the insect is nurtured into a demon insect, if one’s own cultivation is trash, it can only be a flash in the pan, and after a hundred years they will die, their path dissipating, turning into a handful of yellow soil.

Stepping into the realm above, learning Immortal Technique, seeking eternity, this is what powerhouses at the Spirit Qi Realm yearn for the most.

The higher the cultivation, the stronger the desire to become an Immortal Master.

Because at the Innate Realm, one is still very far from the level of an Immortal Master.

Naturally, one doesn’t dare to have too many extravagant hopes.

But having cultivated painstakingly to the Spirit Qi Realm, already reaching the threshold of being an Immortal Master, at this moment, the intention to step into the gateway of being an Immortal Master becomes a hundred, a thousand times stronger.

“May I know where your mentor resides?”

The elder bowed slightly, showing great respect.

In these deep mountains, to encounter such a powerful formation was already a shock to the elder.

He had been speculating whether this formation was naturally formed or artificially devised by someone.

Furthermore, Qin Niu’s evasive demeanor, appearing to lack confidence, also aroused suspicion in the elder.

Now that Qin Niu stepped forward and told the elder that he had a mentor above him, and that he was a transcendent being of the Terrestrial True Immortal Grade One, whether true or not, the elder didn’t dare act rashly.

At least before meeting that mentor, he wouldn’t harbor any thoughts of killing Qin Niu.

Otherwise, if he truly provoked Qin Niu’s mentor to come out, he could be crushed to death with just one hand.

“Follow me! My mentor has a rather foul temper, so along the way, do not speak too much or look around too much. Just keep your head down and follow. Once we reach the foot of the peak, I will report to him first and get his permission for you to enter. Then you may proceed. Otherwise, you must bear the consequences.”

Qin Niu’s tone was cold and indifferent.

It had to be this way; otherwise, with the elder’s experience, he would immediately see through him.

And then he wouldn’t be able to trick this person into becoming cannon fodder on that highest peak.

“Understood! I am grateful for your guidance, fellow cultivator!”

The elder verbally complied, but his heart probably didn’t feel the same way.

At least his suspicion about Qin Niu had not been completely dispelled.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking! Waiting for you beside this mountain formation late at night, do you think I’d be an ordinary cultivator? Once you meet my mentor, all your doubts will disappear.”

After speaking, Qin Niu no longer paid attention to the elder and took the lead up ahead.

Fortunately, he had patrolled the mountain once before.

Even though it was night, leading the elder behind him to that highest peak seemed effortless.

This also served to dispel quite a few of the elder’s doubts to some extent.

He led the way, maintaining a distance of about a hundred meters from the elder.

In his heart, however, he was secretly guessing the elder’s identity.

It could be certain that this person was not one of the high-ranking members of the Black Tiger Gang.

As for whether this person was Elder Mei of the Nine Insect Gang, only by killing him and taking his waist badge could Qin Niu determine his true identity.

Qin Niu now mainly displayed a stance of aloofness.

He didn’t inquire much about the elder’s identity.

As they continued to approach the location of the highest peak, the path became increasingly difficult to traverse.

The two, one in front of the other, moved quickly through the deep mountains.

Fortunately, Qin Niu’s Misty Rain Elusive Step was getting stronger and it was a great help at this moment.

After about an hour and a half, they finally arrived at the base of the highest mountain peak.

“The mountain looks no bigger than a stone from the plain.”

Travelling through the deep mountains, what seems close at hand when walking could easily exhaust a person to death.

“This is the peak! Wait here.”

After speaking, Qin Niu dashed up the mountain in front of the elder.

Actually, his heart was hanging.

The cries of the Demon Bird had come from this peak that day, and now that he was entering its territory, it was easy to become a target of attack.