Chapter 30: The Scorpion Seed, Fourth Reincarnation

The mud horse tunneled through the earth, suspended deep below, neither too close nor too far from Ji Ming, who soared in the sky above.

Beneath the southeastern foothills, just before the territory of Hengshan, the mud horse halted its underground flight and leapt out, gazing at Ji Ming with a troubled expression.

The authority of the mountain spirit allowed him to flee beneath Hengshan, but he could not escape its boundaries. That monstrous nest of the flying beast was not within the mountain—a circumstance he had never considered.

Generally, unless one cultivates humanity, mingling with the mundane world nourishes desire, which greatly hinders the path of transformation.

“It’s fallen!”

Lord Bo Ni was suddenly startled.

In his sight, the giant raven, almost blending into the night, plunged straight out of the sky and landed in a pond.

The giant raven sank into the water and did not resurface; only dead fish floated up.

“Dead fish! Poison?”

...

Shibai Fortress, Jade-Blooded Apothecary.

The shamaness had been in good spirits lately—not because her Iron-Backed Centipede had returned, but because she had seen no sign of that monster within or beyond Hengshan.

Moreover, the thirteen immortal centipedes in her own insect jar had hatched—a matter of great significance.

Such an event required all her disciples to be present, especially her current favorite... Lady Zhang.

Summoned by the shamaness, the disciples soon gathered in the house.

She led them into a damp, stifling garden.

In this modest garden, no flowers or trees had been planted, and sunlight was blocked by dark fabric, letting only a faint glow through.

Here, the red soil squelched underfoot, releasing stagnant water.

Beneath the decaying earth, thirteen clay jars lay buried in advance.

Their slim necks protruded from the soil, each mouth covered with a thin, scaleless, hairless membrane.

By the sparse light, one could vaguely glimpse the crawling shadows of insects within.

The shamaness had few disciples—just six, counting the newly accepted Lady Zhang—so conflict was rare among them.

Thus, with thirteen newly hatched centipedes for them to choose from, two each was ample, and no dispute arose.

Even before she spoke, the shamaness saw some disciples hesitating.

Compared to snakes, toads, and geckos, raising scorpions and centipedes was more laborious, and often yielded uncertain results.

Moreover, since they were bestowed by the master, they could not be sold off, becoming a burdensome liability.

...

“Have you all decided?” The shamaness did not force them, merely laying out the stakes. “These centipedes are bred from the Iron-Backed female and Elder Tian Wu’s immortal centipede, the male. It’s likely some have inherited the elder’s rare bloodline.”

Despite her words, three still hesitated.

The elder’s immortal centipede was tempting, but among the disciples, aside from the newcomer Zhang Xinmei, all had practiced for over a decade.

To put it kindly, they had their own judgment; less kindly, their ambition had long since faded.

“Xinmei, you choose first.”

The shamaness designated her.

Within one jar, Ji Ming was adapting to his new body—a segmented, many-legged black-backed insect.

He crawled along the inner wall, with six segments and six pairs of legs, moving swiftly thanks to his exotic bloodline—the Iron-Backed Centipede.

The sounds outside were muffled, and he could not see clearly.

Soon, the covering was lifted, and weak light poured into the jar.

Coiled at the bottom, he vigorously shook the antennae on his head segment, sensing the warmth, scent, and vibrations in the air.

A substance smeared on the neck released a smell that made Ji Ming uncomfortable, deterring him from approaching—clearly a precaution to prevent escape.

A delicate, smooth hand reached toward the jar, pausing at the neck as its owner hesitated.

“There’s the scent of Lady Zhang’s personal sachet!”

Ji Ming’s antennae twitched, catching the fragrance and stirring excitement within him.

But the hand withdrew, and Lady Zhang’s scent drifted away.

“I’ve made my choice!”

In another jar, a wriggling green-backed centipede was pinched out by Lady Zhang’s slender fingers.

A flicker of disappointment crossed the shamaness’s eyes.

The one Lady Zhang selected had inherited neither the elder’s powerful bloodline nor much of the Iron-Backed Centipede’s.

“Master, is it my turn now?”

A tall, gaunt figure with a cold aura and wet hair hung loose had been staring intently at a jar. He asked in an impatient tone.

“Yu Xiao, go ahead.”

With permission, the tall one glanced at Lady Zhang and laughed softly, “Xinmei, take your time. You have much to learn.”

He had a clear target, no hesitation. Quickly, he pulled a black-backed centipede from a jar.

Ji Ming was pinched between two fingers, as if clamped by iron, and writhed his six-segmented body in discomfort.

“No wonder he’s called Lord Yu Snake. His skill in sensing and distinguishing poisons must have cultivated the second flower, ‘Flower of Breath,’ in the first realm.”

“No, Senior Yu broke through all fifty-two channels last time. He’s surely attained the third flower, ‘Flower of Spirit,’ by now.”

...

While the disciples praised him, Yu Xiao stood beside Zhang Xinmei, speaking quietly.

“If you regret your choice, I’ll swap this centipede for yours.”

Pinched between Yu Xiao’s fingers, Ji Ming once again caught Lady Zhang’s scent and squirmed all the more fiercely.

Sensing the centipede’s odd behavior, Yu Xiao whispered to Zhang Xinmei, “Look, it seems... really fond of you.”

“Disgusting!”

Zhang Xinmei replied coldly.

Both Yu Xiao and his centipede were momentarily stunned, then Yu Xiao narrowed his eyes. “I promise I can please you more than any demon.”

Without waiting for Zhang Xinmei’s reaction, he cradled Ji Ming in his palm and fed him seven or eight insect eggs.

“Good centipede, follow me and you’ll have endless poisonous delicacies, guaranteeing you’ll molt and grow rapidly.”

For the sake of food, Ji Ming chose to overlook the man’s offense for now; as for Zhang Xinmei, he’d reconsider once he grew a bit.

In the garden, the last disciple chose a black-red centipede. Though the Iron-Backed bloodline was faint, it was stronger than Zhang Xinmei’s green one.

The selection process ended, and Yu Xiao was summoned alone into the quiet chamber.

Before the shamaness could speak, Yu Xiao said first, “Master, I kindly offered to exchange, but my junior refused. That’s not my fault.”

The shamaness gazed at Yu Xiao for a long time, fond of this prized disciple.

“Xinmei has just entered Panhu Mountain, a time to build her foundation and confidence.

Though an Iron-Backed centipede isn’t a matter of great consequence, as her master, I must be cautious!

When you gained that two-headed exotic snake, didn’t I toil and run about for it...”

“Enough!”

Yu Xiao had no intention to compete with a newcomer, only resenting the master’s favoritism. Now that she recalled old times, he could no longer maintain his composure.

Ji Ming was abruptly tossed to the ground.

“Damn, one moment he’s doting on me, the next he turns cold,” Ji Ming writhed on the floor, cursing inwardly.

“Keep it for now.”

The shamaness returned the centipede to Yu Xiao, saying, “Your junior is strong-willed and won’t accept it without good reason. I must find a suitable excuse.”