Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

There were 5 types of Grade 7 insects in total—Ticks, Cockroaches, Leeches, Centipedes, and Mantises—each kept in their own separate, massive spaces.

The Bloodhound Ticks were tiny and uncountable, capable of draining the blood of any human or beast they could latch onto. Once on them, it was impossible to get them off.

The Cockroaches were nearly immune to the fire element and could stay alive for a certain time even after they were killed.

The Leeches could latch onto a person and drink the toxins inside them without harming them. They were excellent insects to deal with poisons and venoms in the absence of any antidotes.

The Centipedes had really hard shells, making them excellent at defending someone from attacks. There was also no pain in raising them, so that was a plus as well.

The Mantises individually were insects that had sharp arms. As a group, they were similar to Sword Domains, where anything that got into their group would be cut apart in seconds.

“Any of these are good. If you are worried about being poisoned while working on your pills, I suggest the leeches. As an Alchemist, it might also be a good idea to get the centipedes since they are great at defending you from attacks,” the Insect Sage said.

He didn’t seem to consider the other ones as good for Alex.

Alex appeared to give it some thought, but he shook his head. “Let’s move on to the next ones. I don’t want these.”

The man could only sigh and lead.

There were 3 Grade 8 insects in the Hall of Insects. These were easily the best of the best here, which was what most of the elders tried to go for if they could.

“The Obsidian Hornets together form a buzz that can induce mental pain. It’s difficult to fight in their presence and not be constantly forced to protect your mind. At the same time, their stings are also quite dangerous, making even a single one nearly lethal in most cases,” the Insect Sage explained, showing the group of black hornets that zoomed around a hive in the ceiling of the room.

The next room was filled with trees and branches, with many of them already eaten away by the insects inside.

“The Viridescent Slugs are one of the most unique insects we have. They can consume various plants without suffering anything negative. This includes some rather strong poisonous plants as well. After consuming them, they leave droppings that can be used as a really strong poison. However, better than that, they leave a layer of slime in their passing, which contains incredibly medicinal properties and can be used to heal others. I would consider them great insects for an Alchemist.”

Alex nodded. “They are indeed great,” he said. “And what about those?”

The tiny silverfishes seemed completely unimpressive compared to the two other insects.

“The Refining Silverfish,” the man said. “They live inside your body and passively help you become stronger. Meaning, just by letting them live inside your body, you become a body cultivator. They are also strong enough to be used to attack others, but their main purpose is to help refine your body.”

Alex was surprised. It was indeed an incredible insect if having it alone helped one improve their body cultivation. But sadly, Alex didn’t need it.

“Let us move on,” he said.

Rockcrust turned around. “Are you sure you want to continue?” he asked. “You can get two of the insects here.”

“How many Grade 9 insects can I get? Just a single one?” he asked.

“Yes, a single one,” the man said. “Are you sure you want just one?”

“Yes.”

The man said nothing and continued, taking Alex to the next group of insects.

The Grade 9 insects were, realistically speaking, the strongest insects around.

There were only two of them, one of which were bees, and the other were beetles.

“Emperor Soldier Bees,” the Insect Sage started. “These bees have a Queen, and all you have to do is bond with the queen to make use of all the bees in her hive. They are also called Defender Bees because they automatically defend you and attack for you as well, without you having to do anything to guide them.”

“They reproduce a lot, and they practically raise themselves, so the amount of work you have to do is really low. Having said that, the queens are very particular about who they bond with, and they will only do so with those they like.”

“So far, I haven’t met anyone they like except for the Beast God.”

Alex nodded, remembering them to be the insects that the Beast God had.

The man moved to the next. “These are the ones I have,” he said, pointing to the golden beetles.

“Man-eating Golden Beetles. As the name suggests, they eat flesh but are not limited to it. They eat shells, bark, hides—everything. A group of 1000 beetles could completely eat a human of similar strength in seconds if allowed. They even eat through weaker auras. They are capable of consuming nearly everything, making them the strongest insects we have.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “You’re the only one who has managed to raise them?” he asked.

The man nodded. “They are a little tricky to raise, and if you’re not careful, there is a chance that they will eat through you as well. Which is why I suggest you go for the bees. They are hands-free, so the experience will be much better if you can bond with the queen.”

Alex nodded, but he didn’t completely take any of that to heart.

“I believe the Beast God has 2 insects. One is the bee—what’s the other one?” he asked.

“It’s a group of beetles that are quite demanding. They are also rare, so we don’t sell them here,” the man said.

“I see,” Alex said. “Then let’s see the one you do sell. There’s only one more remaining, right?”

The man shook his head in resignation. “Fine, let’s go see the Grade 10 insect.”