Chapter 518: The Black Insect Sutra

“Very well.” The Lord of Cang Yong did not hesitate. After all, a dignified Divine Emperor like Blood Blade would never stoop to coveting such trivial things. Once the agreement was reached, both parties swiftly proceeded to formalize the oath.

The oath naturally stipulated that neither side would act against Dongbo Xueying. If the Lord of Cang Yong were to grow stronger at a faster pace and attempted to coerce or threaten Dongbo Xueying using the Radiant Flow Insect, it would spell trouble. Of course, Dongbo Xueying believed that by the time the Lord of Cang Yong had fully nurtured the Radiant Flow Insect, he himself would possess the strength to counter it.

…

“This lad has quite the luck. This must be the fifth volume of the *Insect Sutra*,” mused Blood Blade, sensing the oath from his position before the Cosmic Copper Furnace. With a faint smile, he remarked, “Though raising insect beasts is an unorthodox path, the fifth volume of the *Insect Sutra* has indeed reached an extraordinarily profound level in the art of formations. It still holds value for reference.”

The Lord of Cang Yong had guessed correctly.

The Divine Emperor had no interest in this particular *Insect Sutra*. As the mightiest being in the Divine Realm, his ambitions far surpassed the imaginations of figures like Cang Yong. He operated on an entirely different plane.

…

Once the oath was sworn, neither dared to violate it.

The power of the oath was formidable. Even under the protection of the Material Realm, a Third Heaven World God who had not sworn an oath might not fear Blood Blade. But once bound by the oath, the Divine Emperor could leverage its power to strike with devastating force, capable of annihilating even a Third Heaven World God through the Material Realm.

Outside the Material Realm—in the Divine Realm or the Abyss—the oath’s power was even greater. Even Fourth Heaven World Gods and Great Powers had to tread carefully, never swearing oaths lightly. Once sworn, they would never dare to break them.

“Hahaha… Your Highness Dongbo, you truly drive a hard bargain,” the Lord of Cang Yong laughed heartily, his mood uplifted now that he had obtained the black sphere. “Your conditions truly pained me, pained me deeply.”

Dongbo Xueying replied, “Compared to Your Majesty, my demands are trivial. Obtaining this legacy artifact won’t enhance my strength. I merely wish for my descendants to have the opportunity to study it, so those with weaker cultivation talents may still possess means of self-protection.”

This was pure fabrication.

Dongbo Xueying had no intention of letting his children tread such an unorthodox path.

“Your Highness is truly devoted to his descendants,” the Lord of Cang Yong remarked with a smile. Having completed the transaction, he harbored no regrets. He had long resolved to sacrifice all treasures—even his empire—to obtain the black sphere.

For everything else was expendable, but the Radiant Flow Insect within the black sphere could elevate him to rival a Great Power.

“I haven’t yet seen the Radiant Flow Insect. May I take a look?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“Very well.”

The Lord of Cang Yong placed the black sphere on the table before him, gently running his fingers over its uneven surface. Instantly, the intricate patterns on the sphere began to glow, projecting a three-dimensional formation into the surrounding air.

This unfathomably profound formation now began to shift, with multiple sections undergoing transformations.

With a soft hum, the light of the formation retracted, and the black sphere began to rearrange internally. The uneven patterns split apart, revealing a translucent, glowing egg within. Inside lay a peculiar insect, its form fluid like flowing water, occasionally coalescing into the shape of a creature.

Just a glance sent a faint tremor through Dongbo Xueying’s heart. He could almost envision the insect’s overwhelming dominance once fully matured. “The Radiant Flow Insect… I suspect it won’t merely rival a Great Power when fully grown.”

“Only at the level of a Great Power,” the Lord of Cang Yong clarified. “Unless it undergoes another metamorphosis, but that would be exceedingly difficult. Your Highness will understand once you study the legacy artifact.”

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

“If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave. Should Your Highness require my services, simply send word. I am willing to act on your behalf three times, sparing no cost,” the Lord of Cang Yong offered with a smile.

“Very well.” Dongbo Xueying rose to see him off, knowing the Lord of Cang Yong was eager to return and begin nurturing the insect.

…

In the underground hall of the Inspector’s estate, Yu Jingqiu was deep in secluded cultivation. Now a Fourth Heaven World God, she could no longer flaunt her presence openly. When meeting her children, she merely projected an avatar formed from condensed cosmic energy.

“Dongbo, you could have demanded far more. The Lord of Cang Yong would have yielded, no matter how reluctantly,” Yu Jingqiu teased.

Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “This is sufficient. No matter what, the Radiant Flow Insect was never going to be mine. Without the nurturing method or the formation’s activation key, obtaining it was impossible. Securing additional treasures is enough. What truly matters to me is this legacy artifact.”

“An ancient insect-nurturing method capable of producing creatures that rival Great Powers… Even the formation projected by the black sphere is unfathomably profound,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “The creator of this method must have reached an extraordinary realm. His techniques can serve as a reference, greatly aiding our own cultivation.”

Different paths often intersect in unexpected ways.

“Let me try it first,” Yu Jingqiu said, her curiosity piqued by the complete method.

“Go ahead. Between us, does it matter who goes first?” Dongbo Xueying chuckled.

Yu Jingqiu extended her consciousness, and in an instant, she fell utterly still, her faint fluctuations betraying the deluge of information she was absorbing. Only after a full breath did she stir again.

“Dongbo, we’ve truly struck gold this time,” Yu Jingqiu exclaimed in awe. “This method is unparalleled in its profundity. Even as an unorthodox path, it is remarkable.”

“Oh?”

Dongbo Xueying immediately extended his own consciousness to receive the legacy.

Boom!

A torrent of knowledge flooded his mind—countless formations, accompanied by explanatory texts. It took considerable time before he fully assimilated it all. In his mind’s eye, a peculiar black tome materialized.

The black tome could be opened, revealing endless formations and guiding texts. It hovered before his Primal Godheart within his sea of consciousness, its pages flipped by the tiny hands of his Godheart. The further he progressed, the more intricate and profound the formations became, some even surpassing those projected by the black sphere.

“*The Black Insect Sutra*?” Having absorbed the knowledge, Dongbo Xueying now knew the method’s name—a specialized art for nurturing insect beasts, with formations as its core complexity.

A master of high realms could elevate even ordinary insects to formidable heights using this method.

Of course, obtaining a terrifying insect like the Radiant Flow Insect made the process far easier. Its natural growth alone rendered it formidable, and deliberate nurturing would only enhance its prowess.

“Remarkable,” Dongbo Xueying praised.

“Truly astonishing. It’s as if the laws of heaven and earth were kneaded effortlessly into countless formations,” Yu Jingqiu marveled.

Neither intended to delve deeply into insect-nurturing, but the formations provided profound insights into the interplay of cosmic laws—precisely why Dongbo Xueying had sought this method.

Any supreme method, no matter how esoteric, held invaluable lessons for reference.

…

After obtaining *The Black Insect Sutra*, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu devoted much time to studying its formations. Through them, Dongbo Xueying even identified flaws in his spear art, *Annihilation*, for some formations embodied the essence of destruction, deeply inspiring him.

His secret technique, *World Prison*, began incorporating insights from these formations, evolving into something far more formidable. Previously, Dongbo Xueying had often drawn from *The Great Radiance* for its utilization of cosmic laws, but *The Great Radiance* adhered to a singular, unyielding style.

In contrast, *The Black Insect Sutra* encompassed everything—darkness, destruction, life, subtlety, deceit, dominance… Its myriad formations broadened Dongbo Xueying’s horizons immensely.

Yet this period of study was abruptly interrupted less than a month later.

“Humph.”

A man clad in armor, his body covered in black fur, stood at the main gate of the Inspector’s estate, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Go and announce my arrival,” he commanded. “Tell them the Demonflame Emperor has come to visit!”