NOVEL ONLINE FREE CHAPTER 257
Chapter 257: The Changing Tides
At this point, a stark realization dawned upon Roda.
Archean City was about to change hands.
The Giant Clan's presence was one thing, but The Queen of Blade's intention to build an insect nest... Roda had never heard of them abandoning their established nests.
It seemed his days as City Lord were numbered.
Well, I won't be the City Lord for much longer, he thought, a flicker of resentment crossing his face.
But the feeling didn't linger.
After all, he was close to fully absorbing King Lin's inheritance. Once that was complete, he planned to return to the Eternal Clan and seek vengeance against his family's enemies.
Day 339 of the Black Mist Calendar
The main forces of the Giant Clan and Insect Clan arrived.
The Giant Clan army that marched into Archean City was the Third Legion under Hao Lie's command. Their banners fluttered in the wind, and the Giant warriors, averaging over five meters in height, strode through the city gates with an air of overwhelming power and confidence.
Over a hundred Spirit Realm experts and countless Physique Realm warriors filled their ranks, their military might undeniable.
The Spirit Realm Mother Insect, under The Queen of Blade's command, settled outside Archean City.
One by one, pale white Mother Insects, each resembling giant maggots, burrowed into the ground upon landing.
Once the holes were deep enough, each Mother Insect burst open with a sickening plop, releasing a pale yellow liquid substrate that filled the cavities. Engineer insectoids scurried in and out, hauling pre-prepared biomass into the nests.
As the liquid substrate consumed the biomass and converted it into energy, cysts sprouted and multiplied at an alarming rate.
Soon, these seemingly dormant cysts would hatch, unleashing legions of fearless Insect Clan warriors ready to vanquish the Queen of Blades' enemies.
The arrival of the Insect Clan and Giant Clan brought disruptions to Lu Ming's peaceful existence.
"You need to move out. I'm requisitioning this City Lord Manor," Hao Huang declared one day, his voice booming through the halls.
After a long silence, Roda nodded and sought out Lu Ming.
"Brother Lu," he said with a hint of urgency, "if you want to avoid conflict with them, we should leave now."
Lu Ming, having just returned from the Void Space, considered the situation for a moment, then stood up.
"Then let's move out," he agreed.
While being forced out wasn't ideal, Lu Ming had already been planning to leave. The timing wasn't a major issue.
Besides, he had made some preparations for this eventuality.
"Is the house outside ready?" he asked Roda.
Roda nodded. "Mr. Quan Chao has prepared a house for us. Everything we need is already there."
Several days ago, Lu Ming had instructed Quan Chao to find a house in Archean City, anticipating the potential need to relocate from the City Lord's Manor.
Seeing Lu Ming's agreement, Roda hesitated, then spoke his mind. "Brother Lu, I think it's truly time for us to leave... I don't mean just the City Lord's Manor, but Archean City itself. We should traverse the Hundred Thousand Mountains and seek refuge with the Eternal Clan."
Anyone could see that Archean City was becoming a vortex of chaos and danger. The future was uncertain, and the risks were mounting.
The safest option seemed to be to flee and avoid the impending storm.
But Lu Ming had a different perspective.
"I understand your concerns," he said, his voice calm and measured. "But right now, I need some time to cultivate in seclusion."
He didn't elaborate further, simply opening his attribute panel and reviewing his progress.
His three-dimensional attributes had increased tenfold, a testament to his relentless training.
Then, his gaze fell upon the Body Protection Technique column.
[Diamond Shield (Entry 1/100): Physique Realm Body Protection Technique.]
[Additional Special Effects: Enhanced Defense, Flame Vigor Burning, Enhanced Repulsive Force, Nourishment, Soul Protection, Cold Force Resistance, Thermonuclear Protection, Wind Element Protection, Thunder Element Protection, Earth Element Protection.]
The additional special effects column shimmered with a faint light.
Below it, a line of notes caught Lu Ming's attention.
[Note: Additional special effects are currently being integrated. Please continue to cultivate the Body Protection technique and master more special effects, which will serve as a reference for integration.]
A month ago, Lu Ming's Body Protection techniques had already undergone such changes.
There was no need for speculation; the attribute system had laid out what needed to be done.
Lu Ming was also curious to see the result of this special effects—integration.
"So, I still need some time," he explained to Roda, his voice firm.
After a pause, he added, "And with me here, you can rest assured."
Roda's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He knew Lu Ming well, and Lu Ming was not one to boast. His words carried a weight that Roda couldn't ignore.
Does he have the confidence to defeat an Origin Realm expert, or even multiple? Roda wondered, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes.
"Really...? Can you do it, even several of them? " Roda asked cautiously, trying to gauge Lu Ming's true capabilities.
Lu Ming shrugged. "I've never fought them before, so I can't say for sure. But it's probably possible."
Roda led his small group out of the City Lord's Manor.
Lu Ming, Roda, Roxin, and Uncle Lu.
Just four of them, along with their belongings and the treasures they had salvaged from the ruins.
As for the servants in the City Lord Manor, they were all taken over by Hao Huang—he, too, required attendants to cater to his needs.
It wasn't until they had left the manor's grounds that Lu Ming turned back, his gaze drawn to its highest point.
There, standing side by side, were Hao Huang of the Giant Clan and the Queen of Blades of the Insect Clan, their eyes fixed on the departing group.
Their eyes met, and a silent tension hung in the air.
Once Lu Ming and his companions were out of earshot, Hao Huang spoke, a hint of unease in his voice. "That person is the only one in this City Lord Manor that I can't quite figure out."
"On the surface, his strength seems insignificant. However, every time something major happens, Roda immediately seeks him out. I've observed them for a while and can confirm he's not a strategist or anything of the sort. The only explanation is that he's concealing his true power."
The Queen of Blades let out a sharp laugh.
As she meticulously groomed her nails with a tiny blade, she scoffed, "Hiding his strength? Is he an Origin Realm expert, then?"
Hao Huang's tone remained serious. "I don't know for sure, but we should consider that possibility."
"Nonsense!" the Queen of Blades retorted. "Even if he is an Origin Realm expert, he's at most a Level One or Two. He poses no threat to us, two Level Three Origin Realm experts."
"Besides," she added with a dismissive wave of her hand, "I don't believe a true Origin Realm expert would allow himself to be chased around like a dog."
"You're overthinking things. It's become a delusion."
Hao Huang didn't argue. He simply shook his head.
"It's better to be cautious... We still haven't found any trace of Esek, and I have a feeling that things are about to get much more complicated."
His voice lowered, becoming almost a whisper.
"And if the situation takes a turn for the worse..."
"Our Giant Spirit Blood Sacrifice and your Dung Beetle Divine Descent..."
Hao Huang's words trailed off, leaving the unspoken threat hanging in the air.
End of Chapter 257