"What about the legendary Heaven Sword and Earth Saber of the Boundless Realm? What manner of divine weapon is that?" Ye Xiu, having encountered many divine artifacts, naturally understood that every divine weapon carried its own unique history.

"The Heaven Sword and Earth Saber is a peerless, world-shattering blade left behind from the ancient Boundless Realm. Legend says whoever obtains the Heaven Sword and Earth Saber can rule the entire realm. To prevent any single person from wielding such power, it was melted down into two distinct blades—the Absolute Heaven Saber and the Absolute Earth Saber—and one renowned sword, the Zenith of Heaven." Jun Bugu recited history as if ticking off cherished items, "These three sharp implements are scattered across different regions of the Boundless Realm, naturally sparking clan disputes. It is unexpected that we would acquire one so easily."

"What use is this Absolute Heaven Saber to us? I have no interest in the Boundless Realm whatsoever. If I weren't constrained, I would have left long ago," Ye Xiu sighed. His mind currently held no room for grand, heroic sentiments. He needed to save himself first, then save Qi'er, and there was an even more crucial knot in his heart: finding Old Liu.

"To be a hegemon has never been my desire," Jun Bugu shook his head, though a look of intense excitement flickered in his eyes. "You know, a thought has formed in my heart: to find and reassemble the Heaven Sword and Earth Saber, and then, in front of everyone, destroy it outright. That would certainly be interesting."

"A discerning observation," Ye Xiu felt completely unable to keep up with Jun Bugu's train of thought, so he could only remain silent, watching as the latter tucked the Absolute Heaven Saber at his waist.

Through a shady stretch of forest, the two returned to the Wicked Forest of the Demon Insect Sect, accompanied by each other once more. It seemed the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor had anticipated Ye Xiu's success, having already dispatched emissaries to greet them.

"Hall Master Ye, please!" It was the same ant-like leader as before, but now his speech was completely subservient. It appeared the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor had already elevated Ye Xiu's status. "We have been waiting for a long time, subordinates."

"Hall Master Ye, he calls you Hall Master Ye," Jun Bugu's expression was perverse as he let out a mocking sneer. "I hadn't expected you to become a Hall Master of the Demon Insect Sect so quickly. Hearty congratulations."

Ye Xiu was composed and felt no surprise. The promise made by the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor had been fulfilled with surprising ease. It seemed whether he accepted the arrangement or not, he had to secure the Soul of Hundred Insects first. He adopted a commanding posture and barked at the leader, "Boy, what is your name?"

"Your subordinate, Ant-Big, greets the Hall Master of Ten Thousand Insects." Though the leader was clad in impressive armor, his name sounded rather foolish—though undeniably easy to remember. "The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor has been waiting in the hall for quite some time. Hall Master Ye, please follow me."

"Lead the way!" Ye Xiu's voice was deep and carried the unmistakable air of a Hall Master. He signaled Jun Bugu with his eyes, ensuring the latter followed closely behind him.

In the Insect Hall, the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor reclined on his throne with undeniable majesty. Seeing Ye Xiu and his companions approaching from afar, he raised his hand, causing various radiant lights to flash, which prompted the assembled insect officials to clear a path for Ye Xiu.

"Your subordinate, Ye Xiu, pays respects to the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor." Ye Xiu bowed deeply and respectfully, making sure to forcefully compel Jun Bugu to perform the same gesture. At this moment, his fate rested in the hands of this corpulent insect; he had no other choice.

"Since you have returned alive, it means the task I assigned you is complete," the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor expressed relief that he hadn't misjudged Ye Xiu. "Hall Master Ye, no need for such formalities. I trust the Heavenly Moon Sage was no match for you. Where is the Ten Thousand Poison Stone?"

"Here," Ye Xiu slapped Jun Bugu's side, making him hand over the Ten Thousand Poison Stone he carried. It turned out that the stone Ye Xiu had seized from the Heavenly Moon Sage was a considerable string of them. As the stones appeared, a wave of shimmering green light flooded the entire hall.

"Heh, hand them over quickly!" The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor was overjoyed. He hadn't expected such a meager test of Ye Xiu to yield so many stones. "I never imagined the Heavenly Moon Sage had hoarded so many Ten Thousand Poison Stones! This will greatly advance the cultivation of my Ten Thousand Poison Pearl. Hall Master Ye, you truly possess world-class martial arts prowess; even the Heavenly Moon Sage fell easily."

"Not at all," Ye Xiu clapped Jun Bugu's shoulder. "This success in retrieving the Ten Thousand Poison Stones was entirely due to the help of this friend of mine. I request the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor allow him to be incorporated under my command to continue assisting me."

"Very well, Ye Xiu. You are now a Hall Master; you may command your subordinates as you see fit." The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor’s attention was not on Jun Bugu at all. He took the Ten Thousand Poison Stones, letting them fall into his palm. With a slight exertion of internal energy, a wisp of pale smoke appeared, melting the green stones. When his power subsided, all the Ten Thousand Poison Stones had turned into white residue. "With this, my Ten Thousand Poison Pearl can threaten the various clans. The glorious moment for my Demon Insect Sect is fast approaching."

Ye Xiu watched the Insect Emperor coldly. The creature hadn't mentioned the Soul of Hundred Insects at all. Could there be a change in the plan?

The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor's eyes shifted, glancing towards the Demon Ant atop the grand hall. "In my Demon Insect Sect, below the Insect Emperor, we have two Protectors: the Left Protector, the Demon Ant Strategist, and the Right Protector, the Hundred Insect Immortal. Beneath them are three Hall Masters: the Hall Master of Ten Thousand Insects, the Hall Master of Flying Insects, and the Hall Master of Poisonous Insects. As for other details, please have the Demon Ant Strategist inform you."

As the words fell, the Demon Ant Strategist stepped forward, shaking a feather fan. "I am the Demon Ant. The Right Protector, the Hundred Insect Immortal, is engaged in urgent business and has not yet returned. Beside me is the Hall Master of Flying Insects, Mantis Fei. Behind him is the Hall Master of Poisonous Insects, Venom."

Ye Xiu followed the Demon Ant's gesture, bowing to each in turn. Mantis Fei had a pleasant face, but the pair of massive pincers he held made him look strikingly like a mantis at first glance. As for Venom, his first impression was simply repulsive; the creature seemed perpetually shrouded in a layer of pale purple mist—truly a venomous being.

"As for our Demon Insect Sect's position within the entire Corpse Demon Forest," the Demon Ant fanned himself with a laugh, "internal clan strife within the Corpse Demon Forest has raged for years without pause. The three major clans outside the forest also constantly maneuver against each other; no one has ever been willing to submit to another. Moreover, with the Heavenly Ranking Sacred War imminent, if Hall Master Ye encounters anyone from other sects, please execute them without hesitation."

"That is natural. Furthermore, I have some personal grudges with the Demon Peak Sect. I wonder about the location of the Demon Peak Sect's stronghold," Ye Xiu nodded readily. This was a perfect opportunity to inquire about the Demon Peak Sect's whereabouts. "May I ask the Strategist, exactly where is the Demon Peak Sect located?"

The Demon Ant's eyes narrowed, and the antennae on its head seemed to sense something. "Heh, Hall Master Ye, no need to be anxious. The Insect Emperor has long intended to deal with the Demon Peak Sect. Our insect clans have been actively searching and attempting to inflict heavy damage upon them."

Hearing this, Ye Xiu's heart settled somewhat, but his immediate concern remained his own situation. "Insect Emperor, regarding the Soul of Hundred Insects on my person, I must trouble you..."

"No need to say more. Follow me," the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor understood Ye Xiu's request; he could already see that the Soul of Hundred Insects temporarily residing within Ye Xiu was beginning to consume his heart.

Ye Xiu followed the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor into the inner chambers, his mood uneasy, while the others waited silently in place. Jun Bugu, curious, tried to move closer to see what was happening, but was stopped by the guards standing watch, leaving him to pace uselessly.

The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor entered the deep corridor of the inner chambers first, with Ye Xiu following behind. Ye Xiu noticed the innermost door was tightly shut. Carved upon it were images of various flying, toxic insects, exquisitely detailed. He couldn't help but ask, "Drought Fiend Insect Emperor, is this what you call the Hundred Insect Fiend Chamber?"

"Precisely," the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor placed his hand on the door. "The Hundred Insect Fiend Chamber contains the Hundred Insect Toxin, and naturally, it also harbors the Soul of Hundred Insects. Those of us in the Demon Insect Sect have an extremely high resistance to poison and gain nothing by entering. If a non-insect constitution like yours enters, provided you can withstand the Hundred Insect Toxin, you will obtain the true Soul of Hundred Insects."

"Withstand the Hundred Insect Toxin?" A chill ran down Ye Xiu's spine. He never imagined he would face such a predicament. Despite being a Death God, he truly didn't know if extreme poison would affect him.

The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor, perceiving his hesitation, immediately explained, "Ye Xiu, rest assured. I have already used my cultivation to simulate the Hundred Insect Toxin and injected it into your body. This way, you will suffer much less pain. All that is required now is to enter and collect the essence of the Hundred Insect Toxin."

"Will I turn into a poison jar?" Ye Xiu hesitated. Forget seeing a hundred venomous insects; even looking at the strange, venomous creatures depicted on the door made him profoundly uncomfortable.

"It is all fate. You are the first in our sect to rely on the Hundred Insect Fiend Chamber to implant the Soul of Hundred Insects. Go now." As soon as the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor spoke, he made a gesture. A kaka sound resonated from the great door as it split open from both sides. A cyan brilliance, accompanied by endless thick smoke, instantly erupted forth—a mysterious yet sinister space.

Ye Xiu approached the door, craning his neck to peer inside. Unexpectedly, as soon as he leaned in, a gust of chilling wind from within swept him inside. He turned back to seek counsel from the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor, only to find the door had already sealed shut, a dense mist beginning to envelop his body.

"Hey!" Ye Xiu was unwilling, but could only face the situation calmly. Yet, when he turned around, he discovered that the area before the door had instantly been covered in a massive spiderweb, and a colossal, five-colored giant spider was already coiled within the net. "Poisonous spiders after all!"

Ye Xiu attempted to use the Heavenly Scrutiny Sword Move to deal with the webs, only to find that the Heavenly Scrutiny Sword had instantly turned into an ordinary iron blade. He tried to summon his Soul Energy, but in this Hundred Insect Fiend Chamber, all external forces were useless; even Su Su could not be sensed or summoned.

He tried to find a direction, but the mist in the room was too thick; he couldn't distinguish east from west. Finally finding a wall to lean against, he realized it was crawling with all manner of venomous insects. He hurriedly backed away, only to look down and see his own feet covered in crawling ants, and centipedes were already heading in his direction.

"Ah!" Before Ye Xiu could react, the spider behind him struck, sinking something like a needle into his back, leaving behind a cold sensation. Ye Xiu initially thought he would struggle violently to shake off the spider, but strangely, after that needle-prick sensation, he suddenly felt entirely invigorated.

By this time, black ants had swarmed up his thighs, and above him, various flying insects were densely packed. Ye Xiu grit his teeth and closed his eyes, forcing himself to endure this. Yet, in an instant, he felt cool sensations return to his thighs and neck. After several rounds of this repeated biting, he realized that far from being poisoned, he was instead brimming with strength.

"Hall Master Ye is indeed robust."

Suddenly, Ye Xiu heard a fawning, feminine voice descend from above. He looked up and saw a Black Widow spider suspended directly over his head. "Who is it? Show yourself!"

The Black Widow continued to spin its web downward, slowly descending until it was right in front of Ye Xiu. In an instant, it transformed into a seductive woman. This woman had full, sensual lips, a graceful waist, and eyes filled with playful intent. There was hardly any fabric concealing her body, and a mere glance was enough to make any man's blood surge.