Chapter 135: Shocking Changes, King’s Defeat
Arius remained in Wallsey City for five full days before finally setting off to return to his family.
This time, upon his return, he planned to cultivate venomous insects, expand his family’s
industries, and at the same time, push his cultivation to the Peak of Level 1.
Breaking through to the Peak of Level 1—or even to Level 2—was not difficult for him.
However, forging a flawless Dao foundation was an entirely different matter.
If his accumulated foundation and fortune were insufficient, forget achieving a flawless
foundation, even forming a near-perfect one would be extremely difficult.
Riding his flying sword, Arius’s figure streaked across the sky like a rainbow, disappearing over
the horizon in an instant.
It took more than a month before he finally returned to the De Molinos family’s stronghold in
Telles City.
His journey to Wallsey City had gone relatively smoothly.
This was mainly because Arius had been extremely cautious—whenever he encountered
trouble or witnessed a conflict between cultivators, he would immediately steer clear.
Unless the benefits were overwhelming, he had no intention of meddling in unnecessary affairs.
Things like heroically saving a beauty or defending the weak—he would never do such things.
After all, while his Level 1 cultivation made him a dominant force in Purple River City and Telles
City, in major cities, even Level 2 cultivators had to tread carefully.
Even watching a fight or interfering in mundane disputes required sufficient strength.
Without power, meddling in conflicts would only lead to one’s own demise.
Upon returning to his secluded residence, Arius was immediately greeted by a swarm of
venomous insects that gathered affectionately around him.
After being gone for over two months, these creatures had grown significantly stronger.
Especially the Thunder Ant—it had reached the Peak of Level 1.
To have grown so much in just two months, it was clear that the Thunder Ant had encountered
some kind of fortuitous opportunity.
Even more interestingly, the top-grade Insect Nourishing Pills Arius had left for it remained
untouched.
“Not bad. Not bad at all.”
Arius patted the Thunder Ant’s head and praised it with a smile.
Its once fist-sized body had now grown to the size of a small hound.
The arcs of electricity crackling around it had grown significantly stronger—even Arius could feel
a faint sense of pressure from its electric currents.
At this rate, even without additional resources, the Thunder Ant would reach Level 2 soon.
It had to be said—when provided with sufficient resources, the growth rate of spirit insects and
venomous creatures was truly terrifying.
However, these creatures were greatly limited by their innate potential.
If their natural talent was lacking, then no matter how many resources they consumed, their
growth would eventually hit a ceiling.
By contrast, Mountain Spirits, Ghostly Beasts, and Human Cultivators had a much easier time
breaking through their natural limits.
Especially human cultivators—even if they were born without spiritual roots, they could still step
onto the Dao and constantly shatter their limitations.
Observing the overall increase in his swarm’s strength, Arius decided not to store them in his
Insect Pouch again.
Perhaps releasing them into the wild would yield unexpected benefits.
After dispersing the venomous creatures, Arius proceeded to harvest the treasured herbs in his
spiritual fields, then replanted fresh seeds.
With everything settled, he was just about to enter seclusion in the underground chamber of his
residence when a steady-looking De Molinos family elder, whose face bore a deep scar,
suddenly appeared outside the protective array.
“By order of the Patriarch, I have come to seek the Ancestor for an urgent matter!”
The elder, despite his scarred face, appeared no older than thirty.
His frame was broad and muscular, and every step he took seemed to stir a faint gust of wind.
He was not a cultivator, yet he had honed his martial arts to an extraordinary level.
Had he been born with spiritual roots, he might have already stepped onto the path of
cultivation—perhaps even reaching the Skin Tempering Stage through martial arts alone.
Unfortunately, the Appraising Immortal Mirror did not yet have the power to create something
from nothing.
It could strengthen and upgrade anything—but only within the bounds of its existing foundation.
Hearing the urgency in the elder’s voice, Arius immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
Usually, if something important arose, Simon would personally come to inform him.
But this time, Simon had not come himself, instead sending a high-ranking clan elder.
Clearly, this matter was too urgent—even Simon himself could not afford to leave.
With that thought, Arius waved his hand, unlocking a portion of the protective formation. He
gestured to the De Molinos family elder outside.
“Come in and tell me what’s going on.”
Hearing this, the elder wasted no time. As he stepped into the treasury hall, he hurriedly
reported, his voice urgent.
“Ancestor, a major incident has occurred!”
“Just recently, the Sea Sand King suffered a crushing defeat in Hyolled County!”
“Reports indicate that even several Level 4 cultivators were slain in battle.”
“The Sea Sand King’s fate is currently unknown, and his once-mighty army, along with the
various factions that supported him, have plunged into absolute chaos.”
“No one expected the weakest among the Seven Kings, the Dark Abyss King, to be the one to
overthrow him!”
“Furthermore, reliable sources confirm that the Dark Abyss King has aligned himself with the
demonic faction.”
“Even the Falling Sunset Sect of our Pyrenees Mountain County turned against the Sea Sand
King at the most crucial moment, ambushing and slaughtering many of his key forces.”
“Aragon Country’s balance of power… is on the verge of complete upheaval!”
The scarred elder’s voice was hurried, his anxiety evident.
Ever since the Sea Sand King’s crushing defeat had been made public, Pyrenees Mountain
County had descended into turmoil.
Patriarch Simon was busier than ever, as the De Molinos family was, in some ways, considered
an affiliated force of the Sea Sand King.
Right now, Simon was desperately gathering intelligence, trying to determine which faction
would ultimately seize control over Pyrenees Mountain County—and how the De Molinos family
should adapt to survive.
Hearing the news, Arius’s expression remained calm, though inwardly, he was slightly surprised.
He had long anticipated this war’s outcome, yet the complete collapse of the Sea Sand King
had still come sooner than expected.
This battle had solidified the Dark Abyss King’s claim to the self-proclaimed title of Emperor.
However, holding onto that throne would be an entirely different challenge.
Even with the demonic factions supporting him, Zachary King and the remaining Six Kings
would not sit idly by.
Especially Zachary King’s palace—its foundations were formidable.
Among all the Seven Kings, Zachary King was the only one openly known to be at the Peak of
Level 4!
His strength was not to be underestimated.
It was important to note that the Pill Alliance’s Aragon Country branch was not considered part
of Aragon Country’s political power.
The Pill Alliance had no interest in territorial expansion and rarely interfered with the conflicts of
Mist Province’s nations.
As long as their ability to profit from spirit stones remained unaffected and no faction directly
opposed them, they would remain neutral, refraining from siding with any one force.
Having reported all the details, the scarred elder looked toward Arius—only to find his
ancestor’s expression completely unshaken.
This massive shift in Aragon Country’s political landscape could easily endanger the De Molinos
family’s entire future, yet Arius showed no sign of worry?
Could it be that the Ancestor had already prepared a plan?
A thought struck the elder, and his eyes brightened with sudden realization.
Since the De Molinos family’s rapid rise to power, they had encountered numerous crises—and
each time, their ancestor had resolved them with remarkable ease.
Perhaps this time would be no different.
Perhaps, under the guidance of their Ancestor, not only would the De Molinos family survive the
chaos, but they might even seize an opportunity for unprecedented growth…