Zhao Ya looked back and saw Nie Jingnian crouching not far behind, and couldn’t help but softly ask, "Senior Brother Nie, how are you?"
"Cough cough, don’t worry, I won’t die just yet!"
Saying this, Nie Jingnian took something from his chest and tossed it to the ground.
It was a dented iron plate with a stone embedded in it, almost piercing through.
Nie Jingnian, still shaken, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Damn, this beast is truly formidable. Shall we continue forward?"
"Hmm, we’re already here, retreating is not an option now. I estimate that the exotic insect should be ahead."
Zhao Ya noticed that the giant bat attacked the two of them purely by instinct; it went into a state of feigned sleep upon returning to the stone hall.
This is a good opportunity.
As long as they grasp the time, the two of them could seize the exotic insect and leave at the right moment.
Traveling further down the path, they quickly reached a corner.
Upon turning, the sight before them opened up.
An underground river appeared before them, and on the rock wall beside the river, numerous shimmering light dots could be seen.
Those were insect eggs.
And among these eggs, there was a mother insect over a foot long, its body as white as jade.
Zhao Ya and Nie Jingnian’s faces lit up with joy.
This turned out to be an adult mother insect, and it looked to be in its prime, with at least three to four more years of life.
Just this adult insect alone is worth tens of thousands of gold, and is priceless.
Zhao Ya and Nie Jingnian dared not delay, taking out a pre-prepared box containing bait that exotic insects like to eat, and placed it near the mother insect.
Having just laid a batch of eggs, the mother insect, lazily lying there, smelled the fragrance and raised its body for a look.
Zhao Ya and Nie Jingnian were already hiding behind a distant rock, observing.
Catching such exotic insects must be done this way.
Grabbing them forcibly might frighten the mother insect, leading to reduced lifespan and productivity.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected occurred this time.
The mother insect, after cautiously checking around, leisurely crawled into the box.
As soon as it entered, Zhao Ya leaped forward, gently closed the lid, and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Succeeded!"
Nie Jingnian was also visibly excited.
With this exotic insect, not only will future Qi Blood supply be supplemented, but they can also sell some to support their cultivation.
Nie Jingnian was even more financially strapped than Zhao Ya.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have thought of capturing the Jade Butterfly for money earlier.
Zhao Ya was also very pleased.
Though the insect eggs produced by this exotic insect contain less Qi Blood than jerky, their quality is high, just right for Zhao Ya’s current use.
The production rate is especially high; simply feeding it bait regularly yields eggs, making it extremely convenient.
"Let’s go, before the giant bat notices, we should leave this place quickly," Zhao Ya said.
The two hastened their return.
But halfway back, they suddenly heard a furious roar coming from the stone hall ahead, causing the entire corridor to shake continuously.
Their hearts pounded, and after exchanging a glance, they quietly crept closer.
There they witnessed a shocking scene.
A group of black-clad men was wielding a giant net, attempting to capture the giant bat.
A woman stood to the side, holding a long sword, watching coldly, occasionally striking with her sword to repel the bat’s attempts to break free.
Their pupils contracted sharply.
The strength displayed by this woman was extremely formidable, on par with Lu Dingtai and Nie Jingnian’s master.
This means she is at least a martial artist at the half-step Fifth Realm.