Chapter 345: “King”

The Blaze Bug clan was born of heaven and earth, a race of spirit beasts shaped by the forces of nature.

From the moment of their birth, they naturally developed rigid exoskeletons and were capable of speech.

However, their inability to cultivate and their dependence on external spiritual energy to survive seemed like a cruel joke played on them by fate.

Tracing back the history of the Blaze Bugs, their lineage extended over a thousand years, and Granny Blaze was not even the longest-living member of her kind.

Before her, there had been Blaze Bugs even larger than she was.

Blaze Bugs possessed almost no means of attack. As spirit beasts, they were so weak that even ordinary mortals could defeat them.

Yet, the heavens had not entirely severed their path to resistance.

Every Blaze Bug had one fundamental ability: compressing spiritual energy within their bodies. When faced with inevitable death, they could self-detonate!

The power of this self-destruction depended on how long a Blaze Bug had lived and how much spiritual energy they had stored.

According to Doubao, he had once heard from his kin that some Blaze Bugs had lived for over a thousand years, growing to an immense size. When they glowed, they shone like miniature suns!

However, those ancient Blaze Bugs no longer existed. Long ago, a group of demon cultivators saw the potential profit in enslaving the Blaze Bug race and attempted to seize their caves to subjugate them for generations.

The thousand-year-old Blaze Bugs had perished in a desperate struggle, sacrificing themselves one after another through self-detonation, ensuring that their people would at least not be enslaved.

This was why Granny Blaze and the elder Blaze Bugs rarely left the safety of their caves.

The spiritual energy they needed to survive was provided by the countless Blaze Bugs outside, who worked tirelessly to “sustain” them.

Of course, these Blaze Bugs did so willingly, as it was the only means of self-preservation for their race—a deterrent to those who sought to exploit them.

As waves of scorching light erupted, the surrounding hundred miles were illuminated as if it were broad daylight!

Seeing this, Doubao panicked and shouted, “I’ll do it! I’ll be king!”

“Just don’t actually explode!”

Almost instantly, darkness returned, and the overwhelming surge of spiritual energy dissipated into nothingness.

Gu Ning’an quickly estimated the potential destruction. If those elder Blaze Bugs had detonated together, judging by the strength of the demon cultivators in the Hunting Arena…

At the very least, it would have wiped out everyone except Hua Erniang and the black-clad swordsman.

“Our king has risen! The Blaze Clan prospers! Heaven and earth decree it—our people shall ascend!”

Granny Blaze’s voice was solemn and sacred. As her words fell, every Blaze Bug present began chanting the same phrase—a creed buried deep within their hearts.

In an instant, a deafening roar of voices echoed across the skies of Northern Huangtian, shaking the heavens and dispersing the dark clouds!

Suddenly, a celestial phenomenon appeared in the sky—starlight and moonlight converged, intertwining into a dazzling crown!

The crown brimmed with the power of heaven and earth, slowly descending toward Doubao’s head.

Suspended in midair, Doubao stared at the approaching crown, feeling an inexplicable pull.

He did not know why such a divine sign had manifested, but a thought instinctively surfaced in his mind—

He had to wear this crown.

Wearing it would signify a turning point in the fate of the Blaze Bug clan, a transformation beyond imagination!

Before long, the celestial crown of starlight and moonlight settled atop Doubao’s head, releasing an enigmatic aura that rippled outward from him!

At that moment, every Blaze Bug—regardless of where they were—witnessed the scene of their “new king’s coronation” within their hearts!

In Eternal Slumber City, in Demon Capital, countless Blaze Bugs abandoned their tasks, rising into the air and bowing toward the direction of their new king.

No one knew how much time had passed, but eventually, the divine crown bestowed by heaven merged into Doubao’s body. His form grew slightly larger, about the size of two clenched adult fists.

A luminous mark of a star-moon crown emerged on his forehead.

“Heaven and earth have acknowledged me, bestowing the Stellar Moon Crown… This is a blessing, but it will also bring many restrictions upon our people.”

“For too long, our clan has suffered the fate of being mere consumables. Even if it costs us our lives ten thousand times over, we must carve a path of cultivation for future generations.”

“Today, to receive the teachings of Mr. Gu is my greatest fortune!”

Doubao’s expression was solemn, exuding an aura of authority that befitted the king of a clan.

As he spoke, he descended from midair, stopping at a height slightly lower than Gu Ning’an’s shoulder. Then, assuming a posture of reverence, he declared in a resounding voice:

“Thank you, Mr. Gu, for bestowing your teachings and changing the fate of my clan!”

“Mr. Gu’s kindness—the Blaze Bug Clan shall never forget!”

“Thank you, Mr. Gu, for bestowing your teachings and changing the fate of my clan~~~”

“Mr. Gu’s kindness—Blaze Bug Clan shall never forget~~~”

Voices rang out in perfect unison, as countless Blaze Bugs once again prostrated themselves in worship. In their hearts, the image of the white-clad man became deeply imprinted, never to be forgotten.

Boom!

A sudden heat seared Gu Ning’an’s palm, and at his fingertips, a wisp of Worldly Qi appeared.

Without needing to sense it, he knew immediately—it came from Doubao.

“You are all spirit creatures born of heaven and earth. The fact that you now have the chance to change your destiny is not solely due to my efforts,” Gu Ning’an said with a smile. “Would you all be willing to accompany me to the Northern Huangtian border?”

“If you help me complete my task, your new king will then be able to pass on the method of cultivation to you.”

Upon hearing this, the Blaze Bugs were filled with excitement—they longed for the path of cultivation.

But now that they had a king, they knew they must wait for him to respond.

Feeling the fervent gazes upon him, Doubao smiled and declared:

“From this day forth, Mr. Gu’s will is my will. Mr. Gu’s words are my words.”

“When you see Mr. Gu, you must show him even greater respect than you would to me!”

“Now that Mr. Gu has spoken, including myself, we shall all give our utmost to fulfill his request!”

Seeing Doubao elevate him to the status of an emperor above the king, Gu Ning’an was about to say something when another wave of thunderous cheers erupted.

The Blaze Bug Clan roared Mr. Gu’s name with such fervor that it seemed as if he, too, had become their new king.

Not wanting to dampen their spirits in this moment of triumph, Gu Ning’an simply chuckled and said,

“Relax your minds, everyone—I shall take you to the Northern Huangtian border!”

The moment his words fell, the scene fell into complete silence. Every Blaze Bug closed their eyes, patiently awaiting Mr. Gu’s technique to transport them.

Yet, barely had they shut their eyes when a gentle voice echoed in their ears:

“My friends, we have arrived…”