Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat point - Chapter 389
Chapter 389: Chapter 381: Is the Demon Bird Cultivating?_1
Just as Qin Niu was getting excited watching, the fiery red Demon Bird flew towards the other side of the peak.
Based on its flight direction and distance, it should have landed on a mountain behind the high peak.
Qin Niu had never crossed over this high peak, and he was unclear about what lay on the other side of the mountain.
“With the Demon Bird leaving the peak, wouldn’t those twenty-plus termites have a chance to strike? It seems he also has the opportunity to enter the mountain.”
At this thought, he became excited.
Normally, as the Demon Bird guarded its nest, any termites daring to approach would be burnt to ashes instantly.
Now that it had flown away from this high peak, the termites’ opportunity had also arrived.
Qin Niu quietly stared at the high peak in front of him.
At this moment, it should be safe to sneak into this high peak.
But he didn’t dare to enter the mountain lightly.
Elder Mei, when facing this Demon Bird, had many life-saving tricks up his sleeve, and his cultivation was much stronger than that of Qin Niu. He managed to escape with his life in the end.
That didn’t mean Qin Niu could escape as well.
“This matter can’t be rushed. I must first thoroughly understand the Demon Bird’s habits before taking any action.”
Qin Niu was always cautious in his actions.
He would never dare to risk his life recklessly.
Although Demon Bird feathers were very precious, they were worth nothing compared to his life.
He lay quietly in the tree, still as a bird perched in the treetop.
All things have spirit.
Perhaps because a Demon Bird lived on the peak ahead, no other fierce beasts could be seen nearby, including the commonly found snakes in the mountains.
Time flew by swiftly.
The termites Qin Niu sent into the mountain were stealthily on the move.
Some were exploiting the cover of night to scout around, others were helping the termite that had found the Demon Bird feather to transport it down the mountain.
The termites he sent out, even the most ordinary ones, were at least Grade Three.
After all, the Ant Queen was now a Grade Six Ant Queen. Any ant eggs it laid, as long as they hatched, would be at least Grade Three young ants.
With the nourishment of Ancient Banyan Tree Blood, they could easily evolve to Grade Four.
Some, after being nurtured a second time, could even reach Grade Five.
The ones sent into the mountain were more common ant species. The more precious termites, like Demon Ants and Elephantic Ants, he really didn’t want to send out.
After the Demon Bird had flown away, a long time passed without it returning.
The mountain was silent, without a sound of birds or beasts.
It was almost two and a half hours later, and it was now approaching midnight.
Qin Niu felt a slight stirring in his heart. The first termite that had found the Demon Bird feather, with the help of a dozen Zombie Ants, had successfully transported the feather to halfway up the mountain.
The long absence of the Demon Bird had also eased Qin Niu’s tense nerves a bit.
He had sneaked up to the mountainside in the middle of the night before.
There had been no danger last time.
The most dangerous part of this mountain peak was the summit.
“I need to give the termites a hand!”
Qin Niu immediately slid down the tree and then stealthily moved towards the mountainside ahead.
Just like the last time he entered the mountain, he encountered no obstacles.
There might be birds resting in the trees, but as long as they were not startled, there would generally be no trouble.
In the pitch darkness of night, ordinary birds are almost blind.
It is only birds like owls, eagles, falcons, and ospreys that possess night vision.
Qin Niu went straight towards the location of the Demon Bird feather.
The termites were struggling to transport it.
Thankfully, even the weakest termite was a Grade Three termite with great strength, which allowed them to drag the Demon Bird feather.
Finally, he successfully met up with the termites.
“Alright, you’ve worked hard. Leave the Demon Bird feather to me.”
Qin Niu picked up the Demon Bird feather from the ground.
This feather was nearly half a foot long and three inches wide, fiery red all over.
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It felt rather heavy in hand, emanating a touch of warm energy from the feather.
It was likely not one of the rougher feathers from the wings or tail, but a regular downy feather instead.
Nevertheless, its size was still so impressively large.
It was hard to imagine just how long the flight feathers on its wings must be; could they stretch over a foot in length?
Qin Niu carefully stored the magic feather close to his body.
“Wait, were you the first to discover the magic feather?”
He communicated with the termite using his spiritual power.
“Yes.”
Its reply was simple and honest.
All termites were like that, truthful; they never lied.
When communicating, they were often as innocent as three-year-old children.
“You’ve done a great service; don’t go venturing into the mountains anymore. I’ll take you back, and from now on, I’ll make sure to cultivate you well and help you become stronger,” Qin Niu promised.
Qin Niu had always been clear about rewards and punishments.
This termite had discovered the magic feather and managed to transport it halfway up the mountain alone before it met with the zombie ants ascending the hillside, after which it got the assistance of a dozen others.
In terms of merit, this termite had earned the greatest, playing a principal role.
Moreover, the fact that it could survive on the peak already proved it was extraordinary.
“Doesn’t the master want us to thoroughly explore the mountain peak? I am willing to do this,” it declared.
“That’s very dangerous; aren’t you afraid of dying?” Qin Niu was more impressed with this termite and thus all the more reluctant to let it venture into peril again.
“I’ll be careful!”
It surely feared death.
But to fulfill the wishes of its master, Qin Niu, it was willing to do so unconditionally.
Qin Niu still didn’t fully understand the society of termites.
Humans certainly couldn’t achieve their level of selflessness. Every termite was willing to live for the collective; as needed, they worked tirelessly and protected their kin with no regard for their own lives.
They were a truly remarkable group of creatures.
“Alright then, be very careful. I’m giving you another order: stay alive,” Qin Niu gave it a new directive.
“Roger that!”
Its figure vanished amid the piles of dead branches and decaying leaves on the ground.
Qin Niu suppressed the urge to head to the mountain peak to investigate and decisively turned away, making his way down the mountain.
After descending less than a hundred meters, he began to sense danger approaching.
“Screech!”
The call of the demon bird sounded again, coming from behind the peak.
Shortly after, a fiery red figure appeared in the sky.
Orange flames enveloped its body with visible tongues of fire leaping about.
What was it doing?
Qin Niu was secretly curious.
Before it went behind the mountain, its feathers were red, but no flames could be seen.
Now, fierce flames flared up around its body—could it be going to cultivate?
After much thinking, that seemed like the only possibility.
The creature circled the mountain top, in no hurry to descend.
Now that it had awakened its intelligence, it likely knew that, engulfed in fire, it could easily trigger a wildfire upon landing.
If that happened, the entire mountain would be ignited, and any birds living at the peak that failed to flee in time would be burnt to death.
Even if this demon bird were foolish, it surely wouldn’t set its own nest ablaze.
Currently hidden within the mountain, Qin Niu dare not move an inch, terrified.
His body was hunkered close to the ground, using a large tree to conceal his presence.
He just hoped that the daunting demon bird wouldn’t notice such an insignificant being as himself.
Qin Niu wished it would land in its nest atop the peak soon; only then could he depart safely.
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