Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat point - Chapter 83
Chapter 83: Chapter 78 Miss Wang’s Sobbing i
Translator: 549690339
After his effortful identification, he left disappointed.
He didn’t find any cicadas with special abilities. He wondered whether his identification skill wasn’t sharp enough or the cicadas with special abilities were really that rare.
Qin Niu was perhaps used to every single termite being able to develop special abilities, which might be why he thought finding special insects wasn’t difficult.
In reality, to obtain an insect with special abilities, even an ant, was extremely difficult.
It was precisely because of their rarity that special insects were so valuable.
The law that rarity increases value is an eternal truth.
Walking over a hundred meters away from the large structure, he encountered another large tree covered with many cicada shells.
This was a poplar tree.
It was even larger than the elm tree, and on its trunk, one could see the shells left behind after the cicada nymphs shed their skins.
“It seems this area must certainly be the cicadas’ habitat.”
Qin Niu silently noted this location. He could return here to capture cicadas in the future.
Cicadas preferred tall trees such as pear trees, poplar trees, elm trees, and persimmon trees.
Not only were these trees tall, but their rough bark was also conducive to their securing themselves during the molting stage.
If all went as expected, once night fell, a large number of cicada nymphs would surely burrow out from underground and then climb the trees. Within a couple of hours, they would complete their molting and transformation, and then take flight.
Almost all insects make an effort to find a suitable place for breeding, then lay eggs.
The trees in this area generally had thick branches—ideal for their egg-laying.
The presence of large elms and poplars, which are suitable for the cicadas’ molting process, made these trees even more popular for them.
The mountains at night were too dangerous, and he didn’t dare to go into the mountains after dark.
Right now, he could only dig around for cicada nymphs.
It wasn’t that they were all concentrated around this poplar tree—it was just that there were more here.
One by one, cicada nymphs hidden underground were dug out and then carefully identified by him.
Persistence pays off.
He actually dug up a cicada nymph that was quite large.
When it struggled, its strength was particularly formidable.
After identifying it, Qin Niu believed its call would be at least louder than other male cicadas.
He immediately placed it into a small cage he had made himself.
This was a cage he crafted after his bug-catching skill had advanced to the proficient level.
It could imprison most insects.
Including highly venomous creatures like centipedes, scorpions, and spiders.
And just like small rooms, compartmentalized so that each insect was confined to one section, there was no need to worry about them fighting.
Because it was just a temporary cage, it was quite small.
It was also easy to carry.
After securing the cicada, he continued to dig around the area.
He soon found another cicada nymph of decent quality.
However, its body was round and a bit short, with an oblong and pointed abdomen, clearly identifying it as a female cicada.
The strength with which it struggled was also very formidable, and the pattern on its abdomen was slightly more complex than that of ordinary cicadas. On the second segment of its abdomen, there was a clearly additional curved pattern.
This also suggested that its body structure was a bit more complex.
“Catching two special cicadas in this small area, they might very well be from the same brood.”
Qin Niu contemplated to himself.
As he understood, a female cicada could lay more than three hundred eggs, and the exceptional ones could even reach seven to eight hundred.
But they wouldn’t lay all their eggs in one place.
So as to not put all their eggs in one basket in case of disaster.
Typically, they would lay about thirty to fifty eggs on a branch, then fly to another branch to continue laying eggs.
The wisdom of not keeping all one’s eggs in one basket isn’t known only to humans—cicadas understand it as well.
After digging for a while, he didn’t find any more cicada nymphs that caught his eye.
Seeing that the sky was getting dark, he didn’t dare delay any longer.
He hurriedly collected his two prizes, released all the other cicada nymphs he had dug up, and then rushed to the nearby Bintree Forest to drag back the remaining ten bintree logs.
“Xiao Niu, let’s go!”
Qin Niu called out to the playful calf frolicking in the distance.
It was like a curious baby, always eager to lift its head and tiptoe to nibble on those tender tree leaves.
And it wasn’t eating the same kind of leaves but a variety of different ones.
He was genuinely worried it might get poisoned from indiscriminate munching.
Many leaves and grasses in the mountain were poisonous.
Qin Niu knew of no fewer than thirty types: some could cause diarrhea, the scent of some flowers could make one dizzy and nauseated, while others could cause itchiness upon ingestion.
Moo-!
Xiao Nui ran towards him happily.
Suddenly, it froze, then pricked up its ears to listen attentively.
Its eyes seemed very serious.
Seeing its expression, Qin Niu’s heart stirred, could it be that a fierce beast was approaching?
That would be a good thing.
He now possessed the strength of a regular person at Threefold cultivation level, and with Treasured Sword in hand, he dared to fight even if it was a fierce tiger.
Roar-!
Xiao Nui let out a call in a certain direction, sounding somewhat defiant or as if it was emboldening itself.
Bushes parted, and a large, pointed-headed wild boar emerged.
It snorted repeatedly, looking ready to charge at someone.
Looking at its body length of over two and a half meters and sturdy body like that of a door plank, it probably weighed more than five hundred kilograms.
Normally, wild boars rarely move alone; they travel in groups and come out to feed at night.
Dusk is also a good time for them to forage.
This is when small insects and animals leave their nests, ripe for discovery and consumption by the boars.
Wild boars are omnivorous and, in addition to enjoying the roots and stems of crops, they also like to eat small animals such as insects.
Such a large wild boar, with its two tusks resembling sharp daggers, could easily intimidate anyone.
It was covered with a thick layer of pine resin.
As if wearing a coat of armor.
Qin Niu licked his lips; such a big wild boar would provide meat for many days if slaughtered.
Xiao Niu confronted it.
It snorted and sniffed around, inching closer to Xiao Niu while bobbing its head.
Quietly, Qin Niu drew out Treasured Sword, eyes locked on the approaching wild boar.
However, the wild boar seemed to sense danger and turned tail to flee.
This left Qin Niu, who had prepared himself for pork, rather dumbfounded.
Wasn’t it said that wild boars are aggressive and don’t even fear tigers or wolves?
Why did it seem as timid as a mouse?
“Xiao Nui, let’s go!”
He sheathed Treasured Sword and did not chase after the wild boar.
There was no point in chasing.
In the mountains, wild animals can flee at a speed that humans simply cannot match.
At least with his current level of cultivation, he definitely couldn’t catch up.
“Using Xiao Nui as bait to lure out the fierce beasts lurking in the dark could be a good idea.”
Through this incident, Qin Niu gained some inspiration.
Feeling his master’s ill-intended gaze, Xiao Nui shuddered, shaking its tail continuously and letting out a series of low cries.
Binding ten logs into two bundles, he attempted to drag one with each hand, making his way through the mountains with difficulty.
By the time he returned to the village, it was already getting dark.
As he passed by Wang Furen’s front door, he faintly heard Wang Wanyan’s crying coming from the second floor.
The sound was soft but seemed very sad.
Wang Furen was intent on marrying her off to a powerful young master, and she clearly disagreed. But she couldn’t go against her parents’ wishes, so all she could do was cry helplessly.
That was someone else’s family affair, and Qin Niu, as an outsider, simply couldn’t intervene.
Wang Wanyan was kind to him, and if he could help her, he would definitely do his utmost.
“This Uncle Wang is really, treating his only daughter with such care usually. Now, to curry favor with the powerful, he disregards his daughter’s opposition and insists on having his way. At the age of fifty, even if he becomes Young Master Lu’s father-in-law, how long could his glory last?”
Qin Niu shook his head, feeling quite helpless.
He set up a shed in the yard, lining it with straw, and Xiao Nui now had a comfortable little nest.
Upon entering the house, he found the captured male cicada larva lying motionless in its cage.
He shook the cage a bit, but it remained still.
With his skill in Insect Identification, he could tell at a glance that the cicada was not dead.
It was probably about to emerge from its chrysalis, shedding its outer shell to metamorphose into an adult Jin Chan locust.
Qin Niu was full of anticipation.
When he had passed by Wang Furen’s house earlier and heard Wang Wanyan crying, he felt quite troubled.
His eagerness to improve his own strength intensified even more.
With greater power, he could help her at crucial moments.
He might even change Wang Furen’s decision..
