The Colorful Insect was a 100% pure, abstract-type entity.
This type of entity was the most difficult to defend against. Most forms of attack were ineffective, their effects reduced to a minimum.
Unfortunately for it,
its opponent was Shi Ming.
His coded skill, [Bore], was their nemesis. Invisible borers had already burrowed into the twisted mass of color, dismembering its body and breaking it down into its most fundamental essence.
In agony, this Colorful Insect writhed and tore at itself nonstop.
Observing a thousand times was no substitute for hands-on experience,
and Shi Ming controlled his power perfectly. He inflicted unbearable pain on the creature without causing it to completely collapse. Through this attack, Shi Ming was also able to get a general understanding of the Colorful Insect’s internal structure and weaknesses.
’Hmm... Unlike the Abyss Lord’s corruption, this contamination is more like a cocktail of poisons from one of those xianxia novels.’
’Multiple types of abstract corruption are all tangled together,’
’mutually generating and restraining one another while constantly evolving new types of corruption. This is even reflected in its colors. Thankfully, they’re currently confined to the ancestral land of the Star Spirit Race. If they were to escape into the Star Sea, the scourge would be truly endless.’
Killing one insect with [Bore] was incredibly simple.
But this was just a small appetizer. Shi Ming needed to use this first taste to find a way to truly counter the Colorful Insects and face the corruption lurking in the deepest part of this ancestral land.
Midnight had passed.
By combining the intelligence from the Eye of Destiny with his own combat experience, Shi Ming was sure to uncover more information!
[BEEP BEEP. Acquiring intelligence.]
[Intelligence generated.]
[Colorful Insect - Disaster-Level]
[One is dyed by one’s company.]
[A peculiar creature was born from the corruption mutated from the emotions and wishes of the Star Spirit Race. They are the source of the Radiant Dream Realm’s corruption. Their levels can be roughly defined as: Fledgling, Nightmare, Calamity, Disaster, and Celestial Calamity. The weakest, Fledgling-level, poses little threat, while the strongest, Celestial Calamity-level, can threaten even Pillar Stone-level experts.]
[Different levels of Colorful Insects possess different skills.]
[Fledgling: Bud of Distortion]
[Nightmare: Mental Nightmare]
[Calamity: Calamity of Fortune and Misfortune]
[Disaster: Scourge of Contagion]
[Celestial Calamity: Bicolored Celestial Calamity]
[...]
[Once a Colorful Insect reaches the "Celestial Calamity-level," it becomes unkillable and cannot truly die. Its way of thinking is the complete opposite of all life forms and conscious entities in the Star Sea. It takes pleasure in corruption and mutation and cannot be subjugated.]
[Note 1:]
[The Banded Dream Realm contains a Celestial Calamity-level Colorful Insect. It longs to escape this world and enter the true Star Sea.]
[Note 2:]
[Without a doubt, it has found an opportunity.]
An opportunity?
’Me?’
’Does it want to use me as a springboard to get out of here?’
It was strange, come to think of it.
’I’ve run into quite a few "insects" on my journey.’
’They all wanted to use me as a springboard, but in the end, they became my springboard, helping me advance... The Nameless Cocoon was like that, as was the Active Wormhole Quintetra. Now, this Colorful Insect also wants to use me as its chance to break free.’
’Fine by me. They’re welcome to try anytime.’
The intelligence report ended.
Shi Ming’s [Bore] delivered a fatal bite inside the body of what was clearly a "Disaster-level" Colorful Insect. The twisted, pollution-like mass—an indescribable corruption born from the wishes of the Star Spirit Race—disintegrated, its body breaking down into its most fundamental energy.
The Right Arm Red Pattern on Shi Ming’s arm flared.
It absorbed the energy.
[Attack Power increased by 110 points.]
[Spiritual Power increased by 131 points.]
’Not bad.’
’Absorbing that energy gives a boost comparable to half a Holy Hall Sea Beast!’
’This ancestral land of the Star Spirit Race really is a treasure trove. Never mind the [Wishing Star of All Worlds] promised by their ancestors; just killing all the Colorful Insects lurking here would make my base stats skyrocket!’
’I can’t even imagine how much of a jackpot a Celestial Calamity-level one would be.’
’It’s a shame they’re unkillable, but unkillable ≠ un-exploitable. I’ve always believed the value in most things is like water in a sponge—if you squeeze hard enough, something is bound to come out.’
When it came to exploitation, Shi Ming had plenty of experience.
The still-juvenile Bodhi Tree of Suffering had temporarily taken root on the deck of the *Dayun*, holding up an invisible protective barrier. The combined Spiritual Power of Ah Jian and Shi Ming patrolled the perimeter, ensuring the entire vessel would not be tainted by the prismatic corruption. Meanwhile, Shi Ming kept his own Spiritual Power extended, searching for brightly colored bubbles to hunt down the sources of contamination within.
He was highly motivated!
Today, he was the captain of the official Bug-Catching Brigade!
...
...
...
Deep within the Banded Dream Realm, in a part of the ancestral land still very far from Shi Ming, a colorful Wishing Star with a fantastical tail darted between different bubbles.
With every bubble it passed, the colors became far more brilliant.
CHIRP~~
The star blinked its eyes.
It was brimming with spirit.
No one could have ever imagined that such a fantastical, fairytale-like Wishing Star was the source of the prismatic corruption... or rather, that the true source of the corruption, a Celestial Calamity-level Colorful Insect, was living as a parasite on this very star! In the mere thousand-odd years since the Star Spirit Race was exterminated by Ron, it had evolved an intelligence comparable to that of an advanced life-form, along with terrifying Celestial Calamity-level abilities!
"Hee hee hee."
"I smell the scent of freedom!"
"This is wonderful!"
The laughter was joyful.
Like that of an innocent child.
The Wishing Star twinkled out of a bubble and swung through the air in a delightful arc.
"This time, I’m definitely going to see the outside world! I want to grant more wishes for more living things, not just stay trapped in this illusory bubble, watching the past stories of these Star Spirits again and again."