Lei Jia was taken aback.
Lie Yong's face suddenly changed color, and he immediately knelt to check on Chen Ang. He placed his fingers under Chen Ang's nose, but he found no breath.
"He's dead! He's dead!"
"It's all Lei Jia's fault; he beat Chen Ang to death!"
"Kill him! Kill him!"
Suddenly, someone shouted loudly.
In an instant, voices erupted like rolling thunder.
The people of the Fire Ant Tribe glared at Lei Jia, the man who had killed Chen Ang before their very eyes.
Lie Yong clenched his fists, as if suppressing a towering rage, "Lei Jia... Even if we couldn't pay the tribute on time, was there any need to kill a child... He was only sixteen this year, having just celebrated his Insect Orifice Ceremony... How could you, an insect master of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe, commit such an act...!"
Lei Jia's face turned pale, and he instinctively stepped back. He looked down at his hands.
Impossible. He had always known his own strength. The whipping was meant only to vent his dissatisfaction and to serve as a warning to others. He had not intended to actually kill the young man named Chen Ang.
Lei Jia vaguely felt that something was amiss, yet he couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Lei Jia was uneasy, "There must be some misunderstanding here. I was very measured with my strike; he couldn't possibly be dead..."
Lie Yong tightened his fists, "Are you suggesting that my Fire Ant Tribe would use the death of a promising young child to slander and frame you?"
Lei Jia was at a loss for words. That seemed unlikely as well.
"Kill him! Kill him!"
A stone suddenly flew, striking Lei Jia on the head.
"Kill this mongrel! Avenge Chen Ang!"
"The Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe has always oppressed us! Overthrow the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe! We must live for ourselves!"
The crowd erupted with even louder voices.
Lei Jia's complexion turned even paler. He retreated continuously, "There must be some misunderstanding. Let's talk this over. Your tribute can be delayed; I'll personally speak to the tribal leader..."
Lie Yong roared, "No amount of delayed tribute can bring Chen Ang back! You deserve to die!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, two Fire Ants leapt forward.
Lei Jia hadn't even reacted before their sharp mandibles slashed across his neck.
With a snap, his head was severed from his body!
The remaining few Bronze Insect Masters from the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe had no chance to resist and were killed by the enraged people of the Fire Ant Tribe.
Lie Yong ascended to a higher ground, his voice booming, "Fellow tribespeople! The Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe is tyrannical! Extortionate! They disregard human life! They are corrupt to the core! We must not remain vassals of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe; we must live for ourselves!"
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His words echoed the sentiments of all the Fire Ant Tribe people.
"Live for ourselves! Overthrow the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe!"
Their voices merged together, roaring like continuous thunder.
Chu Xuan, as an observer, witnessed the entirety of the Fire Ant Tribe's war to annihilate the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe.
From the outset, Lie Yong's strategy was one of blitzkrieg—a decapitation strike, to be precise.
He lured the formidable insect masters of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe to the Fire Ants and killed them.
The Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe, being a mid-sized tribe, had a very strong foundation.
A prolonged war would undoubtedly be disadvantageous for the Fire Ant Tribe.
Thus, the quicker the fight, the better.
Ideally, before the majority of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe could react, all their Gold Insect Masters would be killed in a swift, thunderous assault.
Indeed, he succeeded.
Long years of peace had left the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe complacent and decayed.
Using the tribute as bait, Lie Yong gradually enticed the Gold Insect Masters of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe, who stormed in aggressively.
These pampered masters, seldom engaging in combat even with their insects, were no match for Lie Yong.
With the death of the Gold Insect Masters, the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe was headless.
Their core tribespeople were quickly slaughtered by the Fire Ant Tribe.
Ultimately, the Fire Ant Tribe smoothly took over the Devouring Thunder Ant Cave...
That evening, Lie Yong led his confidants into the grand hall of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe.
The opulence and luxury there shook him to his core. On the tables of the hall lay exquisite dishes that hadn't been finished.
"Our tribe's tribute of blood pearl rice was carelessly wasted by them."
"Damn it, these bastards of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe! Our people can't even fill their bellies, and they waste food so frivolously!"
"We should have overthrown them long ago! I'm going out to kill a few more of their tribespeople now!"
Several Silver Insect Masters of the Fire Ant Tribe were filled with righteous indignation upon seeing the state of the hall.
Lie Yong also reflected deeply before sternly saying, "If we are to rule over the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe, we must not kill indiscriminately. Send the order: Insect Masters of the Fire Ant Tribe must not kill, must not enter homes without permission, and must not seize property. Those who disobey will be executed. As for the tribespeople of the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe, even those who have committed murder should be detained for now, to avoid escalating conflicts."
Although his confidants were somewhat puzzled, they nodded respectfully.
"Chen He, come here," Lie Yong beckoned.
The now silver-haired Chen He approached.
Lie Yong spoke gravely, "Chen Ang sacrificed his life for the tribe, and he deserves to be honored. Your fifth son, Chen Pei, has great potential. I will take him as my student."
Chen He was moved, "Yes! Thank you, Chief!"
Lie Yong was the strongest of the Fire Ant Tribe, a Gold Insect Master.
With Lie Yong personally teaching him, his fifth son, Chen Pei, would surely stand out among his peers.
There was a real possibility he could become a pillar of the tribe in the future.
"Go and remember my words," Lie Yong said with a smile.
Inside the chieftain's bedroom, Lie Yong had indulged in a comforting hot bath before wrapping his lower body in a soft insect-skin skirt and moving to his desk.
On the desk lay a purple-blue crystal stone.
This was the Devouring Thunder Ant cultivation method.
Lie Yong had already ordered the destruction of the Devouring Thunder Ant bronze statues to retrieve it.
"Magic mirror, I present to you the Devouring Thunder Ant cultivation method," Lie Yong solemnly placed the crystal stone on the surface of the broken Mirror.
Moments later, the cultivation method transformed into words that flowed into Chu Xuan's mind.
Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. He then displayed the formula for a longevity pill, modifying each ingredient to be something unique to the cavern world.
Over decades of interaction, he had discovered that the cavern world was rich in resources, many plants there could substitute for the spiritual plants of the cultivation realms.
Even if one or two plants were not potent enough to achieve the desired medicinal effect, then ten, twenty, or even a hundred would suffice.
Lie Yong, seeing the method to extend life, immediately showed a look of joy on his face. Although some ingredients were extremely rare, things he had only heard of a few times, such a method for extending life was indeed a priceless treasure!
Perhaps even the kings of powerful nations could not obtain such a method for longevity.
"With this method, I can continue to extend my life. I must strive to reach the level of a Platinum Insect Master!"
A fierce light sparked in Lie Yong's eyes.