Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Ancient War (I)

Thick smoke billowed like a dragon, obscuring the sky and sun, nearly enveloping the entire vast area. From a distance, it resembled sandstorms whipped by the wind. Within the swirling clouds of dust and smoke, countless pale spore creatures charged forward with ferocity, only to lose their sense of direction, flailing about like headless flies. Some, moving too quickly, collided violently with one another and perished on the spot, leaving behind a field strewn with bloody fragments.

“A pack of damned beasts! I’ve been waiting for you here, only afraid you won’t make it across,” the white-haired elder said cheerfully, stroking his beard with an air of excitement. Though he couldn’t see into the dense smoke, the intermittent, chaotic roars from within made it easy to imagine what was happening. Amid his excitement, there was a touch of surprise; his method of burning mosswood to attack had been devised almost by accident, and he hadn’t expected it to have such an effect. Truly, the power of these celestial objects was extraordinary— even the toxic fumes they emitted possessed a formidable force.

Returning his gaze, the white-haired elder couldn’t help but sigh. Such destructive power inspired awe, even in him. “No wonder you’re called ‘Ancient One’. Your strategies are unparalleled. With this wall of smoke blocking the way, these beasts may well be trapped inside.” Beside him, a beautiful woman laughed softly. Her figure was elegant and alluring, with delicate features and a slender waist, her fair, rounded calves reminiscent of autumn lotus roots, as fresh and graceful as a flower emerging from water. Even standing still, she drew the admiring glances of all around.

Fortunately, only she, the elder, and a handsome young man stood atop the wall, and neither of the men seemed particularly interested in her charms. Thus, there was no risk of embarrassment in public.

“Never let your guard down,” the elder warned. “These monsters are mysterious in origin and possess remarkable physical strength. The smoke from the celestial object may slow their advance, but relying solely on this to defeat them would be wishful thinking.” He shook his head, despising the pale spore creatures in his mind, but his tactics were cautious and precise: contempt in strategy, seriousness in execution.

Moreover, as he had observed, the vitality of these pale monsters was truly astonishing. He had never seen such tenacious life— even with their heads battered and bloody, they could endure for a long time. More importantly, if they managed to consume enough flesh during this period, even shattered body parts could regenerate. The smoke, though effective, would not suffice to eradicate them on its own. Even he doubted it could be done.

A sudden, sharp howl pierced the air from afar, its shrillness cutting through even the thick smoke. This cry was deeper and more resonant than those of the other spore creatures— powerful, fierce, and thunderous, like the roar of a beast king raging through the forest. Its intensity was enough to unsettle even the elder.

At the sound, unseen amid the smoke, all the spore creatures froze and began to tremble violently, their faces contorted in terror. They huddled together, quaking as if ordinary herbivores confronted by a prehistoric predator. Then, with the last echo of the deep, piercing cry, the swarm that had pressed forward like a tide began to move rapidly aside, as if repelled by opposing magnets. In moments, a path wide enough for several Sphinxes to walk side by side opened in the center.

From the smoke emerged several massive figures, distinct from the usual pale spore creatures. Their bodies were three or four times larger, their color no longer pure white but streaked with black. Rows of sharp, bony spikes formed wing-like structures on their backs.

From their appearance alone, these beings seemed almost a different species entirely, though the gaping, ribbed maw in their abdomens hinted at some kinship to the others. The leader was even larger, perhaps a thirtieth the size of an ant, its body covered in thick, ink-black fur, especially dense and tangled around the chest and head.

Outside the miniature world, Fang Zhuowei’s lips curled in surprise. “I didn’t expect the Sphinx King to dominate the entire Kess tribe in such a short time. Quite unexpected.” The spore creature with the black fur was none other than the male Sphinx who had defeated his rivals, undergone a second evolution, and claimed his mate. Fang had originally anticipated it would take seven or eight years for the creature to gain control over the tribe, but contrary to his expectations, it had accomplished the feat in just two or three years. Another prodigious talent, he mused. In a society governed by the law of the jungle, only strength alone would not suffice for such a feat.

“What a strange roar!” The white-haired elder stood atop the red-brick wall, nearly eight people high, his brows furrowed deeply. He peered into the smoke, half-squinting, and spoke gravely, “Ancient One, if I’m not mistaken, that sound must have come from the newly crowned king of these monsters.”

Beside him, the handsome young man pressed his lips together, unable to hide his concern. For years, he had studied the pale spore creatures, and combining his research with scouts’ reports, he had discovered a terrifying truth: these monsters required vast quantities of fresh flesh not merely to fill their bellies, but more importantly, to evolve. The flesh of other species supplied not only essential nutrients but also the raw material for their transformation.

Simply put, if the pale monsters consumed enough fresh meat, once the quantity reached a certain threshold, they would undergo dreadful mutations, silently becoming more ruthless and powerful…