Chapter Fifty-Nine: Mother of the Black Mosquitoes, Three Sons and Two Daughters

Han Chong slipped underground, returned to the secret passage, and hurried back toward Black Cloud Mountain, all the while pondering how he might exterminate the vast horde of black mosquitoes.

The mosquitoes feared fire, but they were too dispersed and too numerous. Even if he unleashed his full strength to spew flames, it would be as futile as a cup of water against a burning cart—sheer suicide.

But for the moment, his primary task was to eliminate the five Bronze Guards. Each of these five was as formidable as the Fourth Wraith King of Pei Jun Mansion. In single combat, Han Chong could defeat any one of them, but to face all five at once would be a daunting challenge.

With the Disguise Technique upon him, Han Chong entered the mountain's mid-level secret chamber.

"Number Five, you're back. Has the master given any commands?" The five Bronze Guards were in discussion, but turned to ask upon seeing him.

"Yes, the master has ordered us to personally supervise and urge the Black Iron Guards to speed up the corpse transport."

The five exchanged suspicious glances—what was so urgent about moving corpses? Still, since the command came from the master, they had no choice but to obey.

They each left the chamber to oversee operations throughout the mountain.

Han Chong approached one Bronze Guard, produced a fine flask of wine, and invited him to drink in private.

"Number Five, didn’t you say the master wanted us to hurry things along? Why are you slacking off and hiding away to drink?"

Though the guard voiced his doubts, his hands couldn't help but reach for the wine.

"Heh, the master was just saying it in passing. What’s there to hurry about moving corpses? Let’s have a drink first; we can get to work afterward."

"You're right, you're right."

The man followed Han Chong into a stone chamber, lifted the flask, and drank deeply. As he did, Han Chong unsheathed the Sword of Clarity and, with a swift thrust, drove it into the man’s throat, killing him instantly.

Burying the body, Han Chong moved on to the next Bronze Guard. Within an hour, all five were dead—silent, unseen, and unknown.

Afterward, Han Chong assembled all the Black Iron Guards in the mountain’s mid-level secret chamber. These guards were merely mortal experts or demon lieutenants; they grew uneasy, but before they could act, Han Chong sealed the stone well, summoned a sword wreathed in blue light, and began a massacre.

"Lord Bronze Guard, why are you killing us?" they cried in terror, fleeing in all directions. But Han Chong cut them down like wheat before a scythe. Those who tried to escape were struck down by his sword energy. In less than two hours, Black Cloud Mountain's supposedly impregnable burial ground was cleared by Han Chong alone, wielding a single sword.

He then summoned the corpse-bearer slaves, ordered them to throw all the Black Iron Guards’ bodies into the black mire, and afterward dismissed them. Hundreds of slaves, as if granted amnesty, fled Black Cloud Mountain as fast as they could.

...

Han Chong then made his way to the mountain’s inner ring, gazing upon the hundred-mile expanse of the burial marsh. Innumerable black mosquitoes surged toward the center, resembling a monstrous black beast coiled in the darkness.

How could he possibly annihilate such a terrifying swarm? It was a vexing dilemma.

Suddenly, Han Chong noticed thin wisps of black mosquitoes, as fine as dust, emerging from the center of the marsh and joining the main swarm.

Could these be mosquito larvae?

Hurrying closer, he discovered a well-like shaft leading deep into the mire.

Burrowing down, he found a circular, bowl-shaped stone chamber, inside which lay a massive, writhing black insect, over ten feet long.

Over a hundred black, tube-like appendages extended from the creature’s body, piercing the stone walls like the roots of some great tree, drawing upon the blood and nutrients of the marsh.

Above the black insect, a wrinkled orifice continuously spewed out mosquito larvae, which ascended the shaft to join the swarm.

The Mosquito Mother! Han Chong realized at once.

Now it made sense—the black mosquitoes were not born spontaneously from the corpse-mire, but were bred by the Bronze Guards through this Mosquito Mother, who absorbed the marsh’s nutrients and endlessly spawned new life.

At that moment, the black insect let out a series of piercing squeals, evidently sensing Han Chong’s presence. But as he still wore the form of a Bronze Guard, the Mosquito Mother only projected a wave of suspicion.

Such intelligence! If it were allowed to breed enough mature black mosquitoes, a single command would unleash a slaughter—no number of officers in Yun Prefecture could withstand such a weapon.

While the Mosquito Mother was mired in doubt, Han Chong spat forth his Sword Pill, wreathed in azure flames. It grew swiftly in the air, transforming into a great sword of blue fire that slashed down upon the creature’s center.

This was his flame-technique combined with the Sword Pill—doubly powerful and a perfect counter to the beast.

With a sickening sound, the Mosquito Mother shrieked as a massive wound was carved into her back, green blood pouring forth and igniting in blue flames that refused to extinguish, causing her to writhe in agony.

All of her tube-like appendages withdrew from the stone and whipped toward Han Chong.

"Abomination, do you still dare resist?" Han Chong retrieved the Sword of Clarity and unleashed a barrage of demon-slashing sword energy, severing the appendages as if they were brittle twigs.

At that instant, as if summoned by their mother, countless black mosquitoes poured down from the well above.

Han Chong spewed azure flames upward, incinerating the swarm, while his sword lashed out at the Mosquito Mother below.

Within half a stick of incense, the Mosquito Mother was hacked to pieces, but still the endless black mosquitoes hurled themselves at Han Chong, their charred corpses piling thickly on the ground.

Han Chong pressed upward, reached the well’s entrance, and continued to spew flames for two full hours before finally incinerating every last one.

A clear chime sounded. Han Chong looked inward at his system—his flame-spitting technique had advanced again. Now at the fourth level: Advanced Spirit Flame.

...

With a long exhale, Han Chong reflected that in half a day, he had utterly destroyed the Bronze Guards’ years-long plan to unleash the bloodthirsty black mosquitoes. He wondered how the silver-masked woman would rage if she ever found out.

...

Han Chong mounted his sword and swept through the rolling black mists, scanning the mountain peaks. Beyond the encircling range, a tall summit rose, atop which sat a solitary temple.

He descended, suppressing his sword light, and found the temple dilapidated beyond repair—no sign of any Daoist priest.

Understandable; had any priest remained, they would long since have been sucked dry by the bloodthirsty mosquitoes.

Or perhaps, this infestation had only begun after the Prince of Ying brought in the old Daoist.

With the trail gone cold, Han Chong could only return for now to the provincial office.

...

Night fell.

"Captain Han," reported Captain Ning, "after thorough investigation, the Prince of Ying’s estate has been sealed off by the Prefect, and only a dozen old servants remain for cleaning.

"As for further details, all who know anything are tight-lipped; secrets are hard to come by. We know only that the Prince had three sons and two daughters. All three sons died young by accident; one daughter, Ling Yingzhuang, died suddenly of heart failure; the other, Ling Yingruo, disappeared two years ago. The circumstances are exceedingly strange."

"Three sons and two daughters?" Han Chong was surprised, recalling the scarred master of the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion.

"Did you hear of any Daoist staying at the Prince’s estate?"

"Yes. We found a village maid who served there. According to her, there was indeed an old Daoist of immortal bearing. He rarely showed himself, and only on the day the Prefect arrived did anyone catch a distant glimpse."

Could it be that the old Daoist was taken away by Prefect Chen? Han Chong suddenly saw the light. That had to be it. The fat Prefect was so evasive about the elixir—surely some master was lurking behind him, guiding his actions.