Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Fighting Against the Locust Plague
The content of this message is about a locust plague.
Twelve days ago, a severe locust plague suddenly broke out in Pingyuan County, completely devouring several hundred acres of fertile fields there.
Currently, millions of locusts are heading to their next target, Zhuyong County.
Pingyuan County is a major county in Lushan County, known for its grain production, and it is only over three hundred miles away from Zhuyong County.
This time, the locust plague appeared very mysteriously, emerging overnight.
This resulted in swarms of locusts crossing the fields of Pingyuan County in a single day, akin to a locust storm.
Because it occurred too suddenly, the local people and cultivators in Pingyuan County were completely unprepared to resist, helplessly watching as hundreds of acres of fertile fields were devoured by locusts.
Pingyuan County supplied about fifty percent of Lushan County’s grain market.
This time, due to the locust plague, this year’s grain production in Pingyuan County yielded nothing.
This will directly cause a significant rise in grain prices in Lushan County in the coming years, placing immense pressure on its grain supply.
Without sufficient grain, prices will skyrocket, making it impossible for people to maintain a normal life, which can easily lead to chaos and war.
What’s more frightening is that amidst these locusts, there are tens of thousands of demon insects mixed in.
These demon insects are part of the locust tribe, possessing Qi Cultivation Stage strength, and are subdivided into several groups.
Among them, there are even a few Insect Kings of Sixth and Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation, and even one major Insect King at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Stationed in Pingyuan County is Zhang Mengquan, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Heaven-Facing Sect, as the county is under the protection of the Heaven-Facing Sect.
Although Zhang Mengquan acted in time and slew the Foundation Establishment Insect King, the remaining Insect Kings led the swarm to escape Pingyuan County and surged towards Zhurong Town.
Given the situation, the principle of "lips gone, teeth cold" is understood by all factions.
To maintain the stability of Lushan County and keep their fields safe from the locust plague, they must unite to eliminate the plague and stabilize the situation promptly.
Upon learning about the locust plague’s intrusion, Lu Yuanshan, despite his worries, couldn’t help but admire Lu Ping’s abilities.
Before the locust plague reached Zhuyong County, his father had already anticipated the impending locust attack on Lushan County and thus assigned the task of exterminating the locust plague.
While marveling at Lu Ping’s vast abilities, Lu Yuanshan immediately sent word through the sect, declaring a complete sect lockdown of the Cyan Mountain Sect from today onwards.
The sect has twenty-five acres of spirit fields and six acres of medicine fields, along with Cyan Jade Bamboo, Spiritual Peach Trees, and other precious resources that are absolutely irreplaceable.
Even though the Sect Protection Array is in place, which can block most external insect threats, the sheer number of locusts is terrifying, and there’s no guarantee they won’t find a way into the Cyan Mountain Sect.
Following Lu Yuanshan’s lockdown order, almost simultaneously, the major families near Zhuyong County also issued lockdowns, sealing off their spirit fields and medicinal gardens, and preparing personnel to deal with the locust plague.
Once Cyan Lotus Mountain was fully sealed, Lu Yuanshan immediately gathered disciples and arranged for Lu Zhiwei to lead some disciples to Zhuyong County to aid the people and clear the locust plague.
In doing so, they would also complete the first task assigned by the father for Doorway Affairs.
Zhuyong County is located to the north of the Cyan Mountain Sect, near the eastern bank of the main Lingxi River, and the town is named after the Fire God Zhurong.
Legend has it that the name was given over three hundred years ago by a wandering Daoist who called himself Qing Yezi when the county was established.
Perhaps because of this name, for over three hundred years, the people in Zhuyong County have been free of illness and disaster, with favorable weather and no demon beasts or demon cultivator invasions, making it famous as a peaceful place in Lushan County.
This has led Zhuyong County to develop rapidly in recent decades, attracting numerous outsiders to settle, with the population growing to over sixty thousand.
The good fields planted in Zhuyong County also amount to over six hundred acres, second only to Pingyuan County.
If the locusts madly invade Zhuyong County and ravage its fields, it would undoubtedly cause even greater damage to Lushan County’s grain production.
The major families in Lushan County and even the Hengyue Sect understand the principle of "lips gone, teeth cold," having balanced and depended on each other in their development so far. They all know how much damage allowing the locusts to consume the fields would cause to Lushan County.
Eliminating the locust swarm would only be beneficial and not harmful.
Various forces organized personnel and prepared to join forces and take action.
Even Shenxiao Palace, located in Yunbei County, and the Heaven-Facing Sect couldn’t hold back and decided to take action to wipe out the locust plague in Lushan County and prevent it from spreading.
Lu Zhiwei led ten disciples, including Song Minghui, Zhang Nianchuan, Lin Han, and Chu Qin, to Zhuyong County ahead of time, where they met Zhu Taiyuan, the cultivator stationed in Zhuyong County from Shenxiao Palace.
In Shenxiao Palace’s team, Lu Zhiwei also saw Yuan Lang and Lu Hongniang.
Upon seeing Lu Zhiwei leading the Cyan Mountain Sect’s group and recognizing Song Minghui among them, Yuan Lang immediately stepped forward to greet them.
"Lu Daoist, we meet again."
His tone carried a hint of pleasant surprise.
Since the last collaboration and jointly killing Liang Zhennan, Lu Zhiwei had left a very good impression on Yuan Lang.
This time, assisting Shenxiao Palace in clearing the locust plague was assigned to him by his master Xuu Qingshan, though he was somewhat unwilling, as the task was exhausting and bitter work.
The sheer number of locusts was overwhelming.
Seeing Lu Zhiwei participate as well, he thought of it as another chance to cooperate with Lu Zhiwei and gain a deeper understanding.
The trip wouldn’t be so dull after all.
"Yes, it’s been a while."
Lu Zhiwei, not being talkative and having a rather cool and reserved demeanor, simply responded faintly.
Seeing Yuan Lang here also surprised her.
Besides Lu Zhiwei and Song Minghui, the other Cyan Mountain Sect disciples, like Chu Qin and Zhang Nianchuan, were somewhat apprehensive upon seeing the Shenxiao Palace group.
The reason is simple: Shenxiao Palace is a major sect in the Chu Kingdom, far more prestigious than the Cyan Mountain Sect, with a Golden Core Ancestor sitting in the sect.
The sect protected a total of sixteen towns, with Zhuyong County being one of them, and had stationed the Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation practitioner Zhu Taiyuan there.
The staple grain for Shenxiao Palace largely came from Zhuyong County, where many residents are part of the families of some disciples or even elders of Shenxiao Palace.
Zhu Taiyuan’s Chu family also thrived and multiplied in Zhuyong County.
Seeing the Cyan Mountain Sect cultivators arriving ahead and learning of their assistance to the people in clearing the locust plague, Zhu Taiyuan was deeply grateful and, after some casual conversations, brought up the matter of the locusts.
"I have been stationed in Zhuyong County for over thirty years and have never seen the county suffer from droughts, floods, or other disasters, not even significant pest problems, which were always minor and not worth attention."
"But this time, the locust plague coming from Pingyuan County might break the peace Zhuyong County has enjoyed for over three hundred years."
"Zhuyong County is a blessed land, full of fortune, and will surely overcome this locust plague successfully, Elder Zhu, you need not worry too much."
Remaining unsmiling, it was Senior Sister Song Minghui who spoke.