Astral Cockroach

The Gold Mantis Kingdom is already the easternmost kingdom of the Myriad Races Continent. Further east lies the Misty Mountains, and beyond the mountains is the Myriad Kingdoms Continent.

The Misty Mountains serve as a barrier dividing the continents.

Legend has it that it's a barrier connecting heaven and earth, displaying seven colors, strikingly similar to the colorful mist ability awakened by the Iridescent Flame Spider tribe after ascending to Mountain Lord.

According to merchant caravans, it's a power wielded by their tribe's "god" to maintain peace between the two continents.

In reality, the Iridescent Mist Barrier at Ice Teapot Canyon only weakens for a few fixed days each year, allowing the Iridescent Flame Spider tribe's caravans to pass through and enter the other side of the continent during this brief period.

At other times, or at other locations, entry invariably leads to getting lost.

Ban Bu understood that the so-called "Iridescent Mist Barrier" must be a divine power wielded by a cosmic-level lifeform, capable of spanning north and south, connecting the two continents to heaven and earth, and maintaining itself for countless years. Its strength must be extraordinary, likely a peak-level powerhouse in the Dominion Realm.

… …

Leaving the Red Bean Mountains.

Ban Bu lowered his flight altitude, slowed his flight speed, and unhurriedly headed towards the Orchid Mountains.

He even stopped midway to eat and rest.

Under the guise of "Dark Night Gold Mantis Tribe, Gold Crest Mountain Lord," he visited the Mountain Lords of several mountains along the way.

Finding a bargain was impossible.

The Greatsword Mantis Tribe realized that the square boxes contained treasures. They concentrated the smaller ones for safekeeping and dispatched warriors to guard the larger ones, leaving no loopholes to exploit.

Why rush to the Orchid Mountains? They were already heavily guarded by Greatsword Mantis warriors, with even a Roach King overseeing the area. There was no chance to take advantage.

Of course, he still had to go and take a look, to see which part of the warship had survived and what its scale was.

Most importantly, he wanted to check the specific situation of the Misty Mountains. It was said that a large number of fragments had fallen into it, and he wanted to see if there was any possibility of entering to search for treasure.

… …

As for the D-grade Origin Power food stored in the Red Bean Mountain Lord's cabinet, it was precious in a sense, after all, it was produced by cosmic-level Origin Power plants. However, this planet was full of Origin Power food, with qualities ranging from low to high, with a wide variety of enhancement effects. The key was that it was cheap; if the quality wasn't good enough, the quantity could make up for it, so it didn't seem so rare.

When returning, he would try to swindle a little along the way, and that would be enough.

… …

Leisurely, he arrived at the Orchid Mountains.

Just as he entered the mountain range, he was stopped by a high-level warrior.

"Gold Mantis Kingdom, Dark Night Gold Mantis Tribe?"

Should he continue impersonating?

He was too far away to clearly see the situation of the distant mountains and needed to get closer.

Simply sensing the Origin Power fluctuations with his soul, he could perceive that Greatsword Mantis warriors were neatly and regularly distributed in all directions, closely guarding the area. Concentrating his mind, he faintly sensed the divine sense of a Countess-level warrior sweeping over him.

Ban Bu felt uneasy and dared not continue to pretend to be a Gold Mantis tribe member. He truthfully replied, "You've mistaken me. I am Ban Bu, Mountain Lord of Lizhu Peak in Jinping Mountains, from the Fire Roach Kingdom. I heard that the Greatsword Mantis Kingdom suffered a natural disaster, so I came to investigate and see if there's anything I can do to help."

"Fire Roach Kingdom?!" The Greatsword Mantis warrior who questioned him was puzzled, carefully examining him. No matter how he looked, he seemed more like a Dark Night Gold Mantis tribe member!

"That's not right! Warriors from the Fire Roach Kingdom should be red!" The Greatsword Mantis warrior suddenly realized, then became vigilant and questioned, "Why are you pretending to be a Fire Roach warrior?"

This excitement disturbed the nearby warriors, and they all became vigilant, brandishing their greatswords and quickly surrounding Ban Bu.

Seeing his companions arrive, the Greatsword Mantis warrior who questioned him relaxed his vigilance, tilted his head, and pondered, then became puzzled again: "You are a Gold Mantis warrior… Why are you pretending to be a Fire Roach warrior?"

Ban Bu gently spread his pulse wings, and a flame danced at the tip of his wings, explaining, "This is the fire ability awakened by warriors of the Fire Roach Kingdom after ascending to Mountain Lord."

"I am born different, simultaneously awakening both metal and fire abilities, and my carapace is black."

After speaking, to verify his words, Ban Bu raised his foreleg and activated his divine power. The dagger detached, shot out, suddenly turned back in mid-air, and his foreleg reached out, his claws gripping the hilt.

"This is…"

"Could it be…"

"Metal manipulation ability!"

The several Greatsword Mantis warriors who surrounded him were shocked, believing Ban Bu's words by seventy or eighty percent.

"Amazing! So amazing!" The Greatsword Mantis warrior who questioned him kept praising, not hiding his envy.

For a metal weapon to fly up and attack, and then be able to retrieve it, it was simply too cool!

Even in the Gold Mantis Kingdom, most warriors who ascended to Mountain Lord only awakened metal enhancement abilities, that is, the carapace metalized, becoming harder and tougher, increasing defense and close combat ability.

Only a few warriors, after consuming a large amount of high-quality Origin Power food that enhanced metal abilities, would gradually awaken metal manipulation abilities.

Ban Bu keenly sensed that the Countess-level warrior who was secretly monitoring him quietly withdrew her mental power, then took off from her hiding place and rushed over.

Landing on the ground, she scolded the surrounding Greatsword Mantis warriors, "Guests have come from afar, what kind of attitude are you showing to guests? A bunch of rude fools."

After scolding them, she waved her wings and drove them away, "What are you surrounding him for? Hurry back to your posts!"

After the few high-level warriors left, this Countess changed her attitude and introduced herself to Ban Bu with a friendly expression, "My name is Countess Yuanbai. The little warriors of the tribe are ignorant, please don't mind it."

"Ban Bu, Mountain Lord of Lizhu Peak in Jinping Mountains, from the Fire Roach Kingdom."

Ban Bu introduced himself, deliberately concealing the words "Crimson Roach Tribe." The reason was simple: he was afraid that the other party would follow the clues and realize that he was a descendant of the "Longevity Roach King."

"Mountain Lord Ban Bu is not from the Flying Fire Roach Tribe, right?" Countess Yuanbai asked.

Ban Bu answered vaguely, "Yes, I belong to a small branch tribe. I'm quite close to the Greatsword Mantis Kingdom, so I came to take a look."

Countess Yuanbai was persistent and asked, "I wonder which branch it is?"

Ban Bu had no choice but to answer, "Crimson Roach Tribe."

"Longevity Roach King?!" Countess Yuanbai tilted her triangular head again, carefully examining him, thought for two seconds, and said, "The carapace color of the Crimson Roach Tribe is darker, that should be right. So you are a direct descendant of the Longevity Roach King."

Without waiting for Ban Bu to retort, Countess Yuanbai enthusiastically introduced, "Some of the fallen fragments landed in our Greatsword Mantis Kingdom, mainly in the Orchid Mountains, and many more landed in the Misty Mountains."

"Recently, many warriors from the surrounding kingdoms have come one after another, and most of them have gone to the Misty Mountains to investigate the situation. Mountain Lord Ban Bu, would you like to go and take a look?"

"Of course I want to go and take a look," Ban Bu replied without hesitation.

Countess Yuanbai added, "Mountain Lord Ban Bu, you master metal abilities, and most of the fallen fragments are metal. If possible, I hope you can stay and help us inspect them to confirm whether there are any evil forces hidden in the fragments. After it's done, our Greatsword Mantis Kingdom will pay a generous reward!"

Cleaning up fragments, doing hard labor, how much reward could there be?

"I can… Let's see how it goes," Ban Bu reluctantly replied.

Countess Yuanbai remained enthusiastic and took the initiative to invite, "Mountain Lord Ban Bu, you must be curious about the large wreckage that crashed into the Orchid Mountains, right? Come, I'll take you to see it!"

"Okay!" Ban Bu was just thinking that.

Countess Yuanbai said no more, flapped her wings, and flew ahead to lead the way.