"Pútáo, Yàn Cù Bān Máo, you two carefully search Lijian Peak. It's been over a year, and most likely some large wild beasts have been attracted here."

"Got it."

"Understood!"

After landing, Pútáo and Yàn Cù Bān Máo took charge of eliminating threats, while Má Yù led Bān Bù and began to explain:

"Bān Bù, this is the residence of the Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord, the best location on Lijian Peak. Pay attention to that patch of withered bamboo forest. The life essence planted by the Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord used to be incredibly lush."

"The only regret is that it chose various types of bamboo as its life essence. Bān Bù, you should understand that ordinary bamboo only blooms and bears fruit once in its lifetime, which could take thirty, fifty, or even over a hundred years."

"Thanks to the high-quality soil and rich primal force environment, its life essence grew exceptionally vigorously. However, there wasn't a corresponding production of primal force food every year."

"Bān Bù, take a close look at the soil on the mountain, it's the richest, most suitable humus soil for plant growth! Feel it carefully, the primal force on Lijian Peak is denser than Iron Knife Peak."

"Bān Bù, you have the Seed of Divine Bestowment. You can do better than the Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord; you can surpass the Iron Knife Mountain Lord. Do you understand? Your future is limitless!"

Má Yù became more and more excited as he spoke, his tone rising with fervor.

Bān Bù flapped his wings and flew low, surveying the withered forest ahead. Strictly speaking, it should be considered a bamboo forest, not very large, propagated by a single golden bamboo life essence.

Near the cave where they resided, there were about twenty small bamboo forests propagated by various bamboo life essences.

The Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord's fondness for bamboo was more of an extreme "preference" than mere liking. Most of its life essences were bamboo, of various types and varieties.

Not only did it choose bamboo as its life essence, but the entire Lijian Peak was also filled with ordinary bamboo. Due to the drought, most of it withered, with only a small portion surviving.

Bamboo was indeed not suitable for mountain cultivation, and the extensive and laborious large-scale planting might have had another reason: the Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord was selecting and cultivating new bamboo varieties.

With a certain foundation, insect warriors wouldn't be confined to existing plant species in the natural world. They would expend effort in selecting and cultivating new plant varieties. For example, the Iron Knife Mountain Lord planted ordinary iron knife trees on a large scale, collecting the seeds condensed each year and selecting the fullest grains to sow, then nurturing the best seedlings.

After generations of selection, a better tree species could be obtained.

With many generations, the genetic gap widened, giving rise to entirely new tree species.

Selective breeding was the most common method, but besides that, there were also crossbreeding to obtain hybrids and genetic mutations to obtain different species.

Cockroach warriors nurtured life essences with tree species, naturally, they focused their intelligence on plants, leading to a series of knowledge in this field.

The memory of inheritance recorded only basic introductory knowledge, vast but shallow, more knowledge required subsequent learning and independent exploration.

"Bān Bù, when spring comes, you'll move to reside here and plant the life essence. Before that, Pútáo and Yàn Cù Bān Máo will help you cut down and bury these withered bamboo, increasing soil fertility."

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Má Yù arrived at a cave entrance almost covered with weeds and complained, "These annoying weeds are so stubborn, they actually survived the drought."

"The Golden Bamboo Mountain Lord wouldn't make a mistake in selecting a residence. This cave will be warm in winter, cool in summer, and the humidity is suitable. Bān Bù, this will be your nest. You should be diligent and clear the weeds at the cave entrance."

"Mm-hmm."

Bān Bù reluctantly began to act.

In his mind, there was still one question echoing: if a life essence dies, it would cause harm to the soul, severe injuries could lead to soul devastation and blocked future prospects.

Along the way, Bān Bù had a basic understanding of the current situation in the Jinping Mountains, just as Yàn Cù Bān Máo described: vast, complex terrain, rampant wild beasts, and lurking dangers.

Bān Bù was very worried.

Surviving alone in such a dangerous place was precarious.

As for the so-called "opportunity" mentioned by Má Yù and Pútáo, Bān Bù also felt it. The richness of primal force on Lijian Peak was about twice that of ordinary places.

Bān Bù was now even more curious. How could an ordinary life planet have such dense primal force? Unscientific! Definitely not a natural phenomenon!

*Crackle...*

From the lower layers of the mountainside came the sound of bamboo snapping densely.

Má Yù, alert, lowered his mental power and said to Bān Bù, "It's a fight, Bān Bù, come, follow me, let's go see."

After Má Yù finished speaking, he quietly approached the direction where the sound came from.

Bān Bù also ran close to the ground, following closely behind Má Yù.

It was a patch of ordinary dried-up bamboo forest due to the drought.

In the bamboo forest, Pútáo was confronting a giant python three times its size.

The python's body was grayish-brown, with deep blue diamond-shaped patterns all over, known as the "Hook Sentence Mountain Python," a dominant-level predatory beast that roamed the mountains and forests. An adult Hook Sentence Mountain Python could easily strangle tigers and leopards before devouring them whole.

Having assessed the situation, Bān Bù retreated decisively, climbing up a dried stump to observe from a higher vantage point.

Má Yù, seeing the situation clearly, slowed down and approached the Hook Sentence Mountain Python cautiously.

Yàn Cù Bān Máo noticed the movement and hurried over.

The three Red Cockroach tribe warriors formed a triangular stance.

Pútáo, the most powerful, charged forward, launching an attack.

Yàn Cù Bān Máo followed suit.

*Crack!*

There was a crisp sound of collision.

Pútáo's wing veins were bitten by the Hook Sentence Mountain Python.

With brute force, the python shook its head, flinging Pútáo away, smashing tree roots and withered bamboo, and finally crashing to the ground.

Yàn Cù Bān Máo seemed to hesitate, but the sudden change in the offensive turned into a swift leap, jumping over the python's abdomen. Cunningly, as it landed, it forcefully pushed off with its two hind legs, leaving four blood holes in the python's abdomen with its poisoned toes, then accelerated to flee.

Meanwhile, the stealthily approaching Pútáo was already close to the python's tail. It suddenly

accelerated, pouncing forward, wielding its front claws, leaving four blood marks, then quickly backing away.

"Moo moo..."

The Hook Sentence Mountain Python half-opened its mouth, emitting an angry sound, wriggling and darting towards Yàn Cù Bān Máo, who appeared the weakest.

Bān Bù noticed that due to biting Pútáo's poisoned wing veins, its muscles were paralyzed, losing its ability to bite. Má Yù's poison had taken effect; the injured muscles were out of control, and its swimming movements were unnatural, the speed somewhat sluggish.

Pútáo launched another attack, rushing forward, suddenly flapping its wings, soaring through the python's body, and kicking off in mid-air, kicking its hind legs sharply, leaving four blood holes with its sharp toes.

Má Yù followed suit, launching an attack.

In the blink of an eye, the colossal body of the Hook Sentence Mountain Python gained eight more blood holes. Má Yù's toxin immediately took effect, almost completely incapacitating it.

Seeing this, Pútáo, Yàn Cù Bān Máo, and Má Yù no longer hesitated. They simultaneously launched attacks. After this round, the Hook Sentence Mountain Python was completely paralyzed, its body almost half unable to move, twisting and turning in place.

Pútáo approached, using its front toes to cut the neck, slowly removing the entire python head.

The battle was over.

Yàn Cù Bān Máo said, "I can't believe there are dangerous crawling beasts like Hook Sentence Mountain Pythons in the Jinping Mountains. It's too dangerous!"

Má Yù examined the body and said, "This is a healthy male Hook Sentence Mountain Python. Given time, it could likely evolve into a python warrior. Less than two years have passed, and various beasts have begun to spread to the mountains? It seems we must conduct a large-scale cleansing."

Pútáo said, "Yàn Cù Bān Máo, let's go, let's search nearby again. A Hook Sentence Mountain Python lays eight eggs at a time, and the survival rate of the young pythons is high. There should be more nearby."

Má Yù said, "No need, there's no rush. Let's call it a day for now. Let's go back first. Yàn Cù Bān Máo, you'll come with me to Iron Knife Peak tomorrow morning. Ask the Iron Knife Mountain Lord to preside over it and gather all the tribe warriors to work together to find and kill all the large beasts on Lijian Peak and its surrounding territories."

"Bān Bù, you come with me. Starting today, I'll teach you various hunting and farming knowledge."