Chapter 139
Soon, the three gathered together.
"I observed the growth of the Water Marsh Spirit Peaches. From the looks of it, there doesn't seem to be anything abnormal," Yan Ping, an unassuming figure, spoke in a solemn tone.
"Indeed, there's no sign of pest infestation at all," Lu Xuan nodded in agreement.
"Does the Zhang family's spiritual plant garden have protective formations outside?" Yao, the senior sister, inquired of Zhang Yutang.
"Well... it's not quite feasible," the white-haired elder shook his head. "The marshland holds hundreds of these Water Marsh Spirit Peaches across several acres. Low-grade protective formations can't cover such a vast area."
"Even with higher-grade formations, considering the Zhang family's resources and power, it's challenging to set up that level of defense."
"Moreover, these Spirit Peaches grow in a unique environment, connected by marshes and lakes, making it impossible to block various kinds of pests."
"Hence, within the garden, we've only set up simple mechanisms to ward off cultivators or water beasts. On regular days, Zhang family cultivators patrol the area."
"That's the extent of the protection for the Water Marsh Spirit Peaches," the white-haired elder explained. Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan and the others nodded, indicating their understanding.
"Does the Zhang family have any live unusual insects in their possession?" Lu Xuan asked Zhang Yutang.
The elder summoned a mid-level Qi cultivator and inquired but shook his head negatively. "All discovered insects were dealt with on the spot. None were left alive."
"If you wish to capture a live insect, Lu friend, you can let Cheng Ning take you around the spiritual plant garden. He frequents the area and knows which regions are more likely to harbor such insects."
"That would be helpful," Lu Xuan said to Yao and then, led by a handsome young man, ventured deep into the peach grove.
"Lu elder, are we aiming to capture a live unusual insect now?" Zhang Cheng Ning, the young man, asked curiously along the way.
"Yes, since we can't discern much from the Water Marsh Spirit Peaches, it's best to capture a live insect to see if we can learn something," Lu Xuan replied in a gentle tone.
Of course, his main goal wasn't just that. Capturing the insect was a means to understand it better, potentially enabling them to formulate targeted responses through observation.
"Truly becoming the shape of their host."
Holding the nearly lifeless simulated insect, Lu Xuan, led by Cheng Ning, returned to the group.
Yao, Yan Ping, and the Zhang family cultivators huddled together, quietly discussing matters.
On the damp ground lay several simulated insects, resembling Water Marsh Spirit Peach branches at first glance.
"Lu junior brother, you're back. Any discoveries?" Yao inquired.
"We captured a strange insect, but nothing else new," Lu Xuan replied, concealing the information he'd learned, not directly disclosing it to Yao and Yan Ping.
"We also managed to capture a few, which took quite some effort."
"These creatures indeed have strong concealment abilities, making it challenging to address the issue at its root."
"The primary concern now is identifying the species of these creatures, understanding their details, and thereby finding easier ways to locate or eradicate them," the elegant woman stated calmly.
Lu Xuan and Yan Ping nodded in agreement.
"These creatures seem capable of disguising themselves as plants. Maybe that could be a breakthrough," Lu Xuan suddenly spoke.
Although he had the information about the simulated insects' species and their way of life, he hadn't yet figured out how to solve the issue they posed.
He wasn't rushing to divulge the information about the insects to Yao and Yan Ping. It seemed that the pest problem in the Zhang family wasn't as straightforward as it appeared on the surface.
"Simulated Pattern Insects have low breeding abilities. It should be hard for them to gather in large numbers. Yet in this area of the Water Marsh Spirit Peaches, there are clearly numerous simulated insects present."
"So, are these numerous insects naturally occurring or artificially induced?" Lu Xuan pondered silently. To solve the pest problem, they had to start with the Water Marsh Spirit Peach infested by the simulated insects.
"We should find an opportunity to dig out a tree parasitized by these insects. That might reveal the specifics of the problem and how to solve it."
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