Chapter 1205: The Strange Insect Fed on Blood Lu Yun exhaled, then stepped forward toward Li Qiezi's wall. He didn't think that knocking on the door at this hour would get a response from Li Qiezi, so he decided to climb over the wall instead. After all, Li Qiezi had always been a bit eccentric in the village—most people were reluctant to approach his home. Moreover, the village was somewhat remote, and it was a stormy night. Lu Yun wasn't worried about villagers strolling around idle. As he reached the wall, he leapt up and lay flat on it, peering inside the brightly lit house. There they were—two figures already embracing, framed by the window's shadow. Li Qiezi's courtyard was spacious, yet the house itself consisted of only three northern rooms and one western room for storing supplies. Land Yun didn’t bother thinking about the mess Ma Cuihua and Li Qiao had been making inside the house. His eyes were fixed on the several rooms other than Li Qiao’s bedroom. The villagers often said Li Qiao kept treasures at home, but due to his odd temperament, no one could be certain. With the vines now climbing up the wall, it might as well be worth checking out Li Qiao’s rooms to see if there really were any treasures. Once the idea formed, Land Yun quickly made up his mind—he had come all the way, and not to go through without a visit would be a waste of his own effort. Slowly slipping down from the wall, he made his way quietly toward the house to the east, where he spotted a faint glow inside. If there were treasures, they were most likely here. If they were hidden in Li Qiao’s bedroom, then this trip would have been all for nothing. Silently pressed against the wall, the sound of Ma Cuihua's deliberately restrained breaths came from inside Li Qia's bedroom. Underneath, he muttered a quiet curse and immediately leaned his eyes toward the window of the eastern room. The indoor light was dim. Near the northern wall, on a table, an unknown object emitted a soft glow, yet this glow failed to fully reveal the scene within the room. Pushing at the door, he found it firmly locked—unable to enter and see clearly. Yet at the same time, a question arose in his mind: according to Li Qia's peculiar nature, how could there be any such dedication at home? Was this old man perhaps a devout believer? On the wall before the table, a painting seemed to hang, but due to the angle of view, it remained indistinct. He wasn't ready to give up. Good heavens! The door was locked. I'll find another way. What about prying it open? No way. If someone hears the creaking of the door being pried open, it’ll definitely make a lot of noise. Though it’s raining, Li Qiezi is currently busy with Ma Cuihua, adjusting the piston mechanism inside the house. But who knows—how deaf is Li Qiezi’s ear, especially with his leg already lame? If someone notices, it’ll be a real problem. The main door won’t work, so they’ll have to climb through the window. Land Yun glanced at the window nearby on his side, silently praying it wasn’t closed. If even the window were shut, he’d have wasted all his efforts. He pushed firmly against the window frame, and it opened just a crack. Land Yun smiled, murmuring under his breath, “Good! There’s a way in.” The window didn’t have iron bars or latches, so he easily climbed through. Damn! If only he’d brought a flashlight when he came out. Just as he finished thinking that, Land Yun suddenly sniffed, and gasped—what a strong smell of blood! The room was small, yet Lu Yun felt as though he had plunged into a vast pool of blood. The strong scent of blood filled his nostrils, forcing him to cover his nose with his hands. Even then, his stomach churned violently, as if rolling over in waves. What on earth is this old man doing? Making the whole room smell so bloody! After muttering under his breath, Lu Yun quickly moved toward the altar a few steps away, covering his nose. Good heavens! As he approached, Lu Yun finally made out the glowing object on the altar—it was a translucent, jade-like basin, about forty centimeters in diameter. He reached out to touch it, curious about its material and the fact that it glowed at night. But just as his fingers neared the white basin, his gaze snapped to it, and his body instantly tensed, his hair standing on end. The basin was as clear and luminous as jade, yet what stood in stark contrast within it was a thick, richly crimson liquid—nearly half the basin filled with blood. The sharp, pervasive scent of blood permeated the entire room from this single vessel. The situation grew increasingly strange. Lu Yun paused his outstretched hand, unsure of what Li Qie was up to. Why would he use such a fine basin to hold so much blood? Had he slaughtered dogs and sheep overnight, deliberately preserving this volume of blood? Yet, in such hot weather, even if the blood had been stored for just a night, it would surely have gone sour. What could possibly be the purpose? Suddenly, Lu Yun felt an eerie stillness in the room, a sharp shiver running through him. As he prepared to step back, he noticed something unusual shimmering within the blood in the basin. *Click!* A sudden, not particularly sharp sound broke through the quiet. In the small room, this brief and gentle sound instantly imbued the space with an eerie atmosphere. Lu Yun was startled, his hair standing on end, and despite his growing fear, he forced himself to look down into the basin. There, he saw a creature resembling a caterpillar, yet smooth and hairless, extending its head from the blood. The creature was about the thickness of a fingertip, blending seamlessly into the thick blood. Without close attention, it was nearly impossible to notice. Man, Li Qiao has always been odd—fine—but to feed these creatures with blood? What in the world is going on? Zzzip! Zzzip! Two more sounds followed. Two identical creatures simultaneously emerged from the blood, shaking their heads and chirping loudly, as if asserting their presence to Lu Yun. Lü Yun was completely stunned, still hadn’t recovered when another series of squeaking sounds erupted—then one, then two, then three… Within just a few minutes, the half-pot of blood that had initially seemed only slightly off-putting was now crawling with strange, unidentified creatures. “Kid, run!” Suddenly, Wuxi Long’s voice burst into Lü Yun’s consciousness, urgent and clear. “You can’t handle this. Your life comes first—now’s the time to make a dash for it!” “What in the world is this thing?” Lü Yun blinked, his expression filled with panic. Even Wuxi Long admitted he couldn’t deal with it—so what exactly was this creature’s origin? Squeak! As soon as Lü Yun finished speaking, a particularly large creature leapt suddenly from the blood. An odd sight unfolded—the creature’s smooth body suddenly sprouted two transparent wings, which began to hum and flap, rushing straight toward Lü Yun. “Stop talking and just go!” Wuxi Long shouted. Lu Yun lowered his head to avoid the disturbance, didn't think twice, and dashed straight up to the window. Though he couldn't quite understand why the humble dragon was so afraid of this unfamiliar insect, he had no time to ask questions—his movements were swift and precise as he climbed out through the window and slammed it shut with a loud thud. Just then, the winged creature approached and smacked squarely against the glass. Lu Yun wiped cold sweat from his brow, murmuring in relief. "Who?" The neighbor, Li Qie, heard the commotion and shouted out suddenly, so startled that Lu Yun nearly fell off the window sill. "Your father," Lu Yun muttered under his breath, then, before Li Qie stepped out to investigate, leaped over the wall with a burst of speed and vanished.