Chapter 861: Fire Burns the Linked Encampments

"This... this... is the heart-eating swarm?"

Yan Jun's eyes revealed despair; the heart-eating insects had surrounded them completely, and not even an immortal could fly out.

Liu Yusheng, accustomed to grand scenes, felt his scalp tingle.

With such a swarm, even if he had three heads and six arms, he couldn't withstand them!

Ye Yuan was focused on the heart-eating swarm when he suddenly felt someone grab his leg. Looking down, it was the little girl Yan Ling.

Ye Yuan smiled slightly. "Ling'er, are you afraid?"

Ling'er shook her head obediently. "With Brother Ye Yuan here, Ling'er is not afraid!"

"Good girl!" Ye Yuan gently ruffled Ling'er's hair, doting.

"I don't believe a bunch of bugs can eat us. Brothers, form a formation and destroy these damned bugs!" Liu Yusheng said sternly.

The warriors of the Green Sea Mercenary Corps were all battle-hardened.

After the initial panic, they quickly calmed down.

Against such a large swarm, a formation was the best approach. Otherwise, being surrounded and picked off by the bugs would be disastrous.

Ye Yuan did not stop them; if Liu Yusheng could handle the heart-eating insects, he would be happy to refrain from acting.

The Green Sea Mercenary Corps was clearly familiar with the formation; in just a few breaths, it was set.

Ye Yuan's eyes lit up slightly, gaining a new respect for the Green Sea Mercenary Corps.

This formation was called the Spirit Profound Unity Formation. Once formed, the warriors experienced a奇妙 resonance of primal force, greatly enhancing each individual's strength. Moreover, they could jointly set up a barrier, increasing the formation's power.

Ye Yuan observed that once this formation was deployed, even a Formless Realm warrior would have difficulty breaking it.

No wonder the Green Sea Mercenary Corps was called the strongest in Luoding City; it made sense.

Sure enough, as soon as the barrier opened, it isolated the heart-eating insects outside.

Many insects dashed against the barrier like moths to a flame, but upon contact, they were killed in droves by the dazzling light.

Seeing this, Yan Jun's heart settled, and he sighed in relief. "Brother Liu is truly formidable! Hiring the Green Sea Mercenary Corps for this trip was worth it!"

Liu Yusheng also felt smug. "Heh, need I say more? How could the Green Sea Mercenary Corps have reached its current status without some ace up its sleeve? With these brothers of mine, no matter how many of these damned bugs, it's useless!"

The Spirit Profound Unity Formation was exceptionally powerful, quickly killing large swaths of heart-eating insects.

But there were too many bugs; they couldn't be killed off completely.

These bugs were not fearless; seeing they couldn't breach the barrier, they soon stopped attacking and began circling outside.

Suddenly, as if provoked, the insects started biting each other.

The warriors were stunned at the sight.

"Ha, these bugs are truly savage. Unable to break our barrier, they're turning on each other!" someone scoffed.

The insects bit their own kind mercilessly. Soon, a large number died under their companions' attacks.

Ye Yuan's expression darkened at the scene.

"Don't let your guard down. This mutual biting isn't just savagery; someone is controlling them to evolve! Heart-eating insects cannot transform, but they can evolve by devouring their peers! As their rank increases, their resistance to primal force also greatly improves!" Ye Yuan said gravely.

As if Ye Yuan had a jinx, as soon as he finished, the insects that had devoured many companions suddenly surged in power.

The swarm's numbers decreased, but their quality soared!

Liu Yusheng's face changed. "Careful, they're about to attack! Kill them!"

This time, the enhanced heart-eating insects returned in force.

The Green Sea Mercenary Corps fully activated the barrier, bombarding the insects. Yet the bugs only shook slightly before latching onto the barrier.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."

The heart-eating insects began devouring the primal force sustaining the barrier!

Liu Yusheng and Yan Jun's faces turned ashen.

Were these heart-eating insects really this formidable?

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."

More and more insects clung to the barrier, which soon became a black canopy.

Liu Yusheng was drenched in sweat. He wanted to dispel the formation, but doing so now would be suicide.

"Boom!"

At that moment, the world seemed to ignite. Blazing flames erupted on the barrier.

"Sizzle, sizzle..."

Almost all the insects were concentrated on the barrier. The fire caught them completely off guard, engulfing them all.

The heart-eating insects emitted low, piercing cries that made one's heart race.

The flames were fierce, clinging like a stubborn curse. No matter how the insects struggled, they couldn't escape, eventually turning to ash.

Even though the insects had evolved, they were utterly defenseless against the flames.

Liu Yusheng and Yan Jun stared dumbfounded, not yet recovered.

The firelight flickered on their faces, a breathtaking sight.

"Brother... Brother Liu, this fire... did your mercenary corps create it?" Yan Jun asked hesitantly.

Liu Yusheng was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha... of... of course! I deliberately feigned weakness to lure them all in and wipe them out! Well, Chief Yan, was this fire satisfactory?"

Yan Jun nodded mechanically. "Brother Liu is truly remarkable! If we return safely, your corps's reward will be increased by thirty percent!"

Liu Yusheng didn't know what had happened, but the outcome was exactly what he wanted.

That inexplicable fire had directly raised their reward by thirty percent!

Seeing this, Ye Yuan just smiled faintly, not stepping forward to claim credit.

Everyone's attention had been on the insects; he had quietly infused the formation with his Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame.

A seventh-grade Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame—how could these heart-eating insects withstand it?

In one go, they were burned to nothing.

Only Ye Yuan could have pulled off such a feat unnoticed. He was very familiar with the Spirit Profound Unity Formation, and though it was his first time cooperating with these warriors, it was seamless, not even Liu Yusheng noticed.

"Don't celebrate too soon. These heart-eating insects were likely controlled by someone. Now that they're all burned, the real master will probably appear." Ye Yuan warned.