Evan Yang and Melody Wood followed Lynn Lin to a barren stretch, not a soul in sight. Lynn suddenly stopped, spun around, and said, "Wait, I need to check myself for tracking methods, or my damned master will hunt us down again. That old fox never lets go!"
"Your master?" Evan raised an eyebrow, sounding suspicious. Lynn rolled her eyes, "You think your bugs are the only ones worth bragging about? Meyor's got plenty of powerful insects you haven't even seen yet."
"That's right. The only reason they tracked us down last time was because my master was up to her tricks." Lynn sighed, then shot Evan a look. "And don't get cocky—your bugs aren't ordinary, but Meyor's got all sorts too."
"Is your master really that amazing?" Evan asked, genuinely curious. Lynn snorted, "Amazing or not, if she can find me, she definitely left something on me that lets her track me. Meyor bugs are famous, you know."
"It's not about her being amazing. If she can track me, she must've left something sneaky on me. Let me think—hold on, you two wait here." Lynn started muttering, "Is that so?" Evan shrugged, glancing at Melody.
Evan and Melody nodded, waiting off to the side. Lynn rummaged through all her belongings like overturning drawers, pulling out every artifact she owned, inspecting each one. Melody whispered, "Maybe we should try the local specialties later." Evan grinned, "Learning customs is half the fun."
Melody and Evan watched, feeling a bit creeped out. "It's like she's searching for treasure," Evan joked. Melody nodded, "At least she's thorough."
After about a quarter of an hour, Lynn burst out laughing, "Haha, finally found it!" Evan said, "What took you so long?" Lynn grinned, "You two can go order food first. I'll catch up."
"What did you find?" Evan and Melody saw Lynn holding up a bracelet. Evan teased, "If you spent half as much effort eating as searching, you'd be unstoppable." Lynn stuck out her tongue, "I just like food—that's all!"
Lynn smiled, showing the bracelet. "My master gave this to me when I was little, said if I ever got lost, she could find me. I never cared, just wore it and forgot. Now I've finally dug it up." Evan joked, "You love food more than your own artifacts." Lynn laughed, "Since childhood!"
"Alright, deal with it and let's hit the road," Evan said, eager to get moving. He was itching to roam this world, break through sooner, since his time was running out. Lynn laughed, "Don't worry, cultivators can have whatever body shape they want. I'm not scared of getting fat."
Lynn nodded, placed the bracelet under a stone, then carved on the rock: "No longer in use, please reclaim, no thanks." She chuckled, "Wonder what face my master will make when she sees this."
Seeing those words, Evan was speechless, imagining his master's expression. He turned to Melody, "Compared to Lynn, you're so much more refined. Lynn's got no image at all." Lynn grinned, "Melody's a noble young lady. I crawled up from the mountains—can't compare!"
"Alright, all done. Let's go," Lynn said. Melody smiled, "You really are bold." Lynn shrugged, "That's how mountain girls survive."
Evan nodded, and the trio set off toward the Meyor Dynasty. This kingdom was famous for its mastery over insects and obsession with monster specimens, leading to a huge temple-like hall full of bizarre creatures. People from all over brought their strangest catches to sell, and Meyor displayed them for all to see. "Oh, I see," Evan said, glancing at the others.
After a few days of travel, they finally arrived in Meyor territory. Just as they lay down to rest, the ground was crawling with insects everywhere. Lynn suggested, "Let's find an inn and try the local dishes." Evan nodded, "Good idea, let's see what Meyor cuisine is like."
"Careful, don't step on these bugs," Lynn warned. "I've heard if you kill one, the whole swarm comes after you. And don't look at those Desert People—they're infamous for violence." Melody whispered, "They say the desert breeds poisonous insects, and Meyor specializes in insect poisons. That's why the two sides formed an alliance."
Evan laughed, "Is that really a thing? What makes those Desert People so special?" Lynn replied, "They're ruthless. Outsiders always lose if they provoke them."
"That's what I've heard. Let's just fly straight over them to Meyor Imperial Capital," Lynn said with a grin. "The desert breeds all sorts of poisonous insects, and Meyor's got the best insect poison arts. No wonder they're allies."
Evan and Melody nodded, and soon they arrived at the city gate. Entering, they saw all sorts of strange-looking people on the main street, some with bizarre insects coiled around their bodies. Evan whispered, "This place really belongs to insects." Lynn grinned, "Compared to your bugs, these are nothing. But Meyor has plenty of powerful ones you haven't seen yet."
"Looks like this world really belongs to the insects," Evan remarked.
"Definitely. But compared to your bugs, these still don't measure up," Lynn said, now that she knew Evan was behind those poison insects.
Evan grinned, "My insects aren't ordinary, of course they're different."
Lynn retorted, "Stop bragging. There are plenty of powerful bugs here—you just haven't seen them yet."
Evan laughed, "Is that so?"
"Of course. Come on, we've been traveling for days. Let's try some of the local specialties," Lynn said, smiling.
Evan and Melody agreed—if you want to understand the capital, you have to start with its food. Perfect chance to check it out.
So the three found an inn, ordered a big table of dishes, and started tasting everything.
Watching Lynn wolf down her food, Evan frowned, "You're a cultivator and you eat that much? Are you really that hungry?"
"Not hungry, just tasty. I've loved eating since I was little," Lynn replied.
Evan said, "Well, I see. Just be careful you don't turn into a fat lady."
Lynn laughed, "Cultivators can have whatever body shape they want. I'm not worried."
Evan grinned, "Look at Melody—she's way more refined than you. Who else would eat like you and have no image at all?"
Lynn replied, "We're not the same. She's a noble lady, and I crawled up from the mountains. Can't compare."
"Oh, so that's how it is," Evan said, smiling knowingly.
At that moment, a group entered from outside, all dressed in wild outfits made from spirit beast hides.
"Don't look at them. They're Desert People—killers who don't blink," Lynn whispered when she saw their outfits.
"Oh? Desert People? What's so special about them?" Evan asked, puzzled.
"The desert breeds all kinds of poisonous insects, and Meyor loves poison bugs, so the two sides naturally formed an alliance. If you get into a dispute with Desert People here, you're the one who loses. That's why locals avoid even looking at them—no one wants to get targeted," Lynn explained.
"Seriously?" Evan laughed.