《Reigning Supreme in countless worlds With Beast taming》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Using the Back Door Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Using the Back Door Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Slap, slap, slap¡­¡± In the courtroom, two government officials wielded ebony-colored paddles, striking hard on the fair buttocks of the man lying on the ground. Since this punishment required undressing, it was clear to see the man¡¯s buttocks quickly reddening with each strike. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The young man lying on the ground cried out in pain as he suddenly endured this harsh punishment. However, the officials seemed indifferent, showing no mercy despite his cries. To these officials, punishing such a licentious criminal who disgraced virtuous women was nothing but deserved. They did not ease their strength but instead used all their might, striking fiercely. Hence, the licentious criminal gritted his teeth and howled in agony. For a moment, his buttocks were a ruined mess, covered in wounds, his cries filling the air, and blood soaked his garments. However, the crowd outside the courtroom cheered each strike, with some men even rolling up their sleeves, eager to personally administer more punishment to show the strength of the men of Kun City. Two frequent visitors of the brothel shook their heads and sighed regretfully. They thought it was a pity to see such a well-rounded buttocks being beaten. In their opinion, the criminal should have been sent to the brothel for a different kind of punishment to truly receive a lesson from the deepest corners of his soul. Qin Feng stood silently among the crowd, watching the weeping criminal without a word. He did not care about the fate of this scourge. He was merely waiting for his father to finish the court session so they could go home together. His father, Qin Long, was the inspector of the Kun City Inspection Bureau, responsible for training armored soldiers, patrolling nearby towns, capturing thieves and maintaining local peace. Because he controlled Kun City¡¯s largest armed force, he held significant authority in the county government. After the officials finished the beating, the county magistrate ordered the near-dead criminal to be thrown into prison, then announced the end of the court session with a strike of the gavel. Qin Long, who had been sitting to the side, stood up, intending to return to the Inspection Bureau to handle some official business. He usually did not need to act as a judge, but since he had personally captured the criminal today, he stayed to hear the verdict. ¡°Father, father¡­¡± Qin Feng stood on tiptoe, raising his hand and calling out. At only fourteen, he was in his adolescent voice-cracking stage. His loud call sounded like a duck¡¯s quack, quickly drawing Qin Long¡¯s attention. Qin Long looked up and smiled, then walked out of the courtroom to his son¡¯s side, saying with a laugh, ¡°Feng¡¯er, why are you not practicing at home? What brings you here?¡± He was over eight feet tall, with a burly and robust physique and a full beard, exuding an air of grandeur. ¡°Father, I¡¯ve opened my spiritual acupoint and can sense nature¡¯s spiritual energy.¡± Qin Feng appeared very excited. After fourteen years of reincarnation, he finally perfected his physical body, returning from the acquired to innate state, and comprehended the wonders of nature¡¯s spiritual energy. Ordinary people, unless they were extraordinarily talented or supported by a powerful family, struggled to open their spiritual acupoint, a hurdle that blocked over ninety percent of people. ¡°Truly?¡± Qin Long was overjoyed upon hearing this. His eyes gleamed as he detected a faint resonance between his son and nature¡¯s spiritual energy, with threads of spiritual energy entering Qin Feng¡¯s body as he practiced his cultivation method. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Qin Long was delighted and laughed heartily, patting his son¡¯s shoulder with his bear-like hands, almost knocking him over. ¡°Good, good, good, my son, you have not disappointed me.¡± Qin Long was pleased. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve opened your spiritual acupoint, I¡¯ll ensure you get a spot in the sect¡¯s selection at the end of the year.¡± ¡°Thank you, father.¡± Qin Feng grimaced and rubbed his sore shoulder, his heart filled with anticipation. If he could enter the sect, he might someday attain immortality. Qin Long was very happy. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. The family head has some spiritual elixirs. I¡¯ll ask for a few for you. The family¡¯s benefits cannot be missed. I¡¯ll also take you to the Scripture Pavilion to choose a suitable spell for cultivation. Over the years, I¡¯ve accumulated a lot of merit, which I¡¯ll exchange for cultivation resources for you. Focus on cultivation for the next few months to advance a level before the year¡¯s end. If you reach the second level of the Qi Refinement Realm, you will not start from the lowest level even if you enter the sect. This will greatly help your future development and save you a lot of cultivation time.¡± ¡°Rest assured, father. I¡¯ll work hard.¡± Qin Feng nodded. The reason he sought his father after sensing spiritual energy was precisely to seek help. Although opening his spiritual acupoints allowed him to absorb nature¡¯s spiritual energy, his cultivation would be slow without the right techniques. The previous techniques he practiced were for strengthening the body and opening spiritual acupoints. They were no longer useful after opening the acupoints. Though he could go to the Scripture Pavilion to receive techniques himself, as a young and non-direct-line descendant, it was better to go with his father, avoiding any subpar technique being handed to him by his third great-uncle, who did not favor their branch. Full of enthusiasm, Qin Long led his son quickly towards the family estate. His own cultivation path had reached its limit, so he placed all his hopes on his son, dreaming of him joining the sect and achieving greater heights. Kun City was small, with only tens of thousands of people and just a few miles in diameter. Father and son soon walked out of the city, heading toward the Qin family¡¯s residence five miles away. As one of the three families controlling Kun City¡¯s livelihood, though the Qin family¡¯s businesses were spread throughout the city, their residence situated on a spiritual vein outside the city. Even a small spiritual vein sufficed for a small family like the Qin Clan. The Qin family had been established in Kun City for centuries. Over the years, their estate, covering dozens of acres, housed hundreds of direct and collateral descendants. Of course, the Qin descendants were more numerous. Most ordinary family members did not live in the ancestral house built on the spiritual vein but in Qin Family Town nearby. ¡°Greetings, Seventh Master!¡± The gate guards greeted Qin Long respectfully. Qin Long ranked seventh among his generation¡¯s cultivators. Though a collateral descendant, his high cultivation made him one of the family¡¯s top three cultivators, along with his position as an inspector. The guards dared not offend him. ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Long responded indifferently, never stopping as he led Qin Feng directly to the Family Head¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Family Head, Master Qin Long is here and requests an audience.¡± A pretty maid, around fifteen or sixteen, reported softly to an elder playing with a leopard. This elder was Qin Guanbao, the Qin family¡¯s Family Head. The Family Head, Qin Guanbao, was 167 years old, with a sixth stage foundation establishment cultivation, making him one of the top foundation establishment cultivators in Kun City. ¡°Let him in.¡± The old Family Head reclined in his chair, without intending to rise, his hand gently stroking the leopard¡¯s smooth fur, fully enjoying his time with the leopard. ¡°¡±¡± This was his lifebound spiritual beast, Shadow Leopard. It was also his greatest reliance in dominating the area within a hundred miles of Kun City. Because the combat power of this Shadow Leopard was much stronger than his own. As a vassal family of the Beast Taming Sect, each generation of the family had members sent to the Beast Taming Sect for advanced training. Qin Guanbao was one such case back in the day; otherwise, even as a vassal of the Beast Taming Sect, the Qin family could not dare to pass on the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s techniques to any clan member. However, he did not have the opportunity to enter the Inner Sect back then, so Qin Guanbao eventually chose to return to the family to branch out and extend the lineage. Well, in that respect, he did quite well! The saying goes that an old tree blooms, becoming increasingly vibrant with age¡­ ahem. In short, the old family master, Qin Guanbao, even now remained quite fond of certain ¡°technical activities,¡± contributing great efforts to the proliferation of the family¡¯s bloodline. Nevertheless, despite his somewhat indulgent private life, he had not forsaken the skills learned at the Beast Taming Sect over the years, for they were the very foundation of a cultivator¡¯s livelihood. After many years of nurturing, the strength of his lifebound spiritual beast, the Shadow Leopard, had grown stronger and stronger. ¡°Yes, I will invite Seventh Master in right away.¡± The pretty maid responded, twisting her slender waist as she walked out. The old family master looked up and glanced at the maid¡¯s perky hips, couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, feeling somewhat incapable of recent efforts. Perhaps he should consider getting some elixirs to replenish his essence and vitality. He was now less than a hundred and seventy years old, with another twenty or thirty years to go before the life-and-death limit of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Such a long time couldn¡¯t be wasted in idleness. Qin Guanbao felt he should find something more meaningful to do. He had heard that recently the Baihua Pavilion in the Commandery had bought a few women from the faraway western barbarians, their chests said to be as large as papayas. Whether it was true or not was unknown. To hear is to doubt, to see is to believe! Without seeing it with his own eyes, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to believe the rumor. Maybe it was just a gimmick released by Baihua Pavilion to lure people in. Humph, the old man had traveled the world and seen much; how could he fall for their trick? But still, should he go and see it with his own eyes? The old family master hesitated. Recently, there didn¡¯t seem to be any excuse to go out! He was, after all, the family head, the highest cultivation presence in the family, who mostly had to stay in the family estate. Frequent outings were not a good thing. At this moment, footsteps sounded, awakening the old family master from his contemplation. Looking up, it was Qin Long bringing his son closer. ¡°Ninth Uncle.¡± Qin Long stopped a few steps away, respectfully saluting Qin Guanbao. Although Qin Guanbao was the family head, the Qin family was just a small clan in a remote area, without so many formalities. Usually, everyone addressed each other by seniority. And among his generation, Qin Guanbao was relatively young, ranked ninth, but because of his highest Dao cultivation and being a direct descendant, he naturally took over the position of family head after reaching Foundation Establishment. ¡°Greetings, Ninth Grandpa.¡± Qin Feng also obediently saluted. Since childhood, he was very well-behaved, rarely causing trouble for adults, thus beloved by the elders of the family. However, ever since he learned about cultivation and the path to becoming an immortal, he devoted all his energy to cultivation, not fond of playing with other children of his age, making him seem quite solitary. ¡°Old Seven, you¡¯re here, have a seat.¡± Qin Guanbao¡¯s hand still rested on his beloved black leopard, he just pointed to the stone stool beside with his chin. Then he smiled and said, ¡°What brings you here today, and you¡¯ve brought your son with you too? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ninth Uncle, it¡¯s like this.¡± Qin Long had an uncontrollable smile on his face. ¡°My son has opened his spiritual acupoints today and can start cultivating. So, I thought to come and ask you for some elixir pills to speed up Feng¡¯er¡¯s cultivation, so as not to delay the sect¡¯s selection at the end of the year.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Guanbao was slightly taken aback, looking at Qin Feng, and soon nodded approvingly. ¡°Not bad. This kid has indeed opened his spiritual acupoints. At the end of the year, six children in the family will be vying for two spots. It seems our Qin family will be lively this year.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Qin Long chuckled softly, knowing the family master¡¯s implication. Initially, there were five suitable youths in the family at the Qi Refinement Realm, and now with his son, the total came to six. But the family could only afford to send two people to the sect in each generation. One was because the sect had a quota restriction, and secondly, too many clan members sent would drain the family¡¯s resources. Although once entered into the outer sect of the Beast Taming Sect, all disciples were treated equally, it didn¡¯t mean that all outer sect disciples started at the same point. Larger families could provide more cultivation resources to help their children enter the Inner Sect, a privilege common disciples without backing couldn¡¯t compare to. However, the Qin family was just a small family; for the clan members to make a name in the outer sect of Beast Taming Sect, they couldn¡¯t rely on themselves alone¡ªthey needed family support. If some could luckily enter the Inner Sect, the family¡¯s future would become prosperous. Unfortunately, the Beast Taming Sect only admitted a limited number of disciples to the Inner Sect each year. With so many contenders, it was hard for a small family like the Qin family to have a chance. Even if unable to enter the Inner Sect, there were still chances to rise in the outer sect. Just like the old family master Qin Guanbao. In those days, he had succeeded in reaching the Foundation Establishment in the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s outer sect and even held the position of outer sect Deacon for a time. But later, for the family¡¯s development, he had to return and take the position of clan leader. Since the spiritual field of the Qin family yielded limited resources, they couldn¡¯t support too many clan members in their sect cultivation, thus limiting the support to only two people per generation to join the Beast Taming Sect. Moreover, the family itself needed to develop. If all the clan members were sent to the sect, wouldn¡¯t that sever the family¡¯s lineage? ¡°Having Feng¡¯er join the sect has been my long-cherished wish for years.¡± Qin Long¡¯s tone was resolute. ¡°This time, I will not back down.¡± ¡°Alas¡­¡± The old family master sighed lightly. ¡°Very well, you¡¯ve contributed much to the family over the years, I certainly won¡¯t hinder your aspiration. However, the other children in the family surely have similar desires. At that time, let them compete fairly.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Qin Long said, ¡°I didn¡¯t come to the family master for back-door favoritism.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Hearing this, the old family master couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief, as long as there was no calling in a favor for an unfair advantage. ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Eye-Opening Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Eye-Opening Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Guanbao also felt a bit helpless. He had been in charge of the family for nearly a hundred years, and every time at this moment, some family members would come to him, trying to gain some support and guarantees, which greatly annoyed him. How could he give such guarantees? As the Family Head, even if he couldn¡¯t treat everyone exactly equally, he couldn¡¯t blatantly help a particular junior, or else he would lose his authority. Once the people¡¯s hearts were dispersed, it would be difficult to lead the team, which in the long run would not benefit the family¡¯s development. The Qin Family sent their juniors to the Beast Taming Sect to use the Sect¡¯s power to cultivate more outstanding disciples, rather than wasting resources. If a mediocre person was sent to the Sect, not only would it waste a spot, but it would also consume a lot of the family¡¯s resources. A mediocre person could not bring much return to the family, so what was the point of sending them to the Sect? If the juniors from each branch were indeed excellent, they could pass the assessment and stand out among many disciples without needing his help. Besides, when had it ever been someone else¡¯s turn to use his backdoor? And what were those people who wanted to use his backdoor offering? Just some ordinary spiritual wine and magic artifacts, or some ordinary spiritual materials containing spiritual energy. Did the Family Head of the Qin Family lack such things? If they wanted to treat him to spiritual wine, they could go directly to the Baihua Pavilion in the Commandery. If it were at the Baihua Pavilion, he might actually have agreed when he was in high spirits. But at home, such tricks were useless. Qin Guanbao looked at Qin Long, signaling for him to speak. After all, this guy had a stubborn personality, never visiting places of debauchery, let alone inviting such a senior to go along. ¡°I came to the Family Head to ask for some spirit pills to speed up my son¡¯s cultivation, hoping to advance further by the end of the year.¡± Qin Long smiled, ¡°In this way, even if he joins the Sect, he wouldn¡¯t be at the lowest level of cultivation, which would greatly benefit his future growth!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The Old Family Master smiled slightly; this was no big deal. He asked, ¡°What pills do you want? I remember there are a few bottles of Qi Gathering Pills in the storeroom. Why not take them all? Maybe they will help your son break through to the second level of Qi Refining by the end of the year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡± Qin Long said, ¡°I also need two bottles of Yellow Bud Pills, one Breaking Barrier Pill, one Essence Yuan Pill, one Soul Nourishing Pill, Marrow Cleansing Liquid, one Bone Strengthening Pill, one Enchanting Fragrance, one Middle Grade Sealing Spirit Talisman, one Soul Shaking Talisman, and one Spiritual Beast Bag.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The Old Family Master was stunned for a moment, then sat up straight, a bit surprised, ¡°Why do you need so many things at once? The Qi Gathering Pills are fine, but the Yellow Bud Pills are used only by those in the middle stage of Qi Refining. Your son doesn¡¯t need them yet. The Breaking Barrier Pill is for the boy to advance to the middle stage of Qi Refining, which is understandable. But the Essence Yuan Pill, Soul Nourishing Pill, Enchanting Fragrance, Sealing Spirit Talisman, you¡¯re thinking way ahead. He hasn¡¯t even been confirmed to enter the Sect, and you¡¯re already considering helping him tame his lifebound beast. Those things are one thing, but the Marrow Cleansing Liquid and Bone Strengthening Pill are not cheap. Do you really want me to exchange them for you?¡± He advised, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for you to accumulate some merits over the years. Using so many at once, don¡¯t you want to heal your injuries?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I can recover anyway.¡± Qin Long smiled faintly, ¡°Rather than wasting it on me, it¡¯s better to pave the way for my son, so he can go further in the future, unlike me, who had to leave the Sect in disgrace.¡± The Old Family Master sighed in his heart at these words but didn¡¯t persuade him further, ¡°Alright, in that case, I¡¯ll go to Tieling County for you later.¡± Kun City was just a small, remote town. Besides the Qin Family, there were only two other cultivator families, the Wang Family in the west of the city and the Huang Family in the north. In such a small town, there were just these three small families stationed, without many special products. Naturally, it was not worthy for cultivators to stop by, so if they wanted to buy things, they had to go to the cultivator market in the Commandery. And for a family attached to the Beast Taming Sect like the Qin Family, if they bought things from shops run by the Beast Taming Sect, they might not get much discount, but at least they wouldn¡¯t be scammed and could get a relatively fair price, which was already quite good. There were many cases of fake goods in the cultivation world. If they were deceived with fake items, they could only blame themselves for being unlucky. Qin Long nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Ninth Uncle. I¡¯ll go to the Scripture Pavilion to pick a spell for Feng first, and then I¡¯ll collect the pills from the storeroom.¡± ¡°Hmm, go ahead.¡± Qin Guanbao waved his hand, indicating the father and son to be at their own ease and then placed his palm on the black panther beside him. However, as soon as Qin Long and his son left, he felt a bit restless. He had been thinking about not finding an excuse to leave the family, and an opportunity had just presented itself. The pills and resources Qin Long requested were not all available in the family and had to be bought in the Commandery. Sigh! The Old Family Master let out a long sigh. It was fate. He had intended to stay quietly at home, but Qin Long had to come to him. Reaching down to touch the storage bag at his waist, it seemed that the Spirit Stones he had painstakingly saved up were going to leave him again. The Baihua Pavilion, he hadn¡¯t been there for nearly a year. He wondered if Miss Fuxiang still remembered him. Miss Fuxiang, born from an alien race, had a natural fragrance that left a lasting impression. And there was Miss Xianglan, Miss Xiangjun, and Mei Ruoxue from the Plum Garden. As the saying went, ¡°A single red among the snowy plum blossoms.¡± Her name matched her perfectly, a true beauty. He had missed them for quite some time. The Family Head couldn¡¯t sit still, got up, paced back and forth, and finally made up his mind to arrange the family¡¯s affairs in the next few days and then go to the Commandery, taking the opportunity to visit his beloved ladies. He wondered how big the papayas from the Western Regions were? The Old Master had roamed widely throughout his life, seeing much of the world, but he had never been to the faraway Western Regions. This time, he planned to see it for himself, to broaden his horizons. ¡­¡­ The Scripture Pavilion was actually just a small attic for storing various books. The Qin Family was just a small family, and the cultivation methods they collected were not particularly outstanding. So, although there were some prohibition techniques arranged on the second floor, the supervision was not strict. The first floor was visited daily by family members, coming and going, reading various books. However, since it was a place of family heritage, it was still guarded by an elder from the family, watching over the Scripture Pavilion¡¯s secret books. This elder was Third Uncle, as mentioned by Qin Feng, also a cultivator at the second level of Foundation Establishment. But unlike Family Head Qin Guanbao, he didn¡¯t get the chance to go to the Beast Taming Sect back in the day, so he didn¡¯t cultivate the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s techniques and didn¡¯t have a spiritual beast accompanying him. His strength was far less than that of the Family Head, and even a bit inferior to Qin Long. This was the greatest regret of Third Uncle¡¯s life. Later, his son had not competed well against Qin Long and had to cultivate at home. Now, his grandson finally had a chance, but Qin Long¡¯s son had opened his spiritual acupoint too. By the end of the year, their families might have to compete once more. Third Uncle¡¯s expression darkened. Although his grandson was a year older than Qin Feng, he had not opened his spiritual acupoint much earlier than Qin Feng, just a month ago. In such a short time, his grandson might not necessarily be able to surpass this youngster Qin Yang. However, since Qin Long had personally come, even if he felt a bit uncomfortable, he couldn¡¯t say anything. He directly opened the prohibition on the second floor, allowing the father and son to pick the cultivation methods. In fact, the family didn¡¯t hide anything about the juniors¡¯ cultivation. They even hoped the juniors¡¯ techniques were as strong as possible. It just depended on their choices. If they believed they had a chance to join the Sect, they could choose an attribute-less technique to cultivate. After entering the Beast Taming Sect, switching to the Sect¡¯s techniques would be more straightforward. If they didn¡¯t think they could compete with others, or didn¡¯t want to suffer as an outer disciple in the Beast Taming Sect and preferred to live a carefree life in the family, they could choose techniques that suited their desires. Among the family¡¯s collection, besides the Five Elements Technique, there were a few other decent methods. Although not particularly rare in the cultivation world, they were much more powerful than attribute-less techniques. Qin Long took his son to the second floor to pick a cultivation method, but Third Uncle didn¡¯t follow. They were family, and with Qin Long¡¯s status, he wouldn¡¯t secretly take a few methods. There was no need, as Qin Long practiced techniques taught to outer disciples by the Beast Taming Sect, which were far superior to those in the family¡¯s collection. On the second floor, Qin Feng curiously looked around. It was his first time there. In fact, most family members never had the chance to visit because not everyone could open their spiritual acupoint. Those who did after adulthood were deemed of low talent, with limited future potential, even if they cultivated. Though the family didn¡¯t abandon such individuals and taught them cultivation techniques, they could only help manage the cultivation of various spiritual objects in the family¡¯s fields. Examining the second floor carefully, Qin Feng was greatly disappointed. The place was almost empty, except for two bookshelves and a few chairs. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± Qin Long chuckled, ¡°Our Qin Family is weak, with few accumulated techniques over the years. We have a dozen or so, but they are quite ordinary, not precious. That¡¯s why I want to send you to the Sect, so you don¡¯t waste your life here, managing a few fields like other family members.¡± Qin Feng nodded. He understood his father¡¯s deep affection, so he had been diligent in cultivation and learning other knowledge over the years. P.S.: The kitchen god¡¯s book has not finished yet. There will be one chapter of the beast for now, and double chapters next week. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Evil Cultivators Malice Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Evil Cultivator¡¯s Malice Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Scripture Pavilion. Qin Feng, under his father¡¯s explanation, quickly gained a general understanding of the family¡¯s collection of cultivation techniques. In the end, excluding those techniques that were incompatible with the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s methods, there were six cultivation techniques laid out in front of him. They were respectively ¡°Five Spirit Nourishing God Technique,¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Heart Technique,¡± ¡°Mistaken Cloud Smoke,¡± ¡°Jiyue Qingfeng Mingxin Spell,¡± ¡°Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill,¡± and ¡°Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique.¡± ¡°The ¡®Five Spirit Nourishing God Technique¡¯ nurtures the divine soul through the origin of the five internal organs. This is a cultivation technique for divine sense, which can extend your divine sense range to twice that of ordinary techniques. The divine sense has many uses and infinite benefits. The simplest advantage is that if your divine sense is strong, you can avoid many dangers in advance. However, this technique doesn¡¯t cultivate powerful True Yuan, particularly since a large part of the practice is used to nurture the divine soul through the origin of the five internal organs, so its combat capabilities are weak.¡± Qin Long elaborated: ¡°As for this ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Heart Technique,¡¯ it is a technique for illusion training, focusing mainly on illusionary transformations. When spells are cast, they resemble flowers in a mirror or the moon in water, appearing real yet illusionary, and varied in form. ¡®The Mistaken Cloud Smoke¡¯ cultivates True Yuan that resembles cloud smoke, light and nimble, elusive, with spells that are flexible and versatile. ¡®The Jiyue Qingfeng Mingxin Spell¡¯ is the easiest technique to cultivate. By fully investing your spirit in the spell and reciting it once, it¡¯s equivalent to completing one circulation. This spell clears the mind, making it difficult for heart demons to form. If one is fearless, it can drive away all evil aura. The ¡®Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill¡¯ involves visualizing dragons and tigers returning to their origin, allowing you to condense dragon and tiger illusions to protect against enemies. This spell is quite powerful, and its power can increase with your cultivation.¡± Qin Long cheerfully indicated the last cultivation technique and said: ¡°The ¡®Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique¡¯ was passed down from a great sect, the Primordial Chaos Sect, ten thousand years ago. It is well-known among loose cultivators. However, this technique requires repeatedly refining the absorbed spiritual energy nine times before finally condensing it into pure Primordial Chaos True Qi. This foundation is the most solid. This cultivation technique is only suitable for those with a calm temperament and great perseverance. Ordinary people struggle to persist to the end and often give up halfway due to slow cultivation speed.¡± Finally, Qin Long looked at his son and said, ¡°I have explained these techniques clearly for you. Which one you choose to cultivate is entirely up to you. Remember, these are only for laying your foundation. Once you join the Beast Taming Sect, the sect will naturally teach you more advanced techniques. Even if you don¡¯t manage to join the sect eventually, these techniques will have to be abandoned, except for the ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Heart Technique,¡¯ as the rest do not have cultivation methods beyond the Foundation Establishment stage.¡± Qin Feng nodded in understanding. He understood that although these techniques seemed quite good, it was clear his father didn¡¯t think much of them. It made sense, considering that the techniques collected by the Qin Family wouldn¡¯t be all that profound. In the Qi Refinement stage, the most powerful among them was probably the ¡®Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique,¡¯ since it came from a great sect. He observed the few techniques carefully before finally choosing the ¡®Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to cultivate the ¡®Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique.¡¯ Although this technique could help him lay a firmer foundation, it consumed too much spiritual energy, and there were only a little more than six months left until the family¡¯s assessment at the end of the year. By then, he needed to compete with other family disciples for a spot in the sect. Cultivating the ¡®Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique¡¯ meant he might fall behind in cultivation and fail the selection. ¡°Good.¡± Qin Long, seeing him choose the ¡®Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill,¡¯ nodded in satisfaction. After all, his son knew how to make choices, which was commendable. If he had chosen the ¡®Nine Revolutions Mixed Element Technique,¡¯ it would have required a significantly higher consumption of spiritual energy. Although it would lay a thick foundation, gaining entrance into the sect was the priority now. After joining the sect, he would change techniques anyway, so there was no need to be overly concerned. Qin Long then went into detailed explanations of the ¡®Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill¡¯ for Qin Feng. He would repeat the explanations if his son had any confusion to ensure there would be no difficulties in cultivation. Subsequently, Qin Long went to the ancestral hall to have the family elder record Qin Feng¡¯s name in the family registry. This registry was different from that of the ordinary family members, specifically used to record the Qin Family¡¯s cultivators. In Qin Feng¡¯s generation, he was the eleventh to open his Spiritual Acupoint and begin cultivation, thus ranking as the eleventh. Of course, if there were elder peers who opened their acupoints later than him, he would still need to address them as older brothers. For the subsequent period, Qin Feng diligently cultivated at home. Though the ¡®Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill¡¯ wasn¡¯t an exceptional technique, its most powerful aspect upon reaching Great Success was its ability to manifest dragon and tiger illusions. Compared to the cultivation methods Qin Feng practiced before opening his Spiritual Acupoint, it was far superior. Once the technique was in motion, he could feel strands of spiritual energy flowing into his body through the Spiritual Acupoint, circulating through his meridians, and transforming into his True Yuan. Additionally, with the Qi Gathering Pill his father obtained from the family¡¯s storeroom, his cultivation speed increased significantly. Despite the limited time each day for cultivation and the restriction on consuming too many pills, ingesting a Qi Gathering Pill every three days sped up his cultivation pace compared to without the elixir pills by threefold, meaning his overall cultivation speed was more than doubled. Of course, this was mainly because he was in the early stage of cultivation, thus his progress was so noticeable. Once his cultivation reached a certain level, it would be hard to maintain this speed of cultivation. Under the guidance of his father, Qin Feng had also gained a preliminary understanding of the two basic spells of the ¡°Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill.¡± He could barely condense a cloud of dragon-shaped qi and a wind of tiger-shaped qi to attack enemies, which had some power. This day, Qin Feng finished his cultivation and sat in his room, deep in thought. He was not thinking about cultivation, but rather he sensed that his father seemed to be in an unusual mood these days. Qin Long¡¯s face had been gloomy these days. Every day after returning home from the county office, though he forced a smile, he often stayed alone in his study, preoccupied with something unknown. Later, Qin Feng heard from several servants in the residence that there had been a few murder cases in Kun City recently. If it were just ordinary murder cases, Kun City, though not large, experienced a few cases every year, so it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. The key was that these recent murder cases were too brutal and malicious, with the perpetrator specifically targeting pregnant women, gruesomely extracting the fetuses from their wombs. The scenes were frightening and blood-curdling, sparking fear and fury among the people. One case might be a vengeance from enemies of a particular family, but there were murders every day for several days in a row, with each case involving different families with no connections between them. This indicated that someone was practicing an evil cultivation technique, deliberately harming pregnant women to seize premature fetuses. For a time, rumors spread within and outside Kun City, enveloping the entire city in a layer of fear. Families with pregnant women were particularly panicked, dreading to fall victim to the evil cultivator. As the Inspector of Kun City, Qin Long inevitably got dragged into this major case as the county officials were incapable of solving it. Qin Long was troubled these days because of this case. The evil cultivator hiding in the shadows was extremely malicious, targeting women for some unknown cultivation technique. Because the case made no progress for several days, the County Magistrate could no longer bear the pressure and immediately reported to the Commandery, requesting the Commandery to dispatch experts for assistance. The government also offered a substantial reward of spirit stones, seeking help from various cultivators to solve the case and capture the cruel evil cultivator, lest the entire populace of Kun City should flee. The efficiency of the Commandery was commendable, and they dispatched a high-level Foundation Establishment cultivator to assist in the investigation that very day. With the arrival of the expert from the Commandery, the entire Kun City seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief, and there had been no incidents involving women for the past two or three days. Moreover, many loose cultivators and disciples of small families came to the city recently for training or to gain some experience, or for the reward of spirit stones. Thus, Kun City became busier than usual. Even the citizens of Kun City gradually became more active again. Although the evil cultivator hadn¡¯t been caught, many believed that the malicious person must be hiding away, afraid to show himself, or perhaps had fled far away. After all, Kun City now gathered so many cultivators that any reckless move by the juvenile warrior would likely provoke a collective attack. This matter didn¡¯t require Qin Feng¡¯s help, as he was just a youngster with shallow cultivation. Besides, there had been no more murders after three days, so Qin Long¡¯s mood also improved. If there were further instances of unborn fetuses being taken by a killer, it would bring him enormous pressure. This day, Qin Feng got up and walked out of the house. After staying home for cultivation for such a long time, he felt somewhat bored and decided to stroll around the city. Although the evil cultivator caused commotion in Kun City, he didn¡¯t target men, so Qin Feng shouldn¡¯t be in much danger. Recently, many cultivators had come to Kun City, and the three major local families took this opportunity to sell their own spiritual objects at several city shops to exchange goods with those external cultivators. Qin Feng intended to take a look and see what was special about these outside cultivators. After all, he didn¡¯t plan to cause trouble. The three families including the Qin Family knew that their strength was not formidable, so they naturally wouldn¡¯t act arrogantly to avoid offending the visiting cultivators, causing an irreparable situation. If trouble ensued, the outsiders would leave without a care, but the three families still needed to live in Kun City. The city had regained its usual bustling atmosphere, and with a few exceptions of occasional suona sounds, it seemed little different from the past. However, one could often see groups of cultivators walking through the streets, some searching for the evil cultivator¡¯s traces, others wandering through the mountains and forests outside Kun City looking for signs of the evil cultivator. While these out-of-town cultivators searched for the evil cultivator, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t stop staring at them. The cultivators varied in appearance, cultivation techniques, and attire, with some wearing bizarre clothes, making him feel curious. At this moment, a commotion erupted ahead. Qin Feng looked up and saw a crowd gathered in front of a shop, engaged in some activity. He walked over, squeezed into the crowd, glanced inside, and was stunned. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Sloppy Daoist Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Sloppy Daoist Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation At the entrance of the crowd-gathering store stood a sloppy Daoist in a black robe, being held back by the shopkeeper. ¡°This shop is a small business, no credit is extended. Daoist, please pay before you leave.¡± The Daoist, with his grizzled hair and face full of wrinkles, looked at the shopkeeper and laughed, ¡°Why be so stingy, benefactor? It¡¯s just one meal. There¡¯s no need to be so petty. I didn¡¯t bring any money, why don¡¯t I give you this Spirit Talisman in exchange for the meal?¡± As he spoke, the old Daoist took out a crumpled piece of talisman paper from his waist with his chicken claw-like hand. The paper was full of incomprehensible markings, resembling ghost scribbles. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± The shopkeeper, upon hearing the Daoist¡¯s words and looking at the crumpled yellow talisman paper, shook his head immediately, ¡°Daoist, please keep that talisman for yourself. Our shop can¡¯t afford to offer such things as offerings. It¡¯s not that I am being petty. If you had eaten just some vegetarian dishes and noodles, I wouldn¡¯t have quibbled with you. But you ate several large fish and drank two jars of old wine. If every customer were like you, I couldn¡¯t keep the shop open.¡± ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± The old Daoist glanced at the crowd, noticing that several young cultivators, who seemed curious and inexperienced, were also watching with interest. He sighed and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t have any silver taels on me. How about this, bring me a basin of water, and I will transform the fish I ate back for you.¡± ¡°Nonsense, the fish is already eaten, how can you transform them back?¡± The shopkeeper was incredulous, ¡°Let me tell you, we have cultivators in Kun City too. We have seen spells before. Don¡¯t try to fool me with an eye-blocking technique, or I will report to the authorities and have them break your evil technique.¡± ¡°Hehe, ignorant man, how can you understand the wonders of my spells?¡± The old Daoist lightly laughed, not bothering to argue with the shopkeeper, but urged him to bring a basin of water. The shopkeeper, doubtful, signaled to the shop assistant. Soon, the assistant brought out a large wooden basin, filled more than halfway with clear water. The Daoist freed himself from the shopkeeper¡¯s grip, and with a swift motion drew out a treasured sword from his waist, startling both the shopkeeper and the assistant. ¡°You, you, you¡­ what do you intend to do?¡± The plump shopkeeper trembled, thinking that the Daoist might be intending to commit violence. He looked at the sword in the Daoist¡¯s hand, about two feet long, its azure blade like an autumn pond, radiating a chill that made the surrounding air drop several degrees, as if it were the depths of winter. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, watch me perform my spell!¡± As the Daoist spoke, he waved his sword, and the fish bones and spines from a nearby table, cleaned to the bone, flew into the basin of water. Then he dipped the barely glowing green sword into the water and started stirring it in one direction. While the onlookers watched in puzzlement, a splash was heard, and water splashed from the basin. The crowd craned their necks to see that the bones, which were merely fish spines in the basin, had turned into live fish, each one lively and jumping. ¡°This¡­¡± The shopkeeper wiped the water splashes from his face with his sleeve, and then cautiously poked at the fish in the basin. They felt real, indeed large grass carps, not an illusion by the Daoist. In the crowd, Qin Feng smiled faintly. Clearly, the old Daoist had used some transportation method to move the fish from another place. As for reviving cooked fish down to the bones, even if such a method existed, it wouldn¡¯t appear in a small place like Kun City. Even the method of reviving the dead requires some life in the bones. Fish bones that had been stewed soft and aromatic wouldn¡¯t possibly regrow flesh. ¡°Daoist, your spell is marvelous, I am impressed.¡± Another group of young men came forward, bowing to the Daoist. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The Black Robed Taoist lightly smiled, sheathing his sword, and returned the salute, ¡°Pardon my display, I am indeed penniless and had to show off a bit. I am Sage Ling Yun, may I ask your names?¡± ¡°We are from the Zhao Family of Tieling County. I am Zhao Jinglei, and these are my clan brothers¡­¡± As the leading youth introduced them, Qin Feng¡¯s eyes lit up. Unexpectedly, this youth was from the Zhao Family of Tieling County. The Zhao Family was the foremost family in Tieling County, with immense power, and reputedly had an old clan leader at the Golden Core Peak. They weren¡¯t comparable to a small family like the Qin Family of Kun City. These youths, bored in the county, wanted to venture out and heard of the case in Kun City. Numerous cultivators had come to investigate. New to the world and possessing some skills, they decided to visit Kun City to solve the case, hoping to prove to their elders that they weren¡¯t all playful heirs but had some ability. ¡°Ah, Young Master Zhao. No wonder your group has an extraordinary aura, truly from a great family.¡± Sage Ling Yun¡¯s flattering words made the inexperienced young men beam with pride. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of the Zhao Family¡¯s old clan leader¡¯s profound cultivation. It is said he is nearing a breakthrough to the Purple Mansion Realm, which is truly enviable.¡± ¡°Ling Yun, your news is outdated.¡± Zhao Jinglei, with a feigned modest expression, said, ¡°My ancestor started his seclusion months ago. Unless something unexpected happens, when he emerges in a few years, our family will have a Purple Mansion cultivator. Hmph, then I¡¯d like to see how that Fan Family brat dares to compete with me!¡± ¡°Ah? The old clan leader of the Zhao Family has already started his retreat?¡± Sage Ling Yun quickly bowed, ¡°It seems congratulations are in order for Young Master Zhao. From now on, Tieling County¡¯s great families will undoubtedly be led by the Zhao Family. I shall count on Young Master Zhao when visiting Tieling County in the future.¡± ¡°No problem, no problem.¡± Zhao Jinglei said with satisfaction, ¡°Ling Yun, you must be here in Kun City to investigate the case too. Have you found any clues? ¡°We¡¯ve been here for two days and haven¡¯t found anything. If we just go back like this, it would really be unsatisfying.¡± ¡°Is that so!¡± Sage Ling Yun looked around. Qin Feng saw his sneaky demeanor and quickly hid behind one of the men before he could be seen. Being young and not fully grown, he easily blended behind the man without leaving a trace. The old Taoist saw that besides these few young nobles, there were no other cultivators in the crowd and finally felt relieved. He then mysteriously approached the young men, lowered his voice, and said, ¡°Speaking of clues, I do have one.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The young men were overjoyed: ¡°Daoist, quickly tell us! If we do catch that Evil Cultivator, we won¡¯t be greedy for the reward. All the bounty will be yours; just let us take the credit for capturing him.¡± ¡°In that case, I thank you.¡± Sage Ling Yun smiled even wider: ¡°When I first arrived, I noticed something unusual ten miles west of the city. However, I was worried about my own strength. What if that Evil Cultivator killed me? That would be terrible. So, I didn¡¯t act alone and wanted to find some like-minded Daoist fellows to help.¡± ¡°Young Master Zhao, if you are willing to assist, catching that Evil Cultivator would be a piece of cake. Once you capture him, your name will surely be known throughout Commandery.¡± Hearing this, Young Master Zhao beamed with joy. ¡°No problem, no problem.¡± Zhao Jinglei smiled as if he had already captured the Evil Cultivator. He was already planning how to boast about his skills to the girls at Baihua Pavilion once he returned to the Commandery. ¡°As long as we catch that Evil Cultivator, I¡¯ll take Sage Ling Yun to tour the Commandery at my expense.¡± ¡°Wow, Young Master Zhao, how generous.¡± Sage Ling Yun smiled flatteringly, gesturing for Young Master Zhao and his companions to follow him. Qin Feng watched their backs, deep in thought. He felt that this old Taoist named Ling Yun was likely a swindler, trying to deceive these young nobles. Only these inexperienced young nobles could fall for such a trick. Although Qin Feng had little experience in the cultivation world, he had memories from a past life, making it unwise to treat him as an ordinary young man. He hadn¡¯t experienced con tricks firsthand but had seen some clever schemes. There was no such thing as a free lunch. If something seemingly too good to be true appeared, it was likely a trap. Falling into such a trap could result in significant loss. But Sage Ling Yun was quite daring to scam the Zhao family youths from Tieling. Was he not afraid of Zhao Family¡¯s retribution afterward? Or maybe he was a wanderer who, after tricking Zhao Jinglei and his party, would simply vanish. If that were the case, the Zhao Family might not be able to catch him. Though powerful, the Zhao Family¡¯s influence was mainly within Tieling County. Outside Tieling, they weren¡¯t considered a great force. Qin Feng let the matter go. Whether it was Sage Ling Yun or those young Zhao Family members, their cultivation was above his. These matters were beyond what a beginner like him could handle. If he messed up Sage Ling Yun¡¯s plans, the old Taoist might retaliate. His small physique couldn¡¯t endure an attack from that sharp sword. Qin Feng mingled with the dispersing crowd, wandering around the city for half a day, encountering many cultivators but witnessing nothing remarkable. After all, most cultivators valued their status and didn¡¯t want to be laughed at by ordinary people. In the evening, Qin Long returned home with a stern face, which startled Qin Feng. There had been no new incidents, so Qin Long had resumed his normal demeanor. Why was he so grim today? ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t they say that Evil Cultivator was no longer daring to commit crimes? Besides, with the senior sent from the Commandery aiding us, even if the Evil Cultivator escapes, it wouldn¡¯t be your responsibility. What are you worried about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Qin Long frowned: ¡°Though no more pregnant women were harmed these past days, some cultivators were killed.¡± ¡°Cultivators?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Qin Long said solemnly, ¡°Actually, since two days ago, cultivators started getting killed. But because the places were hidden and the bodies buried, we only discovered this due to the many roaming cultivators in Kun City.¡± ¡°If these deaths were not noticed by these wandering cultivators, we wouldn¡¯t have known about this.¡± ¡°This matter is spreading among a few cultivators and has not reached the common people yet, avoiding public unrest.¡± At this point, Qin Long looked at his son and continued: ¡°Until the Evil Cultivator is captured, you should not go out. Although you have no valuable magic artifacts or Spirit Stones, the Evil Cultivator might just want to kill for their sinister cultivation.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± Qin Feng was shocked. It seemed staying home would indeed be safest. ¡°Hmph!¡± Qin Long¡¯s anger was evident: ¡°That Evil Cultivator hides among the recently arrived cultivators in Kun City. He¡¯s adept at disguise, changing his appearance and eluding us.¡± ¡°Before those killed cultivators met their fate, they were deceived into going somewhere by sweet words. That¡¯s likely why they lost their lives.¡± ¡°It¡¯s greedy and foolish. For the government bounty, they believed lies too easily.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Hearing this, Qin Feng thought back to what he saw in the city earlier that day. ¡°Dad.¡± He swallowed nervously: ¡°I might have found that Evil Cultivator!¡± Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Green-Eyed Spirit Snake Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Green-Eyed Spirit Snake Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°What did you say?¡± Qin Long was startled, ¡°You discovered the whereabouts of that Evil Cultivator?¡± His robust face showed a few traces of bewilderment. So many cultivators had searched Kun City inside and out without finding anything unusual, but his own son claimed to have discovered that Evil Cultivator. ¡°Yes, father.¡± Qin Feng hurriedly recounted the scene he saw during the day in front of a shop. Qin Long¡¯s expression changed drastically, ¡°A Zhao family disciple? That Evil Cultivator is so bold, daring to target even the Zhao family?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Zhao Jinglei. He is a genius from the direct lineage of the Zhao family with exceptional talent. Despite his young age, he already possessed late-stage Qi Cultivation, highly regarded by the Zhao family, who intended to cultivate him diligently so he could enter the inner sect of the Beast Taming Sect. Why would he come to Kun City instead of focusing on cultivation within his clan?¡± The Zhao family was also one of the affiliated families of the Beast Taming Sect, but they were hundreds of times more powerful than the Qin family. If Zhao Jinglei got into trouble in Kun City, even if it had nothing to do with their Qin family, it might still be used as a pretext to make things difficult for them in the future. Especially since his own son was to join the outer sect of the Beast Taming Sect this year. If he were intentionally targeted by the Zhao family, it would significantly impact his future within the sect. Qin Long cursed silently and pulled Qin Feng along as he walked out. Exiting the room, Qin Long wasted no time. He tapped his waist, summoning a Green-Eyed Spirit Snake several feet long. The snake was enormous, its coiled body larger than the rockery in the yard, its head raised above the roof, and its tongue flicked out several feet away. Its green, vertical pupils emitted a chilling, cold light, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. This was Qin Long¡¯s spiritual beast, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. The snake was born with extraordinary vision, able to see through illusions and peer into the netherworld. Besides that, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake itself was not weak, and its venom was equally potent. Qin Long had also joined the outer sect of the Beast Taming Sect in his early years, where he learned the Beast Taming Technique. The giant snake was one of the spiritual beasts he had meticulously cultivated, possessing early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Qin Long pulled his son, and the two stood on the back of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. At his command, a demonic wind rose around the snake, propelling it into the air, flying towards Kun City. ¡°I hope that Zhao family disciple is still alive, or we will be in big trouble.¡± In mid-air, Qin Long muttered to himself. ¡°Even if something happened, it has nothing to do with us, right? We weren¡¯t the ones who did it?¡± Qin Feng asked, puzzled. ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Qin Long glanced back at his son, ¡°Some people won¡¯t reason with you. They only believe in strength. When they become powerful, they can do as they please. If Zhao Jinglei were to die in Kun City, even if the Zhao family disciples didn¡¯t specifically target you, their followers might misinterpret their intentions and oppress you to please them. Although our Qin family is not an affiliate of the Zhao family, Kun City is under the jurisdiction of Tieling County, so it¡¯s inevitable we¡¯ll have to deal with them. If you encounter Zhao family disciples in the sect in the future, remember never to provoke them lightly.¡± ¡°I understand, father.¡± Qin Feng agreed verbally but frowned inwardly, surprising him that such phenomena existed in the cultivation world. But upon reflection, it made sense. Everyone has their own desires. Entering the cultivation path doesn¡¯t make one a saint devoid of self-interest. Conflicts are inevitable. Thinking of this, he silently prayed that Zhao Jinglei would be safe and sound. Unfortunately, he knew the chances were slim. After all, half a day had already passed. If that Black Robed Taoist were indeed the hidden Evil Cultivator, Zhao Jinglei would likely have already met his end. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s speed was exceptionally fast, flying into Kun City in no time. Generally, cultivators were not allowed to fly within the city, but Qin Long was an exception. With his status as the city inspector of Kun City, the gate guards recognized him and did not obstruct him, allowing him to head straight for the county government. Arriving outside the county government, Qin Long dismounted from the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, waved to retract it, and commanded, ¡°Someone, gather all personnel from the Inspection Department immediately and follow me to capture the target. Also, go to the courier station and invite Lord Li from the Commandery. Tell him I¡¯ve discovered the whereabouts of the Evil Cultivator. Please come over to help catch him.¡± Upon hearing Qin Long¡¯s orders, the government officials on duty at the office did not dare delay. They promptly stood up and went off to deliver his message. These officials were not ordinary people but individuals who had diligently practiced martial arts and achieved some success, so their speed was not slow. The Inspection Department was close to the county government, so it didn¡¯t take long for hundreds of inspectors, armed with swords, spears, bows, and crossbows, to report to the county government. Although these men were not exceptionally strong, their numbers were significant. Using them to search certain areas was still feasible. Qin Long did not set off immediately but waited for Lord Li, who was staying at the courier station, to join him. Lord Li was an accomplished sword cultivator sent by the government of Tieling County, possessing ninth-tier Foundation Establishment cultivation. He was not far from the Golden Core Realm, making him invincible in a small place like Kun City. No one knew the Evil Cultivator¡¯s level of cultivation, so to be safe, it was better to wait for Lord Li to act together. While Qin Long waited anxiously, a servant ran out from the office, approaching Qin Long, saying the County Magistrate requested his presence. Qin Long frowned but could not refuse. Though he was a local powerhouse as the city inspector, the County Magistrate was an appointed official of the court, a learned scholar who had cultivated Vast Energy. The magistrate was not only extraordinarily powerful but also had powerful officials backing him. Qin Long did not dare to offend him lightly. Besides, the County Magistrate had maintained good relations with the three families in Kun City over the years, so there was no need to offend him over a minor issue. The magistrate likely wanted to inquire into the matter, given the commotion Qin Long had caused late at night. Thus, Qin Long followed the servant into the office, planning to briefly explain and return promptly. As Qin Long entered, a beam of sword light suddenly flew from the opposite street, swiftly approaching, circling in the air before landing to reveal a thin, stern-faced middle-aged man. This man was the sword cultivator Li Tianchou from the Commandery, a formidable ninth-tier Foundation Establishment expert. ¡°Greetings, Lord Li.¡± The officials and inspectors did not dare to slight him, hastily bowing in respect. PS: This chapter is shorter than usual, please don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll squeeze in another chapter tonight around ten o¡¯clock. Also, the author is super handsome but a bit introverted, so he seldom asks for recommendations or collections. If you enjoy my book, please cast more votes for my handsome face, and my charming smile might attract a few female fans to help you find a partner! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Cold Ice Talisman Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Cold Ice Talisman Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Li Tianchou¡¯s face was as cold as ice, his figure as sharp as a sword. His actions were swift and fierce. Upon landing, his gaze swept over, and not seeing Qin Long¡¯s figure, he immediately frowned and asked, ¡°Where is Lord Qin?¡± His voice was cold, like a chilling Sword Qi, making those who heard it tremble inwardly. A young man in his twenties stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, ¡°Reporting to Lord Li, my lord was just summoned to the government office by the County Magistrate for questioning.¡± This young man was also surnamed Qin, named Qin Yang, who was Qin Long¡¯s deputy and a cultivator of the Qin Family. Speaking of which, Qin Yang was of the same generation as Qin Feng, and his cultivation talent was quite good. Although he was from a collateral branch, he was also considered one of the outstanding ones among Qin Feng¡¯s generation. Unfortunately, he was unlucky. As he grew older, he missed the opportunity to be selected by the family to be sent to a sect. The Qin Family selected two disciples with outstanding aptitude to join the Beast Taming Sect every twenty years. Sending more than that would not only be detrimental to the family¡¯s development but also cause a great burden. So, despite Qin Yang¡¯s reputable cultivation talent, he could only cultivate within the family and serve it. Upon hearing Qin Yang¡¯s words, Li Tianchou¡¯s face darkened. He wasn¡¯t blaming Qin Long but felt that the County Magistrate was somewhat meddlesome, wasting his time. However, he didn¡¯t vent his anger but asked in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Who discovered the tracks of that Evil Cultivator?¡± ¡°Reporting to my lord, it was my cousin.¡± As Qin Yang spoke, he pulled Qin Feng forward and said, ¡°This is my cousin, Qin Feng, also my lord¡¯s son.¡± He deliberately emphasized Qin Feng¡¯s identity to avoid trouble. Li Tianchou nodded slightly, looked at Qin Feng, and asked, ¡°How did you discover that Evil Cultivator? Explain in detail.¡± Qin Feng felt a chill rise in his heart from his glance. This man¡¯s gaze was like a sword, causing a slight stinging sensation on the exposed skin, which startled him greatly. He hadn¡¯t expected this Sword Cultivator from the commandery to be so formidable. Immediately, he dared not delay and recounted everything he saw during the day. After listening, Li Tianchou frowned deeply, ¡°Zhao Jinglei, what is he doing here?¡± Although his face remained as cold as ever, he cursed inwardly. That dandy from the Zhao Family wanted to court death elsewhere, but he had to come to Kun City right when he was here on a case. Couldn¡¯t it be that the girls of Baihua Pavilion in the commandery no longer attracted Young Master Zhao? It shouldn¡¯t be. He had heard that when the batch of girls from the Western Regions had just arrived at Baihua Pavilion, Young Master Zhao spent lavishly, generously claiming he wanted to bed all the alien races. How could he already be exhausted? He recalled some rumors about these dandies in the market, saying that a few young masters needed frequent nourishing elixirs at a tender age. Moreover, some even secretly sent people to purchase certain potent aphrodisiacs from the Hundred Herbs Pavilion to prove their vigor, not knowing that the news of their impotence came from the girls in the brothel. He wondered if the elders of those families knew their descendants were already physically exhausted at such a young age, would they be furious to death. Li Tianchou withdrew his thoughts, remembering Zhao Jinglei made him deeply frustrated. It wouldn¡¯t matter much if a few collateral members from the Zhao Family had died, as they were just a few ordinary clan members with little potential. However, Zhao Jinglei was a direct lineage of the Ancestor of the Zhao Family, and if he died here, it would be troublesome for him too. It was easier with the Qin Family, as they were in Kun City and didn¡¯t have much contact with the Zhao Family. But it was different for Li Tianchou, who needed to make a living in the commandery, wanting to gain more cultivation resources and prepare for forming a Golden Core. If the Zhao Family gave him a hard time because of Zhao Jinglei¡¯s death, he would be in trouble. As a Loose Cultivator from Tieling County, it wasn¡¯t easy to find a decent job that continuously provided cultivation resources. If the Zhao Family suppressed him, he could lose his commandery job and become a truly wandering Loose Cultivator. However, Li Tianchou was also somewhat puzzled, ¡°Even though that Evil Cultivator is vicious, knowing Zhao Jinglei is from the Zhao Family of Tieling, how dare he act against him? Did he lose his mind?¡± Qin Feng thought for a moment and said, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because he heard Young Master Zhao say his family ancestor has gone into closed cultivation, so he decided to act.¡± As soon as he said this, Li Tianchou¡¯s face couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, muttering a low curse. That idiot, even spreading the news of his family ancestor¡¯s closed cultivation and advancement. Isn¡¯t he seeking death? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that Evil Cultivator would find stronger Demon Path cultivators to ambush his family ancestor during the critical moment of advancement, completely dooming the Zhao Family? ¡°Who knows when Lord Qin will be out. Leave someone to wait, the rest follow me.¡± Anxious, Li Tianchou couldn¡¯t wait any longer, pointed to Qin Feng, and said, ¡°You lead the way.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Qin Feng was stunned, not expecting Li Tianchou to have him lead the way. ¡°What? You unwilling?¡± Seeing him stunned and unmoving, Li Tianchou¡¯s eyebrows raised, showing a trace of sternness in his eyes. Yet, remembering that this was Qin Long¡¯s son and not a subordinate of the government office, he softened his tone a bit, ¡°Among everyone, only you have seen that Evil Cultivator, so you must come along. Otherwise, we might be deceived by the enemy.¡± Indeed, he had this concern, as now many cultivators had come inside and outside Kun City. Even at night, some roamed around, searching for the Evil Cultivator. If the Evil Cultivator mingled among the Loose Cultivators, he could easily deceive them with a few words. Qin Feng cupped his hands, ¡°Reporting to my lord, I am just a junior who has recently opened my Spiritual Acupoint, lacking the power to participate in such matters. It would be better to wait for my father to join you upon his return.¡± Although he was somewhat intimidated by Li Tianchou¡¯s gaze, he didn¡¯t immediately agree. As he said, being just at the beginning of cultivation, he lacked any means of self-defense. If he got caught in the crossfire, he would be unfortunate. Li Tianchou nodded slightly, ¡°You are cautious, but no need to worry. Since I let you follow, I can protect you completely.¡± As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, sending two streaks of light flying out, landing before Qin Feng. Qin Feng extended his hand, catching the streaks of light, finding it to be two Spirit Talismans. Unlike the Spirit Talismans seen earlier from the Black Robed Taoist, the ones Li Tianchou gave weren¡¯t drawn on Yellow Talisman Paper but were made from an unknown beast skin, providing a solid feel, much more assuring than the flimsy Yellow Talisman Paper. He examined them, noticing one Spirit Talisman had a heavy aura, while the other exuded a sharp, chilling aura. As his finger traced the runes on the Spirit Talisman, it felt like being pricked by needles, startling him enough to immediately withdraw his hand. ¡°These two Spirit Talismans, one is my personally crafted Cold Ice Sword Talisman. Once activated, it can unleash hundreds of Cold Ice Sword Qi, enough to overwhelm an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator. The other Talisman, exchanged from a Master of Talisman Making in the commandery, is a Vajra Talisman, sufficient to safeguard your life.¡± Li Tianchou snorted, ¡°Consider yourself lucky. If it weren¡¯t for my urgency in rescuing Young Master Zhao, I wouldn¡¯t give you these Spirit Talismans.¡± Lord Li had his calculations too. If he managed to save Zhao Jinglei, the Zhao Family would surely reward him tenfold. Two mere Spirit Talismans were nothing significant. Qin Feng swallowed hard, suppressing the delighted expression. It wasn¡¯t surprising he was so shallow, as he was merely from a small rural family. Even the clan leader might not possess several Foundation Establishment Stage Spirit Talismans. Suddenly gaining something precious was naturally exhilarating. Qin Feng promptly placed the two Spirit Talismans in his bosom and said, ¡°Thank you, my lord, for the Talismans. Since you guarantee my safety, I gratefully accept!¡± Saying this, he also bowed respectfully. Li Tianchou, being experienced, easily discerned the implications in his words. This kid was indeed quite timid. Despite receiving the two Spirit Talismans, he was still so afraid, implying that he fully depended on him for safety. But at this moment, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with the kid¡¯s concerns. Finding Zhao Jinglei quickly was more important. ¡°Enough talk, let¡¯s go. If something happens, I will naturally act.¡± Li Tianchou waved his hand, leading the Inspection Department personnel ahead, instructing the government officials to inform Qin Long upon his release. With Qin Long¡¯s cultivation, he would soon catch up with their group. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cross Slope Head Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cross Slope Head Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Under the lead of Li Tianchou, the group exited the West City Gate at an extremely fast pace and hurried forward. All the soldiers from the Inspection Department had trained in martial skills. Though they were not considered experts, if they ran with all their might, they were as fast as galloping horses. Martial arts cultivation, though not as diverse as immortal law, was the most widespread form of cultivation. In all the kingdoms and empires, all soldiers trained primarily in martial arts. Although few achieved significant accomplishments, countless ordinary humans benefited from it. After all, Immortal Dao required root bone destiny, Confucianism necessitated temperament, and Buddhist Dao demanded understanding. Only martial arts promised certain achievements through hard work. Unfortunately, many times, the simplest things were also the hardest. Despite martial arts cultivation having low thresholds and no requirements for aptitude¡ªwhere even individuals with disabilities could train in certain specialized martial arts skills¡ªadvancing to higher martial arts realms became increasingly challenging. To reach a profound realm or even become immortal through martial arts was harder than ascending to the heavens. And without becoming an immortal, life span was limited, leaving little time to slowly polish martial arts cultivation. Therefore, the number of those who proved the Dao through martial arts in the cultivation world was the fewest. However, once they proved the Dao and achieved the realm of Human Immortal, their attack power was so formidable that it terrified their opponents! The group brandished guns and arrows, leaping as if flying. In just a moment, they had traveled several miles and gradually approached a hillock. Although Qin Feng hadn¡¯t delved much into martial arts, he had opened his spiritual acupoints, starting higher than ordinary martial artists, equivalent to an innate martial artist. This was because mundane martial artists could only sense and draw external spiritual energy to refine their bodies and cultivate Innate Gang Qi after reaching the innate level. Only martial artists possessing Innate Gang Qi could match cultivators in the Qi Refinement realm. Without the ability to release gang qi for protection and offense, cultivators could use spells from afar to wear down any martial artist. In terms of war power, Qin Feng certainly couldn¡¯t outmatch any innate martial artist now. Still, his recent cultivation wasn¡¯t in vain, as he had also learned a few common spells. At home, besides his father, Qin Long, teaching him cultivation knowledge, the family also arranged specialized elders to instruct relatives who had opened their spiritual acupoints. However, those ordinary relatives with low potential mostly learned spells like cloud summoning, rain-making, and plant life vitalization, as they needed to help cultivate the family¡¯s three hundred acres of spiritual field. Disciples like Qin Feng, who were likely to enter sects, learned a much broader range of spells. Though he still hadn¡¯t shaken off the novice label, he could indeed perform small spells like the Light Body Skill, Wind Control Skill, and Divine Movement Technique. So, along the way, his speed was not slow at all. In fact, it was even faster than many soldiers, and unlike ordinary soldiers, he didn¡¯t experience blood surges or uneven breathing from running too fast. This was the advantage of cultivators; they started much stronger than ordinary martial artists. When they reached the hillock, Li Tianchou suddenly frowned and signaled everyone to stop. He glanced around with a cold gaze. The hillock was permeated with yin qi, ghost energy was chilling, and a yin wind blew past, carrying a faint fishy stench to the nostrils. By the roadside ahead stood a hollow old locust tree, its trunk so thick that it would take four or five people to encircle it. Sparse branches bore sharp spikes one or two inches long, and the trunk was entwined with vine as thick as an arm, like pythons or snakes, twisted and sinister. Anyone timid who saw this in the dead of night would be frightened. A trace of unease crept into Li Tianchou¡¯s heart, and he asked, ¡°What place is this, why is the yin qi so heavy?¡± Qin Yang took a step forward, clasped his hands, and said, ¡°Lord Li, this is the Chaotic Burial Mound outside the West City Gate. Because it is formed by the intersection of two small hills, it is also called Cross Slope.¡± ¡°Chaotic Burial Mound? No wonder.¡± Li Tianchou felt relieved. As long as he knew the source of the surrounding yin qi, he could be mentally prepared. Although the Chaotic Burial Mound was filled with yin qi, Kun City was just a small town and rarely experienced significant chaos. Unlike some frontier major cities with countless deaths, where the Chaotic Burial Mound was more likely to breed powerful ghost items. This Chaotic Burial Mound was not very large. Even if some wandering souls lingered here, it wasn¡¯t a major threat. Otherwise, the few cultivators in Kun City would have long joined forces to exterminate the ghosts here. He turned to Qin Feng and asked, ¡°The place that Daoist mentioned ten miles west of the city, should be here, right?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Qin Feng nodded, ¡°If they had indeed been here, we should still be able to find some traces.¡± Li Tianchou swept his divine sense around but unfortunately found no signs of fighting. However, he didn¡¯t get discouraged, as he was only a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, and his divine sense¡¯s reach was no more than a thousand feet. Meanwhile, the Chaotic Burial Mound and the nearby forest covered several tens of miles, densely vegetated and quite hidden. He had to rely on the Inspection Department soldiers to search everywhere. Otherwise, alone, if he tried to search all areas, it would consume most of his divine sense power, putting him at a disadvantage in the later fight with the Evil Cultivator. Li Tianchou took out over twenty talisman papers and handed them to Qin Yang, instructing, ¡°Distribute these talisman papers to your subordinates and have them spread out to search. Once any situation arises, activate the talismans immediately, and I¡¯ll come at once.¡± After thinking for a moment, he added, ¡°Be sure to find Zhao Jinglei and the others as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if the Zhao Family from the Commandery City holds you accountable, your Qin Family will also suffer the consequences.¡± Qin Yang nodded. Even though he knew that the Evil Cultivator would surely be difficult to deal with, and he felt somewhat reluctant in his heart¡ªhis subordinates might encounter dangers¡ªthis was the duty of the Inspection Department. They couldn¡¯t retreat when things arose but must move forward. Qin Yang immediately distributed the talisman papers given by Li Tianchou to each squad of soldiers. These were merely simple warning talismans¡ªnot expensive but quite practical. Once triggered, they would cause a significant commotion. Li Tianchou watched the soldiers, under Qin Yang¡¯s direction, disperse into the forest. Then, he stepped on his sword light and flew toward the Chaotic Burial Mound. He needed to scout the area first and see if he could find any clues. Qin Yang glanced at Qin Feng and felt uneasy about leaving his cousin here alone. If anything happened, he wouldn¡¯t be able to face Qin Long. ¡°You come with me.¡± Qin Yang pulled Qin Feng along. They led a squad of soldiers towards the opposite direction of the Chaotic Burial Mound. He had some wit. The Evil Cultivator likely had taken Zhao Jinglei and the others into the Chaotic Burial Mound. If an ambush awaited, it would be there. Going in the opposite direction was probably safer, right? Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Eerie Laughter Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Eerie Laughter Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Caw¡­ caw¡­¡± Deep in the mountains and forests, the hoarse, piercing cries of old crows echoed, seeming to mourn the souls of those nearing death. In the distance, faint sounds of night owls laughing strangely could be heard, like the wails of ghosts and wolves, terrifying and inexplicable. It made the few people walking through the forest shiver with fear. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that they were together to boost their courage, no one would dare to come to this place in the dead of night. This Chaotic Burial Mound not only had heavy Yin Qi and ghostly presences but also occasionally had demon beasts emerging from the mountains. Because if you went further west past the Chaotic Burial Mound, you would enter the outer regions of Qifeng Mountain. Deep within Qifeng Mountain, there were many demon beasts. Those that lost their turf wars and were driven from the mountains had no choice but to live on the outskirts. Every year, the three families of Kun City organized several hunting parties to kill demon beasts in the mountains, to prevent them from harming Kun City¡¯s residents. After all, their businesses made up most of the livelihoods in Kun City. If the residents suffered, their businesses would be affected. Besides them, only a few desperate individuals dared to brave the mountains to collect precious timber and minerals. If they could make it out alive, their gains were usually enough to buy a few acres of land, build three large tiled houses, and marry a beautiful girl. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for ordinary people entering the mountains was too high, deterring most. At other times, nobody would pass through here, fearing they might be snatched up by a demon beast. Qin Feng followed closely behind Qin Yang, walking carefully under the moonlight, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, cautious and vigilant. He tightly gripped the Vajra Talisman given to him by Li Tianchou. If he detected any danger, he would activate it immediately. Even though this talisman was very valuable, worth at least several dozen spirit stones, he would use it without hesitation if his life were in danger. After all, his life was worth infinitely more than the talisman. He could always find a way to get another talisman, but once his life was gone, everything would be truly lost. He didn¡¯t believe he could live a second life, nor did he dare to gamble on it. Only those who had truly faced death knew how deeply attached they were to life, willing to grasp any chance to survive at all costs. Cold Yin Wind blew, making the already summer night feel chilled, sending shivers down their spines. The soldiers followed with trembling bodies. ¡°Damn this weather.¡± A soldier from the Inspection Department named Chen Hu couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath. No sooner had the words left his mouth than he stumbled over something, falling to the ground. His head hit a protruding tree root, stars dancing before his eyes as he nearly blacked out. ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°You okay, Hu?¡± Several companions immediately inquired, carefully avoiding the spot where Chen Hu had tripped, wary of repeating his mishap. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Chen Hu cursed, gingerly touching the bump on his forehead, replying, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just got a bump on my head.¡± Saying this, he didn¡¯t rush to get up but instead groped for the fallen crossbow. Unexpectedly, he found something completely unforeseen. Smooth and round, somewhat slippery to the touch. Curious, Chen Hu picked it up and nearly had his soul scared out of him, shaking and almost collapsing on the ground. It turned out that what he grabbed was a pale, eerie skull. The skull¡¯s hollow eye sockets seemed like bottomless abysses, staring straight at him, with jagged teeth adding to its creepiness. Chen Hu, being a soldier from the Inspection Department, wasn¡¯t normally a coward. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have made it through the gates of the Inspection Department. But coming to the Chaotic Burial Mound at night to find an Evil Cultivator already had fear gnawing at them, worried they might lose their lives. Now, suddenly seeing himself holding a ghastly skull, being startled was only natural. Fortunately, he had some self-control and managed to suppress the urge to urinate, avoiding wetting his pants and becoming the butt of jokes among his peers. Otherwise, the incident would quickly spread throughout the Inspection Department. Qin Yang, helpless, barked, ¡°What¡¯s so fascinating about a skull? There aren¡¯t as many bones here as across the way. If you like them, go and find more from the other side of the Chaotic Burial Mound and take them home for a look. Hurry up, if we delay the task, watch out for Lord Li¡¯s temper. You can¡¯t take a hit from his flying sword.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Chief Qin, don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯m coming right now.¡± Recovering, Chen Hu tossed the skull aside, quickly found his crossbow, and rejoined the group. However, with a large bump on his head, the pain was intense, so they no longer had him leading the way, leaving him at the back to watch their rear. The area around the Chaotic Burial Mound was quite large. If they walked further, they could even venture deep into the mountains. The group circled the area within a few miles without any notable findings. Resigned, they headed deeper into the forest. ¡°Hehehehehehe¡­¡± Suddenly, an eerie laugh came from the forest on their left. Since they had entered the forest, they occasionally heard night owls laughing. But earlier, the sounds were distant, which they didn¡¯t mind much. This time, the laugh was so close that the suddenness made them jump, almost causing two of the nervous ones to wet themselves. Chen Hu, at the back, cursed silently, raised his crossbow, and fired an arrow toward the sound. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A painful, elderly cry came from where the arrow landed, followed by an angry shout, ¡°Who¡¯s hiding there shooting dark arrows? Come out if you dare! Let¡¯s see if this old Taoist doesn¡¯t scatter your soul!¡± The group froze upon hearing this. Turning their heads, they saw an old Taoist by a tree twenty yards away, clutching his buttocks and cursing. The old Taoist held a black long banner, with faintly visible evil spirits and ghosts on its surface. In front of him, a dark mist covered an area of about a hundred yards, obscuring the view. Chen Hu, feeling frustrated, realized that the eerie laughter wasn¡¯t from night owls but from this old Taoist. How bizarre, he thought, that a person¡¯s laugh could sound so spooky and terrifying. Qin Feng, recognizing the old Taoist, turned pale. Wasn¡¯t this the black-robed Taoist they had seen in the day? He couldn¡¯t help but step back quietly, pulling on Qin Yang¡¯s sleeve. Seeing Qin Feng¡¯s face, Qin Yang immediately understood that they had encountered the true antagonist. Spirit light flashed in his eyes as he discreetly activated the Spiritual Eye Technique to glance at the area shrouded in dark mist. Although the dense mist obscured much, he could vaguely see several figures struggling within it. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he activated the talisman in his hand. The talisman rose into the air, bursting into a brilliant flame. Qin Yang instantly grabbed Qin Feng, turning to run, while also calling out to the other soldiers, ¡°Scatter and run, quick!¡± The others, seeing the old Taoist in the distance now airborne and flying towards them, fled in all directions without delay. ¡°You think you can escape?¡± The black-robed Taoist¡¯s face darkened, feeling the throbbing pain from his buttocks. Enraged, he swung his long banner, sending several streams of dark mist surging towards them. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Hidden Depths Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Hidden Depths Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°¡±¡± The black smoke emitted from the long banner in the old Taoist¡¯s hand was like a long snake, moving extremely fast. In almost the blink of an eye, it had entangled the soldiers around Chen Hu and penetrated their bodies. They were merely common Acquired Martial Artists, not possessing innate strength, and naturally, they couldn¡¯t resist the spells of a cultivator. Moreover, this old Taoist was a high-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, his techniques were powerful, far beyond the resistance of mere mortal martial artists. So, almost as soon as the black smoke touched them, Chen Hu and his men fell to the ground. Only the black smoke pouncing towards Qin Feng and the other was struck down by Qin Yang using a spell. Qin Yang also had the cultivation level of the late stage of the Qi Refinement Realm. The technique he practiced was a family inheritance called the Fierce Sun Burning Sky Technique, a pure Fire Element Technique, one of the few techniques in the family that could be cultivated to the Golden Core Realm. Of course, in the past thousand years, many descendants of the Qin Family had cultivated this technique, but none had ever become a Golden Core Sage. Seeing the black smoke attacking from behind, Qin Yang held onto Qin Feng with one hand, his Divine Movement Technique performed to the extreme with his feet. Another hand pinched a spell, flicking two flames which collided with the two masses of black smoke with a bang. Instantly, from the point of collision came a few eerie ghostly wails¡ªit turned out to be two Yin Souls. However, these two Yin Souls were evidently not strong enough, so they were quickly burned to nothingness by the flames Qin Yang emitted. ¡°Hehe, you two juniors, indeed you have some skill.¡± Behind them, the old Taoist in a black robe let out a few cold, eerie laughs, ¡°Since you destroyed my two Yin Souls, you can pay with your own souls. The souls of cultivators are much purer and stronger than those of common ghost items.¡± As he spoke, his body drew increasingly closer, seeming about to catch up with the two of them. Although Qin Yang was exerting his full effort with the Divine Movement Technique, his body moving like the wind, swiftly escaping, how could his running speed compare with that of the flying old Taoist? Besides, he was carrying the burden of Qin Feng. So, in merely a few breaths, the old Taoist caught up, gently landing on the ground, blocking their way. Qin Yang sighed lightly, lamenting that small cultivators at the Qi Refinement Realm could not fly yet. If there weren¡¯t the hindrances of the ground¡¯s grass and trees, their escape speed would definitely be faster. They might even stand a chance of reaching Li Tianchou earlier. The old Taoist gave a few cold laughs from his mouth, stepping forward with pride to approach them. Just as he stepped forward, he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks. Feeling the painful area, the old Taoist immediately felt a surge of shame and anger, ¡°You juniors, how dare you sneak attack your Taoist master! I¡¯ll take your lives!¡± Although the sharp arrow Chen Hu had shot earlier was just a common iron wolf-toothed arrow, not a talisman arrow meant to deal with cultivators, the old Taoist had been close to capturing the young members of the Zhao Family and was in a moment of triumph. He hadn¡¯t expected an attack from behind, and thus, got shot in the buttocks by Chen Hu¡¯s arrow. If not for the special material of his magic robe, which blocked most of the arrow¡¯s power, it might have pierced through and caused serious harm. The problem was that the arrow bore no mana, so his magic robe didn¡¯t activate any defensive spells. It was just its material that stopped the arrow from penetrating deeply, but the pain was still severe. More than that, it was the humiliation from the bottom of his heart, almost driving him mad. He had cultivated for nearly two hundred years¡ªwhen had he ever suffered such humiliation? Earlier, because Zhao Jinglei possessed a few exceptionally strong protective treasures, he hadn¡¯t been able to subdue them early, having to rely on pre-set arrays to slowly deplete their treasures. In the midst of focusing on dealing with those young members of the Zhao Family, he hadn¡¯t been vigilant and got dangerously close to being severely injured by an arrow in the behind. If word got out, his reputation would be ruined. Feeling the intense pain between his legs, the old Taoist didn¡¯t dare to move recklessly anymore. He quickly circulated the True Yuan within to alleviate the pain, yelling angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll extract your souls and torment you day and night!¡± With that, he waved the long banner in his hand, several strands of black smoke pounced towards Qin Feng and the other. This time, the black smoke was far more formidable. Before reaching them, piercing shrills were already making their ears ache. Qin Feng dared not let the black smoke hit him. He quickly channeled the thin Spiritual Power within his Dantian into the Vajra Protection Talisman in his hand. Instantly, a dazzling golden light enveloped him entirely. In a flash, Qin Feng felt as if he was covered in an indestructible Vajra defense, giving him an immense sense of security. With boosted confidence, Qin Feng stepped forward to shield Qin Yang. Since there was no way to escape, the only option was to buy some time, awaiting Li Tianchou¡¯s arrival. Qin Feng¡¯s current defense was stronger than Qin Yang¡¯s, so he naturally had to help this cousin to avoid Qin Yang being killed by this Evil Cultivator before Li Tianchou arrived. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­¡± A few soft collisions, the strands of black smoke hit Qin Feng. The golden light outside Qin Feng¡¯s body instantly shone brightly, the dense golden light burning the black smoke. When the black smoke was a few feet away from leaving Qin Feng¡¯s body, it revealed its form as a few ghost items. However, their ghost bodies appeared faint, evidently burned by the golden light from Qin Feng. Although the Vajra Protection Talisman was merely a protective spell and didn¡¯t counterattack proactively, it would trigger the golden light to gather and counterattack passively when these sinister things attacked. Hence, the Yin Souls were injured. ¡°Vajra Protection Talisman?¡± The old Taoist looked surprised, then showed joy, ¡°Haha, using such a precious spirit talisman, it seems you¡¯re from a wealthy background. Once I capture you, all your valuable items shall be mine.¡± Qin Feng smiled bitterly at the Taoist¡¯s words. This old Taoist was indeed merciless and greedy, wanting to kill him and take his belongings just because he utilized a spirit talisman. Little did the Taoist know, except for the talisman given by Li Tianchou, Qin Feng had nothing of worth, not even a single spirit stone. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. I come from a small family, I have nothing of value. I advise you not to target me, else you might regret it.¡± As he spoke, he took out another Cold Ice Sword Talisman. This was a spirit talisman personally crafted by Li Tianchou. Li Tianchou, a nine-layer Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator, his sword qi spirit talismans were not to be taken lightly. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t boast about handling common Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, the aura exuded by this black-robed old Taoist was obviously far above a common Foundation Establishment cultivator. After all, Qin Feng¡¯s family had several Foundation Establishment cultivators. Whether it was his father, the Clan Leader Qin Guanbao, or the third great uncle from the Scripture Pavilion, their collective auras weren¡¯t as strong as this Evil Cultivator¡¯s aura. Qin Feng estimated, this black-robed old Taoist had at least the later stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, otherwise, his aura wouldn¡¯t overshadow that of the sixth-level Foundation Establishment Old Family Master, Qin Guanbao. Moreover, the most troublesome aspect of these Evil Cultivators was not their cultivation realm per se, but their bizarre and sinister cultivation techniques. Without exception, Evil Cultivators were unpredictable, possessing numerous vexing spells and many life-saving techniques. Even if a cultivator could defeat them, it would be quite challenging to keep them from fleeing. Of course, it was a different story for disciples from prominent sects. Ordinary cultivators and true disciples from eminent sects were worlds apart, even in the same realm. Their combat power differed immensely. Fearless Heavenly Cultivators, only disciples from major sects could effortlessly slay these Evil Cultivators. As thoughts of his father¡¯s teachings raced through his mind, Qin Feng cautiously placed the Cold Ice Sword Talisman before him, intently watching the black-robed old Taoist. He had only this one attacking spirit talisman. Once used, he would have no other attacking means left. Seeing this, the old Taoist¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Indeed, another spirit talisman. You, junior, are really full of surprises, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nonetheless, though greed glimmered in his eyes, his figure flickered, avoiding facing Qin Feng head-on. He sensed the talisman¡¯s formidable power and knew it was no easy one to fend off. Even with his cultivation, a slight misstep could result in injury. Especially now, already hurt, caution was paramount. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Protecting My Heirloom Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Protecting My Heirloom Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Feng held the Cold Ice Sword Talisman, but he didn¡¯t dare to use it easily. Because he couldn¡¯t be sure if this Sword Talisman could harm the other party. Even if it did injure this old Taoist, he would lose his means of attack and could only let the opponent strike. So, he thought it best to keep the Sword Talisman in his hand as a deterrent. Because now time was in his favor, the longer he dragged, the greater the hope of Li Tianchou arriving. Just hope that guy Li Tianchou wasn¡¯t too far from here, otherwise, after a long time, the two brothers might not be able to hold on. ¡°Esteemed elder, I have a question. Why did you earlier harm those ordinary women? With your level of Dao cultivation, why commit such evil deeds?¡± Qin Feng had nothing to say, planning to use conversation to buy time. The Black Robed Taoist, being experienced and sly, clearly saw through his intentions and let out a cold chuckle: ¡°Still trying to buy time, boy, you¡¯re still too green. But even if you delay until that Sword Cultivator arrives, so what? Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of him?¡± Qin Feng was startled upon hearing this, not knowing where this old Taoist got such confidence to deal with a ninth-layer Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator. After all, Sword Cultivators specifically attack and kill, their combat power is strong. Generally, in fights of the same level, Sword Cultivators have a better chance of winning. This old Taoist seemed to be at Foundation Establishment too, yet he was confident he could defeat Li Tianchou, did he have some powerful means? Just as Qin Feng was pondering, the old Taoist hummed: ¡°What¡¯s the harm in telling you? I was ambushed by an enemy while cultivating earlier, causing a mishap with my cultivation technique. I need the Purple River Carriage as an elixir to recover my origin. So I had my disciple capture some pregnant women. But that bastard couldn¡¯t get any and instead went around raping women, as if he was going to get them pregnant himself to honor me, his master. That¡¯s bad enough, but he got caught by the Kun City Inspection Department, and his cultivation was abolished. Truly useless, forcing me to capture some Purple River Carriage myself to refine the elixir.¡± Qin Feng was stunned: ¡°The rapist who harmed those women earlier was your disciple?¡± ¡°Correct, that useless bastard. He got caught by the Kun City Inspection Department, fine by me. Anyway, the elixir is already made, and my injuries have mostly healed. What I didn¡¯t expect was so many low-level cultivators from Kun City coming here, one by one foolishly offering themselves for refining into Spirit Banners. A pleasant surprise.¡± The Black Robed Taoist walked casually, laughing a few times: ¡°Especially those Zhao Family brats from Tieling County, falling so easily into my trap. I didn¡¯t expect the leader to have so many treasures on him, what a rare find! Once his spiritual power is completely drained, all those treasures will be mine, hehehe¡­¡± Qin Feng wanted to keep delaying, so he asked: ¡°Then why did you¡­¡± ¡°Shut up with your nonsense!¡± Just then, the Black Robed Taoist suddenly bellowed, flicking his sleeve, and a white jade-like skull flew out of his sleeve. The skull enlarged in the wind, instantly becoming huge, its hollow eyes igniting with ghost fire, with jaws flashing cold light as if they could bite through iron, it flew towards Qin Feng¡¯s head. Qin Feng was taken aback by this sudden attack, dodging wildly to avoid the massive skull. But how could his speed compare to the flying skull? In an instant, it caught up, jaws snapping at him. Meanwhile, the Black Robed Taoist waved his Long Banner, and more than ten black shadows pounced on the two men. These were ghosts trapped in his banner. And they were no ordinary ghosts; the old Taoist captured and refined the spirits of slain cultivators into ghost items within the banner. Regardless of what they were in life, they had to obey him, fight for him, or suffer soul-burning pain, ultimately facing complete annihilation. In no time, Qin Feng and Qin Yang were besieged. However, Qin Feng¡¯s situation was better than Qin Yang¡¯s. Despite being the main target, Qin Feng had a Vajra Body Protection Spirit Talisman, providing some defense. Qin Yang, lacking such means, could only use his hard-earned spells to contend with the few ghosts. With a crunch, Qin Feng¡¯s vision went black. He was suddenly bitten into the giant skull¡¯s mouth, jaws closing to snap him in two. But the bite was slightly misplaced. So, Qin Feng was scared witless, hastily protecting his lower body to avoid the skull¡¯s sharp fangs. Although the Qin Family didn¡¯t lack him as a successor, and Qin Guanbao alone could replace twenty or thirty ordinary clan members, he didn¡¯t want to be left ¡°unarmed¡± in the future. Fortunately, the Protective Golden Light was strong enough, with a crunch, it shattered two of the skull¡¯s teeth without injuring him. Only then did Qin Feng breathe a sigh of relief. He looked up at the skull, missing two front teeth, and thought, this thing doesn¡¯t seem too formidable after all, it¡¯s just a silver-plated gun, looks scary but not powerful. Glancing through the skull¡¯s jaw at the Black Robed Taoist, he noticed the Taoist didn¡¯t care about the broken teeth. Qin Feng realized, this Taoist didn¡¯t value the skull much, otherwise, he¡¯d have recalled it, not let it keep biting. It seemed, the opponent planned to use the skull to deplete his Spirit Talismans, eliminating danger, then capture him. With this understanding, Qin Feng dared not use the Cold Ice Sword Talisman rashly. At this point, the ghost items in black shadows had approached, and under the Taoist¡¯s command, lunged at them ruthlessly. Even the golden light from Qin Feng¡¯s Vajra Body Protection Spirit Talisman didn¡¯t stop them. Because the old Taoist was strongly commanding them. Even if they couldn¡¯t break through Qin Feng¡¯s light and got burned by it, they didn¡¯t retreat, becoming more frenzied, clawing and biting, relentlessly wearing down the golden light. The Vajra Body Protection Spirit Talisman¡¯s golden light had limited energy, weakening with each use. While the ghosts¡¯ soul bodies weakened faster, becoming visibly thin and transparent, Qin Feng¡¯s light was also dimming. Qin Feng became anxious. Where on earth had Li Tianchou gone, why hadn¡¯t he arrived? Watching his talisman¡¯s light grow fainter, and seeing the Taoist¡¯s fierce eyes, Qin Feng felt a chill. What to do? At this rate, he was doomed! Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer Chapter 11: Chapter 11 White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± The Black Robed Taoist looked at Qin Yang, who was barely holding off a few ghost souls, then glanced at Qin Feng, whose protective golden light was gradually dimming. He let out a chilling laugh, reminiscent of a Night Owl, revealing a hint of cruel ruthlessness. Qin Feng did not want to use the Cold Ice Sword Talisman on the skull and the dozen Yin Souls in front of him. Because those things meant nothing to the Black Robed Taoist. If he needed ghost souls, he could just kill a few cultivators and refine new ghost items. Even if Qin Feng used the sword talisman to slay these ghost souls, it would not cause any loss to the Black Robed Taoist. Qin Feng formed a spell with his hands, mobilizing the still very thin spiritual power within him, and cast the strongest spell he currently knew. As his spell changed, he almost exhausted the spiritual power in his dantian, barely conjuring two illusions of a dragon and a tiger. This was the fundamental spell of the ¡°Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill¡± he had cultivated, conjuring dragon and tiger illusions for protection and attack. Unfortunately, he had only started cultivating for a few days. Even with the help of the Qi Gathering Pill, he had not accumulated much spiritual power and was still stuck in the first layer of Qi Refinement. ¡°Huff¡­¡± A gust of wind blew, and the dragon and tiger illusions rushed towards the skull, colliding with it fiercely. Yet, the skull did not move at all. Although the tiger illusion raised a slight breeze, it could only blow dry leaves and small stones, far from enough to shake this skull, as hard as iron. Even though the skull had lost two large teeth when it bit into the protective golden light of the Vajra Body Protection Spirit Talisman, that did not mean it was easy to deal with. After all, it was an artifact refined by a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, not something that a small cultivator in the first layer of Qi Refinement could handle. The tiger illusion had no effect, and the dragon illusion was only slightly stronger. Because it was formed of water vapor, when the dragon illusion pounced on the skull, it left a layer of mist on the skull, making it look as if it had been washed, bright and shiny. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± The Black Robed Taoist laughed heartily, his laughter full of mockery, ridiculing Qin Feng for overestimating himself by fighting his refined skull with the cultivation of the first layer of Qi Refinement. Qin Yang, behind him, was speechless. Was his cousin out of his mind? Knowing they were no match, why waste spiritual power here instead of saving it for an opportunity to escape? After laughing, the Black Robed Taoist waved his Long Banner again, releasing a black mist that covered the area within a dozen feet around Qin Feng and Qin Yang. At first, they were startled, thinking the old Taoist had summoned a fierce ghost again, but soon realized the black mist was not formed by ghost souls but was pure Yin Evil. Pure Yin Evil could corrode their bodies, but as long as they protected themselves with spiritual power, it would not cause much harm in a short time. However, the ghost souls moved even faster in this Yin Evil. Even their originally somewhat illusory ghost bodies became more solid. Qin Feng gave the Taoist a strange look. According to reason, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator should have more than this in terms of means. Why did it seem like the old Taoist was deliberately holding back, not intending to kill them? Otherwise, even if the old Taoist was somewhat wary of his Cold Ice Sword Talisman, killing his cousin Qin Yang should not be difficult. Yet, both of them were still alive, and from beginning to end, the Black Robed Taoist only released a dozen ghost souls against them. It seemed¡­ a bit strange. Moreover, looking at the Long Banner in the Black Robed Taoist¡¯s hand, it should be an evil spiritual artifact, the Hundred Ghosts Banner. Even so, the Taoist preferred to consume the Yin Evil Qi inside the banner rather than release more ghost souls against them. Was it deliberate, or was it because there were no other ghost souls left in the Hundred Ghosts Banner? Before Qin Feng could figure it out, the old Taoist¡¯s expression changed, and he shouted, ¡°Two juniors, how dare you be arrogant in front of me? I¡¯ll send you to see King Yan.¡± With that, the old Taoist waved his sleeve, and a White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer flew out, with immense force, landing on Qin Feng. With a bang, Qin Feng¡¯s body was sent flying several feet until he crashed into a large tree and fell to the ground. Just one blow shattered the already dim golden light protecting him, injuring his internal organs, and causing him to spit out a large mouthful of blood. Qin Feng was horrified, realizing the power of a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator. Although the power of his Vajra Protection Talisman had already diminished significantly, being injured so easily with just one hit meant even if the talisman was at full power, it wouldn¡¯t withstand many blows from the Taoist. Excruciating pain surged from his internal organs, nearly making Qin Feng faint, but he knew he could not collapse. Otherwise, he might never get up again. Enduring the pain, Qin Feng supported himself with trembling arms, planning to get up and avoid the next hit while also mobilizing the remaining spiritual power within him to activate the Cold Ice Sword Talisman. Even if the sword talisman might not harm the Black Robed Taoist, it was better to hold on for a moment longer. On the other side, after sending Qin Feng flying, the Black Robed Taoist directed the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer at Qin Yang. Qin Yang had no spirit talisman for protection. If such a forceful hit landed on him, he would be killed instantly! ¡°Stop!¡± Just as the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer was about to hit Qin Yang, a furious shout came from afar. At the same time, a sword light flew like lightning, striking the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer and knocking it away, saving Qin Yang. Both Qin Feng and Qin Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Li Tianchou had finally arrived. If he had been a moment later, they would have died at the hands of the old Taoist. Their souls might even be captured by the evil Taoist and refined into fierce ghosts for the Hundred Ghosts Banner. Li Tianchou¡¯s figure flew over swiftly. He had been searching in another direction, farther away, so he was slightly delayed. Fortunately, Qin Feng and Qin Yang were still unharmed. Though he didn¡¯t care if Qin Long would get angry or if the small Qin Family would trouble him, it would be somewhat embarrassing. Li Tianchou glanced at Qin Feng and Qin Yang, seeing they were both okay, he was relieved. He turned to the old Taoist and coldly said, ¡°Dare to harm someone in front of me? I will slay you!¡± Li Tianchou was clearly a pure sword cultivator. His words had barely left his mouth, and his sword had already been drawn. As his sword technique moved, the flying sword in midair shone brilliantly, transforming into a ten-foot-long sword light, fierce and terrifying, slashing towards the Black Robed Taoist. The Black Robed Taoist snorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± As he spoke, he tossed the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer, making it collide with the flying sword. However, the power of Li Tianchou¡¯s sword was far beyond his expectation. The White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer couldn¡¯t withstand it, and with a single slash, it was sent flying, falling back into the hand of the Black Robed Taoist. ¡°Such a formidable sword cultivator¡­ I won¡¯t play with you anymore.¡± The Taoist let out a strange cry, turned around, and rode a black wind, flying away. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Leave your life behind!¡± Li Tianchou would not let the old Taoist escape. Calling back his flying sword, he stepped onto it and chased after the Black Robed Taoist through the sky. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Daluo Magic Sword Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Daluo Magic Sword Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Hey, Lord Li¡­¡± Qin Feng anxiously reached out to call. That Black Robed Daoist clearly had a problem, seemingly using the two of them as bait to deliberately lure Li Tianchou over. He wanted to warn Li Tianchou, but unfortunately, due to the severe pain in his internal organs, he hadn¡¯t recovered until now. So his movements were a bit slow, and before his voice could be heard, Li Tianchou had already chased the Black Robed Daoist far away. ¡°I hope nothing goes wrong.¡± Qin Feng shook his head helplessly. Li Tianchou was a ninth-level Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator. Generally, he shouldn¡¯t encounter any problems. But that Black Robed Daoist had set up an array trap in this forest. Since he knew Li Tianchou¡¯s reputation and still wanted to lure him over, he obviously had confidence in dealing with him. Once Li Tianchou was killed by that Black Robed Daoist, he and Qin Yang, and even everyone who came tonight, could possibly be killed by this Daoist. The Black Robed Daoist rode the black wind with lightning speed. In just a few breaths, he returned to the array he had set up earlier, plunging into the black mist surrounding the array. Seeing this, Li Tianchou was shocked and quickly stopped. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he looked towards the black mist. He saw the Black Robed Daoist already flying onto an altar within the array, brandishing the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner, releasing strands of Yin Evil Qi, augmenting the array¡¯s power. At the same time, he saw Zhao Jinglei and others huddled together in fear, relying on the Nine Heavens Thunder Light Shield, a top-tier Spiritual Artifact on Zhao Jinglei, to fend off the ghost attacks in the Yin Evil mist. The Nine Heavens Thunder Light Shield was a top-tier Spiritual Artifact personally crafted by the Ancestor of the Zhao Family for Zhao Jinglei¡¯s protection. Its offensive power was amazing, and when used defensively, it could transform into a barrier to protect the user. Unfortunately, even though Zhao Jinglei had consumed multiple elixir pills to restore his spiritual power, after such a long period of attrition, his spiritual power was almost exhausted. If not for the assistance of several other Zhao family members with their spiritual power, he would have been unable to hold on long ago. Even so, they had reached their limit, and at any moment, their spiritual power could be completely drained. Once the Thunder Light Shield could no longer hold, they would undoubtedly die, their souls refined into fierce ghosts by the Black Robed Daoist. Seeing this, Li Tianchou couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. He didn¡¯t care about the lives of Zhao Jinglei and the others, but he couldn¡¯t let them die in front of him. Thinking of this, Li Tianchou could no longer concern himself with anything else. With a flash of his figure, he rushed directly into the array, heading to kill the Black Robed Daoist. As long as he killed that Evil Cultivator and broke the array, Zhao Jinglei and the others¡¯ crisis would naturally be resolved. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Seeing that Li Tianchou had indeed entered his array as expected, the Black Robed Daoist let out a sinister laugh of satisfaction. ¡°I was worried that the souls of these juniors were too weak, lacking a main soul. Now, a Foundation Establishment cultivator has delivered himself to me. Good, very good indeed.¡± The Black Robed Daoist¡¯s face was filled with excitement. ¡°Since you¡¯ve entered my array, don¡¯t think of leaving. Obediently offer your soul to assist me in refining this Magical Treasure. As long as I successfully refine it this time, I guarantee Daoist longevity.¡± Amidst his wild laughter, the Black Robed Daoist waved his Long Banner, sending a vast and chilling wave of Yin Evil Qi towards Li Tianchou. In the Yin Qi, countless ghostly silhouettes emerged, clawing and baring their fangs, charging towards Li Tianchou. ¡°Hmph, petty tricks dare to show off!¡± Li Tianchou sneered, ¡°Daluo Sword Technique, Daluo Magic Sword, Ghost Slaying and Demon Suppressing, go!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the flying sword behind him suddenly expanded, transforming into a ten-foot-long Sword Qi, sweeping horizontally, cutting through the Yin Qi and killing the fierce ghosts. Following his sword technique, the ten-foot Sword Qi divided into hundreds and thousands, like a vast net covering the area. However, these fierce ghosts were refined from the Evil Cultivator¡¯s Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner. As long as the banner remained intact, it could continuously consume Yin Qi to produce these fierce ghosts. Moreover, among these ghostly entities, eight fierce ghosts had Foundation Establishment cultivation, although they seemed to be in the early to mid Foundation Establishment stage. Without Ghost Path Magical Artifacts, they could only condense Ghost Dao Techniques with their own ghostly energy to confront the enemy. But dealing with so many Foundation Establishment fierce ghosts at once was challenging even for someone as powerful as Li Tianchou. Furthermore, the ghosts were assisted by the Yin Evil Formation, making them even stronger and more agile within the Yin Evil Qi, to the point that Li Tianchou knit his brows tightly. And the Black Robed Daoist didn¡¯t remain idle either. He repeatedly launched the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer while secretly releasing three White Bone Heart Execution Needles. This treasure, once released, was silent and stealthy, perfect for sneak attacks. Li Tianchou, already struggling to fend off the ghostly assaults and the powerful strikes of the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer, was caught off guard by the White Bone Heart Execution Needle, which injured his left leg. ¡°Mph¡­¡± A muffled grunt sounded as Li Tianchou gritted his teeth against the pain, using True Yuan to seal the wound to prevent excessive blood loss. He was startled, realizing that this old Daoist was quite difficult to deal with. He no longer held him in contempt and decided to go all out. Although he wanted to kill the Black Robed Daoist and save Zhao Jinglei and the others, he didn¡¯t foresee that Zhao Jinglei, upon seeing Li Tianchou coming to their rescue, would feel relieved, thinking that with Li Tianchou¡¯s help, their lives would no longer be in danger. As a result, the spiritual power that Zhao Jinglei had been struggling to maintain suddenly dissipated, leaving him feeling utterly empty inside. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. Without his control, the Nine Heavens Thunder Light Shield¡¯s spirit light dimmed and fell to the ground. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Several Zhao family members exclaimed in shock. Someone even shouted loudly, ¡°Li Tianchou, Lord Li, please come and save us.¡± Li Tianchou turned his head, almost spitting blood in frustration. These useless people, can¡¯t they hold on a bit longer? I haven¡¯t killed that Evil Cultivator yet, and they are already putting away the Spiritual Artifact? But even if he wanted to help, he couldn¡¯t. With so many fierce ghosts surrounding him and the Evil Cultivator¡¯s occasional sneak attacks, if he turned to save them, he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect them and would risk his own life. ¡°Hold on yourselves.¡± He angrily shouted at them, then focused back on his enemies. After all, most of the ghostly entities were already attracted to him. Even if Zhao Jinglei and the others were invaded by Yin Evil Qi or possessed by a few little ghosts, they wouldn¡¯t die immediately. At most, some of their Yang Qi would be absorbed. Although it would harm their vitality, there was no other way. They could take it as a lesson to prevent future careless outings. However, the more he fought, the more shocked he became. If it were just the old Daoist alone, he wouldn¡¯t be afraid. But now trapped in the array and surrounded by numerous fierce ghosts, he couldn¡¯t even harm the old Daoist. Under these circumstances, breaking the array and saving people seemed impossible; even escaping himself was uncertain. In the distance, Qin Feng, holding onto a nearby tree, stood up straight and looked far ahead. Unfortunately, his cultivation was shallow. Even channeling his spiritual power to his eyes, he couldn¡¯t see through the distant darkness and naturally didn¡¯t know Li Tianchou¡¯s situation. At this moment, the sound of something tearing through the air came from behind them. ¡°Seventh Uncle, we¡¯re here.¡± Qin Yang, with sharp eyes, spotted Qin Long, who was riding the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, and quickly called out. Hearing the voice, Qin Long lightly tapped his foot. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake gracefully turned its body and flew towards them. ¡°How are you, are you alright?¡± Before the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake landed, Qin Long had already leaped off, landing in front of them. Seeing his son¡¯s pale face devoid of blood, his expression changed, and he asked nervously, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, dad.¡± Qin Feng felt a wave of warmth in his heart and quickly said, ¡°I just got bumped earlier, causing some internal blood disruption. With a few days of rest, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qin Long grabbed his wrist, probing his son¡¯s body with True Yuan. Discovering it was only a minor injury, he sighed in relief and then angrily said, ¡°That Li Tianchou has such audacity, making my son be a scout for him. Hmph, if anything happened to Feng, did he think I couldn¡¯t deal with him?¡± ¡°Forget it, dad, now is not the time to be angry.¡± Qin Feng quickly persuaded, ¡°Lord Li was lured into a trap by that Evil Cultivator and got caught. Can you see if you can rescue him? If not¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish, but Qin Long understood the unspoken meaning. If Li Tianchou couldn¡¯t be rescued, Qin Long alone wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Evil Cultivator, so it was best to take his son and Qin Yang and leave quickly to avoid a massacre. ¡°I understand. You two stay here and don¡¯t run around.¡± Qin Long instructed, ensuring they stayed put to avoid being lost if they had to escape. Then Qin Long leapt onto the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s back, heading towards the mist ahead. When he reached the mist, Qin Long did not recklessly enter the array like Li Tianchou. Instead, he carefully observed, quickly recognizing the origins of the Yin Evil Formation. Then, he patted the snake¡¯s body beneath him. Feeling his intention, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s emerald eyes shot out two thick green beams, piercing through the Yin Evil Qi, extending from Li Tianchou¡¯s position to the altar at the array¡¯s center. PS: I was busy signing a contract this morning, so the update was a bit late. Those wanting to invest should hurry up¡ªthis book will definitely be published. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Found Treasure Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Found Treasure Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s eyes could see through illusions and penetrate the Netherworld. This Yin Evil Formation was not too advanced, so it saw through it easily. Under Qin Long¡¯s command, its eyes shot out two beams of green light, directly targeting the critical point on the altar within the formation. ¡°Hmm?¡± Both Li Tianchou and the Black Robed Taoist were startled, not expecting such a sudden turn of events. While the two in the formation were still in doubt, Qin Long¡¯s voice transmitted in: ¡°Lord Li, where the green light points is the node of the Yin Evil Formation. If you don¡¯t break the formation now, when will you?¡± Hearing Qin Long¡¯s voice, Li Tianchou was immediately overjoyed. He hadn¡¯t expected this Foundation Establishment Early Stage Qin Family cultivator to have such means. Without hesitation, he shouted loudly, ¡°Daluo Magic Sword, Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!¡± As he formed the sword technique with his fingers, the scattered Sword Qi instantly united, transforming into a ten-zhang Sword Qi, breaking through the ghost item¡¯s obstruction in front of him and slashing towards the spot illuminated by the green light. The Black Robed Taoist also heard Qin Long¡¯s words. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t let Li Tianchou break his formation¡¯s node and destroy his Yin Evil Formation. Otherwise, without the array¡¯s support, in his current unhealed state, he would not be Li Tianchou¡¯s match. However, when a Sword Cultivator burst out with all their strength, their combat power was terrifyingly strong. Hence, Li Tianchou soon slashed away the Black Robed Taoist¡¯s White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer, extinguished several intercepting Foundation Establishment Ghosts, and with a fierce strike, hit the formation¡¯s node. Boom. The altar immediately collapsed halfway. The array shattered, and the Yin Evil Qi spilled out. The ghost items within the formation suddenly weakened, no longer as rampant as before. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Li Tianchou rarely laughed out loud a few times, then his face turned cold: ¡°Demon Path devil, you dare set an ambush here, intending to refine my soul into a ghost item? Hmph, today, I will slay you, so you can¡¯t even become a ghost!¡± Saying this, Li Tianchou¡¯s sword momentum surged, and he struck at the opponent. The Black Robed Taoist¡¯s face was as dark as water, his eyes full of sinister and venomous hatred: ¡°You deserve to die. You dare ruin my big plans. I will flay you and extract your tendons, making you endure the seventy-two types of torture of my White Bone Sect.¡± He dodged Li Tianchou¡¯s sword strike, then fiercely glared at Qin Long in the distance, raising his hand to summon six White Bone Skeletons, intending to have them withstand Li Tianchou¡¯s flying sword. At the same time, he sent three White Bone Heart Execution Needles towards Qin Long. The old Taoist harbored deep hatred for both, especially Qin Long, who had directed Li Tianchou to break his formation, gnashing his teeth in fury. However, even if Li Tianchou alone was already enough trouble for him, he still wanted to spare some effort to deal with Qin Long, which was a bit beyond his capability. Snap! Snap! Snap! With three crisp sounds, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s long tail lashed out, directly knocking away the White Bone Heart Execution Needles. Then, under Qin Long¡¯s command, its body twisted and sprang forward, reaching the Black Robed Taoist in an instant. The snake¡¯s body coiled and wrapped around two of the White Bone Skeletons, squeezing them into a twisted shape, breaking their tough bones into pieces. Of course, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake also suffered a few scratches from the White Bone Skeletons. Although this spiritual snake had some divine skills, it was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, with strength equivalent to the White Bone Skeletons. Its victory mainly relied on Qin Long¡¯s command. The White Bone Skeletons were merely undead spirit puppets crafted by the Black Robed Taoist, lacking spiritual intelligence, attacking recklessly, hence easily falling prey to the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. Meanwhile, the remaining White Bone Skeletons were mostly slain by Li Tianchou¡¯s few sword strikes. Though those that survived were reduced to mere skulls still trying to bite. Li Tianchou wielded his sword towards the Black Robed Taoist, while the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake turned its gaze towards the ghost items. Being born a spiritual beast, it possessed innate intelligence superior to ordinary beasts, comparable to five or six-year-old children. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s race had a unique talent, being able to devour Yin Evil Ghost Objects to convert into its demon energy. Thus, it didn¡¯t assist Li Tianchou but pounced towards the ghost items. While Li Tianchou¡¯s flying sword was sharp and his sword light radiating, the Black Robed Taoist, being a Foundation Establishment Peak Demon Cultivator, was too formidable for the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. Qin Long dared not risk it being severely injured by the duel. The instinct to avoid harm took precedence, and Qin Long didn¡¯t command his spiritual beast to assist either. In such a battle, a Foundation Establishment Early Stage spiritual snake would be of little help. As for Qin Long himself, he stayed in the background, occasionally casting spells to either ambush the Black Robed Taoist or assist the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake in fighting the ghost items to help his spiritual beast devour their souls. He would certainly not fight enemies on the front lines. As a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator, it was wiser not to interfere with battles involving Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators. Being already injured, there was no need to further aggravate it. ¡°¡±¡± Besides, he was from the Beast Taming Sect. The greatest feature of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciples in battle was to let their spiritual beasts fight first. If they could win, they fought; if they couldn¡¯t, it was best to stay far away. Qin Long felt that his own spiritual beast was far from being a match for that Black Robed Evil Cultivator, so it was best not to approach. Li Tianchou and that Taoist fought fiercely, and their spells shattered the altar. In the end, the Black Robed Taoist couldn¡¯t prevail and forcefully cast a few powerful spells to repel Li Tianchou, then turned to escape. But how could Li Tianchou let him leave alive? He gave chase, and the two fought continuously in the mountain forest, startling the birds and causing the beasts to flee in all directions. Qin Feng and his companion saw that the Black Robed Taoist and Li Tianchou were fighting farther and farther away, only then did they relax and walk towards the array. On the way, they saw Chen Hu and the others. At first, they thought Chen Hu and his group had perished, but after Qin Yang checked, he found that they were not dead, just unconscious due to the Yin Evil Qi entering their bodies. Upon careful thought, it seemed reasonable. After all, Chen Hu and his companions were merely Acquired Martial Artists; in the eyes of cultivators, they were mere mortals. There was no need to use powerful spells against them. Perhaps the Black Robed Taoist had intended to send these men into the Yin Evil Formation and refine their souls into ghost items. Qin Yang tried. With his cultivation near the late stage of Foundation Establishment, he could barely help these men expel the evil qi from their bodies, but it would also deplete his own spiritual power completely. After some thought, he decided not to act directly. After all, the battle was not yet over. What if the Black Robed Taoist returned to kill them? It was better to preserve his strength for now. After all, Chen Hu and the others were not going to die anytime soon. They could attend to their rescue once news from Li Tianchou¡¯s side arrived. Qin Feng and his companion arrived at the remnants of the Yin Evil Formation and immediately felt that the atmosphere here was several times colder than other places. This was because most of the Yin Evil Qi had already dispersed. If the array had not been broken, it would surely be even colder. The white frost on the plants and leaves, formed by condensed moisture, was evidence of this. ¡°Father, what about these people?¡± Qin Feng saw his father beside Zhao Jinglei and the others and quickly asked. ¡°Yin Evil Qi has entered their bodies, and ghost items have possessed them.¡± Qin Long shook his head and sighed, ¡°As a disciple from the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, I know how to deal with demon beasts. But these ghost items are not my forte. I cast a spell to temporarily suppress the fierce ghosts in their bodies so that the Yin Evil Ghost Qi wouldn¡¯t take their lives. But as for the specific ghost-expelling methods, we¡¯ll have to wait for Lord Li to return.¡± Qin Feng nodded understandingly and glanced at Zhao Jinglei. He noticed that the Zhao Family disciple¡¯s attire and accessories were all extremely exquisite and valuable. Not to mention, the small item beside him glowed with spirit light, appearing extraordinary. Unfortunately, their Qin Family was just a small clan. Even with Zhao Jinglei unconscious, they wouldn¡¯t dare to covet his treasures. Bored, Qin Feng wandered around the group, catching sight of the destroyed altar in the distance. He walked over to take a look and suddenly his eyes lit up as he picked up a few jet-black stones from the rubble. From behind, Qin Long walked over, glanced at them, and said, ¡°These are Netherworld Stones used by the Evil Cultivator to set up the Yin Evil Formation. Aside from Demon Cultivators, only a few other cultivators would use these things. If you want them, keep them. You might find use for them if you join a sect in the future. Some disciples of the Beast Taming Sect have spiritual beasts of the Yin Evil type. You could trade these for spirit stones if you encounter them.¡± Hearing that these black stones could be exchanged for spirit stones, Qin Feng instantly felt delighted and couldn¡¯t help but continue searching the ruins for more Netherworld Stones. Qin Long shook his head without concern and handed him a palm-sized pouch, saying, ¡°This is a storage bag. The space isn¡¯t large, but you can use it for now. I¡¯ll get you a better one later.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Qin Feng happily took the palm-sized bag, feeling its soft texture, apparently made from some kind of beast skin. He poured a bit of his spiritual power into the storage bag, performed a simple ritual to refine it, and then extended his newly cultivated divine sense inside, leaving a trace of divine sense imprint. At the same time, he discovered that the storage bag really was as his father had said, with only about ten feet of space inside. This was considered the lowest level among storage bags. However, for Qin Feng, who possessed such a magical artifact for the first time, it was already beyond surprising. He placed the Netherworld Stones into the storage bag, then took them out again to feel them. It was alright; the spiritual power consumed when taking out or putting in items was not too much. Qin Long saw his son¡¯s excitement and just smiled indulgently, then turned his gaze towards the direction where the fighting still emanated. He wondered if Li Tianchou could kill that Evil Cultivator. If not, there might be more trouble in the future. Qin Feng was still immersed in the joy of treasure hunting, searching through the ruins of the altar. Indeed, he found several materials containing Yin Evil Qi used for arranging arrays, which he collected. Just as he was about to search another area, he suddenly felt something underfoot. Clearing away two broken stones, he found an ancient copper pot. ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Ghost Locust Blocking the Way Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Ghost Locust Blocking the Way Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Feng was somewhat surprised, not expecting to find such an item. Could it be some sort of magical artifact? His heart began to beat faster. As a novice who had just stepped into cultivation, he was very curious about everything in the cultivation world. Moments ago, his father had given him a low-level storage bag, and he was already overjoyed. If he could get his hands on a magic artifact, he would be even more thrilled. Of course, if this copper pot were a spiritual artifact, that would be a great fortune. After all, the entire Qin Family didn¡¯t have many spiritual artifacts. Although there were several Foundation Establishment cultivators in the family, being vassals of the Beast Taming Sect meant that from the Old Family Master to his father, they all considered spiritual beasts as their main strength. Therefore, having or not having spiritual artifacts wasn¡¯t a big concern. Because they focused most of their efforts and finances on nurturing spiritual beasts, they certainly didn¡¯t have extra resources to exchange for spiritual artifacts. As a result, the Qin Family, through generations, had only a few spiritual artifacts passed down. With an excited heart, Qin Feng reached out and picked up the ancient-looking copper pot, examined it closely, and immediately felt a bit disappointed. Although the copper pot had an unusual shape and was engraved with many fantastical demon beast patterns, the whole pot lacked any spirit light and was even a bit damaged. There were several fine cracks on the pot. Even if it was once a spiritual artifact, it probably couldn¡¯t be used now. Still, he held onto a sliver of hope and tentatively poured his internal spiritual power into the pot, thinking that perhaps it retained some power. Yet as he infused it with his bit of spiritual power, it was like sinking a bull into the sea, with no reaction whatsoever. Qin Feng was somewhat unwilling and injected his divine sense into the pot, only to find an endless darkness, unable to see anything. However, this made him realize that the copper pot was unusual. If it were an ordinary item, his divine sense would have penetrated it instantly, not giving him such a feeling. But now, as his divine sense entered, it felt like an endless dark and dead space, elusive and ungraspable. Never mind, better put it away for now and deal with it later. Qin Feng flipped his hand, placing the copper pot into his storage bag, and continued happily rummaging through the chaotic altar ruins, finding a dozen pieces of various spiritual materials containing Yin evil. This made him quite pleased, as all of these could be exchanged for spirit stones. At this moment, the sounds of battle in the distance ceased. Qin Feng and Qin Yang grew a bit nervous. Although Li Tianchou had the upper hand, fiercely chasing down the black-robed evil cultivator, battles were perilous, prone to sudden reversals. Who knew if that evil cultivator had some life-saving method? If he turned the tables and killed Li Tianchou, they would be in great danger. Fortunately, Qin Long soon said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Li Tianchou won.¡± After all, he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and had more than just the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. Although his other spiritual beasts hadn¡¯t reached the Foundation Establishment Stage and weren¡¯t unleashed in the fight. Earlier, as Li Tianchou and the evil cultivator fought farther away, Qin Long released another spiritual beast, the Skylark, to monitor their battle, fearing an unexpected situation and to ensure they could escape in time. Although the Skylark only had early Qi Refining strength, its flying speed was very fast, ideal for scouting the battle¡¯s progress. Qin Feng and Qin Yang breathed sighs of relief. Sure enough, in no time, Li Tianchou¡¯s figure flew over from the distance. However, he was not unscathed, his face pale as snow, and he had two wounds, showing that the evil cultivator¡¯s desperate counterattack had not been easy to deal with. Despite this, his eyes didn¡¯t show any anxiety, instead, they held a trace of joy. Because after killing the evil cultivator, he not only obtained the treasures on the enemy but also saved Zhao Jinglei and others. After returning to the Commandery, he surely would receive additional benefits. ¡°Congratulations, Lord Li, for slaying the malevolent evil cultivator.¡± Qin Long cupped his hands towards Li Tianchou, ¡°On behalf of the women of Kun City who were harmed by the evil cultivator, thank you, Lord Li.¡± ¡°No need to be so polite, Brother Qin.¡± Li Tianchou coughed lightly twice, indicating his internal organs and meridians were also severely injured, or he wouldn¡¯t be in this state. ¡°All evil beings deserve to be exterminated by everyone. Besides, killing that villain was originally my task here in Kun City.¡± He walked forward, crouched down to examine Zhao Jinglei, and frowned, looking at Qin Long. Qin Long shook his head, saying, ¡°If injured by demon beasts, I could treat it, but I am not proficient in dealing with such Yin Ghost objects.¡± Li Tianchou felt helpless. As a Sword Cultivator, killing was no problem for him, but saving lives was beyond his expertise. Moreover, although the Yin Evil Ghost Object within Zhao Jinglei and others¡¯ bodies was temporarily suppressed by Qin Long¡¯s spell, this was not a long-term solution. If the Yin Evil Qi was not expelled, the fierce ghosts entrenched within them would continuously sap their Primordial Qi and erode their vitality. Prolonged exposure would cause severe damage to their health. The current issue was how to take these Zhao Family members away. Thinking for a while, Li Tianchou hesitated before turning to Qin Long, ¡°Brother Qin, could you help by using your spiritual beast to take these youngsters back to the Commandery with me?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Long nodded without rejecting. There was no reason to refuse. Although traveling to the Commandery would take some time, having saved Zhao Jinglei and others, the Zhao Family should show some gratitude. Otherwise, if Zhao Family members found themselves in trouble in the future, who would care to help? In fact, if Li Tianchou had a large flying escape magical artifact, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted Qin Long to accompany him to the Zhao Family to share in the rewards. But no matter how fast his sword-controlling speed was, he could only take one person with him at most. He couldn¡¯t just leave the rest of the Zhao Family disciples behind. Reluctantly, he had to ask Qin Long to go along. The Yin Evil Qi and fierce ghosts in Zhao Jinglei must be quickly dealt with, as the fierce ghost being merely at the early Foundation Establishment Stage gave no room to delay. This urgency prevented Li Tianchou from considering alternative, slower means of return. Not lingering, Qin Long released the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, placing Zhao Jinglei and the others on its back, using mana to secure them in place. After preparing, Qin Long instructed Qin Feng and Qin Yang, ¡°Gather everyone and leave immediately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s late at night. The previous battle¡¯s noise might attract other demon beasts. If I¡¯m not here, you might not be able to fend them off.¡± Qin Yang quickly responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Seven, I will gather everyone and return to the city now.¡± Even without Qin Long¡¯s orders, he wouldn¡¯t dare to stay much longer. After all, with only peak Qi Refining Six Layer strength, and of the Inspection Department¡¯s soldiers, only three team leaders were Innate martial artists. The rest were Acquired martial artists, who would easily suffer against powerful demon beasts. Seeing their compliance, Qin Long nodded without further words, ascended to the spirit snake¡¯s back, and, controlling it, flew toward the Commandery with Li Tianchou. Watching their figures fade into the night sky, Qin Yang wasted no time, drawing a bamboo whistle from his robe and blowing it sharply. The whistle was to gather all the soldiers of the Inspection Department here. Amplified by his spiritual power, the sound traveled far. Soon, there were hurried footsteps, and scattered groups converged. Qin Yang counted them, ensuring everyone was present, then sighed in relief. ¡°Brother Yang, what happened to Chen Hu and the others?¡± One close team leader, seeing Chen Hu and others on the ground, was alarmed. Those were his subordinates, so he was most concerned about their safety. ¡°It¡¯s fine, just some Yin Evil entering their bodies, clouding their minds.¡± Qin Yang instructed, ¡°Some of you help carry them back. I will drive out the Yin Evil when we return.¡± Hearing this, the others relaxed. As long as they were fine. A few soldiers cut branches to make simple stretchers and carried Chen Hu and the others. ¡°By the way, where did Lord Qin go? Earlier, I saw Lord Qin¡¯s spirit snake flying overhead.¡± Another large, robust middle-aged man asked. He was Zhao Meng, the strongest of the three Innate martial artists in the Inspection Department. ¡°Uncle Seven and Lord Li are heading to the Commandery.¡± Qin Yang briefly explained the situation, then said, ¡°Now that the evil cultivator is dead, Kun City will soon be peaceful. This forest is not safe, let¡¯s leave quickly.¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s go.¡± Zhao Meng and the others realized staying was unwise. The battle¡¯s spiritual energy waves could attract demon beasts, leading to another arduous fight. They hurried back along the way they came. Upon exiting the forest and reaching the Chaotic Burial Mound road, they felt relieved. The forest was uneven and without proper paths, filled with lurking poison insects and serpents, risky to traverse. Using the Chaotic Burial Mound¡¯s path, they moved ahead. Once past it, the way would be smooth. At that moment, soldiers at the front suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Why has the big locust tree guarding the Chaotic Burial Mound fallen?¡± Qin Feng looked ahead and saw the hollow ghost locust, which several people had to embrace, fallen on the road, blocking their way. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Opportunity to Upgrade Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Opportunity to Upgrade Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°What, the Ghost Locust has fallen?¡± The crowd behind heard the news and was stunned. The brothers, Qin Feng and Qin Yang, exchanged glances, their expressions changing slightly. Others might not know, but the disciples of these cultivator families were well aware of the Ghost Locust. The enormous Ghost Locust had been cultivated by the three families of Kun City for six to seven hundred years. It was specifically used to guard the Chaotic Burial Mound, to prevent the emergence of powerful Ghost Items that could harm the populace. Since the two of them were at the back of the team, they hadn¡¯t seen the state of the Ghost Locust with their own eyes. They didn¡¯t know if the Ghost Locust had become sentient and left its encampment, or if some powerful demon monster had arrived. Qin Yang said solemnly, ¡°Be on guard and beware of ambushes.¡± The soldiers obeyed the command, instantly gathering together to form a combat formation. Long swords were drawn, long spears stood upright, and crossbows were loaded. Their eyes warily scanned the surroundings. They often followed Qin Long in hunting down bandits and chasing after villains. They had even participated in slaying demon beasts before. Thus, they were very experienced in combat. After hearing Qin Yang¡¯s command, they immediately entered combat mode. Qin Yang¡¯s eyes flickered with spirit light as he performed a few detection spells but found no demon beasts. Only then did he cautiously walk to the front of the team and approach the Ghost Locust. After a closer look, he instantly discovered the reason the Ghost Locust was blocking their path. It wasn¡¯t that the Ghost Locust had a death wish, ignoring the ban of the three cultivator families of Kun City. Nor was it that some powerful demon monster had pushed it down. The reason the Ghost Locust was lying on the ground blocking their path was that this six-hundred-year-old tree had been cut down at the roots. Qin Yang examined the smooth, neat cut at the tree¡¯s roots, reaching out to touch it. He suddenly felt a sting in his palm. It was the Sword Qi left at the cut! Qin Yang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°No problem. This Ghost Locust was cut down by Lord Li Tianchou.¡± The soldiers of the Inspection Department also relaxed upon hearing this. As long as it wasn¡¯t the work of a demon beast, that was good. Everyone gathered around the Ghost Locust, feeling amazed. However, Team Leader Zhao Meng and other team leaders who knew the true purpose of the Ghost Locust whispered to Qin Yang, ¡°Why did Lord Li cut down this Ghost Locust? Without it, Ghost Items might emerge from the Chaotic Burial Mound and cause trouble in the future!¡± ¡°Perhaps Lord Li accidentally cut it down while fighting that Evil Cultivator, or maybe he noticed something unusual about the Ghost Locust after killing the Evil Cultivator and then cut it down in one stroke.¡± Qin Yang speculated on two possibilities and then said, ¡°I will report this matter to the family head. Don¡¯t worry about the Ghost Items. At most, each family will send people to sweep through the area briefly. Anyway, no extremely powerful Ghost Items have ever emerged from this Chaotic Burial Mound. As for the future, we can cultivate another Spiritual Tree to deter Ghost Items. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way to assign cultivators here permanently. No cultivator from the three families would be willing to live here.¡± The team leaders, being martial artists, had limited knowledge of the methods of cultivators. They couldn¡¯t intervene in such matters. Since Qin Yang said he would report it to the family head, they believed the cultivator families would handle it. Meanwhile, Qin Feng, like the other soldiers, curiously observed the Ghost Locust, spending extra time looking at the hollow tree heart. The tree was so tall that even lying on the ground, it was as high as an ordinary house. Feeling reflective, he patted the tree trunk, then suddenly felt a tremor in his mind. It wasn¡¯t from the Ghost Locust. Although the Ghost Locust had developed spiritual intelligence before being cut down, it was just an ordinary Tree Demon. Besides attracting Ghost Items into its hole to devour, it had no other significant abilities. Even if it did, it wouldn¡¯t dare use them against humans. Otherwise, it would have been killed by the cultivators of Kun City long ago. The obscure tremor was transmitted from the Ancient Bronze Pot in his storage bag. The Copper Pot wasn¡¯t a life form. It couldn¡¯t fully express its meaning, only conveying a vague intent, but Qin Feng understood that it wanted to eat the Ghost Locust, or rather, devour it. This startled Qin Feng. It seemed he indeed had found a treasure. A treasure capable of transmitting intent was no ordinary item. Ordinary Magical Treasures couldn¡¯t do it. At least, they had to be Spiritual Treasures with spiritual nature. For ordinary cultivators at the Qi Refinement Realm, magic artifacts were the main weapon of choice. Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage could use Spiritual Artifacts. But whether it was magic artifacts or spiritual artifacts, they were only simplified prototypes of Magical Treasures. Only after forming the Golden Core did a cultivator have the energy and ability to refine and use a Magical Treasure. As for Spiritual Treasures with spiritual nature, which could protect themselves automatically, they had to be refined by cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage or higher. With this discovery, Qin Feng felt both excited and worried. If someone discovered the level of this Copper Pot, it would definitely lead to killing and treasure seizing. In the worst case, they might even annihilate his entire Qin Family for the sake of leaving no witnesses. Qin Feng thought it would be best to discuss this with his father when he returned. If things didn¡¯t work out, he would offer this Spiritual Treasure to the sect after he joined. It should earn him considerable benefits. However, was he really willing to do so? There was no need to think much; he knew he definitely wasn¡¯t willing. Whoever got hold of such a treasure would be reluctant to give it up easily. Qin Feng hesitated for a moment. However, he had more immediate concerns. Letting the Copper Pot devour the Ghost Locust in front of so many people wasn¡¯t feasible. Otherwise, word would spread. But he wanted to try. He wanted to see what reaction the Ancient Bronze Pot would have after devouring the Ghost Locust. How could he avoid all these people, though? Just as he was pondering, Qin Yang had already gathered everyone to leave quickly. They were still on the outskirts of Qifeng Mountain, near the Chaotic Burial Mound. It was best not to linger. The group resumed their journey, but after a few steps, Qin Feng stopped. ¡°What is it?¡± Qin Yang asked from the side. ¡°I need to relieve myself.¡± Qin Feng said as he stepped behind a tree. ¡°Don¡¯t go into the woods. Just stay by the roadside. It¡¯s late at night; no one will see you.¡± Qin Yang joked, ¡°Besides, you haven¡¯t fully grown yet. Why be shy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of being seen, just worried you¡¯ll be jealous.¡± Qin Feng retorted. The team leaders around Qin Yang burst into laughter. ¡°You brat, jealous of you?¡± Qin Yang nearly blew his nose in anger. But he could only swallow his frustration. He couldn¡¯t possibly take it out and compare sizes with his cousin here. They weren¡¯t kids anymore, doing such childish things. Even if they did, who would they find to be the judge? Glancing at the burly Zhao Meng, Qin Yang shivered and quickly dismissed the thought. Qin Feng walked a few more steps to the front of the Ghost Locust. The Ghost Locust was huge, with dense branches and leaves, covering a large area as it lay on the ground. He turned back and saw no one was watching. He quickly took out the Ancient Bronze Pot and inserted a section of the Ghost Locust branch into the pot. Qin Feng, given his low cultivation, couldn¡¯t lift the entire Ghost Locust. He also didn¡¯t know how the pot planned to devour it, so he could only try this way. As soon as he inserted the Ghost Locust branch, the Ancient Bronze Pot trembled slightly, and a massive suction force emerged, pulling the entire Ghost Locust into the pot. Qin Feng curiously looked at the pot¡¯s opening, puzzled about how such a large Ghost Locust fit inside. Suddenly, the Copper Pot flew out of his hand and headed toward his forehead. With a booming sound, the Copper Pot entered Qin Feng¡¯s Sea of Consciousness, hovering steadily in the center. ¡°What¡­¡± Qin Feng was stunned. What was happening? How did the Copper Pot enter his Sea of Consciousness? Before he could react, pure spiritual power surged from the Copper Pot, flowing through his brow and circulating throughout his body. Qin Feng quickly ran his cultivation technique, refining this spiritual power and sending it into his dantian. The spiritual power, though not much, was extremely pure. With just a few circulations, he could turn it into his own spiritual power. After he fully absorbed the spiritual power, he noticed his cultivation had reached the peak of the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, ready to break through to the second layer at any moment. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Demon Refining Pot Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Demon Refining Pot Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°` Qin Feng felt immense joy in his heart as he sensed the abundant spiritual power within himself. What a stroke of fortune! He never expected that this copper pot could also feed back spiritual power to aid his cultivation. The source of this spiritual power must be the spiritual energy returned after the copper pot devoured the Ghost Locust. Although this spiritual energy was likely not even a tenth of the Ghost Locust¡¯s original spiritual power, it was exceptionally pure and could be directly absorbed and converted. This was unlike the spiritual energy from nature, which had to be repeatedly refined before it could be utilized. This was an incredible surprise for Qin Feng. Originally, given his cultivation speed, it would be commendable if he could advance to the second level of Qi Refinement within six months, and this was with the various elixir pills and spiritual objects his father prepared for him. Without those elixir pills and spiritual objects, given his aptitude, it would take him at least one to two years to advance from the first to the second level of Qi Refinement. But now, with the copper pot¡¯s feedback, he was already at the stage where he could advance at any time. Qin Feng thought that now he should set his sights farther. If he could reach the third or even fourth level of Qi Refinement before entering the sect, he would undoubtedly gain more benefits upon arriving at the sect. As for the idea of turning in this copper pot to the sect, he had completely abandoned it. He wasn¡¯t foolish. How could he bear to give away such a treasure that could assist in cultivation? Cultivators endure arduous cultivation for the sake of advancing in their cultivation, gaining more longevity and stronger divine skills. This copper pot was his greatest opportunity¡ªhow could he let it go to others for nothing? As it is said, ¡°What heaven bestows is not to be refused, or misfortune will follow.¡± Since this treasure had fallen into his hands, if he did not make good use of it, it might bring bad luck and disaster instead. As his thoughts were swirling around, he heard Qin Yang¡¯s voice calling from a hundred steps away: ¡°Feng-di, are you done? Hurry up and catch up, or you¡¯ll be entangled by a female ghost and lose your virginity.¡± Hearing the call, Qin Feng immediately put his thoughts aside, answered quickly, and turned around to catch up with the group. It was fortunate that it was late at night with the forest trees providing cover, so Qin Yang and the others couldn¡¯t see the situation here. If he didn¡¯t return to the group quickly and Qin Yang came looking for him, he would undoubtedly discover the disappearance of the Ghost Locust. Following the group, they returned to Kun City without any surprises or dangers. After returning to the Inspection Department¡¯s residence, since it was late at night and Qin Yang still had to expel the Yin Evil from Chen Hu and others, he was not comfortable letting Qin Feng return alone. Therefore, he let Qin Feng rest in his father¡¯s room for the night and return to the family at dawn. Since Qin Feng¡¯s cultivation was still low, he couldn¡¯t help with expelling the Yin Evil and thus used fatigue as an excuse to rest in his family¡¯s room at the Inspection Department. Of course, the joy of acquiring such a treasure left him sleepless. Previously, because he was in front of others, he couldn¡¯t show his emotions; now alone, he could no longer suppress the smile on his face. He carefully locked the doors and windows of the room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and tried to summon the ancient copper pot with his divine sense to study it. However, as soon as his divine sense entered the copper pot, a sudden change occurred. A vast consciousness surged into his spirit through his divine sense. This sudden change nearly blew up Qin Feng¡¯s sea of consciousness. He cursed internally, ¡°This is completely different from last time!¡± Last time when his divine sense entered, it was completely dark with nothing to see and no response. This time, it was so aggressive, not giving him any chance to resist, forcing a torrent of consciousness into his sea of consciousness. Qin Feng dared not think further, immediately focused his mind, and guarded his heart to prevent his spirit from being overwhelmed by this consciousness. If this wild consciousness knocked him out, he would have no defense and might awaken with his will completely crushed, becoming an idiot. After a long while, he finally exhaled slowly. After merging with that consciousness, he understood the origin of the copper pot in his sea of consciousness. It was an Immortal Artifact, a very powerful ancient Immortal Artifact. Only, it had been destroyed long ago. But this was good news for Qin Feng. If this treasure wasn¡¯t damaged, how could it have fallen into his hands? This Immortal Artifact was called the Demon Refining Pot. According to the consciousness conveyed by the Demon Refining Pot, Qin Feng discovered this pot was not the true Demon Refining Pot. It was a replica made by a powerful Demon King from the Heavenly Demon Great World, based on the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Demon Refining Pot, of a supreme existence. Even though it was a replica, it was still extremely powerful. This Demon Refining Pot wasn¡¯t a magical treasure used for combat but a treasure used to suppress demon beasts. Any demon beast accepted into the Demon Refining Pot would be branded and turned into the pot¡¯s Dao Soldier. The Demon King from the Heavenly Demon Great World used this pot to suppress all enemy demon clans, turning them into his own demon soldiers and ordering them to fight for him. That Demon King earned a notorious reputation in the ancient battles, until the final decisive battle where he provoked a more formidable existence and was slain. Even the Demon Refining Pot was struck by a mighty hand, severely damaged, and fell into a corner of the ancient battlefield. It was unknown where that black-robed Evil Cultivator unearthed it. That Evil Cultivator evidently did not know the full origin of the Demon Refining Pot. He only sensed that it was extraordinary and wanted to refine it into a Ghost Dao Magical Treasure, thus harming cultivators and seizing their souls. He even targeted Li Tianchou, intending to seize his soul to refine into an Artifact Spirit. Unfortunately, the Evil Cultivator didn¡¯t foresee that Qin Long had the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. Collaborating with Li Tianchou, they broke his Yin Evil Formation, and in his attempt to steal, he ultimately lost his own life. Qin Feng, feeling the intermittent consciousness from the Demon Refining Pot in his mind, roughly analyzed the situation. Although the consciousness was incomplete, he glimpsed some incredible formidable existences. Like the countless demon clans covering the sky and earth, a vast battlefield spanning tens of thousands of miles, the ferocious battles between humans and demons, colossal demon beasts thousands of meters tall, divine weapons breaking through the heavens¡ªalthough these scenes flashed by quickly, they left him in awe. After the initial shock, all that remained was endless joy and longing. Joy at obtaining such a treasure, and longing to one day reach such powerful levels, splitting the heavens with one sword, suppressing powerful Demon Immortals with one palm. Of course, these were just fantasies. He was still a rookie in cultivation and couldn¡¯t imagine himself conquering the world based on a fleeting shadow. What was more important now was how to improve his strength and join a sect. With this Demon Refining Pot, his future path would undoubtedly become smoother. The only pity was that the Demon Refining Pot was seriously damaged. Its original nine-layer Grotto Heaven had turned to dust, leaving only a desolate land of about a hundred square feet on the bottom layer. The rest of the nine-layer Grotto Heaven had crumbled, leaving only the core Dao Principle. To restore the Demon Refining Pot to its former state, he would need to integrate nine Grotto Heaven Worlds into it and use various heavenly materials and earthly treasures to repair the pot¡¯s damage. Qin Feng shook his head, dismissing the idea. This was not something he could accomplish now. For now, he should think about how to use the Demon Refining Pot to enhance his cultivation. To the powerful Demon King who crafted it, the Demon Refining Pot was merely a Cave Heaven Treasure for carrying Dao Soldiers. As for its lesser functions to enhance Dao Soldiers¡¯ strength, those were inconsequential. But what a demon king saw as insignificant, Qin Feng valued greatly. Because this Demon Refining Pot was a replica, it differed significantly from the original Innate Spiritual Treasure. The Demon Refining Pot in Qin Feng¡¯s sea of consciousness emphasized the word ¡°refine.¡± It could not only refine demons into controlled demon soldiers but also refine all deceased demon bodies into the purest spiritual energy to aid cultivation. Of course, the Demon King¡¯s intention was likely to use this spiritual energy for the demon beasts subdued by the Demon Refining Pot. But Qin Feng had no subordinates of demon beasts and no desire to share the spiritual energy with any beasts. He himself was short on spiritual energy, so how could he spare any for demon beasts? However, aside from nurturing demon soldiers and refining spiritual energy, what Qin Feng valued most was the Demon Refining Pot¡¯s ability to refine a demon beast¡¯s bloodline divine power and merge it into itself. This was incredibly powerful. Because demon beasts greatly valued their bloodline. In the early stage of cultivation, they particularly relied on their bloodline to birth divine skills to fight against other beings. Even after reaching deep cultivation levels, they still depended heavily on bloodline suppression to make other demon clans submit. The function of merging other demon beasts¡¯ bloodlines and gaining their bloodline divine powers was astonishingly powerful. Although Qin Feng had read simple descriptions of cultivation realms in the family¡¯s Scripture Pavilion, knowing that after becoming an Immortal, all races gradually placed less importance on divine skills and more on Daoist skills. Because Daoist skills were derived from Dao Principles, possessing infinite power far greater than divine skills. But Qin Feng couldn¡¯t see that far yet. He only knew he had obtained a great opportunity, one that was perfect for him. When he joined the Beast Taming Sect, with this Demon Refining Pot, he could use its abilities to help his spiritual beasts gain more divine skills. By then, leveraging powerful spiritual beasts to win a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple should be no problem, right? Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Washing the Marrow and Cleansing the Bones Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Washing the Marrow and Cleansing the Bones Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The only thing Qin Feng regretted was that the original nine levels of the Demon Refining Pot now only had a tiny space left at the bottom, which meant he could only focus on cultivating a single spiritual beast at present. To cultivate other spiritual beasts, he would have to fill up the other eight levels first. Qin Feng sighed lightly, but he quickly collected his thoughts. People should not be too greedy; the benefits he gained now were already a blessing from the heavens. If he were too greedy and focused on repairing the Demon Refining Pot, it would only bring trouble with his current abilities. He had not yet entered the Beast Taming Sect, so the matter of taming spiritual beasts could be dealt with later. The most important thing now was to use the Demon Refining Pot to enhance his cultivation. After all, the Demon Refining Pot could refine the flesh of demon beasts, reverting it to its original essence and transforming it into pure spiritual energy to assist in cultivation. If he could refine a few more demon beasts, his cultivation would increase rapidly. But the question was, where could he get demon beasts? Even if he advanced to the second level of Qi Refinement, he would still be a low-level small cultivator without the qualifications to hunt demon beasts for training. Qin Feng summoned the Demon Refining Pot to play with it for a while but quickly sent it back to his Sea of Consciousness, deciding that he would not take this precious item out unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, if someone saw a small cultivator in the early stage of Qi Refinement controlling such a treasure, it would definitely arouse suspicion. At this moment, voices came from a room not far away. It was Qin Yang helping Chen Hu and others expel the Yin Evil from their bodies; they were expressing their gratitude to Qin Yang after regaining consciousness. Qin Yang would likely come to the adjacent room to rest soon. Qin Feng did not want to attract Qin Yang¡¯s attention, as he had used the excuse of being tired to come to his room early. He reached out and fanned at a few steps away from the candlestick, producing a breeze that extinguished the candle with a puff. The spiritual energy feedback from the Demon Refining Pot had improved him significantly, making it easier to use spells. The room plunged into darkness. Qin Feng wanted to sit cross-legged and cultivate, but the excitement of suddenly obtaining such a precious item left him unable to calm his mind, making cultivation impossible. Since he couldn¡¯t cultivate, he might as well get a good night¡¯s sleep and think about it tomorrow. Qin Feng lay on the bed, his mind racing with thoughts. At one moment, he felt his future was bright; at another, he felt anxious, fearing his Sea of Consciousness¡¯s Demon Refining Pot would be discovered. He tossed and turned for a long time before falling asleep in a daze. ¡­¡­ Three days later. Qin Family Mansion. Qin Feng had finished his cultivation and was reading a travelogue of a cultivator to broaden his knowledge. At that moment, he suddenly heard his father¡¯s call from the courtyard, ¡°Feng¡¯er, Father is back.¡± The voice carried a hint of joy. Qin Feng got up to greet him. He had just taken two steps when he saw his father stride in. ¡°Haha, Feng¡¯er, come and see what good things I brought for you.¡± Qin Long smiled broadly and took out a pile of bottles and jars from the storage bag at his waist, laughing as he spoke, ¡°This time, I met the family head in the Commandery. The family head helped me buy back Yellow Bud Pills, Breaking Barrier Pills, and other elixirs. There are also these few items for you to use when you tame spiritual beasts. Additionally, these two bottles contain Marrow Cleansing Liquid and Bone Strengthening Pills, which are good for enhancing your aptitude. I have already prepared a medicinal bath for you; use it tonight to avoid attracting attention. These things work best when used at a young age and low cultivation level. It will be much harder to improve your aptitude when your cultivation is higher.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Qin Feng was also happy upon hearing this. Although he already had the Demon Refining Pot to assist in cultivation, it was still an external object with its own limits. When his cultivation reached a certain realm, relying solely on the Demon Refining Pot to enhance it would not be realistic. Enhancing one¡¯s aptitude was fundamental. Those with excellent root bones not only saved more time in cultivation but also faced fewer obstacles when advancing. However, the Marrow Cleansing Liquid and Bone Strengthening Pills, while enhancing aptitude, did not have outstanding effects; otherwise, a small family like the Qin Family would not have obtained them. ¡°These things are just as agreed with the family head before.¡± Qin Long cheerfully took out a piece of inner armor from the storage bag, ¡°This time, while escorting Zhao Jinglei and others to the Commandery¡¯s Zhao Family with Li Tianchou, we established a good relationship. The Zhao Family was generous and gave many things. However, those things were not useful to you, so I exchanged them for Spirit Stones and bought you this piece of Spiritual Armor.¡± He handed the inner armor to Qin Feng and smiled, ¡°This is a basic-level spiritual inner armor made from the beast skin of the Rhino Armor Beast. When in danger, it will activate the defensive magic within, forming a layer of earth element spirit light outside your body, enough to protect you from most dangers. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to get you stronger armor, but your current strength is insufficient. Even if given to you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to utilize its full power, and it would only attract unwanted attention. I specifically chose this inner armor for you; although it¡¯s at the basic spiritual artifact level, it can form a defense as long as you can activate the magic within it. Such inner armor, usable at the early stage of Qi Refinement, is rare and expensive. If the Zhao Family hadn¡¯t given so many good things, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford it. Now, try it on.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Feng was touched but said nothing, taking the inner armor and putting it on. As his spiritual power surged into the inner armor, it shrank to fit him perfectly snug. ¡°Not bad.¡± Qin Long looked at his son wearing the inner armor and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°You have some of my style from when I was young.¡± Qin Feng found this both funny and exasperating. His appearance was quite different from his father¡¯s, except for his eyes. He had not inherited his father¡¯s square face and beard, looking much more handsome in contrast. It was said he inherited more of his mother¡¯s looks. Unfortunately, his mother passed away early, and Qin Feng could hardly remember her face, having only seen her when he was one or two years old, over a decade ago. At night, Qin Feng soaked his entire body in a wooden tub filled with a rich medicinal fragrance. Qin Long had prepared this medicinal bath to cleanse his marrow and tendons, ensuring the Marrow Cleansing Liquid was used early, so the other branches of the family wouldn¡¯t covet it. Though Qin Long would not part with the Marrow Cleansing Liquid, letting it be known would cause unnecessary trouble, so using it early would not only enhance his son¡¯s aptitude but also end any undue interest. If they wanted Marrow Cleansing Liquid, they should exchange for it themselves. Qin Long would not spoil certain members of the family. The Marrow Cleansing Liquid was not easy to come by; only with years of contributions to the family did the family head agree to purchase it. In the wooden tub, Qin Feng felt like a frog being slowly boiled, his skin reddening from the heat. He dared not come out, for that would render the medicinal bath useless, so he repeatedly circulated his cultivation technique, absorbing the medicinal power while dissipating some heat. Steam continually rose from his head. As the water temperature rose, the medicinal properties and spiritual energy in the bath liquid, driven by his cultivation technique, flowed into his body, causing waves of soreness. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Qin Long suddenly said, placing a Bone Strengthening Pill into his mouth. As the pill entered his stomach, a cool sensation spread through his five internal organs, limbs, and bones, bringing immense relief. The previous soreness was unbearable. Unfortunately, this relief was short-lived. The coolness quickly turned into potent medicinal power, sticking to his bones and seeping inside, causing a sensation akin to being bitten by countless ants, extremely painful. The Bone Strengthening Pill enhanced his bones¡¯ strength and refined away impurities, improving his root bones. However, the side effects were significant. Had he not pretended to be strong to avoid worrying his father, Qin Feng would have cried out in pain. Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Hide and Bide Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Hide and Bide Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Feng tightly bit his teeth, enduring the bone-eroding pain. He made no sound and continued to exercise his cultivation technique, absorbing the medicinal power to cleanse his meridian channels and improve his aptitude. As he repeatedly operated the cultivation technique Dragon and Tiger Profound Returning Origin Skill, his spiritual power quietly increased each time he absorbed the medicinal power. He had initially planned to break through to the second level of Qi Refinement after cleansing his meridians and improving his aptitude. By then, he could attribute his rapid advancement to the effect of the medicinal bath his father had prepared. But at this moment, he focused on absorbing the medicinal power, forgetting to suppress the spiritual power in his dantian. As he circulated the cultivation technique, he unintentionally expanded the veins and acupoints in his body. His spiritual power hit an extreme, and naturally, he advanced. When Qin Long discovered his son had broken through to the second level of Qi Refinement, he was dumbfounded. What kind of situation was this? Hadn¡¯t his son been cultivating for just a short time and was currently improving his aptitude through the medicinal bath? How did he break through so suddenly? Could it be that my son is the legendary cultivation prodigy encountered once in a millennium? It must be. Otherwise, how could this happen? Qin Long¡¯s heart pounded. He was somewhat excited. With such talent, there would be no worry for his son¡¯s future advancement. Perhaps, his son could become the second Golden Core Cultivator in the family after the founder of their clan! The first-generation ancestor who founded the Qin Clan was an Inner Sect Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. Unfortunately, this ancestor passed away young and could not protect the family for long. This left the Qin Family to develop slowly in a small place like Kun City without further progress. Qin Long thought that his son was now the family¡¯s hope. Whether he could enter the Inner Sect and lead the family to prosperity would depend on his future achievements. In the bathtub, Qin Feng did not know about his father¡¯s high expectations. He continued to grit his teeth and endure the sensations of soreness, numbness, pain, and itchiness within his body. He also had no time to think about his breakthrough to the second level of Qi Refinement. He relied solely on his strong willpower to persist. He had never thought that the combination of Marrow Cleansing Liquid and Bone Strengthening Pill would be so painful. However, improving one¡¯s aptitude and maximizing potential is never easy. One must endure all kinds of suffering to make progress. Who knows how much time passed before the pain began to diminish and the medicinal effects started to wane. Qin Feng felt a sense of relief, experiencing a sudden sensation of clarity and lightness, an illusion of being as light as a swallow. This was because the impurities in his body had been cleansed. Upon opening his eyes, he immediately saw his father grinning broadly, laughing silently without noticing that he had awakened. Surprised and puzzled by the situation, Qin Feng hesitated and waved his hand in front of his father¡¯s face. Only then did Qin Long come to his senses, exclaiming, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s over so soon. My son is indeed a natural prodigy.¡± Qin Feng smirked. Was it really that fast? It felt like a long time to me. After enduring such intense pain, his body was still weary. With his father¡¯s help, he stepped out of the bathtub. Qin Long then cast a spell, summoning a stream of clear water to rinse him off again. Otherwise, the thick scent of medicine on his body would be uncomfortable. ¡°Feng¡¯er.¡± After Qin Feng changed his clothes, Qin Long spoke with a face full of joy: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your aptitude to be so good. Just using these auxiliary spiritual objects to cleanse your body, you¡¯ve managed to advance to the second level of Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°Ha ha, the Qin Family¡¯s prosperity is in sight. When you enter the Inner Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, you will definitely lead our family out of Kun City and secure a better spirit vein. By then, what weight can the Zhao Family in Tieling carry?¡± Qin Feng was speechless. He hadn¡¯t expected that a minor breakthrough could make his father so excited, to the point of belittling the Zhao Family? But it was understandable. Such rapid cultivation progress was usually seen only in exceptionally talented individuals or the offspring of great families with abundant resources, allowing them to advance swiftly. Yet, cultivation built on resources alone could never compare to true talent. More than ninety percent of cultivators in the cultivation world faced ever-slowing progress in the later stages. Only true geniuses could continue to break through realms. Qin Feng wanted to tell his father that he was not a genuine prodigy, but ultimately, he didn¡¯t mention the Demon Refining Pot. It wasn¡¯t that he doubted his father¡¯s ability to keep secrets, but knowing would only add to his father¡¯s worries, fearing for his safety if someone coveted the treasure. Moreover, the formidable being who had broken the Demon Refining Pot was likely still alive. If the pot was frequently mentioned, it might draw that being¡¯s attention, and who knew whether it would bring fortune or disaster. For mysterious entities he knew little about, it was better to maintain reverence and caution. Thus, Qin Feng decided not to add to his father¡¯s worries unless he became powerful enough to protect the treasure. The cultivation world was filled with countless mystical techniques. Someone might detect his treasure from subtle clues. Hence, he had to be extremely cautious. Qin Long excitedly talked to his son for a long time, discussing historical events and imagining the future, sharing tips about joining the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, whom to avoid, and how to gain benefits. Despite having heard many things before, Qin Feng listened intently, knowing his father repeated these reminders out of concern for his safety and to advise him on securing more cultivation resources within the sect. Talking far into the night, with the moon high in the sky, Qin Long finally stopped his advice reluctantly. He instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t go out during this time. Stay in the courtyard and cultivate. After ten days or so, then go out. By then, even if people notice you¡¯ve advanced to the second level of Qi Refinement, it won¡¯t cause such a stir.¡± ¡°After all, I brought back a lot of elixir pills from the Commandery this time. If anyone asks why you advanced so quickly, just say it¡¯s because you took a lot of elixir pills.¡± Qin Feng nodded: ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t go out for these few days.¡± He was well aware of the principle of standing out too much. Although other elders in the family wouldn¡¯t resort to underhanded tactics for a spot, they might increase their focus on cultivating him, considering him the family¡¯s hope for revival. But the news of his rapid advancement could spell trouble if it spread beyond the family. The Qin Family was, after all, just a small family and might not protect him from harm. Not to mention that some rivals of the Beast Taming Sect wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill a promising enemy before he matured. Even in the small Kun City, things were not entirely stable. Kun City housed three cultivator families, each aligned with different powers, sharing cooperation and rivalry. The Wang Family in the west was relatively minor, being vassals of the Fog Hidden Sect, with no feud with the Beast Taming Sect. But the Huang Family in the north was associated with one of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s rival sects, the Sword Cultivation Sect of Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave, renowned for their Golden Light Cave Heaven, a thriving sect possibly even stronger than the Beast Taming Sect. Qin Long wanted his son to reclusively cultivate at home for a while to avoid the Huang Family. Should they discover Qin Feng¡¯s progress, they could either harm him secretly or report to their sect, leading to a potential fatal threat to Qin Feng. ¡­ Qin Feng was even more patient than Qin Long anticipated. He secluded himself for over half a month, only then stepping out to relieve his mind by walking in the family¡¯s forest. He encountered some clan cultivators during his walk, but they were mostly ordinary members focused on tending the family¡¯s spiritual fields and didn¡¯t bother probing his cultivation level. It wasn¡¯t until over a month later that a clan member noticed Qin Feng had advanced to the second level of Qi Refinement. The news caused quite a stir among the younger generations of Kun City¡¯s three major families. Qin Feng managed to advance to the second level within two months, making him a minor prodigy among the ordinary talent pool of his peers. If he survived, he might achieve Foundation Establishment and become a pillar of the Qin Family¡¯s future. However, Qin Feng attributed his rapid progress to the numerous spiritual elixirs his father, Qin Long, provided. This explanation eased concerns about him attracting undue attention from elders of the rival families, who themselves had children enjoying plentiful resources. Nevertheless, young family members competing with Qin Feng for sect admission were disheartened. His performance nearly guaranteed one spot, intensifying competitions for the remaining slots. A few of those youths often lamented, wishing their fathers were like Qin Long¡ªhaving accomplished enough for the family to earn resources. With similar supports, they might have progressed faster than Qin Feng. Third Uncle, who watched the Book Collection Pavilion, was particularly anxious about his grandson¡¯s chances now that Qin Feng claimed a spot. Even if Third Uncle wanted elixir pills for his grandson, years of stable service in the family¡¯s Scripture Pavilion meant fewer adventures and fewer accumulated resources compared to Qin Long. Qin Feng often visited the Pavilion for cultivation travel notes and various cultivation books, causing his presence to unsettle Third Uncle, who sighed inwardly each time. His grandson¡¯s average aptitude previously allowed fair competition, but now competing against Qin Long¡¯s resource-backed efforts seemed insurmountable. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Spiritual Toad Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Spiritual Toad Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Qin Family had three hundred acres of spiritual farmland, which was the foundation of their establishment in Kun City, as well as their main source of income. However, due to the distribution of spirit veins, the spiritual farmland of the Qin Family was scattered in many parts behind their family estate, within a vast mountain forest. Over the years, generation after generation of cultivators from the Qin Family managed these three hundred acres of spiritual farmland in an orderly fashion, each plot of land being clearly allocated for the cultivation of specific spiritual objects. Although thirty percent of the annual yield from the spiritual farmland had to be handed over to the Beast Taming Sect, in return, the Qin Family gained the sect¡¯s protection, allowing their family to thrive safely in Kun City. Without the shelter provided by the Beast Taming Sect, during times when the Qin Family had no Foundation Establishment cultivator to hold the fort, it would be hard to defend so much spiritual farmland, and they might even risk being raided for their spirit veins. This was the plight of small families and weak forces; without strong backing, they could be wiped out at any moment. At noon, Qin Feng and his father were having a meal together. Today, his father was on leave and did not have to report to the Inspection Department. Just as the father and son were almost done eating, the Fifth Elder, Qin Guanshan, who managed the family¡¯s spiritual farmland, arrived. He came to find Qin Long. Although the Fifth Elder was in charge of all the spiritual farmland¡¯s cultivation matters, his cultivation wasn¡¯t high, only at the late stage of Qi Cultivation. The reason he became the family elder was due to his advanced age and because he had the most experience among all the spirit plant cultivators in the family. All the cultivators tending to the spiritual farmland had been guided by him. ¡°Uncle Fifth, why have you come?¡± Qin Long and his son quickly put down their bowls and chopsticks and stood up to greet the Fifth Elder. Although Foundation Establishment cultivators could fast to some extent, it was not necessary. Apart from when they were in seclusion, they would habitually eat some food during other times. Especially food imbued with Spiritual Energy, which was beneficial to their cultivation. Given that the Qin Family had three hundred acres of spiritual farmland, Qin Long never lacked for food. ¡°Go ahead and finish your meal first,¡± the Fifth Elder waved his hand, ¡°We can talk after you are done.¡± Although he was a generation senior to Qin Long, his strength was far inferior, so he didn¡¯t put on the airs of an elder before Qin Long. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re almost done.¡± Qin Long invited the Fifth Elder to sit and said with a smile, ¡°Uncle Fifth, feel free to speak your mind. You usually don¡¯t come unless there¡¯s something important. Do you need my help with something this time?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Fifth Elder did not exchange pleasantries and went straight to the point, ¡°Lately, the family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden has been frequently pilfered. At first, I thought someone inside was being dishonest, but after careful investigation, I discovered it was a Spiritual Toad causing trouble.¡± ¡°A Spiritual Toad?¡± Qin Long¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he asked quickly, ¡°What kind of Spiritual Toad? Is it poisonous?¡± As someone from the Beast Taming Sect, he had always been very interested in spiritual beasts. So, upon hearing there was a spiritual beast in their spiritual farmland, he immediately became intrigued. If possible, he wouldn¡¯t mind having another spiritual beast. ¡°I couldn¡¯t recognize it. The family¡¯s Scripture Pavilion doesn¡¯t have such a Spiritual Toad in the Spiritual Beast Record,¡± the Fifth Elder shook his head, ¡°I organized people to catch that Spiritual Toad, but it turned out to be quite strong, leaping nimbly, and quickly jumping into the Spiritual Well. I also sent people down to search for it, but they couldn¡¯t find it. If it never appeared again, that would be fine, but the guards in the Spirit Fruit Garden reported that whenever they let their guard down, the Spiritual Toad would leap out of the well and continue to devour spirit fruits. The little thing might not look very big, but its appetite is astonishing. If we let it continue like this, the spirit fruits to be offered to the Beast Taming Sect this year may fall short.¡± At this point, a trace of worry appeared on the Fifth Elder¡¯s face, ¡°I approached the Clan Leader, who said his Shadow Leopard is not good at fighting in water and suggested I come to you for help.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Qin Long nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get ready and go with you to take a look.¡± Qin Feng, who was listening nearby, also became interested. As a prospective disciple about to join the Beast Taming Sect, he, too, had a keen interest in demon beasts. In fact, all the young members of the Qin Family shared the same attitude towards spiritual beasts. Being an affiliated family of the Beast Taming Sect, they were influenced from a young age to desire a spiritual beast of their own, riding high above the land and the skies, for it must be a dashing sight. ¡°Dad, let me go with you. I¡¯ve never seen a demon beast of the Toad species before.¡± Qin Long looked at his son¡¯s eager face and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Alright, then come along. We can check out the type of Spiritual Toad it is. If it¡¯s suitable, we might catch it for you to keep as a spiritual beast, though you might not like it.¡± The reason he said this was because the first spiritual beast captured by a Beast Taming Sect disciple usually became their Lifebound Spiritual Beast. The cultivation technique of the Beast Taming Sect was very unique. After reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, they could merge with their Lifebound Spiritual Beast to fight as one. Hence, choosing the first spiritual beast was extremely important for all the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, as it affected not only their appearance after merging but also their combat effectiveness and future potential. Qin Feng had heard from his father that one of the nine major affiliated families of the Beast Taming Sect, the Long Family, kept some Jiao Dragons. If a promising junior emerged from their family, they would directly provide a young Jiao Dragon as their Lifebound Spiritual Beast, offering immense potential and leaving over ninety percent of ordinary disciples far behind. Qin Feng, though he didn¡¯t aspire to compare with those from such prominent families, still didn¡¯t like the idea of having a toad as his Lifebound Spiritual Beast. Otherwise, if he merged with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast in battle, he might end up becoming the Toad Prince. As the most handsome young man in the Qin Family, he thought it was better to maintain his image. Compared to a toad, he preferred a more formidable spiritual beast. This matter wasn¡¯t urgent; after joining the Beast Taming Sect, he would have plenty of opportunities to find his ideal spiritual beast. Besides, he hadn¡¯t even joined the sect yet. Even if given a spiritual beast, he wouldn¡¯t know the technique to refine it into his Lifebound Spiritual Beast. Qin Feng shrugged, not minding his father¡¯s jesting. Although he didn¡¯t plan to have the Spiritual Toad as his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit curious. After all, he hadn¡¯t seen many demon beasts. Apart from the few spiritual beasts his father owned, he had only seen the Shadow Leopard owned by the Clan Leader and a few Earth Splitting Barbaric Bulls kept by the family. The Earth Splitting Barbaric Bull was an ordinary spiritual beast with great strength and a relatively gentle nature, possessing the Earth Splitting Divine Power. They were reared by the family to help plow the spiritual farmland. Qin Long and his son followed the Fifth Elder directly to the family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden. The Spirit Fruit Garden had walls around it, with many prohibitions set up within to prevent birds and beasts from entering and stealing the spirit fruits. Logically, with these prohibitions in place, no demon beast should have been able to intrude. Yet, the Spiritual Toad had done just that, leaving everyone puzzled as to where this little creature had come from. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Ambush in the Dark Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Ambush in the Dark Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden was not very large, covering more than a dozen acres and planted with seven or eight kinds of Spirit Fruit Trees. Although most of the Spirit Fruits had not yet matured, Qin Feng still caught a whiff of enticing fruit fragrance as he entered. However, apart from the thirty percent of the Spirit Fruits that needed to be handed over to the sect, most of the remaining fruits would be sold by the family to exchange for other spiritual objects to supplement household expenses. Therefore, the number of Spirit Fruits that the Qin Family cultivators could receive each year was not much. This year, however, it might be even less. Because a Spiritual Toad, which appeared from nowhere, devoured a large quantity of Spirit Fruits. If it was not dealt with soon, there might not be any harvest of Spirit Fruits this year. If it had been a common Spiritual Toad, that would be fine, even a few more Demon Beasts would not have mattered. But this Spiritual Toad had an astonishing appetite. Though it did not look large, it could easily devour food more than a hundred times its own weight. As Qin Long and the others arrived, the five or six family cultivators who were carefully guarding the garden came forward one after another. They were the Spirit Plant Cultivators responsible for this orchard. Spirit Fruit Trees were relatively more difficult to manage than ordinary Spirit Grains and other objects. Therefore, the income of a few cultivators in the Spirit Fruit Garden was higher compared to other ordinary family members. However, this year¡¯s Spirit Fruits had encountered a problem, undoubtedly causing their income to decrease. Thus, these cultivators were also anxious. When they saw the Fifth Elder bringing Qin Long, they immediately gathered to ask about the situation. ¡°Look at those few Spirit Fruit Trees that matured earlier, within less than two days, they were entirely devoured by that Spiritual Toad.¡± The Fifth Elder led Qin Long and his son to the depths of the garden, pointing angrily at several Spirit Fruit Trees. Following the direction pointed out by the Fifth Elder, Qin Feng saw several Spirit Fruit Trees that should have been full of ripe fruits. Now, only a few green fruits hung on the branches, and his heart ached instantly. In just two days, that foul toad devoured so many Spirit Fruits. Was it trying to cut off the Qin Family¡¯s source of income? After passing the family evaluation at the end of the year, he would be sent to the Beast Taming Sect. At that time, he would need the family¡¯s support to provide some cultivation resources. If this year¡¯s Spirit Fruits failed, and they could not exchange them for enough Spirit Stones, he probably would not receive much support from the family upon entering the Beast Taming Sect. So, this toad was not only robbing the family¡¯s Spirit Fruits but also essentially robbing his cultivation resources. It was intolerable! Initially, he had considered taking a look at the Spiritual Beast to broaden his horizons. But now, those thoughts vanished, and he only wanted to deal with the Spiritual Beast as soon as possible. Most people were like this, indifferent when it did not concern them, holding a mentality of watching the excitement without being affected. But when it involved their own interests, it was a different matter altogether. Undoubtedly, the theft of Spirit Fruits by the Spiritual Toad had infringed upon Qin Feng¡¯s interests. So, with anger in his eyes, he surveyed the orchard¡¯s surroundings, but found no unusual signs. Qin Long frowned at those Spirit Fruit Trees that had been completely devoured: ¡°So many have been stolen?¡± ¡°Indeed. If this continues, the family might have to save some resources from elsewhere to meet the Spirit Objects required for the tribute to the Beast Taming Sect.¡± The Fifth Elder said helplessly: ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t know where that beast broke through the prohibition. I personally checked it once but found no sign of the prohibition being damaged.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Long was a bit surprised: ¡°It could actually sneak in without damaging the prohibition. Could it be some special Spiritual Beast?¡± Although the prohibition in this Spirit Fruit Garden was not too sophisticated, it was enough to ward off ordinary Demon Beasts. He did not expect any Demon Beast to sneak in without a sound. It likely had some unique Bloodline Divine Power; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to achieve this. With this thought, Qin Long¡¯s interest grew. He cast a spell, from which his eyes emitted a flash of Spirit Light as he investigated for a moment, finding no trace of the Demon Beast. Then he stretched out his hand, grabbed the air, and sniffed. ¡°Yes, there is indeed Demon Energy here.¡± Seeing his son looking at him curiously, Qin Long smiled and said: ¡°This is the ¡®Smell Wind Skill,¡¯ a spell researched by a predecessor in the Beast Taming Sect specifically for detecting Demon Energy. Sect spells cannot be passed outside, so I can¡¯t teach you. However, this spell is one of the most common spells in the Beast Taming Sect. Once you become an Outer Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, you will naturally learn it.¡± Qin Feng nodded upon hearing this, feeling more eager to join the Beast Taming Sect. Qin Long¡¯s nose sniffed lightly from time to time, following the direction of the Demon Energy, gradually reaching the Spirit Well within the Spirit Fruit Garden. Peering into the well, he found no trace of the Spiritual Toad. He was about to release the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake from the Spiritual Beast Bag to explore the well. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake also excelled in water environments, moving freely. This was why the Old Clan Chief had sent the Fifth Elder to seek Qin Long¡¯s help. However, Qin Long soon stopped his actions and did not summon the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. If the Spiritual Toad sensed the aura of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake and hid, it might be difficult to find. If the issue wasn¡¯t resolved in one go and the Spiritual Toad became wary, capturing it later would be even harder. He couldn¡¯t guard the Spirit Fruit Garden every day. What if the Spiritual Toad came back to steal the Spirit Fruits again? Qin Long turned to the Fifth Elder and asked: ¡°Uncle Wu, does the Spiritual Toad steal the Spirit Fruits regularly?¡± The Fifth Elder thought for a moment and said: ¡°The Spiritual Toad usually comes out to steal and eat in the afternoon when people are few or at night when no one is around.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Qin Long looked at the sun, which had just begun to set, and said: ¡°In that case, could you please ask everyone to leave the Spirit Fruit Garden for now? I will stay hidden and see what abilities that Demon Beast has, which dares to linger in our Qin Family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden.¡± ¡°Be careful, try not to damage the Spirit Fruit Trees during the fight. These have been cultivated by the family for many years to grow to this stage.¡± The Fifth Elder pointed to a few particularly tall Spirit Fruit Trees with some concern and reminded: ¡°Especially these few, which are several hundred years old, bear fruit once every ten years. You must protect them!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Wu. I know.¡± Qin Long nodded, comforting him with a smile. Seeing this, the Fifth Elder said no more and led the few family members out of the orchard. Qin Feng did not leave. He came specifically to broaden his horizons with his father, naturally unwilling to leave without even seeing the Demon Beast. Besides, with his low strength, as long as he kept his distance, he need not worry about alarming the Spiritual Toad. As for Qin Long, with his level of Dao Cultivation, casting the Qi Concealing Technique should pose no problem in deceiving the Spiritual Toad. After all, the Spiritual Toad was not strong; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been wary of the Spirit Plant Cultivators in the orchard. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The Frog in the Well Wants to Swallow the Sky Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The Frog in the Well Wants to Swallow the Sky Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Dozens of feet away from the Spiritual Well, behind a Spirit Fruit Tree that was six or seven hundred years old, the father and son duo hid quietly. Qin Long used the Concealing Breath Technique, not a trace of aura leaking from his body. Demon Beasts were mostly highly perceptive. If that Spiritual Toad detected the aura of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it wouldn¡¯t dare show itself easily. However, Qin Long was from the Beast Taming Sect and had learned many techniques to deal with Demon Beasts, so concealing his own aura was relatively easier for him. Of course, this was also because his Dao Cultivation was much higher than that of the Spiritual Beast. If it were a Demon Beast of the same level, it would require a more advanced technique to hide one¡¯s aura at such a close distance. Qin Feng, on the other hand, didn¡¯t mind. As a mere small Qi Refinement Realm Cultivator at the second level, his aura became even weaker after Qin Long cast a spell on him, making him seem like an ordinary mortal who didn¡¯t understand cultivation. The father and son hid behind the tree, secretly watching the Spiritual Well, waiting for the appearance of the Spiritual Toad. Time passed slowly, bit by bit. The air was still, and the scorching sun made the sand on the ground hot. The branches and leaves of the Spirit Fruit Tree wilted listlessly. If it weren¡¯t for Qin Feng having already stepped onto the path of cultivation and being able to use his cultivation technique to resist the heat, he would have been complaining loudly by now. Just as he was getting a bit impatient, his father gently pulled him. Qin Feng was startled and quickly followed his father¡¯s gaze. From the Spiritual Well dozens of feet away, a faint sound of water suddenly came. Then, they saw a completely green Spiritual Toad, only the size of a child¡¯s fist, leap from the bottom of the well, crouching on the sun-heated edge of the well, seemingly unconcerned about the temperature. Its snow-white belly puffed up and down, and its lively eyes scanned around. After finding no signs of human presence, it let out a few soft croaks and jumped down from the edge of the well. Just as the Fifth Elder described, this Spiritual Toad jumped as if it were flying. With a slight hop, it landed several feet away. In just a few hops, it arrived under a Spirit Fruit Tree not far from Qin Feng and his father. Its mouth opened, a flash of light appeared, and the Spiritual Toad extended its long tongue to roll up a bright red Spirit Fruit and swallowed it. The Spirit Fruit was quite large, even bigger than the Spiritual Toad itself, but as the toad¡¯s tongue retracted into its mouth, it swallowed the Spirit Fruit effortlessly. ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Long was surprised. ¡°It¡¯s actually a Swallowing Sky Toad? No wonder it¡¯s so voracious.¡± ¡°Swallowing Sky Toad?¡± Qin Feng looked at his father in confusion. He had not seen any records of the Swallowing Sky Toad in the Spiritual Beast Atlas of the family¡¯s Scripture Pavilion. Qin Long didn¡¯t answer him. Because, just as he spoke, the Swallowing Sky Toad had already sensed his presence. The toad¡¯s body suddenly turned. Its round, beady eyes looked toward the two hiding behind the tree with a mix of doubt and caution. Qin Long chuckled lightly, no longer hiding. He stood up and walked toward the Swallowing Sky Toad, speaking as he went, ¡°The Swallowing Sky Toad is a very special type of toad Demon Beast, known to devour the sky. It¡¯s not simple; its belly forms its own space.¡± ¡°This type of Spiritual Toad is rare in number. After refining its cultivation to Great Success, it¡¯s extremely powerful. If swallowed into the space within its belly, one¡¯s life and death would be entirely at its mercy.¡± ¡°But unfortunately, this Demon Beast is too difficult to nurture. The Swallowing Sky Toad requires a tremendous amount of Spiritual Objects to grow its internal space and advance in cultivation.¡± ¡°As its cultivation progresses, the resources it needs will increase. The cultivation resources that could nurture thousands of disciples in a sect might not even be enough to raise a single Swallowing Sky Toad.¡± He sighed regretfully. He had hoped to catch a Spiritual Beast that, even if he couldn¡¯t use, could be sold to provide cultivation resources for his son. But this Swallowing Sky Toad was too expensive to keep, leaving him feeling helpless. It seemed the family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden losses this year were inevitable. After all, no one would buy such a massive eater to raise. If the Swallowing Sky Toad had advanced to a second-rank Demon Beast, it would be better. It could be sold to Artifact Refiners to make Space Artifacts using its internal space. But judging by its current state, it was only in the late stage of the first rank. Its internal space was too small to be useful. Demon Beasts were classified from the lowest first rank to the highest ninth rank. A first-rank Demon Beast was equivalent to a cultivator in the Qi Refinement Realm, while a second-rank was akin to a Foundation Establishment Cultivation, and so on. Above the ninth rank was the realm of Demon Immortals. Qin Long sighed regretfully, forming hand seals and preparing to cast a spell. Since he couldn¡¯t recover the family¡¯s losses, he would avoid causing more damage. He cast a spell, ¡°Draw a Prison,¡± intending to trap the Swallowing Sky Toad and then kill it. Unexpectedly, the Swallowing Sky Toad was incredibly agile. Just as Qin Long¡¯s spell fell, it leaped out of the spell¡¯s range. With a few more hops, it jumped back to the Spiritual Well and dove in. Qin Long was a moment too slow to catch the toad, his face darkening. As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, even though Beast Taming Sect cultivators relied heavily on their Spiritual Beasts, making their battle power relatively weak, it was shameful to fail to catch a first-rank late-stage Demon Beast. Angered, Qin Long summoned his Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. The snake quickly understood its mission, slithering down the well wall. It moved as if the smooth well wall were flat ground, with no risk of falling. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake slipped into the well water, tracking the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s scent. Qin Feng closed his eyes, sending a wisp of Divine Sense into the snake, keeping a close watch on the toad fleeing underwater. Let¡¯s see where you can run in this underground stream. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s vertical pupils glowed with a green light, locking onto the Swallowing Sky Toad. Even in the total darkness of the underground stream, it could see the toad clearly. Nearby, Qin Long waited with a smile for the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake to bring the toad back. But soon, his brow furrowed. The Swallowing Sky Toad swam almost as fast as the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, fleeing in a straight line and quickly covering miles without stopping. The special Beast Taming Technique allowed Qin Long to attach his Divine Sense to the snake. Otherwise, even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator¡¯s Divine Sense couldn¡¯t reach so far. In the underground stream, the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake chased the Swallowing Sky Toad. Suddenly, light appeared ahead, an exit to the surface. The toad leapt out of the water and slipped into nearby vegetation. For the snake, this was no problem. It locked onto the toad¡¯s scent and continued the chase. However, when it emerged and saw the surroundings, the snake quickly retreated and returned the way it came. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: 22. Sword Washing Pond Chapter 22: 22. Sword Washing Pond Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°¡±¡± Beside the spiritual well, Qin Feng walked over and leaned in to take a few glances into the well. However, apart from seeing his own reflection of a handsome youth in the clear well water, he saw nothing else. Straightening his collar in the water¡¯s reflection, Qin Feng withdrew his gaze and looked towards his father, preparing to ask about the Swallowing Sky Toad again. As a novice cultivator, he was very interested in all the knowledge about the cultivation world. However, when he looked at his father, he suddenly paused. Because he noticed his father¡¯s face was a bit ashen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Father, did that Swallowing Sky Toad escape?¡± Qin Feng asked. In his mind, it was possible that the Swallowing Sky Toad had depended on its small size to squeeze into a tight tunnel under the spiritual well to evade the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s pursuit. The Green-Eyed Spirit Snake was so large that many small tunnels couldn¡¯t accommodate it. Qin Long¡¯s face was grim. He took a deep breath and whispered, ¡°That little thing did escape, but it wasn¡¯t because the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake couldn¡¯t catch it. We just can¡¯t pursue it any further.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qin Feng asked in surprise. ¡°Because the Swallowing Sky Toad fled to the surface, and that area is the Huang family¡¯s stronghold in the northern part of the city.¡± Qin Long smiled bitterly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the underground stream from this spiritual well would connect to the Huang family¡¯s Sword Washing Pond.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Qin Feng was stunned, ¡°The Huang family¡¯s Sword Washing Pond?¡± He looked puzzled, not expecting such an outcome. The Huang family in the northern part of Kun City was a vassal of Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave. Although Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave was a Sword Cultivation Sect, the Huang family did not establish their foothold in Kun City through Sword Dao. The Huang family truly relied on their sword forging skills to survive. Of course, their sword forging inheritance was quite ordinary, with few masterpieces. It was said that the Huang family¡¯s most powerful elder once forged a flying sword of spiritual artifact level twenty years ago. After offering it to Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave, they received a reward. The truth of this matter was uncertain. According to Qin Feng¡¯s father, Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave wouldn¡¯t regard the Huang family highly just because of a single spiritual artifact-level flying sword. Moreover, since then, that Great Elder of the Huang family had never forged another spiritual artifact flying sword, leading many to speculate in private that the elder might have been exceptionally lucky that time. The entire Qin family believed this, and hearing it often, Qin Feng thought the same. The Huang family controlled a small refined iron mine in a mountain in the northern part of the city. Each year, they could forge dozens of magic swords and other magic artifacts, selling them in their shop in Tieling County to exchange for cultivation resources, which was completely different from the Qin family¡¯s focus on farming the spiritual fields. Usually, the two families mocked each other. The Qin family called them blacksmiths, while the Huang family ridiculed them as farmers. Both families could hardly see eye to eye and rarely avoided verbal sparring when they met. However, the conflicts between the Qin and Huang families were limited to verbal disputes and rarely escalated to physical fights. It was not that they didn¡¯t want to, but their strength was similar. Fighting recklessly would only result in casualties, which was not worth it. Yet, fierce battles were not absent. About a hundred and twenty years ago, several promising young members of the Qin family died in succession, leaving only one Foundation Establishment cultivator to hold the fort. The Huang family seized the opportunity to attack, nearly exterminating them. It wasn¡¯t until Qin Guanbao, who had advanced to Foundation Establishment in his sect and had the formidable Shadow Leopard spiritual beast, returned with a few sect mates, that the Qin family managed to withstand the Huang family¡¯s offensive. If not for Qin Guanbao¡¯s timely return upon receiving the news, the Qin family might have been annihilated, and their three hundred acres of spiritual fields would have become the foundation of the Huang family¡¯s rise. The Qin family, too, did not miss opportunities to hit the Huang family when they were down. After all, not only the Huang family coveted the Qin family¡¯s three hundred acres of spiritual fields, but the Qin family also eyed the refined iron vein occupied by the Huang family. In Kun City, with limited resources, development necessitated suppressing the other side. But when the strengths were comparable, both families exercised restraint, as they both had hidden trump cards beyond the Foundation Establishment cultivators on the surface. A slight misstep could lead to disaster. Thus, usually, they only exchanged words and rarely engaged in combat. Unless the stakes were high, there was no need for a deadly fight that would leave both sides weakened and others benefiting. This ¡°others¡± referred to the Wang family in the western part of Kun City. The Wang family, vassals of the small sect Fog Hidden Sect, could not afford to offend either side. They usually played the mediator, smoothing things over between the two families. Of course, secretly, they hoped the two families would fight until both were dead, leaving Kun City to their domination. The Sword Washing Pond was located within the Huang family¡¯s most important Sword Casting Valley, which was considered their fundamental territory, with many Huang family cultivators residing and forging magic swords there. Qin Long dared not let anyone find traces of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake because everyone in the Huang family knew it was his spiritual beast. If someone saw it, they would undoubtedly think he had intentionally infiltrated the Huang family¡¯s stronghold and spied on their secrets, which could lead to significant trouble. So, as soon as he saw the scenery outside the pond, he immediately let the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake dive back into the water and return the way it came. Watching the several-zhang-long Snake agilely emerge from the spiritual well and coil beside Qin Long, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Father, if we didn¡¯t catch the Swallowing Sky Toad this time, what if it comes back to steal spirit fruits again?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Qin Long gathered True Yuan in his hand, pointed like a sword, and inscribed several runes on the well¡¯s edge. Then he took a scale from the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. He cast a spell, embedding the scale among the runes, immediately emitting a faintly vicious aura. Qin Long smiled, ¡°The Swallowing Sky Toad is also a sensitive demon beast. This scale, activated by my spell, will emit the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s aura. As long as this scale is here, that Swallowing Sky Toad won¡¯t dare appear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Qin Feng watched his father casting spells with great interest and felt an itch to try it himself. Unfortunately, with his current Qi Refinement level, apart from summoning the Dragon and Tiger Illusion, he could only perform the simplest small spells like Wind Control, Fire Manipulation, Divine Movement, and Light Body. Reaching his father¡¯s level was still a distant goal. After embedding the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s scale on the well¡¯s edge, Qin Long took out an ointment with a pleasant aroma and gently applied it to the spot where he had removed the scale from the snake¡¯s back. This was a blood-activating and muscle-growing spiritual medicine passed down from the Beast Taming Sect. With this ointment and the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s strong recovery power, new scales would grow in a few days. Waving his hand to collect the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake into the spiritual beast bag, Qin Long led his son out of the Spirit Fruit Garden. ¡°How did it go, how did it go? Did you catch that Spiritual Toad?¡± The moment they appeared, they were surrounded by the Fifth Elder and others, who asked repeatedly. ¡°No.¡± Qin Long shook his head, ¡°It ran away.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The Fifth Elder looked disappointed, ¡°With your cultivation, you couldn¡¯t catch it? How much more spirit fruit will it ruin in the future?¡± ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry. I have already cast a spell on the spiritual well and left a scale of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. As long as its aura lingers, the Spiritual Toad won¡¯t dare come out.¡± Seeing the Fifth Elder¡¯s dismay, Qin Long quickly comforted him, ¡°Moreover, I have already discovered the Toad¡¯s whereabouts, and the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake remembers its aura. We can find it next time. Uncle, rest assured, whether we catch it or not, I can guarantee that the Spiritual Toad won¡¯t dare enter the Spirit Fruit Garden again.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± Hearing this, the Fifth Elder and others finally felt relieved. Amidst their gratitude, Qin Long and Qin Feng bid farewell to the Fifth Elder and returned to their family residence. ¡°Feng¡¯er, you go back by yourself. I¡¯m going to speak to the clan leader about this.¡± Qin Long instructed, ¡°Remember, do not disclose the underground stream connecting to the Huang family¡¯s Sword Washing Pond, or we will surely face trouble in the future.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father, I understand.¡± Qin Feng nodded, indicating his understanding. If the Huang family knew, they would certainly be suspicious. They relied on artifact refining and sword forging, lacking stealth methods, but the Qin family could raise spiritual beasts. If a water element spiritual beast infiltrated Sword Casting Valley through the underground stream to attack, they couldn¡¯t bear such losses. Qin Feng believed his father was reporting this to the Old Family Master to reserve a trump card. If disputes arose with the Huang family later, they could take the initiative through the underground stream and catch the Huang family off guard. ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Tiger Demon Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Tiger Demon Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Early autumn, morning chill, coolness slightly thickened. Qin Feng followed his father, alongside twenty or thirty clansmen, walking towards the entrance of Qifeng Mountain. Each autumn, the three cultivator families of Kun City organized groups to enter the mountain and hunt down the demon beasts at the perimeter. Firstly, to prevent these demon beasts from rushing out of the forest and harming the citizens of Kun City, and secondly, by killing these demon beasts, they could obtain some cultivation resources. After all, many parts of the demon beasts were very valuable. Whether it was the fur, scale armor, sharp claws, or teeth, horns, bones, and even flesh, all were goods that could be exchanged for Spirit Stones. Kun City lacked resources, and the three families couldn¡¯t just rely on their own small estates. If they wanted their families to develop better, they needed to find other sources of income, so they organized their clansmen to enter the mountain every year. They had no choice. If the demon beasts increased in number around Qifeng Mountain, it would surely cause great losses to the citizens of Kun City and affect the industries of the three cultivator families. After all, the spirit veins of the three families were connected to Qifeng Mountain, making it as if the three families resided at the perimeter of Qifeng Mountain. If the demon beasts increased in number, the Qin family¡¯s spiritual fields or the clansmen from the Huang family sent to mine the refined iron veins in the mountains would be threatened. At the mountain entrance, cultivators from the three families gathered. The Qin Family was on the left, the Huang Family on the right, and the Wang Family from the west of the city was in between, maintaining good relations with both sides. Unless they encountered particularly difficult demon beasts, the three families rarely joined forces to hunt them. Instead, they pre-demarcated areas, each clearing their own territory. ¡°Hahaha, everyone arrived early!¡± Qin Long laughed heartily, cupping his hands toward the other two families, who had arrived earlier. Looking towards the Huang Family from the north of the city, he teased, ¡°Family Head Huang actually came in person, isn¡¯t this too grand? I remember your Huang Family has an elder in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Why not let the elder handle this and make Family Head Huang go through the trouble?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Family Head Huang, Huang Tingyuan, coldly snorted, with an unfriendly expression. He was a sword cultivator, his voice cold: ¡°This Family Head wants to stretch his muscles, is that not allowed? Besides, the Huang Family¡¯s business, why should it be pointed out by Qin Long?¡± Qin Long was not angry, laughing as he said: ¡°Brother Huang, why be like this? We¡¯ve known each other since childhood. I¡¯m just worried about your safety. The demon beasts of Qifeng Mountain are fierce, your status as Family Head is extraordinary. If something happens, what will happen to the Huang Family? Sigh, the family has elders, yet you don¡¯t use them, insisting on coming in person. Why bother?¡± Clansmen behind Qin Long chuckled lightly, immediately drawing angry glares from the Huang Family. The Huang Family also did not want the Family Head to lead the entry into the mountains to hunt demon beasts. But now the Huang Family only had two cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Although that elder had higher cultivation, he had spent his life forging swords and was not very adept at fighting. Besides, the elder was older than the Qin Family Head, Qin Guanbao, and was the family¡¯s best artifact refiner. The Huang Family could not bear to let that elder take risks. If something happened, the loss would be too great for the current Huang Family to bear. After all, the Huang Family was different from the Qin Family. The Qin Family mainly relied on the cultivation of spiritual fields with stable income, whereas the Huang Family depended on artifact refining. Though sometimes they earned more Spirit Stones than the Qin Family, if they lost their best artifact refiner, their income would plummet. Therefore, Huang Tingyuan would rather lead the team into the mountain himself than let the elder take risks. The Wang Family in the middle was accustomed to the rivalry between the two families. The elder leading the Wang Family team came out to mediate. After a little discussion on the exploration and clearing areas, the three families split up and headed into the mountain. Among the Qin Family¡¯s team, besides Qin Feng, the other boys and girls aiming to compete for a sect position at the end of the year were also present. Among these, apart from a boy named Qin Jun who had the same Qi Refinement Stage 2 cultivation as Qin Feng, the rest were at Qi Refinement Stage 1. The family didn¡¯t expect them to contribute much in this action but wanted them to face bloodshed early and adapt to the fight. After all, once they entered a sect, the challenges they faced would be much more brutal than what they saw now. If they couldn¡¯t even handle demon beasts, they might as well stay with the family and not dream of joining a sect, as they likely wouldn¡¯t live long. Now, with the family leading and elders protecting them, once they set foot in a sect and the cultivation world, nobody would protect them anymore. The group headed deeper into the mountain. The mountain roads were rugged and extremely hard to traverse. In many places, there were no roads, and they had to force their way through. Fortunately, they were all cultivators and could use spells like the Light Body Skill and Divine Movement Technique to aid their journey. If they were ordinary people, they would have been exhausted in no time. As they ventured deeper into the forest, they often heard dreadful howls or the mournful cries of dying beasts. Often, they saw fierce-beast sightings, but these were mostly ordinary beasts, not evolved into demon beasts, posing no threat to the cultivators. Ordinary beasts, seeing so many people, whether feeling their powerful aura or not, would rather steer clear than provoke them. Only the demon beasts, intelligent and capable of cultivation, would greedily desire the spiritual energy in the cultivators¡¯ flesh. Soon, a clansman walking at the front gestured to those behind to slow their pace. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Qin Yang, who followed the team to hunt the demon beasts, took a few steps forward and asked softly. ¡°There are a series of plum-shaped footprints here, judging from the shape, a fierce tiger had recently passed by. However, these footprints are very large, so it is obviously not an ordinary tiger, it is very likely already a spirit beast.¡± The speaker was a middle-aged man in his forties, an experienced hunter of the family. He was often active around Qifeng Mountain and was very familiar with all kinds of fierce beasts and low-level demon beasts: ¡°Let everyone be extra careful, while tiger-type demon beasts are ferocious, they are also very adept at ambushing. Tell everyone to stay vigilant so we are not caught off guard.¡± Qin Yang nodded, turned around, and relayed the message to those behind him. However, it seemed his words were passed a bit too late. Before he reached the end of the team, a thunderous tiger roar echoed through the forest, causing a few cultivators of the Qin Family at the rear to tremble with fear, slowing down their movements. Amid the deafening roar, a shadow more than ten feet long suddenly leaped from the bushes behind them, pouncing towards the members at the end of the team. ¡°Not good¡­¡± ¡°Quick, dodge!¡± ¡°Defend, Armor Protection Technique!¡± Some clan members dodged, and others cast spells to protect themselves. However, the hastily cast defensive spells were not very strong, whereas the tiger demon¡¯s power was exceptional. Barely had the tiger roared when it already swung its sharp front claws, shredding the defense spell of one clan member and biting towards him. ¡°You vile beast, bold!¡± Suddenly, a loud shout came, followed by a burst of firelight. With a bang, the firelight exploded, blasting the tiger demon two or three feet away. This tiger demon, with its formidable life force, immediately attempted to flee despite the blood pouring from its wounds. ¡°Still think you can escape?¡± The one who had just repelled the tiger demon, Qin Long, sneered. Although most of his combat power relied on spiritual beasts, he was, after all, a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, his personal strength was more than enough to deal with this tiger demon. Therefore, he did not summon his spiritual beast but instead swung out a beam of golden light. The golden light flashed by, slicing off the tiger demon¡¯s head with a puff, spraying a large amount of blood from its neck. Such a bloody and brutal scene instantly terrified a few young members of the team. After all, they were only fourteen or fifteen years old, not long into their cultivation journey, never before had they witnessed such a fierce battle. Moreover, they had been placed at the end of the team earlier for protection. The sudden pounce of the tiger demon had already scared them. Now, seeing this horrific scene, and smelling the thick scent of blood, they couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps back, distancing themselves from the tiger demon¡¯s corpse. Qin Long was very dissatisfied seeing this and snorted coldly: ¡°What, you¡¯re scared? ¡°It¡¯s just a demon beast being killed in front of you. If this frightens you, then you better stay in the family and abandon any thought of joining a sect.¡± The young members felt ashamed upon hearing his words. Qin Long continued, ¡°This tiger demon is yours to handle, Qin Yang, show them how it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Yes, Seventh Uncle.¡± Qin Yang complied and stepped forward to instruct the youngsters on how to handle the tiger demon¡¯s body, from collecting essence blood to skinning, deboning, and preserving the meat, teaching them in detail. However, these youths were dealing with such matters for the first time, so despite having all kinds of knives, they still managed to cover themselves in blood, and the tiger skin they cut ended up in a mess. Qin Long took the opportunity to scold them again. In truth, he had already spotted the tiger demon¡¯s whereabouts long ago. He had orchestrated this bloody scene deliberately to give the family¡¯s children a significant lesson. Qin Feng, however, was not as helpless as the others and even seemed eager to give it a try. When he had approached the tiger demon earlier, the Demon Refining Pot in his Sea of Consciousness had stirred, eager to refine the tiger demon for energy. However, with everyone watching, Qin Feng didn¡¯t dare to simply take the tiger demon¡¯s body. Fortunately, the Demon Refining Pot was obedient and wouldn¡¯t actively collect the demon clan¡¯s corpses, so nothing went amiss. Nevertheless, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but think, it¡¯s rare to hunt demon beasts with the family. Missing the chance to refine some demon beasts to assist his cultivation would be a waste. But how could he secretly collect the demon beasts¡¯ corpses without anyone noticing? Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Bargain Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Bargain Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Hurry and chase it, don¡¯t let it get away.¡± In the mountains and forests, two figures pursued an injured Green Wolf relentlessly. Qin Feng followed beside Qin Yang, panting heavily. Earlier, they had encountered a wolf pack, led by a Wolf Demon with Foundation Establishment Cultivation. The other, smaller Wolf Demons numbered over a dozen. If it weren¡¯t for the Qin Family being a vassal to the Beast Taming Sect, having learned many methods to deal with Demon Beasts, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle so many Wolf Demons. However, even though they lured the wolf pack into a trap, several Demon Wolves still managed to break free and escape, injured. Qin Long had to deal with the Wolf Demon with Foundation Establishment Cultivation, so he sent his clansmen to hunt down those escaping Green Wolves. To train his son, he let Qin Feng follow behind Qin Yang for some tempering. As a result, they chased for two or three mountain peaks but still hadn¡¯t caught up. Qin Feng cursed silently and looked at the limping Green Wolf ahead. He turned to Qin Yang and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this guy injured already? How can it still run so fast on three legs?¡± ¡°Wolf Demons are known for their resilience and endurance. Running this far isn¡¯t too surprising. But don¡¯t worry, after running this far, it must be nearly exhausted. It won¡¯t escape our grasp.¡± Qin Yang said and quickened his pace, his hands forming a spell. A flame flew out and landed on the Green Wolf, the size of a calf. The Wolf Demon howled in pain, rolling on the ground, trying to get up and run again. But after such a long chase, with the wound on its broken leg not healing and losing too much blood, it was too weak. This time, it couldn¡¯t get up. ¡°Haha, can¡¯t escape now, can it?¡± Qin Feng was overjoyed, raising his hand to cast a fire spell at the Wolf Demon. However, his fire spell was pitiful compared to Qin Yang¡¯s, barely the size of a fist. Worse, it missed its mark, only stirring up dust without injuring the Wolf Demon. ¡°Haha¡­¡± A mocking laugh echoed. At the same time, a Magic Sword flew through the air, piercing the Wolf Demon¡¯s heart, pinning it to the ground. Qin Feng was stunned. The laughter didn¡¯t come from Qin Yang beside him, nor did the Magic Sword belong to Qin Yang. Looking toward the sound, he saw several figures emerging from the forest in the distance. They were Huang Family disciples. The leader was Family Head Huang¡¯s eldest son, Huang Yulang. Of course, people often called him ¡°Weasel¡± behind his back. ¡°Huang Yulang, what are you doing here?¡± Qin Feng asked curiously. ¡°Hmph, I should be asking you that.¡± Huang Yulang smugly replied, ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the border. Didn¡¯t you see this forest is within our Huang Family¡¯s designated clearing area?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The two were stunned and looked around carefully, realizing they had pursued the Wolf Demon across the border without noticing. However, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll take this Wolf Demon and leave immediately.¡± Qin Yang said, stepping forward to take the Green Wolf for processing back home. ¡°Wait!¡± Huang Yulang shouted, ¡°This Wolf Demon is within our Huang Family¡¯s area and was killed by my cousin. It¡¯s our prey; you have no right to interfere.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Qin Yang angrily retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t you see this Wolf Demon is already crippled by us? Are you trying to take advantage of us now?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. What can you do about it?¡± Huang Yulang sneered, ¡°Since you stepped into our territory, it¡¯s ours. If I don¡¯t let you take it, you can¡¯t take it. I¡¯m following the rules. Qin Yang, do you dare to break them?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Yang was furious, stepping forward with a hint of flames in his hands. Huang Yulang remained calm, but the few clansmen behind him stepped forward simultaneously, drawing cold, gleaming Magic Swords, glaring at Qin Yang. ¡°Let it go, Brother Yang. It¡¯s just a Wolf Demon. No need to argue with scum.¡± Qin Feng pulled Qin Yang back from his anger. Being outnumbered by the Huang Family, they were not opponents. Besides, Huang Yulang had a point. They had entered the Huang Family¡¯s territory; if they refused to hand over the Wolf Demon, there was nothing they could do. ¡°Hmph.¡± Qin Yang snorted coldly, ¡°Dare to steal my prey? This isn¡¯t over. Just you wait.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Huang Yulang didn¡¯t care. The small frictions between the two families were frequent, with old grudges aplenty, and it never amounted to much. ¡°Yulang, isn¡¯t this a bit much?¡± Watching Qin Yang and Qin Feng leave, a tall young man beside Huang Yulang said, ¡°Our families have had their disputes, but it¡¯s usually a war of words. Rarely do we steal each other¡¯s prey.¡± ¡°No matter.¡± Huang Yulang waved dismissively, ¡°The Wolf Demon ran into our clearing area by itself. What do I have to be afraid of?¡± However, he was secretly pleased. He was about to join the Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave to cultivate. Once within the Sect, he would be on his own, so he must accumulate as many resources as possible now. This Wolf Demon could be exchanged for some Spirit Stones. Why not take advantage when given? On the other side, Qin Yang walked in a rage, sulking. Qin Feng didn¡¯t try to console him; there was no point. They could seek revenge later. They turned a corner, preparing to cross a stream to head to the Qin Family¡¯s base when Qin Feng glimpsed a familiar silhouette from the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw it was the Swallowing Sky Toad that once appeared in the family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden. Although there were other frogs and toads near the stream, this Swallowing Sky Toad was different. Once seen, it was unforgettable. He gently tugged Qin Yang, hiding behind a large green rock. Qin Yang followed his gaze and initially dismissed the small fist-sized toad but soon was amazed. The little toad leapt dozens of feet to the bank, its tongue shooting out, wrapping a five-foot-long, fiery red Red Chain Snake, devouring it like noodles. Soon, after eating the Red Chain Snake, the Swallowing Sky Toad hopped away. Qin Feng excitedly said, ¡°Let¡¯s follow it and see if we can find its lair.¡± He was very interested in the Swallowing Sky Toad. The Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s innate divine ability to form a space within its body and devour everything was exceedingly rare. This ability was nothing in the early stages, but once cultivated to a high level, it was formidable. Though his father had said such a Spiritual Beast was hard to raise, requiring vast resources, and very few cultivators could afford it. Qin Feng was different; he had the Demon Refining Pot. Each level of the Pot¡¯s Grotto Heaven could help a Spiritual Beast merge with the bloodline of other Demon Beasts. The Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s progression was difficult because it needed massive resources to sustain its inner space. But if it acquired the bloodline divine abilities of other Toad Demons, advancing through other cultivation techniques to a higher realm, then nourishing its inner space would be easier. Thus, Qin Feng was tempted. He wanted to try. If successful, it would be a great gain. PS: The Stove God novel concludes today. I¡¯ll focus on this book from now on. The update schedule is the same as the last book, 9 AM and 8 PM. If the chapters are short, I may add another update. Brothers, please recommend! Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Monkey Stealing Peaches Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Monkey Stealing Peaches Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Flew through the air for several zhang, leaping like it was flying, moving extremely quickly. Even with Qin Feng and the other¡¯s full effort in using Divine Movement Technique, it was still very easy to lose track of it. Fortunately, they had the Demon Seeking Talisman with them. This was a Spirit Talisman from the secret teachings of the Beast Taming Sect; only Qin Long and the Old Family Master would occasionally create some for the Qin Family. While the level of this Spirit Talisman wasn¡¯t high, it was still very convenient to use for tracking the scent of low-level demon beasts. Qin Feng and the others gathered a bit of demon energy that the Swallowing Sky Toad left behind at the spot where it had previously devoured the Red Chain Snake, and simply followed the talisman¡¯s guiding. However, because this Swallowing Sky Toad was small and fast, it wandered in some secluded areas. Qin Feng and the others didn¡¯t dare to follow too closely, fearing it would notice and flee into the depths of Qifeng Mountain. If that happened, they wouldn¡¯t dare to follow further. After all, there were formidable great demons in the depths of Qifeng Mountain; even Qin Long wouldn¡¯t dare to enter easily, let alone the two of them. Following the Swallowing Sky Toad, the two of them circuitously arrived at the area where the Huang Family was responsible for clearing out demonic beasts. Qin Yang frowned, and whispered: ¡°Is that Spiritual Toad very precious? If it¡¯s just an average type, we better stop pursuing it. We risk another dispute if we encounter the Huang Family!¡± ¡°This Spiritual Toad is the beast that sneaked into our Spirit Fruit Garden to steal spirit fruits. I want to catch it.¡± Qin Feng replied, ¡°As for the Huang Family, there¡¯s no need to worry. The peripheral area of Qifeng Mountain spans hundreds of li. It¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll run into them; even if we do, they won¡¯t dare do anything to us. Besides, even if they really want to make a move, we aren¡¯t afraid. Have you forgotten, Brother Yang, that Master Li Tianchou gave me two Spirit Talismans that last time? I haven¡¯t yet used the Cold Ice Sword Talisman.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qin Yang gave him a glance but didn¡¯t say anything further. He wasn¡¯t sure what his younger cousin was planning. Was it just to catch this Spiritual Toad? However, considering the formidable swordsmanship that Master Li Tianchou had demonstrated that night, he couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Furthermore, Li Tianchou said that his Sword Talisman could deal with Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators. If its power was truly as great as claimed, even if they encountered Family Head Huang, there¡¯d be no need to worry. After all, Huang Tingyuan was only at the early Foundation Establishment Stage. If he had any ill intentions towards them, they could use the Cold Ice Sword Talisman on him to test its might. Would the Huang Family still dare to be so arrogant without their Family Head? Thinking about it, Qin Yang felt more relieved, stopped thinking much, and focused on tracking the Swallowing Sky Toad with the Demon Seeking Talisman. Just then, a sudden commotion of fighting was heard ahead. The two were slightly startled; unexpectedly, they had indeed encountered the Huang Family members. Upon closer inspection, seven or eight Huang Family cultivators were fighting a group of monkey demons in the forest ahead. The group of monkey demons numbered a dozen or more, each with agile bodies and swift as the wind. Their sharp claws occasionally aimed at the cultivators¡¯ eyes, throats, hearts, and other vital spots. However, what really attracted Qin Feng and Qin Yang¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t the monkey demons but the spiritual tree behind them. It was a Flat Peach Tree, bearing over a hundred flat peaches. Although the peaches were still somewhat unripe, they weren¡¯t far from maturing. It seemed these dozen monkey demons were guarding this Flat Peach Tree. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be fighting these cultivators. Qin Feng took a look and then started searching for the Swallowing Sky Toad carefully. After a while, he finally spotted it hiding in the grass under a large tree. Its green body almost blended with the grass, remaining motionless. If not looked closely, it would be hard to discern it from the surroundings. Moreover, with the fierce battle ongoing, neither side noticed an extra faint trace of demon energy in the field. Seeing the Demon Seeking Talisman still hovering towards the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s trail, Qin Feng hurriedly reached out to grab the talisman, extinguishing the spirit light on it. Instantly, the entire talisman turned to ash. Qin Feng looked around, grabbed Qin Yang, and stealthily moved under a lush tree. They leaped up to observe the battle through the gaps in the branches and leaves. In the battlefield, the clash continued. However, demon beasts remained demon beasts. Though they understood cultivation, their cultivation levels were weaker, and their spiritual intelligence wasn¡¯t high enough to compete with Human Clan cultivators. These cultivators from the Huang Family didn¡¯t come unprepared; among them, one carried a spiritual net. When the cultivator cast it, the originally palm-sized net expanded several zhang across, capturing several monkey demons at once, allowing other cultivators to take the opportunity to kill them. This reduced the monkey group by a third in one go. However, this simultaneously enraged the remaining monkey demons. Seeing their companions slain, the monkey demons¡¯ eyes reddened, screeching furiously and attacking wildly. But the monkeys could only rely on their innate spells for attacks, unlike the cultivators who could use various magic artifacts. The Huang Family cultivators were divided into two categories: those with artifact refining talent learned the art of artifact refining and sword crafting, while those without practiced sword dao. Though swordsmen didn¡¯t contribute much income to the family, they could protect the family with their relatively strong combat strength. Among the eight cultivators, five were sword cultivators, while the other three wielded large iron hammers, working as artifact refiners. Although their level couldn¡¯t yet qualify them as true artifact refiners, their hammers were magic artifacts with great power. Any demon monkey struck by them would have their bones broken and sinews snapped, dying instantly. About a quarter of an hour later, the Huang Family cultivators, using various methods, had killed most of the monkey demons. Only two particularly cunning monkey demons escaped amid the chaos, quickly vanishing into the mountains. Though victorious, the Huang Family cultivators didn¡¯t win easily; several of them were deeply wounded by the monkey demons¡¯ sharp claws. When the two monkey demons fled, the wounded cultivators grimaced in pain and sat heavily on the ground, asking for help in treating their injuries. Others, though better off, weren¡¯t unscathed. Two had their faces clawed, and one suffered worse, with his thigh badly mangled. If he hadn¡¯t dodged in time, the monkey demon¡¯s special technique, ¡°Stealing the Peach,¡± might have actually been used on him. But these people were cultivators, and their injuries were mere flesh wounds. With spiritual power sealing the cuts and applying healing spiritual medicine, their wounds would heal in a few days, leaving no scars. As the Huang Family cultivators bandaged their wounds and proudly discussed how to transplant the Flat Peach Tree, a shadow flashed before them, and suddenly, one of the slain spiritual monkeys disappeared. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Ambush Robbery Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Ambush Robbery Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°` ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing this scene, several cultivators were suddenly shocked, and hurriedly turned their heads to look in the direction where the shadow had disappeared. Then, they saw a green-skinned toad no more than two inches long, with its mouth wide open, its long tongue rolling a two-foot-tall Demon Monkey into its mouth. ¡°This¡­¡± Everyone was startled. This scene was too bizarre; a little toad not even as big as a fist swallowed a Demon Monkey nearly a hundred times its size, making everyone¡¯s scalp tingle. However, strange things happened often in the Cultivation World. These people were cultivators, after all, and wouldn¡¯t be scared by such a sight. The leading man, with high cultivation and at the peak of the Qi Refinement Realm, swept his Divine Sense over the toad and found that the Demon Energy on it was thin, not even as strong as his own. He immediately relaxed and shouted, ¡°Bold evil, how dare you steal our prey? Seeking death.¡± As he spoke, he threw out his Flying Sword, which turned into a streak of light, slashing through the air toward the Spiritual Toad. These cultivators did not recognize the Swallowing Sky Toad. Even the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect couldn¡¯t recognize every Demon Beast in the world, let alone cultivators from small families like the Huang Family. But they didn¡¯t care if the Spiritual Toad was precious. They were not refining beasts, and it was unnecessary to capture the toad alive. It was better to kill it quickly. Maybe they could cut open its belly and retrieve the Demon Monkey it had just swallowed. After all, every Demon Beast could be sold for Spirit Stones. If they killed this Spiritual Toad, they could get two Demon Beast corpses. Unexpectedly, the little Spiritual Toad was incredibly agile. With a light leap, it avoided the Flying Sword, and its long tongue shot out again, wrapping around another Demon Monkey¡¯s corpse. ¡°Impudent!¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± The several cultivators from the Huang Family were furious. Apart from the two severely injured cultivators who were still sitting on the ground, the others attacked collectively, either using Flying Swords to slash at the toad or swinging Heavy Hammers to send shadowy hammer strikes at the toad. ¡°Ribbit¡­¡± With a croak, the Swallowing Sky Toad quickly retracted its tongue, giving up even the Demon Monkey it had caught. Otherwise, its tongue would likely be severed by the leading Sword Cultivator. Its limbs pressed against the ground and it leaped back a few zhang, evading the attacks. Knowing that these people were tough opponents, it intended to abandon the food. Just as it was about to turn and leave, one of the hammer-wielding cultivators suddenly flashed forward, raising his Heavy Hammer to smash down. ¡°Ribbit!¡± Under the hammer, the Swallowing Sky Toad sensed danger. It knew that if this hammer hit, it would surely die. In desperation, it suddenly leaped into the cultivator¡¯s arms, its long tongue like a spear, sharp as a sword, suddenly thrusting out, piercing the cultivator¡¯s chest. Then, it kicked with all its strength, sending the cultivator flying while using the force to propel itself several zhang away, attempting to escape. ¡°Fourth Brother¡­¡± The other cultivators saw the one kicked back by the Swallowing Sky Toad with blood gushing from his chest, twitching a few times before falling silent, and their anger surged. They had fought the Demon Monkeys with no deaths, and now a toad had killed one of their family members. ¡°Kill it, avenge Fourth Brother!¡± The cultivators¡¯ Flying Swords slashed and Heavy Hammers smashed as they chased after the Spiritual Toad. In the trees, Qin Feng and Qin Yang watched in shock. The sudden turn of events was too abrupt. But Qin Feng quickly came to his senses. He looked at the scene. Three cultivators remained. Two were severely injured, grieving their kin¡¯s death, but could only sit on the ground and recover, watching the others chase the Spiritual Toad. The other cultivator stood guard nearby with a sword. Although he was angry, he kept his wits. This was Qifeng Mountain, where Demon Beasts could appear at any time. He couldn¡¯t leave two injured kin unguarded. Even if there were no more Demon Beasts nearby except the Demon Monkeys they had slain, the bloody scent could attract other beasts soon. In the trees, Qin Feng nudged Qin Yang with his elbow, then pointed at the sword-wielding guard. Qin Yang frowned, hesitating. He knew Qin Feng¡¯s intention: to take down the Sword Cultivator. If he acted, unless he killed to silence, the Qin and Huang families would be in a big conflict. Qin Feng grinned, taking a robe from his Storage Bag, then his fingertip gathered Spiritual Power, silently cutting a piece of the robe, signaling Qin Yang to mask his face. Although cultivators at the Qi Refinement Realm could extend Divine Sense, it wasn¡¯t strong enough. As long as Qin Yang covered his face and used Spells to conceal his aura, the opponent¡¯s Divine Sense wouldn¡¯t identify him. ¡°¡­¡± Qin Yang sighed, reluctantly taking the cloth to cover his face. Thinking for a moment, he reversed his robe, ensuring there were no flaws to expose his identity. Then he slid down the tree, circled swiftly through the forest, and suddenly appeared, hurling a flame. The Huang Family guard anxiously watched the others leave, sensing an ambush. He angrily slashed the fire with his sword and charged at the hidden Qin Yang. Qin Yang¡¯s strength matched the guard¡¯s, but he dared not reveal his full power to avoid recognition, using only basic spells, making him no match for the Sword Cultivator. Helpless, he fought defensively, retreating to lure the guard away. In a moment, only the two injured Huang Family cultivators were left. They were puzzled, surprised by the sudden change. Before they could react, one of them widened his eyes in horror, shouting, ¡°Watch out for an ambush!¡± But he was slightly late. Before he finished, the other cultivator felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, his vision blackened, and he fainted. The shouting cultivator struggled to rise. But his severe injuries hindered him, with a broken chest bone from a Demon Monkey¡¯s claw. His arms and legs wounded, he couldn¡¯t get up. Then he saw the figure who knocked out his companion swinging a big club at his head. Thud¡­ The club struck, and he fell swiftly. Qin Feng discarded the large wooden stick he had picked up, wasting no time. He quickly grabbed the Demon Monkey corpses the Huang Family cultivators had collected. Connected to the Demon Refining Pot, he touched the corpses, and they were absorbed instantly. In moments, over a dozen Demon Monkey corpses were absorbed by the Demon Refining Pot. As Qin Feng was leaving, he paused, turned to the two fallen cultivators, picked up their Magic Artifacts, and placed them in his Storage Bag. He also took their Storage Bags. Searching them, he found a treasure. It was a piece of Heart-Clearing Jade. Though it had no offensive or defensive properties, it helped calm the mind and aided cultivation. A good item, he kept it. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Refining the Spiritual Net Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Refining the Spiritual Net Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After pocketing the treasures from the two cultivators¡¯ bodies, Qin Feng dared not linger. After all, the rest of the Huang Family¡¯s cultivators could return at any moment. Moreover, the cultivator Qin Yang drew away was not far from here, merely one or two hundred feet away. It was only because of the trees separating them that he did not see what happened here. But earlier, the noise Qin Feng made when he knocked out the two severely injured cultivators had already alerted the opponent. If Qin Yang hadn¡¯t struggled to entangle him, the opponent would have returned by now, and Qin Feng needed to leave immediately. Moving swiftly, Qin Feng activated the Divine Movement Technique. With a light tap of his feet, he leapt a few yards, quick as a startled swan, running like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, he was sprinting madly in another direction. Sure enough, just a dozen breaths after he left, the cultivator Qin Yang had drawn away returned. Seeing his two clan members lying on the ground and thinking they had fallen victim again, he was both shocked and furious. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a roar of rage, sending a spell straight up dozens of feet into the sky. With a boom, the spell exploded like fireworks, drawing the attention of the cultivators who were chasing the Swallowing Sky Toad in the distance. ¡°This is bad! Old Six and the others are in trouble!¡± They immediately abandoned the nearly dead Swallowing Sky Toad and rushed back towards their clan members. Qin Feng circled around and headed towards the agreed meeting place with Qin Yang. At this moment, the spiritual energy within him surged as he ran, operating his cultivation technique to convert the spiritual energy into his own spiritual power. This time, he had collected a total of thirteen Monkey Demon bodies. Although most of the Monkey Demons were not very strong, a few were at the late stage of Qi Refinement. Therefore, the spiritual energy he obtained this time was ten times greater than what he had received from that Ghost Locust previously. Although advancing from the second to the third layer of Qi Refinement required much more spiritual energy than the last advancement, the corpse of the Demon Beast refined by the Demon Refining Pot provided incredibly pure spiritual energy. So, in no time, with the continuous flow of spiritual energy from the Demon Refining Pot, he was on the verge of breaking through to the third layer of Qi Refinement. According to his senses, even after consuming half of the spiritual energy refined by the Demon Refining Pot, if he absorbed and refined all of it, he could advance a small step further in the third layer of Qi Refinement. However, now was not a good time to break through. Otherwise, he would not be able to explain himself when he returned. He and Qin Yang had set out to hunt a Green Wolf Demon. If he returned having broken through to the third layer of Qi Refinement, it would definitely attract attention and questioning. He quickly stopped refining the spiritual energy, mentally communicating with the Demon Refining Pot to store the spiritual energy temporarily for future use. Nonetheless, he was in an extremely good mood. Without the Demon Refining Pot, advancing to the third layer of Qi Refinement purely through self-cultivation would have taken at least one to two years. Now, however, refining a few ordinary Monkey Demons allowed him to break through in cultivation; this feeling was truly exhilarating. He used the Divine Movement Technique to rush towards the meeting point while examining the magic artifacts in his hands. The two storage bags had the divine sense imprint of Huang Family cultivators, which he couldn¡¯t open for now, so he set them aside for later. Nevertheless, the magic artifacts in his hands brought him considerable delight. Among them was a top-grade flying sword, a middle-grade casting hammer, and the spiritual net that had earlier bound several Monkey Demons in one go. Qin Feng found the spiritual net quite intriguing. After careful inspection, he discovered it was a middle-grade Binding Spirit Net, likely woven from the silk of some kind of Spiritual Silkworm. Though it looked no larger than a palm and its spirit light was faint, it was incredibly tenacious. Once cast, it could cover an area of several yards. Whether human or demon, anyone bound within it would be imprisoned, unable to use their spiritual power unless they broke free. Qin Feng felt an itch to test it out on something to see how effective it was. However, considering this Binding Spirit Net had been refined by a Huang Family cultivator, it would be very inconvenient to use unless the divine power imprint left by the Huang Family cultivator was removed. Qin Feng pondered for a moment and then mobilized the spiritual energy within the Demon Refining Pot, aggressively attacking the divine power imprint within the Binding Spirit Net. The Huang Family cultivator had only recently entered the late stage of Qi Refinement, so the divine power imprint left in the magic artifact was not very strong. It was quickly erased by the fierce spiritual energy of the Demon Refining Pot. Qin Feng immediately placed his own spiritual power imprint into it, refining the artifact into his own treasure. The classification of magic artifacts was simple. Each set of nine prohibitions constituted a grade. From one to nine prohibitions, it was a basic-level magic artifact; from nine to eighteen, a middle-grade magic artifact, and so on. Anything with over thirty-six prohibitions was considered to have reached the level of a spiritual artifact. The Binding Spirit Net was merely a middle-grade magic artifact with eighteen prohibitions. Qin Feng quickly subjected it to a simple refining process using his spiritual power. Although it would require more frequent refining to seamlessly operate it in the future, it was already usable now. Having refined it successfully, he joyfully toyed with the Binding Spirit Net. Apart from the Demon Refining Pot, this was the first magic artifact he had obtained. After examining it for a while, he could tell that this was not a magic artifact crafted by the Huang Family. Although the Huang Family specialized in artifact refining as their heritage, they only focused on casting swords and other metal and iron magic artifacts. They weren¡¯t skilled in refining binding and prohibition-type magic artifacts. Half an hour later, Qin Yang saw Qin Feng¡¯s approaching figure and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°How is it, you weren¡¯t recognized by the Huang Family cultivators, were you?¡± he asked worriedly. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Qin Feng reassured with a smile. He then took out the two storage bags, the Heart-Clearing Jade, and the three magic artifacts, and said with a grin, ¡°The harvest wasn¡¯t bad, but these things shouldn¡¯t be shown off, otherwise it might attract the Huang Family¡¯s attention. Later, I¡¯ll ask my dad to sell these items at a market, exchange them for spirit stones or other cultivation resources, and then split them with Brother Yang.¡± ¡°Good, good, haha. That Huang Yulang¡¯s attempt to snatch our Green Wolf Demon this time ended up quite the opposite,¡± Qin Yang rejoiced, not expecting Qin Feng to have acquired so many good items. If all these things were exchanged for cultivation spirit stones, he would receive quite a share. Additionally, being at the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, he needed resources for cultivation and advancement. If he received those items, he was confident he could charge straight into the seventh layer of Qi Refinement. ¡°Little Feng, you will soon be entering the sect and need spirit stones more than I do. I won¡¯t take much from this haul. Later, tell your Seventh Uncle to get me a few elixir pills that will help break through the sixth layer of Qi Refinement.¡± Qin Yang beamed but remained modest. Although the value of these items far exceeded that of a few spirit pills, he preferred that Qin Feng receive more spirit stones. This way, when Qin Feng made a name for himself in the Beast Taming Sect, he would be able to better take care of the family, benefiting Qin Yang as well. This was the practice of most small families. If they had connections to send their children into sects, they would provide as many resources and help as possible. The future return from successful family disciples would far exceed all the resources invested. Qin Feng chuckled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the advantage then.¡± He didn¡¯t offer any words of thanks. They were family, and such politeness was unnecessary. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. If we¡¯re too late, everyone will worry,¡± Qin Yang urged, glancing at the sky. ¡°Alright.¡± They set off, heading back the way they came. But as they rounded a mountain peak, they froze in their tracks. Because they saw the Swallowing Sky Toad again. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Subduing the Demon Beast Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Subduing the Demon Beast Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When he saw the Swallowing Sky Toad again, Qin Feng immediately smiled. He had previously thought that this Swallowing Sky Toad had been killed by the Huang Family cultivators. After all, the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s cultivation was not high; it was merely at the late Qi Refinement stage, and it was easy to lose its life being pursued by those Huang Family cultivators. Unexpectedly, it had managed to escape. However, the current state of the Swallowing Sky Toad was not good. It could be seen from the fact that each of its jumps now could only cover one or two zhang, much slower than before. ¡°Haha, this is truly an effort-saving gain.¡± Qin Feng¡¯s eyes brightened. He had originally given up hope, but unexpectedly, this little creature delivered itself to him. Since it was so fated, he naturally had to cherish it. ¡°Hurry, chase it.¡± He tugged Qin Yang, and the two of them swiftly chased after the Swallowing Sky Toad. This time, they did not conceal their forms or restrain their aura, so they were quickly noticed by the Swallowing Sky Toad. The Swallowing Sky Toad was startled, thinking that the Huang Family cultivators had caught up. It immediately jumped, trying to escape these two people. But earlier, it had been struck by a Huang Family cultivator wielding a hammer and was severely injured. If those cultivators had not retreated on their own, it wouldn¡¯t have survived until now. With its speed greatly reduced after the injury, there was no way it could escape from Qin Feng and Qin Yang. Soon, they caught up with it. The Swallowing Sky Toad was, after all, a demon beast. Seeing it couldn¡¯t escape, it immediately resolved to fight to the death. Its mouth opened wide, and its long tongue shot out like an arrow aimed at Qin Yang. It could feel that Qin Yang posed the greatest threat to it. As long as it killed him, the other small Qi Refinement stage cultivator would likely flee in fear. Qin Yang had previously witnessed the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue piercing through the chest of a Huang Family cultivator, so he did not dare to be careless. With a flip of his hand, he took out a palm-sized shield. Under the control of his spiritual power, it transformed into a two-foot-wide round shield emitting a cyan spirit light, which he held in front of him to block the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s attack. However, even so, he was still pushed back two steps by this strike from the Swallowing Sky Toad. Qin Yang was secretly shocked. This was the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s attack while injured. If it were in peak condition, he definitely would not be its match. However, since it was already injured, the outcome of the battle was still uncertain. He infused more spiritual power into the round shield and threw it. The shield¡¯s edge flashed with sharpness as it spun towards the Swallowing Sky Toad. He then drew a long sword and slashed in the air. Three feet of Flame Saber Qi roared towards the Swallowing Sky Toad, forcing it to jump and dodge. The magic artifacts on Qin Yang were the standard issue from the Inspection Department. The round shield¡¯s edge was sharp enough for both defense and spinning attacks. The long sword, too, was extraordinary, capable of unleashing Flame Saber Qi. This was the main reason he joined the Inspection Department. Joining not only came with a salary but also included such magical artifacts as rewards. The Qin Family controlled the power of the Kun City Inspection Bureau. Otherwise, he might not have had a chance at such benefits. The Swallowing Sky Toad was left dodging left and right under Qin Yang¡¯s dual attacks. When it couldn¡¯t dodge, it would raise a layer of misty white light for defense. Although it didn¡¯t want to fight Qin Yang head-on due to its injury, it couldn¡¯t dodge effectively due to its reduced speed, making it quite embarrassed by Qin Yang¡¯s attacks. When the Swallowing Sky Toad endured another Flame Saber Qi and was about to leap and escape, it suddenly saw a large net flying towards it. The net covered several zhang in area. The threads on the net shimmered with spirit light, clearly not an ordinary item. If trapped by this net, it might be in danger. It tried to evade, but at that moment, it was already in mid-air with no place to leverage itself. Thus, its whole body seemed to willingly fall into the net¡¯s embrace. The Swallowing Sky Toad tried to crawl out of the net¡¯s holes, but each thread of the Binding Spirit Net emitted spirit light, shrinking instantly and firmly trapping it inside. Even its internal demon energy was confined, preventing it from releasing. So, despite its struggling, it could not escape the net. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Qin Feng was overjoyed. He quickly extended his hand, and the Binding Spirit Net shrunk instantly, falling into his hand. The Swallowing Sky Toad wanted to open its mouth and shoot its tongue to pierce this cultivator¡¯s body, but the Binding Spirit Net tightened, binding its whole body tightly, even preventing it from opening its mouth. It couldn¡¯t possibly shoot its tongue anymore. Qin Yang came over, looking curiously at Qin Feng, surprised that his cousin had already refined the Binding Spirit Net so quickly. However, considering it was merely a middle-grade magic artifact and the marks left by other Qi Refinement cultivators were weak, purging those marks wasn¡¯t difficult. Qin Yang didn¡¯t think much about it and quickly focused on the Swallowing Sky Toad. ¡°This Spiritual Toad is quite powerful. You haven¡¯t joined a sect yet, so don¡¯t hastily subdue it. It might backfire.¡± He advised, ¡°If you really want to subdue it, you should have Uncle Seven suppress it for some time first. After joining a sect, you can then refine it into your spiritual beast.¡± Qin Feng, eyes shining, was examining the Swallowing Sky Toad. He smiled and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Yang, I understand. I won¡¯t act recklessly.¡± With the Demon Refining Pot, he wasn¡¯t afraid of this late-stage first-tier demon beast¡¯s backlash. Unless the demon beast was powerful enough to break free from the laws within the Demon Refining Pot, it would not have the chance to retaliate. Qin Yang looked at the sky and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go back quickly. If we don¡¯t return soon, Uncle Seven might send someone to find us.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Feng nodded, turned, and placed the Swallowing Sky Toad wrapped in the Binding Spirit Net into his sleeve. After avoiding Qin Yang¡¯s gaze, he secretly communicated with the Demon Refining Pot and sent the Spiritual Toad inside. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to consider making the Swallowing Sky Toad his lifebound demon beast. Such a demon beast was too difficult to advance. Making it his lifebound spiritual beast would definitely slow down his cultivation. He might remain stuck in the Qi Refinement stage, unable to achieve Foundation Establishment. Only by making it the leader of a grotto within the Demon Refining Pot could he utilize the pot¡¯s ability to merge the bloodlines of similar demon beasts, helping the Swallowing Sky Toad grow quickly. The Demon Refining Pot, truly an ancient treasure, even in its broken state, could capture the Swallowing Sky Toad with just a bit of absorption force. Moreover, it did so while the toad was still trapped within the Binding Spirit Net. Before the Demon Refining Pot, the Binding Spirit Net¡¯s confinement was insignificant. Qin Feng extended his divine sense into the Demon Refining Pot and instantly found the Swallowing Sky Toad in the small space at the lowest level. The Swallowing Sky Toad was clearly in a bewildered state. It had just been captured, its internal demon energy confined, and thought death was imminent. Suddenly, it was drawn into this space by an irresistible force. It could sense that its soul and body were now fused with this space. Henceforth, it would live and die here. Without the space controller¡¯s permission, it couldn¡¯t leave. With its limited intelligence, the Swallowing Sky Toad didn¡¯t understand what was happening. However, it soon sensed a will extending towards it. This will seemed to control everything, including this space. Naturally, it also controlled the Swallowing Sky Toad. When this will extended into its body, the Swallowing Sky Toad didn¡¯t even feel the urge to resist, letting the other party explore all its secrets. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Unable to Afford Raising Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Unable to Afford Raising Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Feng, through the Demon Refining Pot, examined the Swallowing Sky Toad and discovered that this Demon Beast indeed had a natural advantage, with a space in its belly. He felt a surge of joy in his heart. Space talent was exceptionally rare, and Demon Beasts naturally possessing such a talent were even scarcer. Even though the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s current power was weak and its space talent had not yet shown its formidable side, as its strength grew, it would surely exhibit war power that could astonish people. He was not worried about how to cultivate this Spiritual Beast right now. It was not too late to figure it out after he joined a Sect and learned more about Demon Beasts. But soon, his brows furrowed slightly. Because when his Divine Sense was placed on the Swallowing Sky Toad through the Demon Refining Pot, he could clearly feel that the Swallowing Sky Toad was in a very poor state. It had significant injuries, even its internal organs showed signs of rupture. If it weren¡¯t for the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s strong life force, it would likely soon be in mortal danger. The Grotto Heaven within the Demon Refining Pot had been damaged in an ancient war, and that space no longer had Spirit Veins to produce Spiritual Energy. Without Spiritual Energy, it could not cultivate, and the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s injuries would inevitably heal very slowly. Qin Feng thought for a moment and eventually decided to use the Spiritual Energy previously refined from those Monkey Demons in the Demon Refining Pot to help the Swallowing Sky Toad heal. Although it was a pity to lose this Spiritual Energy, as long as the Swallowing Sky Toad could recover to its original state, he would have a late-stage Qi Refinement helper. In times of danger, the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s strength was much more reliable than his own spells. Thinking of this, Qin Feng did not hesitate anymore and directly controlled the Demon Refining Pot to send the remaining pure Spiritual Qi to the Swallowing Sky Toad. The Swallowing Sky Toad sensed the kindness emanating from that will, and upon seeing the pure Spiritual Qi in front of it, a burst of joy surged from its spirit. It opened its mouth and, within moments, absorbed all this Spiritual Qi into its body. It even burped, its snow-white belly bulging, and then it comfortably closed its eyes to refine the pure Spiritual Qi in its abdomen to heal its injuries. After watching for a moment, Qin Feng knew that this Spiritual Qi was sufficient for the Swallowing Sky Toad to recover from its injuries. He nodded in satisfaction and withdrew his Divine Sense from the Demon Refining Pot. He pondered as he traveled. Undeniably, the Demon Refining Pot was a treasure; just the ability to subdue Demon Beasts was enough to make him ecstatic. However, the Demon Refining Pot had been severely damaged, losing its Grotto Heaven and Spirit Veins, turning into a Spiritless Land and unsuitable for cultivation. Because of this, he could not subdue many Spiritual Beasts into the Pot. Otherwise, without a way to nurture them, those Demon Beasts might resort to mutual devouring out of hunger, which would be counterproductive. It seemed he should consider how to transplant a Spirit Vein inside in the future. He dared not dream of a Grotto Heaven, as that was too far beyond his reach. With his current cultivation realm, he could not access any Cave Heaven Blessed Land. However, he could consider Spirit Veins. Some forces, as they developed and expanded, would find their original mountain gate¡¯s Spirit Veins insufficient and would find ways to procure and transplant additional Spirit Veins to their gates. Some Great Forces could even trade for Spirit Veins. Although it was unlikely to be a top level Spirit Vein, even the weakest Spirit Vein could continually produce Spiritual Energy in the Demon Refining Pot, allowing Qin Feng to not worry about the cultivation of the Demon Beasts inside. Unfortunately, even a small to medium-sized Spirit Vein would cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones, and he could not afford it right now. Qin Feng shook his head, no longer thinking about things he could only contemplate in the distant future. For now, he had to figure out how to sustain the Swallowing Sky Toad. Although the Swallowing Sky Toad would not starve to death even if it did not eat for years, without food, it would also deplete and not make any progress in its strength. Forget it, after this matter is over, I will release it to find food on its own in the mountains. Qin Feng quickly made a decision. Otherwise, he truly could not afford to sustain such a super glutton. With the Demon Refining Pot, he was not afraid of the Swallowing Sky Toad running away, as he could summon it back with a single thought. While he was calculating various things in his mind, he vaguely heard voices ahead. Looking up, he saw they had returned to the place where they had surrounded the Wolf Demon with their clansmen. ¡°Why are you only just returning?¡± Qin Long saw the two return safely and finally relaxed, looking them over and seeing their empty hands. He asked curiously, ¡°What, did the Wolf Demon get away?¡± ¡°No, Seventh Uncle.¡± Qin Yang said, ¡°Brother Feng and I caught up to the Green Wolf and had already subdued it. But while pursuing it, we didn¡¯t notice it escaped into the area the Huang Family was responsible for, and coincidentally, Huang Yulang encountered it. That kid said that since it had entered their area, it was their prey. Brother Feng and I were outnumbered and couldn¡¯t compete with them, so we had to watch them take the Wolf Demon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How dare the Huang Family¡¯s kid steal our Qin Family¡¯s prey, is he seeking death?¡± Qin Yang¡¯s words immediately ignited the anger of the Qin Family cultivators, who clamored to confront the Huang Family for an explanation. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Qin Long shook his head helplessly, ¡°Even if we go, it¡¯s hard to argue, since Qin Yang did cross the border. Let it go this time, but if they cross the border in the future, you can do the same.¡± Under Qin Long¡¯s soothing words, the group gradually calmed down. Mainly, without Qin Long, a Foundation Establishment cultivator leading them, going would be futile. ¡°Alright, everyone¡¯s here, pack up and move out, there¡¯s still a large area to clear.¡± Qin Long called out, preparing to lead the clansmen to continue the Demon Beast eradication. Because the Qin Family dealt often with Demon Beasts and knew many ways to handle them, no one was severely injured during the Wolf Demon hunt, so there was no need to rest long. It was better to clear the Demon Beasts within a two-to-three hundred miles radius and leave here as soon as possible. Otherwise, if they were unlucky and encountered a powerful Demon Beast in the mountains, they could suffer casualties. ¡­¡­ Huang Tingyuan¡¯s face was cold as he looked at the body of his clansman on the ground. This was his cousin of the same generation, ranked fourth, with a decent cultivation of eighth-level Qi Refinement. He had unexpectedly died here. ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± He looked coldly at the remaining people. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Poison Pill Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Poison Pill Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Family Head, originally we had already killed that group of monkey demons, but suddenly, a spiritual toad not even the size of a fist appeared out of nowhere and devoured the monkey demons we had slain. At that time, Fourth Brother was somewhat careless. He rushed too close, and as a result, was ambushed by the toad and had his chest pierced.¡± The cultivator at the peak of Qi Refinement spoke. He was named Huang Tingshan, he was from the same generation as the Family Head and was considered the eldest brother of their generation, but his aptitude was far inferior to Huang Tingyuan¡¯s. Now, at an old age, he was still in the Qi Refinement Realm, with no hope of ever reaching Foundation Establishment. Upon hearing this, Huang Tingyuan¡¯s face relaxed slightly, but he still looked somewhat exasperated: ¡°Fourth Brother is already several decades old, how could he still act so recklessly? How am I supposed to explain this to Fourth Sister-in-law and that little nephew when I return?¡± ¡°Family Head, there is one more thing I need to report to you.¡± Huang Tingshan continued: ¡°While we were chasing that spiritual toad, due to the severe injuries of Tingyu and the others, Sixth Brother stayed behind to watch over them. Suddenly, a cultivator appeared, lured Sixth Brother away, and then another cultivator jumped out, not only incapacitating Tingyu and the others but also robbing them of all their magic artifacts and spiritual objects, as well as the monkey demons we had painstakingly slain.¡± As he said this, his tone became increasingly resentful. It was unclear whether he resented the opponents for injuring his clansmen, or for robbing them of their prey as well. Originally, this trip should have brought them some gains, but now, not only did they lose a clansman, but the remaining members were also injured to varying degrees, ending up with nothing in the end. Huang Tingyuan didn¡¯t pay attention to the resentment in his words, instead, he looked grave, frowning deeply in thought. He was not only the only one of his generation in the Huang Family to advance to Foundation Establishment, but also the most adept at scheming. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have achieved his current cultivation, nor would he have ascended to the family¡¯s leadership. After a moment of pondering, he finally asked, ¡°Did you see anything on those two cultivators that could identify them?¡± ¡°I asked carefully, but nothing could be discerned.¡± ¡°What about the spiritual toad?¡± Huang Tingyuan asked again: ¡°Was that spiritual toad a spiritual beast under someone¡¯s control?¡± Upon hearing this, Huang Tingshan was startled: ¡°The Family Head means, this was the Qin Family¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°Whether it was the Qin Family or not depends on whether that demon beast was under someone¡¯s control.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Huang Tingshan hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it. We¡¯ve seen the Qin Family¡¯s methods of beast taming. That spiritual toad didn¡¯t look controlled, but rather was very wild. Besides, whether it¡¯s Qin Guanbao or Qin Long, if they were to act, they wouldn¡¯t just send an average demon beast, nor would they only harm Fourth Brother alone. With their capabilities, it wouldn¡¯t take long to kill us all, let alone rob such insignificant items from Tingyu and the others.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I thought too.¡± Huang Tingyuan nodded: ¡°In that case, the demon beast was likely an accident.¡± ¡°But if it wasn¡¯t the Qin Family, who else would do such a thing, secretly robbing our prey without killing anyone? This matter feels very strange.¡± Huang Tingshan scratched his head, filled with confusion. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t forget, besides the Qin Family, there¡¯s still the Wang Family in the west of Kun City.¡± Huang Tingyuan felt helpless, his cousin was really not sharp, needing him to make such an obvious reminder? ¡°You mean to say, this was done by the Wang Family?¡± Huang Tingshan was surprised: ¡°They¡¯ve always been cautious; when did they dare to offend our Huang Family?¡± ¡°It might not be that they want to offend us, but they could be trying to pin the blame on the Qin Family, making us fight the Qin Family while they reap the benefits.¡± Huang Tingyuan pondered, saying: ¡°Although the Wang Family is cautious, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t have expansionist ambitions. Especially since their younger generation has a couple of talented juniors; in twenty or thirty years, there might be two more Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Wang Family. Kun City isn¡¯t very large. If the Wang Family wants to develop, they can only carve out pieces from the Qin and Huang families.¡± Upon hearing this, Huang Tingshan showed a ruthless expression: ¡°Why don¡¯t we strike first to eliminate this potential threat?¡± ¡°Do not act rashly.¡± Huang Tingyuan shook his head: ¡°Although the Fog Hidden Sect¡¯s strength is far inferior to Taiyi Mountain¡¯s, it¡¯s still a sect with a thousand-year legacy and some foundation. Moreover, their sect is not too far from Kun City. If things go wrong, Taiyi Mountain might not storm the Fog Hidden Sect for our insignificant Huang Family. Keep an eye on this matter in the dark, but don¡¯t let them take advantage, and remember not to bring it into the open.¡± ¡°So we just swallow this loss and pretend this never happened?¡± Huang Tingshan was clearly dissatisfied. ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t retaliate, it¡¯s just not the right time.¡± Huang Tingyuan said: ¡°The Great Elder has arduously obtained a batch of fine artifact refining materials and is currently in seclusion crafting a spirit sword. If successful, the Great Elder can truly advance to an artifact refiner capable of crafting spiritual artifacts. At this time, everything must prioritize the Great Elder. We must avoid creating disturbances that could disrupt his work.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Although still somewhat unwilling, Huang Tingshan dared not disobey the Family Head¡¯s orders and had to comply. ¡­¡­ After several days of clearing demon beasts in Qifeng Mountain, the cultivators of the three families in Kun City gradually returned to their respective families. Besides the Huang Family, who unfortunately lost a Qi Refinement late-stage cultivator, the other two families also had injured clansmen but no fatalities. On the night of their return home, Qin Feng recounted to his father the events of teaming up with Qin Yang to rob the two Huang Family cultivators. This matter was hard to conceal, and they needed their father¡¯s help to deal with these items and exchange them for spirit stones and elixir pills. Qin Long was somewhat astonished upon hearing his son¡¯s words. He hadn¡¯t expected his son to be so bold. But he didn¡¯t blame him, rather, he was quite approving. After all, the cultivation world was fraught with dangers. If there was an opportunity to gain resources from opponents, there was no reason to let it pass. Qin Long looked at the items before him, casually tossing the Heart-Clearing Jade and Binding Spirit Net to Qin Feng, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t sell this Heart-Clearing Jade. Keep it on you daily; it will aid your cultivation. However, it¡¯s just a low-grade Heart-Clearing Jade. After reaching Foundation Establishment, it won¡¯t be of much help; you can dispose of it then. As for the Binding Spirit Net, although it¡¯s not high-level, it¡¯s quite useful. Keep it for yourself, just don¡¯t flaunt it in front of the Huang Family.¡± Qin Feng nodded and put the two items away. Anyway, he was going to the Beast Taming Sect soon. By then, he would have nothing to do with the Huang Family, and he could use these artifacts freely. Qin Long then picked up the two storage bags. With his Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s True Yuan, he quickly broke the prohibitions on the storage bags and poured out their contents. There were many scattered items, including demon beast materials, refined iron for artifact refining, two bottles of elixir pills, and dozens of spirit stones. Qin Long gave the spirit stones to his son, then collected the remaining materials and refined iron, saying, ¡°I happen to be going to the commandery to deal with materials from the demon beasts. I¡¯ll take care of these for you as well. Everything else is fine, but remember not to take elixir pills carelessly.¡± He sternly warned: ¡°Especially those obtained from others, with unknown origins, they might contain poisonous pills. Taking them carelessly could cost you your life.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± Qin Feng was astonished: ¡°Those two Huang Family cultivators wouldn¡¯t carry poisonous pills, would they?¡± ¡°You never know.¡± Qin Long smirked: ¡°It¡¯s not like this hasn¡¯t happened before. A cultivator killed an opponent, took a lot of spirit pills, couldn¡¯t bear to discard them, and ate them. But what he didn¡¯t expect was his opponent had mixed a deadly poisonous elixir among the spirit pills, leading to his death due to greed. Haha, since then, many in the cultivation world have followed this practice, mixing a poisonous pill among their spirit pills, in case they are killed, they might still get their revenge through this method.¡± Qin Feng was flabbergasted: ¡°I never thought such things could happen.¡± ¡°There are many things you can¡¯t imagine. Once you enter the sect, always be cautious, don¡¯t let anyone scheme against you.¡± Qin Long looked at his son and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite smart, but the cultivation world is full of devious minds. Observe more, think more, don¡¯t act impulsively. After all, you only have one life. If you die, you lose everything.¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Lichun House? Drinking Flower Wine? Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Lichun House? Drinking Flower Wine? Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation That noon, after Qin Feng finished his cultivation, he sat under a hundred-year-old dragon claw locust tree in the courtyard and summoned the Swallowing Sky Toad, holding it in his palm and observing it carefully for a while. This Swallowing Sky Toad was still in its juvenile stage, its skin smooth and cool to the touch, making it very comfortable to hold. Its appearance was also beautiful, covered in an emerald green layer like jade, except for the snow-white belly. Several mysterious patterns ran across its back, adding an air of mystery. Qin Feng gently stroked its back a few times, then reached out a finger to poke its snow-white belly. It felt soft and delicate, but if he applied more force, he could feel a hidden resilience beneath its skin. Even an ordinary magic artifact might not break through its soft outer layer. Over a month had passed since his last mission to Qifeng Mountain to clear out demon beasts. The autumn chill had set in, and the grass and trees were turning yellow. Frog sightings in the mountains and forests had decreased as some began to hibernate. However, the Swallowing Sky Toad was an exotic species demon toad, unlike ordinary toads and frogs that needed to burrow into the ground to survive the winter. In fact, even if thrown into the Extreme North Ice Field, it could live well. After examining the Swallowing Sky Toad for a while, Qin Feng stopped toying with it. He merely held it in his hand, stroking its smooth skin while pondering. He considered the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s future cultivation. Keeping it confined in the Demon Refining Pot was not ideal, as it couldn¡¯t generate spiritual energy, which would slow down its cultivation. Although this spirit toad¡¯s cultivation speed was inherently slow, much slower than normal demon beasts¡ªby dozens of times. After all, it needed to devour a vast amount of spiritual objects to advance. Many Swallowing Sky Toads couldn¡¯t reach higher realms due to insufficient resources, overwhelmed by the space inside them, resulting in dying of old age without advancing. Qin Feng had ways to speed up this Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s cultivation. Whether by fusing it with other toad demon beast bloodlines, allowing it to acquire new cultivation techniques, or by placing demon beast corpses or directly inserting spirit stones into the Demon Refining Pot to refine pure spiritual energy, both could accelerate its cultivation. Although spirit stones were not demon beasts, they essentially contained spiritual energy, similar to spirit veins, but the energy in spirit stones was internalized and needed external communication to be extracted. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t procure other toad demon beast bloodlines, and he disdained ordinary spirit toads. Even if he obtained those with superior bloodlines and exceptional talents, he couldn¡¯t fuse them now. Fusing bloodlines required a tremendous amount of energy, and the Demon Refining Pot was empty. To complete the fusion, he needed abundant spiritual power resources. Except for the dozen or so monkey demon corpses he had obtained from the Huang Family, he only had over a hundred spirit stones left, which was from the magic artifacts his father sold. He needed to save these spirit stones for the numerous expenses he would encounter after entering the sect, so he couldn¡¯t pour all his resources into the bottomless pit of the Demon Refining Pot. Qin Feng also couldn¡¯t hunt demon beasts in the mountains himself to feed the Swallowing Sky Toad. With his current cultivation, going into the mountains alone would be more of him being hunted by demon beasts than hunting them. As he frowned, feeling a bit troubled, he suddenly heard footsteps outside the courtyard, followed by Qin Yang¡¯s voice. He flipped his palm, storing the Swallowing Sky Toad back into the Demon Refining Pot. Then he turned to look towards the courtyard gate. Qin Yang, smiling broadly and full of energy, seemed much more light-hearted in his steps. ¡°Haha, Brother Feng, you¡¯re really idle, sitting at home doing nothing.¡± Qin Feng was speechless. What do you mean doing nothing, I¡¯ve been diligently cultivating. But he didn¡¯t argue, recognizing Qin Yang¡¯s words were unintentional. Judging by Qin Yang¡¯s beaming face, something good must have happened. Coupled with the recent pills their father had brought back for Qin Yang, it was easy to guess that Qin Yang leveled up to Qi Refinement seventh layer. ¡°Congratulations, Brother Yang, on your significant advancement in cultivation, reaching the late stage of Qi Refinement.¡± Qin Feng stood up, pretending to congratulate him. ¡°Hahaha, no need for such words between brothers.¡± Qin Yang laughed, patting Qin Feng¡¯s shoulder, and then casually wrapped an arm around Qin Feng¡¯s shoulder, steering him outside: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, Cousin, I wouldn¡¯t have cultivated so quickly. Come, come, today I¡¯m taking you to Lichun House to drink flower wine.¡± ¡°Flower wine?¡± Qin Feng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He hadn¡¯t even held a girl¡¯s hand in over a decade, let alone anything more intimate. But considering his current age, he felt a bit disheartened. Quickly regaining his composure, he showed a look of disdain and righteousness, shaking off Qin Yang¡¯s arm with a light scoff: ¡°I never expected you to be such a person, frequenting such places.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Qin Yang felt ashamed at Qin Feng¡¯s righteous demeanor, his face turning red: ¡°Occasionally, just when socializing with colleagues like Zhao Meng, we might go once.¡± ¡°Forget the flower wine.¡± Qin Feng shook his head: ¡°Besides, even if I could go, would you dare take me there?¡± ¡°No, no, I was just saying it casually.¡± Qin Yang smiled wryly: ¡°If I actually took you there, Uncle would break my legs.¡± Although the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s cultivation techniques didn¡¯t care about preserving one¡¯s virginity, it was better to focus on cultivation in the early stages to avoid distractions. If young cultivators indulged in pleasures too early and became addicted, unable to resist, their future achievements would be very limited. So many family forces advised their young members to avoid getting involved with women. Previously, Qin Feng was too young, so Qin Long never discussed it with him, but Qin Feng knew his father wouldn¡¯t allow him to fool around. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I heard Yingxian Building recently hired a new chef who cooks very well. Today, I¡¯ll take you to Yingxian Building to drink and celebrate my advancement to the late stage of Qi Refinement.¡± Qin Yang didn¡¯t mention Lichun House again and led Qin Feng towards the courtyard gate. Qin Feng didn¡¯t refuse, as he had nothing else to do and wouldn¡¯t mind relaxing in the city. He hadn¡¯t rushed his advancement recently to avoid suspicion, focusing on refining his spiritual power. His spiritual power was much purer and more profound compared to most Qi Refinement cultivators at the same level. They entered the city and headed to Yingxian Building. Although called Yingxian Building, it mainly served regular people, with few cultivators dining there. Other than the three cultivator families, Kun City had only a few loose cultivators living there, making it unprofitable to target cultivators exclusively. As the two approached Yingxian Building, the waiter¡¯s eyes lit up. As a Deputy Inspection Envoy of the Inspection Department, Qin Yang was a notable figure among Kun City¡¯s residents and deserved good service. They were about to be led to a private room on the third floor when a group arrived from across the street, led by Huang Family¡¯s eldest son, Huang Yulang. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Gold-Plated Slash Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Gold-Plated Slash Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The saying goes, enemies meet, and their eyes blaze with fury. When Qin Feng and Qin Yang saw Huang Yulang, although they didn¡¯t shout and scream for blood, they felt uncomfortable and couldn¡¯t help but snort, turning their heads away from him. Huang Yulang, lacking tact, walked over when he saw them, saying, ¡°Yo, aren¡¯t you two from the Qin Family? We¡¯re all from Kun City, always bumping into each other. Why the sour faces?¡± Qin Yang snorted coldly, ¡°Huang Yulang, why aren¡¯t you mining and forging for your Huang Family? What are you doing here?¡± Huang Yulang wasn¡¯t angered, and with a smile, he said, ¡°Brother Qin, what else would one come to Yingxian Building for but to drink? Or are you here to find girls? Hahaha, speaking of which, thanks to Brother Qin, I easily hunted a wolf demon last time and sold some Spirit Stones. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have money to drink and have fun here, hahaha¡­¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Yang became furious. Having the prey stolen by this guy last time has always been on his mind, hard to forget. Now hearing Huang Yulang bring it up again in front of him, he was infuriated, his anger soaring. ¡°What, Brother Qin wants to fight?¡± Huang Yulang smiled, his hands behind his back, ¡°This isn¡¯t outside the city. Think carefully, Brother Qin. If you assault me here, you might lose your job at the Inspection Department.¡± The few Huang Family members who came along with Huang Yulang also looked at Qin Yang with mocking expressions. They were sure Qin Yang wouldn¡¯t dare make a move. Even if he did, they weren¡¯t afraid. Because among them were two cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refinement, and the other two weren¡¯t weak either. If a fight broke out, they would definitely seize the opportunity to teach him a lesson. Qin Yang¡¯s mouth twitched, but he ultimately made no move. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Huang Yulang and his group roared with laughter, ¡°Brother Qin is still as sensible as last time!¡± They stepped past Qin Yang and swaggered into Yingxian Building. Qin Yang clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his forehead bulging out in his rage, making Huang Yulang and his mates, who were just climbing the stairs, feel even more pleased. Qin Feng hurried to advise, ¡°Forget it, Brother Yang, no need to get angry with them. How about we go to another restaurant so we don¡¯t see them and spoil our mood?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Qin Yang whispered, ¡°I¡¯m doing this on purpose. Do you really think I¡¯m a brainless fool who gets provoked by a few words? Just putting on a show. I¡¯m looking for a chance to trap these guys, maybe even gain some benefits.¡± Qin Feng was stunned; he didn¡¯t expect his cousin to have such an idea. Judging by Qin Yang¡¯s past behavior, he wasn¡¯t the type to be so easily angered. He shrugged, realizing that knowing someone¡¯s face doesn¡¯t mean knowing their heart. He never thought even someone as seemingly upright as Qin Yang harbored such cunning plans. It looked like he would need to be cautious outside in the future, so he wouldn¡¯t be sold out and still help count the money. The two walked to a private room on the third floor, ordered several of Yingxian Building¡¯s specialties, and chatted casually. However, soon they frowned. The room next door belonged to Huang Yulang¡¯s group, who were loudly chatting and laughing as if celebrating something, which annoyed Qin Feng and Qin Yang. They listened for a moment and suddenly froze. Huang Yulang and his men were talking about their family¡¯s Great Elder, who was about to succeed in refining a spiritual artifact flying sword. ¡°When the Great Elder finishes the Gold-Plated Slash sword, Yulang can use it as his lifebound flying sword. Joining the Golden Light Cave would then give him the confidence to compete with those sect geniuses. If he performs well and gets noticed by an inner sect elder, our Huang Family will rise to prominence soon.¡± ¡°Yulang has been personally guided by the family head since childhood, with excellent aptitude in sword dao. As long as he focuses on cultivation, he will definitely be selected as an inner sect disciple by the Golden Light Cave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± Another person flattered, ¡°Even without the Great Elder¡¯s spiritual artifact flying sword, Yulang¡¯s talent alone gives him a good chance to enter the inner sect. Now with the Gold-Plated Slash, he will soon stand out in the outer sect.¡± Several Huang Family members were fawning over Huang Yulang. After all, this guy was not only the firstborn of the family head¡¯s line but also extremely talented and happened to be at the right time. The Great Elder was about to be promoted to an artifact refiner, preparing to craft the family¡¯s heritage spiritual artifact flying sword, the Gold-Plated Slash. News from Weapon Casting Valley indicated that the refining process was going smoothly, and it would be completed in a few days. Although two batches of materials were wasted before, which was painful, once successful, Huang Yulang could use this spirit sword as his lifebound flying sword. Even though nurturing a spiritual artifact as a lifebound sword was challenging at Huang Yulang¡¯s current realm, the Huang Family planned to invest heavily in cultivating him, aiming to get him into the inner sect. If he entered the Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave¡¯s inner sect, all costs would be worth it. Moreover, once the news of the Great Elder¡¯s success spread, they could start accepting commissions for crafting spiritual artifacts. The hierarchy of artifact refiners was simple: those who could only craft magic artifacts were considered nondescript artifact refiners, almost apprentices in many major sects. Only those who crafted spiritual artifacts were true artifact refiners. Those capable of crafting magical treasures were artifact refining masters, and those who could create spiritual treasures were artifact refining grandmasters. Once the Huang Family Great Elder was officially promoted, they would undoubtedly receive many commissions for artifact refining, a lucrative business that could yield significant resources. The only regret was that the Great Elder was too old and achieved this level too late, limiting his energy to handle many orders annually. Nevertheless, it would substantially boost the Huang Family¡¯s reputation in the commandery¡¯s magic artifact market. Qin Feng and Qin Yang frowned continuously while listening. If the Huang Family Great Elder weren¡¯t too old and had only a few years left to live, he could, within fifty years, solely elevate the Huang Family¡¯s status, perhaps surpassing the Qin Family, becoming the strongest in Kun City. They listened while half-heartedly eating and drinking. Once they heard enough, Qin Yang couldn¡¯t sit still. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I need to find Seventh Uncle and the Clan Leader to discuss this.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Feng rose with him, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± They went downstairs to pay and hurriedly left Yingxian Building to report to their elders. Qin Feng didn¡¯t go directly with Qin Yang but instead strolled alone along a shaded path in the back of the family estate. He was just a junior presently, not required to bear any pressure, and the Qin Family had steadily accumulated strength in Kun City for years by being cautious, not aggressive. With three hundred mu of spiritual fields supporting them, the Qin Family could flourish regardless of drought or flood, unlike the Huang Family, which had to pin its hopes on nurturing artifact refining talents. Otherwise, even with a small refined iron ore, they could barely produce a few magic artifacts and had to rely on selling refined iron for profit. Unconsciously, he approached the family¡¯s Spirit Fruit Garden. When turning to leave, a thought struck him, and his eyes lit up. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Infiltrating Weapon Casting Valley Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Infiltrating Weapon Casting Valley Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Feng remembered, under the Spiritual Well in the Spirit Fruit Garden, there was an underground stream that led to the Sword Washing Pond in the Huang Family¡¯s Sword Casting Valley. Although he couldn¡¯t sneak in to take a look, he could send the Swallowing Sky Toad instead. After all, this underground stream was originally discovered by the Swallowing Sky Toad. Moreover, since it was able to get in and out of the Huang Family¡¯s Sword Casting Valley before, it was clear that the so-called Sword Casting Valley wasn¡¯t a heavily guarded place. Indeed, the Huang Family collected refined iron ore every day, coming and going frequently. They couldn¡¯t always activate the prohibition formations, otherwise, the Swallowing Sky Toad wouldn¡¯t be able to get in and out easily. Thinking of this, Qin Feng became excited. He casually walked to the entrance of the Spirit Fruit Garden and happened to see a clan member resting in a house near the entrance. He called out, ¡°Uncle Nine.¡± The middle-aged man looked up and saw Qin Feng. He quickly opened the gate and smiled, ¡°Ah, Feng¡¯er, what brings you here?¡± Qin Feng, smiling brightly, said, ¡°I heard the spiritual dates in the garden are ripe. I¡¯m craving some and want to pick a few to taste. Is that okay?¡± ¡°No problem. Those spiritual dates are meant for the family. Just don¡¯t knock them all down,¡± Uncle Nine laughed, without much concern. Young folks eating a lot was normal. Besides, Qin Feng had already stood out among the younger generation and was sure to secure a spot in the Beast Taming Sect by the end of the year. Ordinary clan members like him, who had spent decades still hovering in the early Qi Refining stage, couldn¡¯t wait to fawn on him, so why would he trouble him over a few spiritual dates? ¡°Thank you, Uncle Nine. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Qin Feng walked forward a few steps, then turned back and said, ¡°Oh right, I¡¯ll be coming often to check on our spirit fruit trees these days. Uncle Nine, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t mess with the spiritual fruit. It¡¯s just that I heard from my father that the Beast Taming Sect also has many spiritual lands planted with various spiritual objects. If I learn more now, I might find a way to earn spirit stones in the sect later.¡± ¡°Is that so? Alright then, come as you like. If you don¡¯t understand something, just ask me.¡± Uncle Nine agreed without much thought. After all, previous disciples sent by the Qin Family to the Beast Taming Sect did indeed work as servants, taking care of spiritual plants and spiritual medicines. Qin Feng thanked him and first went to find the spiritual date tree, using a bamboo pole to knock down a few red, glistening spiritual dates. He used the Water Manipulation Technique to guide a stream of water and washed the dates clean. He then picked one up and put it in his mouth, biting down with a crisp crunch. It was sweet and juicy. After chewing a few times and swallowing, he could feel a faint spiritual energy circulating within his body. Unfortunately, these spiritual dates were of low tier, considered the lowest grade of spiritual fruits. These trees had been around for two to three hundred years, producing one to two hundred pounds of dates each year. The spiritual energy contained in the dates wasn¡¯t high. But he wasn¡¯t there just to eat spiritual dates. He quickly arrived next to the Spiritual Well. By now, it was near dusk. Apart from Uncle Nine, who was left on guard, there was no one else in the garden. Qin Feng reached out his hand and summoned the Swallowing Sky Toad. The Swallowing Sky Toad emerged from the dark Demon Refining Pot, delighted to see it was the Spirit Fruit Garden, thinking its master was going to let it eat fruits. After all, its intelligence was only akin to a three or four-year-old child, and it was a glutton, with little else on its mind besides eating. But it quickly got a scare. Because it sensed the aura of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. Fortunately, Qin Feng calmed it down, pointing to the snake scales on the well¡¯s edge, and conveyed through his mind that it need not worry. He then instructed it to go through the underground stream to the Sword Washing Pond and check the Huang Family Great Elder¡¯s artifact refining results. Seeing that the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake¡¯s actual form wasn¡¯t there and only its scales were, the Swallowing Sky Toad felt less uneasy with Qin Feng by its side. Once it understood what its master wanted, it jumped from Qin Feng¡¯s hand into the Spiritual Well. With a splash, it quickly dived to the bottom of the well and swam along the underground stream towards the Huang Family¡¯s Sword Washing Pond. Normally, Qin Feng¡¯s divine sense strength wouldn¡¯t allow him to extend it so far. Even his father Qin Long barely achieved this level. But the Swallowing Sky Toad was intended by Qin Feng to be nurtured as one of the nine Great Demon Kings in his Demon Refining Pot. Their bond was extremely close, allowing Qin Feng to sense everything the Swallowing Sky Toad saw through the pot. Of course, his strength was still too weak, and the Demon Refining Pot itself was broken. It wouldn¡¯t work if it was too far. But the distance to the Huang Family¡¯s Sword Casting Valley was only eleven or twelve miles, which wasn¡¯t a problem for the Demon Refining Pot. The Sword Casting Valley, though said to be an important place for the Huang Family, wasn¡¯t as crucial as imagined. It was merely a place for processing ore and crafting magic artifacts, not their family¡¯s heritage site or treasure storage. Since many clansmen came and went daily, the place wasn¡¯t heavily guarded. An occasional toad jumping in wouldn¡¯t attract much attention. From the largest casting room in the middle, waves of heat escaped through the doors and windows, accompanied by sporadic clanging sounds. Within the Artifact Refiners¡¯ system, only ordinary artifact refiners who crafted iron-based magic tools and spiritual artifacts used iron hammers to minimize impurities in the materials and merge various properties, shaping and imprinting arrays to make the artifacts. Master artifact refiners seldom used iron hammers. They preferred spirit fires for forging and divine skills for hammering. They refined with spells and outlined with divine sense. Only this way could they craft truly powerful treasures. Many other artifact refining masters who specialized in crafting vestments or wood-element, water-element treasures also didn¡¯t use iron hammers. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be called artifact refining but intentionally destroying materials. That night, deep in the night, with the clear moon high, a bright golden light suddenly appeared from the central casting room, illuminating it with a radiant glow. Though it quickly faded, the sharp aura alerted others in the Weapon Casting Valley. ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s done. I¡¯ve finally crafted the Gold-Plated Slash!¡± An old voice echoed, bringing joy to the few Huang Family cultivators who hurried over. Even if the Great Elder couldn¡¯t frequently craft artifacts due to his age, his occasional guidance could seriously improve the family¡¯s artifact crafting level. ¡°Congratulations, Great Elder, on successfully crafting a spiritual artifact and officially becoming an Artifact Refiner.¡± The Huang Family clansmen congratulated him one after another. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand around outside, come in.¡± The elder¡¯s voice rose as the door opened, letting them in. Inside, a few Huang Family clansmen surrounded an elder with white hair and beard, inspecting the floating spirit sword before him. The flying sword, Gold-Plated Slash, was a low-rank spiritual artifact flying sword. Though low-rank, it was exceedingly powerful, far surpassing top-tier magic artifacts. Moreover, if nurtured by a sword cultivator¡¯s own True Yuan, it could advance as the sword cultivator grew. Of course, refining it into a treasure would still require help from a master artifact refiner. ¡°Great Elder, now that the spiritual artifact is complete, should we inform the clan leader immediately?¡± ¡°Yes, the clan leader would be thrilled to know.¡± After a while of admiring, the clansmen discussed. ¡°Nonsense.¡± The Great Elder reprimanded, ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. Doesn¡¯t the clan leader need to cultivate? Why disturb him now? Inform him first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°Yes, Great Elder, you¡¯re right.¡± The cultivators agreed quickly. ¡°Alright, for this artifact, I haven¡¯t rested for days, extremely weary now. I¡¯ll go rest first. Tidy up the casting room for me. Besides, the newly refined spiritual artifact would benefit more from the nurturing array. After cleaning up, activate the array on the casting platform to nurture the Gold-Plated Slash.¡± ¡°Yes, Great Elder, leave it to us.¡± The few respectfully escorted the Great Elder out. After he went to rest in the back room, they returned to the casting room. Not in a hurry to clean, they took out the Gold-Plated Slash, admiring it for a long time before reluctantly placing the newly refined flying sword on the casting platform. They activated the spirit-nurturing array with a few spirit stones, extinguished the furnace flames, cleaned the room, and finally left, returning to their quarters to rest. Time passed quietly in the Weapon Casting Valley until everything fell silent. As dawn approached, the Sword Washing Pond in the valley started to ripple slightly. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Toad Bandit Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Toad Bandit Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Swallowing Sky Toad silently stuck its head out of the water, its large eyes observing the surroundings. After carefully investigating for a moment and finding no one around, it then leapt out of the water. Its skin was sleek and smooth, leaving no trace of water behind. Upon landing, the Swallowing Sky Toad lightly hopped a few times, instantly covering dozens of yards, and arrived in front of the largest Casting Room in the Weapon Casting Valley. Qin Family Residence. In his room, Qin Feng sat cross-legged on the bed. Using the Demon Refining Pot, he projected his spirit onto the Swallowing Sky Toad, allowing him to see everything the toad saw. His power of spirit directed the Swallowing Sky Toad, which lightly jumped to the window. Its limbs stuck to the wall like a gecko, showing no signs of falling, as it gently pried open the window and jumped inside. The Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s eyes were large and bright, enough to see in the dark. It hopped twice in the Casting Room, reaching a high vantage point, where it could see everything inside. Soon, it spotted the glittering Flying Sword placed on the Casting Platform. The Gold-Plated Slash was a type of Flying Sword at the Spiritual Artifact level, but it wasn¡¯t extremely powerful. Otherwise, the forging skill for this wouldn¡¯t have been passed down to the Huang Family. Following Qin Feng¡¯s command, the Swallowing Sky Toad opened its mouth, and its long tongue wrapped around the Flying Sword, instantly swallowing it into its abdominal space. The Yunling Array was merely a prohibition array that gathered spiritual energy to nourish the Spirit Sword, without any offensive or defensive capabilities. It was naturally incapable of stopping the Swallowing Sky Toad. Originally, after retrieving the sword, Qin Feng intended to urge the Swallowing Sky Toad to return quickly. However, upon seeing the large iron hammer on the Casting Platform, along with the various sorted materials for casting spirit artifacts and magic artifacts, his eyes lit up, and he began a sweeping operation. The Swallowing Sky Toad opened its mouth wide, continually swallowing various refined iron, red copper, xuanjin, and other materials, including the large iron hammer used by the Huang Family Great Elder for casting spirit artifacts, as well as their family¡¯s generational inheritance¡ªa spiritual artifact level Artifact Refining Furnace, all swallowed into its belly. Qin Feng was somewhat greedy, wanting to swallow the giant Casting Platform as well. Unfortunately, the space in the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s belly was full and couldn¡¯t contain anything more, so he had to give up. At this moment, a furious roar suddenly came from the courtyard at the rear of the Weapon Casting Valley: ¡°Who dares trespass on the Huang Family¡¯s restricted area?¡± It turned out that after the Swallowing Sky Toad swallowed the large iron hammer used by the Huang Family Great Elder for casting spirit artifacts, it immediately alerted the elder. After all, it was a magic artifact he had been refining for many years, connected to his spirit. Earlier, due to the exhaustion from many days of artifact refining, and being inside his own Casting Room, he forgot to put it away. He fell into deep sleep to recover the energy spent on casting the Spirit Sword, only to suddenly sense that his large iron hammer had lost connection with him. Shocked, he woke up from his sleep. Hearing the roar, Qin Feng was startled and hurriedly urged the Swallowing Sky Toad to leap out of the Casting Room, quickly jumping into the Sword Washing Pond, swiftly swimming towards the Spiritual Well. ¡°Boom¡­¡± Just a few moments after the Swallowing Sky Toad leapt into the Sword Washing Pond, the figure of the Huang Family Great Elder flew over from the rear courtyard. The elder landed on the roof of the Casting Room, his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation bursting forth, sweeping across the entire Weapon Casting Valley. After several sweeps, he found no abnormal presence. His expression changed, and he suddenly descended to the ground, pushing open his Weapon Casting Room door. With just one glance inside, the Great Elder became furious: ¡°Bastard!¡± At this moment, the Great Elder was so angry he nearly spat blood. The thief who infiltrated the Weapon Casting Valley had not only stolen his freshly forged Gold-Plated Slash Flying Sword but also taken his refining hammer and Artifact Refining Furnace. Worse, the materials the family had painstakingly gathered for refining spiritual artifacts were also gone. The entire Casting Room was empty, save for the heavy Casting Platform. Without refining materials, they could be slowly collected again. Losing the Gold-Plated Slash was bearable; another could be forged for Huang Yulang. But without the refining hammer and Artifact Refining Furnace, how could they forge spirit swords now? Especially the Artifact Refining Furnace, handed down from the family founder, it wasn¡¯t something easily obtained. Its refining process was complex, requiring not just highly skilled Artifact Refiners, but Artifact Refining Masters to easily forge a spiritual artifact level Artifact Refining Furnace. By now, the rest of the valley¡¯s inhabitants had been awakened by the Great Elder¡¯s furious roar and came running out. Someone asked: ¡°Great Elder, what happened?¡± The white-haired Great Elder¡¯s chest heaved a few times before he suppressed his anger, replying furiously: ¡°Someone infiltrated the valley and stole my freshly forged Flying Sword Gold-Plated Slash, as well as my refining hammer and Artifact Refining Furnace.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone was shocked and then filled with rage. ¡°Who could be so brazen to steal from our Huang Family, seeking death.¡± The Great Elder shouted sternly: ¡°Notify the Family Head immediately, gather all family cultivators, block all nearby roads, and search for any suspicious traces!¡± ¡°Yes, Great Elder.¡± At that moment, no one cared about disturbing the Family Head¡¯s cultivation. Some cultivators used the Divine Movement Technique and sped towards the family residence to inform the Family Head of the intruder in the Weapon Casting Valley, and to gather everyone to search the area. The Great Elder, with a grim face, circled the Weapon Casting Valley multiple times. Not only did he fail to find any non-family members, but he completely lost contact with his refining hammer. He knew the thief must have used some method to conceal the hammer¡¯s aura, preventing him from sensing it. But he couldn¡¯t fathom that the thief was actually a Swallowing Sky Toad, only the size of a child¡¯s fist. The space within the Swallowing Sky Toad was much superior to the forcibly modified spaces like those created through the prohibition technique of a storage bag. With its internal space, it was impossible for the Great Elder to sense the aura of his magic artifact. ¡­ The Huang Family was in chaos. Upon hearing about the Weapon Casting Valley theft, Family Head Huang Tingyuan was furious, mobilizing all the family cultivators to lock down Kun City and all nearby escape routes. Given the commotion, the Qin Family soon caught wind of it. The Qin Family would never approve of Kun City¡¯s lockdown as many of their businesses required active operations. Fortunately, the Huang Family cultivators didn¡¯t intend to trouble the Qin Family, preventing a conflict between the two. Receiving news of the theft at the Huang Family¡¯s Weapon Casting Valley, the Qin Family mainly saw it as a joke and had no intention of provoking the Huang Family at this time. While the Huang Family conducted a thorough search, Qin Feng walked briskly to the Spirit Fruit Garden. The family members tending the Spirit Fruit Garden had grown accustomed to him making rounds there. To maintain appearances, Qin Feng genuinely learned about caring for spirit plants from the elders. Given his high growth potential and sweet-talking nature, the uncles were fond of him, willingly imparting their knowledge, hoping he would progress in the Beast Taming Sect and grow strong enough to protect the family. However, this morning, Qin Feng informed them that he would focus his efforts elsewhere, no longer coming to learn, which they found regrettable. Yet, they didn¡¯t want to waste his time learning other skills and gave him a few spirit fruits as he left. The caregivers, who had long worked in the Spirit Fruit Garden, considered this a minimal benefit, and giving Qin Feng some spirit fruits wasn¡¯t a big deal. They had no idea that Qin Feng had, meanwhile, gone to the Spiritual Well to retrieve the Swallowing Sky Toad. The Swallowing Sky Toad wasn¡¯t pleased. It had hoped its master would let it feast in the Spirit Fruit Garden, but instead, it had to lurk in the water for days, only to return with a belly full of iron. PS: Brothers, while others release one or two chapters during the new book period, I post three chapters a day, showing my sincerity! How about showing some support with recommendation votes? Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Making a Big Profit Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Making a Big Profit Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the room, Qin Feng held the Swallowing Sky Toad in one hand and the Lingqi Flying Sword Gold-Plated Slash in the other, feeling very satisfied. A Spiritual Artifact, the Qin Family hadn¡¯t accumulated many Spiritual Artifacts over the years. Although this was related to the Qin Family investing most of their resources in Spiritual Beasts, it also demonstrated the preciousness of Spiritual Artifacts. However, this Flying Sword was crafted by the Huang Family Great Elder. He couldn¡¯t openly use it, otherwise, if the Huang Family discovered it, they wouldn¡¯t let him off easily. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t let his father help dispose of the things obtained this time because he hadn¡¯t yet joined the Beast Taming Sect, making it hard to explain how he subdued the Swallowing Sky Toad. But it didn¡¯t matter; after joining the Sect in a while, he could openly sell this Gold-Plated Slash to others. Although the Beast Taming Sect disciples mainly focused on Beast Taming, they didn¡¯t completely avoid using Magic Artifacts. They just didn¡¯t value Magic Artifacts as much as Spiritual Beasts. Even though the Gold-Plated Slash was just a low-rank Spiritual Artifact Flying Sword, it was worth several hundred Spirit Stones. Moreover, this Flying Sword was very eye-catching with its golden shine, making it very marketable. In addition to the Gold-Plated Slash, he had also acquired the iron hammer and the Artifact Refining Furnace used by the Huang Family Great Elder for weapon casting, along with quite a few Artifact Refining Materials. He estimated that if he sold all these items, he could get at least three to four thousand Spirit Stones. Mainly because the Artifact Refining Furnace was quite valuable; even though the Refining Furnace was only of middle-rank Spiritual Artifact quality, its special nature made its price no less than that of a top-level Spiritual Artifact. However, such a thing could only be sold to Artifact Refiners, unlike top-level Spiritual Artifacts that had a broader audience. Although he was tempted, Qin Feng didn¡¯t take out the large iron hammer and the Refining Furnace. Instead, he had the Swallowing Sky Toad place these two items in the Demon Refining Pot, to prevent the Huang Family Great Elder from sensing them and finding him. The space within the Demon Refining Pot was far more powerful than the space within the Swallowing Sky Toad. Even if the Huang Family Great Elder was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sense its presence even if he became an Immortal. Qin Feng joyfully put away the Gold-Plated Slash. With these resources as a foundation, he felt much more secure, otherwise, he would only be slightly better off than ordinary disciples without family support. After all, the Qin Family wasn¡¯t a large clan and couldn¡¯t just provide him with cultivation resources worth thousands of Spirit Stones all at once. Qin Feng stroked the smooth, glossy skin of the Swallowing Sky Toad, smiling with satisfaction. Acquiring this Swallowing Sky Toad was a good deal. Although it was a super big eater, it instinctively controlled space divine power, allowing it to confine its demon energy within a certain space around it. Because the demon energy didn¡¯t leak outward, it had a strong deceptive quality, making it hard to detect unless specifically observed. This allowed it to wander and devour spiritual objects without being killed by other demon beasts early on. Its aura wouldn¡¯t be noticed, and when the opponent discovered it, it would be within a very close range, making it easy for the Swallowing Sky Toad to launch a successful surprise attack. The Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s belly swelled, emitting soft gurgling sounds. Due to their mental connection, Qin Feng understood it. This guy was asking for food. Qin Feng smiled wryly. He had just praised it, and now it was begging for food. He shook his head helplessly; it had just accomplished a feat, so it deserved a reward. He took out all the Spirit Fruits that his clan members had given him from the Spirit Fruit Garden. Seeing the Spirit Fruits, the Swallowing Sky Toad croaked happily twice, then opened its mouth wide and rolled its tongue, swallowing the Spirit Fruits one by one. At this moment, footsteps of Qin Long came from outside the courtyard. He excitedly walked in, saying with a smile, ¡°Feng, good news, have you heard? The Huang Family¡¯s Sword Casting Valley was robbed. Last night, someone broke into the Sword Casting Valley and stole all the Artifact Refining Materials that the Huang Family had spent a fortune on, as well as their ancestral Refining Furnace. The stolen spiritual objects were worth thousands of Spirit Stones in total. Haha, this will deeply wound the Huang Family¡¯s vital energy. After all, they exhausted their family funds to buy those Artifact Refining Materials, hoping their Great Elder could craft some Spiritual Artifacts to sell and make a big profit. They didn¡¯t expect this mishap. Humph, let¡¯s see how they can cultivate Huang Yulang now. Feng, the Huang Family¡¯s next generation is done for. When you join the Beast Taming Sect, you must train hard. If you reach Foundation Establishment in twenty years and the Huang Family¡¯s next generation doesn¡¯t have cultivators advancing, our Qin Family might avenge the past grudges and seize the Huang Family¡¯s mines, enhancing our family power.¡± Saying this, Qin Long¡¯s eyes flashed with a trace of ruthlessness, ¡°A hundred and twenty years ago, our Qin Family was in a precarious state, almost wiped out by the Huang Family. If it weren¡¯t for our Family Head advancing successfully in the Sect and bringing back some helpers, our family¡¯s properties would have been taken by the Huang Family long ago. Now, the Huang Family Great Elder is old and may not hold on for long. If their next generation fails to rise, it will be our Qin Family¡¯s opportunity for revenge.¡± Qin Feng replied, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, I will train diligently and strive to advance as soon as possible.¡± He had heard about the family¡¯s crisis a century ago from his father and other elders numerous times. Such oral teachings ensured that the younger generation didn¡¯t forget the crisis, prompting them to train harder under pressure. Qin Long nodded with satisfaction, then looked around curiously, ¡°I think I heard a frog croaking while I was outside the courtyard?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qin Feng didn¡¯t know how to answer for a moment, feeling a bit awkward. Seeing his son¡¯s embarrassed look, Qin Long suddenly realized, ¡°Was that you mimicking a frog?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Qin Feng replied reluctantly, ¡°I was just playing around¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t continue. Admitting that he was mimicking a frog at his age would be very embarrassing if it got out. ¡°Haha, never mind, never mind. My son is still young; a bit of playfulness is normal.¡± Seeing his son¡¯s youthful appearance, Qin Long couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. This son had been sensible since childhood and rarely misbehaved. He hadn¡¯t expected him to have such a childlike side. Seeing his father¡¯s doting look, Qin Feng felt helpless. He was being treated as a child. But fortunately, his father wasn¡¯t a gossip, and wouldn¡¯t casually tell others about his embarrassment. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Girl Qin Xi Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Girl Qin Xi Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°¡±¡± Kun City was located in the southwest. Even in winter, the trees and plants in the forest only dulled in color slightly, without shedding many leaves. However, the air in the forest became extremely chilly, and few were willing to go out during this time. Of course, cultivators didn¡¯t pay much attention to such a chilly atmosphere. Qin Feng walked leisurely in the outer forest of Qifeng Mountain. Because he never ventured deep, he seldom encountered danger. Even if he came across some tigers, leopards, wolves, or bears, with his current strength at the third level of Qi Refinement, dealing with these ordinary beasts was not a problem. Moreover, he was accompanied by a Swallowing Sky Toad. Ribbit, ribbit¡­ Several croaks came from the forest, and the shadow of the Swallowing Sky Toad flashed, leaping out from the depths of the forest and landing on Qin Feng¡¯s shoulder. In the past few months, Qin Feng had taken it into the mountains nearly every day to forage for food. With the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s strength equivalent to the late stage of Qi Refinement, there was almost no danger in the outer area of Qifeng Mountain. Qin Feng followed behind, searching the forest for rare spiritual medicines and occasionally coming across a few spiritual trees. He had tried to transplant those spiritual trees into the Demon Refining Pot, but unfortunately, the pot had no spiritual energy, so the trees couldn¡¯t survive. Instead, the pot absorbed all the spiritual energy within the trees. During this time, the Swallowing Sky Toad also hunted several demon beasts, which Qin Feng refined using the Demon Refining Pot, slightly increasing his cultivation. ¡°It¡¯s time to go back.¡± Qin Feng looked at the sky, reached out to hold the cool body of the Swallowing Sky Toad, chuckled lightly, and turned to walk out of the mountain. Today was the day for the family selection to compete for disciple quotas. Although the Family Head had directly given him one of the spots upon showing his cultivation at the third level of Qi Refinement, and there was no need to compete with other youths, he still needed to make some preparations. After all, once the selection was over, they would head to the Commandery and follow the Elder from the Beast Taming Sect, who came to Tieling County to recruit disciples, back to the sect¡¯s mountain gate. His father likely had many things to say to him. Even though what needed to be said had already been said, his father only had him as a son, and after raising him with difficulty, the separation was bound to be filled with reluctance. ¡­¡­ At the Qin Family ancestral hall, Clan Leader Qin Guanbao personally presided over the ancestral worship ceremony. After the clansmen finished worshipping the ancestors, the Clan Leader looked around and said, ¡°This year, it¡¯s again the time to send family disciples to join the Beast Taming Sect for cultivation. Our Qin Family is small and humble, with not many quotas to enter the sect, nor can we afford to send too many clansmen to the Beast Taming Sect. Otherwise, apart from being unable to support them, it would also cause a gap in the family¡¯s cultivators. Therefore, the ancestors stipulated that each generation could only send two cultivators at most to the Beast Taming Sect for cultivation. Of course, the world is unpredictable, with fortune and misfortune coming hand in hand. Joining the Beast Taming Sect is both an opportunity and possibly a misfortune for them. Not only due to the cruelty of the cultivation world, but the competition within the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s outer sect is also extremely fierce. A slight carelessness can result in death and destruction. Twenty years ago, the two children we sent to the sect didn¡¯t survive. Within a few years of entering the sect, they both died during a mission. This is also why the family doesn¡¯t dare to send too many disciples to the sect.¡± Qin Guanbao sighed lightly, clearly pained by the deaths of those two juniors. Realizing that his words might dampen the spirits of the clansmen, especially since two juniors were being sent to the sect today, he quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. As long as you are cautious and don¡¯t do things beyond your capabilities, generally, there won¡¯t be any accidents. For instance, both Qin Long and I gained opportunities for Foundation Establishment in the sect.¡± After smoothing things over, he then beckoned to Qin Feng and another fifteen or sixteen-year-old pretty girl standing not far away. The two immediately stepped forward, not daring to delay. They were the excellent disciples selected by the Qin Family this time. There was no need to mention Qin Feng. With his third-level Qi Refinement cultivation, no other youth could compete with him for the spot, so he had already secured the quota to join the Beast Taming Sect without needing to contend with others. The girl, Qin Xi, came from a collateral branch of the family, and her parents were ordinary people. However, she had an extraordinary root bone and worked hard. At fourteen, she penetrated her meridians, opened her spiritual acupoints, and became a cultivator. Thus, she was accepted into the ancestral home to be taught cultivation techniques by the clan elders. She advanced to the second level of Qi Refinement in less than two years, overcoming various challenges to snatch this quota from her peers. Qin Guanbao looked at the two youthful faces in front of him with a sense of satisfied relief. ¡°Back then, I was your age when I joined the Beast Taming Sect. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred years have passed. I¡¯m now one hundred sixty-seven and can¡¯t protect the family for many more years. In the future, the family will depend on you young people. As you join the Beast Taming Sect, the family will provide you with some resources to help you have a smoother journey in the sect. However, you must not rely solely on the family¡¯s resources for cultivation but must seek your own opportunities within the sect. Otherwise, your progress in cultivation might not be far-reaching. Furthermore, as cultivators from the Qin Family, remember to support each other. Our Qin Family¡¯s foundation in the sect is shallow. If you don¡¯t work together, the path will only be more difficult.¡± Qin Feng replied, ¡°Rest assured, Clan Leader. We will cultivate well and support each other, never betraying the family¡¯s expectations.¡± The girl, Qin Xi, also nodded with a determined expression. Though she was introverted and somewhat unfamiliar with the clansmen at the ancestral home due to her background, she still rarely spoke. Qin Guanbao took two storage bags from a tray held by a clansman and handed one to each of them, saying, ¡°These contain some resources from the family. Every year, the family will send some resources to you through trusted channels. If you have any needs, you can also relay them through the sect¡¯s affiliate merchant guilds. The family has connections with the merchant guilds in the Commandery capital and can receive your messages. Additionally, the family can¡¯t provide endless resources. Ten years later, after you have adapted to life in the Beast Taming Sect, everything will depend on you.¡± Saying this, Qin Guanbao turned his gaze to Qin Feng and continued, ¡°Currently, the only family member in the Beast Taming Sect is your clan uncle, Qin Ying, who entered the sect with your father. He now works at Spiritual Vulture Peak in the outer sect. When you enter the sect, pay him a visit. He will look after you and guide you on how to navigate sect matters, sparing you many detours.¡± ¡°Yes, Clan Leader, we understand.¡± The two agreed quickly. Having someone in the sect to look after them was a good thing and was, in fact, a Qin Family tradition. Generally, unless something unexpected happened, even if Qin Family cultivators in the sect couldn¡¯t establish a foundation, they would stay a few more years to look after the younger generation joining the sect. Only after these juniors had a firm foothold would they consider returning to the family. Qin Ying was like this. He entered the Beast Taming Sect with Qin Long forty years ago, but due to lack of talent and opportunities, he was now nearly sixty and still hadn¡¯t reached Foundation Establishment. Originally, he should have returned to the family long ago. However, given the accidents that happened to the two Qin Family members of the next generation who joined the sect¡ªthey both died during training¡ªhe had to stay to personally look after Qin Feng¡¯s generation of family disciples. ¡°Alright, you two go home and arrange your affairs. Tomorrow morning, follow me to the Commandery city.¡± With a wave of his hand, Qin Guanbao dismissed everyone. ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Tieling County Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Tieling County Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Early morning, the red sun was about to rise, and the thin mist had not yet dissipated. A crowd of clan members gathered in the square in front of the mansion to bid farewell to the two family juniors who were about to enter the sect. Qin Long patted his son on the shoulder and smiled heartily, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything that needs to be said, no need to nag anymore. My son, just go to the sect and cultivate; don¡¯t worry about me. When your cultivation is accomplished in the future, just remember to come back and visit.¡± Qin Feng tugged at the corner of his mouth, trying to smile, but he couldn¡¯t, so he just nodded and grunted softly. Not far away, Qin Xi was being held tightly by a weeping woman. This was her mother. To the woman, her daughter had now become a cultivator, and their family had received the care of the clan, living a life of no worries about food and clothing. Just cultivating well within the family was enough, so why go to the sect? The two clan members who had joined the sect from the previous generation had not survived, so she was somewhat worried about her daughter¡¯s safety, thinking the sect must be full of dangers. However, Qin Xi was gentle on the outside but strong-willed inside, filled with longing for cultivation. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have stubbornly snatched this spot from several direct lineage youths in the family. At this moment, the clan leader walked out from the mansion. Qin Xi¡¯s father quickly pulled away his wife to avoid delaying important matters, ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s a great fortune that Xi can join the sect. Why are you always crying?¡± Qin Xi also said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of myself. Besides, there are family elders in the sect to look after me; nothing will happen.¡±After some persuasion, Qin Xi¡¯s mother finally stopped crying and stepped aside after a few more admonishments. The old clan leader stepped forward, said a few simple farewell words, then summoned the Shadow Leopard, ready to depart. Qin Feng bowed deeply to his father, performing a full ritual before standing up and sitting on the Shadow Leopard¡¯s back with Qin Xi. The old family master then took them flying towards the commandery city. Qin Long did not accompany them; as the clan leader, he needed to stay behind to hold the fort. Otherwise, with only the third granduncle, an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator with weak war power, it would be hard to deter outsiders. After all, the Huang family had recently suffered a significant loss due to an intruder. The Qin family couldn¡¯t be careless. Qin Long thus didn¡¯t personally see his son off to the commandery city. One could only imagine his thoughts if he knew that it was actually his son who caused the Huang family¡¯s troubles. The Shadow Leopard soared high, and Qin Xi turned her head to look at her parents below, waving at them. This spiritual beast flew extremely fast, and soon, they could no longer see the figures of their clan members below. Qin Xi wasn¡¯t overly worried about her family. No matter how things turned out in the sect, the clan would take care of her parents, and she had two younger siblings to honor their parents. However, being away from home for the first time, she felt a bit uncomfortable. The old family master sensed their low spirits and laughed heartily, ¡°No need to be sad. After you join the sect, it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t come back to visit. Once you have achieved some cultivation, you can take some sect missions that involve traveling out. If it¡¯s on the way, you can come back and have a look.¡± Hearing this, Qin Xi¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, ¡°Grandpa, are there many missions outside the sect? Are they dangerous?¡± She was slender, with a delicate face, and her voice was soft and pleasant. But her voice wasn¡¯t loud. If it weren¡¯t for Qin Guanbao¡¯s profound cultivation, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear her on such a fast flight. ¡°There are indeed many missions. As long as you know your limits and act accordingly, you generally won¡¯t encounter much danger.¡± Qin Guanbao didn¡¯t want to dampen their spirits but still warned, ¡°The path of cultivation requires both opportunities and resources, but never let greed cloud your judgment, or you may find yourself in a situation of no return. There are countless cultivators in the world, with endless cunning tricks. Some people specifically set traps to exploit others¡¯ greed to gain resources for their cultivation. Of course, even though such people can profit temporarily, they may easily encounter tough opponents and, if exposed, won¡¯t escape death.¡± At this point, the old family master began to tell them about various traps and methods commonly encountered in the cultivation world. Having lived long and experienced much, his humorous and witty manner made these gruesome stories quite captivating for Qin Feng and Qin Xi. Finally, he instructed, ¡°I tell you these not to make you plot against others, but to make you more thoughtful in handling matters to avoid falling into others¡¯ traps and losing your lives in vain.¡± They both nodded, acknowledging his words, feeling a deeper sense of caution towards other cultivators in the cultivation world. Qin Guanbao¡¯s lifebound spiritual beast, the Shadow Leopard, was not particularly large among Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts but still about fifteen feet long. Its smooth fur made the ride quite comfortable for Qin Feng and Qin Xi. Although the Shadow Leopard flew swiftly, with the sound of wind whistling past their ears, Qin Guanbao had raised a spell shield in front of them to shield them from the cold wind. Otherwise, at such a speed, talking would have been difficult, as opening their mouths would let in a mouthful of cold wind. Half a day later, they arrived at Tieling County. This city was built beside a tall mountain ridge. The mountain was rich in metal veins, producing large amounts of refined iron used in artifact refining each year. Many forces came to buy refined iron and ore here, transporting them to various places for sale, greatly benefiting the families controlling the commandery city. Outside the city gates, the Shadow Leopard landed. The people coming and going here were evidently accustomed to seeing various cultivators. Additionally, the Zhao family of the commandery city was from the Beast Taming Sect, so the city residents often saw various spiritual beasts. Thus, they merely glanced curiously at the Shadow Leopard, without avoiding it. Qin Guanbao put his lifebound spiritual beast into the Spiritual Beast Bag and led Qin Feng and Qin Xi into the city. As cultivators, they didn¡¯t need to queue up like ordinary people and directly entered through the main gate. No gate soldiers dared to stop them. The commandery city was clearly much more prosperous than a small place like Kun City. According to the old family master, the resident population here was three to four hundred thousand, with countless people coming and going along the streets. Qin Feng didn¡¯t mind; he had seen more bustling cities before and apart from finding it novel, had no other thoughts. As for Qin Xi, though she found it fascinating, her gentle and quiet nature meant she merely followed silently behind the old family master, without lingering because of the city¡¯s prosperity. It wasn¡¯t until Qin Guanbao led them to the cultivator market in the north of the city that the bustling scenes diminished. In fact, there weren¡¯t fewer people in the cultivator market, just not as crowded as outside. Coming here, Qin Feng¡¯s eyes were opened wide, whether at the market¡¯s shops or the loose cultivators selling various spiritual objects on the roadside. The sights were overwhelming. This was his first time seeing so many spiritual objects. Qin Guanbao, seeing their amazement, stroked his beard and smiled slightly. Recalling his first visit here, he had performed much worse than these two children, showing that they indeed had some self-control. ¡°This entire area is actually a residential zone for cultivators, separated by an array. Though within Tieling County, it¡¯s like a city within a city. Except for a few ordinary clan members from cultivator families who work here, ordinary people generally don¡¯t come here. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter even if they wanted to. Although the Eye-Blocking technique at the entrance is simple, it¡¯s beyond the sight of ordinary people, thus preventing them from inadvertently offending any cultivators and losing their lives.¡± Qin Guanbao smiled slightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll first settle at the sect¡¯s station, then come out for some sightseeing.¡± Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Ninth Granduncle, does the sect have a station in Tieling County?¡± Qin Feng was slightly taken aback and asked with some confusion. His father had mentioned matters concerning the Commandery before and had not said anything about a station. ¡°Hehe, calling it a station might be an overstatement. It¡¯s actually Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, a shop under the sect¡¯s Foreign Affairs Hall.¡± Qin Guanbao laughed. ¡°Every time the sect recruits disciples, this place is used as a temporary station, hence the name.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Qin Feng nodded and didn¡¯t ask further. In fact, he still felt a bit puzzled inside. Although he knew that the sect didn¡¯t recruit many disciples every year from Tieling County and its nine affiliate cities, Tieling County was only one of the twenty-eight counties in the Chu Kingdom. When the Outer Sect Elders travel through the counties of the Chu Kingdom to recruit disciples, they are usually accompanied by at least a thousand disciples by the time they reach Tieling. Could a small branch of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion really accommodate so many people? However, his doubts dissipated completely as they arrived at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. The Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion was indeed a shop, but it was entirely different from any shop Qin Feng had known. It wasn¡¯t just because of the Pavilion¡¯s grand and luxurious appearance, but mainly because the vast expanse of land behind the shop belonged entirely to the Pavilion, with its various buildings forming a large estate, more than ten times larger than the Qin Family¡¯s mansion. In fact, the place was mostly used as a warehouse. It was only during the annual disciple recruitment that it was used to host the sect¡¯s Elders and the numerous new disciples. ¡°Haha, Old Yang, an old friend has come, aren¡¯t you going to greet us?¡± As soon as they entered the pavilion, Qin Guanbao laughed heartily and called out to an elder inside. The elder was Yang Kaitai, the manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Manager Yang looked up and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Senior Brother Qin, didn¡¯t you just visit the Commandery a while ago? According to your habits, shouldn¡¯t you come back in a few months? Why are you here so early this time? Could it be something about Baihua Pavilion¡¯s Fuxiang¡­¡± ¡°Mind your words!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Qin Guanbao interrupted him. The Old Family Master adopted a stern expression. ¡°What nonsense about Fuxiang? I have always conducted myself with propriety. How could I be a person seeking fleeting pleasures? It¡¯s fine if you joke with me usually, but today there are juniors present. Don¡¯t tarnish my reputation.¡± Upon hearing this, although Manager Yang inwardly scorned the old man¡¯s fake propriety, he quickly realized something when he saw the young couple behind Qin Guanbao. It seemed the Qin Family intended to send family members into the sect this year. He immediately changed his tone. ¡°Haha, just kidding, Senior Brother Qin, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Saying this, he put down the ledger in his hand, came forward to greet them, and looked at Qin Feng and Qin Xi with a smile. ¡°The juniors personally chosen by Senior Brother Qin must be outstanding talents. Hmm, this child has already reached the third level of Qi Refinement, indeed not bad. He will surely achieve great things in the future upon joining the sect.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Qin Guanbao smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Of course, don¡¯t you know my discerning eye?¡± He turned to Qin Feng and the others. ¡°This is my old friend Yang Kaitai, whom I met back in the sect. He is now the manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion in Tieling County.¡± ¡°Greetings, Manager Yang.¡± Qin Feng bowed slightly, and Qin Xi followed suit without saying a word. Manager Yang laughed heartily, waved his hand, and after a brief chat with Qin Guanbao, personally led the three of them to the residence behind the pavilion, where he picked a small courtyard for them. Though they would only stay for a few days and leave soon after the Outer Sect Elders from the Beast Taming Sect arrived to recruit disciples, they were still very pleased with Manager Yang¡¯s arrangements. Actually, Manager Yang mainly did this as a favor to Qin Guanbao. Otherwise, if it were any other small family from other cities, they might not receive such preferential treatment. After familiarizing themselves with their respective rooms, they followed Qin Guanbao out of the courtyard to explore the surroundings. After all, it was the first time these two juniors had gone out. It was good to show them the world, and now with him around to teach them some experiences of traveling, they would have to rely on themselves in the future. Their first destination was actually their sect¡¯s shop, the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. ¡°Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion handles the sect¡¯s various businesses, collecting various cultivation resources to supply the sect¡¯s cultivation needs.¡± As Qin Guanbao led them through the pavilion filled with a dazzling array of items, he said, ¡°Of course, the pavilion mainly deals with matters related to demon beasts. Whether it¡¯s various live demon beasts and spiritual beasts or any related resources, elixir pills, including fur, scale armor, teeth, claws, bones, or demon cores¡ªeverything is here. After all, our Beast Taming Sect might lack many things, but one thing it doesn¡¯t lack is all kinds of demon beasts. In fact, whether for alchemy, artifact refining, or talisman making, some materials from demon beasts are often required, so the pavilion¡¯s business is quite good.¡± As he spoke, they had already arrived on the third floor. Unlike the first two floors filled with various items and elixirs, the third floor¡¯s hall was lined with cages of various sizes, containing all sorts of demon beasts and their cubs, which intrigued Qin Xi. She asked, ¡°Do cultivators of other systems also tame spiritual beasts?¡± She had thought that only cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect tamed demon beasts, but she didn¡¯t expect to see so many here. Qin Guanbao smiled slightly. ¡°The cultivation world is not limited to the Beast Taming Sect for raising demon beasts. Many accomplished or wealthy individuals also like keeping a spiritual beast by their side. They can act as pets but, more importantly, have formidable war power and can help in critical moments. They merely use the spiritual beasts to assist them in battle. To truly unleash the full potential of these beasts, only our Beast Taming Sect knows how.¡± As he said this, the Old Family Master couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of pride on his face. After all, the reputation was built upon the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s strength over the years. Qin Feng circled the cages and found that apart from a few adult demon beasts restricted by Spiritual Beast Rings, most were young demon beasts. Moreover, these young beasts were mostly those with cute and attractive appearances. Especially when he saw the cute cat demons, spiritual minks, little spiritual foxes, and tiny squirrels, he almost thought it was a store specializing in selling cute pets. After voicing his doubt, Qin Guanbao laughed. ¡°These young beasts are mainly sold to female cultivators. Many female cultivators like these kinds of spiritual beasts, so the pavilion caters to their preferences. As for the adult demon beasts, they are mainly sold to cultivators preparing to travel or seek treasures in dangerous places. Having a demon beast by their side, apart from having an extra helper in critical moments, many demon beasts have unique abilities.¡± He pointed to a slender spiritual dog nearby and said, ¡°This is a Thin-Belt Spiritual Dog, specially trained by the sect¡¯s Beast Taming Hall. It has exceptional scent sensitivity. It¡¯s very effective for searching for spiritual objects or tracking opponents. That Golden-Eyed Eagle over there flies high and fast. Its natural golden pupils can clearly see everything within a hundred miles, making it excellent for scouting.¡± Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Spiritual Beast Ring Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Spiritual Beast Ring Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Look at that white fox over there, naturally proficient in illusion techniques; if it can bewilder the opponent¡¯s spirit during a fight, you can imagine the outcome. Next to the white fox is a Vajra Fierce Ape. Although its bloodline is impure, it¡¯s still quite formidable in combat. This creature fights with unparalleled ferocity, rarely facing opposition from cultivators of the same level.¡± Qin Guanbao introduced the strengths and weaknesses of these spiritual beasts to them one by one. Although the family¡¯s Spiritual Beast Record did document many demon beasts, it was merely the basic level version, simplified by the Beast Taming Sect for the enlightenment of new disciples. Many demon beasts were not recorded within it, and Qin Guanbao took this opportunity to instruct them on these creatures. Qin Feng gazed with some surprise at the huge iron cage in the distance, within which a towering fierce ape was confined. He asked, ¡°For such powerful demon beasts, would the sect really sell them?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± Qin Guanbao looked around and, finding no one else on the third floor apart from a few servant disciples from the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, he spoke softly, ¡°If it were a truly potential-filled demon beast, the sect would not sell it easily. But this Vajra Fierce Ape is different. Although its combat power is strong, look at its black fur and green eyes; its impure bloodline makes advancement challenging and limits its potential. That¡¯s why it is up for sale here.¡± Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, understanding in his heart. The Beast Taming Sect was most knowledgeable about various spiritual beasts and demon beasts, with many powerful figures within the sect possessing far superior insight compared to him. They would never engage in a losing trade. With this realization, he no longer asked further, continuing to listen as the old family head introduced other demon beasts to them. ¡°How do other cultivators control their demon beasts? Can they only use these spiritual beast rings?¡± Qin Xi asked. ¡°That depends on the cultivator¡¯s methods.¡± Qin Guanbao smiled lightly, ¡°If they have unique means to control the demon beasts, that would be good. If not, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s spiritual beast rings are reasonably priced. Whether it¡¯s for controlling ordinary Qi Refinement Realm demon beasts or Foundation Establishment Stage demon beasts, the rings are only twice the price of spiritual artifacts of the same level.¡± Qin Feng gave the old family head a strange look. Twice the price of the same-level spiritual artifacts, and that¡¯s considered reasonable? Ignoring him, the old family head continued, ¡°To imprison demon beasts that have condensed a demon core, the spiritual beast ring must be of magical treasure grade. Such rings are extremely precious, and the sect hasn¡¯t produced many, thus seldom letting them out. However, any that do circulate are priced very high, some even reaching the value of spiritual treasures.¡± Hearing this, Qin Feng highly suspected that the price was inflated by the sect itself. After all, if these items were truly that precious, the Beast Taming Sect would never allow these spiritual beast rings to be scattered outside. Moreover, the Beast Taming Sect, being experts in beast taming, had numerous ways to control demon beasts. If any sect disciples still used spiritual beast rings to control demon beasts, they would be laughed at by their peers. Qin Feng thus believed that these spiritual beast rings were made to be sold for profit from the beginning. The elder in charge of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion at the Sect External Affairs Hall must be a master in doing business! Because there were no other customers on the third floor, Qin Guanbao explained in great detail, describing the advantages and disadvantages of these demon beasts, their preferences and weaknesses, and how to deal with them when encountered. Of course, he only glossed over techniques involving sect secret methods, as it was not appropriate to share them. After viewing all the various demon beasts, both Qin Feng and Qin Xi felt they had gained a lot. The only regret for Qin Feng was that he did not see any Spiritual Toad-like demon beasts here. Although he was not in a rush to awaken additional divine skills for the Swallowing Sky Toad through bloodline fusion, he could not help but pay attention to various spiritual toads in preparation for future bloodline fusion. However, this branch of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion was just a store in a single town, and the spiritual beasts and demon beasts for sale were relatively ordinary. Even though most appeared impressive, it was challenging to find significant ones worth focusing on. As for the young beasts, none were high-grade spiritual beasts, and many in a nest could produce several, incurring low costs for the sect, yet still sold at high prices by the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Qin Feng did not want to be taken advantage of here. If he truly wished to purchase from the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, he could wait until he joined the sect, then visit the headquarters to find suitable demon beasts for his use. After all, there were internal prices for sect disciples, and the headquarters had the most complete collection of various spiritual beasts, unlike the small selection at the Tieling County branch. Qin Guanbao then led the two out of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, strolling through the market and occasionally browsing the shops along the way. The market had a few large shops comparable to the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, such as Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave¡¯s Sword Qi Lingxiao Tower, specializing in various types of flying swords. Danxia Sect¡¯s Ten Thousand Pills Hall exuded an inescapable elixir fragrance upon entry, with elixir pills of various grades tempting Qin Feng and Qin Xi. The Divine Weapon Pavilion of the Divine Weapon Family in Skywind Valley displayed an array of sharp magical artifacts and spiritual artifacts, dazzling to the eyes. Additionally, there was the Fog Hidden Sect¡¯s Spirit Talisman Pavilion, hosting a Master of Talisman Making who not only sold various powerful spirit talismans but also various talisman-making materials. These ranged from specially made talisman paper to talisman pens for increased success rates and ready-mixed cinnabar, all available. Although the Fog Hidden Sect was a small sect, its location on Fog Hidden Mountain within the Chu Kingdom was only a thousand miles away. Due to the relatively weak strength of the sect, unable to extend its reach too far, more effort was focused on businesses in nearby towns. Consequently, they appeared to compete well with the business of larger sects like the Beast Taming Sect. Other shops, though not as grand as the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, each had their distinct features, showcasing the myriad of cultivation arts. The most prevalent, however, were shops for crafting various magical artifacts and spiritual artifacts. Tieling County¡¯s greatest specialty was various metal spirit ores, making the purchase of artifact refining materials relatively cheaper. Therefore, many artifact refiners gathered here. Many loose cultivator artifact refiners settled down and started legitimate businesses, taking on various crafting tasks. The artifact refiners associated with various powers often had sect disciples visiting the shop for training, with good luck possibly resulting in a few high-quality spiritual artifacts crafted by these disciples. The small store owned by the Huang Family specializing in selling magical artifacts was unremarkable here, and they followed Qin Guanbao to the edge of the market before spotting the sign for Huang¡¯s Magical Artifact Shop in a corner. Many cultivators who knew purchasing magical artifacts and spiritual artifacts was relatively cheaper in Tieling County often visited to find suitable artifacts. As for magical treasures, they were rare. Only Golden Core Realm artifact refining masters could refine such items, making them extremely expensive, beyond the reach of small cultivators like Qin Feng and his companions. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Scheming and Struggling in the Cultivation World Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Scheming and Struggling in the Cultivation World Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Guanbao did not only take them to those shops to broaden their horizons but also frequented the stalls of scattered cultivators along the street. The mysterious items on these stalls came in many varieties, with some glittering brilliantly, looking rather extraordinary, while others appeared dim and unremarkable, and their spiritual energy was not evident. According to these loose cultivators, these were treasures they brought back from expeditions in secret lands, and if not for the need for resources for cultivation, they would never part with these items. Many small cultivators from out of town often felt dizzy from the pitches of these loose cultivators, and some did buy these seemingly useless items and took them back home. At such times, Qin Guanbao would take them to watch from a distance, letting these two young ones witness the consequences of being swindled, teaching them not to easily believe the words of these loose cultivators, or they might end up losing their last spirit stone. ¡°These loose cultivators are here every day, often not leaving town for years. Where would they find the time to go on secret land adventures,¡± Qin Guanbao laughed, ¡°When you visit other markets in the future, you¡¯re bound to encounter similar situations. Make sure not to be deceived and end up with a pile of useless junk after spending a lot of spirit stones. Look over there, those two young girls are definitely being scammed.¡± Qin Xi looked in the direction pointed out by the old family master and saw two young girls, probably from some family, being fooled by a loose cultivator into buying a so-called treasure map for hundreds of spirit stones, thinking they had struck gold and ran back happily to inform their elders. As soon as they left, the loose cultivator packed up his stall and left. Not long after, a middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator returned angrily with the two girls, but the loose cultivator was nowhere to be found! Qin Xi shook her head in amazement, secretly clutching her storage bag. This was her family¡¯s cultivation resources and all her possessions. She couldn¡¯t afford to be cheated, or her cultivation speed would slow down terribly. She asked nervously, ¡°Clan Leader Grandpa, does it mean we can never buy things from these stalls?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Qin Guanbao laughed, ¡°If it¡¯s just some ordinary spirit talismans, magic artifacts, or spirit grass, you can still buy them from these stalls, and they might even be a bit cheaper than in the shops. Sometimes, you might even encounter something good at these loose cultivators¡¯ stalls. Loose cultivators, after all, are loose cultivators. Most of them do travel and adventure in different places, seeking cultivation resources, so they can get some treasures. Sometimes, due to their limited knowledge, they might sell treasures as ordinary items. However, many stall owners take advantage of cultivators¡¯ hope for bargains, creating the illusion of a great deal and selling them a pile of useless junk.¡± He then warned, ¡°If you want to buy something expensive, it¡¯s better to purchase it from the official shops under the major sects¡¯ influence. Although it¡¯s pricier, you won¡¯t be deceived. Plus, some loose cultivators publicly sell goods but secretly monitor wealthy outsiders. If they find a weak cultivator with many spirit stones, they might follow them and, once out of town, find a secluded place to rob them. Such things are common, so be careful and avoid showing your wealth when you¡¯re not powerful enough.¡± Seeing Qin Xi¡¯s pale face, Qin Guanbao realized he had frightened her and quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much. Once you join the Beast Taming Sect, you will be disciples of the sect. In the Southern Domain, few loose cultivators would dare to target the Beast Taming Sect disciples. If discovered, the sect would ensure they face severe consequences.¡± Hearing this, Qin Xi¡¯s face eased a bit. Though she was resilient, she was still a young girl who had rarely left home or seen much of the world. Today¡¯s teachings from the old family master made her acutely aware of the world¡¯s malevolence outside. Qin Feng laughed, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, don¡¯t be afraid. When you go out in the future, you can call me or travel with other sect elders or friends. As long as you¡¯re not alone, there should be no problem.¡± Qin Xi nodded at his words, secretly deciding to stay in the sect as much as possible and only travel once her cultivation was higher, making loose cultivators less likely to target her. The old family head was indeed very responsible to the younger generation, explaining many intricacies of the cultivation world to them. In fact, many traps were obvious if one remained clear-headed, but unfortunately, people often learned their lessons only after suffering losses. After touring the market, it was already evening. Qin Guanbao hadn¡¯t brought them out just for shopping but to teach them valuable lessons, so it took a long time. As night fell, the three returned to the courtyard behind the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Servant disciples brought them meals. Qi Refining cultivators hadn¡¯t reached the fasting stage yet; though they could go a few days without eating by relying on spiritual power, it couldn¡¯t last too long. Because of Manager Yang¡¯s special instructions, the servant disciples took good care of them. The meals, though not overly elaborate, were quite sumptuous. Especially a few dishes cooked with Demon Beast meat; not only were they delicious, but they also contained a lot of spiritual power, making Qin Feng and Qin Xi very happy as they enjoyed the feast. Apart from family hunts, they usually didn¡¯t get to eat food cooked with Demon Beast meat. For the next three consecutive days, Qin Guanbao took them around the market, showing them various mystical items, countless magic artifacts, elixir pills, spirit talismans, and array flags with different effects, along with many other skills. Apart from the four major trades of elixir pills, spirit talismans, array artifacts, and magic artifacts, the market had many other businesses. There were inns catering specifically to cultivators, with each room guarded by prohibitions, providing a place for visiting cultivators to rest. There were restaurants that made food and wine using various spiritual objects, available for cultivators to enjoy. There were teahouses where spiritual tea was brewed by special methods, offering excellent flavors. There were qin masters who played music reminiscent of cascading rivers and mountains, cleansing the hearts of cultivators and helping them focus on their cultivation. There were workshops specializing in brewing spiritual wine, filling the streets with its aroma. And there was a place called Baihua Pavilion, with beautifully adorned girls who captivated people¡¯s hearts. However, every time they passed Baihua Pavilion, the old family master kept his gaze straight ahead, exuding a demeanor worthy of respect from the younger ones. PS: Baihua Pavilion girls: ¡°Sir, come join us. Don¡¯t forget to leave a recommendation ticket when you go; freeloading is unethical.¡± Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Old Family Master Takes You to Eat Papaya Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Old Family Master Takes You to Eat Papaya Several days had passed, and numerous people had been settled around their courtyard. Among them were families from other cities overseen by Tieling County, similar to the Qin Family, all vassal families under the Beast Taming Sect, with a few also sending family disciples, preparing to join the Sect. However, there were even more ordinary young men and women, similar to Qin Xi. Due to their good aptitudes and willingness to work hard, they had opened their Spiritual Acupoints. After preliminary assessments by some disciples of the Beast Taming Sect who traveled outside, they were arranged to stay here, waiting for the Outer Sect Elders to arrive and take them together. There were dozens of these youngsters, whereas disciples like Qin Feng, who came from a clan background, were less than ten. Indeed, these families were weak and lacked sufficient resources to nurture many clan members. Only the Zhao Family of the Commandery had six family disciples prepared to join the Sect this year. There was no comparison; the Zhao Family was affluent and resourceful, capable of providing for its younger generations. However, these Zhao Family disciples didn¡¯t mingle with Qin Feng and the other youngsters. They hadn¡¯t even been to the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion but were instead staying at their family mansion, waiting to leave with the Outer Sect Elder. The old Clan Chief of the Zhao Family was powerful, not far from the Purple Mansion Realm. Once he achieved a breakthrough, he would become a prominent figure in the entire Chu Kingdom, so the Outer Sect Elder coming to take disciples would still give him this bit of face. However, the Outer Sect Elder responsible for taking these new disciples back this year was a few days later than usual, unclear what had delayed him on the road. Qin Guanbao was getting impatient. He had originally thought that he would only need to stay here for a couple of days to send Qin Feng and the other away, but it had already been five or six days, and the Elder meant to receive the new disciples hadn¡¯t arrived yet. In the past few days, the old Family Head had been teaching Qin Feng and Qin Xi daily, feeling that he had already imparted a lot of experience to them. The rest they would need to comprehend and perceive on their own. Thus, unable to bear the loneliness, the old Family Head, under the guise of visiting friends, would go out ¡®to visit friends¡¯ every night! He truly managed to leave at sunset and return at dawn. Teaching two juniors during the day and still laboring like this at night made Qin Feng and Qin Xi extremely grateful. They felt that the old Family Head, at such an advanced age, was still working so hard. They felt slightly guilty and wanted to help but didn¡¯t know where to start. That evening, after the old Family Head had left, Qin Feng felt stuffy in the room and decided to go out for a walk. He knocked on Qin Xi¡¯s door and asked, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, I plan to go out for a stroll. I heard there¡¯s also a night market in the Market area, would you like to come with?¡± ¡°I still need to cultivate,¡± came Qin Xi¡¯s gentle voice from inside the room. ¡°Be careful on your own out there. Don¡¯t buy random things and don¡¯t come back too late.¡± Hearing this, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but smile. It seemed that Qin Xi was really frightened by the old Family Master¡¯s words, even specifically warning him not to squander Spirit Stones. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Qin Feng replied, then turned and walked outside. Because Cultivators cultivate their methods, they are a group of energetic folks. Even Qi Refinement Realm cultivators, though small, could manage a few days without sleep without much issue. There were some cultivators whose cultivation techniques were particularly effective in enhancing the Divine Soul, making them more vigorous. So even at night, many cultivators strolled around leisurely. With extraordinary abilities, the streets at night, though not as bright as day, weren¡¯t much dimmer. Some shops had Glazed Cups hanging at the entrance, illuminating an area of a hundred yards. Others had only a candle lit, its light seemingly dim like a bean, but it emitted a soft radiance that was very comfortable to behold. Even more dazzling, some stores¡¯ signboards were made using the methods of refining Spiritual Artifacts, exuding brilliant light at night and attracting people¡¯s attention. Qin Feng leisurely walked on the street, glancing at the scattered stalls with Spiritual Objects on either side, and to be honest, he was quite tempted. Previously, his family had supported him and Qin Xi with three hundred Spirit Stones each, along with some Elixir Pills for cultivation assistance and Spirit Talismans for protection. Three hundred Spirit Stones each might not seem much, but together, they accounted for thirty percent of the family¡¯s annual income, which was no small amount. The Qin Family relied on their three hundred acres of Spiritual Fields and some other scattered income, earning just over two thousand Spirit Stones a year. The family managed to allocate six hundred Spirit Stones every year to maintain the normal cultivation of over a hundred cultivators, which was not easy. Although he had items obtained from the Huang Family, which could make him a fortune once dealt with, the Spirit Stones he had were still insufficient. He was different from other newbie cultivators; not only did he have the Swallowing Sky Toad, a glutton, but also the Demon Refining Pot, a treasure. Not to mention the substantial cost required to restore the Demon Refining Pot to its original state, just aiding the Swallowing Sky Toad in integrating its bloodline consumed a vast amount of resources. The integration of bloodlines could only be done once per realm; for further integrations in the next realm with other Demon Beast bloodlines, the resources required would multiply. The higher the realm, the more resources were needed, and the assets he had were truly not enough. Thus, Qin Feng began to linger around various stalls, hoping to pick up some treasures. Although the chances were slim, such things could still happen; perhaps he could be the lucky one? Unfortunately, many young people harbored this thought, but very few actually found bargains. This luck did not fall upon him either; instead, several Loose Cultivators, thinking he was na?ve due to his youth, tried to sell him so-called treasures in a mysteriously deceptive manner, which left him speechless. After wandering around for nearly half an hour and finding no missed opportunities, he no longer focused on this and began to seriously examine the goods. The same items sold by these Loose Cultivators at their stalls were about ten to twenty percent cheaper than in the stores; he just needed to be careful not to be fooled by fake goods. Just as he bargained a reasonably good-looking Flying Snake Orchid down from fifteen to five Spirit Stones and the Loose Cultivator was about to agree to the deal, Qin Feng¡¯s eyes lit up as he saw the Old Family Master, Qin Guanbao, approaching from not far away. The Old Family Master was somewhat unsteady on his feet and reeked of alcohol, evidently having imbibed a bit too much while socializing with friends. Seeing the Old Family Master stagger and nearly trip, Qin Feng wasn¡¯t concerned about buying the Flying Snake Orchid anymore. He quickly left the stall owner and went up to Qin Guanbao, ¡°Uncle Jiushi, are you done socializing so soon today?¡± A bit tipsy, Qin Guanbao looked up and saw Qin Feng, immediately bursting into laughter, ¡°You little rascal, what are you doing here? Well, since we¡¯ve bumped into each other, consider yourself included. Come on, Grandpa is taking you out for some papaya tonight!¡± PS: Hurry, hurry, vote! The old man is driving now. Exchange your votes for a ticket, and if you vote enough, you might even get to ride in a VIP compartment! Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Plump Young Woman Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Plump Young Woman ¡°Papaya? What papaya?¡± Qin Feng was somewhat bewildered. Why on earth would they eat papaya out of the blue? Could it be that the old master hadn¡¯t eaten his fill earlier? But even if he hadn¡¯t, they could just go to Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion for a meal, right? Could that papaya really taste better than the Demon Beast Meat offered at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion? ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The Old Family Master chuckled proudly and said, ¡°This papaya, well, it isn¡¯t the kind we grow in our Spiritual Field. It¡¯s a top-quality papaya from the Western Regions, big and soft¡­ ahem, never mind, you wouldn¡¯t understand. Come on, come on, Grandpa will take you to broaden your horizons. Today an old friend is treating us to a meal; the opportunity is rare, and usually, I don¡¯t have that many Spirit Stones to take you there.¡± With that, he put his arm around Qin Feng¡¯s shoulder and, without any regard for appearances, walked arm in arm with his nephew toward the other end where Baihua Pavilion was located. The problem was that he had drunk too much Spiritual Wine, his head somewhat muddled, and he had forgotten to maintain a dignified image in front of his junior. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t we going? Don¡¯t you want the Flying Snake Orchid anymore?¡± The Loose Cultivator from the stall next to them wanted to curse in frustration. After all, Qin Feng spent half a day haggling with him, and just as he was about to have Qin Feng pay up with Spirit Stones, the Old Family Master pulled him away. Unfortunately, Qin Guanbao exuded the aura of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator so strongly that the Loose Cultivator didn¡¯t dare to voice his anger. He could only grumble in his heart and somewhat petulantly tossed the Flying Snake Orchid back to its original spot. ¡­ ¡°Yo, Master Qin, you¡¯re here.¡± As soon as they entered the Baihua Pavilion, a beautiful woman around thirty greeted them with a smile and called out to Qin Guanbao, ¡°You know, this morning, Xianglan was complaining to me, saying Master Qin didn¡¯t come to see her when he was here. That girl still thinks about you privately.¡± ¡°Ha-ha, Yunniang, that mouth of yours is still as sweet as ever. Come here, let me taste whether you¡¯ve put honey on it.¡± Then, in Qin Feng¡¯s stunned gaze, he watched as the normally stern and serious Old Family Master flirted openly with the buxom, beautiful woman at the entrance of Baihua Pavilion. ¡°Go on, go on, you old rascal! When I was young, you bullied me no small amount. Now that I¡¯m an old lady past my prime, you obviously don¡¯t fancy me anymore, so why come and tease me for no good reason?¡± Yunniang was stunningly beautiful with a voluptuous figure, like a ripe peach, exuding an allure unique to mature women. She pushed Qin Guanbao¡¯s hands away while taking a quick glance at Qin Feng, trailing a couple of steps behind. Seeing this young man¡¯s tall figure and handsome face, she couldn¡¯t help but take a few more looks. Compared to the old man Qin Guanbao, a vibrant and handsome young man like this was far more captivating to a woman¡¯s gaze. Especially for a woman of her age. In her younger years, Yunniang had been an Oiran at Baihua Pavilion. But as she grew older, knowing she could not compete with the younger, more attractive girls, she smartly stepped down early, ceding the title of Oiran to other women. Instead, she used her skills to become the Manager of Baihua Pavilion, responsible for training the girls on how to better serve men. After stepping down as Oiran, she had never been touched by a man again and sometimes felt lonely. Seeing such a tender and handsome young man, she instinctively felt a slight fondness. Especially when compared to the groping old man in front of her, the young man seemed all the more exceptional. As someone who had seen all walks of life, Yunniang could tell from the young man¡¯s shocked expression that he was undoubtedly inexperienced, probably never having visited such a place of debauchery before. She asked Qin Guanbao, ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to bring someone along. It¡¯s quite novel today; you¡¯ve even brought a young master with you. May I ask how this young master is addressed?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Upon being questioned, Qin Guanbao instantly sobered up, and the eyes that had been somewhat intoxicated by the Spiritual Wine became clear in a moment. Then he remembered that Qin Feng was following behind him. Oh no, didn¡¯t the youngster see everything that just happened? It was all over, the image that he had struggled so hard to maintain was utterly destroyed! Although he didn¡¯t care much about his image in front of others, and even his old friends knew his preferences, he still cared about his image in front of the younger members of his family. Qin Guanbao felt troubled. The Spiritual Wine he had drunk today had been too potent; it was just that he had greedily consumed a couple more pots, but how on earth did he end up bringing this kid along. He turned back and glanced at Qin Feng, remembering what he had said on the way about showing him around, and his face couldn¡¯t help but flush. But now that they were here, he couldn¡¯t very well send him back, could he? Better to think of a way to remedy the situation. ¡°Ahem, this is my¡­ junior relative. Today, the Family Head of the Qian Family from Liu City, Qian Wanchong, is hosting me at the Snow Lotus Courtyard, and I¡¯m merely bringing him here to see some old friends.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Then let this servant take you there.¡± Yunniang¡¯s smile did not wane, but not a hint of flirtation showed; instead, she appeared rather dignified, much like a lady of a great clan, possessing an elegant air that seemed untouchable. ¡°Is this the young master¡¯s first visit to our Baihua Pavilion? You must come more often in the future. I¡¯ll introduce some girls to you later, guaranteeing you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Saying this, she giggled, her fan partially covering her face, her gaze dancing with a mix of modesty and allure: ¡°If you think the young ladies don¡¯t know how to attend to guests, you can come looking for me¡­¡± Although Qin Feng was not inexperienced in matters of love, the feeling of being teased by an older sister still made his face heat up and his heart race, and his face showed a hint of embarrassment. However, to a woman like Yunniang who had seen it all, she found the shyness of such a young man even more appealing. Seeing him like this, she let out a bell-like laugh, about to tease the young brother a bit more when Qin Guanbao, the old coot, reached out and slapped her plump and curvy behind with a smack. Qin Guanbao scolded with a laugh: ¡°Stop trying to seduce my nephew; we are here on serious business today. Lead the way.¡± Yunniang rolled her eyes at him. Serious business? What serious business could there be at a place like the Baihua Pavilion? But she didn¡¯t ruin the moment; instead, with a beaming smile, she gave Qin Feng a quick glance with her charming eyes and turned to lead the way. Compared to the old curmudgeon Qin Guanbao, she preferred the innocently youthful Qin Feng. As they passed several courtyards, the sounds of music and the playful laughter of women could be heard, itching at one¡¯s desires. Yet Qin Guanbao was pretending to be calm, displaying an image of moral integrity that left Qin Feng speechless at his side. You¡¯re already in this kind of place; why keep up such a pretense? Are you expecting me to forget everything I saw just now? Qin Guanbao felt unsure within, frowning and pondering along the way, wondering if there was any chance to salvage his image. But after much thought, the chances seemed slim. Unless Qin Feng was particularly easy to fool, the only solution seemed to be drawing him in to join in the mire, so he¡¯d be too embarrassed to mention tonight¡¯s events to others. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Drunkenness in the Brothel Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Drunkenness in the Brothel Snow Lotus Courtyard was a recently constructed complex within the Baihua Pavilion, designed to accommodate the beauties from the Western Regions. Perhaps it was out of curiosity, after all, the vast majority of people had never encountered the beauties of the Western Regions in their lifetimes. Moreover, Baihua Pavilion had long been singing their praises to the skies. As a result, many seasoned patrons of pleasure quarters came to Snow Lotus Courtyard with a sense of novelty, eager to experience the charms of Western Region women and discern how their physiques differed from those of the Southern Domain. Under these circumstances, the prices at Snow Lotus Courtyard had been driven up by Baihua Pavilion, making it now one of the most lucrative places. In such a scenario, being able to invite a couple of good friends to gather here was definitely a matter of great prestige. After all, this was tantamount to booking the entire Snow Lotus Courtyard, a decidedly expensive affair. And tonight, the man basking in this prestigious company was none other than the Family Head of the Qian Family from Liu City, Qian Wanchong. Within the hall, exotic tunes filled the air, as several lightly veiled women from the Western Regions swayed and twisted their bodies like serpents. They danced enchantingly, stirring the senses. Their dancing figures were alluring, almost like a group of demons in a wild dance, or seductive snake-like banshees, compelling one to almost fling themselves into their arms and join the dance. Qian Wanchong sat at the center, softly chatting and laughing with Yang Kaitai, the Manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, discussing the mystique of these Western Region women. Just then, Yunniang led Qin Guanbao and Qin Feng into the room. The Dancing Girls had keen eyes¡ªthey subtly shifted their forms to clear a path in the middle. Yet, as they moved out of the way, they drew their bodies close to the young and the old men passing by. The near touches were tantalizing, almost causing Qin Feng, on the cusp of the rowdy years of youth, to embarrass himself. Having cultivated from a young age, his physical development was significantly more robust than his peers. Whether in energy or constitution, he far surpassed the ordinary, and had he not promptly harnessed his Spiritual Power to suppress certain impulses, there might have been some indescribable reactions when the Western Region Dancing Girl¡¯s soft hands grazed his body. Qin Feng awkwardly avoided the woman¡¯s bodily touch, beginning to regret his decision to follow them inside. Not to mention that his mind was currently not set on the pleasures of the flesh¡ªeven if he had harbored such thoughts, he surely wouldn¡¯t have gone to a brothel with the old Family Head! ¡°Ha ha, Senior Brother Qin is here.¡± The two seated men greeted Qin Guanbao as they stood up. Yang Kaitai gave Qin Feng a surprised glance before turning to Qin Guanbao and asking, ¡°Why did you bring the kid along?¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Shielding Qin Feng behind him, Qin Guanbao covertly signaled to his two old friends, saying, ¡°Earlier, while drinking with Xie Wuyang, I had a few too many cups. Coincidentally, I ran into this nephew of mine on the way, so I brought him along to broaden his horizons¡ªthere was no other intention. Cough, well, Yunniang, could you tell the kitchen to prepare a papaya? I promised my nephew a taste of the Western Regions¡¯ papayas.¡± Hearing this, Yunniang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly, then quickly covered her smiling face with a fan. Her beautiful eyes passed over Qin Feng, she acknowledged with a nod, and glided away. Qian Wanchong and Yang Kaitai immediately understood; Qin Guanbao must have misspoken after drinking too much and inadvertently brought along his junior relative in a haze. The portly Qian Wanchong laughed heartily: ¡°No matter, no matter. We old friends are also here to chat. We won¡¯t be doing anything else. However, speaking of the papayas from the Western Regions, they indeed have a unique flavor. The young friend really should have a taste. Come, come, young friend, sit here. Besides the papaya, the wines from the Western Regions are also quite rare; you must drink more today.¡± As he spoke, the Old Master enthusiastically beckoned Qin Feng to take a seat and personally poured him a cup of amber-colored grape wine. Then with a wave of his hand, two Western Region women, cloaked in sheer veils exposing their fair arms and waists, crowded around and seated Qin Feng. Qin Guanbao glared; he knew full well that Qian Wanchong was doing this deliberately; otherwise, the man wouldn¡¯t act so despite the clear hints he had given. Yet Qian Wanchong appeared completely unabashed, enveloping a Western Region beauty in his arm and laughing heartily as he said to Qin Feng, ¡°Young friend, just enjoy drinking and reveling to your heart¡¯s content, and pay no mind to anything else. ¡± ¡°I remember when I was a lad your age, I used to frequent places like this too. It¡¯s part of being young, isn¡¯t it? Otherwise, everyone would be like those old fogies, burying their heads in cultivation. What joy would there be in life?¡± With a wry smile, Qin Feng extricated his hands from the entwining clutches of the women around him and cupped his fists towards Qian Wanchong, ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Elder, but I actually¡­¡± ¡°Enough said, you¡¯re already here, don¡¯t spoil the fun. Come on, let¡¯s drink.¡± Qian Wanchong laughed heartily and raised his glass to invite everyone to drink together. Following his meaningful glance, a dancing girl sitting next to Qin Feng picked up a cup and brought it to his lips. Qin Feng had no choice but to drink the wine in the cup, assisted by the hand of the dancing girl. The grape wine was sweet to the taste, and a refreshing wave of spiritual energy rose up from his belly, almost equaling a full day¡¯s worth of cultivation. His eyes lit up, and when the dancing girl poured him another, he didn¡¯t refuse. Qin Guanbao, unsure of what to say, simply sat aside, chatting and laughing with his two old friends. Given he was in Qin Feng¡¯s presence, Qin Guanbao couldn¡¯t quite let loose, so instead of being waited on closely by the dancing girls from the Western Regions, he merely had one help with the wine, even maintaining a distance of more than a foot from her. This puzzled the dancing girl at his side. Family Head Qin had not acted like this during previous visits. She remembered that he had been very interested in her then, his hands hardly behaving themselves. Why was he acting like a completely different person tonight? As they drank and talked, enjoying the song and dance of the Western Regions beauties, Old Master Qian kept urging Qin Feng to drink more as if intending to get him drunk to witness some embarrassment. And Yang Kaitai, seated beside him, was secretly helping the effort, eager to witness this grandfather and grandson¡¯s glorious stay at Baihua Pavilion. Qin Feng was still young and had barely drunk before; his alcohol tolerance was not strong. After downing nearly half a jug of spiritual wine, despite his cultivation technique working continuously inside him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little lightheaded. He knew that he couldn¡¯t go on drinking, or he would surely end up drunk here. If in his ignorance he were to lose his virgin blood, wouldn¡¯t that be a huge loss! He planned to leave the place. However, he could tell that Older Master Qian was intentionally trying to intoxicate him, perhaps planning to have him compromised. He quickly feigned a drunken manner, swaying as if he were about to tumble. Seeing this, Qian Wanchong burst out laughing. ¡°Young friend, you can¡¯t hold your liquor, then drink no more.¡± Saying this, he signaled to the two Western Regions dancing girls, ¡°What are you waiting for? Help Young Master Qin to rest, and remember to ¡®take good care¡¯ of him.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two women respectfully supported Qin Feng and walked him out. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Qin Guanbao reached out to intervene but was waved off by Qian Wanchong, who signaled the women to hurry and take Qin Feng away. Only then did he turn to Qin Guanbao, with a raise of the eyebrows, and said, ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? Didn¡¯t you also visit the brothel at his age and still continued your cultivation without much delay? Such matters can also reveal a person¡¯s character, seeing whether this junior is worthy of your family¡¯s investment. As long as he doesn¡¯t get lost in it, he will surely achieve success in his cultivation.¡± Qin Guanbao dismissed his perverted logic with a sneer, yet he was too indifferent to bother with Qin Feng anymore. After all, in his inebriated state, as long as the two women did not take the initiative, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything inappropriate. However, with Qin Feng now gone, the old family head suddenly reverted to his old ways, drawing the slender-wasted beauty into his embrace, eliciting a coy squeal from her. PS: The beauty says, ¡°Lord, without your recommendation tickets, I won¡¯t succumb to you!¡± Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Iron Head Centipede Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Iron Head Centipede Qin Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed, realizing he had fallen into the opponent¡¯s trap. The lanky man had originally intended to steal his storage bag, and if Qin Feng had not pursued, they would naturally have been pleased to get away easily. But now that he had caught up, these few characters clearly didn¡¯t mind taking his life. From their well-coordinated actions, it was evident this wasn¡¯t their first time doing such a thing. Even the reason they had attacked him was probably premeditated; because he wasn¡¯t very strong, was young, and was obviously a novice who had just stepped into the Cultivation World, especially since he had just come out of the Baihua Pavilion. Those who could enter and leave the Baihua Pavilion must have some possessions, so the group targeted him. It turned out he was still green behind the ears. Although the Old Family Master had taught them quite a few things these past days, when it came to the crunch, he still suffered from lack of experience. ¡°Kid, just hand over the magic artifacts on you, and we¡¯ll spare your life,¡± came the threatening demand. The woman¡¯s voice was somewhat sharp, ¡°Otherwise, I will feed you to my darling.¡± As soon as her words ended, a rustling sound emerged from the dark urn she was holding, remaining a mystery as to what she was keeping inside. Qin Feng glanced at her, then turned his head to look at the lanky man who had led him here. He saw that the man now had a knife in his hand. A very small knife, thin as paper, not longer than a finger, shaped like a willow leaf. As the man rotated it on his fingers, the tiny willow leaf knife appeared to dance among them, flickering with a cold light. Qin Feng shook his head and sighed softly. It was only himself. If it were any other small cultivator at the third stage of Qi Refinement, he probably would have lost his life here today. Both the man and woman opposite had the cultivation of the fifth or sixth stage of Qi Refinement, each wielding a magic artifact, and the lanky man behind them, although only at the third stage of Qi Refinement, wielded the dangerously sharp little willow leaf knife. Alone with his cultivation, Qin Feng really didn¡¯t see a way to break out from their hold. As for the talk about sparing his life if he handed over his magic artifacts, that was just a bluff to fool naive children. Even if he did have other magic artifacts, he wouldn¡¯t just hand them over, letting them have their way. Seeing his reaction, the men knew he wouldn¡¯t comply easily. The scar-faced man holding double hooks sneered coldly, ¡°Kid, since you refuse the toast and must drink a forfeit, grandpa will send you on your way!¡± Before his voice fell, his figure darted forward, soon reaching near Qin Feng, the sharp iron hooks¡ªone aimed at Qin Feng¡¯s neck, the other at his abdomen. If Qin Feng had been caught by these two hooks, not only would his head be at risk, but his stomach would be ripped open. However, just as the man nearly reached him, he exclaimed in surprise, retreating even faster while swaying the double hooks rapidly in defense, trying to protect himself with streaks of cold light. Yet a shadow, like a long spear, was faster and fiercer than his retreating figure and his iron hooks. In a flash, it pierced through his chest, causing severe injury. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The scar-faced man cried out in pain, falling to the ground, his chest torn open to reveal a fist-sized hole, blood gushing out and quickly staining his clothes. Despite the severe injury, he was lucky to be alive. Clutching his chest wound, he circulated his spiritual power, trying to stop the bleeding. ¡°Boss?¡± The woman screamed, flipping her hand and grabbing a bottle of elixir pills to rush over to him. ¡°Careful, don¡¯t come over.¡± With the scar-faced man¡¯s warning, the woman quickly realized, fiercely slapped the bottom of the urn, and a cloud of black mist billowed out. Accompanying the mist, a tangle of large centipedes, each a foot or two long, scuttled out and soared through the air, charging toward Qin Feng. Seeing this, Qin Feng was not frightened but actually laughed. Then, appearing in his hand was a Swallowing Sky Toad, its mouth wide open and tongue flickering rapidly. Before the hundred or so centipedes even reached him, the Swallowing Sky Toad had already devoured them completely. ¡°No, my Iron Head Centipedes¡­¡± The woman never imagined her precious poison insects, meticulously raised using the Five Poisons Secret Techniques, would be gobbled up by a small toad in such a short time. Usually, a cultivator at the later stages of Qi Refinement, if unprepared, would succumb to her Iron Head Centipedes. But now, she had been thwarted by a small cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refinement. ¡°You will pay!¡± Her eyes bloodshot, she gazed at Qin Feng and suddenly let out a piercing scream. The sound was sharp and high-pitched, attacking Qin Feng. Qin Feng¡¯s expression changed dramatically. He felt an invisible fluctuation continuously attacking him, causing his eardrums to throb, his head to ache, and his Sea of Consciousness to wobble. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Unable to bear the pain, he let out a loud shout, trying to interrupt the woman¡¯s scream. But obviously, that wasn¡¯t effective. The woman¡¯s scream was clearly a type of sonic spell, and his own cries were not enough to counteract it. Qin Feng felt his head was about to split, and if things continued this way, he wouldn¡¯t die, but the woman¡¯s screams could still leave him severely injured. Fortunately, the woman stopped screaming soon after. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to continue using that spell, but rather that she couldn¡¯t. Because, just as she was applying all her effort to cast the spell, a ghostly figure like a spear pierced through her brow, destroying her Sea of Consciousness and Divine Soul. The Swallowing Sky Toad made its move¡­er, stuck out its tongue. The moment Qin Feng sensed the danger, he had the Swallowing Sky Toad strike and kill the enemy. This woman, who was at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, was originally no match for the Swallowing Sky Toad. Pained by the loss of her carefully raised Poison Insects, and unsettled in spirit, she was fully occupied with casting her sonic spell and couldn¡¯t dodge in time, thus she was directly killed by the Swallowing Sky Toad in one strike. The gaunt man behind Qin Feng was so shocked to see this that his hands flashed coldly, and the Willow Leaf Saber was thrust straight towards Qin Feng¡¯s back. He himself, however, flickered through several movements, lightly jumped, and was already flying up the wall, abandoning the Willow Leaf Saber and planning to escape. But before that flash of cold light reached Qin Feng, the Swallowing Sky Toad suddenly leapt from Qin Feng¡¯s hands and instantly positioned itself behind him. It emitted a murky glow from its small body, forming a spell barrier that directly blocked the Willow Leaf Saber. Then, opening its mouth wide, its long tongue shot out like an arrow, piercing through the gaunt man¡¯s heart from several meters away, killing him on the spot. Qin Feng turned around, his face deathly pale. He had been shaken by the woman¡¯s scream, causing instability in his Sea of Consciousness and damage to his Divine Sense. Although the injuries were not severe, it would still take him a few days to fully recover. However, as long as he rested quietly for the next few days and didn¡¯t arbitrarily use his Divine Sense, there shouldn¡¯t be any serious consequences. Shaking his still aching head, he first picked up the Willow Leaf Saber that the Swallowing Sky Toad had blocked. Then, he walked over to the gaunt man, retrieved not only his own Storage Bag but also took the other party¡¯s Storage Bag. Then, he finally turned his attention to the scar-faced man who had first been severely injured by the Swallowing Sky Toad. The man gave a bitter smile, putting down the Spirit Pill he had just taken out. He knew that this youth was certainly not going to spare him. Since his death was certain, there was no need to take the Spirit Pill any longer. Qin Feng looked at the man¡¯s face full of bitterness, but he didn¡¯t show the slightest mercy. Since these people had chosen this method to obtain Cultivation Resources, they had to be prepared for the possibility of being killed in retaliation. Moreover, judging by their appearance, this clearly wasn¡¯t their first time doing this. There was even less reason to show mercy to such repeat offenders. These people were by no means good, and to momentarily show compassion by sparing them would potentially lead to more lives being endangered by these individuals. This time, he didn¡¯t use the Swallowing Sky Toad. Instead, he personally molded a spell and summoned a tiger-shaped apparition. Under his spell, the apparition slowly condensed into a Wind Blade and sliced towards the head of the scar-faced cultivator. The man had already prepared to be killed by Qin Feng, but seeing the slow pace of the youth¡¯s spell-casting, he couldn¡¯t help but curse silently, thinking that the youth was deliberately slowing down to instill fear and torment him. However, he didn¡¯t know that Qin Feng¡¯s spell abilities were not very sophisticated. If he had directly summoned the tiger-shaped apparition, although it could have killed the powerless scar-faced man, the scattered power may have resulted in a more bloody scene. Thus, he laboriously compressed the tiger-shaped Wind Blade and directly severed the opponent¡¯s head. PS: Whether the bridge of magpies really forms or not, every year on this night it meets the weaver girl. People should not wonder at the gap of years, for it¡¯s better than the many long separations in the human world. Today is Qixi, wishing all couples separated by distance a swift reunion! Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Young People Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Young People This was Qin Feng¡¯s first time killing someone. Since he had already set foot on the path of cultivation, it was certain he would encounter other opponents; killing was inevitable. Rather than waiting until later when he might find himself in a panic at the critical moment, it was better to use this scar-faced cultivator to practice his courage now. After all, this fellow had attempted to rob him, never intending to let him live. Given that, killing him would not create any psychological burden for Qin Feng. After he really made the move and killed his opponent, he discovered he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort, nor did he experience the nausea or vomiting that rumors sometimes suggested. He thought about it and then suddenly laughed. Indeed, he had only read in certain books that one should feel sick and vomit after their first kill, almost as if they were more susceptible to nausea than a two-month pregnant woman. But those were just fabrications by others, not to be taken seriously. He was no stranger to the sight of blood; just in the past few months, he had killed many fierce beasts and poisonous insects on the outskirts of Qifeng Mountain to hone his spells. Although there was some discomfort in his heart from taking a life for the first time, he was not so weak as to vomit at the mere smell of blood. Qin Feng collected the items from the three men¡¯s bodies, then piled their corpses together. Channeling his Spiritual Power, he manipulated a spell, and with a bang, flames shot up in his hand. As he pointed with his hand, the flames fell upon the corpses, engulfing them in fire. After death, since the bodies had no Spiritual Power to protect them, although physically stronger than the average untrained person, their strength was limited and could not withstand flames fueled by Spiritual Power. Therefore, in just a short while, the raging flames reduced the three loose cultivators, who had turned to murder and plunder, to but a few white bones. Qin Feng swept his sleeves and a gust of wind howled forth, blowing the ashes and the remaining few bones to a nearby overgrown and uninhabited broken courtyard. Only then did he turn and leave. Returning to his residence at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, he glanced toward the room of the old Family Head, Qin Guanbao. Inside the house was pitch-black; evidently, the old Family Head had not returned. He shook his head and stopped paying attention to these matters, retreating to his own room. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he silently operated his cultivation technique for over half an hour, finally feeling much better; his headache was also not as painful as before. After regaining his spirit, he reached out to examine the spoils of war he had gathered earlier, inspecting them carefully and discovering that although the thin man¡¯s Willow Leaf Saber was small, it was a Middle Grade Magic Artifact and extremely sharp. On the other hand, the Qi Refining Middle Stage scar-faced cultivator¡¯s Short Hooks were only Low Level Magic Artifacts. As for the woman¡¯s earthen jar, though it also qualified as a Middle Grade Magic Artifact, it had no offensive or defensive power and could only be used as a vessel to cultivate Poison Insects. Next, he began to gather the Spiritual Energy within his body to erase the remaining Divine Sense imprint from the three Storage Bags. After nearly a whole night of effort, nearly depleting his Spiritual Energy, he finally managed to open all three Storage Bags. Qin Feng poured out the contents of the Storage Bags, realizing that although these cultivators engaged in the unlawful business of killing and looting, they were not wealthy. In fact, they were so poor it was almost laughable. All the Spirit Stones from the three Storage Bags amounted to less than one hundred. ¡°Pah, paupers!¡± Qin Feng scoffed inwardly. However, his eyes soon lit up as he turned his attention toward two Jade Scrolls. Picking up a Jade Scroll, he probed it with his Divine Sense and discovered it was a Wind Element Technique called ¡°Instantaneous Gale.¡± This Technique was a cultivation method passed down from the Kuangsha Palace, a major Sect deep within the boundless northwest desert. It specialized in the Wind Escape Technique and cultivated a fierce wind. If one were to achieve Great Success in this Technique, they could cover a thousand miles in an instant. The fierce wind would scream across half the sky, stirring up sand and stones, sweeping through heaven and earth with formidable power. ¡°` Unfortunately, the real core inheritance of Kuangsha Palace would of course not be disclosed publicly, so the jade scroll Qin Feng had only contained the cultivation methods up to the Foundation Establishment Stage. However, he wasn¡¯t disappointed, as this was the most common occurrence in the cultivation world. In fact, many sects would teach some of the less important cultivation methods, and if a talented loose cultivator obtained this inheritance and cultivated it to its limits and then wished to advance their technique, they would have to join one of those sects. After thorough screening to ensure that these individuals weren¡¯t spies sent by enemy forces, the sects would then choose to admit only the most outstanding few into their ranks. Although these loose cultivators, not having been raised by the sect from a young age, wouldn¡¯t be taught the core direct inheritance techniques, these talented individuals often could still cultivate to relatively high realms after joining, becoming powerful enforcers for the sect. After briefly browsing through the Wind Element Technique, Qin Feng no longer paid attention to it and instead picked up another jade scroll. When he projected his Divine Sense into it, he immediately felt a surge of joy. For the jade scroll contained the very Ghost Dao Technique ¡°Soul Shattering Roar¡± that the woman had used earlier, originally a spell that could scatter the Soul Bodies of Fierce Ghosts with a single roar. However, it was later adapted by cultivators who drew inspiration from the Ghost Cultivation Technique, turning it into a spell that ordinary people could also practice. Qin Feng studied the method of casting the spell closely and discovered that perfecting it would truly require some effort. This was a spell that primarily used Divine Sense, with voice as a supplement, resonating voice and Divine Sense at a particular frequency to damage an opponent¡¯s Divine Soul. He tried to practice it and immediately felt intense pain in his head, which reminded him that he had previously been injured by this spell and had not yet recovered. With no other choice, he shook his head helplessly and set the jade scroll aside, then reached out for a palm-sized piece of beast skin. The beast skin was densely covered with writing; upon closer inspection, it was actually a technique on how to cultivate and control centipedes. No wonder that woman kept so many centipedes. The Iron Head Centipedes cultivated according to this technique were quite powerful, and if brought to Great Success, even Foundation Establishment Cultivators could be dealt with. However, this required substantial resources, in addition to years of meticulous care. As for such techniques, Qin Feng just glanced at them and didn¡¯t take them too seriously. Once he joined the Beast Taming Sect, he just needed to focus on cultivating his own Spiritual Beast, without the need to waste thoughts on these common Poison Insects. With that effort, he might as well cultivate the Swallowing Sky Toad, because to the toad, these Iron Head Centipedes were nothing more than a pile of little snacks. Qin Feng waved his hand and collected up all of the items, planning to rest for a while. Once his Sea of Consciousness was fully restored, he would then practice ¡°Soul Shattering Roar.¡± The next day, at noon. Qin Guanbao returned to the courtyard full of spirit, just in time to see Qin Feng walking out of the room with a pale face, looking listless and dejected. The Old Family Master shook his head repeatedly; young people, after getting a taste of the pleasures of the flesh, just don¡¯t know moderation. Just by looking at the complexion, it was clear that all his energy had been drained; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t look so depleted. The Old Family Master felt that he should find some time to properly enlighten him. Otherwise, if his grandnephew became immersed in the matters of men and women, it could affect his cultivation. ¡°Young man, moderation is key!¡± During the meal, the Old Family Master said to Qin Feng with a meaning-laden face, ¡°Never think that just because you are young, you can be reckless with your body; otherwise, when you get older, you¡¯ll understand what it means to be willing but powerless.¡± PS: Old Family Master: Young man, leave your recommendation tickets behind, and this old man will teach you a technique to strengthen your back! ¡°` Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Elders Arrival Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Elder¡¯s Arrival ¡°Moderation, moderation in what?¡± Because his head was still throbbing, Qin Feng¡¯s attention was somewhat scattered, and he hadn¡¯t grasped the meaning behind the Old Family Master¡¯s words for a moment. Sitting beside him, Qin Xi also didn¡¯t catch on, this girl merely looked at him with a face full of concern, worriedly asking, ¡°Afeng, why do you look so pale? Did something go wrong with your cultivation?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Qin Feng shook his head and said, ¡°I was just about to tell you all, last night¡­¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the Old Family Master gently coughed to interrupt him. The Old Family Master looked at Qin Feng with a kind face and said smilingly, ¡°You drank too much last night, there wasn¡¯t anything else was there.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Qin Feng was stunned, then he realized that the Old Family Master had misunderstood him, thinking he was about to talk about his visit to Baihua Pavilion last night, that¡¯s when it jogged his memory. He hurriedly said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Jiugong, for your concern. I¡¯m fine, last night after I drank too much, on my way home, a few Loose Cultivators tried to rob me¡­¡± ¡°Yah?¡± Qin Xi was startled, only then realizing why his complexion was so pale, she quickly asked, ¡°Did you, did you get hurt anywhere?¡± Old Family Master Qin Guanbao was also slightly taken aback, and then his face darkened. He didn¡¯t expect that there were Loose Cultivators daring enough to target a junior of his family? Hmph, those scoundrels were too audacious. It seemed like it was time to ask the enforcement team to clean up. At the same time, he also felt some relief. Fortunately, Qin Feng was unharmed, otherwise, he didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d explain it to Qin Long when he returned. ¡°What happened, tell me everything.¡± The Old Family Master commanded. ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Feng answered and said, ¡°It was like this at the time, after I left Baihua¡­ that is, after leaving the tavern, one Loose Cultivator pretended to be drunk and leaned towards me, and then¡­¡± He recounted the event simply but didn¡¯t mention that he had relied on the Swallowing Sky Toad to confront the enemy. Instead, he said that he had relied on the Spirit Talisman his father had privately given him to save his life to kill those Loose Cultivators, which is how he safely returned. Although he concealed many things in his words, it still reminded Qin Xi, and she murmured, ¡°It seems that from now on, I should also keep my possessions in separate places. Otherwise, if I ever lose my Storage Bag, wouldn¡¯t I lose everything inside?¡± Qin Feng laughed and said, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi is right. Even a smart rabbit has three burrows, and we Cultivators must naturally prepare several backups.¡± With that, he handed a Storage Bag to Qin Xi, ¡°This Storage Bag is for you, so you can keep your self-defense items in different places.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qin Xi hesitated. After all, a Storage Bag was worth several dozen Spirit Stones, and aside from what the family had given her, she had never received such a valuable gift. ¡°Take it, Sister Xiaoxi.¡± Qin Feng smiled, ¡°It was a gift anyway, I have two more here, so having too many of these isn¡¯t very useful.¡± ¡°Then, all right.¡± Qin Xi thought it over and did not refuse anymore. After all, we are one family, and when we go to the Sect in the future, we must support each other; there is no need to be so estranged. Seeing her accept it, Qin Feng took out the rest of the items and handed the two jade scrolls and the beast skin that recorded the technique of taming and controlling the Iron Head Centipede to the Old Family Master, indicating for him to take a look. ¡°Eh?¡± The Old Family Master first picked up the beast skin, and upon seeing the technique for controlling the centipede, his eyes lit up, ¡°Could this be a technique passed down from the Five Poisons Sect? Not bad, this technique may not compare to the Beast Taming inheritance of the Sect, but since the Sect¡¯s Beast Taming inheritance cannot be disclosed, currently only I and your father and a few others in the family can control Spiritual Beasts, leaving the methods for the rest of the family members not to be considered outstanding.¡± He turned the beast skin over and over, nodding in satisfaction a few times, ¡°Although the centipedes cultivated using this method may not be particularly strong, and it also requires the consumption of quite a few resources, with the accumulation of the family over these years, we can still select a few family members to secretly tame Poison Insects as a contingency.¡± Hearing this, Qin Feng nodded and pushed the pitch-black earthen jar toward the Old Family Master, ¡°This jar is the vessel that the woman used to cultivate centipedes, and it¡¯s also a Middle Grade Magic Artifact. If Ninth Grandpa is selecting family members, I think Cousin Qin Yang would be suitable.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Qin Guanbao gently nodded. He understood Qin Feng¡¯s intention. This was to give the earthen jar to Qin Yang, allowing Qin Yang to have an additional means of defending against enemies. Then he picked up the two jade scrolls. The Cultivation Method ¡°Thousand-Mile Instant Wind and Waves¡± was not particularly concerning for him; the family had already collected many Foundation Establishment Techniques of similar level, bringing it back would only add another collection to the Scripture Pavilion. However, the other ¡°Soul Shattering Roar¡± caught his attention. This was not a Cultivation Technique, but a Spell. But in Qin Guanbao¡¯s view, this Spell was much more useful than the Cultivation Technique recorded on the other jade scroll. Once mastered, using this technique during battle could often achieve miraculous effects. ¡°Haha, excellent, truly excellent.¡± Qin Guanbao happily patted Qin Feng¡¯s shoulder, and said with satisfaction, ¡°This Spell, along with the technique to control the centipede, will be very useful to the family. You have done a great service for the family. Thus, in the next three years, the resources provided by the family to you will be doubled as a reward.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ninth Grandfather.¡± Qin Feng did not refuse. Spirit Stones are good things ¨C he would certainly not complain about having too many. Given that the Old Family Master had made this decision, it was clear that the family could afford these expenditures with their current income. Qin Guanbao looked over the jade scroll that recorded ¡°Soul Shattering Roar¡± a few more times, committing it to memory before passing it to Qin Xi, asking her to take a look. If she could learn it too, it would be another method to defend against enemies. The only regret he had was that his own Shadow Leopard was not a lion or tiger type of powerful Spiritual Beast, unsuitable for using roaring as a method of attack. Otherwise, if combined with the appropriate Lifebound Spiritual Beast to execute this Spell, its power could greatly increase. As for Qin Long, it was a pity. The Old Family Master sighed softly in his heart. Originally, Qin Long¡¯s Lifebound Spiritual Beast was a Fiery Flame Fierce Tiger, most suitable for cultivating the ¡°Soul Shattering Roar¡± Spell. However, he was plotted against in his early years, not only was his Lifebound Spiritual Beast slain, but his Divine Soul Origin also suffered serious damage. If not for this, given Qin Long¡¯s talent, he wouldn¡¯t still be stuck at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage after so many years. Qin Guanbao felt regret, but he soon collected himself and did not show any negative emotions in front of the younger generation. Occasionally, he instructed Qin Feng and the other to not go out alone at night, in order to avoid repeating similar incidents. After that, he went to find Manager Qian Jiang, who was in charge of Tieling County¡¯s Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, and asked him to take action to have the Market¡¯s enforcement team clean up the Loose Cultivators who had broken the rules. Upon learning that there were Loose Cultivators bold enough to target disciples prepared by their own Sect, Manager Qian was furious. He immediately summoned all the enforcement teams, sweeping through the Market inside and out, resulting in quite a few unscrupulous Loose Cultivators getting implicated. As a result, the Market became much more orderly, and even those old, slick peddlers who had been setting up stalls for years were no longer conning visiting Cultivators. A few days passed like this, and the much-anticipated Outer Elder who was coming to take in disciples finally arrived at Tieling County. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Tower Ship Sword Boat Palace in the Clouds Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Tower Ship Sword Boat Palace in the Clouds That afternoon, a dragon¡¯s roar suddenly echoed from afar, resonating through heaven and earth, shaking the spirit of every living being. In an instant, every cultivator and civilian in Tieling County couldn¡¯t help but turn their gaze toward the direction from which the roar had come. They saw a hundred-zhang long, azure Jiao Dragon soaring through the distant sky. This Jiao Dragon was massive, its scales like armor, baring its fangs and claws as it controlled the sky, its howl spreading across a hundred miles, causing many birds and beasts to tremble in fear. And on the dragon¡¯s back, thick chains extended to the rear, pulling a several hundred-zhang long tower ship, headed toward the county. Such a fierce Jiao Dragon, merely being used as a beast of burden, left many cultivators who were witnessing this sight for the first time in utter shock. However, many old residents of Tieling County weren¡¯t surprised at all; instead, they boasted to those around them with shocked expressions, for they had seen this Jiao Dragon every dozen or so years. This was a Jiao Dragon tamed by the Beast Taming Sect, specifically used to pull tower ships to welcome new disciples. At the same time, it also showcased the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s overwhelming strength, planting the concept of their might in the hearts of the people, thereby making families with exceptionally talented offspring think of sending their descendants to the Beast Taming Sect. Of course, the powerful Demon Beasts used by the Beast Taming Sect for pulling were not limited to this Jiao Dragon; there were many other types of ferocious Demon Beasts. This year just happened to be this Jiao Dragon¡¯s turn to come to Chu Kingdom. ¡°Hmph!¡± Just as the Jiao Dragon¡¯s roar shook the heavens and the earth, suddenly, a cold voice was heard, followed by the sound of a sword cry. Everyone looked up and saw sword light flickering in the distant void, as a sword boat shaped like a Flying Sword approached at high speed. This was the signature magical treasure of Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave, the Flying Escape Sword Boat. Although the sword boat looked sharp and flew through the void at a very high speed, it was somewhat slender due to its shape, and therefore, its interior space was far less spacious than that of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s tower ship. Not far behind the tower ship and the sword boat, a palace surrounded by clusters of white clouds flew overhead. This majestic palace was emanating the fragrance of elixirs, and knowledgeable cultivators recognized it right away¡ªit was the Xiaguang Hall of Danxia Sect, a luxurious magical treasure crafted specifically for them, a wealthy Alchemy Sect. It boasted tremendous capabilities, both in flying escape through the void and in defense. Many cultivators were surprised, as they didn¡¯t expect these three major Sects to arrive in Tieling County together, which was indeed quite unusual. Although they all took in disciples at this time, under normal circumstances, they would stagger their routes to avoid direct overlap. This year, however, they all converged on Tieling County. Could it be that Tieling had produced some kind of genius figure this year, attracting all three major Sects to come and compete for the talent? With this thought, many cultivators became excited. Although the emergence of a genius didn¡¯t have much to do with them, it was still a topic of conversation, and in the future, it would add more weight when they boasted to others. Even more so, if they could find out the origin of this genius figure, they might be able to get close to the genius¡¯s family, and if they could even forge a marriage alliance with that family, once the genius grew up, they might even get a boost. In fact, there were quite a few harboring such ideas. Many cultivators quietly discussed among themselves, watching enviously as three large flying escape treasures rapidly approached through the air, lamenting their lack of opportunity to join these major Sects. Meanwhile, Qin Feng and other young men and women about to enter the Sect were preparing to greet the Outer Elder under the guidance of Manager Qian Jiang of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. It was only today that the Zhao Family disciples arrived at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion to meet everyone, and Qin Feng saw Zhao Jinglei once again. Of course, Young Master Zhao did not recognize him. At this moment, Zhao Jinglei was brimming with energy and in excellent condition, obviously having been cured of all Yin Evil within his body by his family using Spiritual Elixirs and Miracle Medicine. Moreover, it seemed like his cultivation had advanced one step further because of this. Qin Feng felt envious in his heart¡ªthis was the power of a major family, never lacking in resources for Spiritual Medicine. However, he quickly reined in his spirit and stopped dwelling on these irrelevant thoughts. Rather than envying others, it would be better to focus on improving oneself. As long as his cultivation steadily increased, it wasn¡¯t impossible to one day surpass these Noble Heirs. Moreover, he had the Demon Refining Pot, which represented a great opportunity. As the Jiao Dragon approached, a gust of wind buffeted the onlookers, causing their clothes to flap wildly and making it hard to breathe. With a thud, the hundred-zhang long Jiao Dragon landed on the ground, its trailing Tower Ship, however, did not touch down, but floated about three feet above the ground. The Jiao Dragon¡¯s four claws touched the blue stone slabs on the ground, sinking into them as if they were decaying earth. The originally firm stone slabs were deeply pierced by its sharp claws. It looked at the group of young boys and girls in front of it with some curiosity, its vertical, turquoise pupils gleaming. Slightly open, its huge mouth revealed rows of sharp teeth, exuding a fierce and cruel aura that panicked the teenagers and girls, causing the more timid among them to retreat continuously, hiding behind the others. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Manager Qian turned around and rebuked the crowd, ¡°This Jiao Dragon is tamed by our Sect, it¡¯s not going to eat you, is it?¡± ¡°Haha, Junior Brother Qian, there¡¯s no need to blame the children. When you and I first joined the Sect, weren¡¯t we the same?¡± A hearty laugh came from the Tower Ship, followed by the appearance of a burly middle-aged man with a disheveled beard, who lightly floated down from the ship. ¡°Greetings, Senior Brother Yan.¡± Qian Jiang bowed with hands clasped together and then asked with some confusion, ¡°Senior Brother, why did you come later than usual this time?¡± Yan Zhongli chuckled, his face filled with joy, but he did not disclose the reason in the midst of the crowd. Instead, he conveyed through a private message, ¡°A peerless talent with an Innate Dao Heart has emerged from Fengyang County. She can sense the intentions of all living beings¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Qian Jiang was greatly shocked, ¡°Talent with an Innate Dao Heart? Senior Brother, have you taken the disciple into our Sect?¡± Yan Zhongli¡¯s expression was one of pride, ¡°With my personal intervention, success was a matter of course. However, Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave and Danxia Sect also received the news and wanted to contest with our Beast Taming Sect for the disciple. In the process, an unforeseen incident occurred where Demon Sect agents infiltrated and kidnapped the child right under our noses. It took me quite some effort to rescue the girl.¡± He was truly pleased with himself. The young girl had been raised in the deep mountains, and her mind was pure. Naturally, she could sense the intentions of all plants, flying birds, and animals. Wherever she went, the grass and trees rejoiced, and the beasts welcomed her. Even those Demon Beasts that had gained sentience would not harm her. Such talent was indeed most suitable for practicing the techniques of the Beast Taming Sect. Of course, it was also suitable for practicing other techniques, such as the Sword Dao. She could easily comprehend Sword Intent, perceive Sword Heart, and achieve the realm of Sword Heart Clarity. Otherwise, Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave would not have contested with the Beast Taming Sect for the disciple. It could be said that any Sect would treat this girl as a core direct disciple to cultivate. As long as she did not fall midway, she was destined to grow into a mainstay of the Sect. After Yan Zhongli had rescued her from the hands of the Demon Sect, the girl naturally became a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. Qian Jiang envied him. He knew that with Yan Zhongli having taken in such a talented disciple, the Sect would surely reward him upon his return. At the same time, he also felt a hint of loss. Fengyang County bordered Tieling County and was just on the other side of Qifeng Mountain. If only the girl with the Innate Dao Heart had been born in Tieling County, he too might have shared in the glory and perhaps would have been called back to the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Regrettably, she was born in Fengyang County, just a mountain away. Qian Jiang sighed inwardly. He had been managing the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion¡¯s branch in Tieling County for sixty years and had no idea when he would be able to return to the Sect. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Evil Suppressing Dharma Eye Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Evil Suppressing Dharma Eye ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Qian Jiang bowed and said, ¡°Junior Brother has already prepared a banquet to welcome Senior Brother. Please, move this way.¡± ¡°This time, let¡¯s not.¡± Yan Zhongli gently shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m rebuffing your kindness, it¡¯s just that this time, in rescuing people from that demon, several days have already been delayed. I cannot stay here any longer; otherwise, it would be hard to explain if I return too late.¡± Qian Jiang understood, nodded, and did not insist further. According to the usual itinerary, Yan Zhongli still had more than ten commanderies to visit. If he were to stop at each commandery, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the Mountain Gate on time. ¡°In that case, Junior Brother will not keep Senior Brother any longer.¡± Qian Jiang reached out and took out a roster with detailed records of each disciple¡¯s origin and background. Before all new disciples are initiated, these cultivators stationed in various locations conduct thorough investigations on each prospective young initiate to ensure each disciple¡¯s background is clean, preventing individuals with ill intentions from infiltrating the Sect. This was only for Outer Disciples; entering the Inner Sect required passing through even more rigorous tests to eliminate all possible insiders to the greatest extent. Yan Zhongli took the roster in his hands, glanced over it briefly, and turned to beckon to a young man lying next to a Bengal tiger on the tower ship, ¡°Fang Zheng, you arrange these new disciples.¡± ¡°Yes, Martial Uncle.¡± The young man, accompanied by the tiger, quietly leaped down, taking the roster respectfully with both hands. He was called Fang Zheng, and his name was as upright as his appearance; his face radiated integrity, making it apparent he was a just and upright young man. Such a person, though not very tactful in handling matters, always adhered to the rules and was most trustworthy. Of course, he was also quite stubborn; once he believed in something, it was hard to persuade him otherwise. He turned to the group of young men and spoke loudly, ¡°My name is Fang Zheng, you can call me Senior Brother Fang. I am ordered by Martial Uncle Yan to escort all Junior Brothers to the Sect. To avoid delaying our return to the Sect, we will not stay here. I trust everyone has already said farewell to their families. Now, anyone whose name I call, should come up to the tower ship.¡± As his words fell, a rope ladder was dropped from the tower ship behind him. This rope ladder was specially prepared for these new disciples, as many had just opened their Spiritual Acupoints and had low Dao Cultivation; without this ladder, it would truly be difficult for these young men to climb aboard. ¡°Zhao Jinglei.¡± Fang Zheng opened the roster and meticulously read out the first name. ¡°Present.¡± The young heir of the Zhao Family quickly responded, stepping forward. Fang Zheng did not show any preferential treatment because he was a member of the Zhao Family; his expression unchanged, he just seriously looked him in the eye. And following Fang Zheng¡¯s gaze towards Zhao Jinglei was also the Bengal tiger by his side. The moment Zhao Jinglei was scrutinized by both man and tiger, he felt a shock in his heart, almost as if his deepest secrets were being seen through, making him somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, Fang Zheng soon shifted his gaze away from him and said lightly, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Zhao Jinglei then hurriedly gathered his spirit, somewhat frantically approached the rope ladder, and using his Light Body Skill, lightly tapped several times on the ladder and rather gracefully boarded the tower ship. After handing over the roster to Fang Zheng, Yan Zhongli stood beside Qian Jiang, watching these young men and softly chatting. After seeing Zhao Jinglei¡¯s performance, he couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly and glanced at Qian Jiang beside him, asking, ¡°Is this the descendant of Zhao Tianyi? He doesn¡¯t look very impressive!¡± Qian Jiang shook his head, ¡°Although this year¡¯s disciples are fairly decent, if you¡¯re talking about outstanding talents, there are none. Even though that Zhao Family boy has reached the late stage of Qi Refinement, his progress wasn¡¯t through his own painstaking cultivation but rather by relying on external forces to advance, merely staying ahead of others temporarily; he¡¯s not truly exceptional.¡± He sighed inwardly, thinking that the disciples from Tieling County this year were just mediocre, no different from previous years. After all, geniuses are hard to come by, easily. ¡°So it is.¡± Yan Zhongli glanced over the group of youths a few times then didn¡¯t bother to look further. As Qian Jiang had said, these disciples were mediocre and none stood out. However, his face soon regained a smile, ¡°That¡¯s my greed talking. True, ordinary talents are plentiful, but those once-in-a-millennium cultivation seeds are naturally not as abundant, discovering even one is a stroke of tremendous luck.¡± Meanwhile, Fang Zheng was reciting the names of the youths selected from Tieling County, pausing to scrutinize each youth as they passed in front of him. Each youth scrutinized by him couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of reverence deep in their hearts towards him. Soon, Qin Feng heard his name. As he approached Fang Zheng, he immediately understood why the preceding youths had acted so unnaturally in front of him. It was because the other¡¯s gaze seemed to contain endless authority, revealing the true nature of anyone with ill intentions and instilling fear in the hearts of those who had committed misdeeds. This appeared to be some special Divine Skill. Even though Qin Feng considered himself a person with principles, he felt extremely uncomfortable under that gaze, as if someone was righteously criticizing his past misconduct. Fortunately, Fang Zheng only examined these disciples for a moment, and as long as no one was impersonating others, the rest didn¡¯t concern him. Thus, to avoid putting too much pressure on the new disciples, he quickly withdrew his gaze. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly grabbed the rope ladder, propelling himself upwards with a few quick steps until he was on the tower ship. His ascent was relatively smooth, after all, he had reached the third level of Qi Refinement, and his practice of common spells was also very proficient during this period. Those youths from poor families had comparatively weaker cultivation, mostly at the first or second level of Artifact Refining, with a few who had just recently opened their Spiritual Acupoints and didn¡¯t know any spells, clumsily using their hands and feet to climb laboriously. Qian Jiang, observing the youths¡¯ awestruck demeanor in front of Fang Zheng, couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Nephew Fang indeed has excellent fortune and talent, having been able to cultivate Divine Skills ahead of time. Given his current realm, he might be able to form a Golden Core within a few years.¡± Yan Zhongli nodded, ¡°Indeed, Nephew Fang¡¯s talent is truly remarkable, and what¡¯s rarer is his Daoist Heart¡¯s strong alignment with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, which enabled him to cultivate Divine Skills prematurely due to a fortuitous match. In fact, based on his abilities and talent, he should have entered the Inner Sect a long time ago, but unfortunately, during the evaluation that year, he was sabotaged by a few Noble Heirs using underhanded tactics, ultimately exhausting his Spiritual Power and failing to advance, forcing him to continue his cultivation in the Outer Sect.¡± Hearing this, Qian Jiang raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He too was a Noble Heir from a Sect family, and it was indeed hard to respond to that remark. Yan Zhongli didn¡¯t mind and continued, ¡°However, it¡¯s not too late now. Nephew Fang¡¯s Lifebound Spiritual Beast possesses the Bi¡¯an Bloodline, whose Innate Divine Ability can distinguish loyalty from treachery, discern good from evil, and intimidate the unlawful; all who harbor ill intentions are unable to hide in its presence. Once Nephew Fang cultivated this Evil Suppressing Dharma Eye with the help of his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, he was designated by the Law Enforcement Hall¡¯s Mingxin Hall Master as a potential disciple for the Inner Sect, just waiting for him to complete his trial. Speaking of which, this lad¡¯s future prospects could be much stronger than those juniors who schemed against him.¡± Qian Jiang smiled and remained silent. He knew Yan Zhongli¡¯s disposition, and the words were not intended to stir up tension between Sect families and disciples from poorer backgrounds, but were simply a spontaneous remark. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 The Disaster of the Pond Fish Chapter 50: Chapter 50 The Disaster of the Pond Fish After Qin Feng had boarded the towering ship, even though he had long known this vessel was incredibly large, the sight in front of him still left him somewhat astounded. The ship spanned about three hundred yards in length and sixty yards in width, featuring five levels of space. Apart from a large hall on the topmost layer, the remaining floors were densely packed with numerous rooms. At that moment, the deck was crowded with hundreds of young men and women, many of whom leaned against the railings, chatting and laughing as they looked down at the crowd below. These youngsters, like Qin Feng, had been selected from various counties and were about to join the Beast Taming Sect as disciples. While Qin Feng was still looking around, a young man dressed in the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciple attire called out to him. After asking his name, the young man registered it in a booklet, then handed him a small wooden plaque inscribed with the characters for ¡°Bing, One Hundred and Twenty-Eight.¡± ¡°This is your room token. Follow up to the second floor on your own, and for the next few days, you can focus on cultivating there. If you feel stifled, you can also come up to the deck for some air.¡± The young disciple casually instructed him and then waved him off, shifting his attention to another young man following behind Qin Feng. Qin Feng paused for a moment, waiting until Qin Xi came up and also received her room number, only to find they were on the same floor, albeit one on the left and one on the right. As he accompanied Qin Xi to the right to help her find her room, he realized this side was entirely occupied by female disciples. Clearly, male disciples did not usually come to this side, which caused the dozens of young girls to all turn their gaze towards Qin Feng with pairs of curious eyes that made him feel quite uncomfortable. After helping Qin Xi find her room and agreeing to meet later to go to the deck, he quickly hurried away. Soon, he found his own room on the other side. Upon opening the door and glancing around, he noticed the furnishings were exceptionally simple, lacking even a bed. This tower ship was not originally built for these yet-to-be initiated disciples, but rather used when sect disciples mobilized en masse. It was only temporarily repurposed to acclimate them. The sect had clearly not considered the feelings of these new disciples when constructing the tower ship, hence the room was simple: just two cushions and a low table, with nothing else. In fact, disciples in the Qi Refinement Realm could already replace sleep with meditation, though many newly initiated small cultivators were still not quite accustomed to it. Qin Feng had all his belongings in a storage bag, so there was nothing much to unpack. He just looked around and then turned to go out, meeting up with Qin Xi, who was waiting nearby. Together, they descended the stairs to the deck to bid farewell to the old family master. They didn¡¯t have much to say, as all necessary conversations had been held over the past few days. Instead, the old family master transmitted a few more words of caution, advising them to diligently practice their cultivation at the sect and avoid causing trouble or unnecessarily provoking disciples with influential backgrounds to avoid attracting misfortune. Although these were often-repeated phrases, they listened with utmost seriousness. The old family master may have had a somewhat reckless lifestyle, but apart from regularly using spirit stones to care for the unfortunate women at Baihua Pavilion, he had no other vices and took good care of his family¡¯s younger generation. This was evident from his tireless repeated reminders of these trivial matters to Qin Feng and Qin Xi. Soon, dozens of youths from Tieling County had all boarded the ship, and Fang Zheng, who had checked their identities, also leapt onto the deck. With his arrival, many of the young men and women on the deck felt somewhat ill at ease, likely all having been scrutinized by his Evil Suppressing Dharma Eye previously. These new disciples had low cultivation, so it was normal for them to feel a bit intimidated. However, Fang Zheng handled the situation well and did not leave any lasting shadows in these young minds, as that would have been extremely detrimental to their future cultivation. Thus, the group of youngsters quickly returned to normal. Although they subconsciously spoke in lower voices, they were not overly fearful of Fang Zheng. Instead, many of them were curiously looking at the fierce tiger beside him. Among these youngsters, several came from families no less prestigious than Zhao Family of Tieling. Their elders had told them about Fang Zheng¡¯s prowess when they were boarding the tower ship and also mentioned his lifebound spiritual beast contained Bi¡¯an bloodline, warning their descendants not to provoke Fang Zheng. Over the course of several days aboard the tower ship, one of the noble heirs spread this information, making many envious of Fang Zheng¡¯s lifebound spiritual beast. Bi¡¯an is considered a Dragon Son, possessing extremely pure Dragon Clan bloodline, regarded as a type of divine beast. With Fang Zheng¡¯s lifebound spiritual beast harboring divine beast bloodline, his future prospects appeared exceedingly bright. Even if the tiger¡¯s bloodline was not pure, it might still ascend in bloodline purity, evolving into a true Dragon Son Bi¡¯an. These youngsters felt envious, desiring such a majestic and potentially limitless lifebound spiritual beast for themselves. Unfortunately, spiritual beasts with divine beast bloodline were exceedingly rare, and even if found, with their current strength, they might not be able to subdue such spiritual beasts. Although Yan Zhongli had stated he wouldn¡¯t stay here long, he wasn¡¯t indifferent, intentionally waiting a short while longer after all the Tieling County¡¯s youngsters had boarded. He allowed some of them to say farewell to their family elders. After all, it might be a short while before they saw each other again, or perhaps, they might never meet again. The cultivation world was never safe, with various crises lurking, potentially leading to sudden perilous situations that could cost them their lives. Shortly afterward, Yan Zhongli bid farewell to Qian Jiang and others, leapt onto the tower ship, and commanded to set sail. The fierce green Jiao Dragon, covered in scale armor, roared softly. With a gentle press of its claws on the ground, its body soared into the air, pulling the entire tower ship into the sky. Qin Feng and Qin Xi waved towards the old family master, watching until the Jiao Dragon carrying the tower ship vanished into the clouds and the old family master¡¯s figure disappeared from view. They then lowered their hands with a hint of melancholy. ¡°From now on, I am truly stepping into the cultivation world,¡± Qin Feng murmured to himself. If he had stayed with his family, under the protection of his father and family in a remote small city like Kun City, he would likely not encounter any great danger. But he was not content with mediocrity, harboring a heart aspiring for longevity. The moment he stepped out of his home, he was prepared to face the harshest aspects of the cultivation world. Indeed, having previously been ambushed by three loose cultivators at the market had given him a glimpse of the dark side of the cultivation world. But since that was merely a skirmish among lower-level small cultivators and he hadn¡¯t suffered much, instead gaining some advantage by killing them, he hadn¡¯t taken it too seriously. He felt that given his modest cultivation, facing a major crisis would likely be far in the future, as with his current Dao cultivation, realistically speaking, he shouldn¡¯t even be able to encounter powerful cultivators. However, he had forgotten one phrase, called the disaster of the pond fish. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Ambushed Midway Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Ambushed Midway The azure sky was filled with slowly drifting white clouds that constantly changed shape under the blowing of the Nine Heavens Gang Wind. A blue Jiao Dragon dragged a massive tower ship that was hundreds of meters in length, slicing right through the middle of a cloud, splitting it in two. Qin Feng stood at the railing of the ship¡¯s bow, gazing far into the horizon. He watched the sea of clouds surge and overlooked the rivers and mountains below, his mood greatly uplifted. Despite the fierce Gang Wind high in the Void, a protective shield had risen around the tower ship, so he did not feel the slightest chill while standing on the deck; instead, the setting sun¡¯s rays made it feel exceptionally warm. Such high altitudes were not usually flown by Foundation Establishment Cultivators either. The higher one flew, the more intense the Void Gang Wind became. Flying against the wind not only limited speed but also required consuming a substantial amount of True Yuan to withstand the wind¡¯s assault. Although Foundation Establishment Cultivators could fly using Spiritual Artifacts, they generally did so below the clouds, rarely above them. Only those who had achieved the Golden Core, significantly enhancing their controlling power over nature¡¯s spiritual energy, could fly freely into the high skies without fear of the fierce Gang Wind of the Void. Thus, such heights were not places for low-level cultivators. Qin Feng, being able to enjoy sights unseen by ordinary cultivators, was naturally in a pleasant mood. If not for those few annoying people nearby, it would have been even better! He turned and glanced back at Zhao Jinglei and the others, feeling disheartened. Did these guys not need to cultivate? How did they always end up near him? He didn¡¯t like Zhao Jinglei. In the previous several days, as the Jiao Dragon dragged the tower ship across the twenty-eight counties of Chu Kingdom, numerous disciples, ranging from dozens to hundreds, were picked up from each Commandery. Among them, some from the Commanderies were quite talented, managing to gather the youths of their areas together, forming small factions. Upon seeing this, Zhao Jinglei grew envious, so he gathered about dozens of individuals from Tieling County, spoke a few brazen words, essentially suggesting that they should rally around him once they joined the Sect. In essence, his goal was to enlist these people under his command to wield power as his underlings. Qin Feng could have ignored such an arrogant second-generation, but what he didn¡¯t expect was that this guy started to set his sights on Qin Xi. Knowing the nature of such noble heirs, Qin Feng had heard of Zhao Jinglei¡¯s reputation in the market, a man accustomed to being a playboy in the Commandery. He was just casually flirting with Qin Xi now, not caring whether it would lead to anything serious, and wouldn¡¯t take it to heart afterward. Although annoyed, Qin Feng did not confront him openly since the other¡¯s family was much more powerful than his. If he couldn¡¯t afford to offend him, then it was best to keep distance, and once he entered the Sect, there would be no need to bother about this person. Disciples of the Outer Gate of the Beast Taming Sect were scattered everywhere. As long as they weren¡¯t assigned to the same peak, it was unlikely for the two to cross paths again. ¡°Junior Sister Jingxin.¡± Just as Qin Feng was contemplating keeping his distance from Zhao Jinglei, he suddenly heard several respectful words coming from behind. Looking back, there was a young girl in white descending the stairs, heading toward the deck. This girl, appearing around fourteen or fifteen years old, did not possess a high level of cultivation; around the fifth or sixth stage of Qi Refinement at most. Yet everywhere she went, disciples of all ages and cultivation levels respectfully greeted her. Even several individuals, who considered their family backgrounds extraordinary, including Zhao Jinglei, went up to enthusiastically offer their services. In fact, the girl¡¯s appearance was not strikingly beautiful, but she exuded an aura of spirituality, warmth, and peace, making everyone around her feel at ease. Even those noble heirs who approached her with ulterior motives found their malintent dissipate as they got closer, replaced by a sense of shame deep within their hearts. Because of the peaceful aura she emitted, even the more acerbic female disciples rarely spoke ill of her. Qin Feng knew this girl; her name was Lin Jingxin. Although she rarely showed herself, staying mostly in her room on the fourth floor with the character ¡®A¡¯ for cultivation, her few outings inevitably made her widely recognized. It was said she was from Fengyang County, separated from Qin Feng¡¯s hometown, Kun City, by just one mountain range. However, Qin Feng had no intention of greeting her, and even actively moved a few dozen feet away to avoid the group of noble heirs around Lin Jingxin when he noticed she was also walking towards the bow. Lin Jingxin glanced at Qin Feng, who had deliberately avoided her, and then at the noble heirs beside her, unable to suppress a slight frown. She was of a mild temperament, rarely getting angry and capable of maintaining a calm and gentle heart towards people and all living beings. But her spirit was too pure, allowing her to easily sense whether others¡¯ intentions towards her were good or evil, sincere or ill-willed. Although other youths also admired her, they dared not show it openly, while those noble heirs nearby were full of vile intentions, which irritated her. Regrettably, they lacked the sense to keep their distance, sticking to her like a plaster every time she wanted to get some fresh air, much to her annoyance. If only these noble heirs could keep their distance like the young man not far away, allowing her some peace and quiet. Meanwhile, the youth who had kept his distance had turned his attention to the Jiao Dragon pulling the tower ship. This Jiao Dragon had a massive body, each scale the size of a palm and a single horn atop its head; its robust legs were armed with four sharp claws. He had witnessed the sharpness of the Jiao Dragon¡¯s claws back in Tieling County¡ªjust a casual landing could break the bluestone slabs on the ground, not to mention the fearsome damage it could inflict on a person. Qin Feng remembered his father once told him that the Long Family, the leader among the nine affiliated families of the Sect, cultivated Jiao Dragons as their main Lifebound Spiritual Beasts. He felt a twinge of envy¡ªno wonder the Long Family had grown so formidable. Any Jiao Dragon could become a powerful force when matured, obviously beyond the reach of average disciples. It was only due to the difficulty in breeding Jiao Dragons that the Long Family could not ensure that every generation received a young Jiao Dragon as a Lifebound Spiritual Beast, otherwise, if every family member possessed one, their family¡¯s strength would be overwhelmingly terrifying. As he was engrossed in his thoughts, suddenly, a deafening roar from the Jiao Dragon shook Qin Feng and those around him on the bow, causing their blood to surge. The many young disciples on the deck were alarmed, unsure what had enraged the dragon. However, before their gaze could fully settle on the Jiao Dragon, a sudden pitch-black light burst upward with a loud crash, breaking through the tower ship¡¯s protective shield and even leaving a deep gash across the sturdy body of the ship. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Tower Ship Lands, Demon Beast Attacks Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Tower Ship Lands, Demon Beast Attacks Yan Zhongli merged with his lifebound spiritual beast, transforming into a thirty-foot giant ape that possessed infinite strength. He made the first move, striking toward the red-dressed enchantress. His palm carried an immense force, and even before it landed, the woman felt somewhat suffocated. With a cold snort, the woman flipped her palm upward, and her bright red sleeves suddenly enlarged, transforming into a red sea, softly blocking above her head. Boom! Yan Zhongli¡¯s strike descended but felt as though it hit nothing substantial, as the layered red gauze diffused much of the power. Even so, the small fraction of remaining power was still not easy to handle. His lifebound spiritual beast, the Great Strength Divine Ape, possessed innate divine strength. If cultivated to a profound realm, moving mountains and filling seas were mere trifles. Moreover, he had used the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s secret techniques to help the Divine Ape devour a considerable amount of the Thunder Giant Ape¡¯s essence blood, allowing his lifebound spiritual beast to comprehend thunder magic, making its power three times stronger than before. The Demon Beasts devouring each other to strengthen their own bloodlines wasn¡¯t uncommon. Qin Feng¡¯s Demon Refining Pot merely enhanced this ability; in essence, refining other demon beast¡¯s essence blood and integrating it into oneself was the most basic evolutionary path from countless years of demon beast slaughter. Since its foundation, the Beast Taming Sect had been researching how to tame spiritual beasts, how to raise their realm and war power; therefore, the use of demon beast essence blood had reached an ultimate level, much more sophisticated than the barbaric devouring of many demon beasts. Only in this way, could they maximize the advancement of the spiritual beasts they reared. As an outer sect elder of the Beast Taming Sect and a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator, Yan Zhongli of course took great care in nurturing his lifebound spiritual beast. Even more so, the strength of his lifebound spiritual beast surpassed his own; after devouring the Thunder Giant Ape¡¯s essence blood, it had already reached the peak of the Demon Core, just one step away from developing a Purple Mansion. So when his strike landed on the Demon Heart Envoy¡¯s red sleeves, it carried an immense force along with potent Thunder Power. ¡°Damn!¡± The color drained from the red-dressed woman¡¯s face. Once a Beast Taming Sect cultivator merged with their lifebound spiritual beast, it was never as simple as just adding one plus one. Spiritual beasts all have innate divine abilities, immensely powerful; and Yan Zhongli¡¯s Divine Ape had been trained to wield thunder, which, combined with his own strength and intellect, made his war power far exceed what it had been before. That was why Yan Zhongli was confident in facing four against one, holding off four Golden Core Late Stage cultivators. As thunder magic shattered illusions, the red-dressed woman dared not take the hit head-on. She quickly flashed her figure, spinning away from the spot, avoiding Yan Zhongli¡¯s power. At that moment, Yan Zhongli heard Daoist Gui Xin¡¯s shout and his face changed immediately. A glance downward revealed wisps of black smoke rising, transforming into ropes that entangled the tower ship. Simultaneously, two other figures burst forth, lunging towards the tower ship. ¡°How dare you!¡± Yan Zhongli bellowed, ¡°Green Fox, Yin Snake, you dare strike against the disciples of my Beast Taming Sect, do you wish for your clans to be annihilated?¡± Upon hearing Yan Zhongli¡¯s roar, the two figures trembled slightly, fear dominated by the long-time dominance of the Beast Taming Sect surging in their hearts. However, Daoist Gui Xin quickly spoke, ¡°Green Fox, you have already shown yourselves, there is no turning back. Even if you retreat now, do you think the Beast Taming Sect would spare your clan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, now the only choice is to help us,¡± a voice echoed, ¡°If you help us capture that girl, you¡¯ll have rendered a great service. Taking refuge under our Yin Spirit Holy Sect is far better than suffering under the oppression of the Beast Taming Sect.¡± Below, two Demon Clan members who had reached the Demon Core Realm exchanged glances, both seeing the ferocity in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go all out.¡± The slender Three-Tailed Green Fox snorted coldly, ¡°Instead of being used as target practice by the Beast Taming Sect to train their disciples, we might as well gamble on this chance. If we succeed, we might gain our freedom.¡± Another creature, a black-scaled python over ten zhang in length, nodded its massive head and hissed in agreement, ¡°Fine. After this is done, I want that Jiao Dragon¡¯s inner core. If I swallow the Jiao Dragon Inner Core, perhaps I can transform into a Yin Jiao.¡± Without further hesitation, the two Demon Core Realm Demon Monsters launched themselves towards the Tower Ship. The Green Jiao Dragon pulling the ship twisted its body, breaking free from the chains that bound it. With a mighty roar, it conjured a burst of white froth in front of it, transforming into streams of water, blocking the path of the two attackers. The Green Fox scoffed and raised its claws to tear through the water defenses, ripping through layer upon layer of water light with its phantom-like strikes. The black-scaled Yin Snake opened its jaws and spewed a stream of black water. This Poison Water was exceptionally toxic, releasing a foul stench that spread for miles around, corroding several layers of the water light defense in an instant. The three Demon Beasts fought viciously together, their presence enormous and the Demon Energy rising to the heavens. Due to the proximity to the Tower Ship, the already damaged vessel began to wobble and shake. Moreover, the noxious Poison Water spewed by the Yin Snake was aimed at the Jiao Dragon, but the fumes that dispersed made the young cultivators aboard the ship feel tight-chested, breathless, and struggling to breathe. ¡°All disciples obey, take cover in the nearest rooms or cabins!¡± At the moment when panic washed over the boys and girls on the ship, Fang Zheng, who leapt into the air on his black tiger, bellowed the command, instantly providing a pillar of support for the disciples who hurried towards the closest rooms and cabins. Qin Feng executed the Divine Movement Technique and Light Body Skill, instantly becoming light as a swallow, quickly outpacing most of the disciples. With a leap, he jumped from the deck to the second floor, rushing to Qin Xi¡¯s side and pulling her into a room. Before all the disciples could take shelter in their cabins, the ropes transformed from black smoke suddenly tightened. A powerful pulling force from below started to drag the Tower Ship downwards. Because the ship¡¯s Prohibition had been partially damaged and could not be fully powered, it couldn¡¯t break free from this pulling force. As the Tower Ship closed in on the ground, the Sect Disciple controlling the vessel became extremely anxious. ¡°Crash it down.¡± Seeing the ground forces controlling the Array, a congregation of Little Demons, Fang Zheng¡¯s face went cold as he yelled to the disciple at the ship¡¯s helm, ¡°If it can¡¯t be freed, then crash it down hard into the area with the highest concentration of Demon Monsters!¡± The disciple, without hesitation, steered the ship viciously towards the gathering place of the Demon Monsters below. Boom, boom, boom¡­ A massive noise erupted, dust billowed into the sky, and the ground Array was destroyed by the crashing Tower Ship, which also fell to the ground, crushing dozens of Little Demons in the process. However, these Demon Monsters, not yet capable of Transformation and driven by a low intelligence and a ferocious bloodlust, swarmed towards the Tower Ship as soon as it hit the ground. There were hundreds of them, primarily from the Fox Clan and the Snake Clan. Foxes with sharp, hook-like claws screeched and leaped onto the deck, scrabbling against the hull. Colorful poisonous snakes and pythons hissed as they slithered their bodies up the ship, spewing venomous fog, following the various scents lingered in the air, and pursued the direction where the young boys and girls sought refuge. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Heirs Way of Combat Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Heirs¡¯ Way of Combat ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± Yan Zhongli bellowed angrily, and with a wave of his hand, released two more Spiritual Beasts. One was a great eagle with wings nearly thirty meters wide, and the other was a snow wolf with silvery-white fur. Both of these Spiritual Beasts had the Cultivation of early-stage Demon Cores. Although Yan Zhongli had dedicated the majority of his energy and Cultivation resources to his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, he wasn¡¯t without other Spiritual Beasts for combat; it was just that these beasts¡¯ strength paled in comparison to that of his Lifebound one. Originally, he did not want to deploy these two Spiritual Beasts, for their early-stage Demon Core Cultivation would hardly make a difference against several Demon Cultivators at the late Golden Core stage, and there was a risk they could be injured or worse. But now, he could not afford to be so cautious. Releasing these two Spiritual Beasts, he ordered them to go down and slaughter the Little Demons attacking the Tower Ship, to prevent heavy casualties among the younger disciples, which would make it difficult for him to report back to the Sect. ¡°Facing the four of us and still trying to divide your attention, Daoist Fellow Yan, you are underestimating us too much.¡± The woman in red let out a cold laugh as she waved her sleeve, which extended a hundred meters, blocking the path of the two Spiritual Beasts. The other three unleashed their moves, swirling with Demonic Qi and chilling Ghost Energy, in a fierce battle with Yan Zhongli that was difficult to resolve. ¡°Hiss hiss¡­¡± A thick, spotted snake spat out a jet of poison mist at Fang Zheng, covering a radius of several meters and forcing nearby Fox Demons to dodge. The Snake Demons, however, were fearless and slithered around within the mist. ¡°Ignorant of your own mortality.¡± Fang Zheng¡¯s face turned cold, and his eyes bulged. In an instant, the Bengal Tiger under Fang Zheng¡¯s seat pounced close, raised its fan-like paw, and with one swipe, turned the snake¡¯s head into mush. At the same time, figures shot out from various parts of the Tower Ship, each with the Cultivation of the Foundation Establishment stage. These were the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Cultivators assigned to protect the new disciples during their inauguration. When they appeared, they cried out loud, each summoning three to five Spirit Beasts from their Spiritual Beast Bags. Although the power of these Spirit Beasts varied greatly, with some at the late Foundation Establishment stage and others only at the Qi Refinement Realm, the arrival of these Spirit Beasts caused the assault of the Fox Demons and Snake Demons to stutter momentarily as these Spirit Beasts intercepted several of the more powerful Demon Beasts. This was the combat method of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciples ¨C never fighting alone, but instead summoning their Spirit Beasts to attack the enemy together. However, the number of Fox Demons and Snake Demons was vast, with three to four dozen at the Foundation Establishment level. Even with the disciples each having one or two Foundation Establishment Spirit Beasts, it was difficult to hold all these Demon Beasts back. Fortunately, the Tower Ship itself served as a battle fortress, with individual prohibitions for defense in every room, which ordinary Demon Beasts found hard to break through and invade in a short time. However, eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including Fang Zheng, grew desperate and merged with their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, transforming into half-human, half-beast forms. With the innate Divine Abilities and mighty physiques of the Spiritual Beasts, they slew many Demon Beasts. Especially Fang Zheng, now half-man, half-tiger, with his hands transformed into razor-sharp tiger claws. With a swipe, he burst the head of a Foundation Establishment Snake Demon, and with a sweep of his tiger tail, he shattered another Fox Demon¡¯s head. At that moment, Fang Zheng¡¯s displayed war power was so strong that calling him a Half-Step Golden Core would not be an exaggeration. As the Beast Taming Sect was named after Beast Taming, its research on various Demon Beasts was naturally second to none. Since Fox Demons and Snake Demons were common Demon Monsters, these Foundation Establishment Cultivators could often find their weak spots and manage to kill them with a single blow. It was precisely through the fierce combat display by Fang Zheng and the others that they managed to block the way for the vast majority of the Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts. Still, some formidable Demon Beasts managed to bypass them and charged toward the cabins. More than ten of them were headed for the upstairs, aiming for Lin Jingxin. After all, this Human Clan woman was their target. If they captured her, their two clans could follow the Yin Spirit Sect¡¯s Holy Envoys and leave this place in search of a new sanctuary. Although not all the Demon Monsters necessarily understood why their leader wanted to relocate, it didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t understand; they just needed to follow orders. At this moment, inside the central hall on the fourth floor¡ªthe one with the strongest defense¡ªLin Jingxin and the other late-stage Qi Refinement disciples were on high alert. Those who could reach the late-stage Qi Refinement cultivation at such an age were either exceptionally talented or came from great noble families. When these Noble Heirs went out, the elders of their families naturally worried about them, so they bestowed upon them plenty of life-preserving objects. When the Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts combined forces to breach the doors of the ship¡¯s cabin on the fourth floor, the overwhelming one-sided slaughter they expected did not occur. Instead, the moment the doors were opened, they were caught off guard by a rebuttal of various powerful Spirit Talismans and Spiritual Artifacts. Not only were two Fox Demons at the forefront killed outright, but the remaining Demon Monsters also suffered injuries of varying degrees. The Demon Beasts looked somewhat stunned at the group of Noble Heirs wielding Spirit Talismans and Spiritual Artifacts, hesitating whether they should continue their attack. To attack meant to endure the onslaught of Spirit Talisman attacks from these Noble Heirs, and besides, each of the Noble Heirs was enveloped in shimmering spirit light, all protected by their own Defensive Magic. It was unlikely the Demon Beasts could breach their defenses in a short period. However, if they retreated now, failing to capture Lin Jingxin, the Yin Spirit Sect might not be willing to shelter their group, which meant they would have to face the wrath of the Beast Taming Sect alone. But with their small tribe, how could they possibly stand up to the crushing power of the Beast Taming Sect? They wouldn¡¯t even be able to flee. A few Demon Beasts exchanged glances and decided to go all out! Boom, boom, boom¡­ Despite the barrage of Spirit Talisman attacks from the Noble Heirs, the Demon Beasts forcibly charged into the cabin. Then they were greeted with even more Spirit Talismans and Spells. Upon seeing the Demon Beasts breaking in, the Noble Heirs scrambled, throwing out various life-preserving objects in panic, managing to nearly halve the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts, while the few survivors, battered and bruised, had no choice but to retreat from the cabin and face off once more. For a time, both parties held back, cautious of each other. The life-saving Spirit Talismans on the Noble Heirs weren¡¯t too numerous. A few of the more timid ones had already expended all their Spirit Talismans in the shock of the moment, and now without means to repel foes, could only hide in trepidation behind those young ones who still held Spirit Talismans. On the second floor, Qin Feng and Qin Xi stayed tense in their room, listening to the various sounds of combat outside. He sensed Qin Xi¡¯s nervousness and softly comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid; those demons can¡¯t breach our defenses. The high-level Cultivators from the nearby markets will soon receive the news and come to our rescue. By then, not only will those demonic heads meet their end, but the Demon Monsters outside will also not escape death.¡± Qin Xi nodded her head, took a deep breath to calm her emotions, and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid; it¡¯s just that this is my first time seeing such a situation, so I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Qin Feng thought for a moment, then took out a Middle Grade Magic Artifact Willow Leaf Saber from his Storage Bag and handed it to her, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, we haven¡¯t been admitted to a Sect yet, and apart from the ordinary talismans given by our family, we have no substantial means of self-defense. The power of this artifact is decent enough; refine it quickly. That way, in case the Demon Beasts do break in, you won¡¯t be without the power to fight back.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qin Xi hesitated; after all, the Willow Leaf Saber was a Middle Grade Magic Artifact and worth quite a few Spirit Stones. Just then, a thud of something heavy falling sounded outside their door. The two of them were startled and quickly held their breath in caution, staying on guard. After a moment, when no other sounds were heard, they finally relaxed. ¡°What are you thinking about at a time like this?¡± Without further ado, Qin Feng directly stuffed the Willow Leaf Saber into Qin Xi¡¯s delicate hand, ¡°Refine it quickly, I will go check the situation at the door.¡± Saying that, he rose and walked to the door, pressing his ear against it for a while but he didn¡¯t hear any sound. Qin Feng finally heaved a sigh of relief and gently cracked open a slit in the small window of the door, squinting his eyes to peep outside. Then he saw a pair of bloodshot eyes, staring straight back at him. PS: Thanks to Titanium Leek, Scholar with a Strong Memory, Wind Stops When Love Leaves, Pandora¡¯s Tribute, Ink Water, Orange Loving Monkey123, Swimming in the Desert, Jeweled Guard, a reader from 20181126014804840, and others for their donations! Your support leaves the author deeply moved. Enjoy the hefty 2500-word chapter¡ªheehee¡­ Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Cold Ice Sword Talisman Slays Green Fox Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Cold Ice Sword Talisman Slays Green Fox ¡°Ah¡­¡± Qin Feng was startled by those eyes and jerked backward. The eyes outside stared at him strangely, unsure why he had made such a noise. Then, they slightly tilted back, revealing a furry fox face. This was a Fox Demon with Foundation Establishment strength, which had been severely injured and blasted from the fourth floor to the second, landing right in front of Qin Xi¡¯s door. Originally, the Fox Demon was about to get up and leave, but just then Qin Feng had opened a crack in the window, causing it to notice and turn its head toward it. Upon discovering that there were two Small Cultivators hiding in the room, a cruel smile appeared on the Fox Demon¡¯s face. Then, its eyes flashed a dark light, staring fixedly at Qin Feng through the small window. Qin Feng felt his spirit become dizzy, and he staggered forward two steps, about to open the Prohibition and the door. ¡°Afeng, what are you doing?¡± Qin Xi was slightly stunned and immediately noticed something wrong with Qin Feng. She hurriedly pulled him back and also activated a Talisman, which transformed into a fireball and shot out the window. Outside, the Fox Demon quickly avoided its eyes, and the fireball hit the fur behind its ears. Though the Fox Demon quickly extinguished the fire with its Demon Energy, its fur was still singed. Pain came, and the Fox Demon felt annoyed, raising its claw and striking the door with a bang. The door was protected by a Prohibition and flickered with Spirit Light a few times without being breached. Regardless, the Fox Demon continually struck with its claws, bringing sharp gusts of air as it attacked the door. In the room, once Qin Feng was out of the Fox Demon¡¯s sight, he quickly regained his senses. Recalling his previous actions, he broke out into a sweat. ¡°That was a powerful Illusion Technique.¡± Qin Feng felt a chill, not expecting the Fox Demon¡¯s Illusion Technique to be so sophisticated that just a glance through the door crack could bewitch his spirit. With a snap, he closed the small window in the door. He felt it was better not to look out, as the battle outside was not something he could handle. It was wiser to hide here and wait for the Sect Cultivators to come to their aid, which would ensure their safety. He still wished to cultivate into an Immortal and achieve eternal life. If he didn¡¯t even enter the Sect and ended up dying on the way like those unfortunate ones on the deck earlier, it would be far too grievous. However, as much as he wanted to hide, the Fox Demon outside did not intend to let them go, attacking consecutively and gradually weakening the Prohibition on the door. Due to the damage to the Tower Ship and the absence of Disciples to manage the defensive Array, the door¡¯s Prohibition could not receive Spiritual Energy supplements and soon began to falter under the Fox Demon¡¯s attacks. Inside the room, both Qin Feng and Qin Xi¡¯s expressions changed. Despite feeling uneasy, both prepared themselves for a desperate struggle. Qin Xi held a Willow Leaf Saber given by Qin Feng and a few family-provided Talismans for self-defense in her other hand. Being from a smaller household, the Qin Family was not strong, so the Talismans they had were only as powerful as the attacks of someone in the Late Qi Refinement Stage. They couldn¡¯t possess as many powerful Spiritual Objects for survival like the Noble Heirs on the fourth floor. Still, they were not truly without means to fight the Fox Demon. At the very least, Qin Feng still had a Cold Ice Sword Talisman in his hand. This was a Spirit Talisman that Li Tianchou had given to Qin Feng for self-defense. Although it hadn¡¯t been used afterward, he didn¡¯t have the heart to take it back. Qin Feng reached out and took out the Sword Talisman, feeling a sudden boost in confidence. Then, he quietly summoned the Swallowing Sky Toad from the Demon Refining Pot. Although the power of the Swallowing Sky Toad was nowhere near that of a Demon Beast at the Foundation Establishment Stage, its small size and condensed Demon Energy made it a potential candidate for a surprise attack that could play a crucial role. Bang Bang Bang¡­ A series of attack sounds reached their ears, and they watched helplessly as the prohibition on the door weakened gradually until, with a crack, the door was shattered, revealing the Green Fox standing in the hallway outside. This Green Fox had two tails and its size was more than ten times that of a normal fox, resembling a small calf. It swung its two tails, stepping elegantly over the debris from the shattered door, walking toward the two people inside the room. In its eyes, these two members of the Human Clan were weak and easily defeated. Had it not encountered them by chance and been burned by the spell cast by the girl, which scorched its beautiful fur, it might have spared them. But now, having broken the prohibition on the door, it didn¡¯t mind using the Essence Blood from these humans to replenish its own energy after it had been injured. This excited it greatly. After all, usually, they could only stay in the mountains, waiting for the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect to come fight them, serving as training targets for the sect. However, now it had the chance to taste the flesh and blood of Beast Taming Sect disciples, a thought that thrilled it. But just as it had almost completely entered the room, its body suddenly stiffened, and its eyes widened. Because, it saw that the young man opposite had a Spirit Talisman in his hand¡ªjust like the powerful ones held by the Noble Heirs they had encountered on the fourth floor. Having just suffered from a Spirit Talisman, it certainly didn¡¯t want to experience another potent spell. It wanted to back out. But it was already too late. A flash of Spirit Light appeared in the young man¡¯s hand, and a chilling Sword Qi arose from the Spirit Talisman. This Sword Qi was cold and frightening, carrying an astonishing chill, yet it also exuded a sharp aura¡ªthis was the Cold Ice Sword Qi that Li Tianchou had painstakingly cultivated for many years. Ssh! With a soft sound, the Spirit Talisman shattered, and the Sword Qi, as cold as chilling frost and as fast as lightning, slashed towards the Green Fox in an instant. The Green Fox, seeing it couldn¡¯t dodge in time, suddenly stretched out its two long tails, which were glowing with a dense Clear Light, to meet the slashing Sword Qi. However, the power of this Sword Qi was beyond its expectations. At the moment its tails met the Sword Qi, it felt a chilling sensation that seemed to freeze its entire body, spreading instantly from the Sword Qi through its entire body. Then, a piercing pain followed, and its two tails were cut into four pieces. A Fox Demon¡¯s tails are of utmost importance, as their strongest Divine Skills reside within their tails. Now, having its tails cut off by the Sword Qi left the Green Fox both annoyed and enraged, as well as shocked and frightened. More critically, although the Sword Qi had expended much of its energy in cutting off its tails, it had not dissipated and continued to slash towards its body. PS: Brothers, don¡¯t complain about fewer updates anymore. This is a new book period, and being able to update three times a day has even moved me. Such a conscientious author surely deserves a recommendation vote as a reward, right? Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Human-Beast Integration Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Human-Beast Integration The Green Fox desperately dodged its head, but the Sword Qi slashed its abdomen, nearly severing it in half. ¡°Whimper¡­¡± The Green Fox whimper in pain a few times, then turned its blood-red eyes, fueled by rage, toward Qin Feng, wishing to bite this damned youth to death. However, when it noticed that Qin Feng reached into his Storage Bag and drew several other Talismans, it was startled and, disregarding its desire for revenge, it turned to flee, enduring the pain. But it quickly came to its senses. That was because it didn¡¯t perceive the same kind of danger from these Talismans as it did from the Spirit Talisman earlier. These Talismans were merely ordinary Spell Talismans. Realizing it had been tricked, the Green Fox seethed with anger and whipped around, intending to tear the two humans to shreds. But just at that moment, several beams of Spirit Light suddenly appeared, striking its body. It was Qin Feng, taking advantage while the Green Fox hadn¡¯t turned back yet, activating several Talismans in rapid succession, and even having the Swallowing Sky Toad sneak attack, or else once the Green Fox had time to react, it would have surely torn them apart. Qin Xi, although somewhat gentle in nature, had very strong combat awareness and tremendous timing in seizing the opportunity, immediately taking action alongside Qin Feng. She not only activated the Talismans in her hand but also brought out the Willow Leaf Saber that Qin Feng had just handed to her, aiming straight for the Green Fox¡¯s head. This Magic Artifact was extremely sharp; even though she had only briefly refined it and hadn¡¯t fully completed the process, under the control of her Spiritual Power, it burst forth with an extraordinary force and truly pierced the Green Fox¡¯s body. After all, the Fox Demon wasn¡¯t from a race known for strong physical bodies, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easily penetrated by a middle-grade Magic Artifact like the Willow Leaf Saber. It tried to dodge these attacks. But it was already seriously wounded, and after its tails were severed by the Cold Ice Sword Qi, injuring its body further, its injuries were now severe. In its haste, it couldn¡¯t dodge in time and was hit repeatedly by both their Talismans and Spells, worsening its condition. That could have been the end of it, for it was from the Demon Clan with Foundation Establishment Cultivation, and could have resisted these Spell attacks. However, when the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue shot out like a spear through the wound in its abdomen, stirring wildly inside and not only causing complete havoc of its internal organs but even reaching into its heart chamber and snatching its heart away, it couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. With a pained whine, it fell to the ground, unable to rise. Nevertheless, being a creature of the Demon Clan, even with such severe injuries, it hadn¡¯t completely died yet. Unsure whether it had a last-ditch effort at fighting for its life, Qin Feng pulled Qin Xi back, not rashly approaching to check but instead allowed the Swallowing Sky Toad to strike once more, piercing through its head, and only then did he relax. Foundation Establishment Cultivation wasn¡¯t enough for it to gather its Divine Soul and seize another body for rebirth; once its head was pierced, it was, of course, dead beyond doubt. Qin Xi looked at Qin Feng somewhat astonished, not expecting him to have such a technique. Because the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue moved too swiftly, she hadn¡¯t seen clearly what it was, assuming it was some kind of Magic Artifact that Qin Feng had kept hidden. Since Qin Feng hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she didn¡¯t ask further. Qin Feng walked over and waved his hand over the dead body of the Green Fox, immediately collecting it into the Demon Refining Pot. To deal with this Green Fox, he had used even his most powerful Cold Ice Sword Talisman; he certainly had to collect some interest in return. Qin Xi naturally had no objections; after all, killing the Green Fox relied mainly on Qin Feng. Although she had also launched several Talismans and struck the Fox Demon with the Willow Leaf Saber, she hadn¡¯t inflicted any significant injuries on it. After collecting the Fox Demon¡¯s corpse, Qin Feng cautiously stepped to the doorway and gingerly stuck half his head out to look. The first thing he saw was several Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Beast Taming Sect on the deck, blending in unity with their Spiritual Beasts, slaughtering all around. Despite being few in number, they were forcefully killing off the numerous Demon Clan members, the deck already littered with the corpses of those Demon Monsters. Even with a dozen Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Clan members joining forces to resist, they were still falling behind, being beaten back step by step. Especially Fang Zheng, whose strength was incredibly shocking. After merging with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, his war power was simply awesome. The Demon Beast battling him couldn¡¯t withstand the force of his Evil Suppressing Dharma Eye and was so intimidated by this Divine Skill that it couldn¡¯t continue to resist his attacks. Therefore, the highest number of Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts congregated around Fang Zheng. They simply had to surround him, for once they allowed Fang Zheng to roam freely in battle, not a single Demon Beast could withstand his assaults. Qin Feng gazed enviously at the hundreds of Demon Beast corpses on the deck. If he could take them all into the Demon Refining Pot, he was confident that, as long as he could endure such a massive infusion of Spiritual Energy, he would probably reach the Foundation Establishment Realm within a few months. He wouldn¡¯t even have to worry about how to accumulate resources for the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s advancement. Regrettably, he could only look on with envy; it was impossible for him to go down to collect the corpses, nor did he dare to. After all, there were still so many Demon Beasts below. With his current third layer Qi Refinement Cultivation, descending would be like delivering food to those Demon Beasts. Before he could even finish marveling at Fang Zheng¡¯s formidable, aggressive tactics, he was immediately startled by a battle in the distant sky. Looking up, he saw that a mere thousand yards from the Tower Ship, a Three-Tailed Green Fox and a dozen-yard-long Black Scaled Python were jointly battling a Jiao Dragon. The strength of these two Demon Beasts was clearly inferior to that of the Jiao Dragon; even together, they barely managed an advantage using their individual techniques, but they couldn¡¯t disengage to attack the Tower Ship. The Jiao Dragon¡¯s Cultivation was not much higher than theirs. The key was that the Jiao Dragon¡¯s body was too massive and its Physical Body and Scale Armor too formidable. The Yin Snake¡¯s Poison Water sprayed onto the Jiao Dragon had hardly any effect, and the Green Fox¡¯s claws could only tear off one or two scales at most, hardly enough to severely injure the Jiao Dragon. The Three-Tailed Green Fox was not adept at brute-force combat and often found itself outmaneuvered by the Jiao Dragon¡¯s overwhelming Physical Body, forcing it to dodge awkwardly. Fortunately, it was adept in Illusion Techniques, which allowed it to confuse the Jiao Dragon and dodge its attacks at critical moments. Otherwise, it would have been defeated long ago. The Yin Snake was valiantly fierce, but its dozen-yard-long snake body was far too small compared to the hundred-yard Jiao Dragon. Moreover, with the Jiao Dragon¡¯s dominant Bloodline bringing pressure that stirred a slight fear deep within the Yin Snake, it couldn¡¯t fully exert its strength. Further afield, Yan Zhongli was fighting four opponents alone, with two Spiritual Beasts helping him hold back a woman in red, while he himself transformed into a ten-yard-tall Divine Ape, with terrifying War Power, equally matched against several Demon Cultivators from the Yin Spirit Sect. At one point, the woman in red tried to break away and fly towards the Tower Ship. But those two early-stage Demon Core Spiritual Beasts couldn¡¯t block her path. Unexpectedly, Yan Zhongli suddenly used the Thunder Escape Technique, rapidly intercepting her, and within moments, nearly managed to ruthlessly eliminate her. It was only the timely pursuit of the other Demons that stopped his attack; otherwise, their group would have been diminished from today. The group was secretly shocked, not expecting Yan Zhongli to have cultivated his Lifebound Spiritual Beast to such an extent as to even master the Thunder Escape Technique. It is known that the Great Strength Divine Ape is naturally a battle-strong Exotic Species Spiritual Beast. Now, with the incredibly fast Thunder Escape Technique, its strength surged dramatically. After witnessing the encounter with the woman in red, the other Demons didn¡¯t dare to split up anymore, lest Yan Zhongli defeat them one by one. But such a deadlock could not continue. Although this was not the heartland of the Beast Taming Sect, the surrounding kingdoms still fell within the influence of the Beast Taming Sect. If they delayed any longer, it wouldn¡¯t take long for experts from the Beast Taming Sect to arrive, and then they could only retreat in disarray. To ensure a successful mission, they had promised quite a lot, which had persuaded the two Demon Core Realm Demon Cultivators in the mountains to agree to collaborate. If they were to return empty-handed, not only would they gain nothing, they would also have wasted a significant amount of resources, which would be a considerable loss. With this in mind, the group of Demons steeled themselves and prepared to join forces to deploy their final, lethal move. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Teleportation Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Teleportation ¡°Don¡¯t waste any more time.¡± Daoist Gui Xin secretly transmitted his message, ¡°Let¡¯s join forces and execute the ¡®Mind-Bewildering Soul-Disrupting Yin Spirit Supreme Slash¡¯. We must hurry and finish off Yan Zhongli, so we can take that girl and leave this place. Otherwise, if we delay any longer, reinforcements from the nearby Beast Taming Sect could arrive at any moment.¡± ¡°Are you insane, can we even wield such a great divine power?¡± The red-robed woman scolded, ¡°Even if the four of us work together to barely execute it, it will consume our potential and affect our life span. After returning, we will need at least sixty years of recovery to get back to normal. In that much time, those pretty boys I snatched from the Righteous Path Sects to serve as my Cauldron will have all turned into old men. Gui Xin, you old thing, are you just jealous that I¡¯m about to achieve the Demon Technique and purposely trying to ruin my plans?¡± ¡°Idiotic.¡± Daoist Gui Xin snorted coldly, ¡°You only see the sacrifices we have to make after executing this divine skill, but fail to see the numerous benefits of bringing that girl back. Ever since the Holy Daughter of our sect was slain by Zhan Jiuxiao of the War God Palace seven hundred years ago, no one has been able to take up the position of Holy Daughter in our sect for hundreds of years. The supreme demon technique, ¡®Ten Thousand Tribulations Yin Spirit Nine Revolutions Saint Method¡¯, also remains without a successor, causing the Yin Spirit Holy Fire within our sect to fall into decline, reduced to merely a fire seed passed on, awaiting someone to rekindle it. That girl called Lin Jingxin has an Innate Dao Heart, a perfect affinity with all spirits. If she cultivates the ¡®Ten Thousand Tribulations Yin Spirit Nine Revolutions Saint Method¡¯, she is bound to advance by leaps and bounds, become a Holy Spirit, and reignite the Holy Fire. When that time comes, why worry that our Yin Spirit Holy Sect would not flourish? With such merits, the Sect Hierarch will not only make up for our losses but will also bestow countless rewards. We will be allowed to cultivate most of the sect¡¯s inheritances. Do you really still care about these trivial gains and losses? Demon Heart, once we receive the True Inheritance of our sect, you might as well not bother with your ¡®Yin Yang Life-Reversing Eternal Youth Technique¡¯. If you truly wish to find a man, the Demon Heart Envoy is a fine candidate. With his constitution, he should be able to satisfy you.¡± ¡°Ptui, as if I need you to worry about my affairs!¡± The red-robed woman spat, but secretly, she was somewhat tempted. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that she was attracted to the Demon Heart Envoy but was considering the proposal made by Daoist Gui Xin. If they brought back that girl with the Innate Dao Heart, it might actually turn out as Daoist Gui Xin had said. Once the girl takes up the position of the Holy Daughter, becomes a Holy Spirit, and ignites the Holy Fire, it would be to the benefit of the entire Yin Spirit Sect and all its cult members. The Sect Hierarch would surely bestow great rewards upon the four of them for such an achievement. By then, it wouldn¡¯t just be about reaching the Purple Mansion, there might even be hope of becoming a Demon Immortal. With that thought, the red-robed woman¡¯s heart ignited with fervor. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just her; the other three felt the same way. They communicated secretly, and due to the time pressure, they quickly decided to join forces and execute the ¡®Mind-Bewildering Soul-Disrupting Yin Spirit Supreme Slash¡¯, aiming to slay Yan Zhongli in one fell swoop and take Lin Jingxin away from there. While they were conspiring in secret, Yan Zhongli also seemed to notice something amiss, as the actions of these people had noticeably slowed, and the power of their various spells had diminished. He felt puzzled and couldn¡¯t help but raise his guard a bit more. After all, the Demon Path was unpredictable, and they might use some special technique to harm him. He didn¡¯t need to rush to repel these four now; he just needed to buy some time. After battling for so long, his distress signal should have been received, and within a short while, someone would come to his aid. With reinforcements, he could take his time to slay these people later on. Therefore, Yan Zhongli remained cautiously on guard to avoid being ambushed by these demons. Just then, suddenly the four Demon Heart Envoys flashed and positioned themselves around him from four directions. Subsequently, each of them transmitted a strange aura between their two hands. The four auras interconnected, and their spirits communicated, suddenly emitting a series of peculiar spiritual waves aiming directly at Yan Zhongli. With a grand gesture, Yan Zhongli cast a layer of thunder-light around himself. ¡°` However, his face quickly changed. Because the thunderous light was barely effective against the tide-like surges of spiritual waves, though it had weakened the mental assault somewhat, he still had to endure the brunt of the psychic attack. Then, various negative emotions emerged in his spirit, endless temptations lured him towards corruption, and boundless rage disrupted his concentration, making it difficult to focus against his adversary. ¡°Huoxin Chaotic Divine Yin Spirit Defying Heaven Slash¡± is a great divine power secretly transmitted by the Yin Spirit Sect. It is divided into two ways to attack an enemy, one to confound the spirit and the other to defy heaven and slash the soul. To practice the way of the Yin Spirit, one must face endless calamities and walk against heaven to stand even a slim chance. Therefore, the techniques of the Yin Spirit Sect tend to be extremely radical, and with ¡°Huoxin Chaotic Divine Yin Spirit Defying Heaven Slash¡± named after defying heaven, its power is certainly formidable. If an old demon of the Yin Spirit Sect who cultivated this technique were to use it, even Daoists who had achieved their Primordial Spirit would have their spirits confused and find it difficult to defend themselves, likely meeting their demise under this heaven-defying slash. The strength of the four envoys of the heart was insufficient to fully master this great divine power, but when they joined forces, they could barely execute it. At this moment, Yan Zhongli¡¯s gaze was scattered, his hands and feet seemingly not obeying his commands. A tide of madness continually emerged within his Sea of Consciousness, disturbing his concentration and making it hard for him to engage in the fight. Therefore, he had no choice but to conjure a series of thunderous protective shields around him, and his body awkwardly flew towards the edge, trying to break free from the encirclement of these people. The demon cultivators watched as thunderous light continuously emerged around Yan Zhongli, not only untroubled but rather delighted. These thunderous protective shields were strong in defense. If they attacked separately, they would not be able to break through them quickly. But to rely on these to defend against the Yin Spirit Defying Heaven Slash would be a fool¡¯s dream. Seeing Yan Zhongli¡¯s awkward escape skill made them even more self-satisfied. ¡°Ha ha, his spirit is in turmoil; he can¡¯t escape. Quick, quick, quick, Yin Spirit Defying Heaven Slash, cut down his body, obliterate his divine soul.¡± They stimulated their potential using secret techniques, but they could not maintain it for long. Afterwards, they still needed to save some energy to flee the place to avoid pursuit from the Beast Taming Sect, so they dared not delay. The aura on their bodies changed again, a demonic aura that seemed capable of slicing through heaven and earth surged forth, turning into a hundred-yard cold light, and¡ªin a flash¡ªit disappeared, instantly appearing in front of Yan Zhongli, slashing down right at his head. Swish! The body was split in half, and blood mist sprayed across the sky. But the faces of these demons changed dramatically. Because the one who died was not Yan Zhongli, but an eagle. An eagle that was Yan Zhongli¡¯s spiritual beast, at the initial stage of its Demon Core. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The four demons scanned the void with their divine sense, quickly locating Yan Zhongli. At this time, he was standing where the eagle had been. ¡°Teleportation, instant shift!¡± Daoist Gui Xin instantly understood what had happened. The red-clad woman¡¯s face twisted, and she screamed frantically, ¡°This is impossible, Yan Zhongli, your lifebound spiritual beast is the Great Strength Divine Ape. It¡¯s already outrageous that you¡¯ve been able to cultivate it to have Thunder Divine Power. But to say it also possesses the power of teleportation? I don¡¯t believe it!¡± At this moment, this beautiful woman was as furious as thunder, almost driven to madness. To use the ¡°Huoxin Chaotic Divine Yin Spirit Defying Heaven Slash,¡± the four of them had spared no effort to stimulate their potential and expend their life span. It was only with great difficulty that they had managed to cast this great divine power. As a result, they had paid such a tremendous cost, only to have killed an opponent¡¯s spiritual beast at the initial stage of its Demon Core¡ªwhich made them nearly insane. ¡°` Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Still Want to Leave? Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Still Want to Leave? ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Yan Zhongli sneered, ¡°A few devils from the Demon Path actually think they can outsmart me; they truly don¡¯t know whether to live or die.¡± Though his words conveyed satisfaction, he felt a lingering fear inside. His Lifebound Spiritual Beast indeed was not capable of Teleportation, but his Eagle could, and not only that, it could also swap places with him in an instant. Moreover, those demons had only barely managed to use ¡°Huoxin Chaos Yin Spirit Ultimate Slash¡± on him and had not completely locked down his Divine Soul, which allowed him to narrowly escape death. Otherwise, he would have found it difficult to avoid a fatal outcome. However, now that he had dodged the enemy¡¯s lethal strike, Yan Zhongli naturally wanted to take advantage of the moment when those devils¡¯ Primordial Qi was greatly depleted to eliminate them. Otherwise, his Eagle would have died in vain. The Four Heart Envoys used secret techniques to stimulate their potential and still had the strength for one last fight, but Yan Zhongli absolutely did not believe they had the ability to cast ¡°Huoxin Chaos Yin Spirit Ultimate Slash¡± again. Such Great Divine Powers were simply not meant to be used by individuals at their realm. As long as he delayed these demons and prevented them from escaping, it wouldn¡¯t take long before the effects of their stimulated potential wore off, and they would become dead souls under his command. Just then, two figures suddenly flew in from a distance. Although they were not yet close, from the Spiritual Beasts they were riding, it was clear that these were Beast Taming Sect cultivators coming to the rescue, who were stationed outside the market. ¡°Go, split up and run!¡± Daoist Gui Xin shouted, twisting his form, preparing to escape. Failing to kill Yan Zhongli already indicated their mission had failed, and now that two reinforcements arrived¡ªand likely more to follow¡ªit was clear that if they didn¡¯t leave this place immediately, they were destined for a graveless death. ¡°Still trying to escape?¡± Yan Zhongli sneered, ¡°You stay right there.¡± With a wide sweep of his hand, his ape arm, several zhang long, reached for Daoist Gui Xin with astounding might. At the same time, Yan Zhongli did not forget the others; his body flickered with Thunder, and in an instant, he released more than a hundred bolts of lightning. The characteristic of Thunder Magic is its quick speed and formidable power, but unleashing so much lightning at once also represented a tremendous drain on him. However, this consumption was worth it, for this barrage of lightning prevented the other Demon Cultivators from escaping immediately. By now, the two Beast Taming cultivators had arrived nearby, and upon surveying the scene with a sweep of their eyes, they were instantly furious. These demons dared to intercept their Sect¡¯s Tower Ship that was transporting new disciples, what were they intending to do? Were they trying to destroy the very foundation of the Beast Taming Sect? Fueled by their anger, they didn¡¯t bother with words, and from afar, they released their own Spiritual Beasts, casting spells to attack the Demon Cultivators. Although their Dao Cultivation wasn¡¯t on par with that of the Demon Cultivators, enlisting their Spiritual Beasts to entangle the enemies posed no problem. The Four Heart Envoys were both shocked and terrified, desperately defending against the attacks from the Beast Taming Sect cultivators and their beasts while attempting to use Escape Techniques to flee. Regrettably, Yan Zhongli and the others simply did not give them the chance to fully deploy their Escape Skills. Particularly since one of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s cultivator¡¯s Lifebound Spiritual Beast turned out to be a Lightning Mink. Though this Spiritual Beast was small and adorable, merging with it did not make the cultivator¡¯s stature as immense as Yan Zhongli¡¯s, but his Escape Skill was even faster than Yan Zhongli¡¯s Thunder Escape Technique. Like a bolt of lightning capable of twisting in any direction, he darted around the Demon Cultivators, significantly slowing down their attempt to escape. On the second floor of the Tower Ship, at the shattered doorway, Qin Feng and Qin Xi each peered out, staring in stunned silence at the battle in the sky between several Golden Core Cultivators and the Demon Cultivators, their hearts filled with deep shock. Although they had seen the Old Family Master and Qin Long, the Tamer, command the might of Spiritual Beasts before, it was incomparable to the prowess of Yan Zhongli and the other Golden Core Cultivators, the difference was simply jaw-dropping. Qin Feng looked on with envy at Yan Zhongli¡¯s figure. He thought that at this moment, Yan Zhongli seemed incredibly powerful, managing to beat two Golden Core Realm Demon Cultivators until they spat blood incessantly. Could it be that the Great Strength Divine Ape was this formidable? He felt a stir of excitement. Perhaps he too could tame a Great Strength Divine Ape to be his Lifebound Spiritual Beast. Not far from the Tower Ship, the Green Fox and the Yin Snake were engaged in battle with the Jiao Dragon. When they saw that reinforcements from the Beast Taming Sect had arrived, they nearly died of fright. These beasts were different from the Demon Cultivators; having lived in the shadow of the Beast Taming Sect for years, their fear of the sect was bone deep. Thus, the Green Fox and the Yin Snake regretted their decision. They had just realized their previous thoughts had been too naive. As Demon Cultivators who had never left the mountain, they had limited worldly experience. They believed that the Yin Spirit Sect, which was also a Great Force, should have been able to protect their two clans, completely forgetting the terror of the Beast Taming Sect. Moreover, these few Demon Cultivators were only of the Golden Core Realm. How could they guarantee the beasts¡¯ safety? Now, to talk about fulfilling the promises they had previously made to them was out of the question; even these few Demon Cultivators themselves could potentially lose their lives at any moment. The two Demon Beasts exchanged a glance and saw the terror in each other¡¯s eyes. Escape! They needed to escape quickly! Otherwise, once the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Golden Core Cultivators were free to deal with them, the outcome would definitely not be favorable. Even the chance to show their loyalty and voluntarily become the sect¡¯s Spiritual Beasts was no longer there. Having lived for hundreds of years, these members of the Demon Clan knew all too well the methods the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Cultivators used against traitorous Demon Beasts. Although they were not directly under the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s command, they belonged to the Demon Clan which the sect semi-domesticated. Today, they had dared to conspire with the Demon Sect to attack the sect¡¯s Tower Ship transporting new Disciples, committing a grave taboo against the Beast Taming Sect. What awaited them could only be grim. Thus, after exchanging a glance, the two Demon Beasts fled in opposite directions. One headed south and the other north, each escaping on their own. The Jiao Dragon, though fierce, could at most entangle with one of them, so it was still possible for the other to escape. Indeed, when the Jiao Dragon saw them splitting up to flee, it hesitated for a moment before letting out a thunderous roar and pounced directly in front of the Yin Snake, cutting off its escape route. Relatively speaking, the Yin Snake was more vulnerable to the Jiao Dragon, while the Green Fox was adept in Illusion Techniques and could deceive its eyes. Hence, the Jiao Dragon opted to block the Yin Snake, which was an easier target for it. On the other hand, before the Green Fox could feel any joy from its chance of escape, a sudden tiger¡¯s roar sounded by its ear, and it was hit by a powerful gust of wind. The Green Fox managed to dodge the attack, then looked up to see a young man with an upright appearance, riding a Bengal Tiger, standing in its path. The Green Fox knew him; earlier on the Tower Ship, it was this young man who had been the most ruthless. But it had never imagined that he, a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, would dare block its way. Immediately, a fierce light flashed in the Green Fox¡¯s eyes. Things had come to this point. The Beast Taming Sect was not going to spare it anyway, so it might as well kill another Beast Taming Sect Cultivator before dying¡ªthat way, its death wouldn¡¯t be in vain. The Green Fox¡¯s eyes shimmered with Spirit Light as it instinctively used its Illusion Techniques to bewilder its foe and lunged forward, aiming to crush the young man¡¯s skull with a swipe of its paw. But to its astonishment, its Illusion Techniques had no effect whatsoever. Instead, a tiger¡¯s roar rattled its spirit, and amidst the confusion, the young man seized the opportunity to cast a Spell, slicing open a wound on its soft belly. The injury was not severe, but it still left the Green Fox in astonishment. It was Fang Zheng¡¯s intervention that caused the Green Fox to miss its best opportunity to escape. Suddenly, a cry of a crane was heard in the sky, followed by the sight of a majestic Spiritual Crane arriving on a gust of wind. Its wings flapped, creating a storm that engulfed a radius of several dozen yards around them, trapping the Green Fox within. This was one of the Cultivators battling the Demon Cultivators. Seeing Fang Zheng intercepting the Green Fox, and fearing for the disciple¡¯s safety, he hastily sent his own Spiritual Beast to aid him. Qin Feng and his companion were engrossed in the scene when they suddenly felt a foul wind approaching. They quickly ducked their heads and retreated back into their room. Then they saw a poisonous snake, thick as an adult¡¯s thigh, retract its head from the sneak attack and slither along the railing towards them. PS: It¡¯s not that I deliberately post such short chapters. In fact, I can write much longer ones. It¡¯s just that the timing isn¡¯t right, and it¡¯s not appropriate to reveal them yet. The protagonist is about to enter the Sect. He really wants to say to those waving their recommendation tickets: Come on, smash your recommendation tickets this way! Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Subduing the Demon Beast Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Subduing the Demon Beast ¡°Sssss¡­¡± The venomous snake raised its soldering iron-shaped head high, its yellow-green body coiled briefly at the door before it suddenly lunged at Qin Feng, who was closest to it. Qin Feng quickly channeled spiritual power into the talisman in his hand, activating the talisman to burst into a ball of flames that shot into the gaping mouth of the poisonous snake. With a thunderous boom, the flames exploded, blasting the snake¡¯s head to pieces. It was merely a Qi Refining Middle Stage poisonous snake, with weak demon energy, still wild and unaccustomed to using spells, preferring to wrap its body around its opponent and strangle them to death¡ªthis type of demon beast was relatively easier to deal with. However, soon the commotion they caused caught the attention of other nearby demon beasts. After all, there were many little demons, and Fang Zheng and the others had been mainly dealing with Foundation Establishment Realm demon beasts; the Qi Refining Realm little demons found it difficult to break through the room¡¯s door prohibition, so naturally, they would not abandon those fierce demon beasts to specifically kill these little ones. Thus, numerous snake demons and fox demons were wildly scurrying across the ship, searching for prey. Sensing the disturbance here, immediately, a dozen snake demons and a few fox demons pounced over. Both of them were startled, realizing it was because their door had been broken open. Even if they were careful not to make noise, the snake demons would still locate them by scent soon enough, not to mention the fluctuations from the explosion of flame magic. Fortunately, these little demons ultimately lacked high spiritual intelligence. Coupled with the narrow doorway, they were not facing an onslaught from a horde of demons, which gave them some room to maneuver. Just now, the Green Fox and Yin Snake were only focused on their escape and had not taken care of these little demons, so the little demons on the tower ship had not yet discovered that their leaders were attempting to flee. Even if a few saw the Green Fox and Yin Snake, they merely noticed they were fighting their respective adversaries. Thus, these little demons were still loyally executing their leaders¡¯ orders, running amok across the ship, looking for opportunities to attack the vulnerable new disciples to disturb the minds of the other cultivators. ¡°Damn it!¡± Qin Feng cursed under his breath and quickly connected with the Demon Refining Pot using his divine sense, refining the Foundation Establishment Fox Demon he had previously captured into spiritual energy. He had originally planned to refine the fox demon¡¯s corpse after settling down in the sect to advance to Qi Refining Middle Stage. With Foundation Establishment strength, though only the purest tenth of its spiritual energy could be obtained after refining through the Demon Refining Pot, if he took his time to refine it slowly, it would have been enough for him to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refinement. But now, pressed for time, he had no choice but to refine it directly. A faint glow flashed within the Demon Refining Pot, and in an instant, the fox demon¡¯s physical body was completely refined into a stream of pure spiritual power that surged into Qin Feng¡¯s body. The untouched meridians and acupoints in his body were forcefully opened, and the pure spiritual energy circulated a few times in his meridians before becoming his own spiritual power, which he then absorbed into his dantian. However, the spiritual energy continued to pour in relentlessly. The rushed breakthrough left no time to carefully refine his meridians and expand his dantian¡¯s capacity, so he soon felt a sense of fullness in his meridians. He had to stop cultivating and gave the remaining majority of the spiritual energy to the Swallowing Sky Toad all in one go. The Swallowing Sky Toad croaked joyfully twice, opened its mouth wide, and swallowed all the spiritual energy. It found that, though it might not get to eat every day following its master, the occasional intake of such pure spiritual energy was much more effective than its former foraging. After this pure spiritual energy entered its stomach, it was quickly transformed into its own spiritual power, slightly enlarging its body imperceptibly. Now nearing the Qi Refining Peak, its advancement was not far off. The Swallowing Sky Toad thought that if it could receive ten or eight more sessions of spiritual energy like this, it might successfully advance. If Qin Feng knew its thoughts, he would surely curse it as a glutton. Other Qi Refining Peak demon beasts, given a complete Foundation Establishment Demon Beast body, would likely advance after consuming it, but this Swallowing Sky Toad might require a dozen or more to possibly advance. No wonder there were so few sightings of Swallowing Sky Toads in the cultivation world. There really shouldn¡¯t be too many of these creatures, otherwise, how many resources would they consume! Qin Feng and Qin Xi stood inside the room, greeting any approaching demon beasts first with a spirit talisman. The door was after all not wide, allowing only one or two Demon Beasts to enter at a time, which gave them the opportunity to break them one by one. Activating a Talisman was not only extremely fast but also consumed relatively little Spiritual Power. In such moments, they naturally chose to confront the enemy with Talismans. Fortunately, each of them carried dozens of different Talismans on their person, enough for the time being. Sometimes, when they felt overwhelmed, they could throw out a few Defensive Talismans, transforming into various Defensive Magic to block the doorway, buying them some time to catch their breath. At the same time, the Magic Artifacts in their hands were not idle. Seeing a Demon Fox from outside wanting to rush in, Qin Feng pointed his hand and the Binding Spirit Net fell, tightly wrapping the Demon Fox. Before it could make a move, Qin Xi¡¯s hand flashed with a cold light, and her Willow Leaf Saber thrust out, accurately piercing through the mesh of the Binding Spirit Net into the struggling Demon Fox¡¯s neck, killing it with a single blow. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t¡­¡± Qin Feng hurriedly called out, but unfortunately, Qin Xi¡¯s battle instincts were strong. Before his voice could be heard, the Green Fox in the Binding Spirit Net was already slain by Qin Xi. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Xi looked at him with some surprise. Surely they weren¡¯t expected to show mercy at a time like this? Qin Feng felt like crying but had no tears: ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, your attack was indeed swift; next time when I use the Binding Spirit Net to catch Demon Beasts, if it¡¯s not too urgent, don¡¯t kill the Demons inside the net.¡± ¡°Hmmn?¡± Qin Xi paused, ¡°You¡­ want to tame these Demon Beasts?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qin Feng did not dodge the question and nodded directly. Since he had this idea, it was impossible to hide it from Qin Xi¡¯s eyes, better to just admit it outright. ¡°You can suppress these Demon Beasts?¡± Qin Xi was somewhat surprised. Qin Feng¡¯s Cultivation was indeed higher than hers but only by a small margin, and yet he was talking about suppressing these Demon Beasts. It seemed he must have some treasure on him. She thought it might be something Qin Feng¡¯s father gave him, which could only be used to suppress Demon Beasts of the Qi Refining Realm, but at their current stage, it was still an incredibly powerful treasure. As for Qin Feng directly taming these Demon Beasts, it was something she had not even considered. Suppression and taming were two different concepts and should not be confused. Neither of them had entered the Beast Taming Sect, nor did they have the means to tame these Demon Beasts. Although not only the Beast Taming Sect in the Cultivation World was adept in the method of taming Demon Beasts, many Sects and Loose Cultivators also had their own techniques. However, the Qin Family had never collected such Techniques; otherwise, the Family members who joined the Beast Taming Sect wouldn¡¯t be the only ones to possess Spiritual Beasts for protection. ¡°Sort of.¡± Qin Feng did not elaborate. Upon hearing this, Qin Xi did not ask any further but simply nodded, indicating that she would not easily kill the Demon Beasts trapped by him. So, the two joined forces, and each time only one Spiritual Beast broke in, Qin Feng would take action to try to bind it with the Binding Spirit Net. If successful, Qin Xi would immediately use a Defense Spiritual Talisman to temporarily hold the other Demon Beasts outside the door. She then discovered to her amazement that whenever Qin Feng reached out and touched the Demon Beast bound by the Binding Spirit Net, the creature would vanish into thin air, just like when their Family Head would store Spiritual Beasts into the Spiritual Beast Bag in the past. It¡¯s just that Qin Feng had collected quite a few, and in the span of a quarter of an hour, he had already obtained two Green Foxes and three different colored Snake Demons. PS: Guys, if there are any typos, please point them out to me, and I will correct them. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: End of the Battle Chapter 60: Chapter 60: End of the Battle Qin Xi watched in amazement, never expecting Qin Feng to possess such means. But this girl was quite astute at heart. Since Qin Feng was not forthcoming, she reasoned there must be a cause for his silence, and she did not press the matter further. Moreover, being from the same clan, Qin Feng¡¯s empowerment was to her advantage, so she silently helped Qin Feng fend off the Demon Beasts outside the door. Qin Feng felt incredibly excited in his heart. Other cultivators needed to spend a considerable amount of their spirit taming Demon Beasts, whether through secret techniques and slow taming after imprisonment or through forceful subjugation with a Spiritual Beast Ring; however, none was as swift and rapid as his method. Even those subdued directly with a Spiritual Beast Ring could potentially bite back at their master. After all, the Spiritual Beast Ring was merely a powerful means of imprisonment, similar to the Headband on Sun Wukong¡¯s head. If the Demon Beasts would rather die than surrender, fighting desperately, they could cause much trouble. Thus, regardless of which method was used, it would invariably require a lot of time to gradually tame the ferocity of the Demon Beasts before securing their loyalty. But Qin Feng was different, for he had the Demon Refining Pot. This Magic Artifact was originally intended for a powerful Demon King from the Demon World to subjugate his followers, formidable and authoritarian to an extreme. Any Demon Clan member caught within it would, unless it could resist the Refining and Dao Prohibition within, have their life and death utterly controlled by the Demon Refining Pot. The Demon Beasts Qin Feng put into the Demon Refining Pot were merely some low-level Qi Refining Realm Demon Beasts, of course unable to contend with the might of the Demon Refining Pot, and were swiftly subdued, becoming Demon Beasts under his command. Although these few Demon Beasts were not very powerful, except for a Green Fox at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, the rest were in the Initial and Middle Stages of Qi Refinement, it was still a significant force for any small cultivator in the Qi Refinement Realm. If he released these Demon Beasts to block the door, it¡¯s unlikely that the other Demon Beasts outside would be able to break through. Of course, he didn¡¯t dare to deploy these Demon Beasts against enemies right now. Temporarily suppressing these Demon Beasts before slowly taming them would still be acceptable, as many Defense Spiritual Talismans or Spiritual Artifacts could suppress low-level Demon Beasts. But if he could command these Demon Beasts without a Spiritual Beast Ring, that would be hard to explain. Even though he couldn¡¯t deploy them against enemies now, having acquired these few Demon Beasts for his ranks made Qin Feng feel all the more confident. He had heard from his father that ordinary Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, unless they were from wealthy families, rarely had cultivators who tamed multiple Spiritual Beasts. Taming Spiritual Beasts was not as simple as just subduing them; other cultivators even required daily nourishment for refined Magical Treasures, let alone living creatures like Spiritual Beasts. The combat strength of a Beast Taming Sect disciple largely depended on their Spiritual Beasts; to become more powerful in battle, in addition to personal cultivation, one also needed to aid their Spiritual Beasts¡¯ advancement. Though the resources required for daily cultivation and advancement of each Spiritual Beast differ, they are certainly not negligible. Often, to maintain the cultivation pace of Spiritual Beasts, they consume more resources than the Beast Taming Sect disciples do in their own cultivation. And if a disciple were to tame a Super glutton like the Swallowing Sky Toad, that would be seriously bad luck. Even pouring all their resources into it might not be enough to advance such a Demon Beast. Hence, ordinary Outer Disciples could not afford to raise multiple Spiritual Beasts, and only those disciples who have powerful family backing or strong cultivation could afford to nurture several Spiritual Beasts. Qin Feng had easily subdued those Demon Beasts, but he was actually facing a resource issue. Currently, the Demon Refining Pot lacked a Spirit Vein and couldn¡¯t generate Spiritual Energy on its own to support the Demon Beasts¡¯ cultivation inside. If he wanted to foster these Demon Beasts, it would also consume considerable resources. However, he had no intention of nurturing these foxes and Snake Demons, subduing them was purely to make a few extra fighters, with the Swallowing Sky Toad being the one he actually needed to focus on cultivating. Both in potential and in Divine Skills, the Swallowing Sky Toad was far superior to those Green Foxes and Snake Demons; there was no need for him to cast his efforts on these ordinary Demon Beasts. Just as he was gleefully planning to cast the Binding Spirit Net again to capture another Demon Beast preparing to rush in, he heard Qin Xi shouting, ¡°Afeng, we¡¯ve run out of Defense Spiritual Talismans; don¡¯t go forward anymore, watch out for injuries from other Demon Beasts.¡± Qin Feng, although regretful, was no longer greedy. He conjured two Iron Hooks that glimmered with cold light and hurled them at the Snake Demon at the entrance. Though these Iron Hooks were Low Grade Magic Artifacts, the scales of the Snake Demon had not yet reached the level where they could withstand Magic Artifacts and remain unharmed, so he swiftly drew several wounds on the snake¡¯s body with his pair of Iron Hooks. It was a pity that these Iron Hooks were a peculiar type of Magic Artifact, and he wasn¡¯t using them properly; hence, he couldn¡¯t unleash their full power. In the end, it was Qin Xi who cast the Willow Leaf Saber, killing the Snake Demon with one strike. Just as the Spiritual Talismans on their bodies were about to be exhausted, a roar suddenly came from outside. Then, a Bengal Tiger over two zhang in length leaped down from the void and, with a few swipes of its paws, patted to death over a dozen Demon Beasts that had gathered in the corridor. Soon after, a pale-faced Fang Zheng appeared at the door. He had forcibly tried to stop the Green Foxes from leaving previously, and despite the assistance from a Demon Core Realm Spiritual Crane, he was still struck by a Green Fox and sustained a serious injury. Fang Zheng glanced at the two of them, nodded slightly, and praised, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve managed to last this long and have even slain over ten Demon Beasts; very good.¡± Although he could tell that the Demon Beasts were slain by Talismans, the fact that two young men and women who had yet to begin their path could achieve this was, of course, commendable. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Senior Brother Fang.¡± Qin Feng quickly cupped his hands together, ¡°May I ask, brother, how¡¯s the battle outside?¡± ¡°The two Demon Beasts have been beheaded.¡± Fang Zheng said, ¡°As for the several Demons from the Yin Spirit Demon Sect, Martial Uncle Yan and several elders are currently besieging them. If all goes well, there should be a result soon.¡± The Green Fox and the Yin Snake, two great Demon Cores of the Great Demon rank, had fled in different directions, only to have their escape paths blocked. The Yin Snake was already suppressed by the Jiao Dragon and, without the Green Fox¡¯s assistance, didn¡¯t hold out for long before being bitten to death by the Jiao Dragon. The Jiao Dragon then went after the Green Fox, and with the assistance of the Spiritual Crane, it easily slew the Green Fox, not allowing it to escape using Illusion Techniques. Upon hearing this, Qin Feng and Qin Xi sighed in relief. It was finally over. Although in all fairness, the duration of the battle wasn¡¯t very long, their strength was not formidable; having their room¡¯s door broken through by a Foundation Establishment Fox Demon, then being besieged inside by so many Demon Beasts, had indeed taken a psychological toll on them. Seeing that they were unharmed, Fang Zheng didn¡¯t linger and went elsewhere. There were still plenty of Demon Beasts on the Tower Ship. It was better to quickly deal with them, to prevent any more disciples from getting injured. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Digital Golden Core Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Digital Golden Core After Fang Zheng left, Qin Feng turned to Qin Xi and said, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, I¡¯ll keep the Demon Beasts¡¯ corpses for now and find a way to deal with them later. When that time comes, I¡¯ll share the Spirit Stones with you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Xi nodded in agreement. She had not yet learned how to process Demon Beast corpses, nor did she know how to harvest valuable parts from them, and the space in her Storage Bag was not very large either; it probably couldn¡¯t hold so many large snakes and Fox Demons. Since Qin Feng had taken the initiative to handle the Demon Beasts, she naturally had no objections. Qin Feng wasn¡¯t really sure how to handle them either and hadn¡¯t really planned on doing so. He walked forward a few steps, and directly gathered all of them into the Demon Refining Pot, planning to refine them into pure Spiritual Energy for his Cultivation later. Afterwards, he would compensate Qin Xi with some Spirit Stones. As for those killed outside by Fang Zheng, although he was tempted, he didn¡¯t dare to take them. Those were their rightful spoils of battle, and taking them would have been acceptable. However, they had not yet officially entered the Sect, and trying to take advantage of others could easily leave a bad impression. Fang Zheng had looked at them with admiration earlier, and Qin Feng did not want to turn that admiration into wariness. After collecting the corpses of the Demon Beasts in the room, they both finally relaxed and noticed the strong smell of blood in the room. They hadn¡¯t noticed it before due to the tension. Now that the battle had stopped and they had gotten used to the smell of blood, they did not react much. The two looked outside the door again. They then saw several Foundation Establishment Cultivators on the tower ship besieging the few remaining Demon Beasts. The green Jiao Dragon was circling in front of the ship, protecting the disciples on the ship, and did not go to help Yan Zhongli and the others deal with the Demon Cultivators. In fact, it wasn¡¯t necessary for it to help, as several Golden Core Cultivators had come to assist over time. With the Escape Techniques of Golden Core Cultivators, a few hundred miles wouldn¡¯t take much time to cover. Seeing that there was no more danger, Qin Feng and Qin Xi walked out of the room, stepping over a dozen Demon Beast corpses to reach the cleaner side of the corridor. By then, the corpses of Demon Beasts could be seen everywhere on the ship, most of them on the deck, where hundreds of colorful Snake Demons and Fox Demons nearly covered the deck, blood splattered everywhere, and the ship was permeated with a fierce aura. The battle had come to a halt; after all, attackers were just some wild ordinary Demon Beasts, no match for the elite disciples of the Beast Taming Sect! Led by Fang Zheng, disciples who had hidden in various rooms and cabins slowly emerged, and their faces changed instantly at the bloody sight. After all, they were just a group of youths; except for a few, most had never seen such a bloody and gruesome scene. But the Foundation Establishment Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect unapologetically ordered them to move all the ordinary Qi Refinement Realm Demon Beast corpses to the ship¡¯s storage. As for themselves, they directly skinned and deboned the Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts on the deck, sliced their flesh, pulled out their claws and teeth, and extracted their Essence Blood. These were all valuable materials, useful for various purposes. Despite the attack, which had broken the tower ship and killed a few new disciples, the loss wasn¡¯t considered large; in fact, it had yielded a rich harvest. These Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts could be exchanged for many resources, whether for nurturing Spiritual Beasts or for Cultivation, allowing them to be lavish for a while. However, they did not touch the corpses of the Green Fox and Yin Snake in the Demon Core Realm. The main credit for killing those two Demon Core Demon Cultivators must go to the Jiao Dragon, but since the Jiao Dragon was a Spiritual Beast kept by the Sect and would not consume the Demon Beasts it killed without orders, the bodies of the Green Fox and Yin Snake would also be sent to the storage, awaiting the return to the Sect, where the elders of the Ten Thousand Beasts Hall would naturally reward the Jiao Dragon. The new disciples began grudgingly to work. Some of the stronger ones could drag a giant python to the warehouse by themselves, while most of the weaker disciples, with only one or two layers of Cultivation, would gather in groups of three or five to transport the corpses of the Demon Beasts. Qin Feng followed beside Qin Xi, and together with two sisters Qin Xi had befriended in the past few days, they carried a thirty-foot-long Snake Demon towards the warehouse in the belly of the tower ship. Qin Xi was fine; she had just slain several Snake Demons and was not at all afraid of these creatures, but the two young girls she had recently befriended were pitiful, looking like they wanted to cry but dared not. They had probably never seen a snake before, let alone handle such a thick and long one, and naturally, they were not accustomed to it. When their pale hands touched the snake¡¯s body, they almost cried out. It was not that there were no young girls with little courage who cried, but after one of them was scolded by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, no other girl dared to cry again. The Foundation Establishment Cultivator made it clear that if they were too scared to even touch these minor Qi Refinement Realm Snake Demons, it would be best to return to their families and not join the Beast Taming Sect, as it would just be a waste of resources and they might end up being devoured by a Demon Beast someday. In fact, having these new disciples move the corpses of the Demon Beasts to the warehouse was not meant to be difficult for them; it was simply a way to test their courage. Especially for those girls, if they could not even pass this test, they would truly be sent back home to avoid wasting a disciple¡¯s spot in the Sect and tarnishing the prestige of the Beast Taming Sect. Since there were many new disciples, after going back and forth a couple of times, they moved all the demon beasts to the warehouse. Then the disciples voluntarily activated their spells, cast water element techniques, and cleaned the tower ship, washing away all the blood until there was no trace left, except for Fang Zheng and others who were still handling the corpses of the Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts. A moment later, seven or eight figures flew from the distance. Leading them was Yan Zhongli. The people beside him, all cultivators who had hurriedly arrived to help upon receiving the news, were either deacons from the market¡¯s Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion or clan cultivators affiliated with the Beast Taming Sect, all with at least Golden Core Stage Cultivation. With the help of these Golden Core Cultivators, they jointly defeated the four heart emissaries of the Yin Spirit Sect and returned victorious. The young disciples on the tower ship looked at several Golden Core Cultivators, all riding various powerful Spiritual Beasts, and couldn¡¯t help but show a look of longing in their eyes. They too wished to possess such mighty Spiritual Beast mounts, which surely must feel impressive to ride on. ¡°Disciples pay respects to all the Honored Uncles.¡± Fang Zheng and the others stood up and respectfully saluted Yan Zhongli and the others. ¡°Enough, dispense with the formalities.¡± Yan Zhongli had already regained his usual demeanor. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to rise, and then turned to an elderly man with white hair beside him, saying, ¡°Senior Brother Qi, among us, you are the most skilled in the Array Dao. Please help us repair the tower ship.¡± The elder with white hair gave a wry smile: ¡°I have only studied Array Dao for a few years; this tower ship is a grand magical treasure. You¡¯re asking me, an amateur array master, to repair a magical treasure for you, it¡¯s quite something for you to ask.¡± Yan Zhongli laughed heartily: ¡°Brother, at least you have studied Array Dao, which is much better than any of us. It¡¯s not necessary to fully repair the tower ship. Just temporarily restoring the prohibitions is fine, to prevent any trouble on the way.¡± Hearing this, the elder reluctantly nodded, ¡°Well then, I shall try my best reluctantly. Additionally, the few of us will accompany you back to the sect. It won¡¯t waste much time either way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, we thank you for your troubles.¡± Yan Zhongli did not refuse, and directly nodded his thanks. He indeed feared that the upper echelons of the Yin Spirit Sect had also received the news and were coming to capture him. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Beast Taming Mountain Gate Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Beast Taming Mountain Gate Accompanied by the clear chant of the Jiao Dragon, the Tower Ship took to the skies once more, heading back in the direction of the Beast Taming Sect. This time, with several Golden Core Cultivators on board, all the disciples felt much safer. They huddled together, excitedly discussing the previous battle with great enthusiasm. Particularly those Noble Heirs on the fourth floor, all of whom had once thrown Spirit Talismans at Demon Beasts, and had indeed managed to kill seven or eight of the Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts, regardless of the cost. Although after the battle they had nearly used up all their Spirit Talismans, this didn¡¯t prevent them from boasting about their achievements. In the end, these fellows each attributed the final blow that killed the Demon Beasts to themselves. When someone tallied it up, they found that if they were to count according to their boasts, there wouldn¡¯t be enough Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts even including all those that came to attack. On the top floor, in a spacious hall, Yan Zhongli and others sat cross-legged, sipping tea and chatting with laughter. ¡°Ah, to be young!¡± said Senior Brother Qi, his hair and beard all white. ¡°Seeing these children reminds me of my own time when I first joined the Sect, when I was just as carefree.¡± He gave a bitter laugh, ¡°In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and I¡¯m still circling around the Golden Core Realm. To take a step further is incredibly difficult. These children admire us, not knowing that we also look up to Cultivators of higher realms. Alas, the path of Cultivation is fraught with hardships and countless tribulations; a single misstep can send one tumbling into an abyss. Who knows how many among these children will surpass us and tread further on the path of Cultivation.¡± Unlike the old man¡¯s worries, Yan Zhongli laughed heartily, ¡°Senior Brother Qi should not disparage himself. How many are there among us who could stand out from the ordinary Outer Disciples and achieve the Dao Cultivation you have today? Brother Qi, you must not give up because the journey is difficult, or that would truly be where you stop. We who practice Cultivation can only advance by facing difficulties head-on. Knowing the hardships, yet still pressing forward, is the only way one has a chance of proving the Dao. Otherwise, what use is natural Talent and strong Root Bone if one does not possess the perseverance to overcome obstacles? Sooner or later, one would still fall on the road to Longevity and become naught but a pile of dry bones.¡± Hearing this, Senior Brother Qi shook his head and chuckled, ¡°Junior Brother Yan, you are still young, not like me. But it¡¯s good that you have such spirit. Only with such mentality can one possibly go further.¡± As they talked, the Tower Ship gradually moved farther away. The Jiao Dragon, pulling the Tower Ship, traversed mountains and rivers, vast forests, and after nearly two days of continuous flight, finally arrived in front of a grand mountain. The mountain was called Manghuang, and in Ancient Times, it was occupied by the Demon Clan, inhabited by countless members of the Demon Clan. Later, it was captured by the ancestors of the Beast Taming Sect with their Disciples. After tens of thousands of years of development, it became what is now the Beast Taming Sect. From afar, one could see numerous peaks rising straight into the clouds, the mountain range stretching for thousands of miles. The mountains were dotted with countless buildings, with figures moving about everywhere. An untold number of Spiritual Beasts were hidden among them, with their cries and roars echoing through the forests from time to time. Here, one might see tigers and wild boars walking together, giant wolves and mountain goats side by side, a Divine Bird with wings spanning a hundred zhang soaring into the sky, or a Jade Rabbit barely larger than a palm crossing a hundred zhang of space. This was the Mountain Gate of the Beast Taming Sect, home to the most complete variety of Demon Beasts in the world. Many Exotic Beasts rarely seen outside could be found here. On the Tower Ship, all the Disciples had already emerged from their rooms. Some were crowding along the railings, watching in amazement, while others were clustered in groups, imagining the bright future ahead after entering the Sect. The Jiao Dragon towed the Tower Ship along the outside of the mountain, flying laterally for a thousand miles before landing on a vast plaza. Yan Zhongli¡¯s figure flew out from the top level of the Tower Ship and shouted, ¡°Everyone disembark in order. After disembarking, no noise or wandering around. Line up neatly, and wait for the Outer Deacons to settle you in. Only then can you attend to your private affairs.¡± Everyone hurriedly quieted down and disembarked in order, somewhat roughly forming several lines on the plaza. ¡°Ha-ha, Senior Brother Yan, this time your group is the last to return. If you had been any later, you would have missed tomorrow¡¯s celebration,¡± said a middle-aged man with a short beard, stepping out from a grand hall in front of the plaza, laughing as he spoke to Yan Zhongli. However, when he saw the damaged hull of the Tower Ship and the other Golden Core Cultivators who appeared together with Yan Zhongli, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately asked, ¡°Brother, what happened on this trip?¡± Yan Zhongli saw that there were still quite a few disciples bustling about the square and didn¡¯t say much. He just laughed, ¡°It was merely a few demons from the Yin Spirit Demon Sect who wished to attack us, but they have already been slain. Junior Brother Li should settle these new disciples first before discussing further.¡± ¡°Yin Spirit Demon Sect?¡± Li Qing heard this and sneered a few times, ¡°They really have the audacity to attack the Beast Taming Sect. It seems that the suppression by the Righteous Path Sects on the Demon Sect is still not severe enough!¡± Then, without saying much more, he turned his head and instructed the Deacon Disciples behind him to come forward and settle the new disciples brought by Yan Zhongli. As for the matter of the Yin Spirit Demon Sect, they only needed to report it to the higher echelons of the Sect. In due time, higher-ups would dispatch staff to repress the Yin Spirit Demon Sect. Since the adversary dared to launch a sneak attack on them, they had to be ready to face retaliation from the Beast Taming Sect. If they did not make the Yin Spirit Demon Sect tremble with fear, perhaps other Demon Sects would also think that the Beast Taming Sect was easy to bully and plan to step on them too. Several Foundation Establishment Cultivation Deacons took over the registers handed by Fang Zheng, counted all the disciples, and then led the disciples away in teams to settle them temporarily. After they formally entered the Mountain Gate, they would then be assigned to the various peaks of the Outer Sect. As for the several young boys who died on the way, the Sect would also send people to inform their families. Although the fate of those boys who had suffered misfortune before even entering the Sect was somewhat tragic, since they chose to step into the Cultivation World, they had to be prepared to face all sorts of dangers. The Cultivation World is never short of unexpected situations. When powerful cultivators fight, a slight mishap could affect ordinary cultivators, causing death and injury. Such incidents were far from rare. When encountered, one either had to stay far away or simply accept it as bad luck. Qin Feng was separated from Qin Xi. After all, there is a distinction between men and women, and those female disciples would be settled elsewhere. He and over a hundred boys followed an Outer Deacon towards the east side of the square. There were rows of houses there, specially used to accommodate new disciples. These courtyards were usually uninhabited and only became busy for a few days each year when new disciples were admitted. They would first settle down here and then participate in a ceremony with all the new disciples admitted this year. Only after that would they officially become Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect. Qin Feng and the others arrived last, so the area of houses they were assigned to was at the very back and the most rudimentary. Except for a few complaints from delicate Noble Heirs, the others did not mind. For most of the boys, they would only stay here for one night anyway, and leave the next day, so they didn¡¯t care about the quality of their environment. As for those Noble Heirs, no one cared about their complaints. This is a Sect, not their family homes. Even their families were merely forces affiliated to the Sect, without the privilege to order around here, nor would any Outer Deacon cater to their demands. Qin Feng entered his room, glanced around casually, and saw that the only thing better here than on the Tower Ship was a wooden plank bed. Since the room was equipped with a simple dust-proof Prohibition, there was no need for special cleaning to make it habitable. He closed the room door, lay down on the wooden bed, and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. Although he couldn¡¯t exactly say he was exhausted on the Tower Ship, the battle had left him somewhat mentally tired, and he remained anxious along the way, fearing another attack. If there were indeed another attack, it would undoubtedly involve beings with higher Dao Cultivation Realms than those first few demons, and just a few Golden Core Cultivators like Yan Zhongli might not be able to hold them off. Fortunately, such an event did not occur. Now that he had arrived at the Sect, he could truly relax and wanted nothing more than to lie down in bed and get a good sleep. In his sleep, he dreamed that he had become a top-level Great Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect, transformed into a Divine Ape ten zhang tall, riding a Jiao Dragon a hundred zhang long, with Spiritual Cranes flying around and a White Tiger following, looking majestic as could be. PS: My neck hurts, I¡¯m going to the hospital to have it checked out. Bros, I still need to ask for recommendation tickets. Considering that the author is typing despite being under the weather, please show some extra support. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Spiritual Vulture Elder Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Spiritual Vulture Elder As the last trace of darkness before dawn quietly disappeared, a touch of fish-belly white rose in the eastern sky. Outside the window, several brightly colored birds emitted chirps that awakened Qin Feng, who had been asleep all night. He got up from his bed, stretched himself thoroughly, and then pinched a spell to summon a stream of water to wash his face, feeling instantly refreshed and energized. Opening his room door, he stepped out, intending to take a walk and stretch his limbs. But once he was outside, he realized that he had actually gotten up relatively late. Especially those young ones living in the rows in front of him, who had arrived earlier and had been here for several days already, were eagerly looking forward to the initiation ceremony to begin cultivating the Beast Taming Technique. And today was the day to worship the Ancestor and enter the Mountain Gate, so these youths, excited as they were, naturally did not feel much like sleeping. Before long, a group of Outer Sect Deacons came and summoned everyone to the plaza. Qin Feng and the others followed the Outer Sect Deacon who brought them here the previous day, and upon arriving at the plaza, under the Deacon¡¯s guidance, stood in an area to the left. At this time, the place was already densely packed with people; at a glance, there seemed to be at least tens of thousands. He looked around and soon spotted the figure of Qin Xi among the female disciples. Qin Xi, sensing his gaze, smiled at him with pursed lips. However, as they were dozens of meters apart, they did not go over to talk to each other but stood properly in place. With so many young people gathered together, naturally, there was excited discussion about what would happen after they joined the Sect, and Qin Feng overheard Zhao Jinglei, not far in front of him, discussing with a few companions which mountain peak in the Outer Sect they would be assigned to. This was very important for the vast majority of disciples, for it concerned not only the direction of their Beast Taming but also the kinds of miscellaneous tasks they would undertake in the future. The Spiritual Beasts cultivated by each mountain peak of the Outer Sect were different, and the Techniques cultivated were also more in line with the Spiritual Beasts that the peaks raised. Aside from those Noble Heirs who could receive their families¡¯ prepared Spiritual Beasts, most ordinary disciples would typically choose the type of Spiritual Beast cultivated by their mountain peak as their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts. As for the miscellaneous duties, that was relatively fair. It did not matter if one was like Zhao Jinglei, who could only show off within Tieling County, or a direct heir from one of the Sect¡¯s nine great Noble families, or a prodigy with an Innate Dao Heart like Lin Jingxin. After joining the Beast Taming Sect, they would not get any preferential treatment. At least not during the first year of entrance. They would be just like all other youths of ordinary birth, needing to perform various miscellaneous Sect duties to earn their cultivation necessities. This was a rule established by the Sect Ancestor, said to hone the disciples¡¯ character and prevent those with exceptional talent or reliance on elder family members from developing an attitude of looking down on others while not tending to their abilities. However, as the saying goes, where there¡¯s a policy, there¡¯s a countermeasure; after a full year of Sect chores, a change was possible, and the great families obviously had members holding high positions within the Sect. After their younger family members¡¯ first year, they could use their connections to let their juniors undertake lighter duties with more resources, allowing them more time for Cultivation. As for the ordinary disciples, if they wanted to switch positions, they would have to go to the Foreign Affairs Hall and find the duties they wanted to perform. As the crowd buzzed with discussions and the plaza grew noisy, suddenly, a fierce cry echoed in the distance. The sharp sound pierced deep into the soul, startling everyone into silence and compelling them to look up in the direction the sound came from. Then, they saw a massive predatory bird flying towards them from afar. This was a vulture with wings spanning several dozen feet, its eyes revealing a fierce nature. Its feathers, both thick and hard, were like refined iron cast into shape, and as it flapped its wings midair, it whipped up a violent wind that sent many of the young disciples below swaying unsteadily to and fro. Atop the fierce bird¡¯s back stood an old woman with chicken skin and crane hair. It was unknown just how old this woman was. Her sparse hair, hunched back, and the wrinkles that covered her face resembled the craggy bark of ancient trees. She also leaned on an eagle-headed staff that towered over her by a good measure. In the instant that this woman rode the vulture over, a fierce aura swept across the whole arena, prompting all the disciples to shut their mouths and dare not speak. And the Golden Core Elder Li Qing, who Qin Feng and the others had seen just yesterday, upon seeing this old woman, hurriedly paid his respects, calling her Senior Aunt in a respectful manner, despite the fact that the old woman did not show him a friendly face, nor did he dare reveal any sign of dissatisfaction. ¡°This must be the Spiritual Vulture Elder of the Outer Sect¡¯s Spiritual Vulture Peak.¡± A Noble Heir whispered, ¡°It is said that she was an old Golden Core powerhouse from the previous generation, and she was once a genius of the Beast Taming Sect. However, her temper is not too good, and she damaged her origin during a fight, otherwise she would have achieved the Purple Mansion long ago.¡± While they were speaking, a roaring tiger¡¯s roar, resounding through heaven and earth, made everyone¡¯s eardrums ache. Soon after, a strong man built like a mountain rode on a black tiger using Wind Control Technique, landing on the stage in front. ¡°This is Elder Lei from Tiger Roar Peak, known as Lei the Tiger. Despite being fierce and overbearing, he is also extremely protective of his own. Plus, in terms of war power among the Outer Sect¡¯s peaks, Tiger Roar Peak ranks among the top few powerful peaks, and tiger-type Demon Beasts are known as the kings among beasts. If only I had the fortune to join Tiger Roar Peak.¡± Another disciple recognized this Elder Lei of Tiger Roar Peak. Following that, a Jiao Dragon flew over. An even more massive and fierce Jiao Dragon than the one that had previously pulled the tower ship. A young man sat on the back of this Jiao Dragon. His features were handsome and his brows sharp. At first glance, there was a somewhat androgynous feel about him. ¡°Who would have thought that this time Heavenly Dragon Peak would be personally led by Elder Lingxiao? It seems the rumours are true, Elder Lingxiao really is taking over Heavenly Dragon Peak.¡± In the front, Zhao Jinglei stared fixedly at the impressive Jiao Dragon beneath the incredibly handsome Elder Lingxiao. He wanted to enter Heavenly Dragon Peak, and he also wanted to possess such a majestic Jiao Dragon. Before he came here, the elders in his family had told him that beneath Heavenly Dragon Peak lies Black Dragon Pond, which is a place where the Sect rears Jiao Dragons. Every ten years, Heavenly Dragon Peak selects the most outstanding young disciple among its ranks to bestow a young Jiao Dragon upon. Even the Long Family, a vassal family of the Sect, could afford to rear Jiao Dragons, so of course, the Beast Taming Sect wouldn¡¯t lack such places. Not only did the Outer Sect have one, but the Inner Sect had one as well, one that is more than ten times larger than the Black Dragon Pond of Heavenly Dragon Peak of the Outer Sect. However, Heavenly Dragon Peak does not recruit many disciples each year, and even fewer are granted a Jiao Dragon. Whether or not they could become a disciple of Heavenly Dragon Peak all depended on how they were selected. When it comes to which disciples are recruited by each peak, no outsider dares to interfere. Even the Long Family, which takes Jiao Dragons as their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, would not lightly go knocking on their doors to have their own disciples admitted to Heavenly Dragon Peak. Because doing so could easily arouse the dissatisfaction of other high-ranking members of the Sect, suspecting that the Long Family was trying to take control of Heavenly Dragon Peak and monopolize all the Jiao Dragon resources. PS: Being an author really isn¡¯t easy. Less than a year into writing, I¡¯ve developed cervical spondylosis. It¡¯s quite painful! Brothers, you should also take good care of your health, yeah? It¡¯s best to find time to exercise and boost your immunity. Stay strong and healthy! Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Entrance Test Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Entrance Test Subsequently, various Spiritual Beasts and Spiritual Birds flew through the sky from time to time. There were Fiery Fire Lions with bodies aflame, Thunder Hawks manipulating lightning, Divine Apes with the strength to uproot mountains, Giant Bears that could shake the land, Spiritual Deer treading upon auspicious clouds, and snow-white Divine Bulls¡­ One powerful Spiritual Beast after another appeared, leaving all the youngsters on the square utterly dumbfounded and profoundly shocked. From the Outer Sect¡¯s one hundred and eight peaks, a potent Golden Core Elder from each peak arrived, riding upon their mighty Spiritual Beasts, and within a mere quarter of an hour, all had assembled. Qin Feng, too, was left clicking his tongue in amazement. A family like the Zhao Family of Tieling County, which possessed a Golden Core Peak powerhouse, had already the capacity to call the wind and summon the rain in the Commandery, making small families like the Qin Family look up to them. And now, here in just the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, so many exceptional Golden Core Elders had emerged, making the Zhao Family utterly insignificant by comparison. He barely dared to imagine, if the Outer Sect was already this formidable, how overwhelmingly powerful must the Inner Sect be? At that moment, Qin Feng¡¯s heart swelled with a strong yearning. He wanted to enter the Inner Sect, to witness the glory within. And this was not just his own desire; every Outer Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect harbored this aspiration. There was no one who did not wish to be admitted to the Inner Sect. Only by entering the Inner Sect could one be freed from the miscellaneous duties of the Outer Sect and could one receive the True Inheritance, cultivating in peace with the possibility of achieving longevity. ¡°Silence.¡± Following the reprimand from the Outer Sect Elder Li Qing, the disciples, who had been whispering and discussing amongst themselves, immediately quieted down and looked up at him. However, Li Qing did not preside over the ceremony. Instead, he invited an authoritative-looking elder onto the stage. ¡°This is Elder Yang Wuhui from our Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Law Enforcement Hall; Elder Yan will now guide you to join the Sect,¡± he announced. After speaking, he stepped back two paces to give way to Elder Yan. Yang Wuhui¡¯s gaze was piercing as he swept it across the entire crowd. All the disciples were made uneasy by his look that seemed to see into their hearts, preventing them from harboring any frivolous thoughts. Qin Feng secretly marveled, he faintly felt that Elder Yan¡¯s authority surpassed that of all the Outer Sect Elders present, and their respectful attitudes towards this elder appeared to confirm this. He could not even fathom what Cultivation level this Elder might have achieved. Could it be that he had already transcended the Golden Core Realm to become a being of the Purple Mansion? ¡°Our Beast Taming Sect has been established for tens of thousands of years, with a lineage tracing back to the beginning of the Ancient Great Tribulation,¡± Elder Yan¡¯s voice was resonant and strong, his enunciation clear, ensuring that his words reached the ears of every disciple: ¡°During the Ancient Great Tribulation, invaders from all realms and the rampaging Demon Clan committed countless acts of slaughter, leading to the devastation of all life forms. Our founding master could not bear to watch the common people suffer and, with heavenly wisdom, created the Beast Taming Technique. He established our Sect, guarded the Southern Wilderness, and suppressed countless members of the Demon Clan. During the Ancient Great Tribulation, he established a resounding reputation and accomplished numerous great deeds.¡± At this point, he paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°In the tens of thousands of years following the Great Tribulation, our Beast Taming Sect has upheld our ancestor¡¯s last wishes, suppressed demons and devils, and saved countless lives, never falling behind others. You all desire to join our Beast Taming Sect, and must therefore embrace this philosophy. When heaven and earth face catastrophe, and our Sect faces calamity, you must be willing to make selfless sacrifices, unafraid of hardships, bravely stepping forward to fight for your lives. Can you do this?¡± The disciples hastily replied, ¡°We are willing to give our lives for the Sect!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Elder Yan slowly nodded his head, then said, ¡°Our Beast Taming Sect has ten major precepts; first, you must not deceive your masters or destroy your ancestors; second, you must not betray the Sect; third, you must not harm your fellow disciples; fourth, you must not commit adultery¡­ Keep in mind that these ten precepts must not be violated, or you will be subjected to severe punishment without mercy!¡± The crowd responded once again, ¡°The disciples dare not.¡± ¡°Alright, next, let us invite the image of the Ancestor. After all the disciples pay homage to the Ancestor, you will be considered disciples of the Beast Taming Sect.¡± With Elder Yan¡¯s words falling, a series of lights suddenly rose in the front of the main hall at the plaza. Countless lights converged together, transforming into a figure hundreds of feet tall. Everyone looked up to see that it was the image of an elder with a kind and benevolent face. Following the appearance of this divine image, everyone, including Yang Wuhui and the Outer Elders from the one hundred and eight peaks, all respectfully bowed deeply. Afterward, Yang Wuhui stood up, turned to the young people in the field, and commanded, ¡°Disciples, pay your respects to the Ancestor.¡± In an instant, all the disciples knelt down, and after three prostrations and nine bows, they were considered part of the Beast Taming Sect. Elder Yan¡¯s expression seemed to soften a bit as he nodded slightly, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve joined our Beast Taming Sect, you must abide by the rules and diligently pursue cultivation, striving to achieve something at the earliest. Alright, next, activate the Array. All disciples will step forward on their own, each depending on their own fate which Outer Elder you manage to reach, you will join that peak. And if in the end, you cannot make it out of the Illusion Array, don¡¯t worry. The Sect will still assign you to the various peaks, so your cultivation will not be delayed.¡± Elder Yan waved his large sleeve, and behind him, Li Qing and the others quickly formed spells to activate the Array. With a rumbling sound, a heavy noise came, and then in front of the main hall at the plaza, one thousand eight hundred and eight platforms rose. The Outer Elders of the various peaks flew up and landed on the platforms, and as they channeled their Mana into the platforms, illusory images emerged before them. At the same time, the space of the plaza seemed to shift for a moment, and when the disciples opened their eyes again, they found that the scene before them had changed completely, completely different from before; there was no main hall, no Elders, and no other disciples in sight. Each of them seemed to be in a strange world, enveloped in a vast expanse of white fog, seeing nothing, with only a voice seemingly tempting them to move forward. This was a test for the new Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, designed to test the disciples¡¯ temperament and their subconscious preference for certain types of Spiritual Beasts. Of course, this was just a minor test at this stage and did not represent the future achievements and choices of Spiritual Beasts for these disciples. After all, they were still young, their nature could still grow, and their preferences could change. What the future held, nobody could be certain. Qin Feng walked forward in a daze, not knowing how long or how far he had gone, as if it were but a moment and yet many days had passed. The feeling frustrated him, and he wanted to stop for a proper rest. However, it seemed as if another voice in his heart was urging him to keep moving. Ultimately he was of a resolute nature, so instead of stopping to rest, he continued to walk. Finally, when his patience was almost exhausted, some scenery began to appear ahead, no longer just an endless expanse of white. Qin Feng felt a surge of joy and looked up carefully to see many illusory images emerging through the mist¡ªdragons and phoenixes, tigers and bears, all kinds of creatures from the animal kingdom; anything that existed in the world was present here. In the midst of it, he had an epiphany and walked towards the illusory shadow of the Demon Beast he was most familiar with. At last, he approached the shadow and was about to reach out to touch it when his spirit was suddenly jolted, and he came to his senses, only to find that there was no such illusory shadow, and the vast white fog had also dissipated into nothing. And he had unknowingly reached the front of a platform. He looked up, and on the platform stood a beautiful woman with a graceful figure. The woman felt his gaze and also looked down at him. PS: The beautiful woman with hands on hips and chest puffed out: What are you looking at? Hand over your recommendation tickets quickly, or else I¡¯ll let out really fierce and ferocious beasts! Owooooo¡­ Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Spiritual Snake Peak Liu Xuanling Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Spiritual Snake Peak Liu Xuanling Qin Feng looked up at the high platform, and his spirit involuntarily leapt. It was not because of the woman¡¯s appearance; in fact, he hadn¡¯t seen her face at first glance. Being too close to the high platform, when he looked up, he hadn¡¯t directly seen her face until she leaned forward, revealing a stunningly beautiful visage, and he realized he had arrived below the platform of Elder Liu Xuanling of the Spiritual Snake Peak. He remembered Liu Xuanling¡¯s name because her arrival had caused quite a stir. At that time, all the disciples were amazed at the beauty of this female elder, especially when she stood next to the Spiritual Vulture Elder, the contrast was stark. Qin Feng was somewhat dazed, never expecting to find himself before Liu Xuanling. He had originally thought he would choose Heavenly Dragon Peak, Divine Ape Peak, or Tiger Roar Peak, since these peaks not only had stronger power but also housed potent spiritual beasts available for outstanding disciples to select, and if one performed well enough, even those with a divine beast bloodline might be rewarded. If he had joined one of these peaks, he was confident that he could have obtained an extremely excellent and powerful spiritual beast. However, he had unconsciously chosen Spiritual Snake Peak. After receiving a glance from Liu Xuanling¡¯s charming phoenix eyes, Qin Feng snapped back to reality, promptly bowed, and stepped back several steps. He dared not stay there looking up any longer, fearing that the beautiful elder might notice the inappropriate thoughts hidden in his gaze and decide to give him some troubles. After stepping aside, he noticed that apart from himself, there were over a dozen other young men and women standing below the platform of Spiritual Snake Peak. They also dared not speak, lest they disturb the disciples who were still navigating the Illusion Array, instead they nodded at each other as a form of greeting. Qin Feng glanced somewhat melancholically toward Heavenly Dragon Peak in the near distance, where Elder Lingxiao, who had arrived on a Jiao Dragon, stood on the platform, watching the disciples who approached with an indifferent expression. Alas, it seemed he was destined not to be associated with the Jiao Dragon of Black Dragon Pond. Qin Feng shook his head slightly, quickly regaining his composure, deciding not to dwell on it further. With things as they were, it was probably best to be honest, lest Elder Liu on the platform think he looked down on Spiritual Snake Peak, which could lead to complications. He had never had any prior contact with Elder Liu, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of a person she was; if she were to be petty, he really needed to tread carefully. After calming down, he recalled the moment in the Illusion Array when, lost in confusion, he had instinctively moved toward a figure of the demon beast he was most familiar with. But this most familiar demon beast was not the Swallowing Sky Toad that he had tamed, but his father¡¯s Green-Eyed Spirit Snake. From a young age, he had often clung to his father riding on the back of the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, flying through the skies; thus, deep inside, he was most familiar with the Spiritual Snake, which was probably why he had subconsciously chosen this place. Qin Feng cast his gaze toward the many disciples still lost within the Illusion Array, searching for Qin Xi¡¯s figure. Having just experienced the sensation of losing one¡¯s mind in the Illusion Array, he knew that without a resolute heart, one could not escape it. Only by persistently moving forward could one see the phantom of the spiritual beast and thus choose the existence most familiar to one¡¯s deepest heart. Because his father had taught him and allowed him access to a spiritual beast like the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake, but Qin Xi hadn¡¯t had that, and he didn¡¯t know if she would be able to find her way out. After searching for a long time and failing to spot Qin Xi, he reluctantly gave up looking and turned his attention to the disciples under each high platform, curious to see who had made it out. ¡°` Then, unexpectedly, he saw Qin Xi beneath a high platform. Qin Xi had already noticed Qin Feng searching for her among the crowd, but since they were quite far apart, it was difficult for her to come over and greet him, so she could only watch as Qin Feng anxiously looked around for a long time. Now, seeing Qin Feng look her way, she couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips into a smile, her expression clean and clear, revealing a touch of smugness. Qin Feng was overjoyed and looked up at the platform where she was for a moment longer. The person standing on the platform seemed to be an Elder from the Creation Peak. Creation Peak was the only one among the 108 peaks of the Outer of the Beast Taming Sect that wasn¡¯t named after a Spiritual Beast. This was because the main beasts tamed on this mountain were not various Spiritual Beasts but creatures born from nature¡¯s Creation Fire such as Flame Spirits born in fire and Thunder Spirits born from thunder, and even Spirit Monsters like stones and plants that had, over long periods, absorbed the Sun and Moon¡¯s Essence and nature¡¯s spiritual energy by chance, had developed Spiritual Intelligence. These were the primary choices for the disciples of Creation Peak. Due to the rarity of these naturally formed spirits, the number of disciples at this peak was also one of the fewest among the peaks of the Outer. However, this did not mean they were weak. In fact, the strength of the disciples from Creation Peak was among the top across all peaks because their lifebound beings were usually the most primordial creatures from various elements, possessing pure power and astonishing Divine Skills, which also made cultivation easier for them. Qin Feng was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected that not only had Qin Xi walked out of the Illusion Array, but she had also made her way to the base of Creation Peak. It seemed he had still underestimated Sister Xiaoxi¡¯s character. Immediately, he felt a surge of happiness for Qin Xi. Although escaping from the Illusion Array didn¡¯t necessarily mean one would be able to cultivate to a high Realm later on, it at least meant that the different peaks would provide some corresponding care, assigning lighter miscellaneous duties and allowing them more time to cultivate. At this moment, most of the tens of thousands of people had already stopped moving. Even if a minority hadn¡¯t given up, they were just aimlessly wandering without awareness, obviously trapped within the Illusion Array and unable to break through their own hearts. Out of those who truly managed to walk out of the Illusion Array, fewer than three thousand people were successful; each platform had varying numbers of disciples below it, ranging from as few as three or five to as many as over a hundred, with significant disparities. Among these disciples, Qin Feng spotted the figure of Lin Jingxin. This girl hadn¡¯t joined Creation Peak but had appeared under the platform of the Spiritual Tree Peak. Spiritual Tree Peak was the mountain named after various types of trees and flora recognized as their lifebound Spiritual Beasts. In fact, Lin Jingxin was one of the most unique disciples¡ªall the phantom figures in the Illusion Array had been open to her choice, and her spirit could resonate with any of the Spiritual Beasts. But in the end, she chose a Spiritual Tree that felt most comfortable to her. She felt this Spiritual Tree suited her soul best. This brought a genuine smile to the face of the Elder from the Spiritual Tree Peak, and it also made the other Elders who knew she possessed an Innate Daoist Heart feel regret. But this was the disciple¡¯s own choice, so they couldn¡¯t force her otherwise. However, some were already considering making contact with this disciple privately¡ªthey could introduce her to other Spiritual Beasts so that when she entered the Inner later on, she could still be part of their lineage. As a bell rang out, the Illusion Array vanished, and all disciples regained their senses, casting envious glances at those who had already reached the base of the platforms. Qin Feng noticed that many Noble Heirs who had cultivated to the late stage of Qi Refinement had not made it out, clearly indicating that this test was not about cultivation, but purely an assessment of the disciples¡¯ character. ¡°` Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Ten Thousand Snakes Cave Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Ten Thousand Snakes Cave Elder Li Qing of the Foreign Affairs Hall stepped forward and said softly to the chaotic crowd on the square, ¡°Alright, all disciples return to your original positions and stand properly. The allocation of disciple quotas for each peak will now begin.¡± In fact, the matter of how the newcomers were to be allocated had already been discussed and decided upon by the peak elders beforehand. Now, it was merely a matter of re-dividing the disciples who had been unable to exit the illusion array based on the number of people in each respective peak. These disciples didn¡¯t have much to be picked over; since they couldn¡¯t exit the illusion array, it was clear that their current state of mind needed improvement. Although their cultivation levels varied, with a few from prestigious families possessing the strength of the late Qi Refinement stage, these small cultivation levels weren¡¯t significant in the eyes of the Golden Core Elders; there was certainly no need to cause a commotion over them. Thus, under the direction of the Foreign Affairs Hall, the peak elders quickly finalized the quotas. The division by the Foreign Affairs Hall was interesting; they did not group the disciples from the same country or prefecture together but dispersed them all. This also prevented the peak elders from gathering all the newcomers from their regions and forming separate groups within the sect. Once all the disciples were allocated, the elders from the Outer Peaks simply gave a few instructions and then flew away on their respective spiritual beasts. These newcomer disciples were escorted to their respective peaks by the Foundation Establishment Deacons of the Foreign Affairs Hall; there was no need for the Golden Core Elders to worry about them. Soon, nine large tower ships flew in, landing at the edge of the square. Qin Feng glanced at them a few times. The tower ship that had brought them to the Beast Taming Sect was not among them, presumably because it had been damaged in a previous battle and sent for repairs. As soon as the tower ships landed, a cultivator on one of them, pulled by a Moon Watching Spirit Rhinoceros, called out, ¡°Disciples of Spiritual Snake Peak, Spiritual Ape Peak, Spirit Rhinoceros Peak, Fire Crow Peak, Heavenly Silkworm Peak, Spiritual Butterfly Peak, Heavenly Horse Peak, Profound Turtle Peak, Mystic Bird Peak, Baoxiang Peak, Sky Wolf Peak, and Golden Camel Peak, come here.¡± Clearly, this tower ship was tasked with transporting the disciples from these twelve peaks. Under the guidance of several Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Qin Feng and others boarded the tower ship. Once everyone was on board and it was confirmed that no one was left behind, the cultivator then ordered the ship to take off. The large Moon Watching Spirit Rhinoceros growled softly, slowly rising to its feet. Treading the void, it pulled the tower ship and flew off into the distance. Though the creature¡¯s movements were slow, its flying speed wasn¡¯t slow at all; it quickly soared into the sky and flew away into the distance. The Beast Taming Sect covered thousands of miles, with the entire mountain range under their control. The Outer Peaks were scattered in various locations, and it would take these disciples half a month on foot without these tower ships to reach their destinations. With the tower ships, however, it only took half a day to transport all the peak disciples. ¡°Thank you, senior brothers,¡± At a flat area at the foot of Spiritual Snake Peak, Junior Brother Chen Qiao, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had come to welcome the newcomers, bowed to several Foundation Establishment Cultivators on the tower ship who had delivered these disciples. ¡°Junior Brother Chen is too kind,¡± The ship¡¯s leading elder, a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator, chuckled, ¡°We still have disciples from several peaks to deliver. We won¡¯t linger here. Junior Brother Chen, when you come to the Foreign Affairs Hall next time, remember to join us for tea.¡± ¡°Certainly, certainly,¡± Chen Qiao responded with a full-faced smile. After the cultivators commanding the Tower Ship had left, he turned around and said to the crowd, ¡°I am Junior Brother Chen Qiao, a Deacon Disciple from Spiritual Snake Peak, sent to arrange accommodations for you all. First, follow me to register and collect your Identity Jade Token and Beast Taming Sect Magic Robes, among other items, and then I will arrange your accommodations and various other affairs.¡± Everyone nodded repeatedly, of course having no objections, and they all followed behind Chen Qiao, heading towards a courtyard halfway up the mountain. That place was the Deacon Room of Spiritual Snake Peak, considered a subordinate institution of the Internal Affairs Hall of the Sect, although each Peak arranged for its own disciples to take control; the Elders of the Internal Affairs Hall generally did not wish to interfere in the internal affairs of the Peaks. Qin Feng and the others followed Chen Qiao up the mountain while curiously looking around. Nearly one hundred and fifty disciples had been assigned to Spiritual Snake Peak, the majority of whom came from commoner backgrounds and had very limited understanding of the Beast Taming Sect; they only knew that it was a powerful Sect, but did not know exactly how powerful it was or what the internal set-up of the Sect looked like. The rest, like Qin Feng from smaller clans, had their clan elders tell them quite a bit about the Sect. But those elders, during their time at the Sect, had only entered one of the Peaks, and not every generation could produce a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; being lower-level cultivators, they also did not know too much about the rest of the Peaks in the Sect. Thus, not only were those youngsters from commoner backgrounds immensely curious about Spiritual Snake Peak, but even disciples from small families like Qin Feng looked around curiously, taking in the sights of Spiritual Snake Peak. In their imaginations, Spiritual Snake Peak should have been the place within the Outer Peaks with the most snake-type Spiritual Beasts. However, as Qin Feng and the others looked around, they not only failed to see many Spiritual Snakes, but they also felt that this mountain peak was exceptionally beautiful and majestic, brimming with Spiritual Energy; they barely sensed any Demon Energy, making it resemble more the residence of a Sect practicing orthodox Daoism Cultivation Techniques. ¡°Chen¡­ Senior Brother.¡± One of the disciples looked at Chen Qiao, slightly puzzled, and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Spiritual Snake Peak? How come we haven¡¯t even seen a few Spiritual Snakes?¡± Seeing the curious looks from everyone, Chen Qiao couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly, ¡°Do not be surprised. Although our Beast Taming Sect excels in manipulating Spiritual Beasts in battle, after all, it is still a Sect for Cultivation, and naturally, we prioritize our own Cultivation practices. Spiritual Snake Peak is our place of Cultivation, of course, it has to be made more suitable for Cultivation, which makes it more comfortable to reside in. As for the place where Spiritual Snakes are bred, it is in the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave.¡± ¡°Ten Thousand Snakes Cave?¡± The group became even more astonished, ¡°Is the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave not on Spiritual Snake Peak?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Chen Qiao explained, ¡°The several mountain peaks surrounding Spiritual Snake Peak and the territory within one to two hundred miles belong to Spiritual Snake Peak. Ten Thousand Snakes Cave is located between two mountains to the south, deep inside a cavern in the valley. The rest of the territory either houses some special types of Spiritual Snakes or cultivates various kinds of Spiritual Medicines that enhance the Cultivation evolution of Spiritual Snakes; there are also some rare Spiritual Medicines that can only grow in the areas frequented by these Spiritual Snakes.¡± He looked at everyone, a playful smile on his face, ¡°If any disciple is assigned to some special areas, tasked with taking care of the Spiritual Snakes and Spiritual Medicines there, be very careful not to violate any taboos. Otherwise, if you were to anger some fierce-tempered Spiritual Snakes and they swallowed you whole, you could only pray for the Sect to avenge you.¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Cruel Competition Among Outer Disciples Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Cruel Competition Among Outer Disciples The disciples were shocked when they heard Chen Qiao¡¯s words. They immediately reminded themselves to be more cautious in the future since handling Sect tasks wasn¡¯t always safe. In the midst of their conversation, the group had followed Chen Qiao to the Deacon Room. There, Chen Qiao handed them over to the disciples of the Deacon Room, who registered their identities one by one. He then distributed Identity Jade Tokens to them, instructing them to imprint their Spiritual Power and Divine Sense into the tokens to prevent others from impersonating them. Afterward, Chen Qiao took them to the storage room to collect the standard benefits reserved for new disciples, including a Magic Robe, a Storage Bag, and a Spiritual Beast Bag each. Moreover, there were special Detoxification Pills and Snake Repelling Pills from Spiritual Snake Peak; essentials to prevent the disciples from being accidentally bitten by Spiritual Snakes. Qin Feng closely examined his newly-acquired Storage Bag and Spiritual Beast Bag several times, discerning that they were only Low Level and weren¡¯t worth many Spirit Stones. It seemed these items were mainly intended for youngsters from commoner backgrounds. However, Qin Feng wouldn¡¯t refuse such benefits from the Sect, as he wasn¡¯t yet in a position to turn them down. After receiving their items, the Deacon Room had already arranged the miscellaneous tasks they were responsible for. Qin Feng and a dozen other youths, because they had emerged from the Illusion Array during the testing in the plaza, were afforded some preferential treatment, resulting in relatively lighter duties. Qin Feng reviewed the tasks he had been assigned and saw that he was responsible for feeding the Cold Ice Pythons in the Cold Pond to the west of Spiritual Snake Peak. Though it was called ¡°taking care of,¡± it essentially meant delivering other birds and animals raised on Spiritual Snake Peak to feed them every few days. These Spiritual Beasts didn¡¯t fall sick and had no natural predators under the protection of the Beast Taming Sect, so there was no need for him to care for them attentively. He just had to ensure they were fed regularly without starvation. Every few years, these Cold Ice Pythons would lay a clutch of eggs, hatching more juvenile Cold Ice Pythons, ensuring a steady supply for Spiritual Snake Peak. Additionally, there were several Snow Jade Lotus plants growing in the Cold Pond, a rare type of Spiritual Medicine. He was required to harvest them when they matured, as these were special plantations the Sect didn¡¯t allow disciples to take for themselves. Qin Feng found this to be an extremely easy task and he was more than capable. He only needed to visit every few days, which left him plenty of time for cultivation. Their Identity Jade Tokens were custom-made by Spiritual Snake Peak, ensuring that the snakes within its domain would generally not attack them upon detecting the Token¡¯s aura. As for Chen Qiao¡¯s earlier warning about the possibility of being devoured by angered Spiritual Snakes, it served more as a caution to the new disciples not to intentionally provoke the snakes. In the past, there had been a few reckless disciples who, relying on their Identity Jades, provoked Spiritual Snakes, thinking they wouldn¡¯t be attacked. Eventually, they encountered a few particularly vicious ones that ended up swallowing them whole. Thus, he reminded the disciples to avoid making similar mistakes. ¡°There are one hundred and eight peaks within the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, and each one possesses its own Preaching Pavilion,¡± said Chen Qiao. ¡°Every day, disciples with Foundation Establishment Cultivation lecture there, and on the first and fifteenth of each month, Golden Core Elders come to preach and resolve your doubts.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve just joined the Sect, and you won¡¯t be assigned overly complicated tasks. Each of you will have at least half a day of free time to attend lectures at the Preaching Pavilion. I urge all of you to seize this opportunity to cultivate diligently, for after one year, you won¡¯t be new disciples anymore and will have to take on various tasks just like the older disciples. And some of those tasks require great focus and might not leave you any free days throughout the year, to say nothing of attending lectures.¡± The group looked at each other upon hearing this. One asked, ¡°Senior Brother Chen, if the Sect¡¯s tasks are so burdensome, then how are we, the Outer Disciples, to practice cultivation?¡± Chen Qiao glanced at the disciple who asked and answered, ¡°It¡¯s not as severe as you think. Some tasks do require constant attention, but you can take turns with others. You can work during the day and still cultivate at night as long as you manage your time wisely. Besides, the more you give, the more you receive. The Sect provides various resource rewards for these tasks, and the more time-consuming tasks yield greater rewards.¡± ¡°With resources, cultivation becomes much simpler,¡± he said. He chuckled, then continued, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t wish to take on the cumbersome chores, you can opt for relatively easy tasks. Such as guarding the palace or sweeping the courtyard. However, although these tasks are relatively easy, they won¡¯t earn you many Spirit Stones as rewards. Whether you want to earn more cultivation resources or to have more free time for meditation and cultivation, the choice is up to you, unless it¡¯s a chore that really can¡¯t be filled. Generally speaking, the sect won¡¯t force you to do anything. Additionally, within the first ten years after entering the door, as long as you have confidence, every disciple can participate in the sect¡¯s annual competition. If you stand out and defeat numerous opponents to rank among the top hundred disciples, you can directly join the Inner Sect.¡± With these words, all the disciples were stirred, for joining the Inner Sect was their most fervent desire. Chen Qiao had explained things so clearly, and everyone understood the implications. To join the Inner Sect, mere hard work in cultivation wasn¡¯t enough; one needed ample cultivation resources. With resources, you can progress faster, cultivate to a higher level within ten years, train powerful Spiritual Beasts, sweep through the ranks of the Outer, and earn a promotion. And to acquire cultivation resources, one must be willing to work and earn them. Of course, that applies to ordinary disciples. For those disciples from noble families, the resources provided by their families are substantial and allow them to engage in lighter duties to pass the time while using the family resources for cultivation. Qin Feng was no different. His family provided him and Qin Xi with a sum of Spirit Stones every year to enable them to carve out more time for cultivation in the hopes of bolstering their chances of reaching the Foundation Establishment and, with some luck, joining the Inner Sect¡ªa cause for great celebration for the entire family. Ordinary disciples, lacking such family backgrounds, had to rely on their own hands to earn their cultivation resources, a challenge incomparable to theirs. After explaining all the necessary details, Chen Qiao didn¡¯t say much more, and led the new disciples to their accommodations directly. These quarters, located near the foot of the Spiritual Snake Peak, were made up of rows of small courtyards. Though not large, they were quite elegant. More importantly, all these courtyards were built upon the branches of the Spirit Veins beneath Spiritual Snake Peak, so the concentration of Spiritual Energy was plentiful, much to their satisfaction. Qin Feng used his Identity Jade to open the prohibition on his own courtyard and entered. After briefly inspecting the few rooms, he felt no need to look further. Apart from some simple furniture, there was nothing else, and nothing particularly intriguing. He walked into his bedroom, lay down on the bed, placed his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling with squinted eyes, his mind preoccupied with thoughts. The competition in the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect was incredibly fierce, even brutal. After all, there were simply too many disciples in the Outer Sect. With the sect¡¯s reach extending across nine neighboring countries, even if each country only recruited a little over a thousand people every year, the total would still be tens of thousands. Over ten years, this would equate to well over a hundred thousand. Yet within these multitudes, only around a hundred places were up for contention each year. If the struggle wasn¡¯t intense, it would be truly bizarre. It wasn¡¯t only during the sect competition that disability could occur from a moment¡¯s carelessness; even on regular days, there was severe rivalry among the Outer disciples. PS: The protagonist believes that to stand out from such fierce competition, recommendations from everyone are crucial. To be admitted into the Inner Sect and learn more profound techniques, Qin Feng has decided to shamelessly ask everyone for their recommendation votes. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Mastery of the Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Mastery of the Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture The next day, early in the morning. Qin Feng woke up early for his morning practice, and after sitting in meditation to regulate his breathing, he got up and left the courtyard, heading towards the Preaching Pavilion located halfway up the mountain. The Preaching Pavilion was independently established by each of the Outer Sect¡¯s peaks; aside from being under the jurisdiction of the Inner Sect¡¯s Preaching Hall, all other matters were decided by the peaks themselves. As Qin Feng made his way there, he quickly encountered quite a few fellow sect members. However, they were all new disciples who had joined the Sect the day before. The senior disciples knew that the pavilion would primarily be teaching basic spells in the next few days due to the arrival of newcomers. Hence, after the new disciples¡¯ cultivation was on the right track in a few days, other topics would continue to be taught. Because of this, the older disciples seldom wasted their time at the pavilion during this period. ¡°Senior Brother Qin.¡± At that moment, a lean young man saw Qin Feng¡¯s figure and hurriedly caught up, greeting him. This youngster was also from the Chu Kingdom. The two had met on the Tower Ship on the way here. He came from a small family in Fengyang County and was named Liu Wuxiang. Like Qin Feng, he was a disciple who had emerged from the Outer Sect¡¯s Illusion Array test. Since the two families they originated from weren¡¯t too far apart, they had even chatted for a bit on the road to Spiritual Snake Peak previously. Liu Wuxiang¡¯s cultivation was at the third level of Qi Refinement, which was already quite outstanding among disciples from small families, considering him to be something of a prodigy. He had heard about Qin Feng and Qin Xi¡¯s deed of jointly slaying over ten Demon Beasts, so the young man held considerable respect for Qin Feng in his heart, believing Qin Feng to be extremely formidable. Now that both had joined Spiritual Snake Peak, he naturally wanted to make friends with Qin Feng. ¡°Junior Brother Liu,¡± Qin Feng saw the young man and greeted him with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s walk a bit faster to avoid falling behind everyone. If we miss anything during the lecture, that wouldn¡¯t be good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Senior Brother,¡± Liu Wuxiang nodded quickly, and the two of them hurried along, overtaking many people along the way and quickly entering the Preaching Pavilion. Even so, there were already twenty or thirty people who had arrived earlier, taking up seats in the front rows in the middle. After exchanging a glance, the two hurriedly took their places on cushions in the third row to the left. All the new disciples who had recently joined were eager and arrived early. In about a quarter of an hour, all the new disciples had arrived. The crowd didn¡¯t dare to make a racket but spoke in hushed tones, speculating about which Elder would come to impart teachings. After all, this was a key moment for the new disciples¡¯ initiation. The Sect Elders were worried that ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators might not teach well, so every year at this time, Golden Core Elders would personally come to teach the new disciples the initiation techniques. About another quarter of an hour passed before someone finally walked in from outside. The crowd looked up and saw that the person was none other than the beautiful Elder Liu Xuanling, who had been recruiting disciples at the square the day before. Additionally, she was one of the three highest-cultivating Golden Core Practitioners in Spiritual Snake Peak and held the position of Peak Master. Of course, all this had been told to them by Chen Qiao when he received them yesterday. As Chen Qiao had said, their Peak Master was capricious, so he especially warned everyone not to anger the Peak Master, otherwise they might be punished by being sent deep into the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave to have a heart-to-heart with a Beauty Snake. ¡°Pay respects to the Peak Master.¡± The disciples quickly stood up and performed their salutations. Liu Xuanling¡¯s face, beautiful enough to overthrow states and cities, carried a hint of a smile, making her seem as approachable and kind as the girl next door. Her figure was curvy with both a pronounced bust and hips, and even the loose magic robe she was wearing could not conceal her voluptuous body, with her chest trembling slightly as she moved. However, no disciple dared to brazenly stare at Liu Xuanling¡¯s chest, lest they be randomly slashed by the beautiful Peak Master¡¯s blade. Some disciples from noble families had heard elders mention gossip about Liu Xuanling. They knew that in her early years, she hadn¡¯t spared those in the sect who dared to fancy her, with quite a few having their arms and legs broken by her. There was even an occasion when, during an outing, a direct descendant of a Giant Spirit Sect Inner Sect Elder merely teased her with a comment and was directly killed by her sword, his body completely devoured by her Spiritual Snake without any regard for the strength behind him. The incident instantly subdued all the disciples within and outside the sect, no longer daring to harbor any improper thoughts about this exquisite beauty. And this became an essential warning that every generation of old disciples at Spiritual Snake Peak would give to the new disciples, fearing that some clueless newcomer might get themselves involved. Liu Xuanling walked elegantly to the platform and gracefully took her seat before giving the disciples a nod and instructing, ¡°Alright, take your seats.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone found their places and fixed their gaze on Liu Xuanling. Liu Xuanling¡¯s face lost its smile as she looked at the crowd, lightly parted her red lips, and solemnly said, ¡°Our Beast Taming Sect has a heritage spanning tens of thousands of years, and now has countless cultivation techniques. Each peak of the Outer Sect has its own tradition, and among the Inner Sect branches, there are also secret cultivation methods to be passed down. However, tracking the roots of these cultivation techniques, they all originate from the ancestral ¡®Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡¯ passed down by our founders. Over these tens of thousands of years, our Beast Taming Sect has passed through hundreds of generations, and our predecessors have constantly innovated this technique, deriving many methods to control various Spiritual Beasts, utilizing Lifebound Spiritual Beasts to aid in cultivation and speed up progress, to avoid delay due to nurturing Spiritual Beasts. Thus, we have the many heritages of the Inner Sect and the one hundred and eight peaks of the Outer Sect.¡± Here, she swept her gaze over everyone below the stage and continued, ¡°Among the peaks of the Outer Sect, while some are stronger and some weaker, some more populous and some less, this does not mean that the traditions of lower-ranked peaks are less impressive, nor does it imply that greater numbers equate to greater strength. The key is whether the disciples of each peak are outstanding enough and have found the Spiritual Beast that best suits them. You are all of low cultivation, only at the Qi Refining Early Stage, and even if a few of you come from noble families with prepared Spiritual Beasts, with your cultivation, it is impossible to subdue a very powerful Demon Beast.¡± At this point, many disciples of ordinary background couldn¡¯t help but look pained as they did not have families to prepare these for them. Liu Xuanling noticed the expressions of these disciples and smiled lightly, ¡°But you need not worry, our Beast Taming Sect, besides being able to use Spiritual Beasts to aid in cultivation and combat, is also most proficient at nurturing various Spiritual Beasts, in this respect, we¡¯re even stronger than many Demon Beasts¡¯ own evolutionary paths. Even if during the early stages of cultivation only an ordinary Spiritual Beast is refined as a Lifebound Spiritual Beast, it does not mean that later on, this Spiritual Beast cannot be trained to an incredibly high level. In fact, such examples abound in our Beast Taming Sect. Every year, among the disciples who join the Inner Sect from the Outer Sect, many come from ordinary backgrounds, starting with relatively weak Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, but later, given opportunities, they train their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts to very formidable levels, sweeping away countless fellow disciples and seizing the chance to join the Inner Sect.¡± Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Difference Between Spiritual Beasts and Demon Beasts Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Difference Between Spiritual Beasts and Demon Beasts Liu Xuanling recounted the origin of the Sect¡¯s cultivation technique, then said, ¡°Since our Beast Taming Sect¡¯s cultivation technique requires taming Spiritual Beasts for combat, it necessitates that our own Divine Sense is far stronger than that of the Spiritual Beasts. Otherwise, we cannot achieve this. Therefore, disciples of our Beast Taming Sect have always been unique in the cultivation of the Divine Soul, far surpassing most cultivators in this world. Moreover, every Spiritual Beast you control will consume a portion of your spirit, and if you tame too many, it will become a burden to you, which is extremely detrimental to cultivation. So in the future, when you want to tame Spiritual Beasts, you must be cautious not to indiscriminately tame any Spiritual Beast you come across. You must consider whether you truly need this type of Spiritual Beast. If not, it¡¯s better not to waste your spiritual power, lest you be hindered by too many Spiritual Beasts in your cultivation.¡± She seemed to think of something and suddenly laughed, ¡°Of course, there are exceptions. Inside the Inner Sect, there are a few powerful Elders who have tamed leaders of Demon Beast Tribes, the Demon Kings, and they can command their original subordinates through these Demon Kings, which is one way to avoid depleting their own spirit.¡± Upon hearing this, the eyes of the disciples below lit up, feeling greatly enlightened. If they could also tame a leader of a Demon Beast Tribe, wouldn¡¯t they gain the loyalty of a large group of Demon Beasts? Liu Xuanling looked at these disciples with a smiling gaze, then slowly continued to dampen their spirits, ¡°If you have enough resources to maintain a tribe of Demon Beasts, of course, you can command a large number of Demon Beasts in battle. But, can you afford that? Let¡¯s not talk about those of you from ordinary backgrounds. Even among those of you from noble families, can your families truly provide unlimited resources? I¡¯m afraid that even if you drain your family treasures dry, you won¡¯t be able to maintain so many Demon Beasts!¡± With these words, the little enthusiasm that had just ignited in the hearts of the disciples was thoroughly doused. Qin Feng looked around and suddenly felt like laughing. He noticed that this Peak Master seemed to take some perverse pleasure in demoralizing these junior disciples. Because of the Demon Refining Pot he possessed, he didn¡¯t care about taming the leaders of Demon Beasts. As long as he could repair the Demon Refining Pot in the future, wouldn¡¯t all the Demon Beasts in the world be at his command? Thus, he didn¡¯t harbor any other thoughts like the rest, and he wasn¡¯t affected by Liu Xuanling¡¯s words. Then he heard Liu Xuanling continue, ¡°Moreover, those Demon Beasts led by a Demon King are different from the Spiritual Beasts you refine on your own; they can resist. If those Demon Beasts don¡¯t obey commands at critical moments or even rebel, it¡¯s best that you don¡¯t even dream about it. With your current strength, even if you truly gain the loyalty of a leader of a Demon Beast Tribe, you won¡¯t be able to withstand other Demon Beasts¡¯ attacks.¡± She wasn¡¯t merely joking with these new disciples and promptly added, ¡°So you better sincerely choose a Spiritual Beast with decent potential as your Lifebound Spiritual Beast and focus all your resources on it. Lifebound Spiritual Beasts are intimately connected to your cultivation. If you can cultivate your Lifebound Spiritual Beast to the Foundation Establishment Realm, you can let the Spiritual Beast nourish your cultivation, raising your cultivation to a higher realm.¡± The various disciples below came back to their senses, looking helplessly at the beautiful female Peak Master on the stage. Since we have no chance of subduing a leader of the Demon Beasts, why bother telling us all this? Liu Xuanling ignored their gazes, skipped over the previous topic, and asked, ¡°Do you know the difference between Demon Beasts and Spiritual Beasts?¡± A scholarly-looking young disciple said, ¡°Spiritual Beasts are naturally born with spiritual nature and are generally more docile, whereas Demon Beasts refer to those of the fierce and brutal nature from the Demon Clan.¡± Liu Xuanling gave that disciple a glance and said indifferently, ¡°What you¡¯ve described are the definitions of Spiritual Beasts and Demon Beasts according to other sects. For our Beast Taming Sect, those under our control are Spiritual Beasts; those not under our control can all be categorized as Demon Beasts.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too arbitrary?¡± The young man asked, somewhat puzzled, ¡°Those gentle Spiritual Beasts wouldn¡¯t harm us humans without reason. I think they should still be classified with the rest of the Spiritual Beasts.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Liu Xuanling curled her vivid red lips, revealing a hint of mocking smile, ¡°Gentle? That is all relative. If those so-called gentle Spiritual Beasts you speak of gained formidable power, they would inevitably engage in countless slaughters. During the Ancient Great Tribulation when beings from All Realms invaded, innumerable members of the Demon Clan bred within the Biluo Great World were seduced by the Demon World, and they turned against the Human Clan, causing untold carnage. Countless members of our clan fell to the claws of those gentle Spiritual Beasts you mention. Moreover, their betrayal came so abruptly that many Sects were utterly unprepared. Thus, when the battles began, numerous Sects were caught off guard by the rebellion of their own Spiritual Beasts, which in collusion with the Demon World¡¯s armies breached the Mountain Gate¡¯s Great Array and severed many lineages. Those rebellious Spiritual Beasts included the Spiritual Cat, Spiritual Fox, Spiritual Crane, Spiritual Bird, Spiritual Mouse, Spiritual Mink, and all manner of other beasts you would label gentle.¡± Upon hearing this, the disciples below were in uproar. None could have imagined that the Cultivation World had such a history. Some disciples, hailing from noble families, recalled that their households also nurtured several docile Spiritual Beasts. While seemingly cute, those Spiritual Beasts were not without Attack Power. Should they launch a sudden ambush, they could indeed cause serious injury or death within the family. If those Spiritual Beasts really conspired with outsiders to attack their own people, it would be nearly impossible to guard against. After all, in a typical situation, no one would suspect that Spiritual Beasts they had raised for many years would turn against them. Liu Xuanling continued, ¡°What you call ¡®gentle¡¯ only exists when they are weak. They show this side to you only because of their lack of strength. Just like you, if you possessed the power to dominate the Southern Domain, would you still sit here obediently listening to me ramble? Similarly, if those Demon Beasts possessed formidable power, they too would claim a domain. Even if they didn¡¯t actively bring harm to the world, what about their progeny? What about those of the Demon Clan under their rule? The term ¡®Spiritual Beast¡¯ is merely a designation we of the Human Clan have imposed to distinguish some relatively tranquil Demon Beasts; it¡¯s a name we forced upon them. Yet in the hearts of all Demon Beasts, they only acknowledge their identity within the Demon Clan. Thus, within the Beast Taming Sect, only those under our control are defined as Spiritual Beasts; any that are uncontrollable are Demon Beasts.¡± Her gaze swept over the crowd, her expression solemn, and her eyes authoritative as she spoke with a cold voice, ¡°Remember this well, our Beast Taming Sect was established during the Ancient Great Tribulation, a time when the Human Clan nearly faced extinction. Since our Sect¡¯s founding, we have endured endless conflicts and suffered innumerable casualties, all to secure the chance for future generations to peacefully practice Cultivation. Now, Divine State is peaceful, each region has the chance to recuperate, thanks to the ceaseless battles fought by our ancestral predecessors. However, this doesn¡¯t mean we are safe now. In fact, countless dangers still lurk in the shadows; it¡¯s just that your Cultivation is too low to be privy to these matters.¡± Here, her expression softened a little, and she didn¡¯t continue the topic any further. Instead, she shifted focus, ¡°Let¡¯s drop this subject. If you don¡¯t even make it into the Inner Sect, you might never have the chance to learn about these things, living your entire life under the protection of the Beast Taming Sect without encountering too much danger. Next, I will explain to you the Cultivation Techniques of Spiritual Snake Peak so that you may sooner Refine your own Lifebound Spiritual Beasts and assist in your Cultivation.¡± PS: Youngster, do you want your own Spiritual Beast? Quickly cast your recommendation vote; Sister Liu will pass on the supreme Dual Cultivation Technique to you, letting you nurture your very own Divine Beast as soon as possible. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: 9 Types of True Inheritance Chapter 70: Chapter 70: 9 Types of True Inheritance Hearing that Liu Xuanling was going to impart a cultivation technique, the disciples who were still slightly heavy-hearted immediately regained their spirits. They were, after all, just a group of youths with modest strength. If there really was a crisis, the higher-ups of the sect would stand against it. They had just started on their journey, and for now, their most important task under the protection of the sect was to diligently cultivate. ¡°You are all still in the Qi Refining Realm and do not need to learn cultivation techniques that are too profound. I will first teach you the introductory spells of the ¡®Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture.''¡± ¡°Once you have refined your own Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, you can then choose your future direction of cultivation based on the different Lifebound Spiritual Beasts.¡± Liu Xuanling continued, ¡°Since you are disciples of the Spiritual Snake Peak, it is best to choose from various kinds of Spiritual Snakes when selecting your Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, as our lineage is most adept in this type of technique. The Spiritual Snake Peak has existed since the founding period of our sect, a heritage of tens of thousands of years, and one of the original nine veins of the Beast Taming Sect. Do not be fooled by the apparent prestige of the Heavenly Dragon Peak, which ranks high among the outer one hundred and eight peaks. In reality, the Heavenly Dragon Peak is just a branch that split off from the Spiritual Snake Peak. Not only does it have less accumulated resources than the Spiritual Snake Peak, but a large part of their cultivation technique inheritance is also brought over from the Spiritual Snake Peak. Over the years, they haven¡¯t derived many powerful techniques of their own.¡± These words immediately surprised all the disciples. They had not expected such a state of affairs. They had always viewed Elder Lingxiao of the Heavenly Dragon Peak, who commanded the Jiao Dragon, as very powerful. They had never imagined that the Heavenly Dragon Peak, compared to their own Spiritual Snake Peak, was actually subordinate. Liu Xuanling did not mind the disciples¡¯ astonishment and went on to say, ¡°Over tens of thousands of years, our predecessors have, on the basis of the ¡®Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡¯ handed down by the Ancestors, separately contemplated and derived numerous techniques. Among these cultivation techniques, there are nine spells that lead directly to the Immortal Dao, namely, ¡®Heavenly Snake Swallowing the Moon Technique,¡¯ ¡®Spiritual Snake Illusion Heart Technique,¡¯ ¡®Qiankun Giant Snake Shaking Star Divine Skill,¡¯ ¡®Ba Snake Swallowing Sky Technique,¡¯ ¡®Nine Realities and Nine Illusions Dragon and Snake Transformation,¡¯ ¡®Spiritual Snake Nine Transformations Dragon Technique,¡¯ ¡®Nine Abysses Hidden Dragon Technique,¡¯ ¡®Netherworld Yin Snake Seven Incantations,¡¯ and ¡®Bone-Eroding Soul-Destroying Heavenly Evil Technique.¡¯ Each one of these nine techniques has allowed our sect¡¯s predecessors to achieve the Immortal Dao and attain longevity.¡± Now, not just the disciples, but even Qin Feng was excited. Nine different roads to immortality and longevity from the Spiritual Snake lineage alone proved that the long-standing great force deserved its reputation. It was truly impressive. Moreover, in that instant, a sense of pride involuntarily surged in the heart of every disciple. Joining the Spiritual Snake lineage was indeed their greatest honor! What about the Heavenly Dragon Peak, what about the Tiger Roar Peak? At this moment, they were all cast out of mind. Compared to the Spiritual Snake Peak, they were all just juniors. Liu Xuanling was accustomed to such scenes and was unperturbed as she continued, ¡°Among our lineage¡¯s nine great inheritances, the ¡®Heavenly Snake Swallowing the Moon Technique,¡¯ ¡®Spiritual Snake Illusion Heart Technique,¡¯ ¡®Qiankun Giant Snake Shaking Star Divine Skill,¡¯ and ¡®Ba Snake Swallowing Sky Technique¡¯ have always used the Spiritual Snake as the Lifebound Spiritual Beast without change. The three cultivation methods ¡®Nine Realities and Nine Illusions Dragon and Snake Transformation,¡¯ ¡®Spiritual Snake Nine Transformations Dragon Technique,¡¯ and ¡®Nine Abysses Hidden Dragon Technique,¡¯ follow the path from snake to dragon transformation. The day when the transformation to dragon is successful is the day of achieving Dao and longevity.¡± ¡°Netherworld Yin Snake Seven Incantations¡± is achieved through curses, allowing a cultivator to strengthen oneself, or curse kill an enemy. The spell is unpredictable, enigmatic, and immensely powerful, yet its cultivation is extremely challenging, and therefore, few cultivators throughout history have mastered it. However, each individual who has attained some measure of success with this spell has become a formidable existence whom others are reluctant to provoke easily. The last technique, ¡°Bone-Eroding Soul-Destroying Heavenly Evil Technique,¡± requires one to use poison as a path to cultivation. To practice this technique, one must find the most virulent poisonous snakes, only then can one begin to cultivate the technique.¡± Seeing the many disciples below, eyes shining with eagerness, Liu Xuanling¡¯s lips curled up into a smile, ¡°However, these are true inheritances that can only be obtained after entering the Inner Sect. If you¡¯re not in the Inner Sect, don¡¯t even think about it. Therefore, you should now focus on cultivating diligently, show your full potential, and strive to enter the Inner Sect.¡± The group of Disciples was dealt another blow, their excitement subsided, and they began to doubt their future again. The Beast Taming Sect had very few spots for entering the Inner Sect; every disciple that managed to enter were one in a hundred, or even one in a thousand, a real talent. Among these seated disciples, very few were confident in competing for those spots. A disciple sighed and said, ¡°We of humble origins, with no family backing, how can we possibly compete with the Noble Heirs!¡± This statement resonated with many disciples. Those from great families, even without any Sect chores, always had access to ample cultivation resources, while these disciples had to toil every day to gain just a little from the Sect. The disparity was simply too great. Liu Xuanling smiled faintly, ¡°You needn¡¯t be so disheartened; although disciples of Noble families possess some innate advantages, they are fewer in number and, furthermore, some prefer reveling in pleasure rather than genuinely cultivating. In fact, among the disciples who pledge to the Inner Sect every year, those of humble birth make up the majority. The cultivation journey immensely values opportunity. With luck and a willingness to fight for it, obtaining such an opportunity and then advancing several levels in Qi Refining Realm in one leap, or even direct advancement to Foundation Establishment Realm, is not uncommon. So, you should not underestimate yourselves; the matter of opportunity has always been unpredictable, and for all you know, it might fall upon you at any moment. Of course, if you give up in your hearts before even starting to struggle, then regard my words as if I¡¯ve said nothing.¡± ¡°Additionally, even if you can¡¯t make it into the Inner Sect during the Sect¡¯s grand competition, it doesn¡¯t mean there are no other opportunities later on. If you continue your cultivation without faltering in the Outer Sect, you can still form a Golden Core ¡ª at that point, you will still be able to enter the Inner Sect.¡± Liu Xuanling spoke solemnly, ¡°Alright, you have all just started on your path; these matters are not what you need to consider at the moment. We¡¯ll discuss them further when your cultivation reaches that stage, but for now, I will continue talking about cultivation. Although it is common for disciples of Spiritual Snake Peak to refine a Spiritual Snake as their Lifebound Spiritual Beast, there are still those who have chosen other kinds of Spiritual Beasts, and such disciples are not uncommon in other peaks. There are many different kinds of Demon Beasts in the world, with some possessing special Divine Skills that captivate many. This is not unusual. If any of you do not find a suitable Spiritual Snake, or if by chance you come across another type of Spiritual Beast with greater potential, there is no harm in that. As long as you truly like it, you can still refine it into your Lifebound Spiritual Beast. The Scripture Pavilion of our Sect holds a plethora of Cultivation Techniques for all kinds of Lifebound Spiritual Beasts. You will not lack a Cultivation Method; we elders will devote our hearts and minds to guide you in your Cultivation.¡± PS: If it were you, what kind of Spiritual Beast would you choose and which Divine Skill would you desire? Sister Liu is proficient in various secret techniques and inheritances; do you seek Sister Liu¡¯s guidance in your Cultivation? Cast your recommendation votes now to win Sister Liu¡¯s favor! Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Binding Spell Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Binding Spell Subsequently, Liu Xuanling began to explain the introductory cultivation methods of the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡± to them. Her explanation was very detailed, and any disciple who did not understand could ask her questions to avoid any issues when switching to this cultivation technique. This technique was the most fundamental cultivation method of the Beast Taming Sect; all other spells were derived from this foundational technique. Therefore, the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡± had become the basic cultivation technique that all disciples needed to practice. Once they had reached a certain level and possessed their own Spiritual Beasts, they could choose to continue this path or select a technique that best suited their Lifebound Spiritual Beast. This lecture took up most of the day. Liu Xuanling discussed the details of all the levels from Qi Refinement Stage One to the perfection of Qi Refinement Stage Nine. After all, among these new disciples, there were those at every cultivation realm within the Qi Refining Stage. Qin Feng, like the other disciples, listened with rapt fascination. He had never thought that the process of Qi Refining could be explained so perfectly. Excitement fluttered in his heart, and many questions he had about cultivation were clarified through Liu Xuanling¡¯s explanations. So, this was another way to cultivate in the Qi Refining Stage. And the sophistication of the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡± far surpassed his imagination. In his original understanding, he thought that to tame Spiritual Beasts, Beast Taming Sect disciples simply needed to subdue them and control them with secret techniques. It was only after Liu Xuanling¡¯s explanations that he realized the traditions of the Beast Taming Sect were completely different from what he had imagined, and that there were no fewer than a dozen methods for manipulating Spiritual Beasts in the cultivation world. However, what Beast Taming Sect disciples favored the most was still their own inherited techniques. As for the others, they were relatively ordinary methods and were not uncommon in other sects of the cultivation world. The fundamental method for Beast Taming Sect disciples to control Spiritual Beasts was to refine a part of their Divine Sense into the Binding Spell of the sect¡¯s secret transmission. Then, they would implant the Binding Spell into the sea of consciousness of the Spiritual Beast, entwining it around the Divine Soul of the beast. Once this step was completed, they effectively controlled the life and death of the Spiritual Beast, leaving no possibility for it to betray. The Binding Spell was divided into nine levels; the first level was all that Liu Xuanling had imparted for now. To learn beyond the third level, one would need to be accepted into the Inner Sect. It was precisely because of this secret Binding Spell technique that every Beast Taming Sect disciple might possess more than one Spiritual Beast. The specific number and grade of Spiritual Beasts they could subdue depended on their personal Divine Sense strength. The higher the grade of a Spiritual Beast, the stronger the Divine Sense required. Therefore, the lower the grade of the Spiritual Beasts, the more one could subdue. Of course, if a Spiritual Beast was killed, their Divine Sense would also suffer damage. As for the Lifebound Spiritual Beast, it was much more complex than controlling ordinary Spiritual Beasts. For ordinary Spiritual Beasts, one simply needed to implant the Binding Spell to subdue them. However, a Lifebound Spiritual Beast required gradual refinement. The first step in refining was to erase the spiritual intelligence of the Demon Beast selected as a Lifebound Spiritual Beast. Upon hearing this, a disciple frowned and asked, ¡°Peak Master, how is this Lifebound Spiritual Beast different from a puppet?¡± ¡°Indeed, without spiritual intelligence, it cannot autonomously fight. To have the Lifebound Spiritual Beast engage in battle, wouldn¡¯t that require the consumption of more Divine Sense?¡± Liu Xuanling¡¯s eyebrows rose as she glanced at those few disciples and let out a cold hum: ¡°What do you know?¡± With that statement, she quelled all the noise and continued, ¡°Initially, our ancestors in the Sect did not do it this way. However, after continual incidents of Lifebound Spiritual Beasts turning on their owners and causing the loss of many fellow disciples¡¯ lives, the Sect established this rule. Of course, you can choose not to follow it, just hope that your Lifebound Spiritual Beast cooperates honestly during critical moments of your cultivation or ascension in realm, and does not show any signs of backlash. Otherwise, hmph¡­¡± She did not finish, but everyone understood. If a backlash occurred during advancement, one might at the least suffer mental derangement, or at worst, die on the spot. ¡°We, the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, not only need our Lifebound Spiritual Beasts to aid our cultivation, but when we reach a certain realm, we also need to merge with them to boost our combat power. Furthermore, when comprehending Divine Skills with the help of Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, it is even more essential to have a perfect fit. All that aside, if any of you have profound fortune and cultivate to the Dharma Image realm, you can merge your Lifebound Spiritual Beast with your Dharma Image to greatly increase the power of your Dharma Image. This is why Beast Taming Sect cultivators can surpass other sects in individual combat power at higher realms of cultivation. By then, do you still want your Dharma Image to possess a separate consciousness? Aren¡¯t you afraid that after sustaining severe injuries, another consciousness will usurp your place, extinguish your Divine Soul, and take over your nest?¡± At these words, everyone¡¯s expression changed and the few disciples who had been reluctant to accept fell silent. ¡°Remember, a Demon Beast is a Demon Beast, even if you transform it into your Spiritual Beast, the wildness remains in their hearts. Never, because of your personal desires, place the Demon Beast above our Human Clan.¡± Liu Xuanling squinted her eyes and said indifferently, ¡°In our Beast Taming Sect, if you dare to regard a Demon Beast as more important than a human, be careful, as it may bring about a disaster that you cannot afford.¡± After admonishing the disciples, she continued the previous discussion and proceeded to explain the Cultivation Techniques to everyone. However, she only discussed the Qi Refining Cultivation Methods. As for the future Cultivation Techniques, Liu Xuanling did not pass them on; if their realms had not been reached, passing on the information would be useless. She simply told them that in the early stages of cultivation, they could treat their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts as wholly controlled avatars, and the higher the compatibility, the better for their future progression. But even just the Qi Refining Technique made Qin Feng feel it was exponentially better than the Cultivation Method he had originally practiced. No wonder his father did not care which Qi Refining Cultivation Method he chose; it was only now that he truly understood the gap between them. The ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡± involved not only conventional Qi refining but, most importantly, techniques for cultivating the Divine Sense. Cultivating this scripture not only made one¡¯s Divine Sense far exceed that of ordinary cultivators of the same level, but one could also split off Divine Thoughts to control Spiritual Beasts in combat from afar. That was also why Qin Long, who was merely a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator back then, was able to pursue the Swallowing Sky Toad with the Green-Eyed Spirit Snake for over ten miles. A normal Foundation Establishment Cultivator, let alone at the early stage, even at the peak, might not be able to extend their Divine Sense that far. Of course, in terms of head-on combat ability, if Beast Taming Sect disciples didn¡¯t have the help of a Spiritual Beast, relying solely on the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture¡± might make them less likely to match up against other cultivators. After all, each Cultivation Method pursues a different direction, and once one¡¯s cultivation is achieved, they will only dominate their respective domains. ¡°Alright, disperse now.¡± Liu Xuanling stood up, waved her hand in boredom, and said, ¡°Go back and cultivate on your own. Don¡¯t rush the conversion of Spiritual Power. If there are any mistakes, you can always come to the Preaching Pavilion to inquire. There are Foundation Establishment Cultivators here every day. Such minor issues, they can easily resolve for you.¡± ¡°Yes, disciples respectfully see off the Peak Master.¡± A group of young disciples bowed respectfully and saw Liu Xuanling off. Only after her figure disappeared did the disciples begin to discuss among themselves excitedly. Especially disciples like Qin Feng, who came from clan backgrounds, had been soaked in such influences since childhood and had seen their elders taming Spiritual Beasts with flair, they were already extremely eager for the Beast Taming Techniques. Now they had finally joined the Beast Taming Sect and received the Beast Taming heritage, they could not help but feel ecstatic. Liu Wuxiang, who was at Qin Feng¡¯s side, was also exceptionally excited. The lean youth chattered excitedly with Qin Feng for a while before they both left together, preparing to head to the dining hall for a meal. At this stage, they did not have the ability to fast. Going without food for a day or two was fine, but any longer would be unbearable. Since there were no commoners within the Beast Taming Sect, the dining hall on Spiritual Snake Peak was also run by Outer Disciples of the peak, as a kind of menial task. Working in the dining hall was pretty good in terms of benefits. Not only did the Sect provide Spirit Stones and Elixir Pills, but they could also prepare some Spiritual Meals for themselves as a treat. After Qin Feng and Liu Wuxiang had eaten, they returned to their respective dwellings to start their cultivation. Sitting cross-legged on a cushion, Qin Feng closed his eyes and meticulously recollected the Technique Liu Xuanling had explained today several times to make sure he hadn¡¯t missed anything before he began to cultivate. First, he needed to transform the Spiritual Power within his body into the True Yuan of the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture,¡± which was not too difficult. Since the Cultivation Method he had practiced before was relatively primitive and his own Spiritual Power was extremely pure, he easily converted his Spiritual Power, acquiring True Yuan with the characteristics of the ¡°Ten Thousand Beasts Origin Scripture.¡± Then, Qin Feng started cultivating according to the methods outlined in the scripture for nurturing the Divine Soul. This was of utmost importance, as only with a strong Divine Sense could Beast Taming Sect disciples manipulate more Spiritual Beasts. But soon, Qin Feng recalled something. He owned a Demon Refining Pot! The Demon Refining Pot itself was capable of refining and subduing countless Demon Beasts¡ªso even if his Divine Sense was not strong, he could have more Spiritual Beasts than other disciples. Did he still need to invest so much Spiritual Power into nurturing his Divine Soul? PS: I¡¯m in a hospital queue, typing on my phone is very slow, so the update is a bit late, please forgive me. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Cold Ice Python Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Cold Ice Python ¡°` Alas! Qin Feng sighed with a face full of bliss, aware that the troubles of having a cheat were incomprehensible to others. While other disciples exhaust their spiritual power nurturing their divine souls and strengthening their divine sense, just to be able to conjure the Binding Spell to subdue a few Spiritual Beasts, he could effortlessly tame dozens or even hundreds. This was only because the internal space of the Demon Refining Pot was not big enough; if the pot were to be fully repaired, he himself did not know how many Spiritual Beasts he could tame. At that time, it would depend on the capacity of the internal space of the Demon Refining Pot and how many Spiritual Beasts the Spirit Vein within his Cave Heaven World could support in their cultivation. How should he choose? Qin Feng scratched his head, feeling somewhat indecisive. The reason the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect were not strong in combat was that they devoted half of their True Essence to nurturing their divine souls, leading to their own slow cultivation pace and weaker True Essence. If he used most of his Spiritual Power for cultivation, wouldn¡¯t his combat power also increase by a lot and progress faster than average disciples? After a moment of frowning in deep contemplation, Qin Feng shook his head. Forget it, it¡¯s better to cultivate step by step according to the cultivation technique, to avoid any mistakes. Moreover, if his divine sense were average, but he controlled too many Spiritual Beasts, it would be easy for others to notice something. Even to avoid exposing the Demon Refining Pot, he would still need to have a stronger divine sense than others. Besides, nurturing the divine soul had many benefits. Not only would it make understanding the essence of cultivation techniques easier, but it would also allow his divine sense to reach further, detecting many dangers in advance¡ªmuch stronger than merely increasing his own slight combat power. After all, he was a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. His focus was on commanding Spiritual Beasts to fight; it didn¡¯t matter much if his own combat power was slightly weaker, as long as his Spiritual Beasts were numerous and strong. Besides, he still had the Demon Refining Pot, a treasure that aided in cultivation. If he had the opportunity to refine more Demon Beast corpses into pure Spiritual Qi, his cultivation pace wouldn¡¯t be slow either. As long as he groomed his Lifebound Spiritual Beasts to have strong enough combat power, it would be akin to having strong personal combat power himself. Just like Yan Zhongli, who, after merging with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, could single-handedly resist several Demon Cultivators in the Golden Core Late Stage. Having made up his mind, Qin Feng quickly gathered his spirit and began to nurture his divine soul by circulating his True Essence with a secret technique. The feeling was very comfortable, as if his whole being were immersed in warm water, floating. He felt as if his divine soul was about to leave his body. Of course, this was just an illusion. A mere Qi Refining Realm cultivator¡ªif his divine soul left his body, a gust of wind could dissipate it like smoke and clouds. ¡­ The next day, Qin Feng went to the Deacon Room and formally received the miscellaneous tasks assigned to him. This was because the valley that housed the Cold Pond was protected by a unique array, and he needed to receive the token to activate the array; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter. Since this was his first task, the disciples in the Deacon Room even gave him some detailed guidance. Following the directions of the Deacon Disciple, Qin Feng first went to another place where Rat Demons were raised, preparing to collect them to feed the Cold Ice Python. Among the 108 peaks of the Outer Sect, there was one specifically for raising various types of Spiritual Mice¡ªSpiritual Rat Peak, where the most comprehensive array of Spiritual Mice were fostered. The ones raised at Spiritual Snake Peak were actually the most suitable breeds supplied from Spiritual Rat Peak for feeding Spiritual Snakes. ¡°` Do not be fooled by the low rank and the weak bloodline of these Rat Demons; their breeding strength is shockingly fierce, and they grow at a rapid pace. Therefore, they have become one of the best foods for nurturing Spiritual Snakes on Spiritual Snake Peak. Qin Feng took a large Spiritual Beast Bag given to him by the Deacon Room and collected a dozen or so grey-haired rats the size of earth dogs from the disciple responsible for raising the Rat Demons. He then used the Light Body Skill and the Divine Movement Technique, sprinting over two hundred miles, and it took him the better part of the day to arrive at a deep valley on the westernmost side of Spiritual Snake Peak. ¡°Phew¡­¡± In front of the deep valley, Qin Feng stopped for a break, panting softly while scanning the area to make sure he hadn¡¯t taken a wrong turn before he finally relaxed. He rubbed his sore legs, somewhat reluctantly thinking that if he had the chance, he must tame a Spiritual Beast for transportation as soon as possible. Otherwise, this one trip back and forth was four or five hundred miles. Not only did running with the Divine Movement Technique consume a significant amount of True Yuan and physical strength, but it also left him quite exhausted. Plus, if he were delayed for a bit, he might not be able to return the same day. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to come here every day; otherwise, he would have no time left for cultivation. ¡°Clip-clop, clip-clop¡­¡± A brisk sound of horse hooves rang out. Qin Feng glanced at a Cultivator who rode a majestic horse, its figure whistling past the base of the mountain two or three miles away, his eyes filled with envy. The horse was nine feet tall and more than a zhang long, exceptionally graceful, with hooves flying as it ran through the rugged mountains as if on flat ground. It leapt tens of feet in a single bound, and in an instant, had run out several miles, disappearing among the distant peaks. Qin Feng estimated for a moment that, with the speed of that Spiritual Horse, in less than half a day, he could have made the round trip from Spiritual Snake Peak to here. He sighed softly to himself; it was a pity that the few Spiritual Beasts in his Demon Refining Pot were not suited for riding. The Swallowing Sky Toad could carry him, but it was too small; he couldn¡¯t even stand on it with one foot. Moreover, when the Swallowing Sky Toad moved, it hopped, and if people saw him hopping on the ground on a fist-sized Little Toad, he would surely be the laughing stock of his peers. The other few Green Foxes and Snake Demons were also unsuitable for riding. The Green Foxes were not large enough, and riding them would be like riding an oversized goat. The Snake Demon could only crawl on the ground for now, and its speed was even slower than his own Divine Movement Technique. Shaking his head, Qin Feng stopped dwelling on the thought and reached out for the Jade Talisman given to him by the Deacon Room. He cast a spell on it, and immediately ripples emerged in the empty space in front of the valley, revealing a magical entrance. He quickly stepped through. As soon as he entered, he immediately felt a chill hitting him head-on. The bone-chilling breath made him shiver involuntarily, so he rapidly circulated the True Essence within his body, and only then did he feel much more comfortable. Looking ahead, he saw the ground of the valley covered with a layer of frost. In this cold environment, no vegetation grew in the entire valley, making it particularly desolate and barren. Only in the Cold Pond deep in the valley could one see a hint of vibrant green. That was the Snow Jade Lotus growing in the Cold Pond. With verdant leaves and snow-white flowers, this was an Exotic Species of Spiritual Medicine that could only grow under extreme Cold Spirit Qi. Even though it was not yet mature, Qin Feng could smell a breath of cold, refreshing fragrance. Because it was his first time here, he was uncertain about the habits of the Cold Ice Pythons, so he did not get too close. He walked a few dozen zhang into the valley and then stopped, releasing the Rat Demons from the Spiritual Beast Bag. ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak¡­¡± Although these Rat Demons had low Spiritual Intelligence, they too smelled a dangerous scent amid the cold, causing them to scatter in all directions. A few of them ran to the corner of the valley and attempted to dig a hole to hide. Just then, a loud splash was heard, and several Cold Ice Pythons of varying lengths, each with white scales and measuring several zhang, emerged from the Cold Pond. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Handling Stolen Goods Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Handling Stolen Goods Rustling softly amidst silent whispers, the Cold Ice Pythons slithered out from the Cold Pond, hissing as they flicked their tongues, gliding towards the Rat Demons. Sensing the breath of the Cold Ice Pythons, the Rat Demons panicked as if the end of the world had come upon them, frantically fleeing throughout the mountain valley; two even attempted to scale the rocky walls in desperation. Alas, their strength was too weak, and what¡¯s more, the valley had long been enveloped by an array¡ªthere was no escape. A Cold Ice Python chased up to the base of the rock wall, opened its mouth, and exhaled a thick white mist of frost, instantly turning those two Rat Demons into icy bumps that fell from the wall. The Cold Ice Python caught them with its gaping maw and gulped them down in a few swift motions. Qin Feng stood still, motionless, until he noticed the Cold Ice Pythons deliberately avoiding his position, and only then did he relax. Watching the Cold Ice Pythons swim around, it took only a moment to devour the dozen or so Rat Demons, and Qin Feng felt a stirring of excitement. These Cold Ice Pythons were quite powerful, each possessing strength surpassing Foundation Establishment, able to freeze the Rat Demons¡¯ blood solid in an instant with the cold breath they exhaled¡ªindubitably, they would be highly effective against enemies. Comparing these Cold Ice Pythons to the ordinary Snake Demons in his Demon Refining Pot, Qin Feng suddenly felt a sense of disdain. Indeed, some things should not be compared, for upon comparison, the gap was found to be truly too vast. Even if the Snake Demons in his Demon Refining Pot had equivalent strength to the Cold Ice Pythons, the frost breath of the latter could still immobilize his own Snake Demons. The Snake Demons he had subdued were but common breeds and could not compare to the exotic species of the Cold Ice Pythons; this was only natural. Unfortunately, Cold Ice Pythons were not plentiful. To obtain one, a disciple from the Spiritual Snake Peak would need to have made enough contribution, or else, he truly fancied trying to cultivate one himself. Qin Feng shook his head in regret, and after the Cold Ice Pythons had submerged back into the Cold Pond, he did not linger and turned to leave. The valley was desolate, nothing of interest, and he needed to hurry back. Otherwise, he might end up having to travel at night. The next morning, after completing his cultivation, Qin Feng didn¡¯t go to the Preaching Pavilion for lectures¡ªafter all, he had already finished converting his Cultivation Technique, and there was no urgency for the rest. He went to the courtyard next to the Deacon Room and rented a large eagle about a zhang in size from the disciples there. Here, the disciples specially tamed some flying Spiritual Beasts, catering specifically to new disciples, and the price was not expensive¡ªonly one Spirit Stone a day. Of course, ¡®not expensive¡¯ was relative to disciples like him, with family support. For the vast majority of disciples from ordinary backgrounds, it was quite costly, since earning ten to eight Spirit Stones a month as a new disciple was already considered good; they wouldn¡¯t normally afford such an expense. The real opportunity for Outer Disciples to earn a significant amount of Spirit Stones came from performing tasks outside the Mountain Gate. That was the chance for an Outer Disciple to stand out from the countless others and find their fortune. Qin Feng paid the Spirit Stone and took an Iron Token from the hands of an elderly cultivator. This was a common Beast Taming technique, controlling Spiritual Beasts through Forbidden Techniques. A cultivator could simply manipulate the beast via an Iron Token that connected to the Forbidden Technique within the beast¡¯s body. However, this method of Beast Taming was quite rudimentary and brutal, only allowing simple commands to be issued through the Iron Token, and not as delicate as the Binding Spell, which allowed precise control over the Spiritual Beast. Hence, this technique was only circulated among certain peaks of the Outer Sect and was seen by many in the Beast Taming Sect as somewhat unsophisticated. Still, many Spiritual Beasts sold by the Sect to outsiders were restrained in this manner, to facilitate usage by cultivators unfamiliar with Beast Taming Techniques. Qin Feng sat on the eagle¡¯s back, issued instructions through the Iron Token, and quickly, the eagle flapped its wings and took off, flying towards the Market outside the Mountain Gate. He had agreed with Qin Xi to visit their Clan Uncle Qin Ying at Spiritual Vulture Peak, but before heading there, he intended to take care of some business at the Market, dealing with items like the Gold-Plated Slash he had acquired from the Huang Family. Last time, on the Tower Ship, he and Qin Xi had together slain more than a dozen Demon Beasts. All of them were collected into his Demon Refining Pot, promising to deal with them later and share Spirit Stones with Qin Xi. Planning to meet Qin Xi, he intended to sell everything he had on him first, so that he could have Spirit Stones ready to share with her. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s mountain gate covered a vast area, with a total of twelve markets surrounding it. Even the closest Qingyun Square to the Spiritual Snake Peak was three hundred miles away, and Qin Feng certainly did not want to make the journey on foot again. Although it could be said that outside the mountain gate of the Beast Taming Sect, generally no one had the gall to ambush a sect disciple like him, he was ultimately just a new Outer Disciple. If someone discovered the thousands of Spirit Stones he had on him, it might arouse their greed. To be on the safe side, he had rented this eagle. Not only did this spare him the back-and-forth trouble, but he could also directly control the eagle to fly to Creation Peak later to find Qin Xi, completing the task within a day instead of dragging it out for two or three. All of the twelve markets outside the mountain gate were exclusively established by the Beast Taming Sect, attracting countless cultivators from other regions to explore and seek treasures. Each was bustling with activity, and Qingyun Square was no exception. Apart from the countless businesses run by the Beast Taming Sect itself, there were forces from other regions conducting business with the sect, transporting resources produced elsewhere here. Given the sect¡¯s enormous size, they had no trouble earning Spirit Stones. In the sky, various Spiritual Beasts flew past frequently, and occasionally, a few large and powerful Spiritual Beasts would pass by, causing many ordinary Spiritual Beasts to hastily avoid them, fearful of obstructing the path of these formidable creatures. There were many cultivators heading to Qingyun Square, and Qin Feng followed a few Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect. He landed outside the market, put the eagle into his Spiritual Beast Bag, and stepped into the market. This market was enormous, more than a hundred times larger than the Tieling Market in Tieling County. The spacious streets, luxurious tower buildings, and shops conducting various types of business dazzled him with their strong emanations of Spirit Light, leaving him amazed and tongue-tied. Especially those wealthy powers¡ªthey had not only built their buildings extremely lavishly, but even a signboard or storefront alone was made from high-quality Artifact Refining Materials. These things, if placed elsewhere, could have been directly used to refine a Magical Treasure. Yet here, they were merely fashioned into eye-catching signboards. After wandering along the street for a quarter of an hour, observing the variety around him, Qin Feng finally entered a relatively ordinary Artifact Refining Shop on the side of the road. This shop dealt with the refinement and sale of all kinds of Magic Artifacts, Spiritual Artifacts, and Magical Treasures, which would have been first-class in Tieling Market, but in Qingyun Square, it was just average. This was because too many Great Forces had businesses here, and the items they sold were much better than those in this shop. But the items Qin Feng carried were of no interest to those Great Forces, so he figured it might be better to sell them directly in an ordinary shop. Upon entering, he was immediately greeted by a robust middle-aged man. Seeing his Magic Robe, the man knew he was a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. It was important not to offend a disciple when doing business on their turf, so even though the man¡¯s Cultivation was much higher than Qin Feng¡¯s, he still met him with a warm smile, showing great enthusiasm, ¡°This junior from the Beast Taming Sect, welcome. Are you looking to purchase a Magic Artifact?¡± ¡°You flatter me, elder. I did not come to purchase Magic Artifacts.¡± Qin Feng shook his head and said, ¡°I have some items I¡¯d like to offload. I wonder if your shop is interested.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The middle-aged man wasn¡¯t surprised at all¡ªsuch matters were common. Although their shop had fixed procurement channels, if other cultivators wanted to sell some Artifact Refining Materials, they could procure them at a lower price, thus saving on material costs. ¡°I wonder what you intend to sell, young friend. Take them out and let¡¯s have a look. If they¡¯re suitable, my shop doesn¡¯t mind buying them all.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Feng raised his hand and took out the Gold-Plated Slash, along with the Huang Family Great Elder¡¯s big iron hammer and Artifact Refining Furnace used for refinement, as well as other materials. ¡°Eh?¡± The middle-aged man was slightly taken aback. He initially thought the young man would only bring out some Artifact Refining Materials, but he hadn¡¯t expected an Artifact Refining Furnace to be among them¡ªsomething rarely sold by cultivators. He inspected the Artifact Refining Furnace carefully and even activated the Forbidden Technique within it to check for any damages. PS: Considering that the author is still up late typing and updating, shouldn¡¯t everyone show some support with their recommendation tickets? Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Girl by the Creek Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Girl by the Creek A moment later, the middle-aged man nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Not bad, this is a fully intact middle-grade Artifact Refining Furnace.¡± ¡°Senior, please take a look at the other items.¡± Qin Feng smiled and gestured. Since the middle-aged cultivator had said ¡°not bad,¡± then even if it were out of consideration for the Beast Taming Sect, he wouldn¡¯t give Qin Feng too low a price. If the price was suitable, he would be too lazy to run to another shop to ask. ¡°Alright.¡± The middle-aged cultivator picked up the Gold-Plated Slash and casually glanced at it. He slightly frowned, tapped a finger on the blade to listen to its ring, shook his head lightly, and placed it aside without much care. He then examined the Artifact Refining Materials Qin Feng had taken out, estimated their value in his mind, and finally said to Qin Feng, ¡°Since you¡¯re a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. These materials are only used for making ordinary Spiritual Artifacts and aren¡¯t particularly precious. Generally, when someone comes to sell items like these in the shop, we acquire them at about seventy to eighty percent of the outside price. I won¡¯t take advantage of you¡ªthe materials I¡¯ll price at two thousand Spirit Stones. What do you think?¡± Qin Feng nodded. Back in Tieling County City, he had already inquired about the prices of these Artifact Refining Materials, so he knew that the cultivator¡¯s offer was very fair. Seeing him nod, the middle-aged cultivator continued, ¡°The craftsmanship of this Flying Sword isn¡¯t very clever. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must have been made by a novice Artifact Refiner. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t buy such poorly crafted Spiritual Artifacts. After all, I mainly deal in the forging of Spiritual Artifacts, and selling such mediocre-looking items in my shop could easily harm my reputation. However, since you are a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, I¡¯ll give you a price of three hundred Spirit Stones for it, and including that other high-grade Magic Artifact hammer, let¡¯s make it a total of five hundred Spirit Stones. After all, I need to make a profit too. If you think it¡¯s too little, you are welcome to sell it elsewhere.¡± Clearly, the cultivator wasn¡¯t very impressed with the Gold-Plated Slash crafted by the Huang Family Great Elder¡ªso much so that he felt displaying such an ordinary Flying Sword in his own shop was demeaning. However, since the seller was from the Beast Taming Sect, and what he really cared about was the Artifact Refining Furnace, he reluctantly agreed to take the Gold-Plated Slash. Finally, he turned his attention to the Artifact Refining Furnace and said, ¡°This middle-grade Artifact Refining Furnace is very good. It just so happens that several of my disciples have reached the stage where they can craft Magic Artifacts independently. In light of this, I¡¯ll price the Artifact Refining Furnace at three thousand Spirit Stones for you, plus the rest, a total of five thousand five hundred Spirit Stones. What do you think?¡± The price was actually a bit higher than Qin Feng had expected, so naturally he wouldn¡¯t disagree. He quickly nodded, ¡°Good, let¡¯s go with the price you¡¯ve mentioned, senior.¡± ¡°Very straightforward, young friend.¡± The middle-aged cultivator laughed heartily and took out fifty-five middle-grade Spirit Stones directly from his Storage Bag and handed them to Qin Feng, who looked on with some envy. These cultivators that did business in the market really did have money¡ªinstead of using low-grade Spirit Stones, they settled with middle-grade ones. ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± After receiving the Spirit Stones, Qin Feng gave his thanks. ¡°There¡¯s no need for courtesy, young friend. If you have any more good items in the future, feel free to come here. I assure you of a satisfying price,¡± the middle-aged cultivator said jovially. ¡°By the way, would you like to take a look at the Magic Artifacts? Although you Beast Taming Sect disciples mainly control Spiritual Beasts, carrying a few Magic Artifacts for self-defense can sometimes have unexpected effects.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no need.¡± Qin Feng quickly waved his hand. Indeed, this was how business was conducted¡ªwhether it was a cultivator or someone else, they always thought about getting others to take out their wallets to buy their products. Qin Feng was just a beginner who didn¡¯t even have a Lifebound Spiritual Beast yet; the plan to promote his Swallowing Sky Toad hadn¡¯t even been confirmed, so where would he have spare money to purchase Magic Artifacts! ¡°` At present, he needed to channel all his resources into his own cultivation and the training of his spiritual beast; regarding other matters, he¡¯d think about them after he had an abundance of Spirit Stones. Seeing him refuse, the middle-aged cultivator felt somewhat disappointed but did not say anything further. After all, disciples of the Beast Taming Sect did not have as great a need for magic artifacts as other cultivators. In fact, if it weren¡¯t for the opportunity to acquire materials from various spiritual beasts at a cheaper rate here, he would have left this place and gone elsewhere to do business. Qin Feng left the Artifact Refining Shop with the middle-aged cultivator¡¯s hearty farewells. He strolled around the market for a while and eventually decided to visit the shop opened by his own Sect, where he spent nearly two hundred Spirit Stones to purchase two second-tier Spirit Talismans at a ten percent discount. They were the defensive Golden Armor Talisman and the offensive Heavenly Thunder Talisman; one for defense, one for the attack, enabling even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to withstand attacks for a moment. With these two Spirit Talismans on hand, he felt a bit more confidence in his heart. He dared not spend the remaining Spirit Stones, as he needed to save them to help his Swallowing Sky Toad integrate the Bloodline Divine Powers of other Spiritual Toads. Until that was successful, he felt uncertain, not knowing how many Spirit Stones he would have to invest in the Demon Refining Pot for success, so now was not the time for him to be spendthrift. Having left the market, Qin Feng summoned the eagle, leaped onto its back, and flew towards Creation Peak. Originally, Qin Feng thought that Spiritual Snake Peak was already an exceptional place for cultivation, but after arriving at Creation Peak, he realized that in terms of spiritual beauty, this mountain surpassed Spiritual Snake Peak by a notch. The peaks were exquisite, the scenery delightful, streams burbled, ancient trees soared high, and everywhere was teeming with vitality, making anyone who saw it feel refreshed and uplifted. Qin Feng did not dare to ride the eagle through Creation Peak haphazardly, so he landed far away, retracted the eagle into the Spiritual Beast Bag, and proceeded on foot. However, Creation Peak was different from Spiritual Snake Peak. The number of Outer Disciples on Spiritual Snake Peak was in the thousands; it was lively with people constantly coming and going. But Creation Peak was the least populated among the One Hundred and Eight Peaks of the Outer Sect, rarely seeing a human figure, making it somewhat challenging even to find someone to ask for directions. After walking for a while, he finally saw someone. It was a young girl, barefoot, sitting on a green rock by the stream. The girl appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, cute and delicate. Her pale little feet swung back and forth, kicking up strings of sparkling and translucent droplets from the water. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Senior Sister.¡± Qin Feng called out hesitantly, intending to ask her for directions. ¡°Senior Sister?¡± The girl looked at Qin Feng in surprise, and upon seeing he was just a small Qi Refinement level four cultivator, she realized he must be a new disciple and asked, ¡°What do you need?¡± For some reason, Qin Feng felt a bit flustered under her curious gaze and quickly said, ¡°I have a cousin named Qin Xi. She just became a disciple of Creation Peak this year. I came to find her for some urgent matters and wanted to ask where the new Disciples of Creation Peak are settled?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Qin Xi¡¯s cousin?¡± The girl sized him up with her clear, large eyes, her lips curving into a mischievous smile, and pointed with her delicate fingers towards the right: ¡°Just follow this path in that direction. About three miles out, there are a few small courtyards in a valley; that¡¯s where you¡¯ll find them.¡± ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister.¡± Qin Feng thanked her and turned to head in the direction she had pointed. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the girl was still watching him from behind, which felt somewhat eerie. He looked back, only to see the girl wearing an innocent smile on her face. Though she looked harmless, her playful demeanor left him inexplicably with an uneasy feeling. ¡°` Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Spiritual Vulture Peak Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Spiritual Vulture Peak Qin Feng felt extremely uncomfortable under the gaze of that young girl, so he quickened his pace until he turned a corner at a tranquil bamboo grove, only then did he feel the watchful eyes behind him disappear. Creation Peak exuded a spiritual aura everywhere, with beautiful scenery around; however, there were very few people on this peak. They rarely took in disciples, only accepting those who passed the Illusion Array test and reached their platform during the annual entry of new disciples. Therefore, each year at most they would take in three to five people. In years with fewer, it was possible that no one might pass the Illusion Array and reach their platform for several consecutive years. At such times, Creation Peak was unconcerned and would not take in a single disciple for several years, making the vast Creation Peak seem almost deserted. Fortunately, the young girl who had given directions to Qin Feng earlier was a bit strange, but the path she pointed out had no issues, and soon at the end of the narrow path, he saw a serene valley. At the mouth of the valley, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl was happily feeding a deer some common Spirit Fruits. Noticing someone approaching from behind, the deer immediately jumped behind the girl, watching Qin Feng with a pair of moist and gentle eyes. The girl stood up and looked at Qin Feng, asking, ¡°Senior Brother, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, please.¡± Qin Feng hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Qin Xi; she¡¯s my cousin.¡± The girl nodded, and pointed toward a small building built near a few ancient trees, ¡°There, that¡¯s where Sister Qin Xi lives.¡± ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Junior Sister.¡± After thanking her, Qin Feng walked toward the small building. After arriving at the door and gently knocking a few times, after a moment, Qin Xi came out, and upon seeing him, she couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t coming today. Why are you so late?¡± ¡°I went to the market to deal with some matters concerning the things I carry.¡± Qin Feng spoke as he handed her a small bag, ¡°This is the income from those Demon Beasts on the tower ship.¡± Qin Xi took it and glanced inside, her eyebrows slightly furrowing, ¡°This is too much. Those were just ordinary Demon Beasts, how could they be worth so many Spirit Stones?¡± While speaking, she handed the bag back, ¡°You don¡¯t need to share it with me. The Storage Bag and the Middle-Grade Magic Artifact Willow Leaf Saber you gave me earlier are already worth more than these ordinary beasts. I don¡¯t need these.¡± She was not a greedy person. Qin Feng had already taken good care of her before, and she did not want to leave a bad impression on her younger cousin. Qin Feng smiled casually, ¡°Just accept it, Sister Xiaoxi. We¡¯ve just entered the sect, whether it¡¯s for personal cultivation or finding a suitable Spiritual Beast, we¡¯ll need to use Spirit Stones. Besides the resources given by our family, Father also gave me quite a few things. I¡¯m much wealthier than you, so don¡¯t be too polite.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing him insist, Qin Xi no longer refused and stuffed the Spirit Stones into her Storage Bag, saying, ¡°Shall we go to Spiritual Vulture Peak now? I need to find my Senior Sister to borrow a Flying Spirit Beast.¡± ¡°No need, I rented an Eagle at Spiritual Snake Peak, it¡¯s enough to take us both there.¡± Qin Feng waved his hand and directly released the Eagle, then asked, ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, is there anything else you need to pack? If not, let¡¯s go now.¡± Qin Xi glanced at the Eagle, shook her head and said, ¡°Nothing to pack, let¡¯s go.¡± The two jumped onto the back of the Eagle, which then flew them away. They flew for over an hour before they finally arrived near Spiritual Vulture Peak. Having reached their destination, they expertly maneuvered the Eagle to the ground. Because, unlike Spiritual Snake Peak and Creation Peak, Spiritual Vulture Peak houses large flying creatures¡ªthe spiritual vultures¡ªand not just creatures like the spiritual snakes that predominantly occupy the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. Even if there were many on the ground, they wouldn¡¯t dominate the skies. However, above Spiritual Vulture Peak, various fierce spiritual vultures could be seen flying around; their presence visibly frightened the eagle they rode upon arriving here. Fortunately, those spiritual vultures did not attack them without reason, but merely flew around them out of curiosity for a few rounds. After landing, the two headed towards Spiritual Vulture Peak. They knew that Outer Disciples typically resided at the foot of the mountain. Only those who had advanced to Foundation Establishment were permitted to live higher up the mountain on better spirit veins. As for the summit, that was where Golden Core Cultivators opened their cave mansions. After asking around, they quickly found Qin Ying who was busy in a nest. At that moment, Qin Ying was carefully tending to several young spiritual vultures that hadn¡¯t yet grown full feathers. Seeing a fellow sect member leading two young men in, and upon hearing they were his kin, his face lit up with joy, and he quickly spoke, ¡°Please wait here a moment while I finish taking care of these little ones, then I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Qin Feng smiled, saying, ¡°Take your time, Uncle Ying, we¡¯ll just watch here.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± A flash of cold light shone from Qin Ying¡¯s hand, and he swiftly sliced a large chunk of tender meat into strips. While carefully feeding the young spiritual vultures, he explained, ¡°These spiritual vultures were specially requested by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. They have decent bloodlines and cannot be neglected. They must be well-cultivated. If not for them, I would have waited at my residence for you.¡± Shortly after the young spiritual vultures had eaten, Qin Ying¡¯s hands lit up with spirit light, and using the secret techniques of Spiritual Vulture Peak, he gently stroked the chicks, coaxing them to sleep before finally standing up and leading Qin Feng and his companion out of the nest towards his courtyard. On the way, Qin Ying seemed extremely excited. After all, it had been a long time since he had seen anyone from his family since Qin Long had left the Sect to return to their family. Upon reaching the courtyard, he brought out all his finest treasures to entertain the two. ¡°Back when your father was still in the sect, he did quite well at Tiger Roar Peak. After a decade of cultivation, he reached Foundation Establishment. His lifebound spiritual beast was also extremely powerful. Unfortunately, he later faced danger. Otherwise, with his cultivation progress, he might have been able to reach Golden Core and enter the Inner Sect.¡± Qin Ying looked at Qin Feng, unable to suppress a few sighs. ¡°I¡¯m not as talented; my cultivation progress is slow. If it weren¡¯t for the two clan members from your parents¡¯ generation who joined the sect and died tragically, I would have feared that without anyone to look after this generation in the sect, I would have returned to the family. Ah, when one grows old, they yearn for the leaves to return to their roots.¡± Seeing his graying temples, Qin Feng and Qin Xi felt a bit of melancholy but still encouraged, ¡°Uncle Ying, you are just in your fifties, not old at all. Maybe with a few more years of hard work, you could succeed in Foundation Establishment and bring great aid to the family.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Qin Ying laughed, saying, ¡°Foundation Establishment is not that easy. In the Beast Taming Sect, there are hundreds of thousands of Outer Disciples, but only around ten thousand manage to reach Foundation Establishment. That¡¯s only one in several dozen disciples. I¡¯m old, my vitality is declining, and I don¡¯t have the same drive as in my youth. I think I¡¯ll stay in the sect for a few more years to look after you two. Once your cultivation is on the right path, I¡¯ll return to the family and retire in peace. Ah, it¡¯s been so many years since I¡¯ve been back; I wonder what the family looks like now.¡± At that, Qin Feng and Qin Xi briefly updated Qin Ying on the family¡¯s affairs over the years. In truth, not much had happened, primarily because Qin Ying had been away for so long and was particularly eager for news of home. However, when Qin Xi mentioned that the family¡¯s age-old adversaries, the Huang Family, had suffered a severe loss due to a mysterious great thief breaking in and stealing from them, Qin Ying couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, ¡°Good, good, good, those Huang Family folks. When I was young and went with the family to hunt demon beasts, I almost fell victim to their schemes and almost lost my life to the demon beasts they lured. And this time, I don¡¯t know which cultivator did it, but they even made off with the Huang Family¡¯s inherited Artifact Refining Furnace. Haha, I wonder how many years it will take them to save up enough to buy another Spiritual Artifact Level refining furnace.¡± Qin Feng stood by, joining in the laughter without a word. What could he say? Surely not that he had sent the Swallowing Sky Toad to play the role of a gigantic toad thief, plundering the Huang Family Great Elder¡¯s possessions. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 75 Survival of the Fittest Clan Uncle Gifts a Beast Chapter 76: Chapter 75 Survival of the Fittest Clan Uncle Gifts a Beast After laughing for a while, Qin Ying turned serious and began to discuss important matters. ¡°The Clan Leader must have told you a lot and taught you how to conduct yourselves after joining the Sect. I won¡¯t go into detail about that to avoid boring you.¡± Qin Ying looked at the two younger Clan members in front of him, who still had traces of naivety on their faces, and asked, ¡°Back when you were in the family, you always heard from our Clan members about how powerful the Sect was, and how joining the Sect was like climbing up a ladder to heaven, right?¡± Qin Feng and Qin Xi nodded. That was true. From a young age, they were raised amidst the reverent words of their elders about the Beast Taming Sect. Thus, all members of the Qin Family had an immense yearning for the Sect and considered it an honor to join. Among the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the family, the Family Head Qin Guanbao and Qin Long, both had advanced in their cultivation after joining the Sect and had subdued powerful Spiritual Beasts, possessing strength far surpassing ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators. As for the only Clan Uncle who reached the Foundation Establishment Realm by cultivating within the family, he not only had limited potential, but his combat abilities were also far inferior to the others. In such a stark contrast, it was inevitable that Qin Feng and Qin Xi would have a favorable impression of the Sect. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s true. Our Qin Family has been able to survive and avoid decline by affiliating with the Beast Taming Sect. However, this does not mean that the Sect is really a holy land for cultivation, at least not for the vast majority of ordinary Outer Disciples.¡± Qin Ying had a hint of bitterness on his face: ¡°Although Outer Disciples are also called disciples, what they do is the work of servants. In fact, calling Outer Disciples servant disciples wouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The statement made the two somewhat stunned. ¡°What, don¡¯t believe it?¡± Qin Ying said with a light smile, ¡°You are now part of the Sect and surely know that all Outer Disciples have duties like servants. This is true regardless of whether they come from noble families or are selected from the common folk. But don¡¯t you think that there are too many Outer Disciples in our Beast Taming Sect? Compared to the Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave, which has a similar influence to our Sect, they have only ten thousand Outer Disciples, which is tens of times fewer than ours. To the west of us, the Golden Court Mountain Giant Spirit Sect has only tens of thousands of Outer Disciples. Even some Sects stronger than our Beast Taming Sect rarely have so many Outer Disciples. Do you know why? There are hundreds of thousands of Outer Disciples, yet the Sect only recruits a hundred people into the Inner Sect each year. Do you know why?¡± The two shook their heads continually. They had never even left Kun City before, how could they know these things. ¡°The main reason lies in the fact that our Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Cultivation Techniques are different from other Sects. Other Sects¡¯ Techniques require only their own Cultivation, but our Sect, besides cultivating ourselves, also needs to provide for the cultivation of Spiritual Beasts, and often more than one. Cultivation requires resources, and so does maintaining Spiritual Beasts. Even more resources are consumed by Spiritual Beasts than are used by Cultivators themselves, since Spiritual Beasts don¡¯t cultivate as quickly as Human Clan Cultivators. To maintain their progress, of course, requires even more resources.¡± Qin Ying¡¯s words carried an indiscernible hint of meaning that left Qin Feng and others puzzled. He continued softly, ¡°Because of the massive consumption of resources, we need a huge number of people to work for the Sect and provide ample resources. Therefore, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Outer Sect originally had nine branches, which then expanded to thirty-six peaks, later to seventy-two peaks, and now to one hundred eight peaks. And the number of Outer Disciples has continued to increase, from the initial thousands to tens of thousands, and now to hundreds of thousands. Every year, the various peaks of the Outer Sect provide a large amount of resources to the Inner Sect, along with numerous industries outside the Sect which also garner countless cultivation resources. But even so, the Sect still dares not recruit too many disciples into the Inner Sect.¡± ¡°Because, we really can¡¯t afford it.¡± He showed a bitter smile on his face, ¡°Each Inner Sect Disciple is like a gold-eating beast, needing a huge amount of resources to build up, even just to cultivate their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, they need resources several times more than disciples from other Sects. And those cultivators who suddenly raise several Spiritual Beasts consume even more resources to the point of heartache. You say, under these circumstances, how could the Sect dare to recruit more disciples into the Inner Sect? Because of this, the competition in the Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect is also the most fierce. From the moment all Outer Disciples join, not only do they have to compete with disciples from the same year, but they also have to compete with the older disciples. Frankly speaking, although the Outer Sect of the Beast Taming Sect is not as harsh as some extreme Sects or like the Demon Sect¡¯s poison-nourishing cultivation style, for those who want to enter the Inner Sect, it¡¯s not much different. The only difference is that their struggle is external, not internal. Ordinary disciples wanting to obtain cultivation resources to nurture Spiritual Beasts find that relying solely on doing servant duties for the Sect and earning a few Spirit Stones is far from enough. They can only desperately compete outside, surviving the survival of the fittest, and only the very best among those who ultimately survive might have a chance to be accepted into the Inner Sect.¡± ¡°Is it really that dangerous?¡± Qin Xi looked incredulously at this Clan Uncle. She felt that what she heard today was totally different from her previous impression of the Sect. ¡°Exactly, once your cultivation reaches, the Foreign Affairs Hall of the Sect will have many tasks for you to choose from.¡± Qin Ying knew his words had greatly shocked them, but he still said, ¡°Our Qin Family is just a small clan. If you want to enter the Inner Sect, merely relying on the family¡¯s resources isn¡¯t enough. You will have to venture out of the Mountain Gate and acquire more resources yourself. Even if you want to advance to Foundation Establishment, you also have to take on relatively dangerous tasks once your cultivation reaches a certain realm in order to obtain more rewards from the Sect. Of course, if you feel the outside is too dangerous and think the tasks risk your lives too much, then don¡¯t take them. Just like me, like most ordinary Outer Disciples, stay in the Mountain, contribute faithfully to the Sect, and you¡¯ll definitely not encounter danger. Otherwise, you might end up like the two family members from the previous generation who joined the Sect and died during a mission.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not content with this, then go fight for it yourself, struggle to do everything to enter the Inner Sect. Only by entering the Inner Sect can you shed the identity of a Servant Disciple, receive the true teachings of the Beast Taming Sect, gain a vast amount of cultivation resources from the Sect, get the best Spiritual Beasts, and receive the best treatment.¡± While saying this, Qin Ying¡¯s face also bore a hint of longing. Regrettably, ever since he encountered danger during a team mission with fellow disciples in his earlier years, where all the cultivators died except for him who barely escaped, he had extinguished the thought of fighting desperately outside. After all, with his mediocre aptitude, even if he tried harder, he might not necessarily advance to Foundation Establishment, so why bother risking his life outside. Thus, he had spent these years at Spiritual Vulture Peak dedicated to researching the methods of nurturing Spiritual Vultures, living quite a stable life. ¡°Today, I¡¯m telling you all this not to encourage you to take on those dangerous missions, nor do I want you to learn from me and barely survive in the Sect for decades. I¡¯m telling you this just to help you understand your current situation. Whatever path you choose to follow in the future, I will not stop you because it¡¯s your own choice.¡± After saying this to them, Qin Ying changed the subject and began explaining some intricacies of the Sect and the taboos of interacting with cultivators from various peaks. He also told the two what they needed to learn as Outer Disciples and shared some experiences on identifying and nurturing Spiritual Beasts. Finally, as the sun tilted westward and the Golden Crow was about to set, Qin Ying somewhat reluctantly stopped his instruction, then said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve just joined the Sect, it¡¯s best to go to the Preaching Pavilion every day to listen to teachings. I won¡¯t keep you any longer, lest I delay your cultivation.¡± Saying so, he took out two Spiritual Beast Bags from his person and handed them over with a smile, ¡°I knew you would definitely come, so I specially exchanged two young Spiritual Vultures with a fellow disciple several days ago. This will give you a chance to practice and get used to the feeling of subduing Spiritual Beasts. Don¡¯t be misled by the fact that these two Spiritual Vultures are not yet mature; actually, their bloodline is quite good, possessing a part of the Rift Wind Vulture¡¯s bloodline, and their Wind Control Divine Power is quite extraordinary. Even if you don¡¯t belong to my Spiritual Vulture Peak or wish to make the Spiritual Vultures your Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, you can still use them as a means of transportation, saving you the trouble of borrowing from other disciples.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qin Feng and Qin Xi hadn¡¯t expected this Clan Uncle to actually gift them two large birds, and for a moment they hesitated whether to accept or not. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Azure Dragon Square Seeking the Spiritual Toad Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Azure Dragon Square Seeking the Spiritual Toad The Rift Wind Vulture was a formidable Wind Element Demon Bird, which could wield the power to tear through storms once it reached adulthood, possessing considerable strength. With Uncle Ying¡¯s assets, of course, he couldn¡¯t afford a pure-blooded Rift Wind Vulture, but even a Spiritual Vulture with just a trace of the Rift Wind Vulture¡¯s bloodline was bound to be expensive. Thus, Qin Feng and Qin Xi were somewhat hesitant and didn¡¯t take it immediately. Uncle Ying let out a hearty laugh, placing the Spiritual Beast Bag into their hands, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, I am your elder. Over the years, I haven¡¯t made much contribution to the family, and now that both of you have joined the Sect, it¡¯s only right for me, as an elder, to show some support. Besides, I was born in Spiritual Vulture Peak, and I have a good relationship with the fellow disciple who sold me these two Spiritual Vultures, so the cost was not too much.¡± ¡°In that case, thank you, Uncle Ying.¡± Seeing this, Qin Feng had no choice but to express their thanks and accept it. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late, you both should head back now.¡± Uncle Ying sent them on their way, admonishing, ¡°If you ever encounter any issues in the future, feel free to come to me. After all, I¡¯ve been in the Sect for decades and know disciples from most of the peaks. I could help you out with problems that arise.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle Ying, we¡¯ll remember that.¡± After saying goodbye to Uncle Ying, they mounted the Eagle and departed. Qin Feng first dropped Qin Xi off at Creation Peak, then flew through the glittering starry sky on the Eagle. Sitting cross-legged on the Eagle¡¯s back, he pondered the words Uncle Ying had shared with them today. Those words had greatly altered his initial impression of the Beast Taming Sect. He had only known that it was rather difficult for an Outer Disciple to enter the Inner Sect, but never imagined it would be this challenging. Although the Beast Taming Sect didn¡¯t follow the practices of the Poison Nourishing method to cultivate disciples, they still selected the best among the best, having them fight against rival Sects and tempering them through various tasks to ultimately choose the disciples. No wonder his father had harbored such great hopes for him, hoping he would be able to enter the Inner Sect. Qin Feng sighed lightly; without the Demon Refining Pot, an artifact of his own, he almost certainly wouldn¡¯t have the chance to enter the Inner Sect based on his talent and background alone. A sense of pressing weight inevitably rose in his heart. If he continued to cultivate within the Sect, he would hardly receive any resources, and even with the Demon Refining Pot, it wouldn¡¯t be of much use. It appeared he would inevitably have to tread the same path as those disciples eager to join the Inner Sect, facing many dangers and conflicts. However, after a while, he smiled with detachment. Without tempering, how could he stand out among the many Outer Disciples? It¡¯s just tasks, just fighting against rival Sects, and just battling other demons, devils, and monsters, right? With so many wonders in the world, if he didn¡¯t go out to see them, wouldn¡¯t his journey through this life be a waste? He still had the Demon Refining Pot, an artifact that could assist in his cultivation, which already gave him an advantage over the other Outer Disciples. If he were still timid, then it would be better not to venture beyond the Mountain Gate or harbor thoughts of longevity. Since he wished to strive for longevity, how could he allow the fear of danger to stop him from moving forward! Thinking it over, Qin Feng¡¯s mood instantly became much lighter. Traveling through the night, he hurried back to Spiritual Snake Peak. After returning the Eagle, he went back to his own dwelling, took out the Spiritual Vulture that Qin Ying had given him, and pondered over the task of taming the Spiritual Vulture. To be honest, he had just come into contact with the Binding Spell and hadn¡¯t even begun to practice it. Taming the Spiritual Vulture with the Binding Spell would be rather difficult. Although the Spiritual Vulture was not yet mature, its strength was exceptional, already possessing the power of a Qi Refining Middle Stage. It might not be much weaker than him. In such a case, trying to tame the Spiritual Vulture with his own power would certainly present many difficulties. Should he encounter strong resistance while implanting the Binding Spell in the vulture¡¯s Divine Soul, there was a good chance he could injure his Divine Sense. However, there was no need to insist on using the Binding Spell to tame it before his own Binding Spell was refined. Qin Feng chuckled softly and directly took the Spiritual Vulture into the Demon Refining Pot, using the power of the pot to tame the vulture. But he didn¡¯t relax his practice of the Binding Spell. He planned to use the several Spiritual Beasts inside the Demon Refining Pot to test the effectiveness of his newly condensed Binding Spell. After all, when it came time to refine his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, he certainly couldn¡¯t rely on the Demon Refining Pot to do the taming. He would definitely need the Binding Spell, so experimenting a few more times now would be beneficial. At worst, once successful, he could slowly lift the Binding Spell later. It wouldn¡¯t really tie up too much of his Divine Sense¡¯s power with these few Spiritual Beasts. The next day, Qin Feng¡¯s life became more regular: in the morning, he went to the Preaching Pavilion for lectures, in the afternoon, he visited the Book Collection Pavilion at Spiritual Snake Peak to read, and in the evening, he went back to his courtyard for cultivation. Those Foundation Establishment Cultivators at the Preaching Pavilion, and the occasional Golden Core Cultivator, would teach them, the Qi Refining Realm disciples, all kinds of knowledge about cultivation, their understanding of Spiritual Beasts, and the application of various spells. They even passed on how to identify Demon Beasts¡¯ auras in the wild, track their trails, and specialized guidance on the habits of various Demon Beasts and methods of dealing with them. Additionally, some Foundation Establishment Cultivators taught how to harvest materials from Demon Beasts, how to extract Essence Blood, and how to remove skin, fur, bones, and teeth, among others. Countless pieces of knowledge made Qin Feng momentarily forget the heavy pressure and immersed him in the exploration of new knowledge. Every afternoon, he would also go to the Scripture Pavilion on Spiritual Snake Peak to absorb a variety of books and Jade Scrolls¡ªwhether it was common knowledge of cultivation, secrets of the Cultivation World, or various kinds of knowledge about Spiritual Beasts, he did not let any of it pass by him. He felt extremely fortunate now because the Deacon Room had initially assigned him relatively light miscellaneous duties¡ªhe only needed to feed the Cold Ice Python once every few days, and now with the Spiritual Vulture he could ride, he could make the round trip in just an hour, leaving him a large amount of time to fill his relatively lacking cultivation knowledge. If he had, like the other ordinary disciples, been assigned to tedious miscellaneous work, although he would have earned a few more Spirit Stones every month, it would have been too much of a waste of time. Because he was immersed in learning, Qin Feng didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the passage of time, and before he knew it, more than half a year had passed. During this time, he also didn¡¯t forget about helping the Swallowing Sky Toad with its Bloodline fusion. In his spare time from cultivation, he had also flipped through a lot of information about Spiritual Toad beasts in the Scripture Pavilion. After he had diligently studied hundreds of books and Jade Scrolls on Spiritual Toads in the Scripture Pavilion on Spiritual Snake Peak, he had a general direction for the future evolution of the Swallowing Sky Toad. There were many types of Demon Toads, and theoretically, as long as they were of the same kind, the Demon Refining Pot could help with the fusion. However, each fusion required a large amount of Spiritual Energy to assist in the operation of the Demon Refining Pot. Also, as the Swallowing Sky Toad grew stronger in cultivation, the Spiritual Energy required would increase tenfold or a hundredfold. So, Qin Feng was not willing to waste the resource-efficient first fusion on an ordinary Spiritual Toad. At the very least, he would need to find a Spiritual Toad with a strong Bloodline. If the potential was too low, it would not only exhaust all his current resources, but the fusion would also bring little benefit to the Swallowing Sky Toad. Having made up his mind, Qin Feng mounted the Spiritual Vulture and set off straight for Azure Dragon Market. Azure Dragon Market was the largest among the twelve markets controlled by the Beast Taming Sect and was also the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. At the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, any kind of Demon Beast could be found, and if not, they could be summoned from the Sect at any time. Thus, this was not only the main place for Sect disciples to purchase Demon Beasts, but it also attracted countless cultivators from other regions to buy various kinds of Demon Beasts. Of course, when Qin Feng wanted to find a powerful Bloodline Spiritual Toad, this was his first choice. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Green Water Cold Toad Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Green Water Cold Toad Azure Dragon Square, as the largest marketplace under the control of the Beast Taming Sect, was indeed bustling with activity. Every day there were countless cultivators coming and going. Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect driving Spiritual Beasts and cultivators from other regions would come in and out, spending large amounts of Spirit Stones on various items, making the sect¡¯s coffers overflow. Qin Feng stored his Spiritual Vulture and headed straight for the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion upon entering the market. The headquarters of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion were built with extravagant luxury, covering an area of ten thousand square feet and divided into several zones, each selling different items. Here, the variety of Spiritual Objects was so vast that it could dazzle the eyes. Even cultivators who had not initially planned to buy anything would be attracted by the countless treasures here, kindling a desire to possess them. Each area was crowded, with countless cultivators shuttling back and forth. However, only a few people entered the main building directly opposite the main gate. Because there were no Spiritual Objects displayed for sale in the main building; instead, it was used exclusively to host forces that came to discuss major transactions. The negotiations that happened here involved transactions of Spirit Stones amounting to over one million each. Qin Feng was somewhat bewildered after entering the great door of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. The place was so vast that he was temporarily unable to find where the Spiritual Beasts were being sold. After asking a disciple also clad in a Beast Taming Sect¡¯s magic robe, he finally located the Spiritual Beast Garden, as directed. Once inside the garden, Qin Feng found it brimming not only with numerous Spiritual Beasts which left him amazed but also with an excessive number of cultivators. Although many were merely there to see something exotic, and the actual buyers were still few, it still contributed to an incredibly lively atmosphere. Qin Feng approached the iron cages displaying the Spiritual Beasts. Looking over, he saw rows upon rows, easily numbering in the tens of thousands. Near the entrance of the garden, in several areas, no cages were placed. Instead, prohibitions were set up, confining various large Demon Beasts for people¡¯s viewing pleasure. Here, he saw the enormous Jiao Dragon, the vibrant Phoenix Sparrow, the mountain-like Barbaric Elephant, the Lion covered in fiery flames¡­ Each of these Demon Beasts was not only huge in size but also possessed a strong and formidable aura. Each one had a cultivation level above the level of the Demon Core Realm, making countless people¡¯s hearts stir with desire. Regrettably, only a few could afford such powerful Spiritual Beasts. Qin Feng was likewise awed here, a strong desire welling up within him. If he could own such a powerful Spiritual Beast, he wouldn¡¯t have to be so cautious every day. He could simply ride the Spiritual Beast on journeys across various lands, gaining opportunities for rapid advances in cultivation, and joining the Inner Sect would be as easy as flipping his hand. But he was only fantasizing for now, as these Golden Core Realm Demon Beasts were beyond his current reach. Thus, he quickly turned away and began searching through row after row of Demon Beasts. Moments later, he found the area with the Spiritual Toads. Looking at the Spiritual Toads of various sizes and shapes, Qin Feng scanned quickly and excitedly and soon located the one he liked. It was a Swallowing Star Toad the size of a grinding plate, its back covered with beautiful starlights, resembling the countless stars in the night sky. The Swallowing Sky Toad was also an exotic species, extremely rare, known to draw upon the Nine Heavens Star Power for cultivation. It was said that in the Ancient Demon Realm, there once was a Swallowing Star Toad Demon King that could swallow stars, not only immense in size but also incredibly powerful. Qin Feng felt that the bloodline of this Spiritual Toad was highly compatible with the Swallowing Sky Toad. If the bloodlines were merged, the Swallowing Sky Toad could also draw Star Power for cultivation, which would significantly speed up his advancement. He looked at the price with great joy, but his heart instantly turned cold. Because it was clearly written on a small iron token hanging next to the cage: Exotic Species Spiritual Beast, Swallowing Star Toad, Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, valued at two hundred thousand Spirit Stones. He couldn¡¯t afford two hundred thousand let alone twenty thousand. After a while, Qin Feng steadied his mind and comforted himself internally. After all, the Swallowing Star Toad was too powerful. With his current resources, he was surely unable to aid the Swallowing Sky Toad in merging with this Spiritual Toad¡¯s bloodline. He would better look for a Qi Refinement Realm Spiritual Toad. Forcing himself to suppress the heartache, he turned away from the Swallowing Star Toad and looked towards other Spiritual Toads. Not far away in a cage, there was a Green-Eyed Spirit Toad the size of a cushion. This Spirit Toad excelled in Water Manipulation Divine Power and had the strength of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Its price was sixty-eight thousand Spirit Stones, which was about two-thirds cheaper than the Swallowing Star Toad. Qin Feng twitched the corners of his mouth¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford it either. Looking further, there was the Taiyin Moon Toad, cultivating Power of Taiyin, with boundless potential, priced at two hundred and eighty thousand Spirit Stones. The Three-Eyed Heavenly Toad, born with divine eyes and strong divine skills, was even more expensive¡ªthree hundred and sixty thousand Spirit Stones. Qin Feng was speechless and simply stepped around this area and walked further back. Otherwise, he feared that if he continued looking, he would feel utterly inferior. Honestly speaking, based on their current strength alone, these Spirit Toads were certainly not worth these prices, not even the Spiritual Beasts in the Demon Core Realm could fetch such high prices. But what mattered most in Spiritual Beasts wasn¡¯t their current strength but their bloodline and developmental potential. Ordinary Spiritual Beasts have limited potential, and even if they are momentarily strong, their future prospects are limited, with only a small possibility of advancement. Whereas the Swallowing Star Toad, the Taiyin Moon Toad, and the Three-Eyed Heavenly Toad, although currently not very strong¡ªmost only reaching the Foundation Establishment Late Stage at best¡ªeach had enormous potential. If cultivated properly, they all had the hope of advancing to the Purple Mansion Realm, which explains their high prices. If someone were to buy several Spiritual Beasts and cultivate them well, once they advanced to the Purple Mansion, they could reap huge profits, with their price possibly increasing tenfold or even a hundredfold. Of course, by then, no one would be willing to sell them. Unable to afford these Spiritual Toads with robust bloodlines and high prices, Qin Feng could only continue walking to the back to look at some ordinary, low-level Spiritual Toads. Afterward, he checked out many regular Spirit Toads like the Swamp Poison Toad, Illusion Toad, Golden Thread Spirit Toad, Stone Toad, Arrow Poison Toad, and Tiger Striped Giant Toad, among others. After seeing them all, Qin Feng hesitated. What he truly desired was a Spirit Toad with strong bloodlines; only by merging with those that possessed robust bloodlines could his Swallowing Sky Toad obtain the greatest benefits and advance to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the shortest time, becoming a significant help to him. But a strong bloodline also meant a high price. With the Spirit Stones he had, not to mention not being able to afford those strong-bloodlined Spirit Toads, even selecting a few from the ordinary ones turned out to be expensive. The cheaper ones cost a couple of thousand Spirit Stones and the more expensive ones amounted to several thousands. Although he could afford them, the remaining Spirit Stones would definitely not be enough for the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s bloodline merging. No wonder most of the ordinary Outer Disciples at the Beast Taming Sect chose to be servants within the Sect, with only a few elite disciples relentlessly undertaking missions to earn resources and improve themselves. Not to mention anything else, the prices of these Spiritual Beasts alone could deter most people. Of course, being an Outer Disciple didn¡¯t mean there was no chance to obtain a top-level Spiritual Beast without spending Spirit Stones. Aside from the chance of being rewarded for exceptional performance within the Sect, one could also encounter them during missions or journeys and capture them, thereby obtaining a powerful potential Spiritual Beast. Just like Qin Feng himself had fortuitously come across a Swallowing Sky Toad. Although the advancement of the Swallowing Sky Toad was exceedingly slow, it was a naturally born Exotic Species that, once cultivated to a higher realm, its strength would far exceed that of ordinary members of the Demon Clan. Many ambitious disciples didn¡¯t rush to refine their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts. Due to the lack of suitable Spiritual Beasts, some even waited until they were in the Foundation Establishment Realm, still perseverantly searching for Spiritual Beasts that matched their desires. After all, Lifebound Spiritual Beasts were crucial to their future paths. It didn¡¯t matter if the refining was delayed a bit, but if the Lifebound Spiritual Beast had limited potential, their future cultivation to higher realms would also become challenging. This was unacceptable for all disciples who considered themselves prodigies. Qin Feng touched the Storage Bag at his waist and sighed helplessly. Because he didn¡¯t have enough Spirit Stones, he had no choice but to lower his target again, turning his eyes towards the Spirit Toads priced below a thousand. After hesitating for a long time, he eventually settled on a Green Water Cold Toad the size of a watermelon. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Fusion of Bloodlines Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Fusion of Bloodlines Green Water Cold Toad excelled in both Water Element and Ice Element Techniques, able to summon tidal waves and shoot Cold Ice Arrows to harm the enemy. With the strength of this Green Water Cold Toad, if it exerted all its power, it could freeze an area of twenty to thirty zhangs around it¡ªquite a commendable strength among low-level Spiritual Toads. However, its potential was far from comparable to that of the Taiyin Moon Toad and the Three-Eyed Heavenly Toad who had strong bloodlines. But it was already the most suitable Spiritual Toad for Qin Feng¡¯s current financial situation, after he had spent most of the day comparing the types and prices of Spiritual Toads in that area. Although the bloodline of the Green Water Cold Toad was not very robust, its bloodline power was still pretty decent, and the utility of the Water Element Technique was broad. More importantly, it was cheap enough, only requiring six hundred Spirit Stones. Qin Feng directly approached the Servant Disciple at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, bought the Green Water Cold Toad, and after reluctantly looking at the Swallowing Star Toad, Three-Eyed Heavenly Toad, and a few other powerful bloodline Spiritual Toads for a while, he finally turned and left. Once he left the Market, he rode the Spiritual Vulture back to his courtyard in Spiritual Snake Peak. Once back, Qin Feng locked himself in his room and placed most of his Spirit Stones and the Green Water Toad into the Demon Refining Pot. Hum¡­ Driven by his mind, the Demon Refining Pot¡¯s interior space trembled lightly, and a surge of light engulfed the Green Water Spirit Toad. As the light trembled, the Green Water Cold Toad quietly transformed into a mass of blood mist. The blood mist was purified under the light, and then the light enveloped and slowly seeped into the Swallowing Sky Toad. Time passed slowly, and fifteen minutes later, Qin Feng frowned slightly. He sensed that there was a lack of Spiritual Energy coming from the Demon Refining Pot. Though most of the blood mist had already merged into the Swallowing Sky Toad, and even if the process stopped now, the Swallowing Sky Toad would still acquire most of the Green Water Cold Toad¡¯s bloodline power, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be as strong as a complete bloodline fusion. With no other choice, he took out the remaining two thousand Spirit Stones, thought for a moment, but eventually, he decided to keep three hundred for himself and threw the rest into the Demon Refining Pot. About another fifteen minutes later, the bloodline finally merged completely, and the light enveloping the Swallowing Sky Toad in the Demon Refining Pot disappeared. The Swallowing Sky Toad lay on the ground, blinked its large eyes, and felt both puzzled and excited, not knowing why this change had occurred and that it had unexpectedly gained two new abilities under the glow¡¯s irradiation. It felt like the Demon Power in its body could now transform into flowing water or spread as cold air, abilities it had never felt before. While it was still pondering, suddenly, everything brightened, and it found itself in the outer room. Qin Feng held the Swallowing Sky Toad in his hands, which felt ice-cold to the touch. Indeed, there was a new cold energy inside the Swallowing Sky Toad, or else it wouldn¡¯t feel so cold. ¡°This time, to help you merge bloodlines, I have put most of my Spirit Stones into it, I hope you won¡¯t let me down!¡± Qin Feng stroked the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s body and said softly. The Swallowing Sky Toad then realized that its master had helped it merge with the bloodlines of other Spiritual Toads. Although it could feel that the other Spiritual Toad¡¯s bloodline was far inferior to its own, it now had the ability to absorb Water Element Spiritual Energy for cultivation. As long as it could cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Realm with Water Element Demon Power, even if the space within its body didn¡¯t advance due to a lack of Spiritual Energy, it would still be considered a Foundation Establishment Spirit Beast with Space Divine Power. ¡°Croak, croak, croak¡­¡± Upon understanding these things, the Swallowing Sky Toad joyously croaked at Qin Feng a few times. Qin Feng was interested in testing to what extent the Swallowing Sky Toad could now control the new abilities of the Green Water Cold Toad¡¯s bloodline. Bloodline abilities are innate, and since the bloodline of the Green Water Cold Toad had merged into the body of Swallowing Sky Toad, Swallowing Sky Toad now could definitely use the original spells of the Green Water Cold Toad, albeit the question was merely of the power¡¯s magnitude. Yet when he glanced at his room, he set aside the thought; he did not want Swallowing Sky Toad to wreak havoc where he lived. Qin Feng took Swallowing Sky Toad out of the courtyard and, mounting the Spiritual Vulture, flew to a lake several miles away to let Swallowing Sky Toad try casting a spell. With a loud croak, as demon energy surged from its body, a wave about a zhang high suddenly rose from the lake and plunged towards its center. Before the wave could fall, Swallowing Sky Toad suddenly opened its mouth and spewed out a breath of cold air, attempting to freeze the wave. However, the cold air inside it was still weak; although it managed to freeze a two-inch-thick layer of ice on the surface of the wave, it could not stop the wave¡¯s momentum. With a crash, the ice shattered, and fragments of cold ice bobbed on the surface of the lake. Swallowing Sky Toad blinked, seemingly dissatisfied, and with another opens of its mouth, it spewed out a Cold Ice Arrow that abruptly flew dozens of zhang and buried deep into the depths of the lake. Qin Feng nodded in satisfaction. Although the cold air inside Swallowing Sky Toad was not yet dense, having such abilities right after fusing the bloodlines was commendable. With its future cultivation, the cold air would naturally become stronger. Moreover, Swallowing Sky Toad used to rely mainly on its tongue as a weapon for attacks, which was limited in range, only capable of attacking within about ten zhang of itself. Now possessing the spell to spit Cold Ice Arrows, it had acquired the capability for long-range attacks, which was a significant improvement over the past. While he was thinking, there suddenly was a disturbance in the lake, and soon after, with a splash, water exploded upward as a seven to eight zhang long green-scaled giant python emerged, raising its head high and fixing its cold and vertical pupils firmly on them. Swallowing Sky Toad, startled, leaped forward abruptly, shielding Qin Feng with a loud croak, ready to spurt out a Cold Ice Arrow at the giant snake in the lake. ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless.¡± Qin Feng quickly halted Swallowing Sky Toad, gripping its mouth with his hand and holding it. Then he spoke to the giant snake in the lake, ¡°My spiritual beast was merely testing its spells here and didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. Please excuse us; we are leaving now.¡± After saying so, he bowed to the giant snake and turned to leave. This was a giant snake bred by the Spiritual Snake Peak, presumably disturbed from its slumber when Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s ice arrow shot into the lake, causing it to surface and investigate. The giant snake was not weak by any means, with its seven to eight zhang long body and dense demon energy, it should possess the strength of the Peak of Foundation Establishment and wasn¡¯t far from condensing its Demon Pill. However, since Qin Feng was a disciple of the Spiritual Snake Peak, it naturally did not dare harm him. Seeing the other party leaving with the little toad that had disturbed its peaceful slumber, the giant snake also retracted back into the water, disappearing from sight. Qin Feng returned to the courtyard and casually let Swallowing Sky Toad absorb spiritual energy and cultivate on its own, while he sat cross-legged on a cushion, absorbing the spiritual energy from the previously used Demon Refining Pot into his body. Since joining the Spiritual Snake Peak half a year ago, the spiritual energy here far surpassed that of his hometown, Kun City. Coupled with his already quick cultivation pace, he had progressed from the initial stages of the fourth layer of Qi Refinement upon entering the Mountain Gate to reach the peak, and now, refining the spiritual energy in the Demon Refining Pot, he had directly broken through to the fifth layer. Moreover, the spiritual energy was not yet fully exhausted. Once he finished refining it entirely, he would not be too far from reaching the sixth layer. He was elated in his heart; given his usual pace of cultivation, even without any additional aid and just proceeding with his training, he could break through to the sixth layer of Qi Refinement by the year¡¯s end. But after his moment of joy, thinking about his now empty Storage Bag again made him sigh. He now understood the words of his clan uncle, Qin Ying. No wonder the Inner Sect hesitated to accept more disciples; nurturing spiritual beasts truly was like watching money flow like water. This was merely helping Swallowing Sky Toad fuse with a bloodline once, and it had nearly drained all his savings. If, in the future, he acquired other spiritual beasts and nurtured them this way, even selling himself wouldn¡¯t garner enough Spirit Stones! Clearly, he should not rely on spending Spirit Stones to acquire spiritual beasts in the future; he needed to find ways to obtain other spiritual beasts and resources. ps: Last night my eyes were also uncomfortable, so I finished typing early and shut down the computer. This morning when I woke up and saw that this chapter was still sitting in the draft box and hadn¡¯t been uploaded, I was truly speechless. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 79 Trial Land Chapter 80: Chapter 79 Trial Land Although buying Spiritual Beasts directly from the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion was simple and quick, Qin Feng simply could not afford those with powerful bloodlines. He couldn¡¯t always rely on merging with commonplace Spiritual Beasts. As the Swallowing Sky Toad grew, it would provide limited help, so he still needed to find a way to get a few Spiritual Toads with potent bloodline potential in the future. Sigh, this was forcing him to be like those elite disciples who only took on Sect tasks and ventured outside to find opportunities and Spiritual Beasts. However, while Sect tasks did carry certain risks, danger often coexisted with opportunity. As long as he was cautious, he would have a chance to amass more Spiritual Beasts as subordinates in the future, significantly increasing his chances of survival compared to ordinary disciples. Typically, Outer Disciples in the Qi Refining Realm wouldn¡¯t have many Spiritual Beasts with them, aside from their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts; possessing three or four to assist in battle was already considered quite luxurious. After all, maintaining so many Spiritual Beasts not only required more resources but also consumed a lot of Divine Sense. Once too many Spiritual Beasts were tamed, being overly stretched thin on Divine Sense could slow down their Cultivation progress, a loss outweighing the gains. But Qin Feng was different; he possessed the Demon Refining Pot and didn¡¯t have to worry about the Divine Sense issue. As long as the small area within the Demon Refining Pot could handle it, he could tame more Spiritual Beasts. If he ever truly fell into a trap and was surrounded by enemies, being able to release more Spiritual Beasts would allow him to counterattack all adversaries. Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators wouldn¡¯t likely withstand a relentless siege from Qi Refining Realm Demon Beasts. Having thought this through, Qin Feng wasn¡¯t in a hurry to take on any Sect tasks immediately. As a disciple who had just joined this year, the Sect would surely take care of him for the first year. For instance, many new disciples only needed to do half a day¡¯s servant work, with the rest of the time free for learning various Cultivation knowledge. Qin Feng felt that he could definitely take advantage of this period to learn more and practice several Spells, waiting until the year was over before heading to the Foreign Affairs Hall to take on tasks. Moreover, he was confident that by the end of this year, he would advance to the sixth level of Qi Refinement, and by then, the Spirit Stones supported by his family for him and Qin Xi would have been delivered. Previously, he had slain a few Loose Cultivators in Tieling Market who had sought to ambush him, acquiring several Techniques useful for the family. Therefore, the Clan Leader rewarded him with doubled resources for the next three years from the family, amounting to six hundred Spirit Stones annually, plus the three hundred he currently had, along with other miscellaneous items, which also tallied up to some value in Spirit Stones. Calculating this way, by the end of the year, he would have a total of over a thousand Spirit Stones. If he invested them all into the Demon Refining Pot to refine them into pure Spiritual Energy, it was very possible that he could break through to the seventh level of Qi Refinement and reach the late-stage Cultivation Realm in one fell swoop. Having late-stage Qi Refinement Realm ability for taking on Sect missions would give him greater confidence. Moreover, since he had only joined the Sect recently, his overall experience paled in comparison to elder disciples. To acquire resources during missions, he needed to know more. Otherwise, even with benefits right before his eyes, he could likely miss out on opportunities due to recognition failures. With this realization, Qin Feng directed more energy into studying; not only did he attend teachings at the Preaching Pavilion daily, but he also frequented the Scripture Pavilion to browse various texts, such that apart from Liu Wuxiang, with whom he was relatively familiar, he barely spoke much with other disciples who had joined the Sect together with him. And his diligent attitude had also influenced Liu Wuxiang, causing the young man to frequently join him in the Book Collection Pavilion to sift through various texts. Qin Feng felt that the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect should be considered very knowledgeable and talented cultivators, as they needed to learn an extensive array of subjects. Even specializing in the knowledge of a single type of Spiritual Beast could take years of dedicated study. Those disciples who often undertook missions outdoors and roamed through wilderness and mountains needed to understand as much as possible about the Magic Divine Powers, habits, and exploitable weaknesses of various Demon Beasts. When immersed in the pursuit of knowledge, time passed exceedingly quickly, and before they knew it, several months had slipped by. One day, Liu Xuanling gathered all the new disciples to announce something, ¡°All disciples, one year after your initiation, the Sect will give you a chance to undertake a trial to find a suitable Spiritual Beast. The trial lands of the one hundred and eight peaks of the Outer Sect differ, but generally, they are not too dangerous. After all, most of you have just joined the Sect for a year, and you are mostly in the Qi Refining Early Stage, so the Sect wouldn¡¯t send you to exceedingly perilous areas. However, if some of you believe your strength is adequate and choose to venture deeper in search of better Spiritual Beasts, that is up to you.¡± Liu Xuanling¡¯s tone was indifferent, ¡°The trial land for my Spiritual Snake Peak is in Mist Swamp. Let me remind you that this swamp is teeming with Poison Insects and many of the Demon Beasts living there are adept at camouflage. It would be best if you prepared in advance to avoid panic when the time comes. This time, Elder Yin Qi will lead the team. Later, each of you will receive a Spirit Talisman for emergency use; if you face danger, you can activate it. However, whether you can hold on until Elder Yin Qi arrives will depend on your luck. After all, Mist Swamp is vast, and you will definitely not stay together. If you scatter in different directions to seek your own fortunes, Elder Yin Qi might not be able to reach you in time. Therefore, I advise those of you who are not strong, not to wander around like those disciples with higher Cultivation and end up losing lives as has often happened in the past.¡± These words immediately caused unease and worry among the disciples. They had initially thought that the Sect arranging trials was an opportunity to find Spiritual Beasts, not anticipating the danger. However, they couldn¡¯t object, after all, the Sect couldn¡¯t possibly arrange for highly cultivated cultivators to provide one-on-one protection during the trial. On the other hand, those disciples from noble families seemed unperturbed; they had long been aware of these matters and, possessing higher levels of Cultivation and some already in the Qi Refining Late Stage, believed they were well-prepared and considered the trial for new disciples below their concern. In fact, Liu Xuanling left out some details. The trial lands for new disciples had been cleared by the Sect beforehand and weren¡¯t dangerous. Essentially, these trials were intended by the Sect to test the disciples¡¯ Cultivation and knowledge, while also giving them a chance to find a Spiritual Beast. Even if many disciples were lacking in Cultivation, as long as their knowledge was solid, they could still find their opportunities in the trial lands. It all depended on whether they had listened attentively in the Preaching Pavilion and mastered the teachings passed down by their predecessors. ¡°You have two days to prepare. Gather here the morning after next; do not miss the time, as no one will wait for you.¡± With a lazy wave of his hand, Liu Xuanling said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said all I need to, you can disperse now.¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 80 Elder Yin 7 Chapter 81: Chapter 80 Elder Yin 7 Qin Feng returned to his residence and wrote a message on a piece of Talisman Paper about the trial he was about to participate in. He then summoned a small Green Bird, letting it take the Talisman Paper to find Qin Xi, and asked whether the Creation Peak, where his younger cousin resided, also had a trial, and if it might be dangerous. This kind of Green Bird was a low-level Spiritual Bird specifically nurtured by the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Mystic Bird Peak for delivering messages. Similar birds such as Skylarks, Yellow Orioles, and Painted-Skin Birds were also used for this purpose. Not only were they exceedingly fast in flight, but they also possessed high Spiritual Nature, making them difficult to capture by outsiders, hence they were quite popular among the Outer Disciples. Soon, Qin Xi sent a reply, informing him that the new disciples at Creation Peak also faced a trial, but it was not in the same location as Spiritual Snake Peak, nor was it in a poison and miasma-filled swamp like the Mist Swamp; instead, it was in a beautifully scenic area. This was because the Master of Creation Peak had recently been invited to attend the grand Baihua Conference by Baihua Palace. Since Creation Peak had altogether accepted only three disciples this year, they decided to simply bring them all to visit Baihua Palace, traveling around Baihua Valley nearby as their trial. This made Qin Feng feel extremely envious. Both were trials, yet why did he have to venture into a swamp teeming with poison and miasma, while Creation Peak could go to Baihua Palace, the disparity was just too great. Baihua Palace was quite renowned in the Southern Domain, with its disciples all being women of stunning beauty. Their cultivation method was also related to various Spirit Flowers, and their feats of spellcasting were magnificent and extremely beautiful, earning them the title of Fairies among the Flowers in the Cultivation World. As Baihua Palace always maintained neutrality and hardly engaged in conflicts with other Sects, they were all the more pursued by cultivators. Moreover, their disciples were not forbidden from marriage, resulting in many female disciples marrying into noble clans and powerful Sects, as well as several ladies from great families entering Baihua Palace for cultivation. Although the strength of Baihua Palace was not considered very strong, their network was extensive, and few would provoke this Sect, for it might lead to the intervention of some powerful figure related by marriage to their disciples. Knowing that Qin Xi was heading to Baihua Palace, Qin Feng put his mind at ease, seeing that her trial would definitely not encounter any danger. Just three disciples, and they were accompanying the Golden Core Realm Master of Creation Peak; encountering any danger would indeed be strange. No longer worried about Qin Xi, he began to consider his own trial. After some thought, he rose and made his way to the Scripture Pavilion again, where he found and reviewed several books relevant to swamps, giving him a rough idea of what to expect. After leaving the Scripture Pavilion, Qin Feng rode his Spiritual Vulture directly to Qingyun Square. He planned to purchase some items there, such as Detoxification Pills, Anti-Miasma Pills, and Insect Repellent Powder. In terms of detoxification and insect repelling medicines in the Southern Domain, aside from the Five Poisons Sect, which could compete with the Beast Taming Sect, other Sects were somewhat inferior. As a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, Qin Feng naturally considered supporting his own Sect first. Therefore, Qin Feng did not head anywhere else but directly to the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Not only could he buy the best products there, but he could also get a 10% discount by using his identity as an Outer Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. Besides these items, Qin Feng also bought more than ten first-tier, high-quality Spirit Talismans, supplementing the two second-tier Spirit Talismans he already had, which ensured his safety during the trial. After all, places designated for new disciples¡¯ trials generally didn¡¯t contain anything too perilous. Just before leaving, he purchased some Snake Repelling Powder made from Impatiens and Wild Cassia. While this product wouldn¡¯t have much effect on fully-enlightened Snake Demons, it could still instinctively repel snake creatures. With this, he could find a place to rest in the swamp without the disturbance of snakes or insects. After preparing thoroughly, Qin Feng was full of confidence. Moreover, with the assistance of the several Spiritual Beasts in the Demon Refining Pot, he believed he could reap significant benefits from the trial. Two days later, early in the morning. All the new disciples had gathered in the small square of Spiritual Snake Peak. No one dared to be late for the Sect trial, especially the Ordinary Disciples. Compared to the disciples from prominent families, they had fewer opportunities to obtain Spiritual Beasts and certainly wouldn¡¯t pass up such a great chance. Standing in front of these disciples were ten Foundation Establishment Realm Deacon Disciples from Spiritual Snake Peak. They would also accompany the group to the Mist Swamp, safeguarding the disciples. Given that the Mist Swamp stretched over hundreds of miles, although these disciples might not dare to venture too deeply, having the disciples scatter in all directions made it impossible for a single Golden Core Elder to look after everyone adequately. Thus, each time the Sect held a trial, several more Foundation Establishment Disciples would usually be arranged to accompany them. Of course, peaks with fewer disciples like Creation Peak did not need this arrangement. The crowd did not have to wait long, just a moment later, an elder with a stern face descended from the sky and landed in front of everyone. The elder had graying hair and a cold gaze. As his eyes swept over the disciples, they all couldn¡¯t help feeling tightened inside, as if a hidden viper had targeted them, sending shivers down their spines. ¡°Disciples pay respects to Elder Yin.¡± The disciples quickly bowed deeply, not daring to show the slightest disrespect. Because Elder Yin Qi was known for his gloomy character and rarely smiled, as if he was always ready to pounce to kill, no disciple dared to be impolite in front of this elder. Elder Yin Qi wasn¡¯t the seventh elder in rank; his name was simply Yin Qi. In the entire Spiritual Snake Peak, only Liu Xuanling would call him by his name. Everyone else, including the other Golden Core Elder, would respectfully address him as Elder Yin. After glancing at the disciples and seeing that everyone had arrived, Elder Yin Qi nodded slightly. With a wave of his sleeve, he released a Flying Boat. Although it was not as massive as the tower ships used to welcome new disciples outside the Sect, it was still large enough to carry the more than a hundred people including Qin Feng. ¡°Get on, prepare to depart.¡± His voice was raspy, almost serpent-like, giving a strangely eerie feeling to those who heard it. ¡°Quick, hurry onto the Flying Boat.¡± The Foundation Establishment Disciples urged everyone to avoid wasting time, lest they displease Elder Yin Qi. There were few on Spiritual Snake Peak who weren¡¯t afraid of Elder Yin Qi. The group of disciples each used their own methods to leap onto the Flying Boat. Even the disciples in the Qi Refining Early Stage, aided by the Light Body Skill, could jump up to several meters. Thus, the disciples one by one briskly boarded the Flying Boat quickly and agilely, taking only a dozen or so breaths to all get on board. Elder Yin Qi¡¯s figure flashed, and he directly entered the Flying Boat¡¯s cabin. He didn¡¯t need a Spiritual Beast to pull the Flying Boat; instead, he directly commanded it to soar into the sky using his True Yuan, and in an instant, they had left the Mountain Gate, flying southward. PS: Special thanks to the generous supporters, deeply appreciated. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 81 Mist Swamp Chapter 82: Chapter 81 Mist Swamp Mist Swamp, not too far from Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Manghuang Mountain, lay eight thousand li to the south after leaving the Mountain Gate. This place, located deep within the jungle, was originally abundant with flora. However, due to its slightly lower terrain, it would be covered in water every rainy season, thus gradually forming a swamp over the years. The damp and warm climate nourished countless Poison Insects and various birds and beasts; over time, it also gave birth to many creatures that learned to absorb nature¡¯s spiritual energy and the essence of the sun and moon. A flying boat, several dozen zhang long, broke through the gloomy clouds and arrived at a clearing on the outskirts of the swamp, descending slowly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve already given you all the necessary warnings,¡± said Elder Yin Qi, ¡°I won¡¯t say much more, just one sentence: your life is your own. Don¡¯t try to act tough. If you encounter danger, quickly activate the Spirit Talisman for preserving life. I, along with nearby Foundation Establishment Disciples, will see it and come to your rescue.¡± Although Elder Yin Qi¡¯s face looked sinister and he didn¡¯t seem like a good person¡ªwhich he indeed wasn¡¯t¡ªhe still harbored some caring intentions toward the disciples of his own sect. After his warning, he waved his hand, signaling the disciples to depart on their own. The disciples respectfully saluted Elder Yin Qi and then jumped off the flying boat one after another, heading toward the swamp. Qin Feng was comparatively mature, so unlike the other youths, he didn¡¯t rush directly into the swamp as if delaying would mean all the benefits would be seized by others. These disciples, after all, were still teenagers; their considerations could not be too thorough. Hence, it didn¡¯t take long for one of them to accidentally step into a poisonous area, nearly becoming poisoned on the spot. Fortunately, being cultivators, their reactions were fairly quick. They promptly sealed their noses and mouths, retreated a few steps, circulated their cultivation technique to expel the poison absorbed into their bodies, and swallowed an Elixir Pill to counteract the poison. Thus, they avoided becoming the first disciple to fail the trial upon entering the swamp. Seeing this, the other disciples took heed and became cautious. Whenever they saw abnormal mist ahead, they would detour far around it. Qin Feng shook his head. In his view, since the swamp was so vast and likely teeming with Low Rank Demon Beasts and Spiritual Medicine, there was absolutely no need to worry about not encountering Demon Beasts; otherwise, the Sect wouldn¡¯t have arranged for them to undergo a trial here. He first scanned the area around him and observed the terrain, then looked toward the distance. Although it was daytime, the air was still filled with a faint mist, obstructing his sight and allowing him to see only vaguely to a distance of about a hundred zhang. The sky looked rather overcast, as if it was going to rain soon. However, with such oppressive weather, even if it did rain, it wouldn¡¯t be heavy, so they needn¡¯t worry about the water level in the swamp rising and increasing the difficulty of their trial. ¡°Senior Brother, I¡¯m going ahead,¡± said Liu Wuxiang, glancing around a few times, seemingly unable to contain his impatience, to Qin Feng. ¡°Alright, be careful. There are some creatures in the swamp adept at hiding their presence; don¡¯t let them catch you off guard,¡± Qin Feng cautioned. At Spiritual Snake Peak, Liu Wuxiang was the person Qin Feng got along with best. The two not only attended lectures together at the Preaching Pavilion every day but also frequently visited the Scripture Pavilion to read various scriptures. Spending much time together, they naturally developed a very good relationship. However, this trial was not a mission, but a test by the Sect for them, requiring them to complete the trial individually. Otherwise, if a group of them teamed up to kill a Qi Refining Realm Demon Beast, it would be too simple, rendering the trial meaningless. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t form teams for the trial and had to act individually. After Liu Wuxiang left, Qin Feng didn¡¯t linger. He randomly chose a relatively walkable direction, cast the Light Body Spell on himself to avoid getting trapped in swamp mire, and then he began walking forward. Behind him, Elder Yin Qi and the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Cultivators took to the skies, following from a distance. Unless these disciples called for help, even if they encountered danger, these elders would not intervene casually, as they also didn¡¯t know whether these disciples had other hidden trump cards that could turn the situation around. Moreover, their attention was focused on a region, making it impossible to constantly focus on any specific individual. If someone, unfortunately, got ambushed by a Demon Beast and didn¡¯t have enough time to use a Spirit Talisman to save themselves, then they could only blame their bad luck. Even Elder Yin Qi, the strongest among them, was only a Golden Core Cultivator¡ªhe didn¡¯t have the ability to take care of the entire swamp in an instant. Qin Feng moved lightly, whether it was crossing grassy mudlands or water surfaces, he walked as if on flat ground. This was the effect of the Light Body Skill. As his cultivation grew, the Light Body Skill, a minor spell, appeared more graceful, making his body seem like a falling leaf. With any bit of force, he would float forward by a dozen feet. Suddenly, a poisonous insect leaped out of the grass and fast approached Qin Feng. Swoosh¡­ Before the poisonous insect could get close, the Swallowing Sky Toad caught it with its tongue shot out and reeled it into its mouth. ¡°Croak, croak¡­¡± The Swallowing Sky Toad chirped happily in Qin Feng¡¯s hand. It liked the environment here, with relatively dense Water Element Spirit Qi around. After merging with the Green Water Cold Toad¡¯s bloodline, it had gained the ability to absorb Water Element Spirit Qi for cultivation and was no longer limited to constantly eating food to enhance its Spiritual Power. Of course, compared to the humid water vapor here, it preferred the food even more. Ever since Qin Feng had summoned it from the Demon Refining Pot, it had keenly sensed the numerous poisonous insects hiding in the swamp¡¯s grass, many of which contained some Spiritual Energy, which thrilled it even more. After all, the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s bloodline was its foundation; cultivating by absorbing Water Element Spirit Qi was nowhere near as satisfying as devouring food. Thus, as Qin Feng ventured deeper into the swamp, the Swallowing Sky Toad would intermittently stretch out its long tongue, capturing and swallowing the poisonous insects. Qin Feng was indifferent to this and let the Swallowing Sky Toad feed on its own. Now that he had joined the Beast Taming Sect and learned the Beast Taming Technique, he wasn¡¯t worried about anyone discovering he owned a Spiritual Beast. Although he had slightly more Spiritual Beasts than other disciples, it wasn¡¯t something unusual. In the sect, some disciples with extraordinary talents also had more Spiritual Beasts around them. Some were due to their exceptionally strong Divine Sense, which allowed them to tame multiple Spiritual Beasts without affecting their cultivation progress, while others, like Lin Jingxin, had a way to make certain Spiritual Beasts particularly fond of them. Although rare, such individuals would appear every few years. Even if he hadn¡¯t yet revealed the other Spiritual Beasts he carried, exposing them might even build his reputation as a prodigy, certainly garnering attention from the higher-ups in the Sect. Later, when he joined the Inner Sect, he would receive more resources. Qin Feng sped along and in half an hour, he had traveled dozens of miles deep into the swamp. His cultivation was still at the Qi Refining fifth layer peak, just shy of breaking through to the sixth layer. Logically, it would be best not to venture too deeply into the swamp, as the deeper one went, the stronger the Demon Beasts became. However, the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s power was now equivalent to a beast at the Qi Refining Perfection Realm. As long as he wasn¡¯t ambushed by a large group of Demon Beasts, Qin Feng felt confident that the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s power was sufficient to ensure his safety. Therefore, he had little desire to compete with lower-level disciples for common Demon Beasts at the periphery of the swamp but intended to go deeper and search for more powerful Demon Beasts and resources. As he was walking, Qin Feng suddenly made a soft sound of surprise and his nose twitched slightly. He seemed to smell a faint, elusive fragrance. PS: Please vote for this, brothers, don¡¯t spare me because I¡¯m delicate¡ªI prefer your recommendations to come like a storm. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Bronze Giant Crocodile Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Bronze Giant Crocodile Qin Feng¡¯s expression subtly changed, and he halted his steps, executing the Smell Wind Skill. He reached into the air, grasped a breeze, and brought it to his nose for a gentle sniff. Last year, when he was still with his family, Elder Five had asked his father to go to the Spirit Fruit Garden to look for the Swallowing Sky Toad that was stealing Spirit Fruits. At that time, his father had also used the Smell Wind Skill, leaving Qin Feng envious. Now that he had joined the Beast Taming Sect, he naturally had learned such spell for distinguishing scents. He quickly identified the source of the fragrance from the wind and looked towards the front left. There, in a body of water some dozens of meters away, grew a tricolored exotic flower, the source of the faint, ethereal fragrance. Qin Feng didn¡¯t know the name of this exotic flower. After all, he hadn¡¯t been cultivating for long, and all his energy this past year had been dedicated to learning as much as possible about Spiritual Beasts and Demon Beasts. If a Demon Beast appeared before him, even if unrecognizable, he could make a rough analysis based on its appearance. However, his knowledge of various exotic flowers, spiritual fruits, and spiritual medicines was very lacking. Not recognizing this flower was normal. But not recognizing it didn¡¯t matter as long as he knew it was something valuable. Qin Feng joyfully walked towards the water. He planned to pick the bizarre flower. Merely from the fragrance and spiritual energy it emitted, he knew this flower must be a Spiritual Medicine beneficial for cultivation. Although he didn¡¯t know its specific value, with such abundant spiritual energy that just a whiff of its fragrance revitalized him, it would at least sell for dozens of Spirit Stones. Indeed, only a venture outside for exploration offered such opportunities. In the sect, he couldn¡¯t even dream of earning dozens of Spirit Stones all at once; even earning just a few required him taking care of a Cold Ice Python for a month. However, he didn¡¯t rush headlong to pluck the treasure he saw. This place was the Mist Swamp, teeming with Poison Insects and rampaging Demon Beasts, not the controlled environment of the Beast Taming Sect Mountain Gate, forcing him to be more cautious. With the exotic fragrance that the tricolored flower emitted, he couldn¡¯t be the only one to have smelled it; surely other Demon Beasts also sensed it. Yet to this moment, the flower was still intact in the water, indicating that it must be guarded by a Demon Beast. Moreover, this Beast was not only powerful but also quite clever to not consume the exotic flower to enhance its cultivation, but instead use its scent to lure other Demon Beasts. It surely sought to take this opportunity to devour these other Demon Beasts, perhaps having already attacked more than one. Qin Feng cautiously tiptoed through the underbrush to a spot ten yards away from the water and stopped, no longer advancing. He carefully examined his surroundings; no Demon Beast was lurking in the bushes. In fact, there wasn¡¯t even a single Poison Insect in the bushes around him, plunging the area into eerie silence. Qin Feng squinted toward the murky waters ahead. The water was turbid, obscuring his view of what lay beneath. Qin Feng thought for a moment, then chuckled softly, refraining from projecting his Divine Sense to avoid alarming the Beast hiding beneath. Instead, he gently patted the Swallowing Sky Toad in his hand, conveying his intentions. Then, the Swallowing Sky Toad abruptly opened its mouth, and its tongue, quick as lightning, lashed out towards the exotic flower in the water. With the strength of its tongue, it would easily secure the flower. However, just as the Swallowing Sky Toad was about to succeed, a stream of water suddenly shot up from under the water, making a splash and blocking in front of the exotic flower. Although the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue was like a spear and still pierced through the stream, its strength was drained after piercing the water, and it dared not continue to reach for the exotic flower. It quickly retracted its tongue. With a loud bang, the surface of the water exploded, raising a splash more than ten feet high. Immediately afterward, a massive creature emerged from the water, opening its fanged maw aimed at Qin Feng. This Demon Beast had clearly realized that it could not wait for its prey anymore, so it decided to take the initiative. Its body, several meters long, shot forward like an arrow released from its string with fierce wind, pouncing toward him. Qin Feng, who had been on guard, lightly stepped on the ground and retreated several meters, dodging the Demon Beast¡¯s attack. Once he stabilized himself, he took a proper look and realized it was a Bronze Giant Crocodile with a body covered in bronze-colored scales. The Giant Crocodile, more than ten meters long, had its gaping jaw filled with uneven and sharp fangs. Qin Feng was certain that if he hadn¡¯t dodged the crocodile¡¯s pounce, he would have been bitten in half by it. However, no matter how ferocious and cunning this Giant Crocodile was, it was still just a low-level Demon Beast. It could not possibly compare to the intelligence of the Human Clan. Since Qin Feng had already seen through its intent to conceal itself under the water, it certainly couldn¡¯t ambush him. The bronze-colored eyes of the Bronze Giant Crocodile glinted with cruelty. Just as it was about to pounce again and topple the bipedal creature for a sumptuous feast, a sudden croaking sound interrupted. Then, Qin Feng saw a small toad in his hand open its mouth, and immediately several sharp Cold Ice Arrows shot toward the crocodile. The Giant Crocodile shook its head to avoid the vital points on its skull, and with several thudding sounds, the Cold Ice Arrows hit its thick scales. Although these Cold Ice Arrows caused it a heart-piercing pain, apart from intensifying the savage nature in its heart, they did not cause any substantial injury. The Bronze Giant Crocodile was naturally a rugged and heavily-defended Demon Beast, its scales incredibly tough. The Swallowing Sky Toad, having recently merged with the bloodline of a Green Water Cold Toad, did not have sufficient cold energy to pierce through the scales of the Bronze Giant Crocodile with the Cold Ice Arrows. However, the piercing pain on its body still angered the Bronze Giant Crocodile. It opened its massive mouth and emitted a deep and strange sound. Giant Crocodiles do not have vocal cords and usually don¡¯t make any noises, but when they are angered, they will vibrate their throats to produce a sound indicative of their anger. Qin Feng did not expect this Giant Crocodile¡¯s defense to be so strong, its aura clearly having reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm. No wonder it hadn¡¯t devoured that exotic flower. It had intended to use the exotic flower to lure other Demon Beasts to be devoured, in order to advance to Foundation Establishment. Actually, each time the Sect conducted a trial for new disciples, some unexpected situations would arise. The biggest of these accidents was the appearance of Demon Beasts that far surpassed what the disciples could handle, even though the trial sites had been cleared by Sect disciples in advance. Such incidents still occasionally occurred. Just like the Bronze Giant Crocodile in front of Qin Feng, which might break through the Qi Refining Realm at any moment. If it devoured a few more Demon Beasts and its inner aura became extremely potent, it would advance to Foundation Establishment, potentially causing significant harm to the new disciples. Even though this Giant Crocodile had not yet advanced, it was already at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, its bronze scales providing formidable defense, making it difficult to kill. Normally, these vicious Demon Beasts were not something ordinary disciples could contend with. However, Qin Feng was not an ordinary disciple, and the Swallowing Sky Toad was not an ordinary Spiritual Beast either. Although the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s current strength was low and it had not yet reached the point where it could display the full capabilities of a Space Element Spiritual Beast, the Bronze Giant Crocodile also lacked the strength to devour it. But with its small current physique, it definitely could not withstand a head-on collision with the Bronze Giant Crocodile. Qin Feng¡¯s eyes moved around. It seemed, other methods were necessary to deal with this Bronze Giant Crocodile. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 83 Cultivation Promotion Chapter 84: Chapter 83 Cultivation Promotion Before he could make up his mind, the Bronze Giant Crocodile had already pounced with fierce might. Qin Feng swiftly dodged, hurriedly evading. Had he been struck by the giant crocodile, his small frame, even if not bitten to death, would have been crushed into broken bones and torn ligaments by the opponent¡¯s massive size. However, after dodging the attack, he reached out and summoned the Green Fox from the Demon Refining Pot, which had reached the late stage of Qi Refinement. Before the Green Fox could comprehend the situation, it received orders from Qin Feng and, upon seeing the Bronze Giant Crocodile about to pounce again, it quickly deployed its best Illusion Technique out of shock. Then, just as the Bronze Giant Crocodile was about to strike, its movement halted, stopped in its tracks. For it saw that the human it had considered prey had suddenly transformed into a more than thirty-foot-long Yin Snake, and in front of the Yin Snake was a similarly massive Green Fox. Both Demon Beasts gazed down at it with contempt, as if they could squash it with a mere flick. Even though the Bronze Giant Crocodile was inherently ferocious and knew how to lure other Spiritual Beasts with exotic flowers, its low spiritual intelligence was startled by this sudden scene. Before it could react, it suddenly felt a stabbing pain in its left eye, as the Swallowing Sky Toad took advantage of its entrapment in the illusion, attacking with a Cold Ice Arrow. However, the attack did not take its life but instead, due to the severe pain, allowed it to break free from the illusion. Once it realized that the massive Yin Snake and Green Fox were merely illusions, it became furious. The strength of the Bronze Giant Crocodile was indeed greater than that of the Green Fox, and since it had broken free, even if the Green Fox tried to entrap it in an illusion again, it would be hard to confuse its mind once more. The Bronze Giant Crocodile, nearly mad with pain, crawled forward a few steps and lunged to bite the Green Fox. The Green Fox deftly leaped to the side, evading the crocodile¡¯s bite, prepared to continue using illusion techniques to constrain the crocodile. However, it saw the crocodile roar, its huge tail lashing out and sending the Green Fox flying. Following that, it dodged another Cold Ice Arrow aimed at its right eye by the Swallowing Sky Toad, issuing another roar. The water surged, rolling out waves many meters high toward Qin Feng and the Swallowing Sky Toad. Yet, as the wave was about to pass by it and surge onward, the Swallowing Sky Toad suddenly puffed up its small belly and violently expelled all the cold air within. An instant later, a gust of white, chilling air rushed forth, freezing the water around the crocodile into ice. Though soon, cracks appeared in the large ice block with snapping sounds, broken by the struggling crocodile, its spell had nonetheless lost its effectiveness. Moreover, before the crocodile could completely break free from the ice, the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue, sharp as a spear, had already pierced its body once more. The Bronze Giant Crocodile attempted to dodge, but the angle of the Toad¡¯s long tongue shifted, targeting its already blinded left eye, and with a splat, the tongue pierced through the eye socket into the skull. Suffering this severe injury, the crocodile¡¯s body trembled violently, then it collapsed to the ground, quivering a few times before falling utterly silent. ¡°Well done.¡± Qin Feng, pleased, patted the small body of the Swallowing Sky Toad, complimenting it. All of this was under his control. Although the Bronze Giant Crocodile¡¯s strength was formidable and its Bronze Scale Armor was extremely tough, it wasn¡¯t without weaknesses. More importantly, Qin Feng had numerous tactics at hand, from Cold Ice Magic to the illusions of the Green Fox, and under his command, what chance did a simple wild Qi Refining Realm Demon Monster like the Bronze Giant Crocodile have against him? Qin Feng stepped forward and collected the corpse of the Bronze Giant Crocodile into the Demon Refining Pot. He was just a hair¡¯s breadth away from reaching the sixth level of Qi Refinement, so he planned to refine the Bronze Giant Crocodile into pure Spiritual Energy for his own advancement. However, this place was not suitable for cultivation, so it was best to quickly pick the exotic grass and leave to find a safer place to cultivate, lest other Demon Beasts detect the scent of battle and come to sneak an attack. He quickly walked to the edge of the water, not entering himself, but instead had the Swallowing Sky Toad extend its long tongue to roll the exotic grass back. Qin Feng reached out and took the exotic grass from its mouth, placing it in a Jade Box he had prepared in advance. Such exotic grasses are best kept in Sealing Spirit Jade Boxes to prevent the leakage of Spiritual Energy and the loss of medicinal properties. After securing the exotic grass, he did not put the Green Fox back into the Demon Refining Pot but instead called out to it, asking it to scout ahead for an area devoid of Demon Beasts, making his meditation and absorption of Spiritual Energy easier. In midair, a red-eyed crow with a wingspan of about a zhang was gently gliding and circling. The Foundation Establishment Cultivator riding on the crow¡¯s back gave Qin Feng a surprised look. He did not expect that among the new disciples this year, there would be such a character who, though only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, was able to subdue two late-stage Qi Refining Spiritual Beasts, and in cooperation, could even kill a Qi Refining Peak Bronze Giant Crocodile. This strength was truly commendable. Even those later-stage Qi Refining disciples from notable families had powerful Spiritual Beasts protecting them, but without using additional methods, they might not have been able to handle the fierce Bronze Giant Crocodile. He had originally rushed here upon sensing the intense fluctuations of the battle, thinking the disciple below might retreat defeated, only to find that the Bronze Giant Crocodile was the one killed. However, disciples of the Beast Taming Sect were known for their intricate methods. Having many Spiritual Beasts allowed them to use numerous tactics, and finding a Demon Beast¡¯s weakness to secure a victory was quite normal. Thus, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator quickly turned his attention elsewhere, focusing on other ongoing battles. Under the guidance of the Green Fox, Qin Feng ran for over ten li before they found a relatively secluded area. While there were still many Poison Insects around, there were no signs of other Demon Beasts. Qin Feng nodded in satisfaction and ordered the Green Fox and the Swallowing Sky Toad to protect him while he prepared to cultivate. The Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s long tongue flashed repeatedly, devouring all the Poison Insects within dozens of zhang, creating a distraction-free environment for its master. Qin Feng was even more pleased with this. Having such a Spiritual Beast capable of dealing with Poison Insects was truly beneficial. Yet, he still set up a tent he had bought from Qingyun Square. Although the tent was made from ordinary materials and didn¡¯t possess much defensive capability, it provided shelter from the wind and the rain and prevented bugs from burrowing up from the ground to bite him. Inside the tent, Qin Feng began his cultivation with peace of mind. This cultivation session went very smoothly; he was already close to the sixth level, and once the Demon Refining Pot refined the Bronze Giant Crocodile into pure Spiritual Energy and he absorbed it, he naturally advanced to the Qi Refining Sixth Realm. PS: My eyes have been uncomfortable recently, and during my hospital visit today, I stopped by the ophthalmology department. The doctor said it was eye pain caused by excessive use, prescribed me some medication, and advised more regular living habits, more exercise, and less computer and smartphone use. I could handle my cervical spine issues, not missing my daily writing even when returning from the hospital after massages, but I really can¡¯t ignore my eye problems. Thus for the next while, I¡¯m forced to say goodbye to my beloved short videos. I¡¯ll temporarily return to two posts per day until my eyes recover. It¡¯s also an opportunity to ponder over the plot development. Regarding the release schedule, it¡¯s still early since I managed to meet the word count for release early just by posting three times a day, as per the editor¡¯s plan. We¡¯re set for the end of the month at the earliest, and it might even be pushed to the start of next month. No need to worry¡ªonce my eyes are better, I¡¯ll resume posting thrice daily. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Two Beavers Gnawing on the Green Willows Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Two Beavers Gnawing on the Green Willows Within the tent, Qin Feng sat cross-legged, refining Spiritual Energy. The Spiritual Energy provided by the Bronze Giant Crocodile was not insubstantial, allowing him to have surplus energy to consolidate his Cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Refining. After he had refined all the Spiritual Energy, his Cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Refining had become thoroughly stable. Qin Feng opened his eyes with a face full of joy, feeling satisfied in his heart. The Demon Refining Pot indeed was a treasured item, and the Mist Swamp was equally a good place; he had only refined a Bronze Giant Crocodile, and it had already stabilized his Cultivation at the sixth level of the Qi Refining Realm. If he hunted a few more Demon Beasts, he might directly break through to the seventh level. After all, the Qi Refining Realm was just the introductory phase, with no significant bottlenecks. Although it¡¯s somewhat harder to break through from the middle to the late stage, the difficulty was limited. At worst, he would just have to refine a few more Demon Beasts, and there was no worry about not being able to advance. At this moment, he was brimming with confidence. It seemed that the time for him to advance to the late stage of Qi Refining would come sooner than he had previously estimated! Just as he was considering where to go next to find Demon Beasts, he suddenly heard a sharp cry of a bird from outside, followed by the sound of something cutting through the air, drawing closer. Qin Feng was startled and hurriedly projected his Divine Sense to find out what was happening. Then he saw a not-so-small White Egret suddenly dive from midair, pecking toward the Swallowing Sky Toad guarding the side of his tent. Was this¡­ mistaking the Swallowing Sky Toad for prey? Qin Feng was speechless. Were you here to hunt, or did you deliver yourself into the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s mouth? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co It was also because the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s outward appearance was so deceptive. Its Space Divine Power could conceal its Demon Energy, so it appeared weak, which is why it was targeted by the White Egret. Indeed, as Qin Feng had anticipated, before the beautifully feathered White Egret could even peck at the Swallowing Sky Toad, he saw the toad open its mouth wide, its tongue shooting out like lightning, which bypassed the egret¡¯s long beak, wrapped around the egret¡¯s slender neck, and pulled it down directly into its gaping maw. The White Egret didn¡¯t understand what had happened to it till its death. Although it had the strength of the Qi Refining Middle Stage, the Swallowing Sky Toad was too quick. Before it had a chance to struggle, it was swallowed into a dark space, becoming food for the toad¡¯s evolution. Qin Feng shook his head, inwardly lamenting the loss. Such a beautiful White Egret being eaten by the Swallowing Sky Toad in one gulp was somewhat anticlimactic. If he had caught and sold it, it would have fetched quite a few Spirit Stones. After all, the appearance of this White Egret was truly beautiful. Just in terms of looks alone, it was much more beautiful than his own Spiritual Vulture mount. Although his Spiritual Vulture was fierce, its bald head really didn¡¯t match up to the word ¡®beautiful.¡¯ Qin Feng got up, packed up his tent, and signaled to the Swallowing Sky Toad and the Green Fox to leave the area. The Mist Swamp spanned hundreds of miles, and aside from the annoying miasma and swamps difficult to escape from, this region could also be considered a good place, with rivers crisscrossing and lush vegetation, home to many species. Apart from the Giant Crocodiles and Pythons at the top of the food chain, there were many birds and beasts, among which a good number were Demon Beasts that understood how to swallow nature¡¯s spiritual energy for Cultivation. With the perceptions of the Green Fox and the Swallowing Sky Toad, they quickly located a Beaver Demon in a small willow grove, crunching on the bark of a tree. If such Demon Beasts had yet to transform, their round bodies could be quite adorable, but the Beaver Demon in front of Qin Feng was eight feet long, not much smaller than an average water buffalo, and naturally, it lacked that endearing appearance. Its teeth were even sharper, severing a willow tree over a hundred years old with just a few bites. Such teeth made Qin Feng¡¯s eyes widen with envy. However, when the Beaver Demon noticed him and then opened its mouth to bite at him, he immediately stopped feeling envious. The Beaver Demon¡¯s teeth were probably much sharper than those of the Giant Crocodile from before; if it really bit him, his bones would be snapped instantly. But this Beaver Demon also didn¡¯t seem too intelligent, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have attacked him instead of fleeing upon seeing him. Before the Swallowing Sky Toad could act, the Green Fox leaped out, its eyes sparkling as it attempted to confuse the Beaver Demon with an illusion. The moment the Beaver Demon was caught in the illusion, the Green Fox sprang forward, aiming to bite at the Beaver Demon¡¯s thick, short neck. Just as the Beaver Demon was about to die in the jaws of the Green Fox, a vine suddenly flew out from behind another willow tree not far away, lashing toward the Green Fox. With a quick reaction, the Green Fox lightly leaped to dodge the emerald-green vine and turned its head to see another Beaver Demon of the same plump size emerging from behind the willow tree. With the help of its companion, the Beaver Demon that had been confused by the Green Fox¡¯s illusion instantly regained clarity and, together with its ally, charged at the Green Fox. In their minds, this fox that could use illusions was definitely no good thing; it was best to eliminate it first. However, just as they manipulated grass and vines on the ground to block the Green Fox¡¯s retreat and prepared for a direct confrontation, ¡®gua gua¡¯ sounds of frog croaks suddenly rang by their ears. Following that, a tonguelike a sharp sword arrived instantly; even though both Beaver Demons tried to dodge, they were too hasty and couldn¡¯t escape in time. Ultimately, the tongue pierced through the hind leg of one of the Beaver Demons. Simultaneously, Qin Feng was not idle either. He was also casting spells to attack the two Beaver Demon Beasts, testing the potency of his current spellcasting efficacy. The result was somewhat disappointing. Although he had learned quite a few spells at the Beast Taming Sect over the past year, neither his spellcasting speed nor the power of the spells themselves were sufficient to be the decisive factor in the outcome of the battle. Qin Feng sighed softly, realizing that his combat powers indeed were not strong, at least for now he still had to rely on Spiritual Beasts. If only he could, like Fang Zheng, make use of his Lifebound Spiritual Beast to acquire Divine Skills early on. Unfortunately, not to mention his current low level of Dao Cultivation, which left him without the ability to acquire Divine Skills, even if he had the capacity, there was no way to begin the cultivation. Because he did not even have a Lifebound Spiritual Beast, naturally, he could not cultivate Divine Skills. Maybe because these two Beaver Demon Beasts had been gnawing on Spiritual Wood for many years, their Demon Energy within them was of the wood attribute, and the spells they cast were the same. Not only could they release a greenish Demon Energy to hurt their enemies, they were also able to manipulate the wild Spirit Grass growing on the ground to entangle Qin Feng and the Green Fox, causing them to be somewhat in a tight spot for a while. However, these spells had little effect on the diminutive Swallowing Sky Toad. With a push from its hind legs, the Swallowing Sky Toad sprang high into the air. Qin Feng felt a great force emanating from its small body. As he stabilized his hand that almost flung his arm out, the Swallowing Sky Toad had used the momentum of its leap to approach the two Beaver Demons. Its tongue flickered out repeatedly, creating a bloody hole in the Beaver Demon which it had previously injured on the hind leg. With the injury penetrating deep into its organs, the Beaver Demon Beast was severely injured and toppled to the ground, its ferocity gone. The other Beaver Demon tried to rescue its injured companion but by this time the Green Fox had freed itself from the entwining vines, and it bit down on the back of the Beaver Demon¡¯s neck, killing it with a few snaps. Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Although these two Beaver Demons weren¡¯t overly formidable, they were quite tenacious. This kind of spellcasting that manipulated vegetation and vines was a headache for low-level cultivators in combat, as one could easily get entangled if not careful. PS: Brothers, even when besieged by illness, the author has maintained continuous updates; such inspirational and touching deeds had moved me to tears several times. Doesn¡¯t this deserve recommendation tickets as support? Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 85: A Line of White Egrets Enters the Jar Chapter 86: Chapter 85: A Line of White Egrets Enters the Jar Qin Feng stepped forward a few paces and examined the two Beaver Demon Beasts before finally rummaging through his belongings, eventually pulling out a pair of Iron Hooks that he had almost forgotten about. Because he rarely had the opportunity to fight with others, and since he had not used these Iron Hooks since his initiation, they had always remained in his Storage Bag. If it hadn¡¯t been for the lack of a handy Magic Artifact at that moment, he might have completely forgotten that he owned such a pair. With these hooks, Qin Feng pried off the teeth of the two Beaver Demon Beasts, especially the two pairs of incisors, strong and sharp, which were definitely good materials for crafting Magic Artifacts. He planned to collect these materials and sell them at the Market once he returned. At the same time, he also planned to dispose of the Iron Hooks and buy a more suitable Magic Artifact when the time came. These hooks were not handy at all; even for processing the materials from the bodies of Demon Beasts, they made him feel incredibly awkward. After he had pried off the sharp large teeth, he waved his hand and put the two Beaver Demon Beasts into the Demon Refining Pot. For now, he would hold on to them and use them for Cultivation later, aiming for a breakthrough to the Qi Refinement Late Stage all at once. With a wave of his hand, the majestic Qin Feng, accompanied by the two Demon Beasts, exited the small grove and continued deeper into the swamp. However, although there were no Demon Beasts above the Foundation Establishment Realm strong enough to overpower them, the swamp was not without other dangers. As they passed a clump of grass, suddenly, the Green Fox, which was scouting ahead, let out a shrill scream, leaping about ten feet high and frantically slapping its body with its paws. Startled, Qin Feng stopped immediately and looked toward the Green Fox. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co He saw thousands of black Poison Insects crawling all over its body. Originally, a horde of Poison Insects had been inhabiting the grass where the Green Fox walked. These insects fed by sucking the blood of living beings. When the Green Fox attempted to pass through the grass, the scent of a living being triggered the insects, and they buzzed into the air, swarming onto the Green Fox that had first entered the grass. Instantly, the Green Fox¡¯s head and body were covered with large and small Poison Insects, causing it to jump frantically. Despite repeatedly slapping itself with its paws, the insects¡¯ hard carapaces made them difficult to kill in one swipe. Even if some were knocked off, they would quickly fly back up and sink their sharp mouthparts into its skin to suck its blood. Demon Energy furiously surged out of the Green Fox, but its strongest skill was the Illusion Technique, and its other Spells were not powerful enough to get rid of these hard-shelled Poison Insects. Luckily, it was not traveling alone; otherwise, the swarm of insects might have drained it completely dry. Following several steps behind the Green Fox, Qin Feng was shocked as well. While he felt relieved that the Green Fox was scouting ahead, he quickly ordered the Swallowing Sky Toad to help clean up the Poison Insects. With a sweep of its long tongue, the Swallowing Sky Toad devoured all the thousands of Poison Insects in just a few moments, and regardless of their frantic crawling on the Green Fox, they couldn¡¯t escape the fate of being caught by the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s tongue. No matter how hard their carapaces were, once inside the Swallowing Sky Toad¡¯s stomach, they would be completely digested. However, the Green Fox was rather miserable during those brief moments as a substantial amount of blood had been sucked from its body, and it was severely poisoned. Although it wasn¡¯t lethal, the poisoning weakened it, leaving it without its previous vigor. With the danger eliminated, they resumed their journey. However, not long after, Qin Feng noticed something was amiss. Because several Poison Insects had bitten the Green Fox¡¯s nose, swelling it up like a black garlic bulb, it lost its original keen sense of smell, making it unable to detect the scent of other Demon Beasts. As for the Swallowing Sky Toad, it was not known for a keen sense of smell. Qin Feng didn¡¯t want to wander randomly relying on luck to find Demon Beasts. Since the Green Fox could no longer detect the scent of other Demon Beasts and was also poisoned, he simply put it back into the Demon Refining Pot for a good rest. He then released one of the three Red-Scaled Snake Demons he had tamed earlier, letting this Qi Refining Middle Stage Snake Demon scout the way. Although not as powerful as the Green Fox, this Snake Demon was perfectly capable of scouting. Red Snake flicked its forked tongue, moving ahead to track other Demon Beasts as instructed by its master. It had to be said that the sense of smell of snakes really had its unique traits; in just a short time, it had found a Qi Refining Middle Stage Swamp Mongoose Demon and a nest of Water Field Rat Demons, which made Qin Feng quite satisfied. The only regret for him was that this Red Snake had its neck bitten off by the strongest Rat Demon during the hunt. After the battle, Qin Feng regretfully tossed the dead body of the Red Snake back into the Demon Refining Pot and casually pulled out a Mountain Wind of about ten feet long to continue scouting ahead. These Snake Demons were not strong and had average talents; keeping them in the Demon Refining Pot also drained his resources, as he had to buy Blood Food to feed them every so often. Qin Feng felt it would be better to focus on quality in the future, as there was no need to waste limited resources on these ordinary Snake Demons with little use. In the future, if he were to subjugate Spiritual Beasts, they had to at least be those with special talents, like the Green Fox. Although its combat power was nowhere near that of the Swallowing Sky Toad, its mastery of Illusion Techniques could still be useful at critical moments. This newly released Mountain Wind was quite fast, moving swiftly like the wind, and soon found a nest of White Egret Demon Birds. This delighted Qin Feng greatly. Previously, during his cultivation, he had felt pity for the White Egret swallowed by the Swallowing Sky Toad. Such a beautiful bird should have been taken to the Market to exchange for Spirit Stones. It was somewhat wasteful to swallow it whole. Unexpectedly, he had so quickly found their nest. However, before he could devise a strategy for battle, the Snake Demon had recklessly burst out of the bushes, exposing itself to the Demon Birds on guard and inadvertently revealing Qin Feng too. ¡°Screeee¡­¡± Sharp cries rang out, and the Demon Birds guarding the nest instantly surrounded the Mountain Wind, pecking it to death in a matter of seconds. This was a nesting site for the White Egret Clan to hatch their offspring, with seven or eight young White Egrets who hadn¡¯t even grown full feathers yet. A Snake Demon suddenly attempting to raid their nest meant no mercy from them. ¡°Useless thing.¡± Qin Feng cursed under his breath in annoyance. But seeing the Demon Birds about to swoop at him caused a tremor in his heart. The Mist Swamp had no Demon Beasts above the Foundation Establishment, but it was home to tribes of Demon Beasts. There were groups of Giant Crocodiles, Rat Demons that burrowed underground, and of course, Demon Birds that liked to nest together. Typically, new disciples in their trials would steer clear of these grouped Demon Beasts to avoid getting surrounded. Otherwise, they might not even escape. Qin Feng was inclined to retreat, but those White Egret Demons had already flapped their wings and were attacking. Even if he wanted to run, he certainly couldn¡¯t outpace the flying White Egret Demons. With no other choice, he could only inwardly curse that foolish Snake Demon while releasing all his fighting beasts. Even the Green Fox, which he had just taken back into the Demon Refining Pot, was let out. Bang! As soon as they were released, two Fox Demons used their Illusion Techniques together, confusing the minds of the White Egret Demons, while the Spiritual Vulture, usually used by Qin Feng as a Riding Tool, fiercely attacked, tearing and biting, quickly overturning a White Egret Demon on the ground. The Swallowing Sky Toad was even more formidable, its long tongue flickering repeatedly, piercing through three White Egret Demon bodies in succession, and the last White Egret Demon was subdued by the two Green Foxes together, swiftly securing victory. It was mainly because these White Egret Demons weren¡¯t strong and had been confused by the Illusion Techniques of the Green Foxes. They couldn¡¯t break free in time, which allowed the Swallowing Sky Toad to launch a swift surprise attack. Qin Feng joyfully prohibited the two severely injured yet not dead White Egret Demons, planning to take them back to sell. Then, he turned his attention to the chirping young White Egrets, secretly making calculations. Moments later, everything returned to normal. After half an hour, a group of White Egrets flew from the distance, returning from their hunt. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 86 Black Water Mysterious Snake Chapter 87: Chapter 86 Black Water Mysterious Snake These White Egrets, which had ventured out to hunt, were clearly still unaware of the danger. While in the sky, they saw everything was as usual below their nests; some White Egrets were strolling around or caring for their chirping chicks, and they thought nothing of it as they descended toward their nest. Then, they realized something was off about the location of the nest¡ªit seemed a bit too cramped. However, before they could figure out what was wrong, suddenly, a large snake sprang out from behind the nest, opened its mouth wide, and attempted to swallow the nestlings. Several adult White Egret Demons were enraged and flapped their wings fiercely, rushing forward to peck the audacious long worm to death and turn it into their meal. Then, something unexpected happened. The moment they pecked at the large snake, it turned into an illusion, causing all their pecks to miss. Before they could recover from their confusion, a large net shimmering with Spirit Light fell from the sky, enveloping all the White Egret Demons. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but laugh proudly. Indeed, with a well-laid plan, no Demon Beast could escape. Of course, this was also inseparable from the Illusion Technique of the two Green Foxes. The nest on the ground was real, and so were the few little White Egrets, but the other Egrets were all illusions created by the Green Foxes, including the supposed Snake Demon. The purpose was to gather these White Egret Demons together and capture them all with the Binding Spirit Net. Without the help of the Green Foxes¡¯ Illusion Technique, Qin Feng alone could never have achieved such a feat. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co However, he didn¡¯t dare to be too proud for long. The Binding Spirit Net was, after all, only a Middle-Grade Magic Artifact with average power; it couldn¡¯t completely seal the Demon Energy inside the bodies of the White Egret Demons. Seeing the White Egret Demon Birds struggling desperately, showing signs of breaking free, Qin Feng hurriedly circulated his True Yuan into the Binding Spirit Net to forcefully suppress them, while he ordered the Swallowing Sky Toad and the others to knock these Demon Birds unconscious. There was no need to kill them this time. Killing them would only allow their energy to be refined into Spiritual Energy in the Demon Refining Pot; it was better to take them back and sell them for Spirit Stones. With those Spirit Stones, even if he put them in the Demon Refining Pot, he could refine more Spiritual Energy, not to mention that he could also trade the Spirit Stones for Elixir Pills, Magic Artifacts, and other resources. With the beauty of the White Egret birds, there was no worry about finding buyers. After the busy work, half an hour later, with the help of several Spiritual Beasts, Qin Feng finally gained complete control over these White Egrets. Including what he had captured earlier, he had caught a total of nine adult White Egret Demon Birds, one of which was at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, while the rest were ordinary White Egrets at the early and middle stages of the Qi Refining Realm. As for the little White Egrets, he had also stuffed them all into the Spiritual Beast Bag. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to put them in the Demon Refining Pot, but once they were in there, they would be refined by the pot and become Spiritual Beasts controlled by it. With his current Cultivation level, he had no strength to break the Demon Refining Pot¡¯s imprisonment. If he wanted to sell these White Egret Demons for Spirit Stones, he could only put them in the Spiritual Beast Bag. After resting here for a while, Qin Feng, along with several Spiritual Beasts, set off again, delving three hundred miles into the swamp, slaughtering dozens of Demon Beasts, and reaping a rich harvest. By the time he had thoroughly refined those slain Demon Beasts, not to speak of advancing to the seventh level of Qi Refinement, even reaching the eighth level might not be impossible. Moreover, near some of the Demon Beasts¡¯ nests, Spiritual Medicine had appeared, and he had also obtained some materials like scales, claws, and teeth from these Demon Beasts, all of which added up to quite a bit of value in Spirit Stones. Although during these days of battle, the three Snake Demons and the Green Fox at the Qi Refining Middle Stage he had previously subdued had perished, with the Demon Refining Pot by his side, he could always subdue more Demon Beasts whenever necessary. Now, apart from the Swallowing Sky Toad, the Green Fox, and the Spiritual Vulture, he had also newly subdued a not-too-large but incredibly fast Water Snake, a dish-sized, extremely venomous Ghost-Faced Spider, and a fierce Giant Crocodile. The newly acquired three Spiritual Beasts all had the strength of the Late Stage of Qi Refinement. Frankly, Qin Feng hadn¡¯t initially planned to subdue the Giant Crocodile because its size alone told him it would demand a huge appetite, and he wasn¡¯t ready to care for such a gluttonous creature. However, as he observed the Giant Crocodile¡¯s fierce nature and its ferocity in battle, he finally captured it into the Demon Refining Pot to serve as his enforcer. As for the Ghost-Faced Spider, Qin Feng had nearly suffered at its hands when he first encountered it. It was getting late at the time, and to prevent being ambushed by Demon Beasts at night, he sought refuge in what seemed to be a safe grove of trees. Unexpectedly, a Ghost-Faced Spider was hiding in the grove and, taking advantage of the deep night, silently spun its web around the entire area, trapping him without a sound until his Lifebound Spiritual Beasts alerted him. The spider¡¯s threads were not only incredibly tough but also infused with deadly poison. Carelessly touching them could result in the toxin entering one¡¯s body. If it weren¡¯t for Qin Feng¡¯s numerous Spiritual Beasts, which suffered losses breaking through the web, he would¡¯ve hardly escaped. Yet, this encounter sparked his interest in the Ghost-Faced Spider, and instead of killing it, he captured it alive and stored it in the Demon Refining Pot, making it one of his subordinates. Time flew by swiftly, and three days passed in a blink, signaling the trial was nearly over. Qin Feng was too lazy to walk back from the swamp, so he flew back to the Flying Boat parked at the swamp¡¯s edge aboard a Spiritual Vulture. He returned relatively early, and the Flying Boat had only a few disciples who had come back. Moreover, those who had returned were all severely injured, clearly having been rescued by Foundation Establishment Cultivators after activating their life-preserving Spirit Talismans. Their dejected expressions were a dead giveaway that their journey had yielded little. Gradually, more figures emerged from the marsh¡¯s mist, some beaming with joy, others downcast, some injured, and others carrying packages made of Beast Skin. Clearly, those with packages had reaped considerable rewards. It was unknown what treasures they had found in the swamp that even their Storage Bags couldn¡¯t hold, making some disciples¡¯ eyes light up. ¡°Senior Brother, Senior Brother¡­¡± Liu Wuxiang leaped onto the Flying Boat, looking around excitedly before approaching Qin Feng. ¡°How did it go, got a good haul?¡± Qin Feng asked with a smile. Seeing the uncontainable joy on Liu Wuxiang¡¯s face, it was clear the young man had indeed made a significant find, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t look like that. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Unable to restrain his pride, Liu Wuxiang laughed a few times before leaning close to Qin Feng and whispering, ¡°Senior Brother, I got lucky this time and caught a young Black Water Mysterious Snake. I plan to raise it as my Lifebound Spiritual Beast.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Feng was momentarily taken aback, surprised to find such an Exotic Species like the Black Water Mysterious Snake in Mist Swamp. This type of Spiritual Snake was incredibly venomous and adept at wielding Water Element Divine Power, growing extremely powerful once mature. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but punch Liu Wuxiang¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re really lucky, kid. Why didn¡¯t I encounter such an Exotic Species Spiritual Snake?¡± Liu Wuxiang¡¯s face was jubilant, unfazed by the punch on his shoulder, and chuckled, ¡°This was just a fortunate coincidence. Don¡¯t worry, Senior Brother, choosing a Lifebound Beast shouldn¡¯t be rushed. You¡¯ll find one eventually.¡± PS: Brothers, leave the recommendation tickets before you go out and flaunt them, otherwise I worry those tickets in your pockets might lead to misbehavior. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 87 White Bone Skeleton Chapter 88: Chapter 87 White Bone Skeleton Between exchanges with Liu Wuxiang, Qin Feng and many other disciples gradually gathered, and Elder Yin Qi, along with those ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators, had all made their appearance. One of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators began to count the numbers but soon frowned. He turned and quietly reported, ¡°Elder, there are two disciples who haven¡¯t returned on time.¡± Elder Yin Qi¡¯s old face darkened, and after several moments of silence, he extended his hand and released a Spiritual Snake. The snake was merely a foot long, emerald green all over, and when it coiled around Elder Yin Qi¡¯s wrist, it looked as exquisite and beautiful as a jade bracelet. Upon Elder Yin Qi¡¯s command, the Spiritual Snake flicked out its tongue, sampling the air momentarily, identifying the auras of all the present disciples before beginning to search for the lingering auras of the two disciples who hadn¡¯t returned. Elder Yin Qi, as the leading elder of this Spiritual Snake Peak trial, had already instructed his Spiritual Beast to memorize the auras of these disciples before they even left the Mountain Gate. It was just that the delicate and petite green snake had gone unnoticed by Qin Feng and the younger generation. The green snake¡¯s form soared through the void, and Elder Yin Qi followed behind without a word, flying deep into the swamp and out of sight in the blink of an eye. Moments later, Elder Yin Qi flew back, waving his sleeve and releasing one unconscious disciple and the white bones of a skeleton picked clean by Poison Insects, bereft of any flesh. The unconscious disciple still looked better off. His face was darkened, but it seemed that Elder Yin Qi had already applied his magic for treatment before bringing him back, and he would be able to wake once the poison within his body was expelled. But the other, having been reduced to a skeleton, was obviously beyond the realm of the living. The stark white skeleton was still dressed in the Magic Robe of an Outer Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, with the Storage Bag still on, and even the Sect-issued Spirit Talismans meant to save one¡¯s life were intact. However, he had not managed to use them in time¡ªperhaps he had forgotten to in his panic¡ªand now, some sort of Poison Insect in the swamp had gnawed away all the flesh from his body. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co The other disciples shivered inwardly at the sight, once again realizing the dangers of the Cultivation World. Even in a trial for them as new disciples, there was still the possibility of death. And this trial was the last benefit bestowed by the Sect to them during their time as new disciples; soon after their return, the Sect would welcome a new batch of disciples. By then, they would lose their status as new disciples and, like the older ones who had entered before them, would formally take up the Sect¡¯s Servant work, no longer having so much time to listen at the Preaching Pavilion each day or the leisure to view the volumes in the Scripture Pavilion. Unless they chose to accept potentially dangerous missions from the Foreign Affairs Hall, they would just have to stay at the Sect and dutifully carry out Servant duties. Of course, Servant work had its rewards and could lead to improved strength, but the process of advancement was much slower. However, once their Cultivation reached the Late Stage of Qi Refining, they could then consider whether to take on dangerous missions. Having witnessed their fellow disciples reduced to mere bones, all the disciples felt a heaviness in their hearts. Though they had been happy with the gains from this trial, they now fell silent and lost the desire to talk. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± One of the older Foundation Establishment Cultivators sneered, ¡°What, are you scared now, feeling the pressure of Cultivation? There are plenty of dangers on the path of Cultivation, and ninety-nine percent of Cultivators fall for various reasons on the quest for Longevity, with truly enlightened ones being few and far between.¡± ¡°But cultivators all over the world still pursue the path to longevity with unwavering dedication,¡± he snorted, ¡°even if they have to go through all kinds of hardships and never look back. If you can¡¯t even withstand such a trivial matter, then there¡¯s no need for you to cultivate at all.¡± He let out a cold snort, ¡°Our cultivation is, after all, a defiance of the heavens. Human beings are born with short lifespans, neither possessing the various innate divine abilities of those naturally powerful creatures nor the sharp claws and teeth of birds and beasts. The reason why the Human Clan can stand tall between heaven and earth, becoming sovereigns of this world, is because of their indomitable will. If the ancient ancestors were like you, hesitating at the sight of a dead person, our Human Clan would have been extinct long ago. Where would there be a ¡®now¡¯ for you!¡± His gaze swept through the crowd, observing the expressions of these young men and women, and he spoke slowly, ¡°You all need not overthink. Although the path of cultivation is full of trials and tribulations, compared to those ordinary people who cannot cultivate, you are already very fortunate. Everyone has their own fate, which is preordained by the heavens. Both fortune and misfortune come hand in hand; only by surviving the trials can one enjoy the blessings. The deceased disciple, evidently, was not blessed; hence he fell here. But you are different; you avoided disaster, withstood danger, and through your own efforts, you¡¯ve gained corresponding opportunities. I know that among you, some have found Spiritual Beasts they desire and plan to refine into Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, some have discovered valuable Spiritual Medicine that can improve your cultivation, and some have acquired various Spiritual Materials that can be sold for cultivation resources. All these are the fruits of your cleverness and bravery against Demon Beasts. The very fact that you have these is a success in itself. As long as you work hard in cultivation, you will encounter even more opportunities in the future. Therefore, there is no need to let the death of your fellow disciples spoil your state of mind.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Another young Foundation Establishment Cultivator chuckled from nearby, ¡°Senior Brother Li is as kind-hearted as ever. It¡¯s just a minor matter, why bother telling them all this? In a few days, they¡¯ll naturally come to terms with it. Even if they don¡¯t, they¡¯ll get used to it after encountering similar situations more frequently in the future.¡± The Foundation Establishment Cultivator known as Senior Brother Li smiled gently, ¡°Looking at them reminds me of my own time when I first joined the Sect. Since I¡¯ve got nothing better to do, I might as well offer them some guidance. Who knows, perhaps in the future, there will be a few outstanding disciples among them.¡± A few Foundation Establishment Cultivators exchanged a few jokes and then dispersed. With their departure, the disciples gradually became more lively again, no longer as silent as before, and even started to trade some of the resources they had obtained. Qin Feng and Liu Wuxiang found a corner to sit down in and talked about some of the experiences they had encountered during their tribulations. Both of them had sizable gains, so naturally, their moods were not as heavy as the others. Qin Feng, needless to say, had slain dozens of Demon Beasts; although most of them were ordinary ones in the early to middle stages of Qi Refinement, the sheer number he had got still made him the disciple with the most bountiful harvest. He just did not show off his achievements, that¡¯s all. As for Liu Wuxiang, this young man had obtained the most valuable prize among all the disciples. Although Qin Feng had the largest number of kills, the combined worth of the Demon Beasts he killed couldn¡¯t match Liu Wuxiang¡¯s Black Water Mysterious Snake. If Liu Wuxiang was willing to sell that Black Water Mysterious Snake, he could easily obtain tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, and that¡¯s only considering the serpent¡¯s current cultivation within the Qi Refinement Realm. But while Spirit Stones are tempting, as a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, Liu Wuxiang would not abandon his future for them. Compared to Spirit Stones, a formidable Lifebound Spiritual Beast is the true foundation of power for a Beast Taming Sect disciple. Once his cultivation becomes strong, where can¡¯t he earn Spirit Stones? Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Returning to Qingyun Square Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Returning to Qingyun Square The Flying Boat sped across the sky, covering thousands of miles in half a day and returning to the gates of Manghuang Mountain. At the peak of Spiritual Snake, the disciples disembarked from the Flying Boat and went their separate ways. They had a few days to adjust themselves; in a few more days, new disciples would join, and they would become senior disciples, starting a new method of cultivation. Except for Qin Feng, who could break through to the Qi Refining Late Stage at any time, only a handful of disciples with the strength of the Qi Refining Late Stage had the opportunity to choose whether to serve in the sect or to go on missions. The other disciples, with their lower cultivation, including Liu Wuxiang, who was only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, faced far greater dangers once they ventured outside compared to those at the Late Stage. Hence, most ordinary Outer Disciples would stay within the sect to continue doing servant work or opt to work at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion or other sect enterprises as servant disciples. After returning to the mountain gate from Mist Swamp, it was late afternoon, and it would be nightfall in an hour or two. Instead of heading directly to the market, Qin Feng decided to rest and would deal with his gains at the market tomorrow. Technically, he could have processed them within the sect¡ªeither at the Foreign Affairs Hall or any peak¡¯s Deacon Room which accepted various spiritual objects obtained by the disciples and rewarded them with merit and prizes. However, Qin Feng, yet to break through the Qi Refining Late Stage, did not wish to explain how a small cultivator at the Qi Refining Middle Stage managed to capture so many Spiritual Beasts; hence, he did not opt to exchange for Spirit Stones and Elixir Pills directly at the Spiritual Snake Peak¡¯s Deacon Room. In his room, Qin Feng sat cross-legged on a cushion, reflecting on the trial, analyzing his performance. He then calmed his spirit and started to cultivate. The Demon Refining Pot trembled slightly, and with a flash of light, it refined the power from the bodies of the dozens of Demon Beasts he had captured into pure Spiritual Energy for him to absorb and refine. As continuous Spiritual Energy surged into his body, he ceaselessly circulated his cultivation technique, first nurturing his Divine Sense with Spiritual Power. When he felt his Divine Sense had reached the peak of his current realm, he began to tackle the bottleneck of the seventh layer of Qi Refining. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ordinarily, disciples needed a period of accumulation to progress from the Qi Refining Middle Stage to the Late Stage, which allowed for a rapid, impactful breakthrough. But Qin Feng did not need to. His True Yuan was sufficiently pure and far denser than that of ordinary disciples. When breaking through realms, he did not need to polish it bit by bit like other disciples. Supported by the continuous pure Spiritual Energy from the Demon Refining Pot, he could just keep assaulting the barrier without fear of exhaustion. With the aid of the vast Spiritual Energy, he broke through the Late Stage¡¯s barrier swiftly and advanced to the seventh level of Qi Refining. Afterward, Qin Feng, pushing onwards, continued absorbing Spiritual Energy until a pain in his meridians made him stop. His meridians were somewhat overwhelmed. Realizing this, he immediately ceased absorbing energy from the Demon Refining Pot and instead used his True Yuan to nourish his meridians, enhancing their resilience. However, this strengthening process was slow. Qin Feng thought it would be better to buy some Spiritual Medicine that could enhance the resilience of his meridians, speeding up his cultivation without having to halt due to inadequate meridian strength despite having surplus Spiritual Energy. Though he hadn¡¯t directly advanced to the eighth level and felt some regret, he didn¡¯t sigh over the matter. With the support of the Demon Refining Pot, he would soon surpass the disciples from prominent families and stand out among all disciples. He considered that, with the Demon Refining Pot, his advancement in cultivation would undoubtedly be swift, seeing no need to remain low-key, which would only raise suspicions. Only by gaining a reputation as a genius would his future cultivation be more convenient. In the eyes of the world, it was normal for a genius to cultivate faster than ordinary people. And for peerless geniuses, even if their cultivation speed was incredibly fast, it would still be acceptable to people. After all, a peerless genius, without overwhelming Qi Fortune and opportunities of the era, wouldn¡¯t deserve such a title. Such geniuses, in fact, were not rare in the Cultivation World; there were always some fortuitously blessed disciples who acquired various opportunities and legacies, advancing to astonishingly high realms at an eye-opening speed. Moreover, the Early Stage of Cultivation itself was an opportunity to advance quickly with ample resources. Though Qin Feng didn¡¯t consider himself comparable to those immensely fortunate peerless geniuses, he believed that, with the Demon Refining Pot, he should at least be stronger than typical geniuses. The next day. Qin Feng got up early in the morning and hurried to Qingyun Market. He needed to quickly deal with this time¡¯s harvest. Collecting various Spiritual Materials was no big deal, but he couldn¡¯t delay dealing with the dozen or so Demon Beasts, large and small, especially the little White Egrets, each of which was begging for food. He didn¡¯t have the energy to care for them. After entering the market, he headed straight for the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. Outside the mountain gate of the Beast Taming Sect, no other power dared to compete with the Beast Taming Sect in selling Spiritual Beasts. It wasn¡¯t that the Beast Taming Sect was overbearing and didn¡¯t let other powers do business; it was simply that no one could compete. Thus, in the twelve markets of the Beast Taming Sect, except for a few Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect who incidentally sold a few of the Spiritual Beasts they raised while setting up their stalls, the only place you could see various Spiritual Beasts was the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion. If Qin Feng wanted to earn more Spirit Stones, he could set up a stall in the market to sell those White Egret Demons. Whether it was fellow disciples or Cultivators from other regions, anyone might buy them. But he didn¡¯t know how long he would need to keep the stall to sell everything. Instead of paying Spirit Stones to rent a stall in the market and wasting his time and energy, it was better to let the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion handle it. After arriving at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, Qin Feng greeted a young Servant Disciple, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m in your care.¡± All the Servant Disciples of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion originated from Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect. Working as servants in the Sect¡¯s external businesses, they actually earned more Spirit Stones than working as servants within the Sect, but they had more tasks and less time for cultivation each day. Additionally, some remote places might even be dangerous. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s enterprises spread all over, and they needed manpower in many places. If any Outer Disciple felt that their aptitude was insufficient for achieving Foundation Establishment and wanted to earn more Spirit Stones, most would choose to work in the Sect¡¯s external businesses. Seeing him in the garb of an Outer Disciple, the man smiled warmly, ¡°What brings the junior brother here?¡± Qin Feng said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve recently captured some Spiritual Beasts and want to sell them. Could you give me an estimate?¡± ¡°Oh, I thought it was something else.¡± The Servant Disciple smiled slightly, ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll take you to Steward Zhou. We Servant Disciples are only responsible for receiving guests and do not have the authority to purchase goods.¡± ¡°Thank you for the trouble, brother.¡± Qin Feng expressed his gratitude. ¡°No trouble at all, we¡¯re all from the same Sect, no need for formalities.¡± As they spoke, the Servant Disciple led Qin Feng to a room and reported to an elderly Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Steward Zhou sized up Qin Feng and nodded, asking, ¡°What Spiritual Beast are you selling? Show me.¡± ¡°Mainly a nest of White Egret Demons. There are also a few Snake Demons and Giant Crocodiles.¡± As Qin Feng spoke, he took out several Spiritual Beast Bags from his waist and passed them over. Since he didn¡¯t have enough Spiritual Beast Bags, he had stuffed several similar Demon Beasts into one, which enabled him to bring these Demon Beasts back from Mist Swamp. Steward Zhou took them, examined them with his Divine Sense, and even reached in to grab a White Egret Demon to check its feathers. Quite satisfied, he said, ¡°These White Egret Demons are acceptable. I¡¯ll give you three hundred Spirit Stones for the one at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, two hundred for the two in the Middle Stage, and one hundred for the Early Stage. I¡¯ll count one hundred Spirit Stones for each of those young birds too. Additionally, the few Snake Demons and Giant Crocodiles are of average quality, their War Power and Talent are also average, only considered ordinary Qi Refinement Spiritual Beasts. Normally, the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion wouldn¡¯t buy beasts of this quality, but seeing your condition, you must have just returned from the Trial Land, right? Consider it the Sect taking care of its disciples. I¡¯ll count one hundred Spirit Stones each for them, how does that sound?¡± PS: There are always brothers urging me to quickly introduce the Lifebound Spiritual Beast. There¡¯s no need to be so impatient; writing a book isn¡¯t like entering a bridal chamber. The plot hasn¡¯t developed to that step yet, and being anxious is useless. As you keep urging me daily, I can only accelerate the pace, hoping that cutting some parts of the plot wouldn¡¯t seem too abrupt. Also, don¡¯t forget to leave your recommendation tickets behind; otherwise, I will definitely take them out for a run again. After all, there aren¡¯t many good men like me who are handsome, dashing, honest, reliable, and loyal left in the world. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 89: A Bowl of Aged Wine Chapter 90: Chapter 89: A Bowl of Aged Wine ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Feng didn¡¯t hesitate at all and nodded in agreement. He knew very well that the Snake Demons and the Giant Crocodile were of average quality not unlike the White Egret Demon, which was not only beautiful but could also be cultivated as a flying Riding Tool. Those Snake Demons and the Giant Crocodile weren¡¯t of much use to the average Cultivator, making them hard to sell. Steward Zhou was willing to take them off his hands, truly a favor done for the sake of the Sect. ¡°I¡¯ve also collected some Spiritual Materials and Spiritual Medicines, please take a look at those as well.¡± Saying this, he took out those materials from his Storage Bag and asked Steward Zhou to give him an estimate. Steward Zhou casually flipped through the items, most of which were materials from Demon Beasts, such as scales, claws, sharp teeth, and Beast Bones. There were also more than twenty types of Spiritual Medicines, a Hive from a Demon Bee, a piece of Wood Heart from a hundred-year-old peach tree, and some pale white Beast Bones. He had dealt with these common Spiritual Materials for years and could estimate their value at a glance, quickly offering a price. Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion wouldn¡¯t cheat their own Disciples in this regard. So, the price they offered was not just fair but even higher than what Qin Feng would get elsewhere, which greatly satisfied him. ¡°One late-stage White Egret Demon, five middle-stage, three early-stage, and eight juvenile White Egrets, worth a total of two thousand four hundred Spirit Stones. Three middle-stage Snake Demons and two Giant Crocodiles, I¡¯ll give you five hundred Spirit Stones. For the rest of the materials and Spiritual Medicines, except for these two which are still decent, the rest are quite common, so I¡¯ll round it up for you, let¡¯s say six hundred Spirit Stones, making a total of three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones for you.¡± Steward Zhou took the Spiritual Beasts and materials and promptly gave him the Spirit Stones, then encouragingly said to Qin Feng, ¡°You¡¯ve done well. It¡¯s rare for an Outer Disciple to have such a bounty all at once. Now that you¡¯ve reached the late stage of Qi Refining and have so many Spirit Stones, focus on your Cultivation after you go back, aim to push your Cultivation even further. Perhaps one day you can even enter the Inner Sect.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°Thank you very much, I appreciate your auspicious words.¡± Qin Feng quickly expressed his thanks and then didn¡¯t delay any further, taking his leave to avoid holding up the business. However, he didn¡¯t leave the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion but instead went to check out the area where Magic Artifacts were sold. Eventually, he picked a superior-grade Demon Slaying Saber, quite popular among the Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect. As its name suggested, the saber was designed specifically for slaying Demon Beasts. But the reason why the Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect used this kind of Magic Artifact was mainly that the Demon Slaying Saber was particularly suited for harvesting materials from the bodies of Demon Beasts. Whether it was for skinning, cutting meat, boning, or even chopping off horns, it was extremely useful. In fact, the Demon Slaying Saber was an essential item for the Sect¡¯s Disciples when traveling outside. Although it was quite expensive, costing three hundred sixty Spirit Stones, which was more than what he got for the late-stage White Egret Demon, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a second to buy it considering he had just made a tidy profit and was feeling quite wealthy. He then went to the Elixir Pill area and bought a bottle of Expanding Vein Pills to strengthen his meridians and a bottle of Protecting Veins Pills to improve their resilience. The two Elixir Pill bottles cost him another one hundred eighty Spirit Stones. While he lamented the high cost of Elixir Pills, he was also secretly relieved that, to a large extent, he didn¡¯t rely on Elixir Pills for Cultivation, nor did he need to feed his Spiritual Beast Beast Spirit Pills to enhance its Cultivation. Otherwise, given the number of Spirit Stones he had, it wouldn¡¯t take long before they were all squandered. After buying the Magic Artifact and Elixir Pills, he took a stroll in the Spiritual Beast Area. And then, he could only leave the Spiritual Beast Area with a resigned look on his face. He couldn¡¯t afford the Spiritual Beasts that he liked, and he had no interest in the cheaper ones. The main reason was that he wanted to find a Spiritual Toad with an impressive Innate Divine Ability, which would give the Swallowing Sky Toad more formidable powers. Unfortunately, none of the Spiritual Toads with strong Bloodlines were within his budget. Leaving the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, Qin Feng strolled leisurely through the marketplace, occasionally pausing to look at the various shops lining the streets and observe the multitude of Spiritual Objects within, broadening his horizons. In the year since he had joined the Sect, he spent his days either rushing to the Preaching Pavilion to listen to teachings or to the Scripture Pavilion to read books, learning various types of knowledge, practicing various spells. He had only visited the marketplace a few times, and even then, it was always in such haste that he never really had the chance to truly wander around the marketplace. Now that he had time, and more importantly, having just made a good sum of money from selling off his items, he decided to stroll through the marketplace to relax his mood. Walking down the streets of Qingyun Square, Qin Feng felt as if his eyes were being opened to a whole new world. He had not expected the Cultivation World to hold so many exotic and unusual things, with some magic artifacts and elixir pills having effects that were simply astonishing. After wandering around for a half-day, Qin Feng suddenly caught the enticing scent of something delicious. Turning his head in the direction of the aroma, he saw a not too large nor too small inn at the street corner ahead, with the sign ¡°Drunken Immortal Inn¡± hanging above the entrance. Qin Feng touched his stomach. During those few days in the Mist Swamp, he had hardly eaten anything proper, and it had been a while since he had a Spiritual Meal. The scent wafting from the inn triggered a craving in his stomach, and so he embarrassingly followed the tantalizing aroma over to the establishment. The Drunken Immortal Inn was an inn that had been passed down through generations. Not only were its Spiritual Meals exceptionally tasty, but its signature Spiritual Wine, the Drunken Immortal Brew, was also irresistible, often drawing old customers to support the business. It was not yet noon, so there weren¡¯t many patrons inside the inn, with only a few tables occupied. Qin Feng picked out a table by the window and sat down. When the waiter came over to serve him, he glanced over the menu hanging on the wall. He didn¡¯t dare order the house specialties, as they were too expensive¡ªeach dish costing dozens of Spirit Stones¡ªa price point not meant for a mere Qi Refining Master to squander casually. He ordered several ordinary Spiritual Meals and a small pot of Drunken Immortal Brew, intending to sample the flavor of this renowned wine. Shortly after, the waiter brought up the dishes he ordered. Qin Feng tasted a few bites. The Spiritual Meals were indeed delicious, and the Spiritual Wine had a sweet and mellow taste, although the specific kind he ordered was rather ordinary and somewhat spicy. As he was concentrating on his meal, he suddenly heard a tender and childlike voice: ¡°Innkeeper¡­¡± Qin Feng looked up upon hearing the voice and saw a cute little girl of about four or five years old, with a rosy, lovable face, standing in front of the counter looking up, her chubby hands holding up a Spirit Stone high: ¡°Give me a bowl of old wine, and a dish of fennel peas too.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Qin Feng nearly spat out his food. Whose little lass was this, coming here to be amusing? The old shopkeeper, who had been busy tallying up accounts with an abacus behind the counter, stood up and peered out. He then saw a plump little girl standing at the counter, her large, sparkling eyes expectantly fixed on him. ¡°Whose child are you, and how come you¡¯re by yourself? Where are your parents?¡± the old shopkeeper asked. ¡°My sister is buying something across the street. I got hungry when I smelled the scent from your shop, so I came over,¡± replied the soft and cute little girl. ¡°Oh, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll have someone make it for you,¡± the old shopkeeper spoke kindly. He didn¡¯t make things difficult for the adorable little girl. Instead, he asked gently. ¡°I heard from Daddy that your Drunken Immortal Inn¡¯s old wine is very famous. I want to try it,¡± said the little girl, holding up the Spirit Stone in her hand. ¡°And I would like a dish of fennel peas to go with the wine.¡± Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 90 Li Miaozhen of the White Tiger Lineage Chapter 91: Chapter 90 Li Miaozhen of the White Tiger Lineage The shopkeeper was somewhat at a loss for words. Although it was true that his establishment was a tavern, he couldn¡¯t just take any customer¡¯s money. If a young girl ended up getting drunk here, even if her family didn¡¯t come to trouble him, the rumors wouldn¡¯t sound good. Just as he was feeling troubled, he saw another woman walk in from the entrance. Not only was this woman extremely beautiful and tall, but she was also significantly taller than most men, with long and straight legs that made a swishing sound as she walked. She exuded a vigorous heroism unlike the usual softness of other women; there was even a hint of fierceness in the corners of her eyes and brows. Qin Feng glanced at her a few times, admiring such a rare temperament in a woman. However, he didn¡¯t dare look too long because he realized he couldn¡¯t quite see through her cultivation. That was normal; he had just reached the late stage of Qi Refinement, and his vision was limited. Moreover, casually projecting Divine Sense to inspect others was frowned upon and could easily cause dissatisfaction, so of course, he couldn¡¯t determine her cultivation level. ¡°Luoluo, are you being mischievous again?¡± Li Miaozhen¡¯s face showed a hint of helplessness as she quickly approached, poking the little girl¡¯s head with her finger: ¡°Don¡¯t be naughty, what are you doing drinking wine as a child?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t children drink wine?¡± The little girl named Luoluo protested, ¡°Daddy can drink, mommy can drink, and you, senior sister, often drink too. Why can¡¯t I drink?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°You¡¯re still young, you can¡¯t drink this Spiritual Wine, wait until you¡¯re grown up.¡± Li Miaozhen felt a headache coming on. Fighting and battling were no problem for her, but dealing with kids, especially her younger apprentice sister who was at an age bursting with curiosity about the world, had been quite the handful these last few days. Li Miaozhen sat her little apprentice sister down at a nearby table and ordered several dishes of Spiritual Meals that the child usually enjoyed. Little Luoluo pouted with her tender lips, puffing up her cheeks, seemingly quite displeased. Her curiosity was strong; she had grown interested in Spiritual Wine because she had seen her father drinking quite often. However, she was too young, and the adults naturally wouldn¡¯t let her have any. Today, seizing the chance while her senior sister took her out, she sneaked away hoping to taste Spiritual Wine, and remembered to order a dish of Fennel Peas as a snack like her old man would in the tavern. Unfortunately, before she could succeed, she got caught red-handed by her senior sister. The little girl, with her feet dangling, sat uneasily on the stool wriggling around and looked around the tavern. Her eyes lit up as she saw Qin Feng at the next table taking a swig of Spiritual Wine. Qin Feng had just put down his cup when he noticed the little girl staring intently at the wine pot on his table with shining eyes. Seeing her look, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and asked her, ¡°Little sister, do you really want to try some wine?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh!¡± Luoluo nodded, ¡°Daddy says real men must drink wine, and I want to be a great hero like daddy, which obviously means drinking with a big bowl and eating meat in big bites. Big brother, can you treat me to some wine?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Qin Feng laughed lightly, noticing that the child was heavily influenced by her father. He glanced at the woman sitting beside Luoluo, thought for a moment, then said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible for me to treat you to some wine. However, do you know there are different grades to this drink?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Luoluo had no idea and shook her little head honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ordinary Spiritual Wine, although each has its benefits, is sharp to the taste. Such is considered low-grade and not suitable for you to drink. Only the finest Jadescent Nectar, which is sweet and refreshing, is the real fine wine of this world. However, this wine is extremely rare; I just happen to have a bit of it. If you really want to try, I wouldn¡¯t mind letting you taste it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The little girl immediately became excited, slid off the stool, and dashed to Qin Feng¡¯s side, her bright eyes curving into crescents, ¡°Jadescent Nectar, I¡¯ve heard my daddy mention it¡ªthat¡¯s Immortal Wine! Even daddy has never had it. Big brother, are you really going to treat me to such Immortal Wine?¡± Li Miaozhen furrowed her brows slightly, looking towards Qin Feng. The young man wouldn¡¯t really dare to give his little apprentice sister wine, would he? However, although she and Luoluo were not wearing the Sect¡¯s Magic Robes, the sleeves of their clothes bore the mark of the Beast Taming Sect, so she believed the young man must have seen it. Thus, she wasn¡¯t too worried about him having any ill intentions. Qin Feng responded to her gaze with a slight smile, signaling there would be no issue, and then he reached out and retrieved a large bowl from an empty table nearby. He said to Luoluo, ¡°Since you want to drink from a big bowl, then I shall fulfill your wish.¡± As they spoke, he quietly played an Eye-Blocking Technique on Luoluo. In a place out of the little girl¡¯s sight, he took out several Ice Spirit Fruits and a few Red Mountain Fruits. Under the pressure of his True Yuan, he directly squeezed the juice into a bowl, then took out a porcelain bottle and poured some honey into the bowl, stirring until it was evenly mixed. Whether it was Spirit Fruit or honey, he had obtained them both in the Mist Swamp. Since Spirit Fruits contained little Spiritual Energy and were not valuable, he hadn¡¯t sold them. As for the honey, he had taken the opportunity to fill a bottle when he was harvesting a Demon Bee¡¯s hive, intending to bring it back as a gift for Qin Xi. The honey produced by Demon Bees contained a fair amount of Spiritual Energy and was one of the main ingredients in making Beauty Pills, making it very popular among female cultivators. While his Eye-Blocking Technique had deceived Luoluo, he had not purposely hidden his actions from Li Miaozhen. In fact, he had even made sure she could see everything clearly to avoid any suspicion of having sinister intentions. Sure enough, upon seeing his actions, Li Miaozhen didn¡¯t interfere. Instead, she watched with interest. Her own little Junior Sister could be a headache when she was being mischievous, and now that she wasn¡¯t clinging to her demanding alcohol, of course, she would not expose Qin Feng¡¯s Eye-Blocking Technique. After the fruit juice and Spiritual Honey were mixed, Qin Feng placed the bowl on the table next to him, ¡°Here, taste this. Is it good or not?¡± Luoluo hopped onto a stool, sat properly, and held the bowl with her chubby little hands, mimicking the bold manner in which her father drank alcohol. After taking a sip, she immediately found this ¡®Jadescent Nectar¡¯ to taste sour, sweet, cold, and refreshing, which was very pleasant, and she instantly grinned from ear to ear. After drinking a few more sips, she asked with slight curiosity, ¡°Why does this Jadescent Nectar smell a bit different from those Spiritual Wines father has?¡± ¡°This is Jadescent Nectar, of course, it¡¯s very different from ordinary Spirits,¡± replied Qin Feng with a smile. He smiled, took another cup, poured her a cup of Spiritual Wine, and laughed, ¡°Try this and you¡¯ll know the huge difference between ordinary Spiritual Wine and Jadescent Nectar.¡± Luoluo took the cup with a puzzled hand, sniffed it, and it seemed to smell much like her father¡¯s Spiritual Wine. She tentatively took a sip and immediately felt a sharp, spicy taste spread in her mouth. With a ¡°pfft,¡± she spat it out. ¡°This Spiritual Wine is way too hard to drink, right?¡± She quickly picked up the large bowl and drank two mouthfuls of ¡®Jadescent Nectar¡¯ to suppress the spicy taste in her mouth before feeling much better. ¡°I never thought father would drink such awful-tasting Spirits. I used to think they were delicious, but they are far inferior to this Jadescent Nectar. Hmph, father said he never had Jadescent Nectar. When I get back, I will definitely boast about it in front of father.¡± The little girl looked proud, and Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Li Miaozhen blinked her eyes, finding this amusing. She hadn¡¯t expected this bothersome issue, which had troubled her for so long, to be so simply resolved by this young man. From now on, her little Junior Sister likely wouldn¡¯t mention drinking alcohol anymore. And if she still wanted to drink, Li Miaozhen could just replicate this method and create some more of this so-called ¡®Jadescent Nectar¡¯ to appease her. She stood up, moved to Qin Feng¡¯s table, and sat beside her little Junior Sister, her face bearing a somewhat breezy smile: ¡°I am Li Miaozhen, a disciple of the White Tiger Lineage. This is my little Junior Sister Luoluo. May I know, Junior Brother, on which peak do you cultivate?¡± Qin Feng smiled slightly, ¡°Senior Sister Li is too polite. I am a disciple of Spiritual Snake Peak, Qin Feng.¡± Li Miaozhen nodded and instructed the waiter to serve all the Spiritual Meals she had ordered to their table. Afterward, she casually chatted with Qin Feng. The woman¡¯s manner was free and easy, and her speech was clear and concise, easily endearing her to others. Furthermore, she was well-informed and knew that Qin Feng had just completed the new disciple¡¯s trials and was planning to go to the Foreign Affairs Hall to take on some assignments. She specifically gave him some advice, making Qin Feng aware of many things to be cautious of while undertaking missions. Qin Feng was quite grateful, and he offered a toast to Li Miaozhen. He then discovered that she was even more heroic when drinking, consuming several jars of Spiritual Wine without even changing her expression, leaving Qin Feng amazed. Luoluo, the little girl, also held up her bowl of ¡®Jadescent Nectar,¡¯ pretending to drink boldly alongside her. Qin Feng now understood why the little girl insisted on drinking alcohol; she spent every day with such a heavy drinker, and it would be strange if she wasn¡¯t influenced. Even though Qin Feng only sipped a little each time, he still ended up with a flushed face, feeling a bit unsteady, and promptly surrendered, not daring to drink anymore, lest he wouldn¡¯t be able to return home that day. ¡°Haha, Junior Brother Qin, you really can¡¯t hold your liquor.¡± Li Miaozhen didn¡¯t force him to drink more and simply laughed, ¡°A mere half jar of Spiritual Wine and you¡¯re already done. Poor tolerance, you need more practice to not lose your manly pride.¡± Qin Feng laughed bitterly, ¡°Senior Sister Li, you are most generous. I¡¯m far from your equal.¡± Li Miaozhen¡¯s nature had always been hearty, and after drinking she became even more spirited. They talked about everything under the moon, and Qin Feng learned of many interesting things. After having their fill of food and wine, Li Miaozhen paid the bill for both of them. On leaving, she laughed, ¡°Thank you for today, Junior Brother Qin. When I am free in the future, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± Qin Feng knew she was referring to the matter with little Junior Sister Luoluo, which he didn¡¯t mind¡ªit was just a way to pacify a child, after all. However, he did have a good impression of the genuine and spirited Li Miaozhen, and upon hearing her invitation, he said with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister Li, no need to be so courteous. If fate allows, I shall certainly accompany you.¡± ¡°Haha, I hope you won¡¯t get knocked out by me next time.¡± Li Miaozhen laughed heartily, picked up Luoluo, and left. Qin Feng sat on the stool for a while, drank a cup of tea to sober up a bit, then got up and left the Drunken Immortal Inn, heading toward the Market. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Foreign Affairs Hall Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Foreign Affairs Hall ¡°Whoooosh¡­¡± A cry resounded through the sky. Qin Feng stood on the broad back of the Spiritual Vulture, flying towards Spiritual Vulture Peak. He had previously received a flying bird message from his Clan Uncle Qin Ying, asking him to make a trip over as the family¡¯s support in the form of Spirit Stones had arrived, and he was to go and collect them. Half an hour later, Qin Feng, guiding the Spiritual Vulture, landed outside the courtyard where Qin Ying was located, knocked on the door and entered, only to find that Qin Xi had already arrived. ¡°Eh?¡± Seeing Qin Xi, Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but emit a soft exclamation. Because he discovered that Qin Xi¡¯s Cultivation progress wasn¡¯t slow at all, even surpassing his expectations; she had actually Cultivated to the sixth level of Qi Refinement, merely one level behind him. This surprised Qin Feng quite a bit. He knew his family affairs well; without the Demon Refining Pot, it would be impossible for him to Cultivate so quickly. What was going on with Qin Xi? ¡°Sister Xiaoxi, when we met a few months ago, you were only at the third level of Qi Refinement. How is it that in half a year, your Cultivation has progressed so rapidly that you have now reached the sixth level?¡± He asked with a hint of curiosity. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Qin Xi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: ¡°Before the trial, I had already advanced to the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement. A few days ago, the Peak Master took us as guests to Baihua Palace and let us complete the trial in the secret realm of Baihua Palace. As it happened, when we entered the Secret Realm, a Youtan Flower bloomed, attracting countless amounts of Spiritual Energy. Moreover, the fragrance emitted by the Youtan Flower has many effects, aiding in focusing the Spirit and is quite beneficial for Enlightenment in Cultivation. It was because of that opportunity that my Cultivation improved by two stages all at once, reaching the sixth level of Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s such a good fortune?¡± Qin Feng heard this and couldn¡¯t help but marvel. The Youtan Flower required an extremely harsh environment to grow, making it a rare Spirit Flower seldom witnessed in the outside world. Moreover, the Youtan Flower blooms only once every three thousand years. With it as the main ingredient, supplemented by several other rare Spiritual Medicines, one could refine Enlightenment Pills, which help Cultivators better understand the profoundness of the Dao and successfully advance in their Realm during Cultivation breakthroughs. The mysterious essence released during its blooming was merely incidental. Even so, it had allowed Qin Xi and others who happened to encounter the blooming Youtan Flower to make significant strides in their Cultivation. Qin Feng sighed lightly, ¡°How come we disciples of Spiritual Snake Peak don¡¯t get such opportunities.¡± Qin Xi gave him a light glare: ¡°You¡¯ve already Cultivated to the Late Stage of Qi Refinement; what¡¯s there to envy about me?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Beside them, Qin Ying laughed and said, ¡°Good, good. I didn¡¯t expect that both of you would be such talented Cultivators. To achieve such accomplishments within a year of joining, you¡¯re indeed much stronger than us elders. If you continue to Cultivate well in the future, you will definitely reach Foundation Establishment. By then, let¡¯s see if the Huang Family dares to have any more wicked ideas.¡± He was delighted inside, not expecting that the family would actually produce two little geniuses. As long as Qin Feng and Qin Xi both advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm, the Qin Family would be able to maintain their legacy. In fact, the Qin Family was currently in an awkward position; the Old Family Master was aging, and at most, he had only twenty to thirty years left before his time came. Uncle San¡¯s cultivation wasn¡¯t high, but he was older in age. Although Qin Long was young, it was a pity that he had damaged his divine soul in the past and made slow progress. If the Qin Family didn¡¯t produce a few more Foundation Establishment cultivators, once the Old Family Master and Uncle San passed away one after another, and if only Qin Long was left to uphold the family, the decline of the Qin Family would be inevitable. Seeing these two juniors excel so much, Qin Ying was, of course, delighted. He handed over two bags to them, which were filled with Spirit Stones that the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion caravan had been entrusted by the family to deliver, supporting the cultivation resources for the two juniors. Qin Feng and the others didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and took them directly. The three of them sat together and talked for over half an hour, each sharing their own cultivation experiences, until someone came looking for Qin Ying. Only then did they bid farewell and leave. Upon leaving Spiritual Vulture Peak, Qin Feng bid farewell to Qin Xi and flew to the mountain peak where the Foreign Affairs Hall was located. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Mountain Gate covered an exceptionally large area, and in order to accommodate the Outer Disciples with lower cultivation, several sub-halls of the Foreign Affairs Hall were set up in the Outer sect for the convenience of the Outer Disciples¡¯ travels. Otherwise, for those disciples who lived far away, even if they had a flying Riding Tool, a trip to the Foreign Affairs Hall would take a day or two, which would be too much trouble. And for disciples without flying Spiritual Beasts, getting to the Foreign Affairs Hall would be even more of a hassle. As he approached the mountain peak where the Foreign Affairs Hall was located, in the sky there were frequently Outer Disciples flying past on various Spiritual Birds. Many of them were even Spiritual Birds with Foundation Establishment cultivation,, not only larger in size but also extremely fast, flapping their wings and soaring a great distance in a blink. Just as Qin Feng was observing a golden-winged great eagle with wings spanning more than three zhang wide, he suddenly heard a clear cry from behind and to the side, and then saw a peacock with brilliantly colored feathers and a proud head travel swiftly past him. On the back of the peacock sat a young man. The young man had an indistinguishably androgynous and beautiful face, skin clear as jade, eyes sparkling like cold stars, and was dressed in colorful, lavish attire that was as striking as the peacock he was riding. Qin Feng, with sharp eyes, saw clearly that when the young man passed by him, his eyes, bright as stars, flashed a look of disdain. It wasn¡¯t directed at him but at the Spiritual Vulture he was riding. Qin Feng¡¯s heart slightly jolted. Was this¡­ looking down on his mount? He looked up at the peacock, then down at his own Spiritual Vulture, and indeed there was no comparison. The peacock not only exuded the aura of a Qi Refining Peak, but its gorgeous plumage was also incomparably splendid, far outstripping the Spiritual Vulture. The handsome young man quickly overtook him, riding the peacock down towards the square where the Foreign Affairs Hall was located. Hmph, such a sissy, what use is looking so good? Qin Feng muttered jealously to himself. He, who once prided himself as the number one beauty of Kun City, felt like an ugly duckling when compared to that young man. The beauty of the young man riding the peacock was flawless to the point that even women might feel jealous upon seeing him, not to mention young men like Qin Feng who considered themselves handsome. He patted the Spiritual Vulture¡¯s back, and with a flap of its wings, it sped up, quickly descending towards the square. Qin Feng landed, tucked away the Spiritual Vulture, and looked around. Here, Outer Disciples accompanied by various kinds of Spiritual Beasts could be seen everywhere, the majority possessing the cultivation of the Qi Refinement Late Stage. A few who were not at Qi Refining Late Stage turned out to be predominantly Foundation Establishment Cultivators. It made sense after all, this was the Foreign Affairs Hall, the place where the Sect issued missions to the outside world. If their Cultivation wasn¡¯t sufficient, or they lacked confidence in themselves, they wouldn¡¯t come here at all. He quickly withdrew his gaze and walked towards the Foreign Affairs Hall. Once inside the great hall, it was bustling with people. Outer Disciples were handling the handovers for various missions; some were gathered in groups, laughing and chatting, discussing various dangerous experiences during their missions; more people were clustered in front of a stone wall, checking out the Sect¡¯s newly posted mission information. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Qi Wushang Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Qi Wushang ¡°A group of Wolf Demons has emerged from Cuiping Mountain, bringing disaster to the area, causing significant death and injury among the common folk. The local cultivator families are not strong enough and have asked the sect for help. Those who eliminate the Wolf Demons will receive ten bottles of high-quality Spiritual Beast Pills.¡± ¡°Nanyue Country has discovered followers of the Demon Sect secretly preaching and bewitching the hearts of the people. Those who exterminate the Demon Cultivators will be credited with a meritorious deed and awarded ten Green Splendor Pills.¡± ¡°Recently, it has been rumored that a Red Fire Spirit Ape has been spotted in Fire Cloud Mountain. Elder Li from Spiritual Ape Peak has issued a task to capture the Red Fire Spirit Ape, with a reward of three thousand Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°We are recruiting disciples to go to White Bone Ridge to collect Ghost Bamboo, the more the better, with no upper limit. A hundred-year-old piece of Ghost Bamboo can be exchanged for sixty Spirit Stones at the Foreign Affairs Hall.¡± Qin Feng stared unceasingly at the tasks posted on the stone wall, the variety of tasks making him somewhat dazzled, especially being attracted by those generous rewards. However, he eventually shifted his gaze away from those highly rewarding tasks. Because, any task that offers a reward of over a thousand Spirit Stones would at least require Foundation Establishment Disciples to complete, which were not tasks he could take on at the moment. Qin Feng shifted his gaze downward, looking towards the tasks with lesser rewards at the very bottom. This was where disciples like him, who had just entered the late stage of Qi Cultivation, ought to focus. Although the rewards here were not very substantial, ranging from a few tens to a few hundreds of Spirit Stones, they were relatively safer and most suitable for disciples like him who were undertaking tasks for the first time. As he was searching for a task that suited him, he suddenly felt some commotion among the cultivators beside him, who began to step aside. In his moment of hesitation, a large man with several pockmarks on his face pulled him aside. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?????????????????.co Then he saw a young man, radiating an aura of wildness, walking arrogantly through the path that had opened up among the crowd. This young man was tall and fierce, especially his eyes, which displayed a beastly ferocity, sending a chill through anyone he glanced at. ¡°Awesome!¡± Qin Feng muttered softly to himself. Although the young man did not deliberately look towards him, the glance this person gave him still instilled a strong sense of crisis in his heart, as if this youth were an Ancient Fierce Beast in human skin, bringing intense oppression. ¡°That¡¯s Qi Wushang, of course he¡¯s formidable.¡± The pock-marked man who had pulled him aside said, then sized Qin Feng up and suddenly a kind-hearted smile appeared on his face: ¡°Is this your first time here at the Foreign Affairs Hall to pick up tasks?¡± Qin Feng was startled, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize Qi Wushang, one of the top ten disciples of the Outer Sect. It¡¯s obvious you seldom come to the Foreign Affairs Hall.¡± The large man laughed, ¡°Although Qi Wushang isn¡¯t the strongest among the Outer Sect disciples, he is definitely the last one anyone would want to provoke. If you had been here before, at the very least you should have heard of his reputation.¡± Qin Feng bowed to the large man, ¡°I am Qin Feng, junior brother. Since entering the sect, I have always been cultivating on Spiritual Snake Peak, and indeed this is my first time here at the Foreign Affairs Hall. May I know how to address you, senior brother?¡± The large man looked surprised and scrutinized Qin Feng¡¯s somewhat youthful face, then nodded and said, ¡°So it turns out you are one of last year¡¯s new disciples, not bad at all, reaching the late stage of Qi Cultivation in just one year. I am Ma Jiu from Sky Wolf Peak. Just call me Brother Ma.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Brother Ma.¡± Qin Feng curiously asked, ¡°Top ten disciples of the Outer Sect, why hasn¡¯t anyone mentioned them before?¡± ¡°Outer Disciples are divided into two circles, those who stay in the sect as servants and those like us who go out on missions. Moreover, this so-called ¡®top ten disciples¡¯ is just a term that has come into use in recent years. You were a new disciple before and didn¡¯t have contact with our circle, so it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t know these things.¡± Ma Jiu chuckled, ¡°Originally, the title of the top ten disciples was just something that ten disciples from noble families used to praise each other, in order to lift their own value and gain some reputation. However, while these noble heirs were elevating themselves, they inevitably put others down. Then, some people with ulterior motives exaggerated and spread rumors, which caused dissatisfaction among some of the skilled Outer Disciples. After several conflicts, most of the disciples from noble families were kicked out. Now, a large majority of the so-called top ten disciples are of ordinary origin, and Qi Wushang is one of them.¡± At this point, Ma Jiu couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°The current top ten disciples not only have formidable combat prowess, but their potential is astonishing too. Each one has refined a powerful Lifebound Spiritual Beast, and three of them have even developed Divine Power Seeds in advance. They¡¯re just waiting to ascend to the Golden Core stage to achieve complete divine powers.¡± ¡°Divine Power Seeds?¡± Qin Feng was taken aback. Having spent the past year often reading books in the Scripture Pavilion, he knew exactly what these Divine Power Seeds were. Typically, a cultivator¡¯s methods for self-defense and protecting the Dao include magical treasure divine weapons, alongside Daoist skills, spells, and divine powers. Daoist Skills, specifically, refer to the abilities cultivators gain from comprehending the Heavenly Dao and understanding the Dao Principles, allowing them to use these principles. As for spells, they are merely the action of deploying one¡¯s True Yuan in a set manner, without any involvement of Dao Principle power or additional enhancements. The power emitted depends entirely on how much True Yuan is used. Divine powers, however, are divided into five levels and two main categories. The five levels are Divine Power Seed, Small Divine Power, Divine Power, Great Divine Power, and Supreme Divine Power. The two categories are Physical Body Divine Power, which is most common among the Demon Clan, who simply need to awaken their bloodline legacy to easily develop various innate divine abilities with varying strengths depending on their racial talents and uses. The Human Clan, born with weaker physical bodies, do not have the inherent advantages of the Demon Clan and generally rely on cultivating methods to gain divine powers, which is hard. Typically, only by reaching the Purple Mansion Realm and glimpsing the Heavenly Dao Laws can one comprehend the corresponding divine powers. Another category is Body Cultivation, like the practitioners from the Giant Spirit Sect, who cultivate their physical body, break through various bloodline constraints, and naturally develop various Small Divine Powers when reaching the Golden Core Realm. Once they advance to the Purple Mansion Realm, they can further elevate their divine powers. The Beast Taming Sect, on the other hand, took a shortcut. They don¡¯t need to wait until the Purple Mansion Realm and can use their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts to acquire divine powers in advance. Some talented geniuses can develop a Divine Power Seed in the Foundation Establishment Realm through their Lifebound Spiritual Beasts. As soon as they advance to the Golden Core, they complete the cultivation of their divine powers, becoming even more powerful than ordinary Golden Core Cultivators. Certainly, there are also demonic methods that forcibly seize the divine powers of others and turn them into Divine Power Seeds, which after refining, can be used directly without arduous cultivation. Fang Zheng, who initially led you new disciples into the sect, was such a prodigy who had developed a Divine Power Seed ahead of time. Qin Feng thought it was impressive enough that an Outer Disciple like Fang Zheng existed, but he never imagined there would be more than one such genius. Ma Jiu didn¡¯t pay attention to Qin Feng¡¯s shock and continued, ¡°Qi Wushang is one of those geniuses who has comprehended a Divine Power Seed. His Lifebound Spiritual Beast is a Fierce Ape with the Zhu Yan Bloodline. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the influence of his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, but this guy is extremely fierce in combat. Two years ago, he was in a fight with an Inner Sect Disciple from the Giant Spirit Sect and literally tore that disciple to pieces. While being hunted by disciples of the Giant Spirit Sect, he even counter-killed dozens of their members, and his name is still on the Giant Spirit Sect¡¯s bounty list. Last year, there were a few disciples from noble families in the Outer Disciples who had a disagreement with him. They challenged each other to a duel, and if it weren¡¯t for the timely rescue by a sect elder, those disciples would have been crippled by him. It¡¯s precisely because he¡¯s so ruthless that no one wants to provoke him. Why do you think so many disciples voluntarily make way for him?¡± PS: Brothers, please vote for me! I find that unless I ask, the number of votes drops. Let¡¯s go strong, brothers! I don¡¯t want to be a thick-skinned guy who¡¯s also good-looking because even though I might feel embarrassed asking for votes every day, it¡¯s necessary. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Mission Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Mission Qin Feng nodded understandingly, it made sense that not many people would want to provoke such a fierce person. Then Ma Jiu continued, ¡°Actually, among the top ten Outer disciples, some have made the list primarily because they have been cultivating for a long time, have a higher realm, and are just one step away from advancing to Golden Core. But if we really talk about potential, not to mention not comparing to Qi Wushang, even when compared with some of the emerging talents, they are somewhat lacking. Dragon Qian of Heavenly Dragon Peak, Wei Yan of Heavenly Silkworm Peak, Qi Hengshan of Divine Bull Peak, Kong Xuan of Mystic Bird Peak, and Lin Jingxin who joined last year, they all possess extraordinary talents. It¡¯s just that their current cultivation is still low, not yet reaching the level of Qi Wushang and others; otherwise, they would definitely occupy a spot among the top ten disciples. Hey, do you see that one over there?¡± As he spoke, he gestured with his eyes for Qin Feng to look towards a youth in splendid attire not far away, ¡°That is Kong Xuan, the direct descendant of the Kong Family, intelligent since childhood with exceptional talent. His lifebound spiritual beast is a peacock with the innate divine ability of the Five Elements, extremely formidable. However, with the Kong Family guarding him and his own strong talent, he surely won¡¯t stay in the Outer Sect to compete for the title of the top ten disciples. I estimate he will be promoted to the Inner Sect after the ranking competition next year.¡± Qin Feng followed his gaze and was taken aback. Because the person Ma Jiu was pointing out was the same splendidly dressed youth he had encountered in mid-air earlier. Qin Feng¡¯s impression of this youth was extremely profound. Because, in front of that youth¡¯s perfection to the utmost face, even Qin Feng had to admit he was ¡®slightly inferior¡¯! ¡°Senior Brother Ma Jiu, is this guy male or female? He¡¯s not a woman in disguise, is he?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Qin Feng couldn¡¯t help but ask out of curiosity as he looked at Kong Xuan¡¯s delicate face that would inspire envy and jealousy in women. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t talk recklessly,¡± Ma Jiu got a fright, turned his head to glance at Kong Xuan, and noticed that he had not been overheard, then he quietly sighed in relief. ¡°Kong Xuan is proud and usually doesn¡¯t deign to argue with others, but he is most sensitive to jokes about his appearance. Remember not to speak recklessly about this in the future. If he hears you, you will suffer.¡± ¡°Thanks for the advice, Senior Brother. I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Qin Feng hurriedly said. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Ma Jiu spoke earnestly, ¡°You are still young and have just come to the Foreign Affairs Hall. You must speak less and listen more and be very careful not to speak out of line to avoid trouble for yourself.¡± ¡°Senior Brother is right,¡± Qin Feng nodded repeatedly, showing he had taken the lesson to heart. Seeing his respectful attitude, Ma Jiu felt his long-time earnest advice had probably established an image in the young man¡¯s heart of himself being tall, upright, and willing to look after his fellow Sect disciples. Therefore, he began to inquire, ¡°Junior Brother Qin, it¡¯s your first time at the Foreign Affairs Hall, so you must still be hesitant, unsure of what mission to choose, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Qin Feng nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve made you laugh, Senior Brother. It¡¯s my first time dealing with these matters, so I indeed feel quite indecisive. Do you have any advice?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say advice; however, as someone who has been in the Outer Sect for over a decade, I have a general understanding of the missions from the Foreign Affairs Hall.¡± Ma Jiu laughed, ¡°Actually, if you talk about it, the difficulty of the missions from the Foreign Affairs Hall is easy to discern. Just look at the rewards offered, and you can get a rough idea. Under normal circumstances, the more generous the reward, the higher the risk. I see that you, Junior Brother, have only reached the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation. If no one guides you, it is indeed not suitable to undertake those high-reward missions. You can only start with the most common tasks. As a result, each time you can only earn a few dozen Spirit Stones, at most it¡¯s just making ends meet after a year. Not to mention nurturing spiritual beasts, just ensuring your own progress in cultivation would be quite good.¡± If an accident occurs and injuries are sustained, one still needs to spend a considerable amount of Spirit Stones to buy Healing Pills.¡± At this point, Ma Jiu sighed and shook his head with a look of regret: ¡°I¡¯ve been through that time myself, so I deeply understand how it feels. But there¡¯s no helping it, we are not like those disciples from noble families; we have to rely solely on ourselves to struggle and survive.¡± Qin Feng glanced at him, always feeling that the man had an ulterior motive. However, he still agreed, ¡°Senior Brother is right, it¡¯s indeed not easy for us ordinary disciples to make a name for ourselves.¡± Ma Jiu felt he must have earned the trust of this newcomer to the Foreign Affairs Hall. After all, youths of this age have not been hardened by society¡¯s tough knocks and still retain a sense of innocence, easily trusting others. So he began, ¡°Actually, Senior Brother has recently taken note of a task, which would be somewhat difficult to complete on my own. I need a partner to accomplish it. I was originally planning to invite some acquaintances from the same sect to take on this mission with me, but those few friends of mine just happen to be away from the Mountain Gate. I think you, Junior Brother Qin, are a good person. If you are willing, I can take you on this mission with me.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Qin Feng was startled, not having expected this guy to invite him to take on a mission together. No wonder he had been so attentive earlier. But why does he want me? Could it be that he¡¯s scheming to rob and harm me for my possessions? It seemed unlikely. He had not met him before, and this man certainly didn¡¯t know he had the Demon Refining Pot on him. Besides the Demon Refining Pot, he didn¡¯t feel he had anything else worth coveting. Even if someone wanted to rob and harm him, they would target those with more substantial worth. Since he hadn¡¯t yet undertaken any tasks to earn Sect rewards, he shouldn¡¯t be seen as a prime target. Moreover, the Sect strictly prohibited killing fellow disciples. If discovered, one would definitely receive the severest of punishments. Therefore, under normal circumstances, no disciple would dare harbor such thoughts against a fellow sect member. Qin Feng quickly ran through various thoughts in his mind, his face showing a hint of curiosity: ¡°May I ask what mission Senior Brother is referring to? I have only recently reached the late stage of Qi Refinement and my strength is modest; I might not be much help to Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t need to sell yourself short. Although our Beast Taming Sect disciples¡¯ cultivation speed is not the fastest, with the help of a Spiritual Beast, our combat power is much stronger than that of ordinary cultivators.¡± Ma Jiu chuckled, then said earnestly, ¡°Not far from Chaotic Sky Valley, Liang City recently has been plagued by a gang of bandits. Their cultivation isn¡¯t high, but they are audacious, raiding all over and have committed numerous crimes. What¡¯s more critical is that they dared to attack a small family affiliated with our Beast Taming Sect, the Zhang Family, taking advantage of the accidental absence of the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the family, and looted the Zhang household. The remaining members of the Zhang Family have since sought help from the Sect. Naturally, the Sect cannot ignore this and has issued a mission with a reward of five hundred Spirit Stones for the elimination of these criminals.¡± He looked at Qin Feng and continued, ¡°A few days ago, the Outer Sect disciples from various peaks participated in the trials. With your strength, you should have been able to subdue at least one or two late-stage Qi Cultivation Spiritual Beasts. Senior Brother here hasn¡¯t been idle over the years and has a few powerful Spiritual Beasts at my disposal. If you and I join forces and strike from the shadows, dealing with those ruffians will definitely be no problem.¡± Qin Feng was somewhat astonished, ¡°To rob a vassal power of our Beast Taming Sect, that indeed takes great audacity. I do indeed have a late-stage Qi Cultivation Spiritual Beast at hand, but are you sure just the two of us can handle those Bandit Cultivators?¡± ¡°Those who are prepared can surprise the unprepared. If we stealthily eliminate a few at the start, there will be no problem.¡± Ma Jiu, with a smile, patted Qin Feng on the shoulder, ¡°Junior Brother, rest assured, every mission is recorded by the Sect. If something goes wrong, the Sect will definitely investigate. Senior Brother here will not bring harm upon you. However, let me be upfront about something. I can split the Sect reward for the mission with you, but whatever the Bandit Cultivators have on them belongs to the one who gets it.¡± Hearing this, Qin Feng understood; so this was the man¡¯s angle. He couldn¡¯t take down those Bandit Cultivators alone and wanted a helping hand but was also worried that the experienced disciples from the Outer would snatch away too many of the spoils. That¡¯s why he deliberately approached someone like him, a novice who could be of help but would surely not outmatch him. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 94 Chaotic Sky Valley Chapter 95: Chapter 94 Chaotic Sky Valley ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Feng smiled, his smile so pure and innocent, as if he really were just a naive young man. His face showed a hint of admiration, ¡°I never realized that Brother Ma Jiu would care so much about his fellow sect members. Nowadays, it¡¯s hard to find good-hearted people with such old-fashioned integrity. Since Brother values me so highly, I¡¯d be ungrateful to decline any further. I¡¯ll join Brother Ma Jiu on this mission, and I hope for his continued guidance in the future.¡± ¡°Of course, of course, it¡¯s only right for sect members to help and support one another¡ªit¡¯s always been my personal principle,¡± Ma Jiu said, unable to hide his joy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Brother. Those who have gone on missions with me always have a deep impression of me. I¡¯m sure that after we return this time, you will have learned a lot, he he he¡­¡± Ma Jiu was secretly pleased with himself; young people these days were so easy to fool. With just a few words, he managed to trick one into becoming his assistant¡ªha, Ma Jiu is truly a genius! Although he would have to share half of the mission rewards, he didn¡¯t care. The mission rewards were just a few Spirit Stones; the real prize was the wealth the bandit cultivators had looted over the years. As long as he seized the right opportunity, he was confident he could make a big profit this time. Trying to curb his excitement, he took Qin Feng directly to the Foreign Affairs Hall. The two presented their Identity Jade Tokens, let the hall¡¯s disciples record their details, and then accepted the mission. ¡°Since it¡¯s Junior Brother Qin¡¯s first mission, you¡¯d better prepare more Elixir Pills and Spirit Talismans. These things can save your life when it matters.¡± Ma Jiu, feigning concern, gave him a few reminders; in his heart, however, he was hoping Qin Feng would spend more Spirit Stones to prepare these life-saving items. If an emergency were to arise, it would be much better for the boy to use them than to bleed his own reserves. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Qin Feng, looking a little embarrassed, said, ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t know. In order to advance to the late Qi Refining stage, I¡¯ve already spent most of my Spirit Stones and don¡¯t have much left. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be so eager to take on a mission.¡± Since he had already guessed Ma Jiu¡¯s intentions, Qin Feng certainly wasn¡¯t going to give him any chance to take advantage. This guy had been hanging around the Foreign Affairs Hall for many years; he must have plenty of protective treasures. If danger really struck, it would be better for Brother Ma Jiu to take a hit. Of course, Qin Feng wasn¡¯t going to tell Ma Jiu that he still had second-tier Spirit Talismans at the ready. ¡°Poor as a church mouse!¡± Ma Jiu cursed inwardly but didn¡¯t show it on his face. Instead, he laughed heartily, feigning generosity, ¡°No matter, if we really encounter danger, just hide behind me, and I will ensure your safety.¡± Since there was not much to prepare, the two didn¡¯t stay long at the mountain gate and left the Foreign Affairs Hall straight away. They released their own flying Spiritual Beasts and took to the sky. This was where Beast Taming Sect disciples excelled over others; even those in the Qi Refining Realm could still traverse the skies by relying on their Spiritual Beasts. In other sects, Qi Refining Realm cultivators could usually only watch from below, enviously. Ma Jiu¡¯s flying beast was an Iron Feathered Eagle in the late Qi Refining stage. A common breed with no special bloodline, although somewhat stronger than Qin Feng¡¯s Spiritual Vulture, it didn¡¯t possess the Vulture¡¯s powerful Wind Control Power, so their speeds were not much different. Ma Jiu was satisfied; since Qin Feng¡¯s flying mount wasn¡¯t slow, there would be no need to worry about delays. After all, Chaotic Sky Valley was extremely far from the sect. If Qin Feng didn¡¯t have a flying beast, their round trip could take a much longer time. The two rode their beasts for more than ten days before finally arriving in the outskirts of Liang City, near Chaotic Sky Valley. Chaotic Sky Valley was the entrance to an Ancient Battlefield, where space distortions and turbulence were often seen. And this was just the entrance to the battlefield. Venture deeper, and one would discover that the entire Ancient Battlefield, stretching tens of thousands of miles across, had been devastated by mighty beings in ancient times, leaving the laws of nature in utter chaos. Furthermore, countless lives have perished there, among them practitioners of formidable Dao cultivation beyond measure. Even though these mighty beings have died, the lingering Power of Laws has turned this place into a chaotic realm of death. However, there have always been those who are not afraid of death, and since the periphery of the battlefield is not as dangerous as the interior, many cultivators have ventured in to search for treasures. After innumerable cultivators¡¯ explorations, some patterns were gradually discovered. In the Ancient Battlefield, the stronger one¡¯s strength, the greater the likelihood of triggering some bizarre dangers. Over these tens of thousands of years, there have been no lack of immortals who met their end deep within the Ancient Battlefield. Therefore, the Major Sects allowed numerous Loose Cultivators to enter and investigate. Although many low-level cultivators died or were injured, their cultivation was not strong, and under normal circumstances, they would not trigger any anomalies in the Ancient Battlefield. Hence, quite a few were able to return alive after exploring the periphery. Gradually, some cultivators reaped considerable benefits, and even, some people managed to obtain Immortal Artifacts. Although the Loose Cultivator who obtained the Immortal Artifact accidentally revealed the news of his find and quickly attracted the covetousness of others, he was not only robbed of the treasure but also lost his life in the end. Nevertheless, this incident attracted even more cultivators from other regions to come here in search of treasures, in case they might indeed find something valuable and make their fortune. Such occurrences were not uncommon. The now renowned Loose Immortal Sage Fuyun, as well as the Fog Hidden Sect, which had only been established for a few thousand years but had already made a name for itself, both received Ancient Inheritances from within this Ancient Battlefield. And Liang City was established thirty miles outside of Chaotic Sky Valley specifically to do business with those cultivators coming here to explore. The Zhang Family of Liang City, similar to the Qin Family of Kun City, were both descendants of bloodlines stemming from the Beast Taming Sect disciples. They also served as a monitoring point for the Beast Taming Sect outside Chaotic Sky Valley, so that if any significant treasures were to appear again, the Beast Taming Sect would be among the first to receive the news. Because many cultivators from other regions come here every year, the vicinity of Liang City is quite chaotic, and incidents of cultivators robbing each other occur frequently. The fact that the Zhang Family was only troubled after the fall of their Foundation Establishment Cultivator ancestors could already be considered fortunate. Some Sect-related powers that were placed here have experienced being completely uprooted by others. ¡°We pay our respects to the two Upper Envoys.¡± Within the somewhat dilapidated Zhang Family estate, the few cultivators who had luckily survived hurriedly came forward to pay their respects upon seeing the Identity Jade Token of Beast Taming Sect disciples presented by Ma Jiu. Although they felt somewhat dissatisfied that the Sect had only sent two Qi Refining Realm cultivators, they did not dare show any negligence. ¡°Enough, there¡¯s no need for such formalities,¡± Ma Jiu waved his hand. ¡°Your family¡¯s affairs are already known by the Sect. We have come here to avenge the Zhang Family and eliminate those Bandit Cultivators. In addition, you need not worry. The Zhang Family has served the Sect for many years; the Sect will not abandon you. Your family¡¯s businesses in Liang City can no longer be maintained, but the Sect will arrange for your resettlement. In the upcoming years, the Sect will allocate a few more spots to allow more descendants of the Zhang Family to join, so that your family line will not perish.¡± ¡°Thank you, Upper Envoys, thank you so much,¡± Ma Jiu, cunning as he was, said a few words that made the Zhang Family cultivators¡¯ eyes light up. In truth, these cultivators were merely from collateral branches of the Zhang Family; the Direct Lineage had been killed off during the chaos within the family. Now that they heard the Sect was willing to grant the Zhang Family additional spots to join the Sect, given that their Direct Lineage was already exterminated, it would naturally be their descendants who would be joining the Sect. For them, this misfortune had turned into a blessing. Therefore, these cultivators quickly wiped away the sadness from their faces and began to shower Ma Jiu and Qin Feng with flattering words. ¡°Alright, enough of that, no need for flattery. Get to the point and tell us the details about those Bandit Cultivators,¡± ¡°Yes, yes, the situation at the time was like this¡­¡± ps: Don¡¯t forget to vote, brothers (¡ä???¨F) Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Ten Directions Ghost City Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Ten Directions Ghost City The Zhang Family had established their presence in Liang City for three hundred years; in the world of cultivation, this was considered rather brief. However, Liang City was an extremely special place, with more than half of its cultivators hailing from other regions, making it particularly chaotic. Moreover, when cultivators occasionally found treasures in the Ancient Battlefield and did not keep their actions secret, even the slightest leak would attract the covetousness of others, leading to frequent skirmishes, battles, and even plundering. For a small clan like the Zhang Family to have flourished for three hundred years without being exterminated was already quite commendable. The gang of bandit cultivators who plundered the Zhang Family resided fifty miles outside Liang City on Black Wind Mountain. They once had a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as their leader, who was executed by the Zhang Family for stealing from them several years ago. Although the remaining bandit cultivators escaped swiftly and were not completely annihilated, only a few Qi Refining Cultivators managed to flee. The Zhangs didn¡¯t consider it necessary to take them too seriously. However, they never expected that these bandit cultivators were not so easily dealt with. They secretly followed two of the Zhang Family¡¯s Foundation Establishment Cultivators into the Ancient Battlefield, risking death to trigger some of the dangers within and ultimately killing the two from the Zhang Family. Following that, the bandit cultivators took advantage of the Zhangs¡¯ state of shock and swiftly attacked, killing every living person within the Zhang Family Mansion. Only a few fringe cultivators, each managing different affairs, were spared. After confirming the situation of those bandit cultivators several times, Ma Jiu couldn¡¯t help but shake his head internally. The Zhang Family cultivators who survived knew very little about the bandit cultivators. That was to be expected, though¡ªif just any cultivator could easily know the details of bandit cultivators, then the bandits wouldn¡¯t have been able to roam free up until now. Since they couldn¡¯t glean more information, Ma Jiu didn¡¯t wish to waste any more time. He and Qin Feng left the Zhang Family Mansion and headed towards Black Wind Mountain, fifty miles away. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co The Black Wind Mountain range stretched over hundreds of miles, with high peaks and dense forests, offering countless hiding places. In fact, there was more than one band of bandit cultivators living there, but Qin Feng and Ma Jiu didn¡¯t need to eliminate all of them¡ªa feat they couldn¡¯t achieve anyway. Their only task was to exterminate the bandits who plundered the Zhang Family, thus completing their Sect¡¯s mission. Finding the exact location of those bandits in the vastness of Black Wind Mountain was, however, a daunting challenge. As several bandit factions hid within the mountain range, they dared not ride their Spiritual Beasts around the mountain at will. Otherwise, they might attract the attention of the more formidable bandits, and an attack from them would mean suffering a loss not worth the gain. It also didn¡¯t help that several days had passed since the Zhang Family was raided, as any residual scents had long dissipated. Otherwise, with the sensitive noses of their Spiritual Beasts, they might have been able to track down the bandits. Fortunately, Ma Jiu could be considered an experienced veteran in the cultivation world, so this challenge was not too difficult for him. Before long, he led Qin Feng towards some villages at the foot of Black Wind Mountain, intending to gather information there before making further plans. ¡­ ¡°Ditty ditty¡­dah dah¡­¡± The melodious and varying tones of the suona carried far and wide. A wedding procession made its way along the road, cheerfully playing music. The groom was a boy of about sixteen or seventeen, his face brimming with happiness as he rode atop a black-furred, white-lipped donkey. Behind the boy, eight sturdy farmers carried a big red bridal sedan chair, heading towards a nearby village. By the roadside, Qin Feng and Ma Jiu quietly watched the procession pass by, ready to move on, when suddenly Ma Jiu uttered a soft exclamation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Feng turned and asked. ¡°I smell a hint of Yin Qi,¡± Ma Jiu said, and with a flash of light in his eyes, he looked towards the wedding procession. Moments later, he laughed, ¡°Who would have thought that in such a place, one could actually encounter a living man taking a Ghost Wife?¡± Qin Feng was taken aback, ¡°Senior Brother, are you saying that the bride in the palanquin is not a living person?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Ma Jiu grinned and said, ¡°I have no idea where this Groom found such a bride, but chances are he¡¯s been ensnared by a Ghost Item. Since we¡¯ve come across it, we cannot ignore the situation. Besides, we are not in a rush to enter the mountain, so let¡¯s deal with this Ghost Item first and take the opportunity to ask the village elders if they know anything about what¡¯s inside the mountain.¡± Although he could be somewhat deceitful and would never pass up an opportunity for advantage, he was, after all, a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, and the founding philosophy of the Beast Taming Sect was to protect the Human Clan. Even though the Beast Taming Sect had had its share of conflicts with other Sects over the years, this founding philosophy had been passed on when instructing disciples. Therefore, even Ma Jiu, upon encountering ordinary folk entangled by demon beasts or Ghost Items, would not turn a blind eye. Qin Feng manipulated a spell, summoning Spiritual Energy to his eyes, but he could only sense a faint ripple of Yin Qi, without catching anything else. Seeing him frown, Ma Jiu chuckled, ¡°The bridal dress on that Ghost Item is a Ghost Dao Magical Artifact that conceals her aura. If I hadn¡¯t cultivated the Illusion True Eye spell, capable of seeing through illusions and discerning the truth, I wouldn¡¯t have discovered her abnormality. Junior Brother, it¡¯s quite normal for you not to see through that Ghost Item, having not cultivated such spells.¡± Qin Feng nodded, withdrew his gaze, and dared not look any longer for fear of alarming the ghost in the palanquin. Startling it might cause it to act prematurely if it suspected its cover was blown, and they might not be able to save the men carrying the palanquin. However, this incident had Qin Feng looking up at Ma Jiu. Despite his cunning nature, his actual strength was not weak at all, as he had immediately noticed something off about the bride in the palanquin. Although it was related to the Spiritual Eye spell he cultivated, his Cultivation level was at least at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Perhaps he was already accumulating resources in preparation for Foundation Establishment. As Qin Feng walked towards the village alongside Ma Jiu, he pondered whether he should find a Spiritual Beast capable of the Spiritual Eye Divine Power. With such ability, he could see through any illusions or falsehoods and not be as helpless as he was now, knowing a Ghost Item was right before him, yet unable to discern its anomaly. Shortly thereafter, they followed the wedding procession into a simple farmstead. Although the courtyard and house had been cleaned, it was still evident that this family was not wealthy. Still, this household seemed to be hospitable. Perhaps because it was a day of great joy and they did not wish to trouble themselves further, or perhaps upon seeing their extraordinary attire, they not only did not chase them away but arranged for them to sit by an Eight Immortals Table, awaiting the couple¡¯s completion of their ceremonial bows before the feast would be served. Qin Feng casually glanced around and suddenly saw a young Taoist watching the bride with great interest. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Qin Feng elbowed Ma Jiu and signaled towards the young Taoist. ¡°Eh?¡± Ma Jiu was also taken aback, ¡°The Ghost Controlling Sect is far in the East Domain, so how come its disciples have come here?¡± ¡°Ghost Controlling Sect?¡± Qin Feng thought for a moment and soon recalled the information he had seen in the Scripture Pavilion regarding the Ghost Controlling Sect. This was an Ancient Sect that rose at about the same time as the Beast Taming Sect, but the Beast Taming Sect focused on Demon Beasts while the Ghost Controlling Sect dealt with Ghost Items. During the Ancient Great Tribulation, the Netherworld Ghost Realm was one of the invaders, and countless Ghost Items roamed wild, which gave rise to the Ghost Controlling Sect. However, the strongest force against the Netherworld Ghost Realm was not the Ghost Controlling Sect, but the Ten Directions Ghost City located in the Extreme North of the Northern Domain. The founding patriarch of the Ghost Controlling Sect was actually one of the founders of the Ten Directions Ghost City, but later fell out with the Ghost Ancestor Cang Yang and took flight to create the Ghost Controlling Sect in the East Domain. The young Taoist shortly became aware of being watched and turned towards the direction of the gaze. Upon seeing Qin Feng and Ma Jiu, he was a bit surprised that two more Cultivators had come, but he wasn¡¯t overly concerned. Instead, he greeted them with a smile and a respectful bow. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Lift Your Veil Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Lift Your Veil Qin Feng and his companion raised their hands in return to the Taoist¡¯s salute, then shifted their gaze away. Ma Jiu whispered, ¡°That Taoist clearly sensed something amiss with this family and has been waiting here early on, ready to subdue the Ghost Item. With a Taoist from the Ghost Controlling Sect taking action, it saves us a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Qin Feng nodded in agreement. Their Beast Taming Sect excelled in dealing with Demon Beasts whereas the Taoists from the Ghost Controlling Sect were more adept at handling Ghost Items. Since that young Taoist was already here, there truly was no need for them to exert themselves. Otherwise, even if they ended up killing the Fierce Ghost, the Ghost Body would dissipate into nothing, bringing them no benefit. On the contrary, Cultivators from the Ghost Controlling Sect could Refine Ghost Items and utilize various Ghost Energy against enemies. For the time being, the two were in no rush, content to sit at the Eight Immortals Table, keen on witnessing the young Taoist¡¯s method of capturing ghosts. During the bustling ceremony in the courtyard, with all the villagers gathered around the couple paying respects to heaven and earth, suddenly, a series of rapid hoofbeats approached from outside. On the road leading to the hamlet, four or five burly men rode well-fed Red Flame Colts. They didn¡¯t bother with the gate; instead, they spurred their horses and leaped over the one and a half zhang tall earthen wall, landing within the village. Without pausing, the brawny men galloped along the central path of the village and quickly arrived at the household that was celebrating a joyous occasion. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Drawn by the lively sounds and bustling atmosphere¡ªas the entire village had converged here¡ªthe men followed the commotion. Upon reaching the entrance, they didn¡¯t dismount. The leader pulled on the reins, causing his Red Flame Colt to raise its front hooves and stomp forward, shattering the gatehouse with a thunderous boom. Amidst clouds of dust, the robust men rode into the courtyard. ¡°Ah, what a lively scene!¡± The men rode back and forth a few paces, their cold smiles showing in the way they bared their teeth while looking at the crowd inside. Instantly, the previously lively scene quieted down, with the villagers looking at the group in fear and alarm. Upon seeing the Red Flame Colts, Qin Feng and Ma Jiu¡¯s expressions also changed¡ªbut not out of fear; they were actually pleased. The Red Flame Colts were low-level Spiritual Beasts specially bred by the Beast Taming Sect. In Liang City¡¯s territory, only the Zhang Family had raised a batch for pulling carts and conducting business between Liang City and surrounding towns. The surviving Cultivators of the Zhang Family had mentioned that after their clan was attacked, not only were all the Spiritual Objects looted, but even the Red Flame Colts kept in their stables had been stolen. They had thought it would take some Time to locate these Bandit Cultivators, yet these rogues had the audacity to brazenly ride the Red Flame Colts around, practically delivering themselves to their doorstep. On the other hand, an elderly villager with graying hair came forward. Despite the evident fear on his face, he still stepped up and asked with a cupped fist, ¡°First Gu, what brings you here again? If those boys didn¡¯t handle things efficiently, rest assured, I¡¯ll certainly teach them a lesson later.¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± The stocky Cultivator at the forefront snorted coldly, ¡°Those fools didn¡¯t work properly and even dared to run around. They happened to encounter First Gu during his training and accidentally got themselves killed. I¡¯m here to inform you to pick out a few more capable hands. I need to take them with me.¡± ¡°What? My son, my son is dead?¡± As soon as First Gu uttered those words, a wave of shock spread among the villagers, and several women couldn¡¯t help but wail loudly. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± The village elder was stunned, ¡°First¡­ First Gu, this isn¡¯t what you promised us. When you initially asked us for people, didn¡¯t you say they¡¯d be returned after a few years? Why now¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, they sought their own deaths trying to escape. Who else is there to blame?¡± First Gu barked coldly, ¡°Enough talk, send out another ten people from your village. I still have to visit other villages to make up the numbers. Old man, are you going to arrange for them to come with us, or shall I pick them myself?¡± During the conversation, he didn¡¯t wait for the village elder to respond, and simply stretched out his hand to point at the young man dressed in the groom¡¯s attire, baring his teeth and smiling, ¡°Kid, count yourself in, come with us.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Upon hearing this, the young man immediately trembled, stepped back in fear, and all traces of joy for his marriage vanished from his face. ¡°It can¡¯t be done, ah, it can¡¯t be done.¡± The young man¡¯s father ran up, bowing continually, ¡°Master Ma Jiu, it simply cannot be done. Our family line has been passed down from generation to generation, and we are counting on my son to carry on our legacy. I implore you to show mercy and leave us a descendant.¡± ¡°Wishing for a descendant is simple; that, Master Ma Jiu can help you with.¡± As he spoke, amidst the raucous laughter of several brawny men beside him, a lecherous glint flashed in Ma Jiu¡¯s eyes. He dismounted his horse and walked toward the bride, ¡°Today, Master Ma Jiu is feeling especially merciful, so I¡¯ll leave a seed for your family.¡± ¡°Master Ma Jiu, you mustn¡¯t!¡± The old man fell to his knees with a plop in front of Master Ma Jiu, pleading, ¡°Today is my son¡¯s joyous occasion, please spare us¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Master Ma Jiu kicked him away with his foot. Seeing the old man trying to persist, Master Ma Jiu sneered viciously, ¡°Either step aside willingly for me or I¡¯ll take your son to the stronghold to labor. Old man, what will it be? Your son or your daughter-in-law?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The old man froze on the spot, his gaze shifting back and forth between his son and daughter-in-law, ultimately unable to take another step forward. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± Master Ma Jiu¡¯s triumphant and wild laughter echoed as he strode toward the bride, who stood pretty in the hall. The young groom, though, had some spirit; with a face resolute to die rather than submit, he stepped in front of the bride, only to be directly slapped away by Master Ma Jiu. Following that, Ma Jiu chuckled lewdly a few times, grabbed the bride¡¯s little hand and pulled her into his arms, cackling, ¡°Come here, let¡¯s have a good look at that pretty face first.¡± As he said this, he reached out his other hand to grab the bright red veil on the bride¡¯s head, intending to lift it and see her face. However, as he lifted the red veil and just caught a glimpse of a pale and delicate chin beneath, it was as if he had lifted some sort of seal. Thick and cold ghost energy began to emanate from the bride. ¡°Fuck!¡± The filthy lust in his heart was extinguished as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, sending a chill through Ma Jiu¡¯s heart. This wasn¡¯t some pretty little lady; it was clearly a resentful female ghost! Startled, Ma Jiu¡¯s figure suddenly retreated backward, attempting to get away from the female ghost. But he immediately felt a tightening on his hand; his hand, which he thought to release, was instead grasped tightly by the female ghost¡¯s pale hand. As the female ghost¡¯s figure seemed to float toward him, driven by the force of Ma Jiu¡¯s retreat, her other hand suddenly grew sharp nails, like spikes radiating a dense black aura, and clawed at Ma Jiu¡¯s heart. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ma Jiu cursed angrily. He thought of killing the whole family. To hold a wedding and bring back a female ghost¡ªwhat was the meaning of this? It had caused him an unnecessary excitement. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t entered the bridal chamber yet. Otherwise, if he¡¯d been naked and ready for action only to see a ghostly figure like that, it might have been enough to scare him into sickness. PS: Thanks to Yang0Di, Book Friend 20200907194354023, Bai Ye who Cuts Sister, Who Isn¡¯t Just a Bystander, The Full Splendor of Youth, and Qi Qi for their rewards, much appreciated. I have no idea why the previous chapter was blocked. The request to unblock it failed, so I had to repost it in the afternoon. Don¡¯t worry about it. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Subduing the Ghost Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Subduing the Ghost His eyes watched in horror as the female ghost¡¯s pitch-black fingers neared his chest; Ninth Master hurriedly conjured a burst of Spirit Light in his hand to block the strike. But in his haste, he didn¡¯t manage to channel much of his True Yuan. Although he raised his hand to his chest, the ghost¡¯s fingers still curled inwards, and with a ripping sound, tore through his arm. At the same time, her other hand lashed forward, her nails growing exponentially as they pierced into Ninth Master¡¯s palm, causing him to roar in agony. But no matter how he struggled, he couldn¡¯t break free from the grip of the female ghost. Moreover, with the ghost having struck, her Ghost Energy could no longer be concealed by her bridal gown as it had before, allowing Ninth Master to easily sense her cultivation level. To his shock and anger, she was above him, already at the Peak of the Qi Refining Realm, only a step away from becoming a Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator. This realization both startled and enraged him. Seeing no way to free himself from the clutch of the ghostly hand, he flipped his hand to pull out a Heavy Hammer from his Storage Bag. While swinging it at the female ghost, he called for several of his underlings to come to his aid. By the time his subordinates arrived, the surrounding townsfolk had already scattered in panic. Everyone was completely taken aback, unable to fathom how the beautiful bride had suddenly turned into a ghost. The only one who didn¡¯t flee was the Groom. The young man stood there, dazed, as memories of his encounters with the female ghost from the beginning played through his mind. At that moment, all his past confusions unraveled, and his previously deluded mind became completely clear. His face turned pale, thankful that today¡¯s wedding had been disrupted; otherwise, he would likely have died on what was meant to be his wedding night, doomed to become a deadly pair with the female ghost. His father stood not far away, shivering as he hurried to grab his son and join the fleeing crowd. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co After all, this was their only son; they could not afford to lose him. Ninth Master didn¡¯t last long; soon enough, he felt his arm turn chillingly cold, and half of his body stiffen. This was the result of the Ghost Energy invading his body. If he hadn¡¯t been caught by the ghost¡¯s palm from the start, with his strength and items like the Magic Artifact and Spirit Talismans, he might have been able to escape unscathed even if outmatched. But now, one of his hands was still firmly held by the ghost, with relentless Ghost Energy pouring into his body through the wound on his palm. His underlings, only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, failed to pose any significant threat to the female ghost. Instead, one of them had his innards torn by a sudden extension of the ghost¡¯s arm, which scared the others not to approach carelessly, only daring to circle the periphery, trying to contain her without getting close. Although they were his subordinates, they definitely wouldn¡¯t risk their lives to save him. As Ninth Master¡¯s condition worsened, his men retreated further and further, ready to flee the scene at any moment. Otherwise, once Ninth Master was killed, the ghost would surely come after them. Their intense Yang energy couldn¡¯t compare to ordinary people¡¯s. If the female ghost devoured their Yang energy, it would certainly advance her Dao Cultivation. Feeling increasingly cold and stiff inside, Ninth Master¡¯s eyes filled with despair. Even though the female ghost had let go of his palm, he knew he was bound to die. His lifeforce was being eroded, and his True Yuan was thrown into disarray by the Ghost Energy; he no longer had any chance to escape. It seemed today was the day he would meet his end. But soon, a vicious gleam flickered in his eyes. After all, he was a Bandit Cultivator who had taken many lives; even in death, he refused to let his enemies off easily. He began to thrash wildly, swinging the Heavy Hammer in his right hand, forming a barrage of hammer blows. But the female ghost moved elusively, dodging left and right, making it hard for him to pin down her figure. Suddenly, his body staggered, his True Yuan depleted, his grip on the hammer faltered, and he almost dropped it. Before he could recover, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw a ghostly hand emerge from his chest, clutching a heart that was still beating. ¡°This is¡­ my heart¡­¡± In an instant, Ninth Master realized this truth. With the last of his strength, he swung the Heavy Hammer behind him. ¡°` And in the moment he swung the hammer, his palm released it, and he took out a Spirit Talisman from his Storage Bag at his waist. With a thunderous roar, it was promptly activated, transforming into a roaring flame that enveloped a space of three yards around him. Since he was about to die anyway, there was no need for him to hold back any longer. So, he directly activated the Spirit Talisman, planning to perish together with the female ghost. Bang! The female ghost clearly did not expect him to have this move up his sleeve. By the time she reacted and tried to dodge using her Ghost Energy, it was already a moment too late. Although she ultimately managed to escape, she could not avoid being severely injured by the Spirit Talisman, her Ghost Body and Yin Qi considerably damaged. Before the female ghost could regain her stance, suddenly, a young Taoist sprang out beside her, shaking his hand and releasing twelve Talismans. He quickly set up a simple Talisman Array, trapping her within. The female ghost¡¯s Yin Qi surged, and her two Ghost Claws tore towards the Talisman Array. She sensed danger from this little Taoist and wanted to escape. However, before she could tear through the Talisman Array, she saw the little Taoist reach for the oil-paper umbrella slung on his back. With one stretch of the umbrella, a loud pop reverberated, and countless Runes emerged, enveloping the female ghost, leaving her no chance to resist and was directly captured by the little Taoist into the umbrella. All of this happened in an extremely short span of time, fast as a lightning bolt. In a few instants, the female ghost was suppressed by the little Taoist. It was only then that the man who had ignited himself with the Spirit Talisman collapsed with a thunderous sound, disintegrated into ash. Not even a single bone was left behind, as he was burned to ashes by the flames released from the Spirit Talisman. As for his subordinates, by this time, they had already mounted their Red Flame Colts and were nearly out of the village. Qin Feng and Ma Jiu did not try to stop them. They still needed these few to lead the way for them, to guide them to the adversary¡¯s lair. ¡°Infinite Heavenly Venerable.¡± The little Taoist slung the umbrella over his shoulder, bowed to Qin Feng and Ma Jiu, ¡°I, Daoist Fellow Xiu Xin from Ghost Controlling Sect, have the honor of meeting two Daoists from Beast Taming Sect.¡± Apparently, the little Taoist could tell their origins from the badges on their Magic Robes. ¡°Daoist Fellow is polite.¡± They returned the salute and exchanged names. Only then did Qin Feng curiously ask, ¡°Daoist Fellow Xiu Xin, your sect is far in the East Domain, a great distance from here. How did you come to this place?¡± ¡°Hehe, actually, I came here following my Grandmaster.¡± Daoist Fellow Xiu Xin said with a chuckle, ¡°Recently, strange events have been happening in all the domains, and many great forces are interacting with each other. Although our Ghost Controlling Sect is far apart from your Beast Taming Sect, our two sects have collaborated on many occasions during the Ancient Great Tribulation. My sect¡¯s Ghost Teeth Ancestor and your sect¡¯s Heavenly Destruction Ancestor were also close friends. This time, my Grandmaster came to the Southern Domain to visit your sect and also brought along some juniors to experience the Southern Domain. Chaotic Sky Valley is one of the battlefields left from ancient times, rumored to hold many opportunities. I came here specifically to explore and just happened to see a young man from this household wrapped in Death Qi. I paused to help them solve this trouble and did not expect to meet two Daoist Fellows here. It is indeed a fortune for me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Qin Feng and Ma Jiu nodded upon hearing this, now understanding why the Daoist could cross such a vast distance to arrive here with his mere Qi Refining Realm cultivation. ¡°Do the two Daoist Fellows have matters here that require assistance, or do you need a little help from Daoist?¡± Daoist Fellow Xiu Xin inquired. ¡°We do have some matters, but we can resolve them ourselves, so there¡¯s no need to trouble Daoist Fellow.¡± Ma Jiu declined promptly. What a joke. An extra person would mean one more share of the spoils to distribute. Of course, they couldn¡¯t let this little Taoist get involved. ¡°Since the female ghost has been subdued, my brother and I have matters to attend to and cannot delay. We will take our leave now, and hope to meet again if fate allows.¡± While they were speaking, those Bandit Cultivators had already ridden the Red Flame Colts seven or eight miles away. They didn¡¯t wish to stay long and planned to follow after them, to find the adversary¡¯s lair and eradicate all the bandits in one fell swoop. Seeing this, Daoist Fellow Xiu Xin naturally could not insist on detaining them, so he bowed and said, ¡°Then, I will not see you off any further. Daoist Fellows, I bid you farewell.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± After bidding farewell to the little Taoist, they left the courtyard. To avoid being detected by those Bandit Cultivators, they did not summon their flying mounts but instead used their own techniques to stealthily follow behind. ¡°` Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 98 Stunned Chapter 99: Chapter 98 Stunned In the forest, Ma Jiu was riding on the back of a Silver Wolf. This Silver Wolf had a coat of silvery-white fur, which looked extremely beautiful. It was bigger than a typical horse and carried Ma Jiu running as fast as flying, causing Qin Feng, who was running beside them on two legs, to be utterly envious. He felt somewhat helpless. He had originally thought that having the Spiritual Vulture as a flying riding tool would be enough, but now it seemed he still needed to find another riding tool that could run on the ground. Otherwise, in times when he couldn¡¯t fly in the sky, he couldn¡¯t always rely on his legs to travel. Ma Jiu comfortably sat on the Silver Wolf¡¯s back, turned his head to look at Qin Feng, who had pushed his Divine Movement Technique to the limit, his legs moving like windmills, and chuckled, ¡°Junior Brother Qin, would you like to come up and ride with me?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no need.¡± Qin Feng quickly declined. He wasn¡¯t used to being too close to other men, and besides, if he really rode together with Ma Jiu, would he sit in the front or the back? Now, they weren¡¯t afraid of those bandit cultivators getting away. Even without the Red Flame Colt, with two Spiritual Birds circling near those bandit cultivators, they weren¡¯t worried about losing track of them. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Communication Spirit Birds were not just for messaging; they could also be used as scouting Spiritual Beasts. Since these birds were small and fast, ordinary cultivators could hardly detect them. Although the Red Flame Colt was the lowest level of Spiritual Beast, it was still a Spiritual Beast. It ran through the forest as if flying, hardly affected by the terrain, so its speed was almost as fast as on the flat roads outside the mountains. Qin Feng and Ma Jiu continued to follow behind for over an hour before they finally stopped. They concealed their aura and hid behind a large tree in the forest, quietly observing the situation ahead. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co This place was deep within Black Wind Mountain. The bandit cultivators hadn¡¯t set their lair on a mountain peak, as that would be too conspicuous for cultivators. If someone flew over from above, it would be easy to spot their tracks. Therefore, the group of bandit cultivators had set their lair in a valley, directly carving out caves on the cliff walls for them to reside in. After those bandit cultivators returned, they quickly caused some commotion, especially since one of their leaders, Jiuye, had been involved. But they couldn¡¯t blame anyone else¡ªafter all, who could have imagined that guy would encounter such a powerful ghost while harassing someone else¡¯s bride? The bandit cultivators discussed among themselves, and in the end, none were willing to venture out to avenge Jiuye. It wasn¡¯t necessary to risk their lives against such a formidable ghost just for a fallen comrade. Their bonds hadn¡¯t reached that extent. Instead, after Jiuye¡¯s death, his position sparked some covetous gazes. Ma Jiu¡¯s eyes flashed a silver light as he discreetly surveyed the situation in the valley, careful not to stare too long at the bandit cultivators before quickly retracting his gaze. But he had already gained a rough understanding of the bandit cultivators. Although there were quite a few of them, and eight were at Qi Refining Late Stage, as long as they could successfully ambush them, the rest surely couldn¡¯t escape from their hands. He looked up at the sunset about to sink, and said, ¡°As soon as it gets dark, we¡¯ll make our move. See those few at the Qi Refining Late Stage? We¡¯ll ambush them first.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, why not wait until the second half of the night to make our move?¡± Qin Feng asked curiously, ¡°A surprise attack on those at Qi Refining Late Stage might not be successful at one stroke. If they notice, won¡¯t that alert the others?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Ma Jiu laughed upon hearing this, ¡°Junior Brother Qin, this must be your first time attempting such a thing, and you¡¯re being somewhat naive. Do you think we can really attack everyone silently? Waiting until the second half of the night when they are cultivating, they will definitely set up forbidden techniques outside their caves. Although they won¡¯t be very strong, as soon as our Spiritual Beasts get close, they will detect them, voiding any surprise effect. It¡¯s best to act now while they are still unguarded. We let our Spiritual Beasts sneak up first, and when they emerge from the main cave, we strike immediately. If we can take down three or four of those at Qi Refining Late Stage first, the rest of the bandit cultivators, even if they resist, couldn¡¯t possibly match us.¡± ¡°Senior Brother is indeed thorough in his considerations.¡± Qin Feng raised his thumb, praising him. A smile appeared on Ma Jiu¡¯s face, ¡°After you have done a few more missions like this, you¡¯ll also accumulate this kind of experience.¡± He then asked, ¡°You are a disciple from Spiritual Snake Peak, so your Spiritual Beast is a Spiritual Snake, right?¡± Qin Feng nodded, ¡°Indeed, Junior Brother has a Qi Refining Late Stage Spiritual Snake.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ma Jiu pointed toward the creek nearby and said, ¡°Later, let your Spiritual Snake follow the creek and sneak into the pond in the valley. Once those bandit cultivators come out, my spiritual beasts will strike first, forcing the bandits to scatter, and then have your Spiritual Snake ambush from behind. Moreover, to prevent those bandit cultivators from escaping, we will split into two groups. I will stay here to block their path from the front, and Junior Brother, you go to the back slope to guard. If I am not mistaken, there should be bandit cultivators fleeing toward the mountain behind. Junior Brother can intercept them, and if they¡¯re not strong, just kill them.¡± Qin Feng gave him a glance, a hint of suspicion flashing through his mind. This guy really wants to monopolize the Spiritual Objects looted by those bandits, even sending him to guard such a distant place. However, he didn¡¯t say much and simply agreed verbally. Not long after, the setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the mountain forest quickly plunged into darkness. Ma Jiu released three Qi Refining Late Stage spiritual beasts: a diminutive Lightning Mink, an eight-feet-long Pangolin, and his Flying Spirit Beast, the Iron Feathered Eagle. The Lightning Mink flashed and darted into the forest, disappearing from sight. The Iron Feathered Eagle flapped its wings and soared straight into the sky, ready to swoop down at any moment. The Pangolin, with a dun-colored Spirit Light emerging on its body, burrowed straight into the ground, becoming invisible. This deeply surprised Qin Feng. He hadn¡¯t expected Ma Jiu to possess so many Spiritual Beasts, including his Lifebound Silver Wolf, making four Qi Refining Late Stage Spiritual Beasts in total. Ma Jiu¡¯s strength appeared stronger than Qin Feng had estimated, likely having reached Qi Refining Perfection. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to control so many Spiritual Beasts. Ordinarily, Outer Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect only managed one or two Spiritual Beasts, and many solely refined a Lifebound Spiritual Beast. This was not only because more Spiritual Beasts consumed more resources, but also because controlling them could divide one¡¯s Divine Sense, affecting their cultivation. Only those elite disciples who were not lacking in resources and whose Divine Sense could withstand the strain of so many Spiritual Beasts, would cultivate more than one. With the strength that Ma Jiu was displaying, aside from being somewhat older, he was definitely not inferior to those prodigies in other aspects. However, it seemed all his Spiritual Beasts were quite suited for ambush! The Lightning Mink¡¯s speed, the Pangolin¡¯s Earth Escape, the aerial attacks of the Iron Feathered Eagle, and his Silver Wolf, which, if Qin Feng wasn¡¯t mistaken, must possess the Bloodline Divine Power of Clone Illusion like a Silver Moon Demon Wolf. Qin Feng muttered to himself inwardly, it seemed this guy had chosen his path when he had started subduing Spiritual Beasts, focusing only on those suited for surprise attacks. Ma Jiu, glancing at Qin Feng whose expression showed surprise, couldn¡¯t help revealing a smug smile. These were the Spiritual Beasts he had cultivated with much effort, even slowing down his cultivation speed for it. But it was also because of these Spiritual Beasts that he had been able to cultivate up to this point with relative safety. ¡°Junior Brother, there¡¯s no need to envy. Once you have enough resources, you can also cultivate this many Spiritual Beasts.¡± Ma Jiu said with a smile, ¡°Junior Brother, summon your Spiritual Beast as well and get ready to sneak into the valley.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Feng chuckled lightly, offering no resistance. After all, battle was about to commence, and of course, he had to release his own Spiritual Beast, lest Ma Jiu mistake it for one of the bandit cultivators¡¯ beasts. Then, in front of a flabbergasted Ma Jiu, he waved his hand and released even more Spiritual Beasts. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Its time to show the real ultimate skill. Chapter 100: Chapter 99: It¡¯s time to show the real ultimate skill. Ma Jiu¡¯s expression grew somewhat unsightly. He had just boasted about not letting Qin Feng envy the number of his Spiritual Beasts, when in the blink of an eye, this kid released even more Spiritual Beasts than him, all of which also possessed Qi Refinement late-stage Cultivation. Besides a Spiritual Snake, there was also a Giant Crocodile, a Green Fox, a Ghost-Faced Spider, and a fist-sized Little Toad. Ma Jiu¡¯s lips twitched, and he kind of wanted to swear. Were youngsters so formidable these days? Back when he was a new disciple undergoing trials, he had taken great pains to subdue just one Spiritual Beast. How could this junior sect brother be so formidable, having obtained several late-stage Qi Refinement Spiritual Beasts within a year of joining? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of hindering his Cultivation journey? However, Ma Jiu was an old hand at this and quickly came to his senses, clearing his throat, ¡°Since Junior Brother has so many Spiritual Beasts to protect you, I can rest easy. Night brings many dreams, let¡¯s split up and take action now.¡± ¡°Senior Brother is right.¡± Qin Feng nodded, instructing the Spiritual Snake and Giant Crocodile to silently slip into the water, one in front and one behind, swimming toward the pond in the valley. Then, with a wave of his hand, he signaled the Green Fox and Ghost-Faced Spider to hide in the jungle, keeping only the Swallowing Sky Toad close for protection. Afterward, he circled around the mountain peak and climbed up the slope from the back of the valley, settling down to wait with ease. In the valley, raucous noises continuously spilled from the largest cave in the center, evidently the bandit Cultivators were indulging in drink and merriment. Qin Feng¡¯s eyes darted around, ordering the Ghost-Faced Spider to lay down a web of poison in the woods to prevent the bandits from escaping. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Near the entrance of the valley, Ma Jiu wore a strange expression. The basin-sized Ghost-Faced Spider was diligently spinning its toxic web not far from him, blocking off every possible escape route except for the path in front of him. Given enough time, it could even seal off the entire valley. A sudden, uneasy premonition rose in Ma Jiu¡¯s heart that this mission might not be as beneficial as previous ones. After all, with Qin Feng also in possession of so many Spiritual Beasts, he was bound to reap a considerable harvest. It seemed he had to move quickly, getting the jump on this younger disciple, and ransack the bandit lair first. Otherwise, he might not be able to gather the resources he wanted from this outing. Time ticked away, and soon, the moon reached its zenith, roughly the second watch of the night. Finally, from that mountain cave in the center of the valley, a group of bandit Cultivators emerged, laughing and joking as they walked out. Although Ninth Master had died, few truly cared; the extended time spent inside was nothing more than a bout of revelry. Just as the bandits were joking and about to scatter, suddenly, a flash-like shadow darted through the void, landing instantly on one of them. With a whoosh, sharp claws drew a bloody mark across the bandit Cultivator¡¯s neck. Before that bandit could react, the ground where they stood suddenly quivered and collapsed violently. Several unprepared bandits fell straight down as a Pangolin, flickering with yellow light, burst out with scales sharp as blades, lunging directly at them. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°How audacious!¡± ¡°Demons Beasts have infiltrated! Everyone be careful¡­¡± ¡°First Gu, we¡¯ve been invaded.¡± The bandits scattered in all directions, avoiding the Pangolin¡¯s spell radius. However, a few bandits had just retreated to the edge of a nearby pond, still not having a clear view of the attacking Demon Beasts, when suddenly, they heard splashing from the water behind them. Splash! Then they saw two slender figures leap from the water, biting towards them. One was a slender Spiritual Snake, the other a ferocious Giant Crocodile. The Giant Crocodile opened its jaws wide and, with a crunch, bit a late-stage Qi Refinement Cultivator clean in half. That fellow was really out of luck, preoccupied with avoiding the sudden ground sinking spell launched by the Pangolin, he had not been on guard for Spiritual Beasts in the pond. On another side, the Spiritual Snake did not bite directly but instead sprayed out a large cloud of poison mist. In an instant, the poison engulfed several nearby bandits, and then, with a flash of movement, the snake ascended from below, climbing up the legs of one of the bandits poised to resist. With a bite on the arm, the potent venom entered the bandit¡¯s body, swiftly sapping his strength and leaving him twisted and broken, his body contorting into a twisted shape. ¡°Not good, it¡¯s poisonous.¡± Surprised by the poison mist, several Cultivators were struck, finding no need to inhale as the mere touch of the mist brought a numbing itch, compelling them to scratch incessantly. Once their skin was broken, more of the poison mist adhered instantly, numbing the afflicted flesh. At this time, the other Spiritual Beasts also seized the opportunity to launch their attacks, catching the bandits completely off guard and scoring successes beyond what Ma Jiu had previously anticipated. ¡°` After all, the addition of Qin Feng¡¯s several Qi Refining late stage Spiritual Beasts greatly increased their side¡¯s war power, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have so easily killed so many bandit cultivators. ¡°` ¡°` Amidst the chaos outside, a tall and thin silhouette quickly floated out from the largest cave. ¡°` ¡°` It was a young man with a sinister gaze, the leader of this group of bandit cultivators, Gu Cheng. ¡°` ¡°` He was the son of the previous leader, and after his father was ambushed and killed by the Zhang Family¡¯s conspiracy, he had deterred the remaining bandit cultivators with extremely ruthless methods, then personally led people to follow the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Zhang Family into the Ancient Battlefield. They risked triggering some dangerous prohibitions there, killing the two Foundation Establishment members of the Zhang Family, and then looted the Zhang Family clean. Only then did he truly secure his position as the head. ¡°` ¡°` He just didn¡¯t expect that it wouldn¡¯t be long before someone would strike at their hideout. ¡°` ¡°` Although it was the Spiritual Beasts that were currently killing, he knew for sure that these were beasts manipulated by people; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be such a variety of different types of Spiritual Beasts gathered here assaulting them. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciples?!¡± ¡°` ¡°` He quickly guessed the origin of these Spiritual Beasts, after all, the Zhang Family was also a vassal force of the Beast Taming Sect. ¡°` ¡°` He was secretly shocked at how quickly the disciples from the Beast Taming Sect had found their doorstep, somewhat disrupting his plans. ¡°` ¡°` However, when he discovered that there were only a few Qi Refining Realm Spiritual Beasts, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°` ¡°` It seemed that the Beast Taming Sect didn¡¯t take them seriously and hadn¡¯t sent any Foundation Establishment Cultivators over; otherwise, there would have been several Foundation Establishment Spirit Beasts appearing. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°What is there to fear, they¡¯re just some Qi Refining Realm Spiritual Beasts, kill them for me.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Gu Cheng bellowed, ready to gather his men and encircle those Spiritual Beasts. ¡°` ¡°` But he somewhat underestimated the strength of these Spiritual Beasts, especially the Green Fox with its Illusion Technique. Under the interference of its illusions, the other Spiritual Beasts could easily kill the bandit cultivators who failed to break free from the illusions. ¡°` ¡°` Consequently, quite a few bandit cultivators couldn¡¯t help but scream out, scattering and fleeing. ¡°` ¡°` However, before they could get far, they were stopped by spider webs blocking their path. A few unlucky ones didn¡¯t see the webs and crashed into them, immediately having their bodies corroded by the deadly poison of the webs, leaving black lines across their bodies. ¡°` ¡°` And one ran straight into the Ghost-Faced Spider itself, which spat out its web to firmly trap them and then bit them to death. ¡°` ¡°` Although this Ghost-Faced Spider¡¯s frontal combat ability wasn¡¯t as fierce as the other Spiritual Beasts¡¯, its early setup of spider webs to intercept those that attempted to flee proved extremely effective. ¡°` ¡°` Seeing that many places in the mountains and forests were entwined with spider silk, the bandit cultivators immediately changed their color. Had they been trapped like dumplings? ¡°` ¡°` A few cultivators suddenly released several Paper Kites. ¡°` ¡°` These were one-time use Flying Artifacts capable of carrying cultivators for hundreds of miles. ¡°` ¡°` Just as they had risen dozens of feet high, two bird cries suddenly came from above, and a great eagle and an Iron Feathered Eagle circled a few times, destroying the Paper Kites below them. Suspended in midair with no way to exert force, they were killed one by one by the two Spiritual Birds. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Idiots!¡± ¡°` ¡°` Ma Jiu snorted coldly. ¡°` ¡°` Daring to fly with such low-level artifacts in front of Beast Taming Sect disciples, weren¡¯t they asking for death? ¡°` ¡°` Gu Cheng¡¯s face became ugly. ¡°` ¡°` The severity of these Spiritual Beasts exceeded his imagination; after that round of slaughter, there were only about a dozen or so of his men left alive, some of which were wounded. ¡°` ¡°` Seeing as the Spiritual Beasts around them continued to launch attacks, apart from the Green Fox that constantly cast Illusion Techniques to disturb their spirit and prevent them from wholeheartedly defending against the Spiritual Beasts¡¯ assault, there was also a Spiritual Snake capable of spewing poison mist, shrouding a radius of more than a dozen zhang in a haze of venom. ¡°` ¡°` Even though they had taken Detoxification Pills, they dared not continue to remain within the poison fog, as these ordinary Detoxification Pills were not specific antidotes, and they would be unable to endure if they stayed longer. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Follow me, and let¡¯s break out!¡± ¡°` ¡°` Gu Cheng yelled, leading the remnants of his men towards the valley exit. ¡°` ¡°` At the mouth of the valley, Ma Jiu narrowed his eyes, eyeing the bandit cultivators who were both entangled with the Spiritual Beasts and retreating towards his direction. He suddenly regretted tricking Qin Feng into leaving. ¡°` ¡°` Among these bandit cultivators, there were three from the late stage of Qi Refining. If he wished to stop all the bandit cultivators, relying on just one Silver Wolf was not enough. ¡°` ¡°` Moreover, this Silver Wolf was his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, and he couldn¡¯t bear to let the Silver Wolf face so many bandit cultivators alone and risk being killed by some fatal tactic; he would be devastated. ¡°` ¡°` It seemed, it was time to unveil his true trump card. ¡°` Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 100 Soul Punishment Needle Chapter 101: Chapter 100 Soul Punishment Needle Ma Jiu took a deep breath, his Silver Wolf suddenly flashed and leapt into his body, instantly merging with him to transform into a werewolf with a head full of silver hair. At a distance, Qin Feng watched in astonishment. What¡¯s happening? Ma Jiu had actually merged with a Spiritual Beast. Although there were indeed a very few talented disciples in the Sect who could get ahead in cultivation, such as Fang Zheng and Qi Wushang, who could condense a Divine Power Seed during the Foundation Establishment Realm. Kong Xuan, Long Qian, and Wei Yan stood out from the Qi Refining Disciples and were hailed as geniuses precisely because they could merge with a Demon Beast one step earlier, even when they were in the Qi Refining Realm. Nevertheless, Qin Feng had never imagined that Ma Jiu could accomplish this feat as well. Such a thing was generally only seen among talented disciples; could it be that Ma Jiu was also a genius? But if he truly was a genius, why was he still struggling in the Qi Refining Realm? Qin Feng shook his head. There were many capable individuals in the Cultivation World, and everyone had their own fortunes. Although Ma Jiu was somewhat sly, it was not right to deny his efforts. Since Ma Jiu had cultivated to this level, he could certainly be considered a genius, albeit older than those young talents like Kong Xuan. Seeing all the bandit cultivators fleeing towards the valley entrance, Qin Feng no longer just stood by, but with a light tap of his foot, he flew several zhang and quickly headed towards the valley entrance. He did not take advantage of the chaos caused by Ma Jiu fighting the bandits to plunder their lair. It was better not to do such things when on a mission with fellow Sect members; otherwise, word would get out and tarnish his reputation within the Sect. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ma Jiu had no idea what Qin Feng was thinking, and even if he knew, he would not care because Gu Cheng and the others had already approached, viciously attacking him. Clearly, these bandit cultivators planned to repel, or even kill him, in order to carve out a path of survival for themselves. However, when a Beast Taming Sect disciple merges with their Lifebound Spiritual Beast, the result is not as simple as just adding two individuals together. At this moment, Ma Jiu¡¯s combat power soared multiple times. He himself had reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, and coupled with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast of the same Realm, although their merged form did not have as potent True Yuan as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, in terms of combat power alone, it was not much less than a cultivator who had just entered Foundation Establishment. Moreover, under such circumstances, he could also use the innate Divine Ability of the Silver Wolf¡ªIllusion Clone. Just as Gu Cheng, along with two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators wielding magic artifacts, combined forces to attack Ma Jiu, Ma Jiu¡¯s figure flashed, and in an instant, he split into three, each attacking the three bandit cultivators. Gu Cheng and his companions were taken aback; their joint effort instantly crumbled as they each wielded their magic artifacts to block the attacking Ma Jiu. With two bangs, two clones shattered, dissipating into nothingness. But at the same moment, a bandit cultivator to Gu Cheng¡¯s left suddenly let out a scream, having been caught off guard by Ma Jiu and sent flying with a swipe of a claw. Before the bandit cultivator could fall to the ground, a Giant Crocodile that had been relentlessly pursuing him lunged up and bit down hard. With a crunch, blood spurted out, and he was killed instantly by the Giant Crocodile¡¯s bite. The faces of Gu Cheng and the others changed again, not expecting to have one of their own cut down in just an exchange of blows. However, no matter how strong the opponent was, they had to exert all their strength to break through; this was their only way out. Thus, they all employed their abilities to the fullest, defending against the attacking Spiritual Beasts while also using Spirit Talismans and other magic artifacts against Ma Jiu. The leading Gu Cheng even emitted a dense Yin Evil Qi, transforming it into a huge hand with a radius of several zhang, reaching out from the sky towards Ma Jiu. ¡°Eh?¡± Ma Jiu¡¯s figure flickered like a silver phantom, retreating more than a dozen zhang in an instant, casting uncertain glances at Gu Cheng¡¯s Yin Evil Hand. Feeling the chilling Demonic Qi within, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver cross his face. ¡°This is a Demon Path technique; are you a Demon Cultivator?¡± Gu Cheng remained silent, grimly manipulating the large hand to strike again at Ma Jiu. The technique he cultivated was not something to be displayed openly, but now he had no choice but to use it. Otherwise, once his subordinates were killed, leaving him alone, he would definitely not be able to escape the besiegement of Ma Jiu and the many Spiritual Beasts. Moreover, having now used this technique, even if he couldn¡¯t kill Ma Jiu, he needed to escape the area quickly. Otherwise, once it became known that he practiced Demon Technique, he would undoubtedly become the target of many seeking his death. With this in mind, not only did Gu Cheng continue to direct the Yin Evil Demon Hand at Ma Jiu, but he also quietly released a dark light from his sleeve. This was the God Slaying Spear, a Demon Path magic artifact he had secretly refined, capable of wounding the Divine Soul. However, despite being somewhat surprised by his tactics, Ma Jiu was not the least bit fearful, but instead sneered, ¡°Boy, your Demon Path tricks might work on others, but they¡¯re not good enough against me.¡± As he spoke, his figure became like a beam of silver light, swiftly moving towards Gu Cheng and again creating two illusionary clones, making it difficult for Gu Cheng to discern which one was his true form. With a bang, the Yin Evil Demon Hand dispersed one of the illusionary clones, and the Soul Punishment Needle also pierced through another form. However, both were mere illusions; the real Ma Jiu had already closed in, his wolf claws lashing out like iron hooks towards Gu Cheng. A shock went through Gu Cheng¡¯s heart, not expecting his strongest measures to hit merely illusions. It was too late to recall the Yin Evil Demon Hand and the Soul Punishment Needle. With no time to dodge and other Spiritual Beasts striking at him from behind, he quickly took out a Spirit Talisman from his Storage Bag and activated it, forming a barrier of water light to protect himself. ¡°A mere second-order Spirit Talisman won¡¯t save your life.¡± Ma Jiu sneered coldly. His war power at this time was not much less than that of a cultivator who had just entered the Foundation Establishment, and with the assistance of other Spiritual Beasts, it would take just a moment with a single Defense Spiritual Talisman to overwhelm him. Moreover, Gu Cheng had the protection of a Spirit Talisman, while the other bandits did not. Ma Jiu¡¯s figure flashed, suddenly appearing in front of the other bandit cultivators, raised his sharp wolf claws, and plunged them into the opponent. He wasn¡¯t worried about Gu Cheng escaping, because as soon as he had entered the valley, Qin Feng¡¯s Ghost-Faced Spider had already started spinning webs at the valley entrance. Even if Gu Cheng used Yin Evil Ghost Hand to destroy the spider¡¯s silk, it would take some time, and with the extremely fast speed of Ma Jiu merged with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, that little bit of time was enough to intercept the bandit leader. Besides, Qin Feng had caught up by now. He didn¡¯t get too close either, to avoid being sneaked upon by Gu Cheng¡¯s God Slaying Spear; so he stayed far behind several Demon Beasts, releasing the Demon Slaying Saber to harass the bandits. There were only a few bandits left; although several of Qin Feng and his partner¡¯s Spiritual Beasts were also injured, it wasn¡¯t too serious. Victory was now assured¡ªeliminating these few bandits and relying solely on that bandit leader who practiced Demon Path Cultivation Methods would ensure his definite demise. Seeing this, Gu Cheng¡¯s eyes flashed with a fierce light, suddenly recalling the Yin Evil Demon Hand, merging all the Yin Evil Qi into himself. In an instant, his figure swelled greatly, his originally slender frame suddenly becoming muscular and immensely powerful. He then let out a roar and, ignoring the remaining few bandit cultivators, dashed toward the valley entrance. His figure was as quick as lightning and, in the blink of an eye, he had reached the entrance of the valley. Facing the dozens of webs spun by the Ghost-Faced Spider, he recklessly charged through. Bang, bang, bang! A few light sounds, and Gu Cheng forcibly broke through all the spider silk, turning into a black whirlwind, dashing out with a remarkable speed. ¡°Eh?¡± Ma Jiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not having expected this guy to have such a technique up his sleeve¡ªbeing able to draw Yin Evil into his body, temporarily enhancing his strength. While this method had severe side effects and would surely cause great damage to his body, at this moment, it had significantly boosted the bandit leader¡¯s strength, or else he wouldn¡¯t have easily broken through the Ghost-Faced Spider¡¯s silk. ¡°Junior Brother, you deal with these few bandits, I¡¯ll chase after him.¡± With that, Ma Jiu¡¯s figure flashed, pursuing with an equally high speed. Gu Cheng was the leader of these bandits, the one with the most treasures on him; Ma Jiu couldn¡¯t bear to let him just run away. Qin Feng agreed with a shout and turned to look at the few remaining bandit cultivators. With the most concerning bandit leader having fled, the rest were simply of no concern to him, and there was no need to be as cautious as before. The Swallowing Sky Toad, which had always been kept by his side for protection, finally showed its prowess, spitting out an Ice Spur directly piercing through one person, and then with its tongue flashing, it zapped the remaining bandit cultivators in cooperation with the other Spiritual Beasts in just a few moments. Qin Feng leisurely began to collect the spoils of the battle, waiting for Ma Jiu to return. Since the two of them killed these bandits together, he gathered the items, waiting to split them with Ma Jiu when he returned. A quarter of an hour later, Ma Jiu returned with a sulky look. ¡°What, he got away?¡± Qin Feng asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ma Jiu grunted: ¡°After all, I haven¡¯t reached Foundation Establishment, so I can¡¯t merge with a Spiritual Beast for too long, therefore, that guy got away. But, he first stimulated his potential with a secret technique, and then I caught up and injured him; he shouldn¡¯t get far. Let¡¯s quickly tidy up here and follow the trail; we might still catch him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Feng had no objections. Most disciples from the Beast Taming Sect have some tracking skills, otherwise, when encountering suitable Spiritual Beasts outside, it would be difficult not to know how to pursue. Besides, even if they didn¡¯t know how to track, it didn¡¯t matter because they had Spiritual Beasts. Many Spiritual Beasts had an innate sensitivity to various scents; unless that bandit leader knew some special Techniques to mask his scent, it would be hard for him to evade the pursuit of Spiritual Beasts. The two then hurried, not bothering to patiently erase the Divine Sense marks left on the storage bags of the bandit cultivators, directly and equally divided the Magic Artifacts, and the Spiritual Objects scavenged from the bandits¡¯ caves. They didn¡¯t haggle over who should get more and immediately set off in the direction the bandit leader had escaped. Considering that the guy was the bandit leader, the Spiritual Objects on him must be abundant, and capturing him would surely reap a good profit. Moreover, that bandit leader was related to the completion of their mission, and if they did not eliminate him, Qin Feng¡¯s task wouldn¡¯t be considered fully accomplished, reducing the Sect¡¯s reward by a lot. ps: Brothers, don¡¯t rush me; after finishing off the bandit cultivators, tomorrow I¡¯ll start writing the scenario about the Lifebound Spiritual Beast. After all, a Lifebound Spiritual Beast can¡¯t just pop out of nowhere; it always requires a scenario for buildup. Additionally, asking for a recommendation ticket, after all, writing books still requires everyone¡¯s support. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 101 Blood Demon Pill Chapter 102: Chapter 101 Blood Demon Pill ¡°Ssssss¡­¡± The Spiritual Snake was hissing as it quickly followed Gu Cheng¡¯s lingering scent, with Qin Feng and another person employing the Divine Movement Technique to keep up from behind. Although Ma Jiu¡¯s Silver Wolf was also a scent-sensitive Spiritual Beast, it was his Lifebound Spiritual Beast, and given Ma Jiu¡¯s cautious character, he certainly wouldn¡¯t let his Lifebound Spiritual Beast take the lead. Who knew if the Bandit Leader still had any lethal tricks up his sleeve? Currently, Ma Jiu was preparing for Foundation Establishment and was unwilling to risk his Lifebound Spiritual Beast getting injured. The two of them pressed on and chased for several dozen miles, nearing Liang City, yet they still hadn¡¯t caught up with their target. However, the Bandit Leader hadn¡¯t managed to shake them off either. After all, he had sustained severe injuries and could not possibly run very fast. If they continued at this pace, it wouldn¡¯t take long for the two to catch him. Yet, when they reached the foot of a mountain, they stopped and frowned as they looked around. Because from this point on, the scent of their quarry split in two and went off in different directions. ¡°Hmph, what good are these petty tricks?¡± Ma Jiu sneered, ¡°That guy mustn¡¯t be far from us, or else he wouldn¡¯t have detected us and wouldn¡¯t have used such a method to try to confuse and separate us. Junior brother, let¡¯s split up and pursue him, but be careful. Even though that man is severely injured, he might still have the strength to fight back. Don¡¯t let him catch you off guard.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, senior brother. I won¡¯t take it lightly.¡± Qin Feng agreed and went off to follow Gu Cheng¡¯s scent, heading north as Ma Jiu went south. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co His Spiritual Snake moved incredibly fast, its body raised high as if it was flying over the grass, a speed that even Qi Refining late-stage cultivators would struggle to match. To prevent ambush from Gu Cheng, Qin Feng didn¡¯t follow directly behind the Spiritual Snake. Instead, he settled on the back of a Spiritual Vulture, circling at a hundred zhang high. Even if the other wanted to ambush him, it was impossible; Spells from a Qi Refining cultivator couldn¡¯t reach such a height. Next to a withered tree covered with dead branches and leaves, Gu Cheng was hiding underground. He was in bad shape, his face was devoid of any color, his meridians inside his body were a tangled mess, and he had numerous other injuries that caused him pain like being scraped by a knife whenever he tried to mobilize his True Yuan. Gu Cheng knew that with his current condition it would be difficult to escape. That¡¯s why he had divided his scent, separating his two pursuers, planning to ambush and kill one of them here. Or even killing the Spiritual Beast they used to pursue him would do, buying him some more time to escape. As long as he could get into Chaotic Sky Valley, he was confident he could escape by making use of his familiarity with the Ancient Battlefield. Even if those Beast Taming Sect disciples dared to pursue him into it, he could use the dangers of the Ancient Battlefield to his advantage to trap kill them, just as he had with the Zhang Family¡¯s two Foundation Establishment Cultivators. But when he saw, through a slit he had left, that the Spiritual Snake was not followed by Beast Taming Sect disciples, he was momentarily dumbfounded. Squinting for a good while, he finally spotted Qin Feng sitting atop a Spiritual Vulture in mid-air. ¡°Despicable scoundrel!¡± Gu Cheng was nearly exploded with rage. He was already so badly injured, yet Qin Feng was still so cautious, not even giving him a chance for a sneak attack. Were all the cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect this cunning? Using a Spiritual Beast to chase after him while hiding himself in mid-air, this move made Gu Cheng feel so frustrated he wanted to spit blood. However, even though Qin Feng wasn¡¯t coming down, he had no choice but to take action. The Spiritual Snake had begun to circle the area, sensing that the enemy was near. Gu Cheng had obscured his own scent and laid down some tricks nearby, so the snake hadn¡¯t found him yet. But as the Spiritual Snake continued to narrow its search, it was only a matter of time before it would find him. In midair, Qin Feng clearly sensed something was wrong as well. He understood, via the waves of intent from the Spiritual Snake, that the Bandit Leader was hiding right here. ¡°Retreat!¡± Qin Feng commanded the Spiritual Snake. Since that guy was hiding here, he was in no hurry now. He planned to release all of his Spiritual Beasts to force the enemy into the open and have several beasts launch a group attack, which was better than letting the Spiritual Snake face the Bandit Leader alone. If the enemy refused to show himself, he would instruct the Ghost-Faced Spider to weave a Spider Web Great Array around the area. He refused to believe that the Bandit Leader, with his severe injuries, could easily break through the Ghost-Faced Spider¡¯s web. But the moment the Spiritual Snake pulled back, Gu Cheng couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. With a ¡®bang¡¯, he burst out from under the dead branches and leaves, his figure shot out like a ghostly shadow towards the Spiritual Snake, holding a Flame Saber in his hand and slashing at the snake¡¯s body. Had it been one of Qin Feng¡¯s other Spiritual Beasts, it would have likely not been able to dodge this sudden sneak attack. Yet the Spiritual Snake was known for its speed, and in the blink of an eye, it twisted its body and narrowly avoided Gu Cheng¡¯s strike, instinctively spraying a puff of poisonous mist at him. ¡°Damn it!¡± Gu Cheng cursed under his breath, not expecting that the Spiritual Snake¡¯s sudden retreat would cause his sure-kill strike to miss its mark, and the snake actually dodged it. Seeing the poisonous mist about to reach him, Gu Cheng quickly dodged, which in turn provided the Spiritual Snake with a chance to recover. By the time he advanced and swung his saber again, he had lost the advantage of his surprise attack. With the snake¡¯s speed, he found it difficult to kill it in a fleeting moment. Qin Feng quickly directed the Spiritual Vulture to land, then released several other Spiritual Beasts, ordering them to surround and attack Gu Cheng. Gu Cheng saw that the situation was dire and turned to flee. But he had only escaped a hundred meters when he stopped on his own initiative. With his current condition, he couldn¡¯t run for long, and the spiritual beasts behind him kept unleashing spells from time to time, forcing him to dodge left and right. When he couldn¡¯t dodge, he had to exert himself to block the spells, which significantly slowed his escape. Gu Cheng, with no other choice, turned back to look at the pursuing spiritual beasts, then glanced at Qin Feng who was following far behind. He shouted, ¡°Kid, what skill is there in fighting me with spiritual beasts? If you have the guts, come at me yourself, and let me see if your Beast Taming Sect has any other capabilities!¡± Qin Feng looked at him as if he were an idiot: ¡°Are you crazy? You know I¡¯m a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect and yet you still expect me to abandon my spiritual beasts to fight you in close combat?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Cheng was furious, and just as he was about to yell, his vision blurred and he saw the Green Fox transform into a massive three-tailed fox demon with an intimidating presence, looking down at him. ¡°Not good!¡± Gu Cheng was startled, knowing he had fallen for an illusion technique. He hurriedly cast a spell to steady his spirit, but as soon as he broke free from the illusion¡¯s influence, he saw a giant crocodile, several meters long, fiercely pouncing at him. The sight of the giant crocodile¡¯s gaping maw filled with thick, six-inch-long teeth sent a chill through his heart. No longer at his peak, Gu Cheng didn¡¯t dare to meet the giant crocodile¡¯s attack head-on. He swiftly moved aside, only to be met by a sharp ice spur. With a loud bang, his Flame Saber shattered the ice spur, but a burst of spider silk threatened to wrap around him from the side. As he tried to dodge to the left, he saw the Spiritual Snake already spewing poison mist in that direction. The Swallowing Sky Toad, Green Fox, Giant Crocodile, Spiritual Snake, and Ghost-Faced Spider¡ªfive late-stage Qi Refining Spiritual Beasts attacking at the same time¡ªGu Cheng, severely injured as he was, couldn¡¯t have withstood their assault even at his best, let alone now. Ultimately, he failed to evade all attacks and was struck by the Giant Crocodile¡¯s thick tail, flung over thirty meters away, and brutally smashed into the ground. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Blood spewed from Gu Cheng¡¯s mouth as he roared, ¡°You forced me to do this, kid! Even if I die, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡± As he spoke, he pulled out a pitch-black vial, poured out a blood-red elixir pill, and swallowed it. Soon, violent energy surged through his body, and his strength astonishingly returned to its peak within a short time, even seemingly stronger. ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve driven me to this point; I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Gu Cheng¡¯s eyes bloodshot, he stared intently at Qin Feng and charged toward him. The Giant Crocodile lunged forward, opening its jaws to bite him. ¡°Get lost!¡± Gu Cheng raised his sword and slashed at the Giant Crocodile. With a bang, a wave of Flame Saber Qi forcefully sent the Giant Crocodile flying several meters away, causing it to bleed profusely, nearly splitting it in two. Gu Cheng then made a mad dash toward Qin Feng. His heart was filled with hatred, wanting nothing more than to tear Qin Feng to pieces. With his current physical condition, taking the Blood Demon Pill, a violently potent elixir, was tantamount to suicide. But he was ruthless, resolved to drag down the person who drove him to this point even in his dying moments. However, before he could reach Qin Feng, he saw Qin Feng suddenly motion with his hand, calling down the hovering Spiritual Vulture from above, leaping onto its back and soaring high into the air. ¡°Ah ah ah¡­¡± Gu Cheng was almost driven mad, his Flame Saber releasing several strands of Sword Energy from afar, but he wasn¡¯t even able to hit the tail of the Spiritual Vulture. With red eyes, he cursed, ¡°Kid, if you have the guts, come down and fight me for three hundred rounds! What kind of skill is hiding up there?¡± Qin Feng chuckled, ¡°No hurry. I¡¯m not one to take advantage of others. Seeing you¡¯re badly wounded, I¡¯ll give you some time to recover your injuries. After an hour, I¡¯ll come down and fight you to the death.¡± Upon hearing these words, Gu Cheng couldn¡¯t hold back the raging anger in his heart any longer, and spewed out a mouthful of blood. He wouldn¡¯t last half an hour, let alone a quarter of it. Once the power of the Blood Demon Pill wore off, he¡¯d be like a lamb to the slaughter. No matter how Gu Cheng taunted and cursed from below, Qin Feng wouldn¡¯t come down. Let him curse. Once his peak condition passed, I will make him pay a hundredfold. Qin Feng was cunning. Not only did he refrain from going down himself, but he also did not allow the Swallowing Sky Toad and others to attack proactively. Unless Gu Cheng attacked them, these Spiritual Beasts would just roam around him, waiting for his fall. Now, there was no need to sacrifice his spiritual beasts anymore, just waiting for the Bandit Leader to die would suffice. True to prediction, not even half an hour had passed when the once vigorous Gu Cheng quickly dissipated his energy and wilted. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground, his body penetrated by several Ice Spurs from the Swallowing Sky Toad. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 102: Witnessed Something Shocking Chapter 103: Chapter 102: Witnessed Something Shocking After confirming that Gu Cheng was indeed dead, Qin Feng landed and decisively picked up the other¡¯s Flame Saber, collected his Storage Bag, and searched his body thoroughly. Ensuring there was no treasure left behind, he then swung the newly-acquired Flame Saber, releasing several streaks of Flame Saber Qi to incinerate Gu Cheng¡¯s physical body to ashes. Next, he recalled the few Spiritual Beasts, while using his True Yuan to erase the lingering Divine Sense mark on Gu Cheng¡¯s Storage Bag, leisurely heading back the way he came. He wasn¡¯t in a rush to meet up with Ma Jiu; if Ma Jiu sensed something was amiss, he would naturally follow. Qin Feng now planned to first inspect what good items the Bandit Leader¡¯s Storage Bag contained. A quarter of an hour later, the mark on the Storage Bag was erased by his True Yuan, and upon probing its contents with his Divine Sense, he couldn¡¯t help but feel elated. This guy was truly worthy of being the Bandit Cultivators¡¯ leader, as there were quite a few valuable items inside the Storage Bag. Even a rough count totaled at least two to three thousand Spirit Stones. He reached into the Storage Bag and took out a pitch-black vial¡ªthis was precisely the container for the blood-colored elixir that Gu Cheng had taken earlier. Opening the vial, a bloody, sweetly sickening scent immediately wafted out. ¡°Could this be the Blood Demon Pill of the Blood Demon Sect?¡± Qin Feng muttered. The Blood Demon Pill was a nefarious elixir that could burn one¡¯s essence blood to temporarily increase strength. He had never seen this kind of pill before, yet he had read many books in the Scripture Pavilion detailing various elixirs¡¯ effects, and the effects after the Bandit Leader swallowed the pill bore a striking resemblance to those of the Blood Demon Pill mentioned in the records. This was the depth of heritage of a long-standing, reputable sect. Ordinary Loose Cultivators, with only hearsay to guide them, certainly wouldn¡¯t know so many secretive matters. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Qin Feng glanced at the vial and saw there were still eight Blood Demon Pills left. He didn¡¯t pay much mind and casually stored them away. He wasn¡¯t willing or daring to consume such evil elixirs; it would be better to have someone appraise them once he returned and then see if he could sell them. Just as he was happily inspecting the other Spiritual Objects in the Storage Bag, he suddenly heard voices not far away. Initially, Qin Feng didn¡¯t pay much attention; it was normal for Cultivators to be near Liang City. However, once he heard the words ¡°Golden Light Cave,¡± he became instantly alert. The Golden Light Cave of Taiyi Mountain and their Beast Taming Sect were sworn enemies; the enmity between the Sects ran deep, and it was not uncommon for their Disciples to kill each other. Encountering them alone was not a good thing; if killed, he might not even have a place to bury his corpse. Qin Feng quickly concealed his aura, and with a flicker, silently hid behind a bush. Being too close, he didn¡¯t dare to flee. Whether it was releasing the Spiritual Vulture to ascend or using a Spell to escape, any of those actions would cause fluctuations in Spiritual Energy, which would definitely attract the attention of the Golden Light Cave Disciples. Shortly after hiding, Qin Feng peeked through the bushes and vaguely saw two figures approaching. It was a man and a woman; the man had a tall stature and handsome appearance, exuding a sense of righteousness like a young talent. The girl, dressed in a light blue garment, was pretty and delicate, with the aura of a gentle young lady. Then he heard the girl in blue speaking, ¡°Senior Brother, we¡¯ve been together for so long; when do you plan to ask my father for my hand in marriage?¡± The man glanced at her and said softly, ¡°Junior Sister, you know how I feel. I, Zhuo Feifan, am not heartless. My affection for you comes from the heart.¡± ¡°I naturally know this, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be with you¡­¡± The woman said this much, a few shades of red blossoming on her face, feeling shy in her heart, so she didn¡¯t continue speaking. Zhuo Feifan then said, ¡°Junior Sister, I¡¯m aware of your affections for me. In truth, I should have asked for your hand in marriage much earlier. But as you know, in two more years, it will be time for our lineage to compete for the position of True Disciple. Right now, I cannot afford to be distracted. If the elders of our sect ever think that I am less dedicated to the Sword Dao than Senior Brother Chen, they will definitely favor him. Although my master is quite fond of me, at my insistence, he has passed on the ¡®Taiyin Golden Light Evil Slayer Sword Technique¡¯ to me. However, this sword technique is profound and mysterious; who knows how long it will take to master it to great success, and similarly, Senior Brother Chen and the others are not lacking in profound sword techniques.¡± As he talked, a surge of pride filled Zhuo Feifan¡¯s heart, ¡°Since childhood, the master took me under his wing. After a decade of rigorous training, I have made significant achievements in the Sword Dao, defeating nineteen fellow disciples in the sect competition, and being recognized as one of the most likely candidates for the True Discipleship. All these, I fought for on my own. But what about Senior Brother Chen? Just because he is of the direct lineage of the Chen Family and the grandson of Elder Chen, not only does he have access to far more cultivation resources than I do, many elders seem to favor him, wanting to reserve the position of True Disciple for him. Thus, Junior Sister, now is not the time to reveal our relationship. Everything must prioritize the position of True Disciple. Junior Sister, you should be able to understand my painstaking efforts, right?¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°The reason I came here this time is because I received news that someone has discovered an Ancient Spirit Sword on the Ancient Battlefield. Based solely on the ¡®Taiyin Golden Light Evil Slayer Sword Technique¡¯, I don¡¯t have absolute confidence that I could suppress Senior Brother Chen and the others. But if I could obtain the Spirit Sword and gain its recognition, leveraging the power of the Ancient Spirit Sword, I could definitely stand out upon returning and seize the position of True Disciple. Once I become a True Disciple, I would then have the qualifications to contend for the next Sect Leader. After a few hundred years, it¡¯s not impossible for me to become the new Sect Leader of the Golden Light Cave.¡± Qin Feng hid himself dozens of yards away. Although the two individuals were speaking softly, his Divine Sense was acute and his hearing extraordinary, so he could hear them clearly. He was secretly astonished; this Zhuo Feifan actually had hopes of seizing the position of True Disciple of the Golden Light Cave. It seemed this man was indeed a genius. With this thought, he became even more careful in concealing himself. Fortunately, the cultivation of those two disciples from Taiyi Mountain¡¯s Golden Light Cave, though higher than his, was only at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. Such cultivators usually wouldn¡¯t carelessly extend their Divine Sense unless necessary, so they did not detect Qin Feng hiding behind the bushes dozens of yards away. After listening to Zhuo Feifan, the woman in the green dress lowered her head in silence for a moment, without speaking. Zhuo Feifan¡¯s face was full of tenderness, ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t you trust me? Everything I¡¯m doing now is for your sake! Once I become a True Disciple in two years, I will certainly propose to your family honorably, which is far better than marrying an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple right now. Perhaps, in the future, I might even make you the Sect Leader¡¯s Wife. Junior Sister, you will support me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, of course I will support you.¡± The woman in the green dress said, ¡°But you previously said that once you succeeded in Foundation Establishment, you would propose to my family, and now you¡¯re¡­¡± Zhuo Feifan¡¯s expression became somewhat embarrassed, and he subconsciously smoothed his robe, saying, ¡°That¡­ haven¡¯t I already explained? Junior Sister, wait for me for two more years. Once I have become a True Disciple, I will grandly propose to your family. By then, your father will surely be pleased that you have found such a good husband.¡± He said this with full confidence, as if the position of True Disciple was within easy reach. However, instead of showing any sign of joy, the green-clad young woman¡¯s face was on the verge of tears, ¡°But, but I can¡¯t wait any longer, Senior Brother, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m already with child.¡± ¡°With child, what do you mean with child?¡± Zhuo Feifan looked puzzled, glancing at the young woman in green with confusion. ¡°I¡¯m already pregnant, and I can¡¯t even wait a few months, let alone two years for you,¡± sobbed the girl. ¡°Senior Brother, if you don¡¯t marry me now, how am I supposed to return to the Mountain Gate with a belly? How can I face anyone? My dad cares most about face. If he finds out that I¡¯m pregnant before marriage, he will definitely kick me out of the house.¡± Zhuo Feifan felt like his head had been struck by a bolt of lightning upon hearing her words and was utterly flabbergasted, ¡°You you you, you¡¯re pregnant?¡± He grabbed the girl¡¯s wrist and probed into her body with his True Yuan. In an instant, he discovered that what she was saying was indeed true. This revelation left him speaking incoherently, ¡°The last time we were together was before I went into seclusion for cultivation, and it¡¯s been over four months since then. That means you¡¯ve been pregnant for more than four months. Even if we get married right now, you will give birth in less than half a year. If¡­ if this gets out, my reputation will be ruined. The disciples who support Senior Brother Chen will definitely start rumors, and even if my strength exceeds theirs, the Elders in the Sect might consider the impact and exclude me from the True Disciples.¡± ¡°Damn, this is huge news!¡± Hidden behind the bushes, Qin Feng was thrilled to hear this, almost losing control of his breath and revealing himself. He couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Zhuo Feifan, surprised that this guy actually managed to secretly knock up his own Junior Sister. Heh, you¡¯re afraid of it getting out, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t worry, when I get back, I¡¯ll definitely spread the word among our fellow disciples. By then, someone is sure to spread it all the way to your Taiyi Mountain. Zhuo Feifan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly seized the girl by her shoulders, pulled her fragile body in front of him, and barked, ¡°We¡¯ll go to Liang City later, and I¡¯ll buy some abortion pills for you to take. You must drink them and abort the child. This is not the time to have a child. It absolutely cannot be born. Otherwise, all my hard work and effort over the years will be wasted. My reputation, my future¡ªI¡¯ve cultivated painstakingly for over a decade and have finally achieved what I have now. I can¡¯t let the little bastard inside you ruin it all.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± The girl in the green dress screamed, pushing Zhuo Feifan¡¯s hand away angrily, ¡°This is our child, your son, and you call him a bastard and ask me to abort him?¡± She was furious, ¡°No, I won¡¯t abort him. I can feel him inside my belly; he¡¯s flesh and blood connected to my veins. I won¡¯t do it, I won¡¯t. Senior Brother, this is our child. How can you be so heartless as to say such things?¡± ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Zhuo Feifan shouted, ¡°This is not the time for you to be petulant; that child must be aborted, otherwise, I¡¯ll lose my reputation and my future. I¡¯m still vying for the position of True Disciple. Do you know how important the True Disciple of the Golden Light Cave is, how prestigious Taiyi Mountain is in the outside world? Once I become a True Disciple, next I could vie for the Sect Leader¡¯s position. Once I become the Sect Leader, all the disciples of the Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave will heed my command, and I will have my pick of all the cultivation resources. So, for the sake of my reputation, this disaster cannot be allowed to remain.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, what are you talking about?¡± The green-dressed girl stood there dumbfounded, saying, ¡°Is the position of True Disciple really that important? Can¡¯t you still cultivate if you¡¯re not a True Disciple? Why must you contend for those things? Senior Brother, come back with me. Let¡¯s go and explain everything to father right now. Father still loves me, and as long as we make things clear, he will agree to our marriage.¡± ¡°No, becoming a True Disciple has been my long-cherished wish, and I will not give up. In our Taiyi Mountain, from the Sect Leader to the various Hall Masters, they have always been chosen from among the True Disciples. Without becoming a True Disciple, no matter how high one¡¯s cultivation is, at most one could only become an ordinary Elder. How could one even compare with those Hall Masters who wield great power?¡± Zhuo Feifan¡¯s face turned an iron blue, ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t be reckless, we must prioritize the overall situation right now!¡± ¡°The overall situation? What overall situation?¡± The girl in green wept, ¡°I don¡¯t care about any overall situation, I¡¯m going back now. I will tell father to arrange our wedding, and I am determined to give birth to our child.¡± Having said that, she turned and mounted her Flying Sword, ready to leave on her sword. ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Zhuo Feifan was shocked and hurriedly shouted, ¡°Come back, let¡¯s talk nicely. If it comes to it, once I become a True Disciple, we can have more children. You, don¡¯t go, do you hear me? Damn it, are you intent on ruining my future?¡± Seeing the girl disregarding his words and preparing to leave on her own accord with her Flying Sword, a surge of anger filled his heart. His originally handsome face contorted with ferocity. He pointed a finger and a Flying Sword flew at high speed towards the girl in green, intending to intercept her. However, the girl was clearly distraught and did not expect her Senior Brother to harm her, so she did not dodge. Then there was a ¡®pu chi¡¯ sound¡ªthe Flying Sword had pierced through her, chilling her to the core. ¡°Senior¡­ Senior Brother, you¡¯re killing me?¡± The girl fell to the ground, her face full of disbelief, ¡°You actually used the Haoyang Sword I gave you to kill me? Senior Brother, your heart is so cruel¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, she spat out a mouthful of scorching hot blood and fell dead to the ground. Zhuo Feifan was also stunned and stammered, ¡°Junior Sister, I, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Why didn¡¯t you dodge?¡± Unfortunately, his Junior Sister could no longer hear his words. Zhuo Feifan looked at the corpse of his Junior Sister blankly; after a long while, a fierce look crossed his face, ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t blame me, I didn¡¯t mean to kill you intentionally. I only drew my sword to make you stop. I thought you would dodge. Who knew you would be so foolish? You are already dead now, and you surely wouldn¡¯t want me to bear the guilt of killing a fellow disciple. Since your heart was favorable towards me, you should consider my position. I, I had no other choice.¡± While speaking, he stepped forward and drew out the Haoyang Sword from the girl¡¯s chest. Then he took out a razor-sharp beast claw from his Storage Bag and plunged it fiercely into the girl¡¯s wound, erasing the traces of his Sword Energy and making it look as if she had been killed by a Demon Beast. From behind the bushes, Qin Feng felt a shiver run through his spirit. This guy, he truly is ruthless. Just then, a small green bird flew in, circling in midair, and landed in front of the bushes where Qin Feng was hiding, opening its goose-yellow beak to emit several clear chirps. This was Ma Jiu¡¯s Communication Bird, clearly, he had realized he was following the wrong direction and had sent the Communication Bird to find where Qin Feng was. Damn! Qin Feng¡¯s heart almost leaped out of his chest, and he hastily gestured to the green bird to quickly leave. Unfortunately, it was too late. Zhuo Feifan¡¯s cold and sharp eyes had already fixed on the green bird. He felt the bird radiated Spiritual Energy and his Divine Sense instinctively swept over the bird, and then he discovered Qin Feng crouched behind the bushes. Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Righteous and Stern Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Righteous and Stern ¡°Run!¡± The thought flashed through Qin Feng¡¯s mind, and without a second thought, he darted out of the bushes, moving as fast as lightning to escape. With a whoosh. Just as he left, the bushes where he had been hiding were slashed by a sword light, which then exploded, slicing everything in that area into pieces, including Ma Jiu¡¯s Communication Spirit Bird, which was killed by the Sword Qi. Qin Feng felt the sharpness of the sword light behind him and couldn¡¯t help feeling terrified in his heart. Without a second word, he took out the Golden Armor Talisman, a second-tier Spirit Talisman he had bought earlier for protection, and activated it. In an instant, the Golden Armor covered his body, and just then, the Flying Sword struck again. Fortunately, he had the protection of the Spiritual Power Golden Armor, which managed to block Zhuo Feifan¡¯s Flying Sword; otherwise, the sword would have cut him in half. However, since sword cultivators¡¯ attacks are sharp, if he let the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword strike continuously, it would break through his Golden Armor in no time, and his speed of escape would definitely not match the speed of the opponent¡¯s Sword Controlling flight. Therefore, Qin Feng flipped his palm and took out the Heavenly Thunder Talisman meant for attack, poured his True Yuan into it, and with a loud boom, a thunderbolt struck down towards Zhuo Feifan. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Zhuo Feifan was a Sword Cultivator. Aside from his life-bound Flying Sword, he had no other Spiritual Artifacts with him. With his power, whether it was calling back his Flying Sword for defense or dodging, neither would have been a problem. However, he suddenly realized that someone had seen all his previous actions, causing great turmoil in his spirits. His mind was filled with thoughts of killing to silence the person, and he completely failed to anticipate that this minor Qi Refining Realm cultivator could counterattack under his Flying Sword. By the time Qin Feng activated the Heavenly Thunder Talisman, it was too late for Zhuo to dodge, and in haste, he could only muster up the Sword Dao True Essence within his body to form a layer of defense in front. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co But the hastily set-up Defensive Magic clearly couldn¡¯t withstand the thunderbolt. It directly broke through his defense and struck him. However, as the Heavenly Thunder broke through his defense, it also used up a great deal of its force, so although it still caused him to spit blood and sustain injuries, the injuries were not severe, just extremely embarrassing. His complexion was dark, his hair stood on end, and smoke was emanating from his body. He had a cold expression, filled with anger, and also a hint of panic. He must kill this disciple of the Beast Taming Sect; otherwise, once he let the news out, even if most of the disciples of Taiyi Mountain wouldn¡¯t believe the words of a Beast Taming Sect disciple, it would not prevent his rivals from using it to slander him. Moreover, Junior Sister¡¯s father was one of the Elders in the Sect, with exceptional strength. If he began to suspect him, there were plenty of ways to make him confess the truth. Furthermore, although he had sabotaged Junior Sister¡¯s injury, the fetus in her womb was intact¡ªsomething he hadn¡¯t thought of until now, presenting a huge flaw. It seemed he still needed to find a way to destroy all evidence. He controlled his Flying Sword and slashed towards Qin Feng repeatedly. Even though Qin Feng defended from left to right, he couldn¡¯t possibly block his Sword Light, and soon he would break through the defensive Golden Armor on the opponent¡¯s body. Just when Qin Feng was out of options, suddenly a wolf howl came from afar, followed by the appearance of Ma Jiu. ¡°Hey, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from Taiyi Mountain?¡± Ma Jiu had initially thought Qin Feng was still with that Bandit Leader in Great Capital, but immediately noticed something was off. Upon closer inspection, he was shocked. However, seeing that Qin Feng could still hold on for the moment, and noticing Zhuo Feifan looking somewhat embarrassed, Ma Jiu quickly weighed his options mentally and felt confident that with his trump cards, he had a good chance of rescuing Qin Feng from the opponent¡¯s hands, perhaps even repelling him. With that thought, he no longer hesitated. The Silver Wolf beneath him merged into his body, integrating humans and beasts into a werewolf, and then with a flash of his figure, he pounced towards Zhuo Feifan with extreme speed. ¡°Uh, another one came, and he can even perform the Human-Beast Integration technique?¡± Although Zhuo Feifan was somewhat surprised, he prided himself on his mastery of the Sword Dao and did not take the two Qi Refining Realm cultivators seriously. He manipulated the sword technique with his hand, pointed his finger, and the Flying Sword, carrying fierce Sword Qi, slashed toward the charging Ma Jiu. However, his expression soon changed. He saw Ma Jiu¡¯s figure flicker, displaying the Clone Illusion, and three figures simultaneously pounced toward him. Although his Flying Sword pierced one of the illusions, the remaining two figures had already closed in. Zhuo Feifan¡¯s talent in the Sword Dao was high, and his cultivation was not bad either, but his combat experience was far less than that of an old hand like Ma Jiu, which allowed Ma Jiu to easily get close to him. Ma Jiu¡¯s hands turned into wolf claws, and with a puchi sound, he tore through Zhuo Feifan¡¯s defensive magic, striking him hard. If it weren¡¯t for the strong defense of his magic robe, he might have been killed by Ma Jiu on the spot. Nonetheless, having higher cultivation, Zhuo Feifan quickly reacted, immediately controlling his Flying Sword to protect himself tightly, not giving Ma Jiu another chance to approach, while also activating a Communication Talisman, calling for fellow disciples to come and help. He was a potential True Disciple, naturally surrounded by many fellow disciples willing to be on good terms, even to follow him, so that as he grew stronger, those fellow disciples could also rise with the tide. Thus, when he came to the Ancient Battlefield this time, he was accompanied by several fellow disciples, brothers and sisters; it was just that earlier, he had gone out for a walk with a junior sister, and there was no need to bring along those fellow disciples. Now that they received his message, several sword lights quickly flew out from Liang City, speeding toward this area. Seeing this, Ma Jiu felt shocked, swiftly launched several fierce attacks, pushing Zhuo Feifan back a few steps, then took the opportunity to throw several talismans all at once at Zhuo Feifan, afterwards retreating while pulling Qin Feng to run. However, those few talismans Ma Jiu used were just ordinary first-grade superior ones, with limited power, so naturally, they could not injure Zhuo Feifan but merely delayed him for a few moments. By that time, the several sword lights had already reached close by. Several disciples from Taiyi Mountain, witnessing this scene, were all shocked and quickly landed, asking, ¡°Junior Brother Zhuo, what happened?¡± Zhuo Feifan coughed lightly a few times, secretly circulated his True Yuan, sending a shock through his viscera, forcing himself to spit out a mouthful of blood, then said, ¡°I was walking here with the junior sister, when suddenly two cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect launched a sneak attack. The junior sister¡­ she¡­¡± At this point, tears rolled down from Zhuo Feifan¡¯s eyes, and he fiercely slapped his own face, his expression full of pain and self-blame: ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I failed to protect the junior sister, she has already been killed by the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Junior Sister Jiang was killed?¡± The cultivators were shocked and furious, their anger boiling: ¡°The disciples of the Beast Taming Sect have gone too far, daring to sneak attack the genius of our Taiyi Mountain. They must be jealous of Junior Brother Zhuo¡¯s exceptional talent, wanting to ruin the life of our sect¡¯s genius and cut off the roots of our sect¡¯s rise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste time talking, hurry up and chase after them, kill those two to avenge our junior brother and Junior Sister Jiang!¡± ¡°Yes, revenge, kill them.¡± Several disciples immediately deployed their Flying Swords, preparing to chase and kill the two disciples of the Beast Taming Sect. ¡°Junior Brother Zhuo, you are injured, just stay here, we are enough to chase them.¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhuo Feifan spoke righteously, ¡°What¡¯s a minor injury? The pain in my body is nothing compared to the agony of watching the junior sister die before my eyes. I must personally kill the one who killed the junior sister, to avenge her and wash away the hatred.¡± Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Entering the Ancient Battlefield Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Entering the Ancient Battlefield Zhuo Feifan certainly did not trust his fellow disciples to go and kill Qin Feng. If they were not efficient and gave Qin Feng a chance to speak up, revealing his past misdeeds, it would be an immense trouble for him. However, to the ears of his fellow disciples, his words were quite reassuring. ¡°Good, we indeed did not misjudge. Junior Brother Zhuo truly is a man of integrity and loyalty.¡± Surrounded by his fellow disciples, Zhuo Feifan took off his magic robe, laid it over the body of the girl on the ground, picked her up, placed her in his storage bag, and then led the group in pursuit of Qin Feng and Ma Jiu. Ahead, Qin Feng and Ma Jiu were each riding a spiritual bird in desperate escape. But the spiritual birds they rode were, after all, not as strong and could fly long distances but could not match the speed of the sword cultivators following them. As such, it did not take long for several cultivators from Taiyi Mountain to close in to within a few hundred yards. Ma Jiu looked back, his face filled with helplessness: ¡°Junior Brother, why in the world did you provoke these guys for nothing? Sure, our Beast Taming Sect and Taiyi Mountain Golden Light Cave are sworn enemies, but you have to consider the strength of your opponent too!¡± Qin Feng gave a wry smile: ¡°I certainly know my own limits; why would I provoke a Foundation Establishment cultivator deliberately? I was hiding well, but then your communication spirit bird suddenly came looking for me and that¡¯s how he discovered me.¡± Hearing this, Ma Jiu was speechless; it turned out he was part of the reason. But now was not the time to assign blame. Seeing the sword cultivators behind them getting closer, he quickly said, ¡°Junior Brother Qin, let¡¯s split up and run. Whether or not we can survive will depend on our luck.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Qin Feng didn¡¯t say more, just nodded in agreement. Even if he stayed with Ma Jiu, it would be of no use since Ma Jiu, despite being able to merge with spiritual beasts, had not yet reached Foundation Establishment and couldn¡¯t defeat those sword cultivators. Rather than drag Ma Jiu down with him, it was better to escape separately. Zhuo Feifan would certainly focus his attention on him, and most of the sword cultivators by his side would also remain with him. With Ma Jiu¡¯s strength and his cunning nature, he had a good chance of escaping. As for himself? Qin Feng clenched his teeth and, with a determined heart, directed the vulture toward Chaotic Sky Valley. There lay the entrance to the Ancient Battlefield. The Ancient Battlefield was fraught with danger, and usually, he would not consider entering. But now that he couldn¡¯t escape, he decided to put himself at death¡¯s door to seek life afterward, trying to use the dangers of the Ancient Battlefield to evade the pursuers behind him. He looked back and indeed, Zhuo Feifan and the four sword cultivators with him were in pursuit of him, with only two going after Ma Jiu. Zhuo Feifan and his people clearly saw what he was planning, their faces showing cold smiles. Their sword-controlling flight was extremely fast, far surpassing Qin Feng¡¯s spiritual vulture, confident they could intercept him before he entered Chaotic Sky Valley. Qin Feng¡¯s heart was pounding with urgency; if truly caught up by the enemy, he would have no chance of survival. But no matter how much he urged, the spiritual vulture couldn¡¯t fly any faster. Just when he was on pins and needles, a flash of spirit light suddenly appeared in his mind, reminding him of that bottle of Blood Demon Pills. Although the side effects were very severe, in critical moments, the pills could still serve as a lifesaving remedy. Since the Bandit Cultivator could consume it, presumably Spiritual Beasts could do the same. He flipped his hand, took out a Blood Demon Pill, poured one out, and directly stuffed it into the beak of the Spiritual Vulture, making it swallow. Soon, a layer of blood glow emerged on the body of the Spiritual Vulture that had eaten the Blood Demon Pill. Its aura surged wildly, and with a flap of its wings, the sound of wind whooshed, its speed significantly faster than before. Although he had not yet managed to shake off the Sword Cultivators behind him, he was able to maintain a considerable distance, making it difficult for them to approach. ¡°Dammit, what¡¯s going on here?¡± Zhuo Feifan¡¯s face was ashen as he watched the Spiritual Vulture in front suddenly pick up speed, and he was extremely irritated inside. ¡°Junior Brother, there¡¯s no need to worry. That kid must have used some secret technique to stimulate potential, which is why that Spiritual Bird¡¯s speed has increased so drastically. But it won¡¯t last long. In no time, his Spiritual Bird won¡¯t even have the energy to fly.¡± A Foundation Establishment Cultivator, who looked to be in his thirties, spoke up. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Zhuo Feifan nodded. He didn¡¯t say anything more, but he was somewhat anxious inside, fearing that before the Spiritual Bird ran out of energy, that little Beast Taming Sect guy who was spying on him would have already escaped into Chaotic Sky Valley. Sure enough, just as expected, the moment when the entrance to Chaotic Sky Valley appeared in front, Qin Feng did not hesitate in the slightest and directly drove the Spiritual Vulture into it. Behind, the Taiyi Mountain Sword Cultivators hesitated. Their figures paused for a moment as they looked towards Zhuo Feifan and asked, ¡°Junior Brother, do we still pursue?¡± ¡°Of course we chase!¡± Zhuo Feifan asserted decisively, ¡°This person killed my Junior Sister; this vengeance is irreconcilable. If I don¡¯t kill him to avenge my Junior Sister, my heart will not be at peace. Besides, I also can¡¯t explain it to Martial Uncle Jiang when I go back.¡± Having said this, he took the lead in pursuing into Chaotic Sky Valley. The other cultivators exchanged glances, and without hesitation, they all followed suit. Their trip was originally intended to enter the Ancient Battlefield and help Zhuo Feifan obtain the Ancient Spirit Sword. Although they were not quite fully prepared, given the situation, there was nothing left to hesitate about. Qin Feng was flying the Spiritual Vulture at a low altitude. He didn¡¯t dare to fly too high. Chaotic Sky Valley had many Space Rifts¡ªthe higher the place, the more numerous they were. Hence, many cultivators usually walked on the ground when they entered. However, Qin Feng was currently fleeing for his life, so he couldn¡¯t worry about that. He had to keep his eyes wide open, intently watching the void in front of him. Whenever he spotted a Space Rift, he would manipulate the Spiritual Vulture to dodge it in time. Though the Spiritual Vulture became somewhat irritable after swallowing the Blood Demon Pill, it was a Spiritual Beast tamed by the Demon Refining Pot and couldn¡¯t go against Qin Feng¡¯s will. This was why it could avoid those pitch-black Space Rifts at critical moments and fly deeper into the valley. But after entering the Ancient Battlefield through Chaotic Sky Valley, the Space Rifts here were actually fewer. To be accurate, it¡¯s not that there were fewer here, but the Space Rifts in the Ancient Battlefield were mostly concentrated in certain regions. There were many places where the space was extremely unstable, and any external disturbance might cause a massive outbreak of Space Rifts¡ªor even a spatial collapse, sucking in everything nearby. And in places without Space Rifts, other dangers lurked, such as Prohibitions, miasma, Array Formations, the will of Ancient Great Ones¡¯ Divine Thoughts, or some unspeakable strangeness. Any of these could easily kill ordinary cultivators. During the Ancient Great Tribulation, the Human Clan used this place as one of the battlegrounds against formidable foes from the Outer Realms. They laid down countless Array Formation Restrictions, serving as means of defense and offense. Even though this place had become a wasteland after that devastating war, it still harbored many dangers and lethal prohibitions. Cultivators with lower cultivation could enter relatively safely, their low Realms not necessarily triggering certain hazards. But those with powerful Dao Cultivation might activate the Residual Souls of some ancient powerhouses, setting off a series of crises. This was also the reason why cultivators with profound Dao Cultivation no longer ventured here. Even with knowledge of fortunes to be found, they dared not barge in carelessly, fearing they might stay forever, accompanying Ancient Remnant Souls in death. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 105: No-Fly Array Chapter 106: Chapter 105: No-Fly Array Qin Feng rode on the back of the Spiritual Vulture, dashing through the air like lightning, heedless of the dangers here, quickly passing through Chaotic Sky Valley and flying towards the depths of the Ancient Battlefield. Along the way, he encountered some Cultivators who had come here to search for treasures, most of whom were Loose Cultivators with no Sect affiliation. Those Cultivators looked at Qin Feng¡¯s figure in astonishment, somewhat dazed, wondering how there were still people who were so reckless these days. Could he truly dare to fly at such speeds in the Ancient Battlefield, without fearing being directly devoured by a Void Crack? Before those Cultivators could finish their musings, they heard the sounds of whooshing Sword Qi tearing through the void behind them. Then, they saw several Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivators also speeding by at an extremely fast pace, chasing after the young man on the large bird. ¡°Big brother,¡± Below, a young Cultivator looked towards an older brother several years his senior and said, ¡°These Cultivators flying so recklessly won¡¯t live long. Why don¡¯t we follow and see? Maybe we can pick up some treasures left behind.¡± The other person was clearly tempted but quickly shook his head, ¡°Judging by the Magic Robe design on those behind us, they are most likely Sword Cultivators from Taiyi Mountain. It¡¯s not wise to take advantage of a Major Sect; taking their things could bring disaster upon us. Besides, even if we did follow, it would be useless. We wouldn¡¯t dare to fly as fast as they do. Who knows where these guys will end up. Following behind would just result in us losing them anyway, so there¡¯s no point in chasing.¡± Hearing this, the young Cultivator felt a bit regretful, yet he didn¡¯t insist. In a place where dangers could arise at any time, it was better to play it safe. Qin Feng delved deeper into the Ancient Battlefield. At first, he still encountered some Cultivators, but later on, there were basically no more signs of anyone. The Ancient Battlefield was simply too vast, and the vast majority of Cultivators dared not delve too deeply into it. It was rare to see other Cultivators here, and even if they did meet, they would stay wary of each other, keeping their distance to avoid being robbed or killed by the other. After all, near Liang City, there were quite a few Bandit Cultivators engaging in such risk-free profiteering. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Though the Ancient Battlefield was desolate, it was not devoid of life. In addition to plants, there were Poison Insects and Exotic Beasts lurking about¡ªfew in number, but each one a dangerous entity. Bang¡­ Over a piece of dilapidated ancient architecture, the Spiritual Vulture, previously flying in haste, suddenly trembled and plummeted to the ground. Qin Feng was startled and leaped off, releasing the Swallowing Sky Toad to remain on guard. The effects of the Blood Demon Pill hadn¡¯t yet worn off, and the Spiritual Vulture¡¯s vitality was still surging, so it wasn¡¯t out of strength yet for flying. But before, they had sensed a vast Imprisonment force pulling them down from the sky. Qin Feng looked around and, upon seeing no formidable presence as he had imagined, immediately realized that there must be a No-Fly Array here, not any other danger. Realizing this, Qin Feng felt a surge of joy. Because this meant that those Sword Cultivators following behind would also lose their ability to control their swords for flight. On the ground, they certainly couldn¡¯t be much faster than him. The ancient structures, although in ruins, spread out for more than a dozen miles, so he might be able to use the terrain to elude the pursuit of Zhuo Feifan and others. ¡°Haha, that kid¡¯s Spiritual Bird has run out of strength. Brothers, hurry up and catch him¡ªkill him!¡± Zhuo Feifan saw Qin Feng¡¯s mount suddenly fall to the ground and was overjoyed. His True Yuan surged wildly within his body, and his Sword Controlling speed increased by a third. The others also perked up and quickly followed suit. This was the Ancient Battlefield, after all. They were worried about unforeseen dangers should things drag out too long. Obviously, it was best to take care of this young Beast Taming Sect fellow as soon as possible. Inside the ancient buildings, Qin Feng glanced back at them, his thoughts racing, and released three Spiritual Beasts: the Green Fox, the Spiritual Snake, and the Ghost-Faced Spider. He had the Green Fox create an Illusion Array to conceal their forms and then, without hesitation, he turned and walked away. Soon, Zhuo Feifan and the others caught up. Their Sword Controlling flight was extremely fast, and they headed straight for Qin Feng¡¯s figure. Then, as quickly as they flew, that¡¯s how fast they fell. With a series of thuds, they all became tumbling gourds under the No-Fly Array. Unlike Qin Feng, who had the Spiritual Vulture cushion his fall and didn¡¯t get injured at all, these few relied on their own Sword Controlling flight. Even though they weren¡¯t flying very high, the sudden fall from twenty to thirty feet in the air still caused them not a little harm. Before they could recover, they saw a mass of spider silk descending from above. At the same time, a Green Fox and a Spiritual Snake launched themselves at them, biting towards them. ¡°` The Green Fox wasn¡¯t too much of an issue, as its main ability lay in Illusion Techniques, and it didn¡¯t have a strong biting force, so it didn¡¯t inflict severe injuries on the Cultivators. But the Spiritual Snake possessed intense venom, and even Foundation Establishment Cultivators had to immediately expel the poison if bitten. ¡°Ah¡­¡± One of the Cultivators failed to dodge in time and was bitten on the wrist by the Spiritual Snake. As the poison liquid crazily injected into him, his arm swelled visibly to the naked eye, and black qi rapidly spread upwards. The afflicted Cultivator cried out in pain, hastily gathering True Yuan within his body in an attempt to shake off the biting snake, while with his other hand, he performed a sword technique, summoning his fallen Flying Sword off the ground with a whoosh, slicing directly towards the body of the Spiritual Snake. ¡°Courting death!¡± Zhuo Feifan and his companions were somewhat flustered in dodging the Green Fox¡¯s bites and the spider silk overhead, each of them maneuvering their Flying Swords, trying to slay the Spiritual Beasts. From a distance, Qin Feng quickly directed the Spiritual Beasts to flee. Of course, he knew well that these Spiritual Beasts were no match for Zhuo Feifan and the others. He had released them for a sneak attack, hoping to gain the upper hand. If the ambush succeeded, all the better; even if it didn¡¯t, it could buy him precious time to escape. The Green Fox, agile and clever, quickly darted in the opposite direction, ironically evading the slashes of several Flying Swords. The Ghost-Faced Spider, being a bit further away from the group, received Qin Feng¡¯s command and immediately scurried away behind some damaged walls and ruins, stealthily escaping into the distance. Only the Spiritual Snake failed to escape. Although it fled swiftly, it couldn¡¯t outpace the Sword Cultivators¡¯ Flying Swords. Moreover, it had delayed its escape by a fraction of time to inject its poison into a Cultivator, failing to hit and run as the Green Fox and Ghost-Faced Spider did, and was thus entangled by the Cultivator in front of it. Then several Sword Cultivators acted in unison, slicing it into seven or eight pieces; Sword Qi invaded its body, snuffing out all of the Spiritual Snake¡¯s life force in the blink of an eye. Qin Feng didn¡¯t even have time to lament the death of the Spiritual Snake. He directed the Green Fox and the Ghost-Faced Spider to take a detour and meet up with him while he pushed the Divine Movement Technique to its limit and dashed frantically into the distance. This Ancient building backed onto a mountain and must have once been a sect¡¯s Mountain Gate, with many Prohibitions left in place to guard it. Otherwise, the damaged palaces and houses, despite the long passage of Time, would have been plundered clean by countless Cultivators seeking treasures in the Ancient Battlefield. Behind him, the Cultivator bitten by the Spiritual Snake had his face enveloped in black qi. It wasn¡¯t out of anger, but due to the snake venom spreading in his body. He fished out a bottle of Detoxification Elixir Pills from his Storage Bag, swallowing three in succession, only just managing to suppress the poison. Still, he felt numbness in half his body, and the arm that had been bitten almost lost all sensation. Unless he had access to Spiritual Medicine specifically for this snake venom, he felt he wouldn¡¯t return to normal for three or five months. ¡°Senior Brother Hao, are you okay?¡± Zhuo Feifan looked at the Cultivator bitten by the Spiritual Snake, his face showing concern. After all, this was a Senior Brother who followed him, someone he counted on for future endeavors; naturally, he didn¡¯t want him to be seriously injured. Hao Ming internally rolled his eyes, thinking, I¡¯m as black-faced as the bottom of a pan. Do I look fine to you? However, these thoughts clearly couldn¡¯t be voiced. He forced a slight smile on his face, ¡°No matter, I can hold on. But that snake¡¯s venom is extremely potent. I need True Yuan to suppress the venom¡¯s effects, so pursuing that youngster will have to rely on all of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that Senior Brother Hao is not in serious trouble. Leave the rest to us.¡± As an Inner Sect Disciple of Taiyi Mountain, Zhuo Feifan was also experienced and quickly spotted the anomaly, ¡°This place is enveloped by an Ancient No-Fly Array, which prevents us from flying with swords. However, it doesn¡¯t matter. With the strength of a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators like us, it will be as easy as turning over one¡¯s hand to catch and kill that youngster once we catch up.¡± ¡°The Junior Brother speaks the truth.¡± The others nodded and agreed. ¡°After all, this is the Ancient Battlefield, filled with countless unknown dangers. We should quickly kill that youngster and then search for the Ancient Spirit Sword.¡± Another older Cultivator spoke. ¡°Right, let¡¯s hurry and pursue.¡± The Sword Cultivators chased after Qin Feng in the direction he had fled. ¡°`