Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 184 - 184 115 On the Trail of the Killer_2

184: 115 On the Trail of the Killer_2 184: 115 On the Trail of the Killer_2 He rose to his feet and rushed toward the courtyard gate, opening it to invite Shen Long inside.

“Oh, Taoist Friend Su is also here.”

Shen Long greeted them with a smile.

“Taoist Friend Shen, we were just talking about you.

If the insect egg can’t be hatched, then let it be; don’t waste your resources.”

Su Jianghai said.

“Indeed!

Taoist Friend Shen.”

Bai Yuxian echoed.

“It has already hatched, mission accomplished.”

Shen Long took out a white spirit beast bag and handed it to Bai Yuxian.

Upon opening the white spirit beast bag, a beam of white light flew out, landed on the ground, and revealed a snow-white spider, the Snow Crystal Spider.

“It’s finally hatched.

You’ve worked hard, Taoist Friend Shen.”

Bai Yuxian stated.

“Yuxian, Taoist Friend Shen must have expended considerable resources to hatch this egg; you should give him something in return.

It wouldn’t be right to have him help for nothing.”

Su Jianghai reminded.

Realizing this, Bai Yuxian said, “Right, right, right, Taoist Friend Shen, I’ll host a drink, let’s have a good few cups.

This is a token of my appreciation, please accept it!”

He took out a yellow storage bag and passed it to Shen Long.

“There’s no need, it was a minor effort.

I have other matters to attend to, see you when fate allows.”

Shen Long politely declined.

Obligations are the hardest to repay.

He had intentionally taken half a year to hatch the Snow Crystal Spider’s egg, hoping that Bai Yuxian would owe him a favor.

Whether he acknowledged this favor or not was up to Bai Yuxian.

“All right!

If you need my help, Taoist Friend Shen, just say the word.”

Bai Yuxian offered.

“Certainly, you both take care.”

Shen Long bowed, turned, and left.

Once out of the marketplace, Shen Long called forth the Snow Wind Sparrow and climbed onto its back.

The Snow Wind Sparrow let out a clear, piercing chirp, gently flapped its wings, and flew high into the sky, soon disappearing from view.

······

The Green Python Mountain Range, located at the border between Chu Country and Wei Country, consists of myriads of peaks, both large and small.

Viewed from the sky, the range resembled a gigantic python coiling across the ground, thus earning its name.

At the center of the mountain range, there was a colossal valley, surrounded on three sides by mountains.

Outside the valley stood a green stone stele over ten zhang high, with the words “Green Python Valley” carved onto it.

This was a marketplace controlled by the Golden Flame Sect, mostly frequented by Foundation Establishment Cultivators, with a rare presence of higher-ranking cultivators.

A blue light appeared on the distant horizon and with a flash, it stopped, revealing a Blue Flying Boat twinkling with light.

A handsome young man in a blue robe stood upon it.

The blue-robed young man was Shen Long who, using the Hundred Transformation Mask, had altered his appearance, making it hard for cultivators of the same rank to see his true face.

He had already found out that the main base of the Golden Flame Sect was in the Golden Flame Mountain Range, which was quite a distance from the Green Python Valley.

Shen Long had come here to seek the true culprit behind his parents’ murder.

He cast a spell, and the Blue Flying Boat slowly descended to the ground.

He stowed away the Blue Flying Boat and walked toward the Green Python Valley.

Upon entering the Green Python Valley, a wide and clean street came into view.

The street was flanked by shops of all kinds: elixir shops, weapon shops, talisman shops, and so on, fully stocked.

Shen Long occasionally stepped into some shops to inquire about their wares, and after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he appeared in front of a nine-story golden pavilion with a signboard inscribed with the three characters “Golden Flame Pavilion”—the largest shop in the marketplace run by the Golden Flame Sect.

Shen Long entered and exited in less than half an hour.

He had ascertained that there was nothing of interest for Core Formation Cultivators here, such as the Golden Elixir Jade Liquid or third-tier talismans.

This meant that the likelihood of Core Formation Cultivators being in the marketplace was very low.

What Shen Long had to do now was to find his target and capture them.

After making a round in the marketplace, he rented a small courtyard and settled down.

Over the next two months, Shen Long stayed put within the marketplace, casually strolling every day and occasionally purchasing some cultivation resources.

He seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary.

This day, Shen Long was wandering the streets as usual when, upon passing a certain intersection, a portly elder in a yellow robe with a golden flame pattern embroidered on his clothes approached him—this was the emblem of the Golden Flame Sect.

The elder with the yellow robe had a round face and small eyes, exuding a friendly and approachable demeanor.

Li Lei, an elder of the Golden Flame Sect responsible for enforcing its laws, held a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation.

As Shen Long brushed past Li Lei, he patted the white spirit beast bag at his waist—it was a Pursuing Spirit Beast, which he instructed to lock onto the man’s Divine Sense.

Shen Long quickly returned to his dwelling, changed his appearance, donned new clothes, and hastily left his quarters to head towards the streets near the marketplace exit.

Not far away was a teahouse, from the second floor of which one could perfectly view the marketplace’s exit.

Shen Long reserved a private room on the second floor and ordered a pot of Spiritual Tea, greeting the waiter with a nod.

He hinted that if a Foundation Establishment Cultivator named Xu Hao came by, he should be brought up to the private room.

In truth, he hadn’t arranged to meet any other cultivators.

Shen Long opened the window and could clearly see the cultivators entering and leaving the marketplace.

He sat down and picked up a teacup to drink.

Three days passed, and the spirit beast bag containing the Pursuing Spirit Beast shook slightly.

Shen Long’s eyes lit up and he set down his teacup, paid his bill, and walked out.

Li Lei, along with a tall and skinny young man in a red shirt, hurriedly walked toward the outside of the marketplace, both looking anxious as if they were in a hurry.

Once outside the marketplace, Li Lei summoned a yellow flying boat and soared into the sky with his companion.

Shen Long followed them out and conjured a blue flying boat to pursue them.

He released a Hundred Eyes Cicada, using it to lock onto Li Lei’s location.

After flying two hundred li, Shen Long performed a spell, and the blue flying boat suddenly burst into a dazzling blue light, accelerating to catch up.

In less than a quarter of an hour, he was right behind Li Lei.

“Taoist Friend Li, please hold on,” Shen Long called out loudly.

Li Lei’s eyebrows knitted as he performed a gesture, bringing his yellow flying boat to a stop.

“Fellow Daoist, may I have the honor of your guidance?” Li Lei asked, puzzled.

He didn’t recognize the other man, but since the newcomer was only at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment and they were in the territory of the Golden Flame Sect, Li Lei wasn’t particularly concerned.

As a law-enforcing elder of the Golden Flame Sect, Li Lei had established connections with many Foundation Establishment Cultivators who sometimes sought his help with various matters.

“I am Shi Yun, and I have a favor to ask of you,” Shen Long said politely, expanding his Divine Sense to scan dozens of li around him, detecting no other people in the vicinity.

Li Lei’s expression softened and he responded, “There’s no harm in speaking, Taoist Friend Shi.”

“I would like to borrow the heads of you two gentlemen for a moment,” Shen Long said right after, his hand instantly striking a golden spirit beast bag at his waist.

A buzzing sound filled the air as over fifty thousand Gold Ants flew out from the bag, swirling into formation and solidifying into golden flying knives aimed directly at Li Lei and the red-shirted young man.

The two men tried to defend themselves, but a piercing shriek sounded by their ears, like a heavy hammer smashing down on their heads, leaving them dazed and disoriented.

By the time they recovered their senses, the dense swarm of golden flying knives had already shattered their Protective Spirit Light and severed their hands, causing them to bleed profusely while Gold Ants swarmed all over their Storage Bags.

Two large nets sparkling with Spiritual Light descended from the sky, enveloping them and tightening swiftly, binding them together.

They struggled in vain, for without their hands, they couldn’t even attempt to wield their Magic Artifacts.

Shen Long then summoned a Snow Wind Sparrow, which flew to the bound men, its sharp talons grasping their bodies and carrying them towards the ground.

Shen Long put away the yellow flying boat and followed them to the earth’s surface.

“This territory belongs to our Golden Flame Sect.

Who exactly are you?

Our sect leader is a Core Formation Cultivator,” Li Lei shouted loudly.

The event had unfolded suddenly, and without an artifact or talisman to resist a Divine Sense Attack, Li Lei was quickly incapacitated.

Without wasting words, Shen Long directed the Snow Wind Sparrow into a cave, following closely behind.

Before long, they emerged in a cavern about an acre in size.

The Snow Wind Sparrow released its grip, and the two men dropped to the ground, bleeding heavily.

Shen Long took out a banner flag radiating white light, infused it with Mana, and with a gentle flick of his wrist, a burst of icy air swept out, striking Li Lei and the red-shirted youth.

Their bodies quickly froze, turning into two ice statues visible to the naked eye.

Shen Long put away the Snow Wind Sparrow and approached them.

He crushed an Earth Escape Talisman, causing a yellow light screen to appear and envelop the trio before they vanished underground.