Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 250 - 168 Yihua Palace (Request for Monthly Tickets)_1

Chapter 250: 168 Yihua Palace (Request for Monthly Tickets)_1

Time trickled by, and as darkness fell, the streets lit up with bright lights. Many merchants hung a string of beads emitting a soft white glow at their storefronts—the Night Beads, a unique material from the Northern Sea’s cultivation world, produced by the Ink Moon Clams.

Ink Moon Clams are a type of low-level monster beasts, jet-black in color, capable of birthing Night Beads, and are commonly used for illumination.

Beyond that, merchants also set Night Beads into walls to light up their shops, and the ground tiles were mixed with Night Bead powder.

At the entrance to some shops hung a small green cage, inside of which was a little creature emitting a soft white light. This was the Firefly Beast, a spirit beast that was small in size, very light, and had a gentle temperament, also used as a lighting tool.

Apart from lighting, the Firefly Beast could also serve as a sentinel. It excelled in the arts of concealment, and a cultivator of the same realm would find it very difficult to detect.

Shen Long left his residence and started strolling through the streets.

Half a quarter of an hour later, he arrived in front of a sprawling estate. Its gilded sign bore the words "Zihu Garden," and two Foundation Establishment cultivators stood guard at the gate.

The moment Shen Long appeared at the entrance of Zihu Garden, one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators hurried over, bowed, and said, "Senior Shen, Ancestor Chuchu has been waiting for a while now. Please follow this junior."

Shen Long nodded and followed the man into Zihu Garden past artificial hills and gardens, over arch bridges and around fish ponds.

Before long, he arrived at a small courtyard with blue roof tiles, inside of which was a blue stone pavilion where two men and two women were sitting, chatting and laughing. Han Chuchu was also among them.

"Taoist Friend Han is here, please take a seat."

Han Chuchu greeted him warmly and invited Shen Long to sit down.

"Younger sister Han Chuxi, it is a pleasure to meet Taoist Friend Shen."

A slender girl in a golden dress spoke up.

The golden-dress girl had hair black as ink, brows like distant mountains, eyes like moons, a slim waist, and an aura of mild herbs wafting from her.

"I’ve long heard of Fairy Chu’s great reputation, and seeing you today, it truly lives up to the name," Shen Long complimented.

Han Chuxi, known to many cultivators as the Lotus Fairy and ranked twenty-fourth on the Hundred Flowers List, she was well-versed in alchemy and able to refine high-quality elixirs, and was a member of the Han Family being groomed for greatness.

"Taoist Friend Han gives too much praise, it is but a hollow title," Han Chuxi replied with a modest smile.

"Both of you needn’t be humble. There are many Core Formation cultivators in the cultivation realm, yet there are not many third-tier alchemists who can refine high-quality elixirs."

An attractive young man in a blue shirt spoke.

Jiang Zijian, at the middle stage of Core Formation, born into the Jiang Family—a family allied through marriage to the Han Family, with Nascent Soul cultivators in residence and considerable strength.

"Indeed! By the way, Fairy Chu, didn’t you say that Fairy Dong of the Yihua Palace would also attend? Why hasn’t she arrived yet?"

A medium-built young man in a green shirt inquired.

Jiang Ziqing, also at the middle stage of Core Formation.

"Taoist Jiang, are you getting impatient after such a short wait?"

A teasing female voice arose.

No sooner had her words fallen than a fragrant breeze wafted over, and two girls that bore a strong resemblance to each other walked in. One of them wore a yellow moonflower dress, with a slanted hairpin, her long black hair falling behind her, her natural beauty adorned without heavy makeup, her brows like green feathers, her skin like creamy jade.

The other girl had brows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters, a slightly upturned nose, brightly red lips, with grace in her movements, and jet-black hair cascading down, wearing a plain white robe.

Both women were cultivators at the middle stage of Core Formation, and their dresses were embroidered with the pattern of roses.

"Yihua Palace!"

Shen Long recognized the origin of the rose pattern.

Yihua Palace was one of the eight major forces in the Northern Sea’s cultivation world, with no fewer than ten Nascent Soul cultivators, a heritage spanning over fifty thousand years, profound foundations, and abundant experts.

"Fairy Dong, that wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to engage in beast battles with you," Jiang Ziqing defended himself verbally, but his gaze rested on the girl in the white dress.

"Beast battles are just a pretense; you really want to see my sister, don’t you!" the girl in the yellow dress teased with a smile.

Jiang Ziqing smiled sheepishly, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Fairy Dong, let me introduce you. This is Taoist Friend Shen," Han Chuxi began the introductions.

"Dong Yulin, this is my sister Dong Yuxue. We’ve met Taoist Friend Shen,"

said the girl in the yellow dress with a smiling face.

"It’s been a while since we last met, Fairy Dong has advanced to the Late Stage, congratulations!"

Jiang Ziqing said enthusiastically, his eyes fixed on Dong Yuxue.

"Mhm!"

Dong Yuxue responded.

Shen Long and his six companions chatted idly, with Jiang Ziqing continuously striking up conversation with Dong Yuxue, as if no one else was present.

For every ten sentences Jiang Ziqing said, Dong Yuxue would reply to one.

Shen Long didn’t pay them any mind and started discussing alchemy with Han Chuxi. More and more Foundation Establishment Cultivators arrived and joined in their conversation.

In less than half an hour, about twenty Foundation Establishment Cultivators had gathered in the Stone Pavilion, most of them from Cultivating families or sects.

"Taoist Friend Shen, you are so young yet you have already managed to concoct superior-grade elixirs. May I ask which sect or heritage you are from?"

Jiang Zijian asked with curiosity.

"My master is a wanderer like a cloud or a wild crane, not worth mentioning,"

Shen Long vaguely passed it off.

The Cultivation resources in the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm are abundant, and a power that boasts three Nascent Soul Cultivators can only be considered medium-sized. The influence of the Spirit Control Sect in the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm is minimal, and Shen Long has some enemies there, so naturally he wouldn’t reveal his true identity.

The other Cultivators clearly didn’t believe him, but since Shen Long was reluctant to discuss it, they didn’t press the issue.

"Taoist Friend Shen, you are keeping a third-rank Spirit Beast, aren’t you? Are you interested in a Beast Battle?"

Dong Yulin asked, looking at Shen Long with hopeful eyes.

"Beast Battle! How could I, an old man, miss out on such fun,"

a somewhat hoarse male voice chimed in.

At the sound of this, a fat, ruddy-faced old man in blue robes walked in, carrying five Spirit Beast pouches at his waist and radiating intense murderous aura. Judging by his aura, he had reached the Great Perfection of Core Formation.

"I am the Golden Whale Hermit, greetings to all Taoist friends,"

the blue-robed old man greeted with a fist and palm salute.

The Cultivators introduced themselves one by one, getting acquainted.

"Who just mentioned a Beast Battle? Count me in,"

said the Golden Whale Hermit with a chuckle.

"I did. Any other Cultivators interested? Just chatting is too boring,"

said Dong Yulin, her gaze sweeping over the Cultivators present.

"Since it’s a Beast Battle, there should be a stake, right? I’ll put up two third-rank, Middle Stage Green Mink Demon Cores,"

Golden Whale Hermit said as he took out a green jade box.

"I’ll use five third-rank Demon Cores as my stake,"

Dong Yulin said, taking out a blue jade box and looking expectantly at Jiang Ziqing. "Taoist Jiang, didn’t you say you wanted to have a Beast Battle with me? You weren’t just talking, were you?"

"Of course not, count me in. I’ll use two third-rank Human-faced Mink Demon Cores as my stake,"

Jiang Ziqing said, taking out a green jade box.

He looked at Dong Yuxue with enthusiasm and said, "Fairy Dong, would you like to join us?"

"Sure,"

Dong Yuxue nodded.

One of the Spirit Beast pouches on Shen Long’s waist moved slightly, and his gaze fell on the jade box Jiang Ziqing had brought out.

The Pursuing Spirit Beast was actually interested in the Demon Cores of the Human-faced Mink, which was unexpected for Shen Long.

The Pursuing Spirit Beast is a unique Spirit Beast of the Southern Border Cultivation Realm. If it shows interest in the Human-faced Mink’s Demon Core, it suggests that it would be helpful for its advancement.