Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 396 - 305 Soul Transformation Cultivator Visits the Frontline_1

Chapter 396: 305 Soul Transformation Cultivator Visits the Frontline_1

"Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent!"

Haoyang True Monarch’s face lit up with joy as he recalled something and said, "I don’t have a high-grade fox spirit’s demon core, but I know a Taoist friend who has one. I can introduce Taoist Friend Shen to him, but whether you can get the demon core will depend on your own abilities."

"Then I will have to trouble Taoist Friend Qi."

Shen Long’s face also showed happiness.

Haoyang True Monarch was one of the three great Loose Cultivators of the Southern Border Cultivation World and had been famous for many years. His willingness to help with the introduction meant that the chances of success were quite high.

Haoyang True Monarch nodded, took out a golden Law Disk, and after entering a spell, performed a series of gestures.

"Fairy Ye has agreed to meet. Please have a seat for a moment,"

Haoyang True Monarch said, putting away the golden Law Disk. Fairy Qingmei walked out and waited at the door for the visitor.

Haoyang True Monarch started chatting idly with Shen Long, exchanging knowledge on the art of repelling insects, including the cultivation of spirit insects.

"I heard that Taoist Friend Shen has two mutated spirit insects. I wonder if Taoist Friend Shen could offer some guidance? I too hope to cultivate mutated spirit insects,"

Haoyang True Monarch said politely.

"I fed them Five-Colored Ganoderma Fruit and they mutated by chance,"

Shen Long answered vaguely.

Haoyang True Monarch nodded, asking about the daily cultivation of spirit insects, and Shen Long told him the truth.

Upon learning that Shen Long often fed his spirit insects high-quality elixirs, Haoyang True Monarch gave a wry smile and said, "Now I understand how Taoist Friend Shen managed to cultivate mutated spirit insects. I reckon there aren’t many in the entire Qianyang Realm who would feed a large number of high-quality elixirs to spirit insects like you."

After chatting idly for over half an hour, Fairy Qingmei came in with a red-dressed woman who had a voluptuous figure.

The red-dressed woman carried an exquisite red sword box on her back, which was engraved with patterns of rainbows, and her aura was slightly stronger than Shen Long’s.

"Fairy Ye, let me introduce you. This is Taoist Friend Shen,"

Haoyang True Monarch introduced pointing at Shen Long.

"I am Shen Long, long-admired Fairy Ye’s grand reputation."

Shen Long said with a fist salute and a warm tone.

"Taoist Friend Shen knows of me?"

The red-dressed woman asked with a puzzled expression.

"The grand reputation of Red Rainbow Fairy is well-known to me."

Shen Long explained.

Red Rainbow Fairy was the foremost among the three great Loose Cultivators of the Southern Border Cultivation World, an expert in Sword Control Technique with an outside reputation.

Red Rainbow Fairy suddenly understood and said, "Taoist Friend Qi has told me everything. I have two fourth-stage early Silver-Eyed Spirit Fox inner cores. What will you exchange for them?"

"Five high-quality Blood Mushroom Pills. These pills have a great healing effect. How about that?"

Shen Long inquired.

Red Rainbow Fairy nodded, took out a golden jade box, and handed it to Shen Long.

Upon opening the box, Shen Long saw two pigeon egg-sized silver orbs inside, and his green spirit beast bag at his waist shook slightly.

He nodded with satisfaction, took out a white jade box, and handed it to Red Rainbow Fairy.

After checking that all was correct, Red Rainbow Fairy put away the box.

"Fairy Ye, did you kill these two fourth-stage Silver-Eyed Spirit Foxes yourself?"

Shen Long asked curiously.

"Indeed, is there something wrong with that?"

Red Rainbow Fairy responded calmly.

"Nothing wrong, I just thought that you might have subdued them rather than killing them,"

Shen Long remarked.

Generally speaking, because spirit foxes were good at understanding humans, female cultivators tended to like spirit foxes and would not actively kill them.

"They’re not a rare breed, nor is the purity of their bloodline high. Why not kill them?"

Red Rainbow Fairy said indifferently.

Shen Long nodded and said, "That makes sense. Is Fairy Ye also going to participate in the great battle?"

"Wanjian Sect and Nether Corpse Sect have put forth plenty of good items; I also want to compete with the Barbarian Cultivators,"

Red Rainbow Fairy explained.

After chatting over tea for a while, Red Rainbow Fairy and Shen Long said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

······

In Skywolf City, Skywolf Hall.

Zhesen sat in the main seat, his gaze somber. More than twenty Nascent Soul Cultivators sat on both sides, all with solemn expressions.

"The Human Clan is once again launching a major attack. This battle is much larger than the last and won’t end so easily,"

Zhesen said, frowning.

"The Human Clan’s Soul Transformation Cultivators have Sky-Reaching Spiritual Treasures. Without a Sky-Reaching Spiritual Treasure, Elder Wu couldn’t withstand them. Only with Mo Wuya stepping in could the battle be concluded. If we are defeated, we’ll have to cede territory. If I were in the Human Clan’s leadership, I’d also initiate battles frequently."

Tal Li said.

"If you ask me, we should have inflicted more pain on the Human Clan last time, making them lose more Nascent Soul Cultivators. Otherwise, after this battle and ceding territory, the Human Clan will recuperate for a while and then initiate battle again, with the same outcome. We are merely using our resources to strengthen the Human Clan while weakening ourselves,"

Haidori said with an icy face.

"Everyone understands the principle. It’s not easy to kill more Nascent Soul Cultivators. There might be a chance in one-on-one combat, but most of the Human Clan’s Nascent Soul Cultivators won’t face us alone. Those who dare to go one-on-one are all tough opponents,"

Zhuo Shan analyzed.

The Barbarian Cultivators have strong physical bodies and scarce cultivation resources, while the Human Cultivators win in numbers, also having the aid of Spirit Beasts, Corpse Refinement, Puppet Beasts, Spiritual Treasures, Formations, Elixirs, and Secret Talismans, the Barbarian Tribe doesn’t gain much of an advantage.

For thousands of years, the Human Clan and the Barbarian Tribe have erupted into many large-scale wars, most of which have seen the Human Clan coming out on top. The Barbarian Tribe would then cede territory to end the conflict, but there have also been a few times when the Barbarian Tribe had the upper hand, and the Human Clan’s Soul Transformation Cultivators would step forward, brandishing Sky-Reaching Spiritual Treasures to call for a truce, leaving the Barbarian Tribe’s Soul Transformation Cultivators no choice but to cease.

If they won, the Barbarian Tribe gained little benefit, and if they lost, not to mention the loss of soldiers and generals, they also had to cede territory and pay reparations.

"Easy for you to say, kill a few more Nascent Soul Cultivators, but who will do the killing? Who will restrain the other Nascent Soul Cultivators?"

Gu Bing questioned.

The eighteen great tribes of the Barbarian Tribe all had their own cautious thoughts, none wanted to be the first to charge, hoping to preserve the strength of their own tribes. It was very normal to have such thoughts; the high-ranking cultivators of the Human Clan harbored the same thoughts, but the Human Cultivators had the advantage in sheer numbers, with each major power sending out some of their high-level experts, they could easily create an overwhelming force against the Barbarian Tribe.

"This time is different from the past, we must teach them a lesson. They actually think we are pushovers—we ceded a large area of territory last time, and they still aren’t satisfied, now they’re starting another war."

A cold male voice rang out.

No sooner had the voice faded than a burst of golden firelight shone, and Wu Xiao appeared, his expression indifferent.

"Elder Wu!"

Zhesen and the others all got up and paid their respects with a respectful countenance.

"I will personally direct this war. Those who show cowardice shall be killed without mercy, and those who contribute shall be rewarded. Have you all understood?"

Wu Xiao’s voice was not loud, but the Nascent Soul Cultivators present heard it loud and clear.

"Understood, Elder Wu,"

Zhesen and the others said in unison.

"Good."

Wu Xiao nodded his head, his gaze shifting to a burly man in white, saying, "Bai Sheng, more than a decade ago, you led a team to ambush two early-stage Nascent Soul Cultivators and let them escape. Are you aware of your crime?"

The man in white broke into a cold sweat and quickly knelt down, saying, "Junior is aware of his crime, and I implore Elder Wu to give me a chance to atone for my error."

"Then it will depend on your performance. Perform well, and we can forget about it; perform poorly, and there’s no need for your Ice Bear Tribe to be listed among the eighteen great tribes."

Wu Xiao’s voice was ice cold.

"Please rest assured, Elder Wu, Junior absolutely will not disgrace you again."

Bai Sheng’s voice was grave, his expression tense.

"It’s not about disgracing me, but disgracing our entire Barbarian Tribe."

Wu Xiao’s expression chilled, his authoritative gaze sweeping over the cultivators present.

"The Human Clan keeps waging wars, advancing further as we repeatedly step back. When will this retreat end? Even if it means the extinction of the eighteen great tribes, we cannot take a single step back this time."

Wu Xiao said gravely.

The Human Clan was becoming increasingly excessive, leaving no room for the Barbarian Tribe to live. If this retreat continued, the Barbarian Tribe would eventually be annihilated.

Zhesen and the others exchanged glances. If Wu Xiao had shown a readiness to fight to the death against Mo Wuya earlier on, they wouldn’t have had to keep backing down. What had he been doing all along?

They might grumble inwardly, but aloud they said in chorus, "Yes, Elder Wu."

"Prepare for battle then! I hope you do not disappoint me."

Wu Xiao waved his hand, dismissing them.

...

The Spirt Control Garden, where the cultivators of the Spirt Control Sect resided.

Du Yinyin and Shen Long sat around a green stone table while Li Hua reported to them.

"The scale of this war is indeed larger than the last, with Wanjian Sect, Nether Corpse Sect, the Wang Family, Heavenly Melody Sect, and Medicine King Valley all dispatching more than five Nascent Soul Cultivators, and even offering Spiritual Treasures as rewards. Killing a late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator warrants a Spiritual Treasure, and destroying twelve middle-stage Nascent Soul Cultivators can also earn one."

Li Hua reported slowly.

"What about the Hundred Ghosts Sect? Who is leading their team?"

Du Yinyin asked.

"Su Xuan and Liu Mei, with Liu Mei being a newly promoted Nascent Soul Cultivator, and Su Xuan currently at the middle stage of Nascent Soul. They are keeping close relations with the people from the Nether Corpse Sect,"

Li Hua reported truthfully.

"Keep an eye on the cultivators from the Heavenly Ghost Sect! If they show up, inform me immediately,"

Shen Long instructed.

"Yes, Uncle Shen,"

Li Hua agreed.

After giving a few more instructions, Shen Long dismissed Li Hua.

"The scale of this war is much greater than the last. It looks like several of the major tribes of the Barbarian Tribe are going to be wiped out. Quite a few of our Human Clan’s Nascent Soul Cultivators are likely to perish as well,"

Du Yinyin said frowningly, a trace of worry evident in her eyes.

Shen Long nodded and said, "Indeed! This is both a challenge and an opportunity for us, it all depends on whether we can seize it."

After a casual conversation, Shen Long stood up and left.

Back at the Golden Roc Courtyard, Shen Long entered a practice room, released the Green-Eyed Spirit Fox, and fed it a silver Demon Core.

The Green-Eyed Spirit Fox circled around Shen Long then jumped into his arms, displaying great affection.

He released the Pursuing Spirit Beast and fed it a white Demon Core.

The Gold-Winged Windroc, Iron Tail Scorpion, and Gold-Winged Fire Ant had all advanced to the fourth rank, while the Hundred Eyes Cicada, Green-Eyed Spirit Fox, Tree Person, Ice Flood Dragon, Pursuing Spirit Beast, and the Nine-Headed Ghost Pigeon were all at the third rank. To advance them to the fourth rank, Shen Long needed to invest more cultivation resources.

He took out a Messaging Plate that flickered with red light, infused a spell into it, and Qian Dafu’s voice came through: "Uncle Shen, Tang Yilong’s senior relative wishes to meet with you, and so does a senior relative of Taoist Friend Qin. What do you say?"

"Invite them to the Golden Roc Courtyard. I will meet with them in person,"

Shen Long instructed.