Beast Taming Immortal Clan

Chapter 421 A Narrow Escape [Please Subscribe]

Wilderness, ice cave.

When Zhou Chun entered the ice cave again after several years, the queen bee, the "Frost Bee," was somewhat excited after sensing his presence.

After inspecting the bee colony, he showed surprise and delight.

It turns out that two more adult bees in the hive have reached maturity, and the young bees have also left the juvenile stage and entered the growth stage, so they can go out hunting with the hive.

"It seems my choice was right; this place is indeed helpful for the growth of the 'Frostbee'."

Zhou Chun looked at the demon bees that had emerged from their larval stage and was quite satisfied.

As a rare insect listed in the "List of Wonderful Insects of Heaven and Earth", the "Frosty Frost Bee" has a very slow growth rate. Even in an environment that is very suitable for its growth, it takes hundreds of years, or even longer, for it to grow from its larval stage to maturity.

Zhou Chun has had these demon bees for some years, and now the young bees are only just emerging from their larval stage, which shows how slow the growth rate of this demon insect is.

However, this is not an intolerable flaw.

Because compared to the strength and lifespan of a mature "Frosty Frost Bee," these are all worthwhile.

A mature "Frostbee" can live for about three hundred years. If a swarm of hundreds of mature "Frostbees" forms a fighting swarm, even ordinary Golden Core cultivators will have to avoid its sharp edge and dare not directly confront the torrent of cold air it spews.

As long as these demon bees are well cared for now, even if Zhou Chun reaches the Core Formation stage in the future, these demon bees will become an important tool for him to fight against enemies.

"By the way, ever since these demon bees arrived, it seems like those snow crystal insects haven't appeared again. Could they have all been eaten by them?"

Zhou Chun glanced around, gazing thoughtfully at the ice walls formed by millennia-old ice.

He released ten snow crickets here, so it's certain that the release was successful.

But after the demon bees settled in the area, he never saw those snow crystal insects again.

Therefore, he had ample reason to suspect that the swarm of demon bees had eaten the snow crystal insects.

"Let's eat it then, anyway, these snow crystal worms are of no use to me."

Shaking his head, Zhou Chun didn't pursue the matter any further. He put several demon bees from his spirit beast bag into the beehive, then put a few more mature demon bees into his spirit beast bag before leaving the ice cave.

For the next two months, Zhou Chun traversed the rivers and lakes of the wilderness, searching for traces of third-tier dragon-blooded monsters.

After searching for a while, he actually found two more Tier 3 Dragonborn Beasts.

These two dragon-born demon beasts are a mid-grade third-tier demon beast, the Unicorn Crocodile, and a high-grade third-tier demon beast, the Silver-Armored Dragonfish. Their strength is much greater than that of ordinary demon beasts of the same grade.

However, under the combined attack of Zhou Chun and Bai Bai, both dragon-born monsters were still beheaded and killed by them.

During the hunt for these two demonic beasts, Zhou Chun also discovered that the "Frostbite Bee's" chilling aura and white lightning spells were very useful in preventing demonic beasts from self-destructing their demon cores.

In the two battles, after realizing they were doomed, both dragon-born demon beasts tried to unleash their magical power and detonate their demon cores.

However, both times they were interrupted by lightning spells and freezing spells, giving Zhou Chun the opportunity to kill them before they could self-destruct their demon cores.

This discovery was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for Zhou Chun.

After all, when cultivators hunt third- or even fourth-tier demonic beasts, what they fear most is not how to defeat or even kill the demonic beasts, but how to prevent the demonic beasts' cores from exploding.

The self-destruction of a demon beast's demon core is not only a powerful, mutually destructive move, but also a means to render cultivators' efforts futile.

If one doesn't possess the same means as Zhou Chun to prevent demonic beasts from self-destructing their demon cores, the chances of a Purple Mansion stage cultivator obtaining a demon core from a third-tier demonic beast are actually not very high.

Many times, even though you've slain a monster, the monster's core explodes, causing your final reward to be reduced by more than half.

Therefore, in teams of Purple Mansion stage cultivators who hunt third-tier demonic beasts, there is often a cultivator who practices ice-based or lightning-based techniques, or who prepares such magical artifacts and talismans, in order to slightly prevent or interrupt the demonic beast's self-destruction of its demonic core at a critical moment.

However, while hunting down two Tier 3 Dragonborn monsters was certainly gratifying, Zhou Chun's actions also caused quite a bit of trouble.

After hunting down the third-tier high-grade demonic beast, the Silver-Armored Dragonfish, he prepared to go to the enemy's lair to search for treasure, just like he had done with the Azure-Scaled Dragonfish and the Unicorn Crocodile before.

Just as they reached the entrance to the lair, Lei Jiao Bai Bai suddenly sensed the rapidly approaching aura of a fourth-tier demonic beast.

Zhou Chun was also frightened at the time. He hurriedly asked Bai Bai to release her aura to lure away the fourth-tier demon beast, while he quickly went ashore and fled.

This decision undoubtedly saved his life at the time.

The fourth-tier demonic beast that had attacked was easily lured away by the Thunder Dragon, and did not notice the human cultivator who had come ashore.

However, this action resulted in Lei Jiao being chased for over a thousand miles by that fourth-tier demon beast, who only stopped chasing him after they reached the Dragon Abyss Marsh.

Following Zhou Chun's instructions, Bai Bai escaped danger and returned to Lanzhou via the underground waterway.

When Zhou Chun returned to Lanzhou alone and learned the whole story from Bai Bai, he immediately realized the seriousness of the matter.

Previously, he was blinded by the demon core of the third-tier dragon-born demon beast, but he overlooked an important matter.

Many of the third-tier demonic beasts in the wilderness are subordinates of a fourth-tier demonic beast, especially after the Dragon Transformation Sect was severely damaged, the fourth-tier demonic beasts once again became the masters of the wilderness.

Those dragon-born demon beasts are powerful enough to be easily taken in as underlings by fourth-tier demon beasts.

Zhou Chun's killing of these third-tier demonic beasts would naturally enrage the fourth-tier demonic beasts, causing them to personally avenge their fallen underlings.

Although Lei Jiao Bai Bai managed to escape with his life after being chased, he also exposed his identity in front of that fourth-tier demon beast.

It's hard to guarantee that the fourth-tier demon beast won't report this to the dragon clan later.

If the dragon clan investigates and finds that there is no such dragon among the dragons of Longyuanze, then things will be very serious.

Of course, the probability of this is not high, since a fourth-tier demon beast is not enough to catch the eye of the dragon clan.

Even so, this incident undoubtedly served as a wake-up call for Zhou Chun, making him dare not act recklessly in the wilderness just because he had a third-tier thunder dragon in his possession.

The wilderness is, after all, still the territory of the demon race. If it were discovered that a human cultivator was leading demon beasts to kill third-tier demon beasts there, the impact would be enormous.

If not handled properly, it could escalate into a diplomatic dispute and provoke the wrath of the Longyuanze dragon clan.

After all, a third-tier demon beast that has condensed a demon core is, in a sense, a protected animal. Even fourth-tier demon beasts would not easily hunt other third-tier demon beasts just to satisfy their appetites.

If someone is really greedy, they'll do what that black dragon in Dragon Abyss did back then: secretly select some promising second-tier demonic beasts, train them into their underlings, and then find a reason to kill and eat them.

Moreover, Bai Bai is a four-clawed thunder dragon with superior bloodline aptitude. If the dragon clan knew that such a high-aptitude dragon had been enslaved by a human cultivator in the Purple Mansion stage and used to hunt third-tier demonic beasts.

That would definitely anger those arrogant dragons, making them want to kill Zhou Chun and Bai Bai.

In either case, it would undoubtedly be a catastrophe for Zhou Chun.

Therefore, after escaping back to Lanzhou this time, he dared not even go to the wilderness for a short period of time, and also told Zhou Daoyi not to ride the Azure Dragon when he went there, but to ride other monsters that could escape through water.

"Three dragon-blooded demon beast inner cores are enough to refine three batches of 'Dragon Spirit Pills.' Adding to that the 'Essence-Boosting Pills' and 'Yellow Crystal Pills' I've prepared, I should have enough pills until my cultivation reaches the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm!"

Inside the cave on Tuyun Ridge, Zhou Chunpan silently considered the various spiritual items he possessed and decided to stop.

I often walk by the river, so how can I not wet my shoes?

He may have escaped this time, but he might not be able to next time.

Even if he had to hunt third-tier demonic beasts again, he would rather go to places like the Dolan Grassland and the Black Mist Swamp. At least there, even if he exposed the existence of Lei Jiao Bai Bai, he wouldn't provoke such a behemoth as the Jiaolong clan.

Having made this decision, Zhou Chun took out a "Yellow Crystal Pill" and swallowed it, then focused on cultivating in his cave.

As a pill for cultivators in the mid-stage and late-stage of the Purple Mansion realm, the "Yellow Crystal Pill" is much more potent than the "Energy Enhancement Pill".

Even now, Zhou Chun cannot fully absorb and refine the medicinal effects of this elixir, wasting one or two tenths of its potency.

Even so, the reward he gained from refining a single "Yellow Crystal Pill" was equivalent to more than three years of his own cultivation.

After three years of secluded cultivation at Tuyun Ridge and refining three "Yellow Crystal Pills," Zhou Chun vaguely sensed the barrier of the mid-stage Purple Mansion realm.

Starting from the Purple Mansion stage, there are realm barriers between each minor realm.

Cultivators who wish to break through this minor realm barrier generally employ two methods.

One method is to hone one's magical power over many years and repeatedly challenge it to loosen the barrier between realms.

Zhou Mingde used this method to break through to the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

The second method is to take certain pills that help break through the barrier of cultivation realm and force a breakthrough.

Just like Lin Hongyu, who took the "Crimson Bright Pearl Pill" to help her break through the barrier of the Purple Mansion realm as soon as possible.

However, such elixirs are extremely precious, and it is very difficult to find them in Yasukuni.

If Zhou Chun wants to break through the barrier of his cultivation realm using the power of elixirs, he will have to start from the Great Zhou Kingdom.

He calculated the time and realized that he and Luo Qingni had been separated for six or seven years. With her accumulated experience and the wonderful use of the Five Elements Spirit Fruit, he estimated that she would be able to successfully form her core in less than ten years.

Therefore, he had the idea of ​​going to the Great Zhou Kingdom again.

At this moment, he walked out of the cave and into the valley outside.

What was once a small sapling of purple mulberry tree three years ago has now grown to more than ten feet tall and is covered with purple-blue mulberry leaves.

At this moment, the purple mulberry wood, in terms of spiritual power, is still in the category of first-order spiritual wood, but the rich vitality it exudes is already no less than that of many second-order spiritual woods.

Zhou Chun estimated that if things continued like this, the tree would grow into a second-tier spirit tree in less than ten years.

"As expected of a fifth-tier spirit tree offspring, its foundation is indeed far superior to that of ordinary spirit trees!"

Zhou Chun nodded, quite satisfied with the growth of the purple mulberry tree.

Then his gaze fell upon several spirit pets in the valley.

The Golden-Armored Rock Turtle Stone has been a second-tier superior demon beast for some years now, and its cultivation has stopped increasing. Next, it can only seek an opportunity to break through to the third tier.

After losing its two older brothers to share resources, the Golden-Winged Tiger quickly caught up in its growth and has now advanced to become a second-tier high-grade demon beast.

After that, Zhou Chun's important task, besides his own cultivation, was to seek opportunities for the two of them to achieve evolutionary breakthroughs.

"The stone is easy to deal with. If we can get our hands on Tianzhi Sanren's 'Mountain Soul Pearl', with its talent, it should have no problem condensing a demon core with it."

"This Golden-Winged Tiger is a bit troublesome. Although its dual attributes of gold and wind make it far stronger than its kind, it also limits its breakthrough range. It can't rely on ordinary spiritual objects to assist in its breakthrough. I guess we'll have to start with elixirs!"

Zhou Chun's eyes flashed, and he raised his hand to summon the Golden-Winged Tiger, patted its head, and began to have some ideas about the evolutionary direction of the two spirit pets.

He has always been a sentimental person. These spirit pets have followed him since they were young, accompanying him as he grew up and fought. Their place in his heart is probably even greater than that of his Daoist partner, Su Yuzhen.

He had long regarded them as his own children.

Therefore, he would definitely do his best to help them evolve into advanced demon beasts if given the opportunity.

After playing with the spirit pets for a while, Zhou Chun sent a message to invite Zhou Mingde, who was also cultivating in Tu Yunling, to his cave, expressing his desire to travel to the Great Zhou Kingdom again.

He had mentioned this matter when he returned, so Zhou Mingde naturally wouldn't object now.

After reminding him to be careful, they let him go.

So Zhou Chun quickly packed his things and quietly embarked on his journey to the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Since there was no rush, Zhou Chun took the opportunity to detour to Yang Kingdom to visit Lin Wan'er, who was cultivating there.

"Clan leader, your arrival is perfectly timed. There is something I have been meaning to personally visit the clan to report to you."

Inside the Red Jade Peak stronghold, Lin Wan'er was overjoyed to see Zhou Chun, and immediately pulled him into her cave to discuss an important matter.

After decades of development, Yang Kingdom has recovered much of its vitality, and the cultivation world here has gradually changed from its original barbaric and disorderly state.

Several major sects in Yang Kingdom that suffered heavy losses in the "Thousand Extinctions Plague" are now interested in revitalizing their sects.

However, these major sects suffered heavy losses in the insect plague. Not only were almost all of their disciples below the fourth rank killed or wounded, but all the cultivation families under their command were also wiped out, resulting in a severe gap between the upper and lower ranks.

If they wanted to revitalize their sect at this point, using the old method of slowly recruiting and training disciples would undoubtedly be too inefficient, and it would take hundreds of years to achieve any results.

It might not even be possible to achieve any results.

After all, there aren't many cultivation families to provide them with high-quality immortal seedlings as disciples now, and the small number of mortals that Yang Kingdom has recovered can't produce many people with spiritual root aptitude.

Most importantly, with their mountain gate and resource points destroyed in the insect plague, they no longer have the resources they used to have to train their disciples.

Therefore, these major sects set their sights on the various immortal cultivation families and independent cultivator strongholds that had migrated to Yang Kingdom, wanting to incorporate these families and independent cultivators in order to build the basic structure of their sects.

This matter was originally a win-win situation for those cultivation families and independent cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage.

This way, they not only have powerful backers protecting them and high-level cultivators guiding their cultivation, but they can also form their own factions within major sects and gain considerable power.

However, this matter is not so easy for the Hongyufeng stronghold.

After all, the Hongyu Peak stronghold is currently operating under the banner of Lin Hongyu, a Golden Core cultivator. The Yang Kingdom's major sect, Jin Guangzong, which is taking over the Hongyu Peak stronghold, has offered to grant Lin Hongyu the position of Jin Guangzong elder in exchange for incorporating both the cultivators of the Hongyu Peak stronghold and Lin Hongyu herself.

Although the Golden Light Sect suffered heavy losses in the insect plague, it still has one Nascent Soul cultivator and several Golden Core cultivators, and its top-level combat power remains.

Now that the order to incorporate them has reached the Hongyufeng stronghold, there are only two paths left for the Hongyufeng stronghold.

"I understand. Elder Lin, you can pack your things and return to your family tomorrow. I will personally escort you for part of the journey. Since the Golden Light Sect wants the Red Jade Peak stronghold, then let them have it!"

After listening to Lin Wan'er's explanation, Zhou Chun immediately made his decision without even thinking.

Neither he nor the Zhou family would allow Lin Hongyu to join the Golden Light Sect, and they believed that Lin Hongyu herself would not be able to join it.

So there's really no good choice; you can just pack up and leave.

In any case, the mission of the Red Jade Peak stronghold was essentially over after the [Earth Element Crystal Jade] vein was depleted.

Aside from Lin Wan'er, who had lived here for decades, no one in the Zhou family would feel any reluctance to give up this place.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lin Wan'er opened her mouth, but in the end she lowered her head and agreed.

She had actually known for a long time that Zhou Chun would make this decision, but it was not so easy for her to just give up a place she had lived in for decades.

If Zhou Chun hadn't arrived, she might have tried to stall for time and see if there were any other opportunities.

But now that Zhou Chun has helped her make up her mind, she doesn't have much to say anymore.

The next morning, just as he had said, Zhou Chun personally escorted Lin Hongyu away from the Hongyu Peak stronghold.

As for the other cultivators in the stronghold, none of them would be willing to go with Lin Hongyu.

After all, compared to a cultivation family like the Zhou family that doesn't even have a Golden Core cultivator, becoming a disciple of the major sect, the Golden Light Sect, is obviously much more tempting.

After escorting Lin Wan'er for thousands of miles, Zhou Chun allowed her to return to her family alone, while he himself went to the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Several months later, Zhou Chun arrived at Tianyuan Immortal City without any problems.

The first thing he did after returning to Tianyuan Immortal City was naturally to inquire about Luo Qingni's whereabouts.

As he expected, the results of his investigation confirmed that Luo Qingni had not yet successfully formed her core.

So Zhou Chun went to the place in the Immortal City where people rented cave dwellings, and rented a cave dwelling not far from Luo Qingni's cave dwelling, and paid five years' rent in one go.

After that, Zhou Chun focused on his secluded cultivation in the rented cave, waiting for Luo Qingni to emerge from seclusion.

After about two more years, the celestial phenomenon of Core Formation finally appeared in the sky above Luo Qingni's cave.

(End of this chapter)