Golden Net Subdues Demon

On the Song Family's side, Fourteenth Uncle Song Changlian had also been seriously injured. To create an opportunity for Second Elder Song Changfeng to kill a High-grade Demonic Beast, he had forcibly used a mid-grade defensive magic tool to draw the High-grade Demonic Beast's attacks head-on. In the end, a single blow from the beast made him spit blood on the spot, and even the defensive magic tool shielding him was shattered.

Song Changlian could now only withdraw from the battle and hide in the distance, using medicinal pills to heal his wounds. He had temporarily lost the ability to continue fighting, and after returning, he would likely need at least two or three years of rest before he could fully recover.

The others were doing fairly well, having suffered only minor injuries that did not greatly affect their combat strength. Third Brother Song Qingze, however, had put on an eye-catching performance. He had actually killed a mid-grade demonic crab alone without suffering a single injury, and after the battle, the elders repeatedly praised his performance.

Yet in this battle, the one who deserved the greatest credit was still Second Elder Song Changfeng. With Song Changlian's assistance, he had not only killed one High-grade Demonic Beast, but had also slain two Low-grade Demonic Beasts by himself.

Half an hour later, as the last High-grade Silver Armored Crab fell, the shore was already covered in demonic beast corpses, and most of the cultivators who had taken part in the battle bore some injuries.

Two cultivators had suffered severe injuries and lost the ability to continue fighting. Another Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivator from the Du Family had been careless for a moment and was struck into two halves by a High-grade Silver Armored Crab, losing his breath on the spot. This left Du Shaokang, who was leading the Du Family, looking grim.

After the battle, no one had time to sit down and rest. Before they could even recover their own Spiritual Energy, they had already begun the final encirclement and extermination of the Level 2 Silver Armored Crab Demon trapped within the array.

With reinforcements failing to arrive for so long, the Level 2 Silver Armored Crab kept letting out calls for help while struggling violently without pause, trying to break free of the golden net above it.

But under the combined control of Song Qingming and the other sixteen Formation Masters, the Grade 2 Golden Net Demon Binding Array remained firmly suspended above its head without the slightest tremor. The Mana of more than a dozen Qi Refining Cultivators gathered in one place, greatly surpassing that of this Level 2 Demonic Beast, which had only recently advanced.

After the group that had exterminated the Level 1 Demonic Beasts returned, Liu Tianlong directed several Liu Family cultivators to help operate the array, further increasing its suppressive force. The rest formed several rings around the Silver Armored Crab Demon and resumed their relentless assault on the beast that was still struggling bitterly.

Very soon, another steel claw of the Silver Armored Crab Demon was severed by the High-grade Flying Sword in Liu Tianlong's hand. Unable to withstand the heavy blows, the Silver Armored Crab could only lower the two pincers holding up the golden net, then knock back several cultivators surrounding it with two swipes.

But just as it was about to display its might, the golden net above it, now no longer obstructed, fell entirely over its massive body and pressed it firmly to the ground, making movement difficult.

Although the Silver Armored Crab Demon was suppressed on the ground by the array and could not move its body freely, its pair of iron pincers remained largely unaffected and could still move at will.

The constantly waving pincers and iron claws of the Silver Armored Crab Demon placed considerable pressure on the attacking cultivators. Before long, two more Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivators were swept by the enormous white iron pincers and withdrew from the fight with injuries.

Seeing that the situation was difficult to handle, Liu Tianlong shouted toward the two Late Qi Refining Stage Liu Family Elders at the rear who were leading the array's operation, "Change the array!"

After hearing him, the two rapidly changed the Array Flags in their hands. As the two Liu Family Elders continuously waved the flags, two golden rays split off from the golden net that had originally covered the Silver Armored Crab, each firmly binding one of the crab's two most powerful iron pincers.

This was also the formidable aspect of the Grade 2 Golden Net Demon Binding Array. Not only could it trap demonic beasts, it could also use the powerful Spiritual Energy gathered within the enormous golden net to bind their limbs, causing them to lose most of the attacking ability derived from their powerful bodies.

The Liu Family's Foundation Establishment Ancestor from over a hundred years ago had been a rare Rank 2 Formation Master. It was also the Grade 2 Mountain Protection Array laid down by that ancestor that had guarded the Liu Family's mountain gate.

Back then, after losing its Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Liu Family had been able to preserve part of its family holdings and its Level 2 Spirit Mountain. After that ancestor passed away, he left behind a profound formation inheritance for the Liu Family. This was why there were far more Liu Family Formation Masters present than those of the other three families.

Although the Silver Armored Crab Demon could still move at this moment, its movements were as slow as if it were carrying a thousand-jin burden. Its pincers continued to swing with all their strength, but to the cultivators encircling and attacking it, they were like slow-motion movements and completely useless. It had utterly lost its offensive power, leaving only several weaker iron claws capable of causing some harm.

Under the successive attacks of the many cultivators, even its remaining iron claws were gradually severed one by one. Having completely lost the ability to resist, the Silver Armored Crab could only let out a mournful cry amid everyone's attacks before collapsing unwillingly and completely losing its breath.

Seeing the Silver Armored Crab Demon finally fall, Liu Tianlong quickly stepped forward to confirm that the Level 2 Demonic Beast was thoroughly dead. Only then did he call for those maintaining the array to withdraw it.

Looking over the riverbank strewn with blood and corpses, Liu Tianlong gathered the people in charge of the other three families and said gravely:

"According to our prior agreement, this Level 2 Demonic Beast belongs to my Liu Family. You three families may discuss how to divide the other Level 1 Demonic Beasts yourselves; my Liu Family will not take part. Also, my family will have priority in searching this pool for spiritual treasures. Your families are not permitted to enter the pool for the next two hours. Do the three of you have any objections?"

The leaders of the three families exchanged glances. None spoke, and they all nodded.

Seeing that no one objected, the tension in Liu Tianlong's heart eased slightly, though his face remained expressionless as he began directing the Liu Family members to collect the corpse of the Level 2 Demonic Beast.

He generously left the remaining Level 1 Demonic Beast corpses to the other three families, merely instructing several Liu Family cultivators to keep watch over the cultivators of the three families by the pool, lest they secretly enter it.

After Song Gubo, Wu Xiyun, and Du Shaokang discussed matters on the spot, the three quickly divided the demonic beasts each family would receive.

Following the principle of equal distribution, the Song Family received two High-grade Demonic Beasts and seven mid- and low-grade demonic beasts this time. Under Song Gushan's arrangements, the Song Family members quickly began gathering materials from the corpses of these Level 1 Demonic Beasts.

Looking at the demonic beast corpses before them, the Song Family members were all delighted beyond measure. A mid-grade demonic beast was worth roughly twenty Spirit Stones, while a High-grade Demonic Beast could sell for fifty or sixty Spirit Stones.

These Demonic Beast Materials alone were nearly worth half a year of the Song Family's income. Once they returned from this mission, the family would certainly reward those who had rendered meritorious service.

However, compared to the Level 2 Silver Armored Crab obtained by the Liu Family, the Level 1 Demonic Beasts divided among the three families were nothing much. Even if all these Level 1 Demonic Beast Materials were added together, their total value was still far below that of the Level 2 Silver Armored Crab Demon.

A Grade 2 Low-grade demonic beast could sell for at least fifteen hundred Spirit Stones on the market. Although one Liu Family cultivator had also died this time, overall, the Liu Family had profited the most. That did not even include whatever spiritual treasures might be found at the bottom of the pool.

The outer region of the Floating Cloud Mountain Range had long been searched countless times by those frenzied Rogue Cultivators, so the chance of finding spiritual treasures was not high.

But this pool had been occupied by a Level 2 Demonic Beast for decades, so some Level 1 spiritual treasures must have been born here. Near the spirit vein nest occupied by a Level 2 Demonic Beast, the chances of finding spiritual treasures were generally quite high. Since the Liu Family had priority to search the pool this time, they would surely gain something as well.

All in all, this trip to hunt demonic beasts had gone exceptionally smoothly. All four families had received considerable spoils, and the cultivators from each family present were all beaming with joy.

From afar, Liu Tianlong watched as the people of the other three families focused on collecting demonic beast corpses along the shore. The casual expression on his face shifted slightly, and he then secretly sent a sound transmission to several Liu Family Elders beside him.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, only one Liu Family Elder remained at the scene directing the cleanup. Liu Tianlong and two other Liu Family Elders had vanished without anyone noticing. Even the nearby Liu Family cultivators had not realized when their own clan head had left.

Inside a cave at the bottom of the pool, where Spiritual Energy was dense, the three Liu Family members stared at a bottomless tunnel before them. The ground was littered with the bones of Level 1 Demonic Beasts, along with a rotting Silver Armored Crab.

"These High-grade Demonic Beasts truly are cruel beyond measure. They even treat their own kind as rations," an old man at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining said gravely to Liu Tianlong in front of him.

Liu Tianlong glanced at the demonic beast bones on the ground, pondered for a while, and said nothing.

"Clan Head, the Spiritual Energy here is so dense. The place ahead must be where the Water Spirit Fruit Tree recorded in the Ancestor's Manual is located," another Liu Family Elder said excitedly, pointing ahead.

Taking out a red Manual, Liu Tianlong opened it and carefully checked it over once more. Then he nodded and continued forward. After walking several dozen zhang farther, a blue glow suddenly lit up within the originally dim cave. Seeing that blue light, the three were overjoyed and hurried forward.