Sky Wolf Tribe

Three days passed quickly at Green Begonia Courtyard.

In a secluded room, Shen Long was feeding a Spirit Beast that resembled a raccoon dog. The beast was covered in white fur, had a pair of coral-like horns on its head, and unusually large eyes.

Spirit-Tracking Beast, Shen Long used the Spirit Control Pool to hatch Spirit Beast Egg, which is currently at the early stage of the first tier.

Not long Spirit-Tracking Beast hatched, Shen Long fed it with Spirit-Tracking Beast rice.

It quickly finished the spirit rice, then licked Shen Long's palm with its tongue, showing great affection.

Shen Long patted its head, teasing the Spirit-Tracking Beast.

A quarter of an hour later, Shen Long took out Communication Disk that was constantly swirling with blue light, and entered a spell. Tang Yilong's voice rang out. "Fellow Daoist Shen, are you free? I have something to discuss with you."

"That's convenient, I'll come over to your place!"

Shen Long said.

"No need, I'll be right outside your place."

Tang Yilong said.

"Okay, I'll be right out."

Shen Long put away the Communication Disk, got up and went outside. He opened the courtyard gate and saw Tang Yilong standing at the door. He invited Tang Yilong in and closed the gate.

They sat down in the stone pavilion, Shen Long took out tea leaves to make tea, inviting Tang Yilong to join him.

Tang Yilong talked to Shen Long about the art of insect control and beast taming. Shen Long didn't know what Tang Yilong was up to, so he just went along with what he was saying.

After chatting for about fifteen minutes, Tang Yilong got down to business. "Fellow Daoist Shen, you are proficient in insect control and beast taming techniques, so you must have some high-ranking Spirit Insect on you! I can trade something with you."

He took out a blue porcelain bottle and handed it to Shen Long.

Shen Long took the porcelain bottle, feeling as if he were holding a block of ice. He pried open the stopper, and a burst of extremely cold air rushed out.

"Mystic Cold True Water, Third Rank Spirit Water, it provides a bonus when refining ice-attribute pills, how about it?"

Tang Yilong said.

The Tang Clan has a Mystic Cold Ice Cave that produces Mystic Cold True Water, but the output is limited and it is usually in the hands of Core Formation Cultivator. It is not easy for Tang Yilong to obtain some Mystic Cold True Water.

"Mystic Cold True Water!"

Shen Long was somewhat tempted. He had naturally heard of this spiritual water; some ice-attribute spirit medicine could only be cultivated using Mystic Cold True Water.

"The quantity is too small; this isn't enough to do anything."

Shen Long said.

"That depends on what kind of Spirit Insect Fellow Daoist Shen takes out."

Tang Yilong said meaningfully.

"Fellow Daoist Tang, please wait a moment. I'll be right back."

Shen Long put down the porcelain bottle, got up and walked into the Green Begonia Pavilion.

Tang Yilong picked up his teacup, drank his tea, and waited.

Not long after, Shen Long came out, holding a Cyan Spirit Beast Bag, and handed it to Tang Yilong.

Tang Yilong opened the Spirit Beast Bag, and a Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada flew out.

"The Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada!"

Tang Yilong's eyes lit up, and his gaze became fiery.

Compared to Spirit-Tracking Beast, the Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada is more useful. Having a high-level Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada makes treasure hunting and breaking restrictions much easier.

He took out a Blue Gourd, handed it to Shen Long, and said, "There's still some Mystic Cold True Water here; it's more than enough to exchange for this Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada."

Shen Long uncorked the gourd, and a surge of extremely cold energy rushed out. He confirmed that it was Mystic Cold True Water, nodded, and agreed to the exchange.

Tang Yilong put the Hundred- Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada back into his Spirit Beast Bag and asked Shen Long for advice on raising it. Shen Long told him the truth.

"I never expected Fellow Daoist Shen to be able to produce even the Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada; it truly exceeds my expectations."

Tang Yilong said with a smile.

"This was given to me by my master; it's the only one left."

Shen Long explained.

Tang Yilong nodded, chatted for a while, then said goodbye and left.

"It seems it's time to leave."

Shen Long was talking to himself.

If he stays any longer, who knows how many Foundation Establishment Cultivator will want to trade their higher-ranking Spirit Insect with him, since he only has two Hundred-Eyed Golden Cicada.

Shen Long's main purpose in coming to the Shu Kingdom was to investigate the remnants of the Loose Cultivator Assembly. He had already gathered intelligence on them, so there was no need for him to stay in the Shu Kingdom any longer.

He packed his things and left Green Begonia Courtyard.

After leaving the Marketplace, Shen Long released the Snow Wind Sparrow Snow Wind Sparrow, walked onto its back, and gently patted it with his palm. The Snow Wind Sparrow flapped its wings, creating a gust of cold wind, and flew into the sky, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

······

The Sky Wolf Mountain Range stretch for over 100,000 miles and consist of hundreds of thousands of peaks of varying sizes. This is the ancestral home of the Sky Wolf Tribe.

The Sky Wolf Tribe is one of the Eighteen Great Barbarian Tribes, with several Nascent Soul Cultivator in charge and numerous experts.

Deep within the mountains, numerous human figures and buildings can be seen, and the roars of beasts can be heard.

A magnificent golden hall stood with the three large characters "Golden Wolf Hall" on its plaque. A burly old man in a golden robe sat on the main seat, his eyes exuding an imposing aura.

A plump woman in a golden dress stood to one side, reporting to the old man in a golden robe.

They were much larger than Human Race; they were Barbarian Race.

"Elder Gu, we have very few spies left, and we still haven't found that item. Could it be that the item isn't in the Yu Clan's possession?"

The woman in the golden dress spoke cautiously.

Li Sangya, Core Formation Mid Stage cultivator, is responsible for intelligence gathering.

"Perhaps! Send more men, no matter the cost, we must find that treasure. Once we know who has it, notify me immediately, and I will take action personally."

The old man in the golden robe gave the instructions.

Gu Hong, Nascent Soul Early Stage.

"Yes, Elder Gu."

Sang Liya readily agreed.

To be honest, it's not easy to plant spies in the heart of Human Race territory, and it's even more difficult for those spies to find a treasure, since the owner of the treasure wouldn't be carrying it around in public.

"Elder Gu, what exactly is that thing? Can you reveal more information so we can investigate further?"

Sang Liya asked cautiously.

"That's a Law Treasure bead. The bead itself isn't particularly rare, but with it, you can access a certain place in the Immortal Burial Mound, where there are some very precious things. That's the rumor."

Gu Hong said, his face showing anticipation.

Sang Liya's expression hardened. Even a Nascent Soul Cultivator was taking it seriously; it seemed that this treasure involved something extraordinary.

Sang Liya nodded. "I see, I understand."

"There's a saying among Human Race: 'Whoever feeds you is your mother.' As long as we're willing to invest in cultivation resources, I believe many Human Race cultivators will be willing to work for us. Of course, they can't act under our name. They can act under the name of a certain Human Race. This will reduce their sense of guilt and make them more accepting."

Gu Hong gave the instructions.

"Elder Gu is wise; I admire you."

Sang Liya's face was full of fawning.

"Alright, go ahead and get busy! I hope to hear good news from you soon."

Gu Hong gave the instructions.

Sang Liya responded and bowed as she withdrew.

······

The Chu Kingdom is one of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms in the East Hua Cultivation World, with eight provinces and forty-two counties, and is rich in mineral resources.

Huainan Prefecture is one of the eight prefectures of the Chu Kingdom. The Green Dragon River in the East Hua Cultivation World, flows through Huainan Prefecture, making water transportation convenient and attracting merchants from all over the world.

The Golden Tangerine Mountain Range are located in the southwest of Huainan Prefecture, and a tributary of the Green Dragon River is situated within the Golden Tangerine Mountain Range.

A swiftly flowing river, a small blue boat floats on its surface, drifting downstream.

Shen Long and two men in gold robes with identical features sat around Zhang Qing tea table, sipping tea and discussing philosophy.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, if you travel another thousand miles east, you will reach Golden Tangerine Marketplace."

A tall man in a gold shirt spoke, his voice booming.

"We should be able to make it to the Flying Cloud Assembly. The Bai Clan has brought out quite a few good things to attract cultivators to Flying Cloud Assembly."

A thin man in a gold shirt spoke gently, his face beaming with a smile.

Shen Long smiled slightly and said, "If you ask me, the two Fellow Daoists Qin will definitely achieve a good ranking in this Flying Cloud Assembly."

He has been traveling for more than ten years, but there is still no sign of the bottleneck loosening. He has traveled to more than ten countries, met many Foundation Establishment Cultivator, experienced the customs and cultures of different countries, and collected a lot of cultivation resources.

The Chu Kingdom was located in the rear of the Human Race in the East Hua Cultivation World, separated from the Qin Kingdom by more than ten other states.

Shen Long did not give up searching for the remnants of the Loose Cultivator Assembly, but unfortunately, he found not a single one. It was as if they had vanished into thin air, or perhaps they had died and disappeared.

The State of the Chu Kingdom is rich in mineral resources and has a thriving tradition of weapon crafting. The Bai Clan, with a history of over a thousand years, is an old and established cultivation Lineage in the Chu Kingdom, with several Core Formation Cultivator in charge.

Every ten years or so, the Bai Clan holds the Flying Cloud Assembly. The participants are mainly Foundation Establishment Cultivator who fly using magical artifacts to see who can fly the fastest. The top ten receive prizes.

Initially, the Flying Cloud Assembly was created by the Bai Clan's Artifact Refiner to compare the speed of flying magical Law Artifact. Later, it evolved into a platform where other Artifact Refiner could also participate.

The Flying Cloud Assembly has strict requirements. Participants must be Artifact Refiner, and the magical Law Artifact they use for flying must be crafted by themselves. Each person has only one set of materials, which they must provide themselves.

Strictly speaking, the Flying Cloud Assembly is an exchange meeting for Artifact Refiner. Flying with weapon-wielding is just one part of the process. Artifact Refiner can exchange weapon-refining experiences and, incidentally, exchange cultivation resources.

Today, the Flying Cloud Assembly has become a major celebration for the Bai Clan. In addition to providing a platform for Artifact Refiner to exchange skills and learn from each other, it also serves as an opportunity to sell goods. In order to expand its influence and attract more Foundation Establishment Cultivator to participate, the Bai Clan offers some cultivation resources as rewards.

During his travels in the Chu Kingdom, Shen Long met the Qin Brothers fortuitous opportunity chance. They were from the Hundred Puppet Sect of the Chu Kingdom, a sect famous in the Chu Kingdom cultivation Immortal Realm for its Puppet mechanical beasts.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you flatter me. This year's Flying Cloud Assembly has attracted many Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I've also heard that the neighboring Wei Kingdom has a number of Foundation Establishment Cultivator participating in the Flying Cloud Assembly. It won't be easy to achieve a good ranking."

The thin man in the gold shirt spoke earnestly.

Qin Wen, Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Second Rank Artifact Refiner.

"Yes! This year's Flying Cloud Assembly is indeed more difficult than in previous years. Just look at the rewards; the first place winner gets a Top-Grade Dharma Artifact."

"That's what the tall, golden-clad man said."

Qin Wu, Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Second Rank Artifact Refiner.

Shen Long smiled calmly and said, "It's all up to human effort. I believe in the abilities of both of you."

"It's a pity that the Flying Cloud Assembly tests flying Law Artifact. If it were a competition of the flying speed of Spirit Bird, Fellow Daoist Shen would definitely have achieved a good ranking."

Qin Wen said in a regretful tone.

Shen Long smiled slightly, looked southwest, and said, "Someone's coming."

Qin Wen and Qin Wu looked southwest but didn't see anyone.

They released their Divine Sense but couldn't detect the presence of any cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you must be mistaken! I haven't detected any cultivators!"

Qin Wen asked, puzzled.

"I wasn't mistaken, they've arrived."

Shen Long spoke.

As soon as he finished speaking, a Red Escape Light appeared on the distant horizon, then stopped abruptly.

The Escape Light vanished, revealing a flying boat with constantly flowing red light. A graceful girl in a red dress and a tall man in a golden robe stood aboard. Their clothes had a Golden Flame pattern on them, representing a certain symbol.

"It's Fairy Xu and Fellow Daoist Xu from the Golden Flame Sect."

Qin Wen recognized the girl in the red dress and the man in the gold shirt.

The Golden Flame Sect is a small sect that was established not long ago. Its sect leader is Core Formation Cultivator, and its lineage is less than a hundred years old. The Golden Flame Sect's General Headquarters is in the Wei Kingdom.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Qin, what a coincidence! You're also here for the Flying Cloud Assembly, aren't you?"

The girl in the red dress spoke, her voice sweet.

She made a hand seal, and the Red Flying Boat flew towards Shen Long and the other two.

"This humble sister, Xu Yue, greets the three fellow Daoists."

The girl in the red dress spoke politely, her gaze fixed on Shen Long, her face full of curiosity.

"My name is Xu Wen."

The man in the gold shirt introduced himself.

"I am Shen Shi! Greetings to Fairy Xu and Fellow Daoist Xu."

Shen Long gave a false name.

He always used the pseudonym Shen Shi when he traveled.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Shen. May I ask which sect or school Fellow Daoist Shen belongs to?"

Xu Yue asked politely.

"I am merely a Rogue Cultivator, without any sect or faction."

Shen Long said.

Upon learning that Shen Long was Rogue Cultivator, Xu Yue paid him little attention. Her gaze fell on Qin Wen, and she said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Qin, I heard you can refine Top-Grade Dharma Artifact. Congratulations!"

"It was just luck. I might not be able to refine it from just one piece of material."

Qin Wen said modestly.

"You'll find out when the Flying Cloud Assembly is held. See you at the Marketplace."

After Xu Yue finished speaking, she made a hand seal, and the Red Flying Boat immediately lit up with a dazzling red light and flew away into the distance, quickly disappearing from sight.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, are you very familiar with Fairy Xu?"

Shen Long asked casually.

"We went to the Wei Kingdom on business with our seniors from our sect, and we met a few times at gatherings."

Qin Wen said.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, hurry up and get to Golden Tangerine Marketplace as soon as possible!"

Qin Wu urged.

Shen Long nodded, made a hand seal, and the Blue Flying Boat immediately lit up with a dazzling blue light and flew away into the distance.

Before long, the Blue Flying Boat stopped above an island in the middle of a lake. There were many buildings on the island, and many people could be seen moving around. The island was planted with a large number of kumquat trees, hence its name.

Shen Long put away his flying Law Artifact, and the three of them entered the Marketplace.

Shen Long greeted them and parted ways with them. He then strolled around the streets, looking at the sights.

The shops lining both sides of the street are mostly weapon shops, selling Law Artifact and Puppet Beast. Besides that, there are many material shops, and relatively few elixir shops.

Shen Long went into some shops that sold refining materials and bought second-tier refining materials to feed the Gold-Eating Ant.

About half an hour later, Shen Long appeared in a spacious Bluestone Square. There were many stalls there, selling all sorts of things. He walked around and looked at them. When he encountered something he didn't recognize, he would stop and ask the stall owner to find out its name and purpose, thus broadening his horizons.