Twenty Years
Time flies like an arrow; twenty years have passed.
The Red Centipede Mountain Range is located in the southwest of the Southern Border Cultivation World. It consists of more than 100,000 peaks of varying sizes and is shrouded in miasma year-round, inhabited by a large number of poisonous insects and beasts, including a large number of Red Fire Centipede, hence its name.
Deep in the mountains, at the foot of a steep peak lies a huge cave. A deafening explosion echoes from within, the ground trembles slightly, and some loose rocks tumble down from the mountaintop.
A streak of Red Escape Light shot out from the cave at great speed.
Before the Red Escape Light had traveled far, thick, Cyan Vine sprouted from the ground. These Cyan Vine quickly wove together into a Cyan Giant Hand, which slammed onto the Red Escape Light, producing a muffled thud.
The Red Escape Light landed on the ground, Escape Light, it revealed a giant centipede that was entirely red. The centipede's shell had some flame-like patterns on its surface, and under its abdomen was a row of short, red, sickle-like legs. Its antennae were unusually long, and its eyes were also crimson. It was the Red Fire Centipede.
Thick Cyan Vine, each as thick as an adult's arm, sprouted from the ground and wrapped around the Red Fire Centipede's body. The massive Red Fire Centipede twisted and turned, easily tearing the Cyan Vine apart.
Just then, a Silver Thunder Pillar, about ten feet in diameter, ripped through the sky and struck the Red Fire Centipede precisely. The lightning engulfed the Red Fire Centipede's body, and a surge of energy erupted.
With a whooshing sound, a Golden Spear shot out and disappeared into the lightning, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
Not long after, the lightning dissipated, revealing a huge crater emitting black smoke in the ground. The Red Fire Centipede Red Fire Centipede lay in the crater, a Golden Spear piercing its head, and it died.
A somewhat noisy bird call rang out, and a Blue Giant Bird with two heads flew out, Blue Giant Bird head topped with a blood-red fleshy crest.
It flew above the corpse of the Red Fire Centipede, and a beam of blue light shot out from one of its heads, enveloping the corpse. A miniature Red Fire Centipede Red Fire Centipede detached from the body and flew out, only to be caught in the blue light and swallowed by the Blue Giant Bird.
Shen Long flew out of the cave; he was still in the Core Formation Mid Stage.
Over the past twenty years, he has traveled extensively in the Southern Border Cultivation World, visiting many places and getting to know many Core Formation Cultivator. He has even participated in Dharma assemblies held by Nascent Soul Cultivator, but he still cannot break through his bottleneck.
The blue bird let out an extremely joyful cry and flew back to Shen Long's side.
"Go back to your Spirit Beast Bag! You're still very weak."
Shen Long gave the order.
The blue noble bird is Ghost Dove, currently at the mid-stage of the second tier.
After Ghost Dove advanced to the second tier, its Bloodline Purity remained at three, but it grew an extra head, becoming two heads.
Shen Long couldn't determine whether it was due to the Five-Colored Jade Ganoderma Fruit or that the Spirit Bird was inherently like that.
The Ghost Dove delights in feeding on all kinds of Essence Soul, with Ghost Creature being its favorite.
Shen Long bought a lot of low-level Ghost Creature at a high price and fed them to the Ghost Dove. In addition, when hunting Demon Beast, the Demon Beast Essence Soul would also devour the Ghost Dove.
The Ghost Dove flew back to a blue Spirit Beast Bag on Shen Long's waist. Shen Long put away the corpse of the Red Fire Centipede and transformed into a streak of Red Escape Light, leaving the place.
Half a day later, he stopped. Not far ahead was a Giant Valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. Outside the valley stood a Golden Stele more than ten feet high, with three large red characters "Red Fire Valley" written on it, gleaming with spiritual light.
Shen Long strode inside. The street was bustling with people and carriages, a lively scene indeed.
Fifteen minutes later, he appeared on a quiet street in a residential area with few pedestrians.
He arrived at the entrance of a three-story red pavilion, where he could see the three large characters "Mystic Fire Pavilion" written on a plaque.
He sent a Sound Transmission Talisman, and shortly after, the door opened, and a somewhat hoarse male voice rang out. "Fellow Daoist Shen, come in and talk!"
Shen Long strode inside, and the door closed behind him.
A tall, thin old man in a green robe sat in the main seat, with a square face and large eyes, and an unfathomable aura.
"Daoist Wang, here is what you wanted."
Shen Long took out a Cyan Storage Bag and tossed it to the green-robed elder.
The green-robed elder took the Storage Bag, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and exclaimed in surprise, "You've collected everything I asked for so quickly?"
"Is being fast wrong?"
Shen Long asked.
The green-robed old man was named Wang Xiao. He had captured many Ghost Creature and collected the corpses of high-level poisonous insects and beasts.
"No, these are the Ghost Creature you wanted. There are over a thousand Ghost Creature, mostly at the Qi Refining stage, Ghost Creature a hundred or so at the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Wang Xiao took out a Black Gourd and tossed it to Shen Long.
Shen Long pried open the gourd stopper, and a loud howling sound erupted, accompanied by gusts of cold wind, causing the room temperature to drop rapidly.
He scanned the gourd with his Divine Sense and confirmed that there were more than a hundred Foundation Establishment Realm Ghost Creature inside. He nodded, turned around, and left.
He arrived at the entrance of a two-story Cyan Pavilion with the three large characters "Green Bamboo Pavilion" written on the plaque. He took out a Cyan Token, flicked his wrist, and a beam of cyan light flew out from the token and disappeared into the Green Bamboo Pavilion. The door opened, he went inside, and the door closed.
This is his residence. Shen Long has been staying in Red Fire Valley for more than half a year.
Shen Long entered a Cultivation Room, went into the Spirit Control Tower, and appeared on the First Floor.
He released the Ghost Dove, took out the Black Gourd, and cast a spell. The Black Gourd spewed out a gust of yin wind, and more than three hundred Ghost Creature flew out from it, in various forms, including more than thirty Foundation Establishment Realm Ghost Creature.
Each of the two heads of the Ghost Dove emitted a beam of blue light, which enveloped the Ghost Creature, pulled it into its mouth, and swallowed it.
A Foundation Establishment Realm Ghost Creature approached the Ghost Dove. The Ghost Dove's two heads flashed out, biting Ghost Creature Ghost Creature's body, tearing it in half, and swallowing it.
The blue light emitted by the Ghost Dove was very effective against Ghost Creature. Once Ghost Creature touched the blue light, it lost its ability to resist and was obediently swallowed by the Ghost Dove.
In less than a quarter of an hour, more than three hundred Ghost Creature were devoured by the Ghost Dove, and none escaped.
The Ghost Dove let out a joyful chirping, spread its wings and soared high into the sky, Formation Disk.
"Having consumed so many Ghost Creature, plus the Essence Soul of a Third Rank early-stage Red Fire Centipede, should be enough for you to advance to the late-stage second tier."
As Shen Long spoke, he took out two Spirit Feeding Pill and tossed them to Ghost Dove.
The Ghost Dove opened its two heads and swallowed the two Spirit Feeding Pill.
A quarter of an hour later, the Ghost Dove flew down to Shen Long's side, chirping affectionately and nuzzling its head against Shen Long's body.
Under Shen Long's careful guidance, Ghost Dove grew rapidly.
It doesn't play a significant role before advancing to the Third Rank.
Shen Long arrived at the third floor, whistled, and a piercing bird cry came from high above. A gust of wind blew by, and the Golden-Winged Wind Peng appeared.
Its size has increased considerably compared to before, and it is currently in the late stage of the Third Rank.
The Golden-Winged Wind Peng emitted a cheerful chirping sound and gently flapped its wings.
"You're not going to get ahead of me, are you?!"
Shen Long affectionately patted its head, fed the Golden-Winged Wind Peng two high-grade Beast Rearing Pill, and jumped onto Golden-Winged Wind Peng back.
With a gentle flap of its wings, the Golden-Winged Wind Peng took off and soared into the sky at great speed.
A strong wind howled past, and Shen Long's hair flew wildly in the wind.