Spirit Control Token

Seven days later, Shen Long and the other three appeared in a vast Cyan Bamboo Forest. They moved slowly, their faces full of vigilance.

A light breeze drifted through the forest, making some of the bamboo sway gently.

A piercing whistling sound tore through the air as dozens of Cyan Wind Blades, each about two feet long, descended from above and shot toward Shen Long and the others.

Shen Long reacted quickly. He immediately brought out the Mystic Water Umbrella, which released a Blue Water Screen to protect him.

Several Cyan Wind Blades struck the Blue Water Screen in succession, sending ripples across its surface.

Xu Lei and the other two also cast spells to block the Cyan Wind Blades. Two enormous green mantises, each over three meters long, descended from the sky. Their forelimbs resembled two Cyan Sickles, glinting with cold light. Their heads were tiny, their abdomens bloated, and their eyes green.

"First Rank Late Stage Green-Eyed Wind Mantises!"

Shen Long recognized these demonic insects. They were notoriously troublesome.

One Green-Eyed Wind Mantis pounced at Shen Long. With a flick of his sleeve, Shen Long sent out a Crimson Fireball as large as a water vat to meet it.

The Green-Eyed Wind Mantis crossed its scythe-like arms and slashed forward. More than a dozen Cyan Wind Blades, each around two feet long, shot forth and shredded the Crimson Fireball. The Cyan Wind Blades struck the Blue Water Screen one after another, producing a series of dull thuds.

The Green-Eyed Wind Mantis lunged at Shen Long, who hurriedly brought out the Azure Moon Shears to meet it.

A tremendous explosion rang out, followed faintly by a shrill, miserable screech. Shen Long turned his head and saw the other Green-Eyed Wind Mantis being cut down by four yellow light-flashing Flying Daggers.

Xu Lei held a yellow light-flashing Flying Dagger, his expression icy.

"Parent-Child Blades!"

Shen Long exclaimed in surprise.

Most Qi Refining Cultivators could control no more than two Dharma Artifacts at once. The Parent-Child Blades were a set of Dharma Artifacts; by holding the Mother Blade, one could control the Child Blades. Strictly speaking, it counted as controlling only one Dharma Artifact. However, the Parent-Child Blades were expensive, and ordinary Qi Refining Cultivators could not afford them.

After Xu Lei dealt with one Green-Eyed Wind Mantis, the Yellow Flying Knife in his hand blazed with dazzling yellow light. Four Yellow Flying Knives flew straight toward the remaining Green-Eyed Wind Mantis, while Sun Yang and Qin Qing also attacked it.

The Green-Eyed Wind Mantis sensed that things had gone badly. It crossed its mantis arms and slashed forward, sending more than a dozen Cyan Wind Blades shooting out to meet the attack. Its wings fluttered lightly as it flew toward the high sky.

A massive Crimson Fireball fell from above and smashed into its body, drowning the Green-Eyed Wind Mantis in roaring flames.

The four Yellow Flying Knives shattered the incoming Cyan Wind Blades. Their spiritual light flared, and they plunged into the blazing flames. Shen Long and the other two also controlled their Dharma Artifacts to attack the Green-Eyed Wind Mantis. A heap of mangled flesh fell from the sky.

"Daoist Xu, I didn't expect you to have a set of Parent-Child Blades. I've never seen you use them before!"

Qin Qing's face was filled with wariness.

"I only bought them recently. This is my first time using them, and that's also why I didn't invite any other fellow cultivators."

Xu Lei explained.

They put away the Green-Eyed Wind Mantis corpses and continued onward.

Half an hour later, they emerged from the bamboo forest. Not far away stood a steep mountain peak thick with vegetation.

"Daoist Xu, where is the Purple Apricot Tree?"

Shen Long asked. He did not see any cave. Could it be on the far side of the peak?

Xu Lei brought out the Parent-Child Blades, and four yellow light-flashing Flying Daggers slashed toward a patch of ground.

Amid a thunderous roar, the ground cracked apart, revealing a cave entrance over three meters wide before them.

It seemed someone had deliberately concealed this place.

"What's going on? Daoist Xu, why did you block the cave entrance?"

Qin Qing asked in confusion.

"There is no Purple Apricot Tree. This is an Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode. I blocked the entrance so other cultivators wouldn't discover it."

Xu Lei said, his eyes burning with excitement.

The real reason he had not invited other cultivators was that he did not want to divide the treasure with anyone else. With only four people searching for treasure, it would be easier for him to keep the others under control, and he would definitely claim the lion's share.

"What? An Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode?"

Qin Qing said in astonishment.

"Daoist Xu, you couldn't break the restriction either?"

Shen Long asked doubtfully. Given Xu Lei's character, if he could monopolize it, there was no way he would share it with them.

"I can't open it. Even the Parent-Child Blades are useless against it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have invited you. The old rules: once we break the restriction, I take the larger share and you take the smaller share. How about it?"

Xu Lei said.

"No problem. We'll follow Daoist Xu's lead."

Sun Yang readily agreed. He had always advanced and retreated alongside Xu Lei.

After giving it some thought, Shen Long and Qin Qing agreed as well. If they refused, Xu Lei would surely kill them to silence them. Of course, after breaking the restriction, Xu Lei might still kill them to silence them and monopolize the treasure.

Xu Lei and Sun Yang walked in front, while Qin Qing and Shen Long followed behind.

With a flick of his wrist, Shen Long sent a streak of yellow light flying from his sleeve and into the ground. It was the Iron Tail Scorpion.

The Spirit Beast Bag was tied to his right wrist, its opening left open at all times. At a single command from him, the Iron Tail Scorpion could fly out of the Spirit Beast Bag and burrow underground to lie in ambush.

Shen Long had practiced this many times, all to guard against Xu Lei. He hoped Xu Lei would not turn hostile.

The cave was not large. Before long, they reached its end and arrived in a cavern about an acre in size. The stone walls were uneven, and there were no spirit herbs or medicinal plants. It looked utterly unremarkable, merely an abandoned cave.

Xu Lei controlled the Parent-Child Blades, directing four yellow light-flashing Flying Daggers at one stone wall.

After a series of dull bangs, a thick Yellow Light Screen emerged. Behind it, they could see a humanoid skeleton.

"Don't hold back, everyone. Break the restriction as quickly as possible."

After saying this, Xu Lei made the spiritual light of the four Yellow Flying Knives blaze as they struck the Yellow Light Screen.

Shen Long and the other two each brought out a Mid-grade Magical Tool and attacked the Yellow Light Screen.

In less than half a quarter hour, the Yellow Light Screen shattered. A crude Stone Chamber over three hundred meters wide appeared before them, with a humanoid skeleton lying in its center.

The humanoid skeleton wore a tattered cyan Dharma robe. Many of its bones were broken, and some had blackened. A Cyan Storage Bag hung from its waist. Judging from the blackened bones, this person had likely died from poison.

In one stride, Xu Lei rushed into the Stone Chamber and snatched up the Storage Bag, beside himself with excitement.

Xu Lei turned the bag's opening downward and gave it a light shake. After a sweep of cyan glow, a pile of items appeared on the ground: Dharma Artifacts, Spirit Stones, ores, Jade Slips, and more.

His gaze fell on a cyan light-flashing token. The words "Spirit Control" were engraved on its front.

Xu Lei felt that he had seen this token somewhere before. Just as he was trying to remember, a figure flashed past and reached for the Cyan Token.

"Insolence!"

Xu Lei's expression turned cold. Four Yellow Flying Knives shot toward the figure and struck a Blue Water Screen, producing a series of dull thuds.

It was Shen Long!

He seized the Cyan Token. The Mystic Water Umbrella floated above his head, releasing a Blue Water Screen to protect him.

"Shen Long, hand over the token. You can choose anything else."

Xu Lei said darkly.

"Sorry, I want this token too. I don't want anything else."

Shen Long's expression remained calm.

He was at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. Qin Qing and Sun Yang were both at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, while Xu Lei was at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

"The Spirit Control Token is awarded by the Spirit Control Sect to cultivators who have rendered great service. With a Spirit Control Token, regardless of aptitude or age, one can directly join the Spirit Control Sect."

Qin Qing also recognized the token's origin. No wonder the two were fighting over it.

"Shen Long, are you courting death?"

Xu Lei's expression darkened.

"Every man for himself, and heaven and earth will destroy those who do not. When we hunted Monster Beasts before, you took the lion's share every time, and I had no objections. But not this time."

Shen Long said.