Heavenly Lion Technique

Some cultivators were dueling on the bluestone platforms, all of them at the Qi Refining stage.

The burly man in golden robes and the young girl in a golden dress walked up to a bluestone platform, and a pale cyan light barrier emerged, enveloping the entire arena.

"I am Xu Hu of the Spirit Control Sect!"

The burly man in golden robes announced his name.

"Junior sister Chen Qian of the Seven Rosy Clouds Sect."

The young girl in the golden dress announced her name.

"A duel between disciples of the Spirit Control Sect and the Seven Rosy Clouds Sect, that's a rare sight."

"I wonder who is stronger; this match is going to be interesting."

"Let's go over and take a look."

Many Qi Refining cultivators gathered around. As the Immortal Ascension Assembly approached, a large number of Qi Refining cultivators flooded into Yunmeng Mountain. Conflicts were inevitable among these cultivators, and the Martial Arts Arena was provided for them to spar, with the rule that they should stop once the outcome was clear.

If anyone were to be killed, the Five Great Powers would intervene.

Shen Long's gaze was fixed on the bluestone platform; he was also very eager to see the fighting techniques of the disciples from the Seven Rosy Clouds Sect and the Spirit Control Sect.

As the match began, Xu Hu patted the Spirit Beast Bag at his waist with his right hand. A red light and a cyan light flew out, revealing a giant tiger over a zhang long and a cyan avian monster with a lion's head and eagle's body.

The giant tiger stood half a zhang tall, its body covered in crimson fur. Two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, making it look exceptionally ferocious, and a crimson tail lashed about behind it.

The cyan avian monster's wings spanned several zhang, covered in cyan feathers. Beneath its belly were a pair of cyan lion claws, and it let out a low, rumbling roar.

"Crimson Flame Tiger! Lion-Eagle Beast!"

Chen Qian's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed; both the Crimson Flame Tiger and the Lion-Eagle Beast were at the First Rank Late Stage.

"Go! Let her have a taste of your power."

Xu Hu waved his large sleeve. The Crimson Flame Tiger opened its blood-red maw and spat out a dozen Crimson Fireballs the size of millstones, heading straight for Chen Qian.

The Lion-Eagle Beast flapped its wings gently, and a dozen cyan wind blades, each a foot long, shot out toward Chen Qian.

A golden light lit up on Chen Qian's body, and a thick golden light barrier emerged, clinging to her skin to protect her. She summoned a small golden umbrella, opened it, and spun it rapidly.

The dozen Crimson Fireballs struck the surface of the small golden umbrella one after another. After a series of massive explosions, rolling flames engulfed the small umbrella, and the cyan wind blades struck the umbrella's surface, emitting muffled sounds of metal clashing against metal.

The Crimson Flame Tiger lunged from the left. Chen Qian raised her right hand, and a white talisman flew out, transforming into a dozen white ice spikes, each two feet long, heading straight for the Crimson Flame Tiger.

The Crimson Flame Tiger opened its blood-red maw and spat out a thick stream of crimson flames to meet them.

Several white ice spikes collided with the crimson flames and instantly vanished, erupting into a large cloud of white mist. A few remaining white ice spikes struck the Crimson Flame Tiger, but they were as harmless as a tickle.

A shimmering golden rope emerged from the white mist without warning and reached the front of the Crimson Flame Tiger in an instant.

Before the Crimson Flame Tiger could dodge, its four limbs were bound by the golden rope, and it collapsed to the ground.

The Lion-Eagle Beast descended from the sky, its pair of cyan lion claws aiming straight for Chen Qian.

Chen Qian's lips curled slightly upward. She raised her right hand, and a white talisman flew from her grasp, bursting instantly. A surge of extreme cold gushed out, and white ice crystals appeared on the surface of the Lion-Eagle Beast, causing its speed to slow down.

She raised her right hand again, and a shimmering golden net flew out, covering the Lion-Eagle Beast and rapidly constricting to trap it within.

The Lion-Eagle Beast struggled violently but could not break free.

Zhang Yuyan's face showed joy. The Spirit Control Sect was famous throughout the Qin Kingdom's cultivation world for its beast-taming techniques; now that his spirit beasts and birds were trapped, Xu Hu's strength should be more than half-depleted.

"Controlling three magical artifacts at once, your divine sense is much stronger than that of an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator."

Xu Hu said.

Chen Qian put away the small golden umbrella and summoned a golden flying knife. At the same time, she patted the Spirit Beast Bag at her waist, and a white giant python over two zhang long flew out and landed on the ground.

The white giant python spat out cold air; its eyes were snow-white, and its body was covered in white scales, as if it were wearing a suit of white armor.

A First Rank Late Stage Ice Armor Python!

As a disciple of the Spirit Control Sect, being defeated by his opponent's spirit beast caused Xu Hu to lose face.

"Your main spirit beasts have all been captured by me; let's see how you fight me now."

Chen Qian said triumphantly. Her divine sense was significantly stronger than most Qi Refining cultivators.

The Ice Armor Python opened its blood-red maw and spat out a dozen white ice spikes, heading straight for Xu Hu.

Xu Hu wore a mocking expression. He opened his mouth and let out a deafening lion's roar, spitting out a golden sound wave to meet the golden flying knife and the white ice spikes.

The golden flying knife collided with the golden sound wave and was instantly sent flying backward, while the dozen white ice spikes were completely shattered.

Cyan light erupted beneath Xu Hu's feet, and he transformed into an afterimage, charging straight toward Chen Qian.

Chen Qian was shocked. She raised her right hand, and a red talisman flew out, transforming into a dozen bowl-sized Crimson Fireballs that smashed toward Xu Hu.

The Ice Armor Python spat out a dozen white ice spikes to attack Xu Hu.

Xu Hu turned into an afterimage, dodging these attacks. In a flash, he appeared behind Chen Qian, opened his mouth to spit out a golden sound wave, and simultaneously, his right fist glowed with golden light, slamming into the golden light barrier.

With a muffled thud, the golden light barrier shattered like paper.

Xu Hu's fist stopped, hovering just an inch away from Chen Qian's head.

Chen Qian broke out in a cold sweat; if this had been a life-or-death duel, she would already be dead.

"I concede, Fairy Chen."

Xu Hu said.

Chen Qian's expression was somewhat unsightly as she cupped her hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu's cultivation is profound, and I am impressed. I did not expect Fellow Daoist Xu to be a body cultivator."

"I am not a body cultivator; I simply practice the Heavenly Lion Technique, which grants me greater strength. Furthermore, what you captured was not my natal spirit beast. It was merely a sparring match, not enough to warrant me releasing my natal spirit beast."

Xu Hu explained, his face full of arrogance.

Shen Long nodded secretly, while Zhang Yuyan's expression was not very pleasant.

"Fellow Daoists are welcome to participate in our Spirit Control Sect's assessment. Aside from spirit beasts, spirit birds, and spirit insects, the techniques of our Spirit Control Sect are also quite formidable."

Xu Hu said.

Having watched this sparring match, many Qi Refining cultivators developed a keen interest in the Spirit Control Sect.

Having lost the match and feeling embarrassed, Chen Qian jumped off the bluestone platform and left the area, followed by Zhang Yuyan and Zhang Yuruo.

Shen Long greeted Wei Tianbao and also departed from the scene.

He arrived at the Free Trade Square and began to stroll around.

After a while, Shen Long suddenly quickened his pace and arrived in front of a small stall. The stall owner was a young man in a green shirt in his early twenties, only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and the stall was laid out with some ores, spirit wood, and monster materials.

Shen Long's gaze fell upon a pale golden ore, and he bent down to reach for it.

"I want this piece of Golden Lang Stone. Name your price."

A loud, resonant male voice rang out.

As soon as the voice fell, a tall young man in a silver shirt flashed over and appeared in front of the stall. Judging by his aura, he was clearly a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The silver-shirted youth carried a long saber on his back, the scabbard engraved with exquisite patterns.

"If the senior likes it, please take it."

The green-shirted youth said with a fawning smile.

The silver-shirted youth took out a cyan storage bag, tossed it to the green-shirted youth, and said, "Is this enough?"

The green-shirted youth swept it with his divine sense, his face lighting up with joy as he nodded repeatedly.

The silver-shirted youth put away the golden ore and turned to leave.

Shen Long felt a wave of frustration in his heart; he had been about to pick up a great bargain, only to have it snatched away by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Golden Lang Stone is a second-tier refining material that can be used to forge top-grade magical tools, making it quite valuable.

"Fellow Daoist, are you still looking for Golden Lang Stone?"

The green-shirted youth asked enthusiastically.

Shen Long squatted down, picked up a few pieces of golden ore, and examined them carefully; they were not Golden Lang Stone.