Chen Xiong

A day later, the Azure Cloud Boat descended into a narrow, long valley. Shen Long and the others disembarked one after another, and Xu Lei put away the Azure Cloud Boat.

"The Ice Cloud Spider's nest lies deep within the Thousand Bamboo Mountain Range. Second rank Monster Beasts may appear there, so everyone be careful."

Xu Lei gave a reminder, cast a Cyan Light Screen over himself, and walked forward.

Shen Long and the other six each cast a defensive spell over themselves and followed.

After passing through the valley, they saw a steep mountain peak. At its foot was a cave several zhang wide.

"The Ice Cloud Spiders are inside."

Sun Yang pointed at the cave as he spoke.

"The usual plan. Qin Qing will lure them out, then we'll concentrate our firepower and kill one Ice Cloud Spider. Fellow Daoist Xu, you'll hold the other Ice Cloud Spider down and buy us time."

Xu Lei gave his orders.

Qin Qing and the others agreed. Cyan light flashed beneath Qin Qing's feet, and he turned into an afterimage as he entered the cave.

Before long, deafening rumbles erupted from within the cave, mixed with sharp screeches.

Qin Qing rushed out of the cave, followed closely by more than a dozen White Ice Spikes roughly a foot long.

Qin Qing's figure blurred, dodging the dozen or so White Ice Spikes.

Two enormous snow-white spiders charged out of the cave. They had six snow-white claws, bloated abdomens, a pair of exposed snow-white fangs, and breathed out cold qi.

The moment they rushed from the cave, a Crimson Fireball as large as a water vat fell from the sky and struck one Ice Cloud Spider. Roiling flames engulfed its body.

A thick Cyan Light Screen descended from the sky and trapped the other Ice Cloud Spider. The Ice Cloud Spider struggled fiercely, its claws slashing against the Cyan Light Screen, but the screen remained unscathed.

Shen Long and the others attacked one of the Ice Cloud Spiders in unison.

Shen Long flicked his right hand, sending a massive Crimson Fireball flying out. It struck an Ice Cloud Spider and burst into flames that engulfed its body.

The Ice Cloud Spider opened its mouth and spat out more than a dozen White Ice Spikes roughly a foot long, hurtling toward Shen Long and the others.

Shen Long brought out the Black Tortoise Shield, which circled him without pause. Qin Qing's figure flashed, and he dodged the White Ice Spikes.

Time passed bit by bit. This Ice Cloud Spider's reactions grew slower and slower. It tried to retreat into the cave, but an earthen-yellow wall erupted from the ground and blocked the entrance.

It swung its claws and struck the Yellow Earth Wall, which shattered at once.

A red rope shot over and wrapped around one of the Ice Cloud Spider's claws. Yellow light flashed, and a massive Yellow Seal descended from above, smashing into its body with the force to shake heaven and earth.

Xu Lei wore a smug expression. He had spent a huge sum to purchase this Mid-grade Magical Tool, and it had slain many First Rank Monster Beasts.

With a light point of his finger, the massive yellow seal rose. The Ice Cloud Spider had already been reduced to pulp, and the massive yellow seal smashed toward the Ice Cloud Spider trapped within the Cyan Light Screen.

The Ice Cloud Spider spat out a stream of White Cold Qi that struck the Cyan Light Screen. The Cyan Light Screen instantly froze. It swung its claws at the screen, shattering it, but a Cyan Vine as thick as an adult's arm drilled out of the ground and wrapped around its body.

Before the Ice Cloud Spider could cut through the Cyan Vine, the massive yellow seal crashed down, shaking heaven and earth.

Xu Lei seemed to sense something. He slapped his chest with his right hand, and a dazzling yellow light lit up from his chest, revealing a Yellow Small Lock. Judging by its spiritual aura, it was a Mid-grade Magical Tool.

Yellow light flashed, and a thick Yellow Light Screen appeared, forming a second layer of defense.

Three Short Blades glittering with spiritual light struck the Cyan Light Screen in succession. The Cyan Light Screen shattered instantly, but the Yellow Light Screen blocked them.

Liu Xin was shrouded in a thick Purple Light Screen. Three Dharma Artifacts glittering with spiritual light struck the Purple Light Screen one after another. The Purple Light Screen shattered instantly, and a Short Blade gleaming with yellow light severed Liu Xin's head.

Her headless corpse swayed once before collapsing.

When the Fire Crow flock had attacked them last time, the only defensive Dharma Artifact in her possession had been destroyed. She did not have enough Spirit Stones to buy another defensive Dharma Artifact; otherwise, she would not have been killed.

Shen Long broke out in a cold sweat. If not for the Black Tortoise Shield protecting him, he would likely have been one of the enemy's targets.

He turned around, his face full of vigilance.

Six men and two women stood in an open clearing. At their head was a green-shirted big man with a tiger's back and bear's waist, his face brimming with killing intent.

"Chen Xiong, it's you!"

Xu Lei's expression turned cold.

Among Chen Xiong's group of eight, two were at the seventh level of Qi Refining, while the other six were all at the sixth level of Qi Refining. Their strength was not weak.

"Heaven has eyes, letting me run into you here! Xu Lei, you killed my wife back then. Today, I will make you repay this blood debt with blood."

Chen Xiong sneered, forming a hand seal. A Cyan Flying Knife shot straight toward Xu Lei.

The other seven Qi Refining Cultivators acted as well, attacking Shen Long and the other six.

Xu Lei raised his right hand, and a Talisman flickering with red light shot out.

With a muffled boom, the red Talisman exploded and turned into a red fire serpent more than a zhang long, lunging at the enemy.

A Cyan Flying Knife cut the red fire serpent in half. Its body exploded, transforming into a huge mass of crimson fire light that swallowed Chen Xiong and the others from sight.

"Retreat!"

After saying this, Xu Lei brought out the Azure Cloud Boat and stepped aboard. With a hand seal, the Azure Cloud Boat flew toward the sky.

Shen Long reacted quickly as well. He took out a Flight Talisman and slapped it onto himself. Cyan light flashed, and a pair of cyan-feathered wings appeared on his back. With a light flap, he soared into the air and flew into the distance.

Qin Qing and the other four each used their own methods to flee in different directions.

"Madam Li, Fellow Daoist Qin, follow me and hunt down Xu Lei. The rest of you, each pursue one enemy and eliminate them."

Chen Xiong put away Liu Xin's corpse, brought out a flying boat flickering with cyan light, and carried two Qi Refining Cultivators toward the distance. The other five each chose a target and gave chase.

The Cyan Feather Wings on Shen Long's back flapped continuously. He turned his head to look behind him and saw a streak of cyan light chasing after him, far faster than he was.

Shen Long frowned and formed a hand seal. The Cyan Feather Wings immediately shone brilliantly, increasing his speed considerably.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he appeared above a dense Cyan Bamboo Forest. A plump green-shirted man was only a little over five hundred zhang behind him, and the green-shirted man also had a pair of cyan-feathered wings glowing on his back.

Shen Long descended to the ground, turned around, and waved his right hand. A Crimson Fireball as large as a water vat flew out and smashed toward the green-shirted man.

The green-shirted man lightly flapped the Cyan Feather Wings on his back and dodged the Crimson Fireball.

Soon, another Crimson Fireball came crashing toward him. The green-shirted man lightly flapped the Cyan Feather Wings on his back again and dodged it once more.

Shen Long released Crimson Fireballs one after another, hurling them at the green-shirted man, but all of them were avoided.

After less than half an incense stick's time, the green-shirted man landed on the ground. Cyan light flashed from the Cyan Feather Wings on his back, and they turned into a Flight Talisman.

With a "pfft," the Flight Talisman spontaneously ignited and burned into ash.

The moment he landed, a Crimson Fireball as large as a water vat came crashing toward him.