Spirit-Nurturing Workshop
The next day, early morning.
Pill Peak.
Song Wen stood on a small platform at the edge of the cliff, where he had arranged to meet Zhou Siyi.
More than fifteen minutes later, Zhou Siyi finally arrived late.
"Junior Brother Wu, I went home and met with my father, so I'm a little late. I apologize for keeping you waiting."
"It's alright, I just arrived too. Senior Sister Zhou, let's set off immediately."
As he spoke, a flying boat appeared in front of Song Wen.
Before Song Wen could jump onto the flying boat, Zhou Siyi spoke.
"Junior Brother Wu, the journey to the Great Yan Kingdom is tens of thousands of miles long. Your flying boat is not only slow and wastes time, but it's also exhausting. Why don't you take my flying boat?"
She raised her hand and waved it, and a small spaceship, about ten meters tall, appeared in mid-air.
Without any hesitation, Song Wen put away the flying boat and leaped onto the spaceship.
The journey was safe and uneventful.
Three days later, at noon, the two arrived in the Great Yan Kingdom.
The Beast Taming Sect's Spirit-Nurturing Workshop is located beside a large, secluded lake.
The lake was vast, shrouded in thick fog, its surface shrouded in an eerie mist.
A faint Spiritual Qi emanates from the lake, suggesting that a miniature Spirit Vein likely lies somewhere at the bottom of the lake.
It is precisely because of the existence of this Spirit Vein that the Beast Taming Sect set up this Spirit-Nurturing Workshop here.
The Spirit-Nurturing Workshop doesn't occupy a large area, about twenty or thirty acres, with half on land and half on water. Giant logs are erected underwater as supports, and houses and pavilions are built on top of them.
The spaceship flew in from a distance, and was noticed by the Beast Taming Sect cultivators of the Spirit-Nurturing Workshop from afar.
Since the spaceship was flying the flag of the Beast Taming Sect, it did not cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.
As Zhou Siyi hovered her spaceship above the Spirit-Nurturing Workshop, a male cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer rose into the air on the wind.
"May I ask if you two are elders of the Beast Taming Sect's Pill Peak?"
Zhou Siyi said, "My surname is Zhou, you can call me Elder Zhou. This is Elder Wu."
As she spoke the next sentence, she pointed at Song Wen.
"Disciple He Su is the manager of this Spirit-Nurturing Workshop. Greetings, Elder Zhou and Elder Wu. Please follow me, both elders."
Zhou Siyi stowed the spaceship and, together with Song Wen, used their Flight Technique to follow behind He Su.
A moment later, the three arrived at a pavilion located on the lake.
This pavilion must have been specially used to receive distinguished guests; it has ten stories and is nearly twenty feet tall.
Song Wen and his two companions were positioned on the top floor of the pavilion, from where they could take in the entire Spirit Feeding Workshop.
After they were seated, He Su began to make tea for Song Wen and the other man.
"This tea comes from a high mountain by the lake. Although its Spiritual Qi cannot compare to the Spirit Tea within the sect, it has a unique flavor due to being nourished by the lake's mist year-round. Elders, please try it."
Zhou Siyi interrupted him and said.
"Stop the fuss, just take us to see the Azure Jade Snake. The sooner we finish the mission, the sooner we can return to the sect."
He Su put down the tea set in his hand and smiled.
"Elder Zhou is indeed a decisive person. Then please follow me."
Suddenly, a strange light flashed in Song Wen's eyes.
He had just sensed an extremely subtle Divine Sense sweeping over him and Zhou Siyi. Had he not possessed Divine Sense strength comparable to the Foundation Establishment Peak Stage, he would never have been able to detect it.
The Azure Jade Snake kept in this Spirit-Nurturing Workshop in the Great Yan Kingdom is only a first-tier spirit beast. The disciples of the Beast Taming Sect stationed here have a cultivation level of only the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.
Where did this sudden appearance of Divine Sense come from?
Song Wen's gaze inadvertently drifted to the surface of the lake.
That wisp of Divine Sense just now came from underwater.
Beneath the surface of the lake, Foundation Establishment cultivator lies hidden.
Why would Foundation Establishment cultivator be hiding in the Spirit Feeding Workshop?
He Su aware of the situation or not?
Song Wen quickly found the answer to the second question.
He Su was about to leap off the pavilion towards the enclosure where the Azure Jade Snakes were kept, his body suddenly stiffened for no apparent reason, but he quickly returned to normal.
Song Wen keenly sensed that He Su had just received a telepathic message, which was clearly from Foundation Establishment cultivator underwater.
In other words, He Su knew that a Foundation Establishment cultivator was hiding underwater.
To avoid alarming the other party and exposing himself, Song Wen did not forcibly read the content of the telepathic message.
Many questions arose in Song Wen's mind.
Who do the people underwater belong to? And why are they hiding in the Spirit Feeding Workshop?
Did He Su collude with outsiders to plot against the spirit animals of the Spirit-Nurturing Workshop?
Or perhaps the person underwater is a cultivator from the Beast Taming Sect, carrying out a clandestine mission, which is why their presence has not been revealed?
The Azure Jade Snake loves water and is kept in captivity in water.
Scattered across the lake are numerous zigzag rings constructed from massive black boulders, each covering an area of about a hundred square meters. The boulders are dotted with many small, finger-sized holes designed to facilitate the flow of lake water.
Led by He Su, the three of them soon arrived at a snake enclosure.
There were seven Azure Jade Snakes in the snake circle, the largest being the size of a bowl and the smallest as thick as an arm, with the highest strength being no more than the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.
The Azure Jade Snakes, which had been floating quietly on the water's surface, suddenly became ferocious upon seeing someone enter the snake enclosure. They opened their mouths, revealing their deadly fangs, and flicked out their long tongues.
Like arrows, the Azure Jade Snakes shot out of the water and rushed towards Song Wen and his companions.
Suddenly, a transparent barrier lit up in mid-air, blocking the Azure Jade Snake back; the restriction within the snake circle had been activated.
"Remove the restrictions and give them Beast Essence Pills. Let's see how it goes," Song Wen said.
This spirit-feeding workshop undoubtedly hides some secrets.
However, Song Wen had no intention of exploring further.
He just wanted to complete the mission as soon as possible and return to his sect.
He wasn't interested in or planned to get involved in things unrelated to the mission, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Upon hearing this, He Su inexplicably became somewhat hesitant.
"Why haven't you opened the barrier yet? With Elder Wu and me here, surely we can control a few first-tier Azure Jade Snakes?"
Urged by Zhou Siyi, He Su finally took out a small Squad Commander and began casting Squad Commander spell on it.
A moment later, the restriction disappeared.
The Azure Jade Snakes sprang up from the water and lunged at the three of them.
"Go back!"
With a soft shout, Song Wen unleashed a powerful aura that instantly enveloped the entire snake circle, shrouding it in oppressive force.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Under Song Wen's overwhelming power, the Azure Jade Snake's attack came to an abrupt halt, and they all fell back into the water, splashing water everywhere.
Song Wen raised his hand and beckoned. The strongest and thickest Azure Jade Snake was grabbed by an unseen force and floated toward Song Wen.
The Azure Jade Snake, several meters long, twisted and struggled incessantly, but could not break free.
With a flick of his finger, Song Wen sent a Beast Essence Pill into the Azure Jade Snake.
The spiritual power that had trapped the Azure Jade Snake suddenly disappeared, and the Azure Jade Snake fell back into the water.
"Let's reactivate the restriction," Song Wen said to He Su.
After the restrictions were lifted, Song Wen and the other two stood still and waited quietly.
About fifteen minutes later, the Azure Jade Snake, having consumed the Beast Essence Pill, became restless. It swam towards a female snake and began seeking mating.