Chapter 2745

Jinjiao Ridge is one of the Wang family's strongholds in the interior. It stretches for tens of thousands of miles and boasts a six-tier spiritual vein over a hundred miles long, brimming with spiritual energy. This area was once the territory of the Beiming family. After the Beiming family was annihilated, Jinjiao Ridge fell into the hands of various other forces. After several transfers of ownership, it is now under the control of the Wang family.

The Wang family has stationed over a thousand cultivators here, who are engaged in cultivating ironwood and spiritual herbs. Wang Zonglang and Wang Lihe are responsible for overseeing this stronghold, as the younger generation of the family has matured and begun to shoulder important responsibilities. Within this area lies an expansive estate adorned with exotic flowers and rare plants, long corridors featuring water elements, and elegant pavilions, terraces, and towers.

Wang Lihe was seated in a stone pavilion, listening to a fair-faced middle-aged man who was reporting on the situation.

"Ensure our clan members are disciplined," Wang Lihe instructed, his expression grave. "There's no reason to engage in direct conflict with the Tianji Sect."

The Tianji Sect, founded by Divine Monarch Tianji, is renowned across the Xuanling Continent for its mastery of puppet and automaton techniques. Its legacy spans over 70,000 years, and at its peak, it boasted six Integration-stage cultivators, enjoying unparalleled prestige. The Tianji Sect has faced several major calamities; its Integration-stage cultivators either perished during great heavenly tribulations or were killed by foreign races. However, several millennia ago, Venerable Tianji advanced to the Integration stage, revitalizing the sect and causing it to flourish once more.

The Wang family's influence in this region is far inferior to that of the Tianji Sect, so there is no need to provoke them unnecessarily. As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers. The Wang family's establishment of a stronghold here naturally encroached upon the living space of other forces. Over time, friction with the Tianji Sect was inevitable. Fortunately, both the Tianji Sect and the Wang family exercised restraint, ensuring that conflicts among the younger generation remained within a limited scope.

"Yes, Patriarch Lihe," the middle-aged man affirmed readily.

"Oh, by the way, where is Youxin?" Wang Lihe suddenly remembered and casually asked.

Wang Youxin is a descendant of Wang Mousen, possessing dual Metal and Fire spiritual roots. He previously cultivated the "Blazing Heaven Saber Scripture" but has now switched to the "Eight Desolations Demon Slaying Spirit Scripture." With over 100,000 clan members, the family has seen a surge in talented individuals since Liu Hongxue refined the Nine Dragon Pills. There are no fewer than thirty dual-spirit-root members, and among Wang Mousen's descendants alone, four possess dual spiritual roots. Wang Lihe particularly values Wang Youxin.

"He's been stuck at the mid-stage of the Spirit Transformation realm for many years," the middle-aged man explained. "He went to the Thunder Dove Mountain Range with Youyun and a few others to hunt demonic beasts, hoping to break through his bottleneck."

"I understand. You may go now and attend to your duties," Wang Lihe said, nodding, and dismissed the middle-aged man.

The Thunder Dove Mountain Range stretches for tens of thousands of miles. Two sixth-tier Golden Thunder Doves once appeared here, causing havoc in the region, until Void Refinement cultivators from the Tianji Sect intervened and eliminated them. The abundant demonic beast resources in this area continue to attract many high-stage cultivators for hunting.

Deep within the Thunder Dove Mountain Range, a narrow valley suddenly echoed with a tremendous explosion, shaking the ground and mountains. A sharp, mournful bird cry pierced the air as a giant azure owl, its body drenched in blood and shedding many feathers, flew out of the valley. The azure giant owl flapped its wings, transforming into a faint azure hurricane that swept away into the distance. It had flown only a little over ten miles when a golden-red saber qi shot out from the valley, directly pursuing the azure giant owl. The golden-red saber qi was several hundred zhang long. Wherever it passed, over a dozen small hilltops were cleaved in two, sending dust and smoke billowing.

The golden-red saber qi was incredibly fast, appearing before the azure giant owl in just a few flashes. The azure giant owl opened its mouth and spat out a beam of azure light, while simultaneously flapping its wings fiercely, unleashing a faint azure hurricane to meet the golden-red saber qi. Neither the azure light nor the azure hurricane could stop the golden-red saber qi. After a shrill bird cry, the golden-red saber qi sliced the azure giant owl in half. As soon as a mini azure owl emerged from its body, a yellow glowing gourd descended from the sky, spraying a stream of yellow mist that enveloped the mini azure owl and drew it inside, where it vanished.

Five cultivators, four men and one woman, flew out of the valley. Leading them was a tall young man in red robes. The red-robed young man had sword-like eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes. In his hand, he held a golden-red long saber whose blade bore fiery spiritual patterns, flickering with spiritual light.

This was Wang Youxin, a mid-stage Spirit Transformation realm cultivator and a fifth-tier artificer, who was also a saber cultivator. Given his talent and status, he wouldn't have needed to come here to hunt demonic beasts if he hadn't been stuck at a bottleneck. Standing beside Wang Youxin was a round-faced, big-eyed girl in a yellow skirt, with fair skin. Tens of thousands of silver-shelled insects continuously circled around her. This was Wang Youyun, also in the mid-stage Spirit Transformation realm, who cultivated earth-attribute techniques.

"We finally dealt with this demonic beast; it almost got away," Wang Youyun said, her face beaming.

Wang Youxin nodded, about to speak, when a mound of earth swelled up in the distance, and a small, entirely white mink emerged from underground. The white mink was covered in blood, clearly injured.

"A Snowcloud Mink!" Wang Youxin exclaimed with interest. Snowcloud Minks have keen senses of smell and are skilled at finding spiritual herbs. They are docile and highly favored by female cultivators, making them perfect gifts. This particular Snowcloud Mink was a fifth-tier low-grade beast. Sensing danger, its body glowed with a burst of yellow light before it burrowed back into the ground.

"Chase it; don't let it get away," Wang Youxin hastily ordered, quickly stowing away the azure giant owl's corpse. Wang Youyun then activated her earth escape technique and led them in pursuit.

A thousand zhang beneath the ground, an earthy-yellow light barrier enveloped the five cultivators. Wang Youxin's spiritual sense locked onto the Snowcloud Mink, which was now a hundred miles away. "Speed up!" Wang Youxin urged. "I want to capture this demonic beast alive and give it to Ruyi." He was currently pursuing a female cultivator from an immortal cultivation family. Wang Youyun chanted an incantation and increased their escape speed.

The Snowcloud Mink moved deeper underground, its speed impressive. At depths of three thousand, five thousand, and then ten thousand zhang, Wang Youxin and his four companions relentlessly pursued the mink. After more than an hour, Wang Youxin was surprised to find that the Snowcloud Mink had vanished into thin air; his spiritual sense could no longer detect its aura. This was peculiar. He considered the possibilities: either the Snowcloud Mink had mastered another escape technique and instantly fled over a thousand miles, or it had hidden itself within a spatial anomaly, or perhaps another cultivator had captured it and placed it in a spirit beast bracelet.

"Could there be a secret realm here?" Wang Youxin wondered. Puzzled, Wang Youxin flipped his hand, took out a red glowing orb, and injected spiritual power into it. The red orb emitted a dazzling red light. Using the treasure, Wang Youxin observed the area ahead. He found no entrance to a secret realm or spatial anomaly, but he did locate the Snowcloud Mink. The Snowcloud Mink was less than fifty miles away. It was truly strange that at such a close distance, his spiritual sense couldn't detect its presence. Could there be a special metal ore vein here? Or perhaps a powerful formation?

The Snowcloud Mink's escape speed increased. After fleeing to a depth of over 100,000 zhang underground, it could no longer descend further, as if it had run into an impenetrable barrier. Seizing this opportunity, Wang Youyun increased their escape speed, and all five cultivators launched attacks on the Snowcloud Mink. The Snowcloud Mink, being only a fifth-tier low-grade beast, was no match for them. Before long, it was captured alive. Wang Youxin then placed the Snowcloud Mink into a Sky Demon Bag, which is specifically used to store untamed spirit beasts and birds.

"There might be a special mineral vein here, or a formation!" Wang Youxin said, frowning. "Our spiritual senses are all affected in this area."