Chapter 2861: Shadow Beast

“Silkworm silk spun by a high-grade seventh-tier Azure Jade Cold Silkworm?”

Wang Changsheng was intrigued; it could be used to refine a high-tier magic robe.

“This is a 70,000-year-old Snow-Gong Wood. Snow-Gong Wood is also a specialty of the Northern Frigid Plains, growing an inch every century. Snow-Gong Wood over 10,000 years old is commonly used to refine defensive Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures. These are Flying Frost Stone, Ice Primordial Jade, and Snow-Axe Fruit, all specialties of the Northern Frigid Plains and rarely seen elsewhere.” Ye Tongtian introduced them, pointing to the items on the table.

Wang Changsheng and the others were greatly impressed and broadened their horizons. Most of them didn't recognize the items Ye Tongtian had presented.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, what’s inside those two jade boxes?” Chen Yueying asked curiously, pointing to two exquisite white jade boxes.

Both jade boxes had a shimmering silver talisman pasted on them. Clearly, the contents were extraordinary.

All the cultivators showed curious expressions, their gazes fixed on the jade boxes.

Ye Tongtian peeled off the silver talismans, opened the two jade boxes, and took out a fist-sized fruit and an entirely black spirit beast egg, which had some golden patterns on its surface.

The fruit had seven different colored patterns on its surface, was crystal clear, and emitted a faint spiritual glow.

“Seven-Colored Glazed Fruit!”

Huang Yilong’s gaze was fixed on the fruit, his expression solemn.

The Seven-Colored Glazed Fruit can increase the chances of spirit beasts and spirit insects mutating. It’s important to know that under normal circumstances, it’s incredibly difficult for spirit beasts and spirit insects to mutate. However, even if they do mutate, their innate abilities might not necessarily be very powerful. While a small number of mutated spirit beasts and insects possess numerous formidable innate abilities, the majority are still very powerful.

Chen Yueying and several other Integration Stage cultivators were greatly disappointed; they had expected something more valuable! At their stage, they wouldn't spend much time on spirit beasts or insects. Even if they were to cultivate a mutated spirit beast or insect, it would take an extremely long time for it to mature.

“Fellow Daoist Huang has keen eyesight. This is a Seven-Colored Glazed Fruit, the main ingredient for refining the Seven-Colored Glazed Pill. Spirit beasts and insects that consume this pill can increase their chances of mutation,” Ye Tongtian introduced. Then, his tone shifted as he pointed to the black spirit beast egg and said, “This is a seventh-tier Shadow Beast's spirit egg. Shadow Beasts are a unique type of demonic beast native to the Qianyuan Continent, highly skilled in concealment and tracking. Even cultivators of the same tier find it difficult to detect their presence. The Lizard Clan is only adept at concealment, not tracking, and their innate abilities cannot compare to those of a Shadow Beast.”

“So, Fellow Daoist Ye also raises a Shadow Beast?” Huang Yilong asked curiously.

Ye Tongtian smiled slightly and nodded, “That’s right, I do raise a seventh-tier Shadow Beast, and it’s currently in the courtyard. If any fellow Daoist can discover its location, I’ll give them a material for free. But if you guess incorrectly, you must give me a material of equal value. How about it?”

“Can we use treasures?” Guo Yulin asked.

“Yes, you can use any innate abilities, and you can also release spirit beasts.” Ye Tongtian was full of confidence.

Hearing this, the cultivators no longer held back; some activated secret techniques, while others took out treasures.

Wang Changsheng fully unleashed his divine sense and frowned. He detected several faint auras, all identical and indistinguishable.

Liao Zhongyan released a pure white three-tailed spirit fox, whose aura clearly indicated it was a low-grade sixth-tier creature.

The three-tailed spirit fox circled Ye Tongtian once, then searched the courtyard for the Shadow Beast's whereabouts.

Huang Yilong released a giant Five-Colored Wind-Flame Butterfly. The butterfly circled Ye Tongtian once, flapping its wings, searching the courtyard for the Shadow Beast.

Guo Yulin took out a constantly shimmering red orb and infused it with a magic incantation. The red orb emitted a dazzling red light. His gaze was uncertain and filled with doubt, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

Wang Changsheng released his Dual-Pupil Rat. The rat’s eyes glowed with dazzling spiritual light as it sniffed the air a few times.

After a short while, Ye Tongtian spoke, “Have all fellow Daoists finished their investigation? Send me a voice transmission stating what item you want; if you guess incorrectly, you must give me a material of equal value.”

Guo Yulin and the other Integration Stage cultivators exchanged glances, showing hesitation, seemingly unsure.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, I want the Azure Jade Cold Silkworm’s silk. The Shadow Beast is in your shadow,” Wang Changsheng transmitted his message.

Silk spun by a high-grade seventh-tier Azure Jade Cold Silkworm, refined into a magic robe, would undoubtedly provide powerful defense.

Guo Yulin and the others also sent voice transmissions to Ye Tongtian, stating the Shadow Beast's location and the materials they desired.

“Are there any other fellow Daoists who wish to participate? If not, I will now reveal the answer,” Ye Tongtian announced.

Guo Yulin and the others looked on with eager anticipation. Chen Yueying did not participate.

Ye Tongtian nodded. A black light gleamed from his shadow, and a fair-faced girl in a black dress appeared, with some golden spiritual patterns on her head.

Her aura clearly indicated she was an early-stage Integration cultivator.

Since Ye Tongtian was, after all, one of the Ten Prodigies of the Ye family, it was not surprising for his spirit beast to take on a human form.

Chen Yueying and several other Integration Stage cultivators were greatly astonished. The Shadow Beast had been right under their noses, concealed for so long, yet they hadn't discovered it.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, Immortal Li, you both guessed correctly. Please take the items you wished for!” Ye Tongtian said with a chuckle.

Wang Changsheng took the silk, and Li Yuqing took the Agate Jade. This was a Dharma Idol material used to condense Dharma Idols, making them more resilient and less prone to damage.

Guo Yulin and over ten other Integration Stage cultivators reluctantly took out their treasures and handed them to Ye Tongtian.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, the Shadow Beast must have other innate abilities, right? Otherwise, so many fellow Daoists wouldn't have failed to see through its concealment,” Huang Yilong pressed.

“Shadow, show our fellow Daoists what you can do,” Ye Tongtian instructed.

The black-dressed girl responded, her figure blurred, and she split into ten identical figures, their auras indistinguishable, making it impossible to tell which was real.

Guo Yulin and the others had indeed been fooled by the illusory figures. To be able to deceive so many Integration Stage cultivators, this was clearly not just a concealment ability, but another innate ability altogether.

“The Shadow Beast can create illusions, making it hard to distinguish between real and fake. I’ve made bets with other fellow Daoists many times, and no one has ever discovered her location. For Fellow Daoist Wang and Immortal Li to be able to find Shadow's location, their innate abilities are quite remarkable!” Ye Tongtian praised them, noting that in all his bets with outsiders, no one had ever found the Shadow Beast's location before.

“This little sister knows some eye techniques, so finding the Shadow Beast isn't surprising,” Li Yuqing said with a charming smile and a tone of admiration. “However, Fellow Daoist Wang's spirit beast has considerable innate abilities to also detect the Shadow Beast's presence.”

Possessing the Fiery Golden Eyes, it was not surprising for her to find the Shadow Beast. Her spellcasting earlier had also been seen by other cultivators, who already knew Li Yuqing possessed eye techniques, so there was no need to hide it.

“My spirit beast has a keen sense of smell; it was just a fluke, and I almost got fooled,” Wang Changsheng said vaguely. He hadn't relied solely on his Dual-Pupil Rat to find the Shadow Beast; his divine sense had also played a role.

The Dual-Pupil Rat was initially fooled by the Shadow Beast's illusions and couldn't determine its location. It was only by using his powerful divine sense to filter through that he managed to pinpoint the Shadow Beast's true position.

If the Shadow Beast's tier had been any higher, he probably wouldn't have been able to find it.

After this incident, the cultivators held the Shadow Beast in higher regard. Huang Yilong traded for the Shadow Beast's spirit egg.

Wang Changsheng wasn't very interested. Cultivating a spirit beast to the seventh tier was not easy. He already had enough spirit beasts and no interest in raising others.