Chapter 312: Turtle and Tortoise Beast

It seemed the problem wasn't here; there might be a special mineral vein nearby. "Let's go explore the vicinity."

Leaving the cave, Wang Ruyan and the two others, along with ten Qi Cultivation stage clan members, searched for a hundred miles around but found nothing. However, they did discover an underground river in another cave.

The underground river was less than ten miles from Baiyun Ridge. Given that there hadn't been a single monster beast within a hundred-mile radius of Baiyun Ridge, the sudden appearance of a second-tier Ice Wind Python was indeed peculiar.

The spiritual energy in the cave was thin, so perhaps the Ice Wind Python had followed the underground river to Baiyun Ridge. But why would the Ice Wind Python inexplicably choose to settle in Baiyun Ridge?

"Qingshan, you frequently hunt monster beasts. What's your opinion?"

Wang Qingshan pondered for a moment before saying, "That Ice Wind Python must have come along this underground river. After all, there are no other monster beasts within a hundred-mile radius. The Ye family must have investigated the python's origin and should know about this underground river. I think we can ask Ye Zhanling about it."

"Ninth Sister-in-law," another chimed in, "I also think Ye Zhanling is hiding something. She definitely hasn't told us the whole truth and must know about the underground river." With a second-tier monster beast suddenly appearing on their doorstep, it was impossible for the Ye family not to investigate its origins.

"I thought the same thing," Wang Ruyan agreed. "Let's go back and ask Ye Zhanling. The rest of you stay here. Do not enter the water without our return."

Wang Ruyan and the two others returned to the Ye family to inquire about the second-tier monster beast's origin from Ye Zhanling.

Under pressure from Wang Ruyan and the two others, Ye Zhanling said with a wry smile, "The underground river connects to the White Dragon River. I sent people to investigate and found a cave with a second-tier mid-grade Turtle-Tortoise Beast specializing in lightning spells. There was also python skin in the cave, so the Ice Wind Python's nest should have been there. However, the Turtle-Tortoise Beast later occupied its nest, forcing it to follow the underground river and flee to Baiyun Ridge."

The White Dragon River was the largest river in Wei, so the presence of a second-tier monster beast was not surprising.

"So that's it," Wang Ruyan said. "Fellow Daoist Ye, please trouble yourself to guide us there. If we find the Turtle-Tortoise Beast, we assure you, you won't be treated unfairly."

Ye Zhanling felt an unspoken bitterness. "Fellow Daoist Wang, your strength is considerable, so my presence wouldn't make much difference. Sending someone with you should suffice, shouldn't it?" She had previously invited a friend to eliminate the Ice Wind Python, but her friend was only at the second level of Foundation Establishment, and the Ice Wind Python was very powerful; her friend nearly died at its hands. With frequent wars over the years, the Ye family's stock of powerful magic artifacts and talismans had long been depleted, which was why she had no choice but to seek help from the Wang family.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, are you perhaps worried that we might kill you for your treasure? Rest assured, I can guarantee that will not happen."

Ye Zhanling chuckled bitterly to herself. She wasn't a three-year-old child; no matter how reassuring the words were now, if Wang Ruyan forced her to be cannon fodder on site, she wouldn't even have room to resist. "Fellow Daoist Wang, I truly cannot spare the time. How about I offer another Yellow-grade cultivation technique instead?"

Wang Ruyan narrowed her eyes and nodded in agreement. "Very well then. If that's the case, we won't force you." Truth be told, she genuinely had no intention of harming Ye Zhanling. The Wang family, with over four hundred Qi Cultivation stage cultivators and eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators, was already stretched thin and wouldn't be annexing other small families anytime soon.

Ye Zhanling felt a sense of relief and immediately had a copy of the 'Yi Wood Art' transcribed. She also assigned a clan member familiar with the underground river to accompany Wang Ruyan and the two others.

Upon returning to the underground river, Wang Ruyan took out a hazy blue command flag. With a gentle wave, a flash of blue light appeared, and a thick blue light barrier spontaneously formed, enveloping most of them. Five Wang family members were left behind to guard. Enveloped by the blue light barrier, they moved swiftly underwater.

Three hours later, the blue light barrier surfaced, revealing a stone cave about a hundred zhang in size before them. To their left was an opening wide enough for two people, with numerous stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

"Three seniors," the Ye family member said, pointing to the stone cave, "the Turtle-Tortoise Beast's nest is inside."

"You two and he stay here on guard; the three of us will go in," Wang Ruyan instructed, then stepped towards the opening. Wang Changhao released an ape puppet, sending it ahead.

Soon after, they found themselves in a natural stone cave roughly an acre in size. In the upper left corner stood a fruit tree about a zhang tall, bearing two palm-sized blue fruits. Underneath the tree, a monster beast approximately a zhang in size lay prone. This beast resembled a turtle, with a thick black hard shell, a head like a python's, and a tail like a flood dragon's.

The Turtle-Tortoise Beast let out a strange roar, and from its open mouth, several thick silver lightning bolts shot out, hurtling straight towards Wang Ruyan and the two others.

"Everyone, be careful!" Wang Ruyan's beautiful face slightly changed as she hastily warned them.

Wang Changhao was already prepared. He summoned a blue shield, which expanded against the wind, blocking in front of him.

Rumble! A tremendous booming sound echoed as the silver lightning struck the ape puppet, tearing it into pieces.

"Let's finish this quickly. Also, try to keep it alive if possible; we can capture it and bring it back as a clan-protecting spirit beast." Lightning-attribute monster beasts were rare, and Turtle-Tortoise Beasts were known for their longevity. This second-tier mid-grade Turtle-Tortoise Beast would be most suitable to capture and serve as a clan-protecting spirit beast. The Wang family had a second-tier spirit bird, a Golden-Beaked Eagle, but in terms of divine abilities and lifespan, the Golden-Beaked Eagle was far inferior to the Turtle-Tortoise Beast.

Wang Ruyan took out a green pipa, her jade fingers quickly sweeping across its strings. Over a dozen gigantic wind blades surged forth, shooting towards the Turtle-Tortoise Beast. Wang Changhao and Wang Qingshan each summoned their magic artifacts, attacking the Turtle-Tortoise Beast. To subdue this Turtle-Tortoise Beast, they first needed to injure it, otherwise it wouldn't easily surrender.

The Turtle-Tortoise Beast could release lightning spells with powerful attacks, but its offensive methods were singular, only releasing lightning, which failed to harm Wang Ruyan and the two others. The blue shield summoned by Wang Changhao was a low-grade defensive magic artifact. After enduring seven or eight attacks from the Turtle-Tortoise Beast, the blue shield shattered. Fortunately, Wang Ruyan summoned a blue porcelain bowl, which emitted a large expanse of blue radiant light, transforming into a thick blue light barrier that enveloped the three of them. The silver lightning struck the blue light barrier, turning into a vast expanse of silver electric arcs, but the blue light barrier remained completely intact.

Wang Ruyan and the two others wielded their magic artifacts and multiple second-tier puppet beasts, continuously attacking the Turtle-Tortoise Beast. The Turtle-Tortoise Beast had a hard shell, but under the relentless assault from Wang Ruyan and the two others, its body became scarred, and tiny cracks appeared on the surface of its shell. The Turtle-Tortoise Beast was consistently unable to break through the defenses of Wang Ruyan and the two others, and its demonic energy was rapidly depleting.

"Strike!" Wang Qingshan let out a cold shout as a zhang-long green greatsword ruthlessly slashed the Turtle-Tortoise Beast's back. A dull thud of metal clashing resounded, and a long sword mark appeared on the Turtle-Tortoise Beast's shell.

Wang Ruyan summoned a second-tier Fire Dragon Talisman, which transformed into a massive crimson fire dragon, pouncing ferociously towards the Turtle-Tortoise Beast.

Boom! A deafening roar erupted as the crimson fire dragon turned into rolling flames, engulfing the Turtle-Tortoise Beast's body. A shrill scream pierced the air. Wang Ruyan's slender jade fingers swiftly swept across the pipa strings, producing a rapid succession of notes. Over a dozen gigantic wind blades surged forth, vying to plunge into the sea of fire, from which several more screams emanated.

Roar! A strange roar sounded, and a large expanse of silver lightning glowed within the flames. The flames flickered wildly and then extinguished. The Turtle-Tortoise Beast's body was covered in wounds, with several long bloodstains on its neck and multiple long cracks on its shell. Its aura was weak.

Wang Ruyan summoned a spirit beast bag, which flew to hover above the Turtle-Tortoise Beast's head. She cast a spell art onto the bag. The spirit beast bag emitted a silvery radiance, enveloping the Turtle-Tortoise Beast. The Turtle-Tortoise Beast let out a strange roar, seemingly resisting the silvery radiance, but to no avail. Its body rapidly shrunk and was swept into the spirit beast bag, disappearing from sight.

Wang Ruyan let out a long sigh of relief. They had finally captured the Turtle-Tortoise Beast. Once back at Wang Family Fort, she would use a secret technique to place a restriction on it, allowing any Wang clan member to command it.

"First, let's pick the fruits. Back at the clan, we'll ask Uncle Twenty-Two to make a trip and try to transplant this spiritual fruit tree into the clan grounds. Hopefully, it will succeed."

After picking the fruits, Wang Changhao and two Qi Cultivation stage clan members stayed behind to guard, while Wang Ruyan and Wang Qingshan led the others back the way they came.