Chapter 3354: Tianxin Tribe

A hidden underground cave housed a crimson peach tree in one corner. Six pale golden peaches hung from its branches, each adorned with seven naturally occurring, flame-like patterns on its surface.

A light yellow energy barrier enveloped the crimson peach tree, with runes flickering across its surface.

Crimson runes, seemingly restrictive formations, were visible on the stone walls. The temperature inside the underground cave was notably high.

Wang Qingshan, the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator, Su Yilei, and Wang Lei were currently engaged in combat with a swarm of Dragon-Devouring Ants. Among them were six Rank-Seven Dragon-Devouring Ants, led by a High-Grade Rank-Seven Queen Ant.

Numerous Dragon-Devouring Ant corpses littered the ground, most having been cleaved in half by sharp weapons.

According to Su Yilei, a Soul Transformation cultivator named Guangling Cultivator had discovered a Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree here. As it was far from maturity and Guangling Cultivator lacked expertise in cultivation, he didn't dare to transplant it. Instead, he set up formations to protect the tree and conceal the entire underground cave.

Guangling Cultivator later ventured to Tianli Valley to hunt Rank-Seven Thunder Hawks, hoping to acquire a Lightning-Absorbing Orb to aid his Grand Heavenly Tribulation. Unexpectedly, he encountered two Rank-Seven Six-Eyed Sand Spiders, which severely wounded him. He fled to a secluded area to recover but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Before his death, he recorded the location of the Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree in a legacy orb.

Later, disciples of the Su family discovered Guangling Cultivator's meditation cave in Tianli Valley. However, they were unable to break through the protective restrictions and had to return to their family to report.

Su Yilei then led his clansmen to Tianli Valley, where they successfully broke through the restrictions and obtained Guangling Cultivator's relics. However, on their return journey, they encountered two High-Grade Rank-Seven Six-Eyed Sand Spiders. All of Su Yilei's clansmen perished, with only he surviving.

Su Yilei consumed healing elixirs and, after over a millennium of recuperation, had mostly recovered. He and Su Yuxin then traveled to Green Flood Dragon Pond in search of the Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree. There, they discovered that a swarm of Dragon-Devouring Ants had breached the restrictions and were guarding the tree.

Given the passage of so many years, it was natural for the restrictions to have weakened.

They attempted various methods but failed to eradicate all the Dragon-Devouring Ants. Instead, Su Yuxin was injured by the ants, forcing Su Yilei to seek external assistance.

They set up a formation, luring three Rank-Seven Dragon-Devouring Ants into it. Jade Butterfly Fairy and Wang Qingxiao controlled the formation to eliminate these ants, while Wang Qingshan and his two companions charged into the cave to encircle and eradicate the remaining Rank-Seven Dragon-Devouring Ants.

A deafening thunderous rumble echoed, as dazzling golden lightning engulfed the figure of the Dragon-Devouring Ant Queen, followed by a tragic dragon's roar.

Wang Qingshan changed his sword technique, causing his nine Azure Glaze Swords to merge into a single, towering, hazy blue gigantic sword, which then slashed towards the golden lightning.

A heaven-shaking dragon's roar reverberated, as a wave of blood-colored sound swept out, colliding with the colossal sword. Like an egg striking a rock, it shattered instantly.

The colossal sword cleaved the golden lightning in half. As a miniature Dragon-Devouring Ant detached from the queen's form, it was immediately enveloped by an azure glow, then swept into an azure jade bottle and vanished.

After Wang Qingshan and Wang Lei eliminated the queen ant, they assisted Su Yilei and the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator, swiftly eradicating the remaining Rank-Seven Dragon-Devouring Ants.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, your cultivation is truly profound," Su Yilei said politely. "Had it not been for your assistance this time, we would have struggled immensely to eradicate these Dragon-Devouring Ants. I propose that I, Fellow Daoist Chen, and Fairy Zhang each take one Seven-Flame Golden Peach, and the remainder shall be yours. What do you say?"

Originally, there had been fifteen Seven-Flame Golden Peaches, but the Dragon-Devouring Ants had consumed nine, leaving only six. If they had arrived a few hundred years later, an Eighth-Rank Dragon-Devouring Ant might well have emerged.

Wang Qingshan's strength was indeed formidable. Su Yilei had not anticipated that Wang Qingshan possessed a shapeshifting spirit beast, particularly one adept at lightning cultivation. Frankly, if Wang Qingshan had decided to claim the Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree for himself, they likely wouldn't have been able to stop him, so it was wiser to be accommodating.

The Heavenly Fiend Cultivator also had no objections and agreed to the proposal.

Wang Qingshan naturally did not refuse; an additional Seven-Flame Golden Peach was certainly beneficial.

Su Yilei performed a hand seal, and the yellow energy barrier dispersed, transforming into a glowing yellow command flag that vanished into his sleeve.

He then retrieved and donned a pair of crimson gloves, carefully plucking the six Seven-Flame Golden Peaches and placing them into six exquisite golden jade boxes.

Wang Qingshan received three of the jade boxes, and the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator received one.

"This Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree..." Su Yilei's gaze lingered on the Seven-Flame Golden Peach tree. Before he could finish his thought, a tremendous rumble, accompanied by a dragon's roar, echoed from outside.

Wang Qingshan's expression darkened; it seemed something had gone wrong outside.

"A Soul Transformation cultivator is approaching. Let's go out and check," Wang Qingshan urged. With that, Wang Qingshan was the first to fly out, with Wang Lei following close behind.

A completely white flood dragon hovered high in the sky. Below, Jade Butterfly Fairy lay lifeless on the ground, a nail-sized blood hole in her forehead, her face frozen in an expression of disbelief.

Not far away, a group of Dragon-Devouring Ants lay on the ground, their bodies riddled with holes and devoid of life.

Five males and one female were attacking the white flood dragon. All six had long ears, small noses, golden eyes, and specks of golden light on their skin, their physiques similar to humans.

The Tianxin Clan!

The six Tianxin Clan cultivators consisted of two Late Soul Transformation experts and four Mid Soul Transformation experts. They were led by a tall young man in a golden robe and a graceful young woman in a purple dress.

"Jade Butterfly Fairy was ambushed by them," the white flood dragon said urgently.

"The Tianxin Clan!" Su Yilei exclaimed, his expression hardening.

"Let's retreat separately! We are no match for them," the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator urgently transmitted. As a rogue cultivator, he shared no life-or-death bond with Jade Butterfly Fairy, and thus had no intention of avenging her death. With the Seven-Flame Golden Peaches secured, his sole desire was to find a secluded place to cultivate to the Grand Completion stage of Soul Transformation, then consume the peaches to attempt a breakthrough to the Mahayana stage. He had no interest in other affairs.

Black light erupted from the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator's body, transforming him into a mass of black mist that shot thousands of feet into the distance in an instant.

A golden light flashed, and a dazzling golden imperial seal materialized above the black mist, instantly expanding. Even before it descended, a powerful gravitational force enveloped it.

A gigantic humanoid phantom appeared out of thin air, its arms moving to prop up the descending golden imperial seal.

A series of whistling sounds echoed as a slender golden ray shot forth, piercing through the humanoid phantom. The phantom then disintegrated into specks of spiritual light and vanished.

A tragic scream erupted from within the black mist. The golden imperial seal crashed down violently, causing the ground to shake intensely, and more than half of the seal sank into the earth, disappearing from view.

A black light flared in the void a hundred li away, revealing the Heavenly Fiend Cultivator, his eyes wide with terror.

Had he not possessed a life-saving treasure, he would have undoubtedly perished.

He opened his mouth and spat out a dark-glowing banner, adorned with a grotesque skull. After circling him once, it transformed into a hazy gray tornado, engulfing him and sweeping him away into the distance.