Chapter 4917

Jinjiao Ridge, one of the Wang family’s inland strongholds, stretches for tens of thousands of miles and boasts a six-grade spirit vein over a hundred miles long, where spiritual energy is abundant.

This area was once the territory of the Beiming family. After the Beiming family was annihilated, Jinjiao Ridge fell into the hands of other forces. After several transfers of ownership, Jinjiao Ridge is now under the control of the Wang family.

The Wang family has stationed over a thousand cultivators here, who cultivate ironwood and spirit herbs. Wang Zonglang and Wang Lihe are in charge of this stronghold, and the younger generation of the family has matured and is now taking on significant responsibilities.

The stronghold features an expansive manor adorned with exotic flowers and rare herbs, waterwheel corridors, and elegant pavilions.

Wang Lihe was seated in a stone pavilion, as a fair-faced middle-aged man reported on the current situation.

"Keep the clansmen in check," Wang Lihe instructed, his expression grave. "Unless absolutely necessary, do not engage in direct conflict with the Tianji Sect."

The Tianji Sect, founded by Divine Lord Tianji, is renowned across the Profound Spirit Continent for its puppet and mechanism arts. Its heritage spans over 70,000 years, and at its peak, it boasted six Integration-stage cultivators, enjoying unparalleled prestige.

The Tianji Sect had endured several major calamities, with its Integration-stage cultivators either perishing under grand heavenly tribulations or being slain by foreign races. Thousands of years ago, however, Venerable Tianji advanced to the Integration stage, revitalizing the sect, which then began to flourish once more.

The Wang family's influence in this region is far less than that of the Tianji Sect. Therefore, there is no need to provoke them unless absolutely necessary.

As the saying goes, "one mountain cannot hold two tigers." The Wang family's establishment of a stronghold here naturally encroached upon the territories of other forces. Over time, friction with the Tianji Sect was inevitable. Fortunately, both the Tianji Sect and the Wang family exercised restraint, and skirmishes among the younger generation were confined to a limited scope.

"Yes, Ancestor Lihe," the middle-aged man readily agreed.

"By the way, where is Youxin?" Wang Lihe asked casually, recalling something.

Wang Youxin, a descendant of Wang Mousen, possesses dual spirit roots of gold and fire. He previously cultivated the "Heavenly Blazing Blade Scripture" but has now switched to the "Eight Desolations Demon Slaying Spirit Scripture."

The family comprises over 100,000 members. After Liu Hongxue successfully refined the Nine Dragon Pills, the number of talented family members surged. There are now no fewer than thirty dual spirit root cultivators, and among Wang Mousen's descendants alone, four possess dual spirit roots. Wang Lihe particularly values Wang Youxin.

"He has been stuck at the Mid-Soul Transformation stage for many years," the middle-aged man explained. "He went to the Thunder Dove Mountain Range with Youyun and a few others to hunt demon beasts, hoping to overcome his bottleneck."

"I see. You may go and attend to your duties," Wang Lihe nodded, dismissing the middle-aged man.

The Thunder Dove Mountain Range stretches for tens of thousands of miles. Two sixth-grade Golden Thunder Doves once appeared here, wreaking havoc across the region until an Integration-stage cultivator from the Tianji Sect intervened and eliminated them. The area is rich in demon beast resources, attracting many high-level cultivators to hunt.

Deep within the Thunder Dove Mountain Range, a deafening roar erupted from a narrow valley, shaking the ground and mountains.

A mournful cry echoed as a massive, entirely green giant owl flew out of the valley, its body drenched in blood and shedding a large number of feathers.

The green giant owl flapped its wings, transforming into a hazy green hurricane that swept away into the distance.

It had only flown a dozen miles when a golden-red blade qi shot out from the valley, heading straight for the green giant owl.

The golden-red blade qi was hundreds of feet long; wherever it passed, more than a dozen small hilltops were cleaved in two, raising clouds of dust.

The golden-red blade qi was extremely fast, appearing before the green giant owl in just a few flashes.

The green giant owl opened its mouth and spat out a beam of green light. At the same time, it fiercely flapped its wings, unleashing a hazy green hurricane to meet the golden-red blade qi.

Neither the green light nor the green hurricane could stop the golden-red blade qi.

After a mournful cry, the golden-red blade qi sliced the green giant owl in two. As soon as a mini green owl emerged from its body, a yellow-glowing gourd descended from the sky, emitting a stream of yellow mist that enveloped the mini green owl and drew it into the gourd, where it vanished.

Five cultivators—four men and one woman—flew out of the valley, led by a tall young man in red robes.

The red-robed youth had sharp, defined eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes. He held a golden-red long saber with flame-like spirit patterns on its blade, shimmering with spiritual light.

This was Wang Youxin, a Mid-Soul Transformation stage cultivator, a fifth-grade artifact refiner, and a saber cultivator.

Had he not been stuck at a bottleneck, his talent and status would have meant he wouldn't need to come here to hunt demon beasts.

A round-faced, big-eyed girl in a yellow dress stood beside Wang Youxin, her skin as white as snow, with tens of thousands of silver-armored insects continuously swirling around her.

This was Wang Youyun, a Mid-Soul Transformation stage cultivator who practiced earth-attribute cultivation techniques.

"We finally dealt with this demon beast," Wang Youyun said with a smile. "It almost got away."

Wang Youxin nodded, about to speak, when a mound of earth swelled up in the distance, and a small, entirely white ferret burrowed out from underground. Its body was drenched in blood, indicating it was injured.

"A Snow Cloud Sable!" Wang Youxin exclaimed, his interest piqued. Snow Cloud Sables have keen senses of smell, are skilled at finding spirit herbs, and are docile, making them highly favored by female cultivators and perfect gifts.

This particular Snow Cloud Sable was a low-tier fifth-grade demon beast. Sensing danger, its body flared with yellow light, and it burrowed into the ground.

"Chase it! Don't let it escape," Wang Youxin urged.

Wang Youxin hastily put away the green giant owl's corpse, while Wang Youyun cast an earth-burrowing spell and led them in pursuit.

A thousand zhang beneath the ground, a yellowish-brown light barrier enveloped the five cultivators. Wang Youxin's divine sense locked onto the Snow Cloud Sable, which was now a hundred miles away.

Wang Youxin, who was currently pursuing a female cultivator from an immortal cultivation family, urged, "Speed up, I want to capture this demon beast alive and give it to Ruyi."

Wang Youyun performed a hand seal, accelerating their escape speed.

The Snow Cloud Sable moved deeper underground at a very fast pace.

They descended three thousand, five thousand, then ten thousand zhang, with Wang Youxin and the others pursuing relentlessly.

Over an hour later, Wang Youxin was surprised to find that the Snow Cloud Sable had vanished into thin air. His divine sense could not detect its aura, which was very strange.

Either the Snow Cloud Sable had mastered another escape technique, instantly fleeing over a thousand miles, or it had hidden itself within a spatial rift, or it had been taken into a spirit beast bracelet by another cultivator.

"Is there a secret realm here?" Wang Youxin wondered aloud. He flipped his hand and took out a red-glowing orb, into which he injected spiritual power.

The red orb emitted a dazzling red light. Wang Youxin used the treasure to observe the surroundings; he found no entrance to a secret realm or spatial rift, but he did locate the Snow Cloud Sable.

The Snow Cloud Sable was less than fifty miles from them. At such a close distance, his divine sense surprisingly couldn't detect its presence, which was truly peculiar.

"Could there be some special metal ore vein or a formation here?"

The Snow Cloud Sable's escape speed increased. After fleeing to a depth of over 100,000 zhang underground, it could not descend further, as if it had hit a wall of copper and iron.

Seizing this opportunity, Wang Youyun accelerated their escape speed, and all five of them simultaneously launched attacks on the Snow Cloud Sable.

The Snow Cloud Sable was merely a low-tier fifth-grade demon beast and no match for them. Before long, it was captured alive. Wang Youxin placed the Snow Cloud Sable into a Sky Demon Pouch, an item specifically used to hold untamed spirit beasts and birds.

"There might be a special ore vein or a formation here!" Wang Youxin said with a frown. "Our divine senses are affected."