Chapter 782: Chapter 782

"Madam Ni, please wait a moment."

Shen Long summoned the Qinglian Map and flew into it.

"Madam Ni, did you confiscate these two Shadow Beasts from the body of a heterodox cultivator?"

Chu Buyu asked with curiosity.

"That’s not the case. I obtained them in exchange with a fellow daoist on the Shadow Continent. Shadow Beasts have poor reproductive abilities; even on the Shadow Continent, high-level Shadow Beasts are rare."

Ni Tianyao explained.

Shen Long flew out of the Qinglian Map, holding a green Spirit Beast Bracelet in his hand, and handed it to Ni Tianyao.

After verifying that it was correct, Ni Tianyao handed over the two Shadow Beasts to Shen Long.

After some idle chatter, Shen Long and Chu Buyu took their leave and departed.

No sooner had they left than Ni Tianting arrived.

"Sister, did you give all the bug eggs to Taoist Friend Shen?"

Ni Tianting asked, frowning.

The Seven Stars Jade Silkworm is ranked fourth among the Strange Bugs, possessing great divine skills. Even the eggs are precious.

"Of course not. I gave him the eggs with the weakest vitality. If he can successfully hatch a Seven Stars Jade Silkworm, then the rest of my eggs should also be able to hatch."

Ni Tianyao explained.

"I hope a Seven Stars Jade Silkworm can be hatched! Our family once bred a seventh-stage Seven Stars Jade Silkworm. The silk it produced was used to refine a high-quality Sky-reaching Spiritual Treasure for defense, which even a Unity Cultivator wielding a Supreme Sky-reaching Spiritual Treasure would find hard to destroy."

Ni Tianting’s face showed a hint of reminiscence.

"Spirit Insects that haven’t transformed into human form struggle to survive the Seventy-Nine Heavenly Tribulations solely with their divine skills. Seven Stars Purple Thunder Fruit can reduce the might of the tribulations, but they take too long to grow."

Ni Tianyao nodded and said.

"I hope Taoist Friend Shen can hatch a Seven Stars Jade Silkworm."

Ni Tianting’s face bore a look of expectation.

In Bloodvine City, within the Bloodvine Garden, Teng Bai and Teng Xiao were sitting in a green stone pavilion while Xiao Yue reported to them.

"Even you don’t know the strategic intent!"

Teng Bai nodded thoughtfully.

"Is there a problem with that?"

Teng Xiao asked, puzzled.

"We suspect there’s a spy among us. It’s all too coincidental! A Unity Cultivator just happened to pass by the Divine Weapon Marketplace, and just so happened to be the Deputy Sect Master from Mount Taibai Sword Sect. Our clan members fled, but despite the vast territory of the Human Clan, human cultivators were somehow able to locate them."

Teng Bai said with a grim face.

The Bloodvine Clan’s preemptive strike on Tianxuan City triggered a racial war, with significant casualties. The plan was foiled by what seemed like a coincidence, which the higher-ups of the Bloodvine Clan refused to believe.

"A spy? I don’t know the strategic intent, how would a spy know it?"

Teng Xiao asked, not understanding.

"That’s why I’m also puzzled. If we don’t root out this spy, our next major action will still be leaked."

Teng Bai said with a frown.

"Maybe it was just a coincidence. I remember Master Profound Mystery excels in divination. Could it be that he deduced the whereabouts of the fleeing clansmen?"

"How would he know the fleeing clansmen’s birthdates and fates? It’s not as though one can deduce that with just a name and a birth treasure. Master Profound Mystery is only a Unity Cultivator, not a Mahayana Cultivator."

"The Combined Attack Technique of the Ni Family is formidable. Nine Void Refining Cultivators joined forces and defeated Teng Hu and the others."

Xiao Yue said with a frown.

"They are just Void Refining Cultivators. The Ni Family is no longer the same as it once was. How many of those nine Void Refining Cultivators can advance to the Body Integration Realm? Unless they all enter the Unity Realm, the threat isn’t significant. A Unity Cultivator could easily wipe them out."

Teng Xiao dismissed the concern.

"Indeed, this is also a major flaw of combined techniques. It would be good if even two of them could advance to the Unity Realm. If all nine were to enter the Unity Realm, not many on the Green Lotus Continent could withstand their Combined Attack Technique."

Teng Bai agreed deeply; something crossed his mind, and he said, "Don’t let the content of today’s conversation leak. Xiao Yue, investigate in secret, see if there are any suspicious targets. I refuse to believe it’s just a coincidence."

Xiao Yue readily agreed.

Tianxuan City, Qianling Garden.

In the Golden Roc Courtyard, Shen Long, Chu Buyu, and Li Dong were sitting in a green stone pavilion, talking about something.

"Thank you, Junior Brother Shen. These Spiritual Medicines are for you, including two thousand-year-old Six-Petal Gold Soul Lotuses."

Li Dong took out a green Storage Bracelet and handed it to Shen Long.

He had asked Shen Long for a supreme Seven-Leaf Jade Lotus Pill, hoping to cultivate a Mutated Spirit Beast.

Shen Long did not decline and accepted the Storage Bracelet.

"Junior Brother Shen, Junior Sister Chu, I won’t disturb your rest any further. If there’s anything you need, just let me know."

Li Dong stood up to take his leave.

Shen Long and Chu Buyu entered a Practice Room, stepped into the Myriad Beasts Tower, and appeared on the first floor.

Shen Long placed five bug eggs into the Spirit Control Pool and approached a pattern of a giant silkworm, placing his hands on the pattern and infusing Mana.

The Spirit Control Pool shone with a dazzling Spiritual Light, which faded away.

A glance from Chu Buyu revealed five crystalline golden silkworms in the pool, with seven natural silver spots on their backs.

"They’ve actually hatched!"

Chu Buyu said in surprise, witnessing the capabilities of the Myriad Beasts Tower for the first time.

Shen Long was not surprised and smiled, "First, we’ll nurture these five Seven Stars Jade Silkworms. Once they reach the sixth rank, the madam can use the silk they spin to refine defensive treasures."

"They are only at the first rank now. Who knows how long it will take for them to grow to the sixth rank. Maybe Shadow Beasts will grow to the sixth rank faster!"

Shen Long nodded, put away the five Seven Stars Jade Silkworms, and along with Chu Buyu, went to the fourth floor and called for Shen Lie.

He released two Shadow Beasts, which did not attack Shen Long or the others.

"You have gained spiritual awareness, so I won’t waste words. If you behave, I can provide resources for your advancement. If not, you will die."

Both Shadow Beasts replied in unison.

"I am not your master," said Shen Long, "Shen Lie, they’re your responsibility now."

Shen Long instructed.

Shen Lie agreed and said to the Shadow Beasts, "From now on, you follow my orders. Only we have the privilege to call him master. You should refer to the master as Your Excellency."

The two Shadow Beasts obediently agreed.

Shen Lie nodded contentedly and took them away.

Shen Long and Chu Buyu then went to the third floor and summoned Shen Xiao.

"Take care of these five Seven Stars Jade Silkworms. Start by feeding them leaves from the Green Mulberry Tree. Once they reach a higher rank, feed them Spirit Jade."

"My lord, the members of your Spirit Beast army are growing in number."

Chu Buyu said with a smile.

"It’s not mine; it’s ours. Their ranks are generally low, so let’s focus on nurturing them to higher ranks for now."

The ranks of the Five-Colored Phoenix Butterfly and the Seven Stars Jade Silkworm were too low; he needed to cultivate them to at least the fifth rank before they could be of some use.

He and Chu Buyu exited the Myriad Beasts Tower and went about their separate tasks.

Chu Buyu entered the Artifact Refining Room to start refining artifacts, while Shen Long entered the Alchemy Room to practice alchemy.