Chapter 512: Chapter 501: Sword Cultivator Father (5 Updates)
The Flame Flower blossoms next to the scorching magma, rooted in the tough volcanic rocks, blooming without leaves, its petals a golden red color that gently sway with the movements of the magma.
Little Golden Crow liked the color of this flower a lot, and if it were not for Ye Qiu’s plan, it would have wanted to pick it for its collection.
"It’s here." Ye Qiu’s Divine Sense stirred, making way for the sole surviving Blazing Fire Ant.
By this time, the Flame Flower had fully bloomed, and the Blazing Fire Ant, acting on instinct, quickly crawled over and started chewing on the flower.
As time passed, when the Flame Flower was completely consumed by the Blazing Fire Ant, the sky also darkened.
"It’s about to undergo Tribulation," Ye Qiu said as he teleported out of the area with Little Golden Crow.
From afar, a man in blue and a man in gray robes changed their expressions, and without delay, transmitted a message to their Master.
This Blazing Fire Ant was already at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and this Heavenly Tribulation was its Nascent Soul Tribulation. The tribulation of a spiritual beast is always tremendously imposing, especially since this one was a mutant Blazing Fire Ant, whose power could not be underestimated.
"Hopefully, it doesn’t fail this Heavenly Tribulation," Ye Qiu muttered to himself, then covered the area above the volcano mouth with a defensive Array.
"Boom..." A thunderbolt as thick as a thumb struck down, hitting right on the Array, but the surrounding volcanoes were affected, erupting one after another in a frenzy.
Ye Qiu shielded himself and Little Golden Crow with a spiritual power shield, watching the situation closely.
Fortunately, the Blazing Fire Ant had regained some of its senses by this point and did not destroy Ye Qiu’s Array nor did it run out from inside it.
Seeing the volcanoes erupt one after another, the man in blue and the man in gray robes retreated even further. They feared that if the Blazing Fire Ant successfully passed the Heavenly Tribulation, it would come after them, and even with their spiritual pets, they would be no match for a Nascent Soul stage Blazing Fire Ant.
This Heavenly Tribulation lasted for three whole days, and although the Blazing Fire Ant was scarred all over, it had successfully reached the Nascent Soul stage.
"Human, what are your intentions? Do you want to form a contract with me?" Although Ye Qiu had helped it through the Heavenly Tribulation, the Blazing Fire Ant was still wary. When it spoke of forming a contract, its tone turned fierce, probably due to the trauma left by the man in blue and the man in gray robes.
"No, I just want to ask you for a favor," Ye Qiu stated truthfully.
Cultivators are mostly trustworthy, and since he had helped the Blazing Fire Ant through its tribulation, it owed him a favor no matter what.
Thus, although the Blazing Fire Ant kept its distance, its attitude had improved a lot: "What favor?"
"Help me find something in the Endless Desert."
"But this desert is boundless, what if I can’t find it?"
"Three months as the period, if you can’t find it within three months, we will consider the matter settled."
"It’s a deal."
"Master," the man in blue and the man in gray robes had waited for three days, and finally their Master had arrived.
The two disciples were tall and sturdy, but their Master was skinny and short, with small eyes slightly squinting - a very shrewd appearance that made him seem difficult to get along with. If there were any cultivators from the Beast Taming Sect around, they would definitely recognize him as the famous Elder Shigu of the Beast Taming Sect.
He received this distressingly odd name because since he was born, his relatives and friends progressively died, and even the disciples he took on did not live long; only spiritual beasts could stay by his side for a long time.
Even so, due to his high talent in beast taming, despite knowing his doomed fate of being the Heavenly Slaughter Star, there were still many impatient younger disciples who gathered around him. The man in azure robes and the man in grey robes had joined him during their Foundation Establishment Stage, and have now successfully passed ten years and also relied on contract spiritual beasts to pass through the Golden Core Stage.
From then on, they scoffed at the title of Heavenly Slaughter Star given to their master and regarded everything in terms of Elder Shigu.
"Did that person say what his identity was? Where is he now and what’s he doing with the Blazing Fire Ants?" Elder Shigu asked sharply with a menacing tone.
"He didn’t say, but he is a Sword Cultivator, and his cultivation level is higher than both mine and my junior brother’s. The Blazing Fire Ant has already passed the Heavenly Tribulation, we didn’t dare to follow for fear of being discovered, but it’s only been half a day since the Tribulation, they shouldn’t have gotten too far away," the man in azure robes replied.
"Oh? Already successful in passing the Heavenly Tribulation? Perfect, I am still lacking a Fire Element spiritual beast, although it’s just in its Nascent Soul Early Stage, being a mutant, it’s not bad," Elder Shigu said, sneering with a glint in his shrewd eyes.
"Disciple congratulates master on successfully taming another Nascent Soul Stage spiritual beast," the man in azure robes quickly flattered as he caught onto Elder Shigu’s intent.
"Not bad," Elder Shigu nodded with satisfaction, "When we encounter a good spiritual beast, master will help you make a contract too."
The man in azure robes was overjoyed, respecting Elder Shigu more than ever: "Thank you, Master."
Seeing this scenario, the man in grey robes couldn’t help but rue his own lack of eloquence; although he and the man in azure robes joined their sect together and his cultivation level was higher at the time of joining, now the tables had been turned.
It appeared that he had to work even harder in the future, so that his master would value him and help him contract with powerful spiritual beasts.
Meanwhile, the Mutant Blazing Fire Ant led Ye Qiu to another territory of Blazing Fire Ants; there were no Flame Flowers here, and the highest-ranked Blazing Fire Ant was only at Golden Core Stage, under double suppression of rank and cultivation, the Mutant Blazing Fire Ant quickly took control of the group of Blazing Fire Ants.
Ye Qiu only saw how the Mutant Blazing Fire Ant gathered them and exchanged a few words after which the Blazing Fire Ants rapidly dispersed in all directions.
"Having helpers indeed makes things easier," Ye Qiu felt suddenly much more at ease, even if these Blazing Fire Ants couldn’t find the Ancient Temple in three months, they could still cover many other places.
But hope always persists; he still hoped that this group of Blazing Fire Ants could find it, to avoid a waste of more time.
"Master, we’ve already encountered the Blazing Fire Ants three times in these two days, are they perhaps searching for something?" Although the man in grey robes wasn’t as good at flattering as the man in azure robes, he was observant and noticed something amiss.
Elder Shigu’s sharp and shrewd face fell into contemplation: "Did you previously say that Sword Cultivator wanted to buy the Blazing Fire Ants? Only changed it to renting because you disagreed?"
"Yes, he also gave us a bag of Spirit Stones as rent," the man in azure robes answered eagerly.
"Did he say anything else?"
"No, only that he temporarily needed those Blazing Fire Ants."
"Interesting." Elder Shigu chuckled cunningly, "Since that’s the case, let’s follow them and see what it is that makes him go to such lengths."
"Exactly as master says, if there’s an Exotic Treasure, then we should really thank that Sword Cultivator. Besides, he generously gave such a substantial advance payment, he must have more valuable things on him. With such resources, why should we fear the Sect Leader’s faction? Soon, the entire Beast Taming Sect will belong to master," said the man in azure robes.
"Haha..." Elder Shigu laughed heartily, impressed by his disciple’s words, "You’re right, then let’s prepare a snare for him."
"Master is wise!"