SPMT : Chapter 160

“Father, are you going out of the cave?” Xiao Xiaodong asked.

“I’m going to check the lair of the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion,” Xiao Jingting replied.

A while ago, Xiao Jingting had dug several pits near the lair of the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion, placing Snow Dream Fruits inside. He planned to check on the situation now. It is said that while the Snow Dream Fruit is tasteless and odorless to humans, it emits a deadly fragrance to the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion.

Xiao Xiaodong quickly said, “I’ll go with you.”

Xiao Jingting nodded, “Alright.”

Xiao Jingting and Xiao Xiaodong arrived at the first trap and found two or three small scorpions trapped inside.

“They’re here as expected!” Xiao Jingting said.

Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Jingting and asked, “Father, do you want to subdue them?”

Xiao Jingting nodded, “Yes.” The few small scorpions in the first pit were only at the Qi Refining stage, and Xiao Jingting easily subdued them.

Xiao Jingting had dug over a dozen pits, each trapping between two and over ten scorpions. In the third pit, there was a Foundation Establishment stage scorpion. Once Xiao Jingting removed the trap, the scorpion rushed out aggressively, but it was soon subdued by Xiao Xiaodong’s little flower chicken with a roar.

Xiao Jingting knew from Earth that chickens eat scorpions, but he didn’t expect it to be the same in this world.

After subduing all the scorpions in the traps, Xiao Jingting realized that they were merely minor soldiers. The lair housed a Foundation Establishment peak scorpion, which was the real threat.

Xiao Jingting spent some time luring out the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion in batches. Finally, the Scorpion King, realizing the reduction in its “subjects,” angrily emerged, only to be trapped by Xiao Jingting’s Beast Cage.

Chen Xu, watching Xiao Jingting, exclaimed, “Uncle Xiao, you’re amazing! You actually caught the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion King!”

Xiao Jingting shook his head, “It’s nothing, just a bit of trickery.”

He used a three-hundred-year-old Snow Dream Fruit to lure the Scorpion King, which sensed something was wrong but couldn’t resist the temptation and ate it anyway.

The Scorpion King, trapped in the Beast Cage, roared angrily at Xiao Jingting, its pincers clacking menacingly. Xiao Jingting felt that if it could escape the cage, it would tear him apart first.

The little flower chicken roared at the Scorpion King, which responded with an angry wave of its pincers.

Seeing the little flower chicken getting flustered didn’t disappoint Xiao Jingting; instead, he felt pleased. If the creature he subdued was easily scared by a chicken, it wouldn’t be useful.

Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting and said, “Jingting, this Scorpion King is quite defiant. Subduing it won’t be easy.”

Xiao Jingting was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, while the Scorpion King was at the peak Foundation Establishment stage. If the Scorpion King resisted during the contracting process, it could cause severe backlash.

“No rush, there’s plenty of time, and I already have a plan,” Xiao Jingting replied. Knowing that the Cleansing Spirit Grass could only be found in the inner area of the secret realm, which would open in over a year, he felt more settled.

Chen Xu, curious, asked, “What’s the plan?”

Xiao Jingting, with a mysterious smile, said one word, “Starve.”

Xiao Xiaodong tilted his head and thought, “This might work on Xiao Fan, but with a scorpion, who knows.”

Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaodong with a bit of exasperation, “How can you say that about your brother… even if it’s true.”

Xiao Xiaodong remained silent.

…

The Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion, as its name suggests, has a golden head and a red tail. The Scorpion King isn’t determined by strength but is born with a natural dominance over the ordinary scorpions in the lair. The Scorpion King also has higher intelligence compared to regular scorpions.

Ordinary scorpions have a golden dot on their heads, while the Scorpion King has a faint golden “King” character on its head.

Xiao Jingting placed several small scorpions he had contracted around the cage, feeding them Snow Dream Fruits.

The Scorpion King, seeing the traitorous small scorpions enjoying themselves and not honoring it, roared in anger.

Despite the Scorpion King’s pressure, the small scorpions continued to eat the Snow Dream Fruits.

The Scorpion King, exhausted from roaring, lay down and drooled.

Xiao Jingting placed a circle of Snow Dream Fruits around the Scorpion King’s cage, letting it watch as a group of scorpions feasted daily, driving it crazy with hunger.

Chen Xu squatted by the cage, watching the Scorpion King with great interest, “Xiaodong, your dad is really clever. But will this method work?”

Xiao Xiaodong shook his head, “I don’t know either.”

Chen Xu, pondering, said, “If it works, I’ll try it next time too.”

Xiao Xiaodong nodded, “Sure.”

…

Xu Mu’an walked into Xiao Jingting’s resting cave, “Jingting, are you sure leaving the Scorpion King like that will work?”

Xiao Jingting, unconcerned, said, “Don’t worry, a few days of hunger will make it obedient. There’s no need to overthink it. Earthly creatures are like this too.”

Xu Mu’an, complex in expression, said, “But this isn’t Earth.”

Xiao Jingting nodded, “True, but many principles are the same.”

Whether it would work, Xiao Jingting wasn’t entirely sure. On Earth, no one could survive without food, but here, once reaching Foundation Establishment, one could go without food. The Scorpion King, already at the late Foundation Establishment stage, could likely endure hunger. However, having delicious food in front of it without being able to eat might still be mentally torturous. Hopefully, it would work.

Xu Mu’an, looking at Xiao Jingting, said, “Let’s hope so.”

Xiao Jingting said, “I think this method has the least risk. If it doesn’t work, we can try other methods.”

Xu Mu’an nodded, “That’s true. The Scorpion King was very noisy when it first arrived, but now it seems more subdued.”

“Let’s not talk about the scorpion. Look at this, my artifact refining skills aren’t as good as Xiao Fan’s, but I managed this,” Xiao Jingting handed a formation plate to Xu Mu’an.

Xu Mu’an smiled, “You’re working on this?”

“This is a powerful weapon. I relied on it to get through several dangerous situations,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Mu’an nodded, “It’s indeed very useful. I also used it to escape danger a few times.”

…

Chen Xu lay by the cage, intently watching the Scorpion King.

Xiao Xiaodong, seeing this, was speechless. Chen Xu spent more time observing the scorpion than his own father.

“I think your dad’s tactic is working. Maybe if he tries to contract it now, the Scorpion King will agree,” Chen Xu said.

Xiao Xiaodong, looking at the drooling Scorpion King, said, “I doubt it. The Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpion is a renowned creature on the Spirit Insect Ranking. How can it be as spineless as Xiao Fan?”

Chen Xu glanced at Xiao Xiaodong, “Don’t speak of your brother like that. The scorpion may be fierce, but its intelligence is lacking.”

Xiao Xiaodong nodded, “True, Xiao Fan’s intelligence is definitely higher than the Scorpion King’s.”

Xiao Jingting approached the Scorpion King and communicated with it for a while.

Xiao Xiaodong asked, “Father, what did it say?”

Xiao Jingting blinked, “It said it is willing to submit.” The Scorpion King expressed its willingness to submit, provided it gets enough fruits daily, more than its subordinates, as it is more useful than them.

Xiao Jingting thought, seeing its subordinates feasting daily while it starved must have been torturous for the Scorpion King.

“Father, you’re amazing!” Xiao Xiaodong thought, This scorpion is so spineless, giving in for some fruits, even less promising than Xiao Fan.

Xiao Jingting successfully contracted the starved Scorpion King. After the contract, he generously provided a large basin of spiritual fruits for the Scorpion King, which devoured them in one gulp. Xiao Jingting had to bring out more basins of fruits, and the Scorpion King consumed eight basins of Snow Dream Fruits.

The late Foundation Establishment stage Scorpion King, having gained some intelligence, began to appreciate Xiao Jingting more after eating the fruits. It thought Xiao Jingting was a good master, much better than its previous situation where it could only eat such delicious fruits once in a few months.

Following the Scorpion King, Xiao Jingting ventured into its lair. With the Scorpion King’s help, Xiao Jingting contracted a swarm of scorpions. Faced with the constant emergence of scorpions, Xiao Jingting was relieved he had lured the Scorpion King out. Otherwise, the swarm would have been overwhelming.

Xiao Jingting found a treasure trove in the Scorpion King’s lair, filled with spatial rings. He realized that the spatial rings of those poisoned outside were taken by the scorpions and hidden away.

Xiao Xiaodong checked the rings and said, “Father, some of these rings seem to be from the last group of cultivators who came here.” One ring contained many robes from Luo Shui Sect, which was destroyed over two hundred years ago.

Xiao Jingting nodded, “I see.” After inspecting the rings, he found that the original owners were mostly poor, with the wealthiest one having just over a hundred mid-grade spirit stones.

Xu Mu’an saw Xiao Jingting’s expression and said, “Be content. Having this much is already good, not everyone is as lucky as you.”

Xiao Jingting thought, That’s true. My vast wealth accumulation owes much to the space jade pendant. While others have to go through great lengths to find a single spiritual herb, I can easily collect a handful and make plenty of pills.

Although the spirit stones in the spatial rings were not much individually, they added up to three or four hundred mid-grade spirit stones. Xiao Jingting also found many talismans, magical tools, and other strange items.

After this opportunity, Xiao Jingting felt an urge to raid all the beasts in the secret realm, thinking there might be more such treasures.

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