SPMT : Chapter 177

After Xiao Jingting’s group settled down on the small island, there were always persistent people who came to probe Xiao Jingting’s background. Xiao Jingting had six Golden Core stage demon beasts under his command – unless they encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator, they basically had no problem protecting themselves. Most who came never returned.

After several repeated incidents, the island finally became much quieter.

Xiao Xiaofan and the others’ strength steadily increased, and their days passed relatively peacefully.

“Going out again?” Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting and said.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said: “Yes! Cultivating that damn Heavenly Demon Body Tempering Complete Manual requires Golden Core demon beast blood, and quite a lot of it. I have to make a trip out. This time it would be best to lure several Golden Core stage demon beasts over.”

Xiao Jingting walked out the door, and Xiao Xiaodong and the others were already prepared and waiting in formation.

“Are you all going too?” Xiao Jingting glanced at Xiao Xiaodong and the others.

Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said: “Yes! Father, we can help too.”

“That’s right! Uncle Xiao, take us out to see the world!” Chen Xu said.

“Alright, follow me then,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xiao Jingting’s group came to a Flying Snow Pavilion. The place where they were located was the inner sea, where demon beasts were limited. To hunt Golden Core stage demon beasts, they had to go to the outer sea. Flying Snow Pavilion had built a teleportation array on an island in the outer sea that could directly transport cultivators to the outer sea.

Xiao Jingting noticed that as soon as he appeared, the cultivators in Flying Snow Pavilion looked at him with trembling respect, appearing solemnly reverent.

Xiao Jingting suddenly realized that he now counted as a true expert. Golden Core cultivators weren’t like Qi Refinement cultivators who were everywhere on the streets, nor were they as common as Foundation Establishment cultivators. Having achieved Golden Core, he could now support a major force.

“Let’s go.” Xiao Jingting waved his hand, and Xiao Xiaodong and the others immediately followed Xiao Jingting, disappearing into the teleportation array.

…

“Is that him?” Ye Jinlan asked.

Ye Fang nodded and said: “That’s him.”

Ye Jinlan squinted her eyes and said: “Should be an early Golden Core cultivator.”

Ye Fang said with some surprise: “Only early Golden Core? But after Elder Qingfeng entered his territory, he never came out again, and he was a mid-Golden Core cultivator!”

“Just looking at his spiritual power level, he should indeed be early Golden Core,” Ye Jinlan said.

Ye Fang hesitated for a moment and said: “Even if he’s only early Golden Core, we still need to win him over.”

The Ye family could no longer afford to be picky. The Commerce Alliance held competitions every hundred years, and families with insufficient strength would be squeezed out of the Commerce Alliance. The competition period was in twenty years, and the Ye family was at the bottom among all the major families. If they were squeezed out of the Commerce Alliance, the Ye family would be in danger.

Ye Jinlan hesitated for a moment and said: “Let’s talk about this later.”

During the Commerce Alliance grand competition, if any family wanted to replace the Ye family, they would send people to challenge three of the Ye family’s ancestors. Once they won two matches, the Ye family would have to step down. Most who could participate in such competitions were mid-Golden Core or late Golden Core cultivators. Early Golden Core cultivators could also participate, but their chances of winning were very low.

The Ye family’s resources were limited. Winning over an early Golden Core cultivator also required massive resources. With the grand competition approaching, the Ye family’s resources should be saved to win over late Golden Core or Golden Core Great Perfection cultivators. An early Golden Core cultivator might be eliminated as soon as they entered the field.

“That’s right, there are still twenty years. This matter doesn’t need to be rushed,” Ye Fang said.

Ye Jinlan frowned and said: “This person’s cultivation is still a bit too low.”

Ye Fang nodded and said: “Yes! Originally I thought if he could kill Elder Qingfeng, he should at least be late Golden Core.”

Ye Jinlan considered for a moment and said: “Elder Qingfeng might have underestimated his opponent, or this person is skilled with traps and took advantage of a loophole.”

…

After Xiao Jingting’s group emerged from the teleportation array, they arrived at the outer sea.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting thoughtfully and asked.

Xiao Jingting shook his head and said: “It seemed like someone was watching me just now.”

“Father, you’re too handsome – someone has fallen for you!” Xiao Xiaofan said cheerfully.

Xiao Xiaodong punched Xiao Xiaofan on the head and said: “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Xiao Xiaojin looked at Xiao Xiaofan with pity, then turned around and looked at Xiao Xiaodong with complete admiration.

Xiao Xiaofan covered his head and cried out twice. He was just joking – big brother was so fierce, father didn’t help him, and little brother was gloating. He was so pitiful.

Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said: “Father, when we go out, people are often watching us.”

“Maybe it’s people from the Commerce Alliance Ye family,” Chen Xu said.

Xiao Jingting looked over at Chen Xu and asked: “Commerce Alliance Ye family?”

Chen Xu nodded and said: “The Commerce Alliance is an alliance formed by twelve families. The small island where we’re staying is under the Ye family’s jurisdiction.”

“Commerce Alliance Ye family – why would they want to watch me?” Xiao Jingting said.

“Probably looking for allies. The Commerce Alliance Ye family ranks very low within the Commerce Alliance. Once a major family rises, they could easily be replaced. So they should want to win over some experts to support them. Uncle Xiao, you’ve become famous recently, so no wonder they’re watching you,” Chen Xu said.

Xiao Jingting said thoughtfully: “I see.”

Chen Xu glanced at Xiao Jingting and said: “Uncle Xiao, was the person watching you a fairly good-looking woman?”

“Do you know who she is?” Xiao Jingting asked.

Chen Xu nodded and said: “I know. It’s the Ye family’s young lady, Ye Jinlan. But she actually didn’t come up to greet you.”

Xiao Jingting laughed awkwardly and said: “Probably my strength isn’t enough yet, so she couldn’t be bothered to come greet me.”

Xiao Xiaofan said with complete disdain: “That girl really doesn’t know quality! Father isn’t an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator – father has even killed late Golden Core cultivators.”

Xiao Jingting waved his hand and said: “That doesn’t count.” When he killed Chihuo Laoguai that day, he used formations, which was equivalent to cheating. If he relied on his own abilities, he couldn’t have killed Chihuo Laoguai.

Xiao Xiaofan said dismissively: “How doesn’t it count? Chihuo Laoguai is dead.”

Xiao Jingting waved his hand and said: “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. A hero doesn’t boast about past glories…” Strictly speaking, Chihuo Laoguai didn’t die by his hand, but by the kids’ hands. When Chihuo Laoguai died, he must have died with his eyes wide open.

“I heard this sea area often has Golden Core stage demon beasts appearing,” Xu Mu’an said.

“Then let’s find a place here to set up traps,” Xiao Jingting said.

Demon beasts in the sea were like fish in water, while cultivators were restricted everywhere in the sea. To ambush sea demon beasts, successfully luring the sea beasts into traps was half the battle.

Xiao Jingting set up several entrapment arrays in the shallow sea, then took out Beast Luring Incense.

“This damn thing is so expensive. If it doesn’t work, we’ll have lost big,” Xiao Jingting looked at the Beast Luring Incense in his hand and said gloomily.

Xu Mu’an looked at the item in Xiao Jingting’s hand, smiled, and said: “It should be useful.”

Xiao Jingting lit the Beast Luring Incense in his hand. A faint fragrance dispersed, and Xiao Jingting’s group concealed themselves.

One hour after lighting the Beast Luring Incense, a giant octopus crashed into the formation.

“It’s here.” Xiao Xiaofan and the others quickly activated the formation, firmly controlling the giant octopus within the entrapment array.

The octopus beast trapped by the formation excitedly rampaged within the formation.

Xiao Jingting waved his hand and summoned three Golden Core stage Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions. The Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions landed on the octopus beast and waved their pincers to pierce into the octopus beast.

Xiao Jingting summoned his spirit sword and thrust it toward the octopus beast.

Having experience killing Chihuo Laoguai, killing an ordinary Golden Core demon beast was completely effortless and without pressure for Xiao Jingting.

Xiao Jingting’s group stayed in the outer sea for most of half a year. During this period, Xiao Jingting killed over ten Golden Core stage demon beasts, while Xiao Xiaodong and the others followed Xiao Jingting, helping control formations and killing some small demon creatures.

…

Chen Xu cleanly split a Foundation Establishment stage sea beast in half and asked Xiao Xiaodong beside him: “Are we going back?”

Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said: “Yes, we’ve been here for most of half a year. The several sets of formation materials in our hands are mostly destroyed. We need to go back and replenish some.”

Chen Xu nodded and said: “It would be good to go back and rest for a while.” Chen Xu tossed his hair. In this half year, dozens of Foundation Establishment demon beasts had died by his hand. If grandfather knew, he would definitely be happy.

“Help! Help!” A cry for help came over.

Chen Xu frowned and said: “It sounds like someone’s calling for help!”

Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said: “It seems so.” Xiao Xiaodong extended his soul power, frowned, and said: “A large ship is coming over, with a Golden Core demon beast following behind. Father isn’t here, we can’t handle it. Let’s go quickly.”

Xiao Xiaodong released a flying ship and boarded it with Chen Xu, quickly fleeing.

Xiao Xiaodong was eager to escape from the large ship behind them, but the ship behind them chased in their direction.

“Cultivators ahead, my grandfather is Nascent Soul! If you save me, I’ll give you three high-grade Spirit Stones!” A vigorous shout came from behind.

Xiao Xiaodong rolled his eyes. His grandfather is Nascent Soul but he’s only offering three high-grade Spirit Stones – really stingy.

Chen Xu sighed lightly, not knowing if he thought of something, and muttered: “My grandfather is also Nascent Soul.”

Xiao Xiaodong looked at the ship chasing from behind, frowned tightly, and said: “On that flying ship behind, there are seven Foundation Establishment cultivators. They all seem quite young – should be a group of second-generation rich kids. These people came out without even bringing a Golden Core cultivator.”

Chen Xu smiled and said: “They should be out seeking thrills. I used to want to go out seeking thrills too, but I was always scolded for being willful.”

Xiao Xiaodong frowned and said: “The demon beast chasing behind is a Green Skin Beast. This type of demon beast has a gentle temperament and generally doesn’t cause trouble. These guys must have done something to anger that Green Skin Beast, causing this situation…” Xiao Xiaodong thought to himself: If you don’t have the ability, don’t provoke Golden Core demon beasts! Don’t these guys know which demon beasts can be provoked and which can’t?

Xiao Xiaodong increased his speed and fled.

“Flying ship ahead, quickly help us block the demon beast behind! As long as you help block it, ten high-grade Spirit Stones!”

Chen Xu glanced at the flying ship behind and said with some displeasure: “Those people are crazy. Seven of them in Foundation Establishment can’t block that demon beast – how could the two of us block it?”

Xiao Xiaodong said with a cold face: “Their flying ship is faster than ours. They’ll overtake us soon.” The other party wanted to use them as cannon fodder.

Chen Xu: “…”

“Damn it,” Xiao Xiaodong cursed angrily.

Chen Xu looked at Xiao Xiaodong and said: “What’s wrong?”

“Xiaofan and Lei Xuan are coming over. These two idiots – when encountering a Golden Core demon beast, they don’t know to run for their lives but actually come over fearlessly. They’re simply sick.”

Chen Xu: “…”

Xiao Xiaofan and Lei Xuan flew down onto Chen Xu and Xiao Xiaodong’s ship.

“You two idiots, what are you doing here?” Xiao Xiaodong angrily scolded.

Xiao Xiaofan said without thinking: “I heard someone shouting for help and mentioned ten high-grade Spirit Stones.”

“Are you an idiot? If you lose your life, what good are Spirit Stones?” Xiao Xiaodong said coldly.

Xiao Xiaofan said indifferently: “Big brother, it’s just one Golden Core demon beast! What are you afraid of? We can fight above our level.”

Xiao Xiaodong: “…”

Xiao Xiaodong’s Little Flower Chicken started squawking, expressing agreement.

Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong and said: “Big brother, your Little Flower Chicken says you lack courage and are overly cautious. It says I have more guts than you, and it also said if it had known earlier, it would have followed me instead.”

After Little Flower Chicken became familiar with everyone, it could also transmit messages to others. Xiao Xiaofan no longer had to listen to Xiao Xiaodong’s “embellished” translations of “chicken language.”

Xiao Xiaodong listened with a face full of black lines. Little Flower Chicken and that idiot Xiaofan actually had quite a common language.