Deep in the Broken Fang Mountains.
A team dressed in the Xu clan's standard martial artist attire walked through the mountain forest. The two leaders wore different clothing.
One of them was a young woman sitting cross-legged on the back of an exotic white tiger.
These two were precisely Xu Mingshu and Xu Mingxuan.
The Xu family's first-rate martial artists and late peak Postnatal martial artists continuously increased. Besides the direct lineage, two or three innate martial artists had also emerged.
Xu Mingshu wanted to capture some young beasts for domestication and had to enter deep into the mountain range.
When Xu Mingwei learned of this, after some consideration, he ordered her to lead family guard experts into the mountains together with Xu Mingxuan.
Over several months, they had encountered quite a few exotic fierce beasts, but not a single young one.
Even though Xu Mingshu had the ability to communicate with beasts, these adult fierce beasts had low intelligence and violent natures. What she possessed was only the ability to communicate, not the power to make them submit with a single word.
Only young beasts, raised from childhood, could be made to obey her every command.
Those dead beasts, as long as they could be brought back, they all brought back, either to add game to the family meals or reward the guards' families.
Besides this, they had also gathered several extremely rare spiritual herbs and flowers of twenty to thirty years' age. They brought them back together with the surrounding soil and planted them in the Jade Cold Pool's medicinal fields.
Wherever spiritual objects existed, extraordinary beasts inevitably guarded them.
Xu Mingshu's group had also crossed hands with one or two demon beasts at second layer of Qi Refining or three, and had even slain a ferocious blood wolf.
The major aristocratic families of Yuehu Commandery all had such teams, hunting demon beasts and searching for rare medicinal materials, spiritual medicines, iron ore, and such.
They sold these immortal cultivation resources to Qi Refining families, exchanging them for spirit stones and other resources to supply their clan's immortal cultivators.
The Xu family, however, collected all of these in their own storehouses, waiting for the day they would be used.
"Xueji, look ahead, that's Broken Fang Peak. It truly resembles an ancient giant beast's fang. The mountain's steepness makes it nearly impossible to climb."
Hearing this, Xu Mingshu raised her head to look. She saw Broken Fang Peak rising straight into the clouds, standing several li away from them.
"When viewing it from Dongxi Village, it seemed ordinary, but up close one discovers its marvelous natural craftsmanship, truly spectacular."
Suddenly, two or three li to the left side of the team, an eagle's cry rang out. Its sound was so sharp it pierced through the clouds.
Immediately after came waves of roaring.
Xu Mingxuan and his sister exchanged glances. Xu Mingshu's lips curved slightly, "Third brother, your intuition is most accurate when encountering situations. Do you think we should go take a look?"
"That eagle's cry can transmit so clearly from several li away. It must be a demon beast without doubt."
Xu Mingxuan's eyes burst with brilliant light, then he continued, "When two beasts fight, one must be injured. We can reap the fisherman's profit."
Xu Mingshu smiled sweetly, her eyes curved like crescents, her entire being radiating youthful vigor.
"Then let's go."
Besides Xu Mingxuan and his sister, the Xu family team also had two other innate realm experts, eight late peak Postnatal experts, and sixteen first-rate martial artists.
Some held shields, some carried arrow quivers and bows, while most wielded swords, sabers, or spears.
If they also had immortal cultivators who could cast techniques, the team would be even more perfect.
They advanced quickly until approaching within several hundred meters of where the two beasts fought, then became cautious.
They saw an open area ahead with a small lake about a hundred meters in radius at its center.
Not far from the lake's edge, a barrel-thick coiled crimson-scaled python was confronting an azure giant eagle with wings spanning over ten meters in the air.
Both beasts were extremely unusual.
The crimson-scaled python had a small black protrusion between its brows, while the azure giant eagle had a small tuft of azure flame atop its head. If one didn't look carefully, one might mistake it for head plumage.
At this moment, the crimson-scaled python already had many wounds on its body. Its scales were shattered, its flesh mangled.
Roar~
Screech~
Suddenly, two astonishing sound waves spread in all directions.
The originally clear blue mirror-like lake surface suddenly rose in layers of waves, successively striking the lakeshore, splashing up three-foot snow waves.
The trees around Xu Mingshu's group also swayed ceaselessly.
Everyone's Adam's apples rolled, eyes meeting, all showing shocked expressions.
"Don't be hasty. My intuition tells me there's profit to be made. Let's patiently observe further."
"I'll trust you one more time."
They concealed their forms, waiting at the forest's edge for the opportunity to reap the fisherman's profit.
Suddenly, the azure sky tore like silk. The giant eagle's sky-covering wings swept through the air.
Its talons were like black gold tempered in cold, reflecting sunlight with a gleam. They suddenly pierced into the python's vital point seven inches down.
That crimson-scaled python was also no ordinary creature. As it raised its head and flicked its tongue, its venomous fangs were snow-white like arrayed halberds, counterattacking the eagle's abdomen.
However, the azure eagle's wings beat like lightning. Its talons had already torn the python's flesh to tatters, while it itself transformed into an azure rainbow and escaped.
The crimson python, furious to the extreme, suddenly spewed three feet of purple mist. In an instant, miasma filled the wilderness.
Who would have thought the eagle would cry out from the nine marshes? Its wings drummed wind like clouds hanging from heaven, completely dispersing the poisonous fog.
Wherever the pale purple mist reached, vegetation immediately lost its lushness.
Green leaves turned dark, branches withered to the ground, as if burned by sinister fire.
"Third brother." Xu Mingshu lowered her voice, "What grade do you think these two demon beasts are?"
"Late Qi Refining stage, about seventh layer or so. With these two beasts' abilities and formidable bodies, I'm afraid even ordinary peak grandmaster realm experts couldn't defeat them."
Xu Mingxuan glanced at Xu Mingshu, seeing some unease in her eyes.
"Wait a bit longer. The crimson python's defeat is almost certain. I'm betting that azure eagle won't take the entire snake carcass away. If so, then we'll be prosperous."
"Its scale armor and fangs can be made into magical artifacts. The flesh and blood contains boundless vital energy, a great tonic needed by martial artists."
"We two, plus second brother, don't have talent matching eldest brother and Yunnu. Without borrowing external objects, we ultimately can't catch up. But gaining this opportunity, I'm afraid within one or two years, we'll all have hope of reaching peak innate realm."
"Good. I'll listen to you, third brother."
Everyone held their breath, crouching among the vegetation.
They saw the azure eagle's wings beat like lightning, repeatedly diving down.
Though the crimson-scaled python spat venomous flames, its qi declined and strength exhausted. Its scale armor peeled off, blood staining the red earth.
The time it takes to drink several cups of tea.
The crimson-scaled python's eyes gradually scattered, unable to focus. Finally, it collapsed dejectedly to the ground, raising three zhang of dust and smoke.
Its corpse still trembled several times, as if unwilling.
Around its body, all vegetation withered.
Screech~
A long cry broke through the clouds, its sound carrying ten li.
The azure eagle's wings shook once, wild wind swirled in all directions, as it stood proudly above the crimson-scaled python.
Its eagle eyes turned several times. Its sharp talons aimed at a certain part of the crimson-scaled python, extracting a blue-purple snake gallbladder. In an instant, it beat its wings and flew toward Broken Fang Peak's mountain wall.
"It really flew away."
The corners of Xu Mingxuan's mouth lifted. His large hand waved, "Quick! Everyone hurry and transport that crimson-scaled python. Use cloth to wrap your hands. Don't directly touch it with bare flesh. Take the scattered scales and such as well."
"Yes, Third Master."
The guards cupped their fists and immediately complied.
Xu Mingshu gave Xu Mingxuan a thumbs up, smiling, "Third brother is truly a divine calculator. How exactly did you do it?"
"Just relying on intuition." Xu Mingxuan clapped his hands and laughed, "Father often says my intuition is most accurate, teaching me to follow my heart when uncertain about matters."
"This is my talent, just like how you, Xueji, can communicate with birds and beasts."
Xu Mingshu's eyes flowed with light, her fingertip lightly touching her temple, "Fine, I'll trust you this once."
Merely several dozen breaths passed.
The Xu family guards cleaned up the battlefield completely, then followed the mountain path they came by, shuttling through the mountain forest.
They were deeply afraid that azure eagle would return and discover they had stolen its spoils of war.
If truly discovered, they didn't believe they could escape the azure eagle's sight.
"Walk in the direction I point."
Xu Mingxuan spoke again. Everyone trusted him, complying without the slightest hesitation.
As for that azure eagle returning to the lakeside and not seeing the crimson-scaled python's trace, it naturally became furious. Its eagle cry pierced the clouds, its sound carrying dozens of li. However, it ultimately searched in the wrong direction, allowing Xu Mingxuan's group to escape.
The white tiger coveted the crimson-scaled python's flesh and blood. While running, it didn't forget to growl several times.
"Stinky Little White, you didn't even fight in this battle, yet you still want a share of the spoils. How truly crafty."
Roar~
"Finders keepers? Where did you hear such words? You're a demon beast, you believe human customs?"
Roar roar~
Hearing this, Xu Mingxuan laughed, "Xueji, the crimson-scaled python's body is so large. The scales and fangs must be kept for other uses, but as for the flesh and blood, everyone present can receive a share."
"Thank you, Third Master!" The guards all rejoiced greatly.
"Since third brother has said so, then I'll listen to you."
Roar~
The white tiger growled again.
"Is Little White thanking me?"
"Precisely. This foolish tiger sees profit and forgets loyalty. It says for the sake of the crimson-scaled python's flesh and blood, it can let you ride it a few times in the future."
"Let's first return to the estate safely before making plans. My intuition says this azure eagle's nest may have treasures."