northernbook Chapter 197 Star Peng Plains Hinterland
Chapter 197 Star Peng Plains Hinterland
Chapter 197: Heartland of Star Peng Plains
The final fierce counterattack by the cultivators of the Nine Spirits Clear Origin Gate was undoubtedly brilliant. Dragging along the Star Peng, which outnumbered them by nearly a hundred times, the Thunder Feather Star Peng barely escaped with heavy injuries. The number of Star Peng was even more exaggerated.
Qin Muling silently estimated that the adult Thunder Feather Star Peng killed by the Nine Spirits Clear Origin Gate numbered in the tens of thousands, dealing a fatal blow to this Star Peng tribe. It was unknown how many years it would take for them to recover.
If other Star Peng tribes took advantage of the situation and swallowed them up, perhaps this tribe would never have a chance to recover. In this mysterious Grotto-Heaven realm of the Dao Venerable, the law of the jungle, where the weak were preyed upon by the strong, still dominated.
"Let's go, let's find their nests!" Yu Lingzhou said excitedly. With the heavy losses suffered by the adult members of this tribe, the defense of the nest area would undoubtedly be severely weakened, making it a good opportunity for looting.
The cultivators of the Nine Spirits Clear Origin Gate died heroically, but from the perspective of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, they were enemies. This was undoubtedly a good thing.
Qin Muling nodded and quietly left with the three women.
After a while, the nest area of this tribe was discovered without any surprises. The number of Thunder Feather Star Peng on guard patrol nearby had indeed decreased significantly, making it seem like a deserted place. The four of them easily sneaked into the core area.
The harvest this time was particularly rich. Almost ninety percent of the unhatched bird eggs, as well as the Star Peng hatchlings, were taken away by Qin Muling. Dozens of adult female Thunder Feather Star Peng were also killed in the surprise attack. Many other valuable Spirit Medicines, rare herbs, and precious materials were piled up like mountains.
When the four of them left satisfied, the fate of this tribe was already doomed and its outcome was unchangeable.
In the following days, Qin Muling and the three women continued to penetrate deep into the heartland of Star Peng Plains, looting dozens of small and large Star Peng tribes along the way. The valuable loot they obtained filled hundreds of spatial bracelets.
Of course, scenes of cultivators fighting bloody battles with Thunder Feather Star Peng were repeatedly staged. There were individuals who were separated from their groups, as well as those who acted in groups. Among them were some monstrous geniuses who were fully cultivated by certain Supreme Dao lineages.
In the Thunder Feather Star Peng's home ground, no matter how bravely they resisted, they were relentlessly besieged by Thunder Feather Star Peng that outnumbered them tenfold or even a hundredfold. The final result was always a gloomy ending. Except for a few cultivators who had sacrificial jade talismans, the remaining cultivators could not escape their fate of death.
Qin Muling continued to silently plunder the resources that could be taken away, not leaving a single one behind. After achieving his goal, he quietly retreated.
If it weren't for the limited time and the important opportunity in the central area of Star Peng Plains, Qin Muling was confident that he could plunder all the Star Peng tribes on this vast plain, leaving them severely weakened and unable to recover for five hundred years.
On the sixth day, Qin Muling unexpectedly discovered the palace of the Thunder Feather Star Peng King in an extremely exaggerated tribal nest area. It was a giant nest built inside a rocky mountain, with auspicious qi rising and forming a canopy like a tree crown on the mountaintop. Bright rays of light enveloped it, resembling a lighthouse that could be clearly seen from miles away.
Adult Thunder Feather Star Peng individuals generally had strength close to that of an Origin Immortal, and a few powerful individuals could reach the high ranks of an Origin Immortal. However, this Thunder Feather Star Peng King had even stronger innate bloodline power, so he had cultivation at the level of a True Immortal and naturally held a dominant position in the tribe.
After a brief discussion with the three women, Qin Muling decided to take action. Since they had already come this far, there was no reason to return empty-handed.
So the four of them used some means to bypass the many guards patrolling the outer layer and safely sneaked into the interior of the palace. At this time, the Thunder Feather Star Peng King and his wife were not present, and there were only four giant eggs inside. Each egg was the size of an ancient six-tusked mammoth, with a brilliant radiance on the surface of the eggshell covered in blue thunder patterns, faintly flowing with a dark golden glow.
"It seems that they were just laid and haven't started hatching yet!"
Yu Lingzhou approached and sensed the situation inside the giant eggs, hesitating slightly. If they took them away like this, it would be almost impossible for Star Peng hatchlings to be born without the careful incubation and care of the Thunder Feather Star Peng King and his wife. Even the elders in the sect who specialized in nurturing spirit pets might not have a way.
"If they can't hatch, let's just eat them as delicacies! A mere True Immortal-level spirit pet is not worth paying special attention to. Each of us can have one, and it must taste great!"
Yue Yi Tianjun said calmly. With their cultivation levels, they didn't care about this level of spirit pet. Eating them would be just so-so.
"Then let's do that."
Yu Lingzhou waved her hand and stored them in her spatial bracelet, also taking away many rare materials seen around as food reserves, including Spirit Medicine spiritual fruits. Anything that could appear in the Thunder Feather Star Peng palace would definitely not be inferior.
After half a day, the vast plain finally reached its edge, indicating that they had truly arrived at their destination for this trip.
Looking down from mid-air, this place happened to be in the center of the Star Peng Plains, with a territory of tens of millions of miles covered in flat reddish-brown rock layers where no grass grew.
The magnificent and grand palace ruins, stretching continuously and reaching the extreme, were located in the central area of this region. Despite having gone through unimaginably long years, they still emitted dazzling light and steam of purple qi, exuding a majestic and solemn aura.
"There should... have been people who entered, but the exact number is unknown."
Qin Muling observed for a while, silently operating the profound technique, and soon came to a conclusion.
It was not surprising to think about it. The geniuses in the Extreme Void Starry Sky were as numerous as fish in the river, and there were countless unimaginable Divine Abilities and secret techniques. After so many days, there would definitely be people who used various means to sneak in.
Of course, they can only guarantee to sneak in, maybe they can bring some people along, but that's basically the limit. If they want to be like Qin Muling, relying on secret methods to shield the heavenly secrets, and then plunder the nest of the Thunder Feather Star Peng, there is no second option besides him.
"Now what do we do? Do we go in directly?" Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan asked.
"No rush," Yu Lingzhou said with a smile, "We've been on the road for so long, and I'm really hungry! Let's find a place to have a feast, and then we can discuss other matters after we eat and drink our fill."
Qin Muling glanced at this beautiful young elder with a loli face and a devilish figure, and he understood her intentions. She was only thinking about the four eggs of the Thunder Feather Star Peng King, as well as some rare fresh delicacies. She wanted to taste them first. After all, it would be difficult to distribute them once Xue Bingxuan and the others came out.
"Alright, let's eat first."
Qin Muling had no objections. He also wanted to taste the eggs of the Thunder Feather Star Peng King. He had eaten many good things before, but this kind of True Immortal-level delicacy was still a rare and precious resource.
The four of them immediately chose a place. Yu Lingzhou eagerly took out twelve jade cauldrons of different sizes from her bracelet, four sets of exquisite green jade tableware, as well as pots, bowls, pans, and several rows of specially made barbecue grills. There were also many carefully prepared condiments and seasonings, all piled up in a big heap.
It was not difficult to see that these things were all genuine Law Treasures, with superior materials and refining techniques. After all, Yu Lingzhou herself was a master in the field of artifact refining, so it was not difficult for her to acquire a complete set of such equipment.
Obviously, this loli elder was also a big foodie. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so extravagant in this aspect. Qin Muling shared the same interest and could exchange experiences and insights in the field of food in the future.
Taking out the four eggs of the Thunder Feather Star Peng King from her bracelet, as well as dozens of ordinary bird eggs, frozen Star Peng cubs, adult Star Peng individuals, and a large pile of other mushroom and spirit medicine delicacies, the three women began to busy themselves.
In no time, the twelve jade cauldrons began to emit an extremely enticing aroma, as if it could penetrate into the bone marrow. The snow-white soup boiled and bubbled, and the well-prepared pieces of Thunder Feather Star Peng meat mixed with various mountain delicacies and spirit medicines, simmering and stewing together. The holy radiance was dazzling, like flames burning brightly.
At the same time, the rows of large barbecue grills were also not idle. The four intact adult Thunder Feather Star Pengs had their feathers plucked, their bellies opened, and after being cleaned, they were stuffed with a large amount of precious spirit medicines. Under the blazing flames, they sizzled and crackled, with golden oil overflowing and a fragrant aroma wafting through the air.
Braised, stewed, cold-dressed, grilled... Yu Lingzhou was busy like a butterfly, and with her rich experience, as long as she took a look at any ingredient, she could come up with the most suitable cooking method. It had almost become her instinctive talent.
"Young Junior Brother, Senior Sister Yu's cooking skills are really good, you won't be disappointed!" Yue Yi Tianjun said with a smile as he saw Qin Muling staring intently at Yu Lingzhou's actions. "Back when we were outer disciples, we loved to eat the delicious food made by Senior Sister Yu. We would always find excuses to have a meal with her. If she wasn't around, our travels would be much less enjoyable."
"I feel like I won't be able to live without Senior Yu in the future."
Qin Muling hesitated for a moment before speaking. As a master-level gourmet chef with exquisite skills bordering on perfection, Senior Yu's attractiveness to herself was unparalleled.
Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan immediately said, "That's easy. As long as Senior Yu becomes your partner, she can cook for you every day! No matter what delicacies you want to eat, she can satisfy your cravings."
Qin Muling: "..."
As the saying goes, when the situation becomes desperate, one can only resort to such measures.
Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan and Heavenly Monarch Yue Yi, who were well aware of the little junior sister's thoughts, naturally took the opportunity to encourage her and help her achieve her desires.
Of course, they were probably thinking of the same thing. If Yu Lingzhou fulfilled her wishes, she would definitely find a way to promote them afterwards.
"Don't listen to her nonsense, little junior brother,"
Seeing Qin Muling's thoughtful expression, Yu Lingzhou smiled indifferently, "The meat on this barbecue grill is ready. Come and taste it!"
"Okay."
Qin Muling took the grilled meat she handed over and took a gentle bite. The only impression she had was its deliciousness, an ultimate deliciousness. The tender and fatty meat practically melted in her mouth, turning into a stream of heat that merged into her organs. Even her seven orifices seemed to emit a faint and magnificent radiance, giving her an indescribable sense of comfort.
Lei Yu's flesh and blood contained a vast amount of vital essence, a true holy medicine for nourishment. Not only did it taste excellent, but if she ate more, it would have incredible benefits for her cultivation, enhancing her physical and spiritual strength.
"These are all rare delicacies. Little junior brother, you should eat more,"
Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan smiled faintly, "You urgently need to improve your cultivation, so there's no need to be polite. Just eat to your heart's content. After you finish, let Senior Yu continue cooking for you."
At this moment, Qin Muling, who was controlled by the delicious food, had no time to speak. She focused on dealing with the grilled peng meat in her hand while activating her cultivation and diligently digesting the immense essence and vitality within her body.
After finishing a large piece, the two women would promptly bring another one, along with various spirit wines, rare fruits, and well-prepared bird eggs, all piled up on the table in front of him.
(End of this chapter)