The leading second-level black bird reacted sharply and instinctively stopped at the moment the killing array was launched.
It screamed angrily, and a black cloud of light erupted from its body, scattering the surrounding water waves.
With one stroke of the black feather, more than a dozen arc-light feather blades cut in all directions.
Some of them were slashing at Lu Changan and Xuan Shui Turtle, and more were slashing at the illusory blue moon above.
"Not stupid."
Lu Changan asked Guan Qiaozhi to retreat to the cave and sacrifice the top-quality magic weapon [King Kong Bell] that he had purchased in Huanglong Fairy City.
The five-foot-long golden bell flew over the pond and turned into a large bell several feet wide. It condensed into a translucent golden shield to help the Xuan Shui Turtle block the attack.
In fact, it’s just a show.
A few offensive attacks from the second-level monsters could not hurt the black water turtle that was retracted into its shell.
Dang! Weng!
Lu Changan's mana in the middle stage of foundation building was injected into the [Diamond Bell], and the roaring sound wave light pattern shook the second-order black bird trying to break the formation and leave.
The second-order black bird swayed in the sky, bleeding from its mouth and nose, and its speed was greatly reduced.
[Diamond Bell] In addition to defending and trapping enemies, it can also activate sound waves to shake Qi and blood and shock the mind.
Squeak!
A muscular orange rat demon jumped out of the cave.
The sharp claws glowed with a dull yellow light and chopped off the head of the second-order black bird.
Lu Changan stopped preparing to deal with the spell.
The difficulty of the monster bird lies in its high mobility. In the ordinary middle stage of foundation building, it is difficult to kill this second-level early stage bird.
With the help of Xiaoguifeng's formation, Lu Changan was able to deal with late second-order monsters using only surface conventional methods.
Decades ago, the Sky Wolf in the Black Mist Mountains could reach the late second level only with the increase of the full moon.
Finished processing the materials for the second-level monster.
That night, Lu Changan had an extra meal and had a feast of demon birds.
Ye Fei from Xiaodanfeng was invited to come and enjoy it.
"Friend Lu Dao, the scale of the beast tide is beyond expectations. Will there be a small group of monster beasts coming to kill?"
After having enough wine and food, Ye Fei wiped the oil stains from the corners of his mouth and sounded slightly worried.
If the monster has a powerful physique, the effect of the poison spell will be much worse.
He didn't want to be ravaged by monsters just after he found a spiritual dojo that suited his liking.
"not sure."
Lu Changan shook his head and said.
"Wu Qi Mountain is some distance away from the front line. As long as it is not a huge beast wave, the real threat will not be these monster beasts."
Even if a small-scale monster really came to kill him, he thought he could advance and retreat freely.
On Little Turtle Peak, there are spiritual trees and medicinal herbs that Lu Changan has cultivated for decades.
This kind of opportunity to make a fortune in silence would not make him give up this place and run away.
…
Half a month later.
The person Lu Changan expected to deliver the materials arrived.
The first one is the beast-controlling Zhou family.
The foundation-building monk who represents the cooperation is a middle-aged and elegant scholar. It is Zhou Jingxuan who he had talked with in Huanglong Immortal City.
Zhou Jingxuan is in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and has a few strands of white hair on his temples. He is much older than Lu Changan.
"We haven't seen each other for many years. My friend Lu Dao has made further progress in his cultivation. He is indeed an inspiring example of a late bloomer."
During this meeting, Lu Changan's changes in cultivation made Zhou Jingxuan feel complicated and mixed.
Decades ago, when he was in the early stages of foundation building, he came to Zhuye Mountain to participate in the auction. Lu Changan was still a little-known Talisman Master in the middle stage of Qi Refining.
Unknowingly, this person made steady progress step by step, and actually tied him.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou praised me very much. Lu was just lucky and didn't waste his time at the bottleneck. He was only promoted to the middle stage of foundation building when he was over a hundred years old. He is extremely mediocre."
Lu Changan smiled and said modestly.
The reason why Zhou Jingxuan was chased by him was not because Lu Changan was fast in cultivation.
Rather, it is the dilemma that most people face in the foundation-building period, and it is difficult to advance to the later realms throughout their lives.
Zhou Jingxuan stayed in the middle stage of foundation building for several decades.
Inside the cave, the host and guest were seated.
"Aristocratic Miss Zhou, is she fighting on the front line against monsters?"
During the chat, Lu Changan mentioned Zhou Qingxuan.
"That's right. Qingxuan's role in guarding the clan is much greater than that of my uncle."
Zhou Jingxuan seemed to be self-deprecating, but his tone contained pride and praise.
"Miss Zhou's talent for controlling beasts can indeed play a big role in the beast tide."
Lu Changan also praised it.
He couldn't help but think that Zhou Qingxuan had gained a lot in the Qingming Secret Realm and had many encounters.
Later, I learned from Zhou Jingxuan: Zhou Qingxuan has been tempered by the beast tide and has recently been promoted to the late stage of foundation building.
Lu Changan couldn't help but feel moved.
After estimating her age, Zhou Qingxuan is about twenty years younger than herself.
"The late stage of foundation building under the age of ninety."
Lu Changan couldn't help but raise his evaluation of this woman.
The goal set by sect elites like Zhao Siyao and Zhang Tieshan is to reach the late stage of foundation building before they are 100 years old, with the hope of forming a pill in the future.
Zhang Tieshan has a strong will and seems to have a chance. He has made great achievements in the Qingming Secret Realm and is well on his way to achieving his goal.
Zhao Siyao has only been promoted to the late stage of foundation building in the past two years. He is over 100 years old and has not reached his goal.
Of course, Zhao Siyao and Zhang Tieshan are not the top geniuses of the sect.
Several major sects in the Liang Kingdom all have geniuses with earth spirit roots.
It cannot be ruled out that there are hidden spiritual roots.
The contemporary Nascent Soul Lord of Lihuo Palace is the Tianlinggen monk.
If Zhou Qingxuan's progress was normal, Lu Changan would feel abnormal.
However, this woman participated in the Qingming Secret Realm, got the opportunity, and was tempered by the beast tide. She was able to advance to the late stage of foundation building so smoothly, which can be regarded as a trace.
…
"Fellow Daoist Lu, can you eat this batch of materials from Mr. Zhou?"
Zhou Jingxuan took out several storage bags and placed them on the table.
Lu Changan explored them one by one, showing surprise.
These storage bags are filled with monster materials suitable for drawing talismans.
In fact, before the beast wave, the cooperation between Lu Changan and the Zhou family gradually decreased.
Because the Zhou family invited second-level Talisman masters to worship them in the past few years, the new generation has also cultivated Talisman master talents.
However, there are too many materials harvested in the beast tide, which is difficult for this clan to digest.
The pressure from the beast tide is too great and we cannot stock up.
Monster materials must be converted into spiritual stones immediately to obtain elixirs, talismans, magic weapons and other combat readiness resources.
Fighting against the beast tide, pacifying the tribesmen, and recruiting monks all require a huge amount of spiritual stones and combat preparation resources.
"Lu only needs second-level talisman materials."
Lu Changan looked embarrassed.
In these storage bags, most of them are first-order monster materials.
"The price can be lower and sold with excellent second-level talisman materials."
Zhou Jingxuan added.
After some haggling, the two negotiated a deal worth tens of thousands of spiritual stones.
Lu Changan used the market prices of spirit stones and second-level talismans to buy first-level monster materials at low prices from the Zhou family, as well as relatively cheap second-level monster materials.
Among them, first-level materials are mainly mid-to-high-grade, and the price is only half of what it was before the beast wave.
Second-level materials are mainly medium and low-grade materials. Low-grade materials are 30% off, medium-grade materials are 20% off, and high-grade materials are 10% off.
During the beast tide, these materials will not reduce the price of talismans.
The current market situation is: abundant materials, insufficient craftsmen, fast consumption of talismans, and demand exceeds supply.
…
The transaction amount was very large, so Lu Changan proposed to do it in two parts, saying that during the period, the transaction would be cashed out by drawing talismans.
Zhou Jingxuan readily agreed as expected.
In fact, Lu Changan's current spiritual stone reserve can be easily eaten in one go.
After the initial transaction, Zhou Jingxuan did not stay for a moment and left in a hurry.
Fly out of Little Turtle Peak.
Outside Wuqi Mountain, a dark-skinned old man with a strong build and fierce face came face to face.
"Elder Zhou." Zheng Centipede said with a smile on his face and cupped his hands.
Back then, before the Zheng family in Zhuye Mountain was destroyed, they had a good relationship with the beast-controlling Zhou family and once married their daughters to the Zhou family as concubines.
Zheng Centipede also knew Zhou Jingxuan. After he was promoted to Foundation Establishment, he once visited the Zhou family of Beastmaster, but was dismissed casually.
"It turns out to be Brother Zheng." Zhou Jingxuan responded simply, passing by without stopping.
Zheng Centipede, who was ignored, was not dissatisfied.
He flew to Little Turtle Peak and after reporting, he was allowed to enter.
…
In the cave, facing Lu Changan who was in the middle of foundation building, Zheng Centipede looked more respectful than before.
After exchanging pleasantries, Zheng Centipede tentatively said:
"You can let Zhou Jingxuan pay a visit in person. Did Fellow Daoist Lu make a big deal with the beast-controlling Zhou family?"
"It's just some monster materials for drawing talismans."
Lu Changan didn't mention it much.
His cooperation with the Beastmaster Zhou family over the years cannot be hidden from anyone who cares.
"What a coincidence. Zheng has some second-level monster skins in his hands. Is Fellow Daoist Lu interested?"
Zheng Centipede smiled, the scars on his face were squeezed together, which was a bit scary.
"Second-level monster skin? How does Brother Zheng want to trade it?"
Naturally, Lu Changan would not refuse the second-level talisman materials.
"It's best to trade with second-level talismans. It's better to have second-level mid-level talismans. Zheng can give a lower price."
Zheng Centipede presented a storage bag.
"Second-level talisman? I heard someone say that the Zheng family 'recruited' a second-level talisman master to help draw the talisman."
Lu Changan's tone was teasing.
Zheng Centipede smiled awkwardly and sighed:
"Oh, that bastard is barely a second-level Talisman Master, and his skills are terrible! He wasted a lot of good materials from Zheng."
The bastard he mentioned was naturally Chen Sheng.
In the past two years, Zheng Centipede and Chen Sheng had a dispute of interests involving disputed industries near the original Chen family land.
Zheng Centipede removed one of Chen Sheng's legs.
Afterwards, no one spoke up for Chen Sheng. Shi Xianzi only said to leave one alive.
Zheng Centipede was ready to find an opportunity to destroy Chen Sheng's cultivation.
Chen Sheng was not stupid and hid outside for a while.
Until the beast tide came, the supply of talismans exceeded the demand, and talisman masters were in high demand.
Chen Sheng wanted to go out to buy some talisman materials and take the opportunity to earn some spiritual stones, but was caught by Zheng Centipede.
In order to protect himself, Chen Sheng endured hardships and worked as a coolie for the Zheng family as a talisman painter.
However, Chen Sheng's talisman art has been neglected for a long time. He can draw first-level talismans without any problem, but when he draws second-level talismans, the success rate and quality are appalling.
"A second-level talisman master is a rare talent. Brother Zheng must take good care of this person in the house."
Lu Changan said kindly.
"Zheng understands." Zheng Centipede laughed.
In the subsequent transaction, Lu Changan used second-order talismans to trade, mainly second-order low-grade talismans, and only gave one second-order mid-grade talisman as an excuse to be bought by the Zhou family.
The second-grade animal skins purchased from Zheng Centipede are slightly cheaper than those from the Zhou family.
Where did the material come from? Lu Changan did not ask in detail.
Tiexing Villa, where the Zheng family is currently located, is located on the east side of Wuqi Mountain, closer to Huanglong Fairy City.
Zheng Centipede can obtain monster materials from Huanglong Fairy City, or he can personally participate in hunting monsters.
You can even get monster materials with a high probability by killing people and grabbing treasures on the road.
Lu Changan felt moved and asked Zheng Centipede about the specific situation of Huanglong Immortal City and the frontline beast tide.
Zheng Centipede is extremely sensitive to information and knows the surroundings of Huanglong Fairy City like the back of his hand.
In the beast tide, which city wall had been breached, and who of Huanglongshan's direct lineage died in the battle, all can be said clearly.
Lu Changan suddenly discovered that Zheng Centipede was of some use to him.
He did not want to leave Wuqi Mountain and venture to Huanglong Fairy City. At the same time, he wanted to beware of Kong Mao and Xiaoxiao's gang from invading Wuqi Mountain.
There just happens to be a lack of ears, eyes and errands around me.