One day later, the Green Cloud Boat descended into a narrow valley, and Shen Long and the others descended one after another, Xu Lei putting away the Green Cloud Boat.
"The Ice Cloud Spider's nest is located deep within the Qianzhu Mountain Range, where there might be second-order Monster Beasts lurking. Everyone, please be careful."
Xu Lei cautioned, casting a green light screen on himself before moving forward.
Shen Long and the others each applied a defense on themselves and proceeded forward.
Passing through the valley, a steep peak came into view, with a cavernous hole at its base, several zhang in size.
"The Ice Cloud Spiders are inside."
Sun Yang pointed at the cave and said.
"Same old rules, Qin Qing will lure them out, and then we'll focus our firepower to exterminate one Ice Cloud Spider. Taoist Friend Xu, you're in charge of holding off the other Ice Cloud Spider, buying us time," Xu Lei instructed.
Qin Qing and the others agreed; a green light shone on Qin Qing's feet as he transformed into a remnant shadow and entered the cave.
Soon, a deafening roar echoed from within the cave, mixed with shrill squeals.
Qin Qing burst out from the cave, followed closely by a dozen or so one-foot long white ice cones.
Qin Qing's figure flickered, dodging the dozen white ice cones.
Two giant, all-white spiders emerged from the cave, with six white, sharp claws, a swollen abdomen, and a pair of exposed white fangs from which they sprayed cold air.
As soon as they rushed out of the cave, a large red fireball the size of a water jar descended from the sky, striking one Ice Cloud Spider and engulfing its body in rolling flames.
A thick green light screen fell from the sky, covering the other Ice Cloud Spider, which struggled violently, slashing its claws against the green light screen, which remained undamaged.
Shen Long and the others each made their move, attacking one Ice Cloud Spider.
Shen Long shook his right hand, hurling a giant red fireball that struck an Ice Cloud Spider, turning into blazing flames that engulfed the spider's body.
The Ice Cloud Spider spat out a dozen or so one-foot long white ice cones, darting straight towards Shen Long and the others.
Shen Long summoned the Xuangui Shield, which spun non-stop around him. Qin Qing's figure flickered, easily avoiding the white ice cones.
As time ticked by, the Ice Cloud Spider's reactions grew slower. It tried to retreat back into the cave, but a yellow earthen wall burst out of the ground, blocking the entrance.
It swung its claws, striking the yellow earthen wall, which promptly crumbled.
A red rope shot out, entangling one of the Ice Cloud Spider's claws. A flash of yellow light, and a giant yellow seal descended from the sky, smashing onto its body, shaking the earth and mountains.
Xu Lei looked pleased with himself. This mid-grade Magic Artifact he'd acquired at great expense had killed many first-order Monster Beasts.
With a gentle flick of his finger, the yellow giant seal flew up. The Ice Cloud Spider had already been crushed into mush, and the yellow giant seal smashed down on the Ice Cloud Spider trapped by the green light screen.
The Ice Cloud Spider sprayed a white frosty breath at the green light screen, which instantly froze over. It swung its claws at the green light screen, which shattered. Green Vines as thick as an adult's arm burst from the ground and entangled its body.
Before the Ice Cloud Spider could slash through the Green Vines, the yellow giant seal crashed down again, shaking the earth and mountains.
Xu Lei seemed to sense something, slapping his chest with his right hand, which illuminated with a dazzling yellow light, revealing a small yellow lock. Considering the spiritual energy fluctuations, it was a mid-grade Magic Artifact.
A flash of yellow light, and a thick yellow light screen appeared in its place, forming a second layer of defense.
Three spiritual light glowing daggers successively struck the green light screen, which instantly shattered but was blocked by the yellow light screen.
Liu Xin was enveloped by a thick purple light screen. Three spiritual light glowing Magic Artifacts successively struck the purple light screen, which instantly shattered, and Liu Xin's head was severed by a dagger glowing with yellow light.
```
The headless corpse shuddered and then fell to the ground.
Last time, when she was attacked by a swarm of Fire Crows, her only defensive magic artifact was destroyed, and she did not have enough Spirit Stones to buy another. Otherwise, she would not have been killed.
Shen Long broke out in a cold sweat. Had it not been for the Xuangui Shield protecting him, he might have been the target of the enemy's attack.
He turned around, his face full of vigilance.
Six men and two women stood in an open area, led by a stout man in a green shirt with an aura of murderous intent.
"Chen Xiong, it's you!"
Xu Lei's expression turned cold.
The group of eight, led by Chen Xiong, consisted of two Qi Refinement, seventh layer, and the remaining six were sixth layer, not weak in strength.
"Heaven has eyes, to let me encounter you here! Xu Lei, you killed my wife back then, and today you will pay with your blood!"
Chen Xiong sneered, pinching a spell, and a green flying dagger darted straight for Xu Lei.
The other seven Qi Refining Cultivators also made their moves, attacking Shen Long and his party.
Xu Lei raised his right hand, and a talisman sparkling with red light shot out.
With a muffled sound, the red talisman burst open, turning into a red fire snake over ten meters long, rushing towards the other side.
A green flying dagger sliced the red fire snake in half, it exploded, turning into a huge ball of red flame that engulfed the figures of Chen Xiong and his men.
"Quick, retreat."
Having said that, Xu Lei boarded the Green Cloud Boat, pinched a spell, and the boat soared into the high sky.
Shen Long reacted quickly too, pulling out a Flying Heaven Talisman and slapping it on himself. With a flash of green light, a pair of wings sparkling with green light appeared on his back. With a gentle flap, he took to the air and flew into the distance.
Qin Qing and the other three each used their own methods to escape in different directions.
"Madam Li, Taoist Friend Qin, follow me to pursue Xu Lei. The rest of you chase down one enemy each and exterminate them."
Chen Xiong picked up Liu Xin's corpse, summoned a Flying Boat shimmering with green light, and along with two Qi Refining Cultivators, flew off into the distance. The remaining five each chose a target and pursued them.
Shen Long continued to beat the green wings on his back. He turned his head to look behind him and saw a streak of green light chasing after him at a much faster speed.
Shen Long frowned, pinched a spell, and the green wings suddenly shone brightly, increasing his speed a great deal.
After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he appeared above a lush green bamboo forest with a stout green-shirted man only about five hundred yards away. The green-shirted man also had a pair of green light-fluttering wings on his back.
Shen Long descended to the ground, turned around, and with a raise of his right hand, hurled a huge red fireball the size of a water jar at the green-shirted man.
The man's green wings flapped lightly, dodging the red fireball with ease.
Soon after, another red fireball hurled his way. The green-shirted man flapped his wings lightly again, evading it once more.
Shen Long released one red fireball after another at the green-shirted man, all of which the man managed to dodge.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, the green-shirted man landed on the ground, and a streak of green light shone from the wings on his back, turning into a Flying Heaven Talisman.
With a "pfft" sound, the talisman self-ignited, burning to ash.
He had just landed when a huge red fireball the size of a water jar came crashing down on him.
```