The Soul-Chasing Blood Curse wasn’t a permanent spell; it had to be recast every five years. Thus, unless someone was an important descendant highly valued by a Nascent Soul True Monarch, or a True Disciple from a Major Sect or prominent family, it was almost impossible for them to be marked by such a tracking Secret Skill.

Avoiding other cultivators along the way, Lü Zhong arrived at a farm that raised Spiritual Beasts.

The farm was built on a small Spirit Vein and surrounded by a vast grassland stretching for miles. The concentration of Spiritual Qi here was not high, making the land suitable only for crops with low energy demands, like Cyan Rice Spirit Rice or Low-tier Talisman Grass. This particular farm, for instance, grew nothing but Golden Alfalfa—a low-tier Spirit Grass that Spiritual Beasts adored.

It was precisely because of this rich, juicy Golden Alfalfa that the Hundred Beasts Farm was able to support so many Spiritual Beasts.

Lü Zhong hadn’t come here on a whim.

When making Flying Talismans, the Talisman Ink used is quite special, accounting for the majority of the Talisman Making cost. It must be mixed with Wind Attribute Spirit Beast Blood; otherwise, the resulting Talismans would be only half as effective.

According to information he’d gathered from his network, this very Hundred Beasts Farm happened to raise a Tier Two Cyan-winged Lion.

After stating his purpose to the guard, he was quickly granted an audience with the farm’s owner.

He was a middle-aged man in fine robes, his temples tinged with frost, and he possessed a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

A middle-aged man or woman was the most common appearance for a cultivator. After all, with cultivation resources being so scarce, few were willing to spend money on Anti-aging Pills.

"It’s not that I am unwilling to sell, Fellow Daoist, but you’ve come at a truly unfortunate time. The Cyan-winged Lion on the farm has run into some trouble, so we can’t draw its blood for now," Su Richang said to Lü Zhong, his face full of apology.

"Is that so..." Lü Zhong didn’t harbor any ill suspicions toward the man. He just thought, ’My luck is really nothing special.’

Since that was the case, he had no choice but to leave.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Seeing the newcomer, Lü Zhong couldn’t help but stare for a moment longer.

She was a rare beauty.

Even among Female Cultivators, who were generally attractive, she was a cut above the rest.

Still, it was only for a few moments.

’No matter how beautiful the facade, if it was of no use to him, it was merely a trinket for amusement.’

She threw herself into Su Richang’s arms, tears streaming down her face, and sobbed, "Father, I know you have a way! Please, save Little Cyan!"

Su Richang shot a wry smile at Lü Zhong, then sighed and comforted his daughter, "I’ve already done my best. The Cyan-winged Lion is too deeply poisoned. Unless your master intervenes personally, it’s a lost cause even if we brought in the best healers from the city."

Hearing this, Lü Zhong became rather curious.

’What kind of poison could actually kill a Tier Two Demon Beast?’

However, since this was their private affair, he extinguished any thought of asking. Besides, from the sound of it, the Female Cultivator had a master backing her. Judging by the reverence in Su Richang’s expression when he mentioned this master, he was likely at the Golden Core Stage; otherwise, his tone wouldn’t have been so respectful.

"Since it’s inconvenient to draw blood, I will take my leave."

"My apologies for making you come all this way for nothing, Fellow Daoist." Su Richang replied, clasping his hands in salute.

BUZZZZZ!

Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings approached.

Lü Zhong had just stepped out of the reception hall when a black shadow charged straight at him.

Without a second thought, he immediately threw out a Jade Token he held in his hand.

The Jade Token was a gift from Shuini, capable of blocking a single strike from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. He hadn’t expected that when the black shadow crashed into it, one of the two remaining flower-shaped patterns on its surface would instantly vanish, leaving only the last one.

With a BANG, the force transferred to the floor tiles beneath his feet, which cracked in a wide, spiderweb pattern.

’Damn!’ Lü Zhong thought in shock. ’Good thing my Divine Soul is powerful and my reflexes are fast enough.’

’Otherwise, that blow alone would have left me severely injured, if not dead!’

Focusing his gaze forward, he saw a black beetle on the ground, knocked dizzy and lying on its back. It was clearly emitting the fluctuations of Tier Two Demon Qi—no wonder the impact just now had been so powerful.

"Fellow Daoist, be careful! The Black Death Insect can spit Heart-devouring Poison Fiend!" Su Richang yelled as he rushed out from behind, not forgetting to warn Lü Zhong.

’Black Death Insect, Heart-devouring Poison Fiend?’

’How could such a bizarre insect be here?’

As far as Lü Zhong knew, the Black Death Insect was the Holy Insect of the Wildborn Tribes to the south. Logically, it shouldn’t have appeared in the Lingyue Domain. After all, the Wildborn Tribes and the Lingyue Sect were locked in fierce, constant war—a small battle every year, a major one every decade. The two sides were engaged in a relentless, back-and-forth struggle.

But he didn’t dwell on it, instead executing a Star Shifting Step forward.

’The Black Death Insect had nearly gotten the better of him and had even consumed a charge from my Life-saving Jade Token. Now, it was time for it to repay that debt with its body.’

He sent out a slash from his Late Sun Magic Sword, but it only left a shallow mark on the insect’s dark carapace.

’That didn’t matter. There were at least forty-eight more slashes to follow.’

While the Black Death Insect was still disoriented, Lü Zhong used his Late Sun Sword Skill to tear an opening in its carapace. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Shuo Jin Sword and unhesitatingly activated a Divine Technique.

A SZZZLLLE sound was heard, and the smell of cooked meat wafted through the air.

The Black Death Insect’s Life Force was truly tenacious. Even after Lü Zhong’s sword strike had scorched its internal organs to charcoal, it still struggled for a good while before finally going still.

Lü Zhong was pleased, but someone nearby was even happier than he was.

The Female Cultivator, the one called Xu’Er, grabbed Su Richang’s hand, her face flushed with excitement as she repeated:

"This is wonderful! Just wonderful!"

There was a simple way to resolve the Heart-devouring Poison Fiend from a Black Death Insect: consuming its Insect Pill would directly neutralize the poison with absolutely no side effects.