CHAPTER 414: CHAPTER 361: CENTURY-OLD ICE MARROW

After Feng Shuang consumed the snow leaf grass, he entered a cultivation state.

Chu Chen placed him on his shoulder and continued leading the beasts in search of the next target.

The long-tailed snow mice in the fifth-level secret realm were at the bottom of the food chain, and Chu Chen refrained from letting Lei Yao take action to allow Cage and Feng Shuang to gain some experience.

Although this would waste some time, quickly enhancing the strength of the two beasts was not a loss.

Without Feng Shuang’s perception, Chu Chen could only proceed aimlessly, yet he did not change direction, continuing along the previous route.

Soon, Chu Chen encountered the second group of long-tailed snow mice.

This time, the number of mice was over a hundred, and with Feng Shuang still in cultivation, Cage was not strong enough to handle such a large group of mice.

Chu Chen had no choice but to let Lei Yao take action.

Lei Yao pushed off with his legs, charging directly into the mouse swarm. Instantly activating his blood control, all the long-tailed snow mice within a hundred-foot radius died, and even the few who escaped were swiftly killed by him.

At this moment, Nirvana crawled out from the long-tailed snow mice’s cave, holding two stalks of snow leaf grass in its mouth.

Chu Chen frowned slightly, unsatisfied at the sight of the snow leaf grass; the power of the long-tailed snow mice was low, and their numbers were limited, providing little help to Lei Yao and Nirvana. Continuing would only waste time.

However, Chu Chen quickly came up with a method to rapidly locate beast groups.

Nirvana opened its mouth, exhaling a gray-white mist, reviving the hundred or so long-tailed snow mice.

The corpses of these long-tailed snow mice were perfectly intact, showing no external injuries, and ordinary star beasts would not realize they had already become cold corpses.

As the lowest link in the food chain, these mouse groups served as a food source for many star beasts. Chu Chen planned to use them as bait to lure star beasts hiding in caves out into the open.

Under Nirvana’s control, the undead mouse group split into dozens of routes, dispersing in a fan shape and rushing off into the distance.

Chu Chen followed closely behind, in a leisurely and carefree manner.

Moments later, Nirvana suddenly halted, letting out a shrill sound before quickly moving northwest.

The hundreds of scattered undead swiftly converged towards it.

Before Chu Chen could issue any instructions, Lei Yao followed Nirvana without hesitation.

Both beasts were incredibly fast, arriving at the place where several long-tailed snow mice had vanished within just a breath.

Chu Chen lifted his gaze and saw a massive snow mountain in the not-too-distant distance, with a semicircular cave entrance several feet in size at its base.

Several undead snow mice had been killed by whatever creature was in the cave.

"Nirvana, send out a few more undead snow mice," Chu Chen said in a deep voice.

Receiving the command, Nirvana immediately dispatched ten undead snow mice towards the cave entrance.

When the undead snow mice were still ten feet from the entrance, a sharp "wuu wuu" sound suddenly erupted from within the cave.

Several white shadows darted out of the cave, moving so quickly that they reached the undead snow mice in a mere instant, biting their necks and snapping them with a flick of their heads, accompanied by a "crack" sound.

Seeing this, Chu Chen immediately ordered Nirvana to stop controlling the corpses of the long-tailed snow mice.

Abandoning control of the corpses did not alarm the star beasts.

Although the snow mouse corpses were somewhat stiff, to the hungry star beasts, they were a rare meal not to be missed.

Only as the star beasts fed did Chu Chen get a clear look at them.

This was a type of fox-like star beast, standing two feet high at the shoulder and reaching four feet in length, entirely snow-white with sleek fur, lively eyes, ice-blue ears, and a smiling face with high charisma.

Chu Chen did not recognize this star beast and had to summon the Slaughter Atlas for identification.

Star Beast Name: Ice-Eared Snow Fox

Life Level: Mature Stage

Star Beast Quality: Epic Level, Lower Grade

Star Beast Talent: Keen Perception, D-Level

Star Beast Level: Monarch Level, Second Rank

Power Talent: B-Level

Defense Talent: C-Level

Agility Talent: B+ Level

Physical Talent: C-Level

Soul Power Talent: C-Level

Star Power Talent: B-Level

Star Beast Attribute: Ice Element

Star Beast Skills: Tearing Claw (Ordinary Level, Perfection Realm), Tearing Bite (Ordinary Level, Perfection Realm), Ice Fragment Claw (Elite Level, Perfection Realm), Snow Step (Elite Level, Perfection Realm), Cold Ice Shield (Excellence Level, Great Success Realm), Profound Ice Spike (Perfect Level, Minor Achievement Realm)

The Ice-Eared Snow Fox numbered twelve in total, with realms ranging from Monarch Level Second Rank to Fifth Rank.

Chu Chen did not rush to take action, choosing instead to hide and wait patiently from afar.

The Ice-Eared Snow Fox had extremely keen perception and rapid speed; rushing in could result in killing a few but that was not what Chu Chen desired.

Their cave was large, with certainly more than just these dozen inside.

Stirring up the grass might alert them and lead to their escape.

Chu Chen was not only interested in the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures within the cave but also in the high charisma of the Ice-Eared Snow Fox. As a reconnaissance star beast, capturing some cubs or beast taming eggs would fetch a good price.

The twelve Ice-Eared Snow Foxes devoured four long-tailed snow mice, then dragged the remaining six mouse corpses into the cave.

A moment later, Nirvana activated its camouflage talent and quickly rushed towards the Ice-Eared Snow Fox’s cave.

Not until Nirvana reached the cave entrance did the cave emit a warning "wuu wuu" sound from the Ice-Eared Snow Fox.

Seeing this, Chu Chen immediately ordered Lei Yao to charge in.

Nirvana instantly activated its defense, positioning its body horizontally to block the entire entrance.

The Ice-Eared Snow Foxes would not wait to be slain; they swiftly launched an attack on Nirvana.

But they quickly found, that this giant ant was as impenetrable as a copper wall or iron bastion, completely unyielding to their assaults.

The only way out of this impasse was escape.

They moved with extraordinary agility, leaping over Nirvana’s legs in an attempt to spring out of the cave.

Just then, a crimson-gold rod swept across, knocking them back several feet.

Nirvana promptly stepped aside to make way for Lei Yao.

Lei Yao stepped into the cave, immediately activating his blood control, causing dozens of Ice-Eared Snow Foxes to die miserably.

With less than four-tenths of the Ice-Eared Snow Foxes in the cave remaining,

Lei Yao ceased using his talent and charged in with a rod for melee combat.

The blood control could not accurately target, risking harm to the Ice-Eared Fox’s cubs and beast taming eggs.

Nirvana continued blocking the entrance; any Ice-Eared Snow Fox trying to escape was cut down.

The battle concluded swiftly, with all remaining Ice-Eared Snow Foxes perishing under the Ruyi Stick in less than a quarter of an hour.

Chu Chen instructed the two beasts to adjust their conditions while he took Cage and headed to the depths of the cave.

There they found three Ice-Eared Snow Fox cubs and two as yet unhatched beast taming eggs.

Without hesitation, Chu Chen packed them up and took them away, marveling at the exceptionally high charisma of the Ice-Eared Snow Fox, especially its cubs, which even made Chu Chen want to keep one as a pet.

Just then, a joyful "yaa yaa" sound came from Chu Chen’s shoulder.

He turned his head to find Feng Shuang had finished cultivating, and his aura had grown significantly, reaching the fourth rank of Commander Level.

Feng Shuang seemed to sense something, flying off Chu Chen’s shoulder towards a nearby pool.

Seeing this, Chu Chen hurried to follow, feeling a cold sensation even when still several feet away from the pool.

Standing still, Chu Chen observed the pool’s extremely viscous liquid, which glowed a brilliant blue and emitted the cold he felt.

"This is century ice essence," Chu Chen suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

The century ice essence is a Yellow Rank Middle Grade treasure, containing not only rich ice power but also exceptionally pure star power, which can be quickly refined and absorbed.

Its value was incredibly high, making it a precious resource for rapidly advancing ice attribute guardian beasts in realm.