Cultivation begins with ice harvesters

Chapter 82: Siblings

Helping someone to the end, he summoned the Azure Water Sword, which transformed into a streak of light and, amidst the water rat's puzzled gaze, slashed directly at the gap between the turtle shell on its back and its tiny head.

At the same time, two first-tier mid-grade ice needle spell talismans were unleashed, transforming into countless ice needles that shot out in all directions, directly enveloping the water rat.

Although the tortoise shell provides considerable defense, the ice needles are actually quite small, like cow hair, and are best at attacking and causing damage in inconspicuous and barely noticeable gaps. So using them here is quite appropriate.

"Fellow Daoists, why are you standing there in a daze? If not now, when?"

"The opportunity will be fleeting. By the time the water rat reacts, it will have already destroyed the Three-Leaf Rat's magical artifact. Wouldn't that be a complete waste of effort?"

Seeing the two cultivators standing there in a daze, Tong Bingfeng couldn't help but remind them in a urging tone, after all, the water rat in front of them was troublesome and it would be difficult to kill it alone.

Conversely, if the three cultivators present joined forces, the outcome of this battle would be essentially decided. Faced with an absolute advantage in both numbers and strength, the lively water rats would only become dead rats.

"Little sister, unleash the treasure and annihilate the water rats!"

The burly cultivator reacted immediately, and his first-grade mid-level throwing knife shot out, aiming to slash at the water rat's tail and rear end, which lacked the protection of a tortoise shell.

Almost simultaneously, before the words had even finished, another pretty female cultivator, who had always been under protection, took out a wooden bucket the size of a fist.

The wooden barrel was about the thickness and length of an arm, with intricate patterns carved on it, and a faint, ever-shimmering light could be seen on it.

"Bang"

As the female cultivator channeled her magic power, one end of the wooden barrel suddenly exploded, black smoke billowed out rapidly, and streaks of silver light, hidden within, hurtled towards the water rat's head with lightning speed.

"squeak"

This water rat was indeed quite powerful, being one of the best among mid-grade first-tier demonic beasts. However, under the siege of three mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, it naturally had no chance of turning the tide.

The two first-tier mid-grade magic artifacts landed precisely in the designated positions, leaving two not-so-shallow wounds. A large amount of blood slowly flowed out, quickly staining the ice surface blood red.

The fatal blow was the wooden bucket the female cultivator had unleashed. The silver beams encountered no resistance and pierced directly into the small head of the water rat, causing it to collapse and die on the spot.

"Thank you for your timely assistance, fellow Daoist. Otherwise, I fear I would not have escaped the plague of these water rats today. May I ask your esteemed name? Is this your first time visiting this icy region?"

After the battle ended and they rested briefly, the burly male cultivator spoke up, his words filled with unprecedented gratitude.

"Tong Bingfeng greets fellow Daoist. Your insight is keen and your observations are exceptional. This is my first time setting foot in this icy region. May I ask how you two are addressed?"

Tong Bingfeng introduced himself frankly, stating his name directly without any hesitation.

After all, his purpose in coming here was to find a trading point to exchange spirit ice for various spiritual items in the future. Since he would be dealing with them for a long time, he naturally needed to treat them with sincerity.

"Tao Gong greets Fellow Daoist Tong. This is my younger sister, Tao Xue. Cultivators in this Ice Domain are scarce, spiritual resources are limited, and demonic beasts are numerous. It is not a place to stay for long. If possible, Fellow Daoist, it would be best to return to the Spirit Island. Even a mere spiritual herb requires risking one's life."

After the burly male cultivator Tao Gong enthusiastically introduced the brother and sister, his subsequent words were filled with endless self-deprecation.

"Fellow Daoist Tao is right. However, since you are here, you must have some unspeakable difficulties, and you will not be able to return to the Spirit Island smoothly for the time being."

"I am new here and quite unfamiliar with this icy region. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Tao could point out the nearest gathering place for cultivators and trading points?"

Tong Bingfeng's words were mostly true, but only partially true. He was temporarily unable to return to Bingling Spirit Island because he was stationed at the Spirit Ice Mine, but he was not being expelled.

"Very well, if it weren't for a last resort, no normal cultivator would appear here. There are no fixed gathering points in the depths of the Ice Domain. Usually, three to five cultivators occupy a small area with a little spiritual energy to cultivate."

"As for the trading point, it is not fixed. My brother and I can lead you to the nearest trading point. The reward is this Three-Leaf Rat Spirit Treasure, and the corpse of the Water Rat belongs to you, Fellow Daoist Tong."

Tao Gong did not hesitate and immediately agreed. After all, although the trading point was hidden, it was always possible to find it if one was willing to invest enough time. As long as there had been any activity by cultivators, traces would definitely be left behind.

In addition, although the number of cultivators is small in the ice field within a hundred miles, they still exist, and naturally there are other cultivators willing to make introductions.

Using this introduction, they also finished distributing the spoils. While the corpse of the first-grade mid-level water rat certainly had some value, what they urgently needed was the Three-Leaf Rat Spirit Treasure, a spiritual medicine specifically for treating frostbite.

"Deal. The turtle shell on the water rat's back is also mine."

Both sides got what they wanted, and Tong Bingfeng readily agreed. However, what he valued most was this relatively intact tortoise shell.

Although it's unclear where the water rat obtained such a complete tortoise shell, it had personally experienced its exceptional defensive capabilities during the battle just now.

As for the Three-Leaf Rat Spirit Treasure, he never intended to compete for it. After all, his initial intention in helping was to build a good relationship with the rat.

"Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Tong. It's not that my sister and I are greedy, but this spiritual medicine is simply too important."

After the two sides reached an agreement smoothly, the burly male cultivator finally relaxed his last bit of vigilance and alertness.

"Fellow Daoist Tao, we should quickly gather our spoils, clean up the battlefield, and leave as soon as possible. The Ice Domain is not safe."

Before Tong Bingfeng could finish speaking, he quickly put the water rat and the tortoise shell on his back into his storage bag.

Upon hearing this, the two cultivators surnamed Tao tensed up again after their relaxed expressions returned. After looking around, they divided the work and quickly harvested the Three-Leaf Rat Spirit Treasure, carefully storing it in a rather old but intact Spirit Sealing Box.

After a cup of tea, the three cultivators left together, heading straight for the trading point under Tao Gong's guidance, as this was one of the items in the transaction between the two parties.

The pretty female cultivator, for some unknown reason, remained silent throughout, without uttering a single word.

The two sides were merely strangers who had met by chance, and their mutual trust was limited. Moreover, in the depths of this icy region, deceit and scheming for spiritual treasures were extremely common. So-called trust was nothing more than an unattainable luxury.

"Fellow Daoist Tong, this is the largest trading point within a hundred-mile radius of the Ice Domain, and it boasts the most complete selection of all kinds of spiritual items."