Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1236: Each Has Their Strengths

"Do you know anything about its habits?" Song Wen inquired.

"The bone serpent void demon isn’t much of a fighter," the shadow void responded, "but it does excel at controlling other void fiends. Even some lower-tier void beasts that are stronger than it will heed its commands. By its very nature, the bone serpent void demon is lustful and enjoys mating with other varieties of void fiends."

"Do void fiends possess genders?" Song Wen questioned.

"Naturally. How else would we engage in reproduction?" the shadow void replied.

Before Song Wen could offer a response, it continued, "I just recalled! The bone serpent void demon sheds its scales periodically. If you wish to track it, search for shed scales in the vicinity."

"Shouldn’t you be the one searching for scales?" Song Wen retorted.

At this location, Song Wen’s divine sense could only extend to a hundred-zhang radius, insufficient to encompass the entire mountain.

After a brief pause, the shadow void articulated, "Master, proceed westward along the mountain..."

Notwithstanding the shadow void’s directional advice, Song Wen navigated aimlessly for a period, seeking to evade suspicion from the other four individuals before ultimately arriving at the entrance of a mountain cave.

"Master, exercise caution. Two fourth-tier resentful spirits reside within the cave," Shadow Void cautioned.

Disregarding the presence of merely two fourth-tier resentful spirits, Song Wen strode confidently into the cave.

After traversing roughly half a mile, the constricted passage gradually expanded, revealing a vast cavern.

Abruptly, two piercing shrieks, reminiscent of spectral wails and lupine howls, reverberated through the cavern. Two humanoid resentful spirits assailed Song Wen.

With a subtle flick of his wrist, Song Wen unleashed two bolts of lightning, instantly reducing them to nothingness.

He then proceeded to the cavern’s center, stooped, and cleared away a few scattered rocks, uncovering a scale approximately three fingers in length.

The scale possessed an iridescent shimmer, radiating an almost otherworldly allure.

Whoosh, whoosh...

Several sounds of air being torn apart echoed from behind him. It was Feng Youyou and the others, their attention drawn by the commotion generated by the lightning strikes.

Yan Tong reached the scene first.

With the owl void demon providing reconnaissance, he was unburdened by the need for caution that constrained the other three, enabling him to travel at maximum speed.

"Fellow Daoist Ji Lin, are you skilled in thunder magic?" Yan Tong inquired, his focus squarely on the thunder magic rather than the scale held by Song Wen.

"I possess a modest grasp of it," Song Wen affirmed. "I would not venture to claim proficiency."

Yan Tong offered a nod, his lips parting slightly as if contemplating further discourse, but Feng Youyou arrived at that precise moment.

"Oh! Fellow Daoist Ji Lin, what is that object in your hand?" Feng Youyou, having already been apprised by her nephew, Feng Xin, of Song Wen’s aptitude with thunder magic, displayed no surprise at his display of it. Her entire attention was captivated by the scale Song Wen held.

"I happened upon this scale by chance," Song Wen replied. "I am uncertain if it bears any connection to the Beauty Serpent."

"That is unequivocally a scale from the Beauty Serpent," Manager Yin’s voice resonated.

He had arrived in the company of Bu Ren.

Similar to Feng Youyou, neither Manager Yin nor Bu Ren questioned Song Wen’s utilization of thunder magic.

"This scale merely signifies the Beauty Serpent’s presence here," Song Wen stated. "It is unlikely to aid us in its discovery."

"Not necessarily," Manager Yin remarked, a subtle smile gracing the corners of his lips.

Song Wen’s curiosity was piqued. What peculiar methods did Manager Yin employ? Could he possess a secret technique akin to the Thousand Miles Breath Tracking Technique?

The Thousand Miles Breath Tracking Technique was capable of tracking humans and demons, but Song Wen had yet to ascertain its efficacy against void fiends.

At that juncture, Manager Yin’s finger, embellished with a storage ring, exhibited a minute tremor, and a colossal, dark silhouette materialized from the void.

It manifested as a stone platform, several meters in width, its surface intricately adorned with complex formation patterns.

The platform, in essence, constituted a miniature formation.

With a resounding thud, the platform impacted the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Manager Yin executed a series of hand seals, conjuring silver talismans which he channeled sequentially into the platform.

The formation patterns etched upon the platform gradually commenced to emanate a silvery radiance.

When the silver luminescence attained its zenith, Manager Yin proclaimed, "Fellow Daoist Ji Lin, swiftly cast the scale into the formation!"

With a fluid motion of his wrist, Song Wen propelled the scale in an arc toward the dazzling silver illumination.

Concurrently, Manager Yin continued to weave intricate hand seals.

Suddenly, the scale, which had previously rested motionlessly upon the platform, slowly ascended into the air. With a swift *whoosh*, it shot forth from the cave.

"Follow it posthaste!" Manager Yin commanded, retracting the stone platform. He transformed into a swift blur, pursuing the scale relentlessly.

Song Wen experienced a flicker of surprise. He had underestimated the others initially. Yan Tong, it turned out, possessed a fifth-tier void beast.

Manager Yin, on the other hand, commanded a formation adept at tracking void fiends. Both this formation and Yan Tong’s powerful beast were immensely valuable for navigating the Primordial Qi Death Zone.

With these insights, Song Wen’s gaze shifted towards Feng Youyou and Bu Ren. What hidden methods did they possess? What unique skills justified their presence on this bounty mission?

Was Feng Youyou perhaps relying on her charms, or did her past connections with Manager Yin and Yan Tong play a role? And Bu Ren? He was the least cultivated among them, and Feng Youyou had even mentioned he was new to Yangshi City, with no prior bounty mission experience. How did Manager Yin agree to his inclusion?

As for Song Wen himself, judging by the reactions of Manager Yin and Bu Ren upon entering the cavern, they must have already been aware of his proficiency in thunder magic. This revelation likely explained why Manager Yin, Bu Ren, and Feng Youyou had so forcefully advocated for his participation earlier. After all, thunder magic proved significantly more effective against the denizens of the Primordial Qi Death Zone compared to any other elemental magic.

While these contemplations occupied Song Wen’s mind, he ascended through the air alongside the group. Manager Yin’s ability to track void fiends was certainly not welcome news for him. He surmised that if they actually managed to locate the Beauty Serpent, the four would undoubtedly make a hasty retreat from the Primordial Qi Death Zone.

A plan to subtly coerce them toward the Six Fiends Hall began to form within Song Wen’s thoughts. However, he recognized this as a potentially unwise course of action. Firstly, such a scheme would likely cause the four to panic and lose their focus, preventing a thorough search of the mountain valley. Secondly, if the Six Fiends Hall did indeed lie within the valley, they would readily detect the artificiality of the group’s behavior, deduce that someone was manipulating them from the shadows, and subsequently endanger Song Wen himself.

As Song Wen remained lost in thought, Yan Tong’s voice suddenly resonated in his mind. "Fellow Daoist Ji Lin, would you be amenable to a collaboration between us?"

Song Wen started slightly at the unexpected communication. It was only then that he realized Yan Tong, who should have been scouting ahead, was now walking right beside him. Manager Yin, Bu Ren, and Feng Youyou were already a considerable distance away, dozens of meters ahead.

Due to the potent interference from the Primordial Qi, this separation surpassed the sensory range of even cultivators at the Divine Transformation Stage. Yan Tong had clearly chosen this precise moment to transmit his message, likely fearing discovery by the others.

"What form of collaboration do you envision, fellow daoist?" Song Wen responded telepathically.

Yan Tong replied, "I propose an agreement: in moments of peril, we shall lend each other support and face the challenges together."

Song Wen’s lips curved into a slight smile. Why did Feng Youyou and her associates consistently resort to such convoluted schemes? "As we are five individuals jointly undertaking this bounty mission, mutual assistance is only natural," Song Wen replied, adopting a tone of simple acknowledgment.

Yan Tong countered, "Fellow Daoist, you comprehend my intentions perfectly. Why indulge in such evasions?"