Chapter 186: Desert

Shadow Two was extremely quick at packing up her things. She stuffed all the poisonous flowers and grasses into her Storage Pouch, and swept the Medicinal Pills and Magical Artifacts in the bamboo building clean, all within the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

Fairy Zixia stood to the side, watching, and could not help but speak: "You raise these things every day, aren't you afraid of poisoning yourself to death?"

Shadow Two looked up and glanced at her, her tone calm: "I have the antidote."

Shadow Two tied the last Storage Pouch to her waist, walked in front of Su Yun, and said with her head lowered: "Master, I have finished packing."

Su Yun nodded: "Where is the next stronghold?"

"Shadow Five is in the Western Desert. It is quite far from here; it will take about five days to fly there. He is a man, at the Mahayana Initial Stage, and cultivates an Earth-type Cultivation Technique; he is best at earth-burrowing. His stronghold is hidden in an abandoned mine, and he rarely shows his face."

Su Yun continued to ask: "Does he have any weaknesses?"

Shadow Two thought for a moment: "He is afraid of water. Earth-type is easily countered when it encounters Water-type."

Su Yun turned his head to look at Fairy Zixia. Fairy Zixia shook her head: "I cultivate Fire-type, I cannot counter Earth."

Su Yun waved his hand: "No need to counter, just fight directly."

The three of them immediately set off to the west. The green beneath their feet gradually disappeared, replaced by boundless yellow sand. The wind was strong, whipping up sand particles that struck their faces, causing pain. Shadow Two and Fairy Zixia each raised their protective spiritual light to block the sandstorm.

On the evening of the fifth day, an abandoned mine finally appeared in their line of sight. The mine was located on the mountainside, its entrance half-collapsed, leaving only a pitch-black gap.

Su Yun landed at the entrance and scanned inside with his Divine Sense. Deep inside, there was a faint aura, Mahayana Initial Stage, Earth-type.

He walked directly into the mine. The interior was dim and damp, with black water droplets seeping from the walls, and the air was filled with a musty smell. Fairy Zixia followed behind, holding a ball of flame in her hand to light the way. Shadow Two walked at the back, holding a handful of green powder, ready to act at any moment.

After walking for about half an incense stick of time, a stone door appeared ahead. Su Yun raised his hand and smashed the stone door open with a palm strike. The stone chamber was spacious, filled with Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and a few Magical Artifacts. A middle-aged man sat cross-legged in the center, wearing a khaki robe with a stubbly face; it was none other than Shadow Five.

Shadow Five opened his eyes, and upon seeing strangers, his expression changed abruptly: "Who are you?"

Su Yun did not answer, stepping forward with a palm strike. Shadow Five hurriedly raised his hands to block. The two palms collided with a loud boom, and Shadow Five was sent flying, slamming heavily into the wall, which immediately collapsed. He crawled out from the ruins, blood already spilling from the corner of his mouth. However, Su Yun had already appeared before him, pointing a finger directly at his glabella.

A golden light flashed by. [Enslavement Successful] [New Slave Acquired: Shadow Five, Loyalty 41] [Ding, congratulations to the Host for receiving partial spiritual power feedback, cultivation base stabilized]

Shadow Five's body stiffened, and the terror in his eyes quickly turned into submission. He lowered his head: "Master."

Su Yun withdrew his hand and looked at the room full of Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills: "Take all these things back to Biluo Palace."

Shadow Five nodded immediately and began to pack.

Su Yun walked out of the mine and stood on the mountainside. Fairy Zixia followed him out and asked in a low voice: "Master, where are we going next?"

"Go to the Northern Ice and Snow Plains to find Shadow Three."

Fairy Zixia asked again: "Is Shadow Three a man or a woman?"

"A man."

Fairy Zixia nodded: "Do we need to take him in too?"

Su Yun shook his head: "Kill the men directly."

Fairy Zixia was stunned for a moment but did not ask further. Having followed Su Yun for so long, she was long accustomed to the Master's rules: only take in female cultivators; for men, either drive them away or kill them.

Shadow Five finished packing and came out of the mine. Su Yun took the three of them and continued north. It would take seven days to fly from the Western Desert to the Northern Ice and Snow Plains.

On the seventh day, the yellow sand beneath their feet turned into frozen earth, and then into thick ice and snow. The wind and snow were immense, whipping up snow particles that cut their faces like knives.

Shadow Two shrank her neck, making her protective spiritual light thicker. Shadow Five had thick skin and flesh, and his Earth-type Cultivation Technique gave him high tolerance to cold. Fairy Zixia, on the other hand, activated her Fire-type spiritual light, causing the surrounding snow to constantly melt, revealing a patch of black mud.

Su Yun looked at Shadow Two: "Where is Shadow Three's stronghold located?"

Shadow Two replied: "It is in an ice cave deep within the Ice and Snow Plains. That ice cave is like a maze; those unfamiliar with it will easily get lost."

Su Yun said directly: "You lead the way in front."

Shadow Two walked in the lead, and the group followed her deep into the Ice and Snow Plains. After walking for about two hours, a huge ice crevice appeared ahead, tens of zhang wide and bottomless, with white cold air constantly surging out from within.

Shadow Two pointed downwards: "The entrance to the ice cave is at the bottom of the crevice."

Su Yun leaped down. The wind whistled in his ears, and he fell for a full half an incense stick of time before his feet touched solid ground. At the bottom of the crevice was a frozen river, the surface covered in thick ice, and beneath the ice layer, dark water was vaguely visible. The entrance to the ice cave was on the riverbank, an irregular opening with icicles hanging all over the cave walls.

Su Yun led the way into the ice cave. The temperature inside was ten times lower than outside, and the breath exhaled immediately condensed into ice fog. Fairy Zixia urged her flames to burn brighter, barely managing to block the cold. Shadow Two shrank her neck, following closely behind Su Yun. Shadow Five, however, looked indifferent.

The ice cave had many forks. Relying on her memory, Shadow Two led everyone through twisty turns, and after walking for half an hour, a thick ice door appeared ahead, engraved with runes.

Su Yun raised his hand and struck twice. The ice door first trembled and cracked, then exploded with a boom, revealing the ice chamber inside.

In the center of the ice chamber stood an ice bed, and a middle-aged man with white hair and beard sat cross-legged upon it, surrounded by icy cold energy; it was none other than Shadow Three, Mahayana Middle Stage.

Shadow Three opened his eyes, and upon seeing Su Yun, surprise flashed in his eyes: "Who are you? How did you find this place?"

Su Yun did not answer, striking out directly with a palm. Shadow Three hurriedly countered. The two palms collided, the ice chamber shook violently, and icicles on the cave walls fell with a rustling sound. Shadow Three retreated several steps, while Su Yun remained motionless.

Shadow Three's expression changed drastically, and he turned to flee. Su Yun raised his hand and shot out a golden light, striking him squarely in the back. Shadow Three let out a miserable shriek and fell to the ground.

Su Yun walked over and looked down at him.

Shadow Three raised his head, his eyes full of fear: "You cannot kill me, I am a member of the Shadow Pavilion! If you kill me, the Shadow Master will not let you off!"

Su Yun said calmly: "We will talk when the Shadow Master comes."

He struck Shadow Three on the top of his head with a palm. Shadow Three widened his eyes, slowly collapsed, and ceased to breathe.

Su Yun withdrew his hand, turned to Shadow Two and Shadow Five, and said: "Shadow Three is dead. His stronghold will be under your management from now on. Move all the things here back to Biluo Palace."

Shadow Two and Shadow Five nodded at the same time and began to pack up the Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills in the ice chamber.

Su Yun walked out of the ice cave, stood at the edge of the ice crevice, and gazed at the sliver of sky above. Of the twelve strongholds of the Shadow Pavilion, four had now been subdued: three men had been killed, and four women had been taken in. Five strongholds remained, among which Shadow Six was a man, Shadow Seven had already been subdued, and Shadow One, Shadow Two, and Shadow Four were in his hands; only the male Protector Shadow Six and the Shadow Master herself remained.

He took a deep breath, turned, and walked back into the ice cave. Fairy Zixia followed up and asked in a low voice: "Master, where are we going next?"

Su Yun said: "Go to the Eastern Azure Wave Sea to find Shadow Six."

Fairy Zixia reminded him: "Shadow Six is a man."

Su Yun nodded: "Kill him."

The group left the Ice and Snow Plains and flew east. It would take ten days to get from the north to the east. Su Yun was not in a hurry. He had enough time to dig out the secrets of the Shadow Pavilion layer by layer. When he dug down to the Shadow Master, it would be time to close the net completely.