Chapter 203: Draconic Demon Bird (2)
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"It's funny how temperature can be so frivolous in this forest, right? Like we are in a different zone altogether!" Ja Sun smiled brightly. His body was dry despite the layer of fur and his very presence was a picture of freshness.
"Shut up... *gulp*" Erlong groaned with a dragging sigh. Her raven locks matted to her forehead with sweat drenching her body. She wasn't alone. Yuehua was the same and had it even harder. While Erlong refused to tie her hair and 'back down' against heat, Yuehua rightfully tied her hair into a bun without any strand escaping to keep her cheeks, forehead, and neck breezy— as much as possible, that is.
Their training tunics stuck to their curves and Ja Sun's odd glances only sent them in a flurry of shame.
Liu Erlong closed the cap of her bottle and scowled, "Ah Yin, can't you do something? Your man is looking at us with a dirty gaze!"
In the rainforest region of the Star Dou Great Forest, Ah Yin felt at peace. The plants exuded such vitality that it almost made her want to shift the Blue Silver Forest into this location. Alas, the hidden forest chooses not to move and appear, that's how she got the chance to become a 100000-year-old spirit beast and safely turn into a human. If it wasn't for the appearance of Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, she would have wanted to stay in the Blue Silver Forest instead.
"Hmm? Oh, do you think I really care that much? If I did, I would have had something to say when he kissed Sister Dong," Ah Yin mused before turning her attention to the information perceived from the domain.
"Ouch," Ja Sun gasped. He would have felt that Ah Yin didn't wish for anything with him seeing how aloof she presented herself if not for...
Well, there were pretty much many experiences in the moments of darkness that contradicted such aloofness.
"Hmph," Liu Erlong snorted, "Beast, I'll gorge out the three of your eyes—"
"Pfft, really? You can barely touch me," Ja Sun scoffed, "And I only looked because I observed some changes."
"What do you mean?" Liu Erlong frowned.
"It might not look like it," Ja Sun stopped and turned around, "But the two of you have grown," he stated somberly, "you especially, Erlong... by three centimeters. Now, before you think I'm a creep, I want you to know that—"
He dodged the flaming claws aimed at his eyes at a moment's notice and a wall of Blue Silver Vines suddenly covered Ja Sun's point of retreat revealing that Ah Yin was indeed a little ticked off. She merely liked to strike at the most opportune moment leaving Ja Sun snickering inside as he continued to dodge Erlong. Meanwhile, more self-conscious than ever, Yuehua stuck close to Ah Yin, fearing that Ja Sun might want to sneak more glances... but it should be safe near Ah Yin, right?
Once Liu Erlong calmed down seeing that aggressive attacks had no effect, however, Yuehua couldn't help but groan inside since she seemed to have attracted major attention now. Liu Erlong walked alongside Ja Sun, threatening to attack just to annoy him which simply felt like a bad trade overall.
"Sigh... you gave him the chance... by walking next to me, he can just say he was looking at me..." Ah Yin imparted and Yuehua sighed deeply. It was hard to think straight in such extreme conditions and they simply didn't care after the passage of some time which was the driving force for Ja Sun to tease them in the first place, making him drop the act entirely.
'It's like dealing with a baby,' Ah Yin confirmed. Give them more attention and they will become your nightmare...
'But...' the gleeful smile of Hu Lana's firstborn flashed through her mind, 'Trees can't make that... and he looked so... well, unhatable.'
Ah Yin grew somewhat dazed as they followed the trail left by the particular spirit beast. It was sufficient to assume that it was moderately intelligent for it didn't stick around to anger the overlord of the region and most of the spirit beasts that they did encounter were pretty tame due to Ja Sun's existence. A short, telepathic inquiry from those beasts made Ja Sun realize that none of them had seen this infamous spirit beast.
According to them, the pressure of higher lineage made them cower in their residences and the spirit beast would usually end the hunt in a single attack. It was only during this short period of the hunt that its aura would leak and frighten other spirit beasts which allowed Ja Sun and others to conclude that this spirit beast had the ability to control its energy greater than other spirit beasts, too, for they are usually more perceptive.
---
"We're getting closer," Ah Yin continued calmly. Their surroundings were once again different. Instead of a rainforest, they found themselves by a giant bamboo forest with adorable yet man-eating panda spirit beasts prevailing the region. The entirety of packs seemed to be enraged by the death of three White Pandas with their brains missing but this was merely token anger. If they truly wished to do something then they wouldn't have hidden in fear.
Strong Aura, likely to be of a superior lineage.
Greater Intelligence to not provoke packs needlessly and move on with its fill.
Ability to hide and reveal its presence at will.
And the strength to take on foes of similar level and quickly make food out of them...
Liu Erlong was more than excited to meet this beast and have a 'chat of culture' in the ways of bloodshed.
---
The group finally tracked down the spirit beast. They could argue that they were trying to rid the forest of a potential menace but honestly, after seeing the spirit beast, Liu Erlong was instead marked with a fit of greed. She felt that all her reluctant patience had paid off as Ah Yin's domain's natural stealth had allowed them to sneak up on the beast and get a good measure of it.
It was a giant bird perched atop a thick branch that could support its weight but the branch was being pressured into bending mildly. Others saw a terrifying dark-purple spirit beast with scales covering its body till the base of its wings before its feathered wings took over and the astonishingly thin and long beak but Ja Sun saw a somewhat familiar figure.
This beast looked little like a Pterodactyl with its beady eyes scanning the surroundings and divulging in prime brain matter of a Centimeter Rat. Beings too quick to catch and with an astonishingly low rate of reaching the strength above 10000 years of age.
"That... looks like a dragon... with feathers," Erlong licked her lips.
"That beast is similar to Emerald Demon Bird. Very rare in nature due to a past legend," Ja Sun replied softly, attracting others' attention, "It is said that these brain-loving spirit beasts once fed on the mind of a true dragon and strengthened and evolved tremendously. For reasons unknown, their numbers soon diminished but if I have to bet then I'd say that this spirit beast is the Dragon Variant of the myth."
"It's mine!" Liu Erlong glared at Ja Sun, a little worried that he might decide to steal the kill yet again.
"Let it go already," Ja Sun rolled his eyes, "And did you forget we're here to hunt for your spirit beast? Your opinion matters at this moment."
"Unlike other moments," Ah Yin added kindly and she was subjected to Liu Erlong's glare, too.
"I also mean, I don't need help hunting my prey—"
"We know," Yuehua smiled and nudged Erlong forward, "Erlong, be careful."
The woman nodded and looked towards the remaining duo expectantly. Seeing this, Ah Yin chuckled. Wasn't she supposed to be younger than her? What was this look of expecting encouragement?
"Break a leg!" Ah Yin smiled.
"Oh, no. Break a wing, more like," Ja Sun nodded.
"Again, no assistance at all... well, I will be using the current state of stealth to my advantage, however," Erlong's gaze glinted.
The word she used wasn't to spar with the beast but hunt.
The beast is extraordinarily quick so the chances of it escaping her grasp are greater. She cannot have that. But one decisive blow to the slightly less cautious spirit beast having its fill would play to her advantage and that's what life and death battles are all about— stacking advantages.
Ah Yin's stealth didn't make them invisible. It made them inconspicuous. So it was necessary to still move cautiously.
Liu Erlong entered a state of concentration where her entire being was submerged into a single point.
She didn't use her spirit transformation for she wasn't confident in her skills to perfectly tame every reaction of her body like Ja Sun or Oscar, as the two were already hailed true geniuses in this department leaving others somewhat envious.
Climbing the tree was easier said than done. One reckless brush against one of the many leaves or branches and she would be exposed but soon, Erlong had climbed overhead the giant spirit beast.
'Around... 30000 years?' Erlong sighed softly. Her previous spirit ring already reached this level and the accumulation of the spirit beast's spirit ring was one of the best tonics in the world for the growth of a spirit master. That is why higher-aged rings are attractive despite the risks involved.
But exceptional beasts like the Draconic Demon Bird in front of her were equally valued for the greater chances of a rare skill.
'One shot,' Bibi Dong breathed, her demeanor getting a bit indifferent yet Ja Sun felt her eyes saturated with bloodlust the moment she attacked. Her left arm gave off a bright red light before it was covered by a red arm guard with golden veins as if molten lava flowed through them— Lava Salamander Bone!
It raised her flame-attributed attacks by 150%!
She only used her first skill— Infernal Claws. It would be overkill to use her domain due to its extreme nature and it would end up attracting unwanted attention which should be excluded when preparing for a breakthrough.
There was no way a prime hunter like the demon bird wouldn't have felt anything and its wings unfurled. Instead of flying off, its large-scaled body twisted as if boneless and its feathers turned as sharp as steel.
However, Liu Erlong only smiled seeing this.
Her claws tore into the demon's left wing— her aim from the very beginning with her flames instantly growing in its size and threatening to consume the demon bird whole. It would take some time to defeat the opponent by cooking it, especially those with scale-type defenses, but her Ultimate Fire proved many forms of defenses useless with the rare exceptions such as 'Clear' not included.
*Skreeeeee*
The bird instantly screeched loudly as Erlong pushed her hands into the wound while the giant bird continuously moved its body and stumbled down on the ground. However, it proved useless. Liu Erlong, despite all the shaking, didn't fall off and with the gruesome sound of tearing apart the large left wing of the beast, she began cackling madly.
"Is it... so easy?" Yuehua inquired dubiously, unwilling to look at the scene of carnage any more than necessary.
"This just proves how strong we have gotten. If we don't act rashly, we can easily survive on our own now. Are you hearing me? If we don't act rashly."
Ah Yin glanced at Ja Sun and Yuehua, in turn, began to stare at the youth, too.
"What? Me?" Ja Sun smiled, "It's all for fun. See? Erlong can finish the battle... I think she realizes how easy it would be for her to finish the beast off but look how happy she is..."
His words made Ah Yin and Yuehua glanced towards Erlong who took seconds to bathe in her prey's blood with maddening cackles escaping her lips while she dug her claws into the body of the beast. Her back was already torn open with her right wing as she transformed into her martial soul with scales covering her entire body in a smooth and flexible armor-like state, leaving nothing uncovered except her head and face.
Her clothes were burnt off already. But they were used to it. Liu Erlong would take out a long towel or a blanket before removing her transformation so that she can keep her 'innocence.'
"Uh... is she really gutting that poor beast? It's still alive..." Yuehua buckled down to her knees, covering her mouth with her hand as she looked away.
"You'll get used to it," Ja Sun snickered.
"But I don't want to!" Yuehua opened up only for her eyes to widen—
*Uwaagh*
She began puking her stomach out, not a semblance of etiquette remaining as Ja Sun and Ah Yin quickly stepped a little further away, unwilling to have any vomit on themselves.
Liu Erlong finally came to be when she heard Yuehua puking and her gaze flickered for a moment. Looking down on herself, seeing her bloodied claws, she pursed her lips. That, in turn, made her taste her prey's blood already in her mouth and she sighed before delivering the lethal blow.
Soon, a pitch-black spirit ring emerged from the torn corpse as Liu Erlong silently sat down, not conversing with others but calming her mind and thoughts instead and preparing to absorb the spirit ring.
"Is something wrong? You were enjoying so much and then suddenly all seems to go to hell," Ja Sun hummed curiously as he walked towards her while Ah Yin comforted Yuehua.
"It's nothing," Erlong scoffed without opening her eyes when she felt something fall on her.
"Change your clothes first, clean yourself up while you're at it. Why the need to be so edgy? You wouldn't want to expose yourself accidentally while absorbing the spirit ring and suddenly lose control of your transformation, right? Well, I know I want that to happen."
"Shut up," Erlong groaned before lying down into the pool of blood itself as blue silver vines grew and formed a tent that covered Erlong alongside the corpse and the spirit ring.
Ja Sun looked back at Ah Yin with a bleak expression only to see her smiling mockingly at him.
"Only four days remain of our bet. If I were you, I'd start preparing materials," Ah Yin patted Yuehua's back while compressing her voice and sending it over to Ja Sun.
"If I were you, I'd lube it up—" Ja Sun realized the error he had committed and unwilling to let this advantage go, Ah Yin immediately fashioned a blue silver vine into a rather thick 'organ' as she winked, "Why wait? Hop on!"
Ja Sun would have felt embarrassed... if Ah Yin, too, accidentally didn't give him a great idea instead.
Seeing his bright expression, Ah Yin felt that Ja Sun might truly be considering letting her ride him instead...
'Is this... what Sister Lana said? Men truly like that?' She questioned her other mentor who held the same place as Qian Daoliu in Ah Yin's heart and gulped slightly.
"I- I'm fine..." Yuehua finally sighed and took out a handkerchief to wipe her lips, "And... I should apologize to Erlong, too... my actions weren't right at all."
"I would say it wasn't your fault but it would hardly matter to you... you either listen to Ka-ul, Sister Dong, or Sister Lana... so, you can converse once she's out," Ah Yin shrugged, and as if finding some scandalous implications from her words, Yuehua couldn't help but experience an episode of embarrassment.
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