It was the second day of the Deepstar Battle. Using Meow Meow's speed, Tianming managed to defeat three people during the first day, one of whom was a seventh-level empyrean saint while the other two were sixth level. He had even encountered disciples from the Heaven Branch, but he immediately turned tail upon seeing them. Lucky for him, all they could do was curse when they were unable to catch up to him.
The inverse sun of the Abyssal Battlefield rose from the east, somehow managing to darken the whole place. Countless spirits hazards flew across the skies, making for quite a mystical sight.
Right now, Tianming was only accompanied by Ying Huo. Meow Meow had seen a lot of action during the battles the day before and had requested lots of sleep time to make up for its efforts, threatening to strike if he didn't get it. Lan Huang, on the other hand, was too eager to come out, but the circ.u.mstances simply didn't allow for it. So all it could do was run about in the lifebound space, shaking it up significantly. Tianming was worried that he would stomp on the other seven eggs.
"A wildbeast?" Both he and Ying Huo could smell it as they advanced. "It seems like there’s a nest near the cliff ahead."
"The temperature here is rather high. Even the mountains feel rather hot to the touch. It must be a fire-type wildbeast," Ying Huo said.
From yesterday to now, they had only encountered three wildbeasts, all of them eighth-order demon beasts, which were about as powerful as empyrean saints from the fourth to sixth levels. After killing them and refining their souls, no abilities were awakened.
"Let's give this one a try."
"Okay."
They stealthily snuck closer to it. Beneath the cliff was a sea of fire spirit hazards, deep within which was a crimson nest. Using his third eye, Tianming saw through the flaming ocean and spotted the wildbeast.
"This should be the ninth-order demon beast, trihead lifeflame vulture. It would definitely be among the most powerful demon beasts if it lives long enough. This one, however, still seems young. We should have a chance against it," Tianming said.
The bird he saw was entirely crimson and looked a little like a three-headed vulture. It was really huge and each of its heads looked like a burning red metal rod. Its beaks were unbelievably sharp, and its feathers seemed like a cl.u.s.ter of tiny blades that covered its entire body apart from its bald heads.
"Go!"
Both Tianming and Ying Huo's bodies were far too small for the vulture.
"Lan Huang, it's time for you to come out and play!" Tianming said as he approached. Lan Huang was already close to ripping the whole lifebound space apart. When Tianming let it out, it fell into the ocean of flames. Thanks to its starry hide, though, even those spirit hazards were no longer able to harm it.
Lan Huang didn't care how much of a fuss it made and immediately unleashed its Primordial Soundwave. At the same time, it used Azure Oceanic Purgatory, turning the flaming terrain around it into an ocean and dragging the vulture in.
Now, there were two gigantic beasts in the ocean, but Lan Huang was the larger of the two. Both of its heads bit the wings of the vulture as it used its claws to strike the vulture's heads and its sword-like tail to slash at the vulture's body. In return, the vulture desperately tried to burn it, but to no avail, thanks to the two-headed dragon’s increased defensive capabilities. The stars on Lan Huang’s body quickly assembled to deflect any attacks it received. Soon, the two were locked in combat with one another.
"Your grandfather is here, bald vulture! Submit to me!" Ying Huo said as it used its Infernal Haze and gathered an impressive force in its wings.
"Is Ying Huo practicing the Hexapath Samsara Sword?" Tianming could tell. It even seemed to resemble the correct form. He decided he would let Ying Huo practice it more, for if it really managed to match his level, the chick would be far stronger.
With Lan Huang keeping the vulture occupied, Ying Huo's strike immediately pierced through its feathers and struck its flesh, causing Invincible Sword Ki to blast into its body. The vulture shrieked in pain and gathered a terrifying force into its heads, causing them to appear redder and redder from the heat.
"This is its awakened ability, Fatal Flare. It gathers the flames into one part before allowing it to explode!"
However, neither Ying Huo nor Lan Huang cared about that ability. Lan Huang could afford to take it with its humongous body, not to mention it wasn't even in the target range as it pressed the vulture deep into the water. Ying Huo, on the other hand, was hidden amongst its many clones, continuing to poke many holes into the vulture. By now, Fatal Flare was charged to its limit and burst out like a tiny meteor with impressive power.
"Watch out!" Tianming cried as it approached Lan Huang and Ying Huo. The blazing meteor was so tiny that it was easy to miss as it zipped its way to Lan Huang. All of a sudden, the stars scattered all over its body gathered at the point of impact right before a loud explosion sounded out and powerful flames engulfed the area.
"It's so powerful!" There was no doubt that it was only achievable by condensing the power of the flames into such a small point. Lan Huang was sent flying and even managed to spin a few times in the air.
"Are you alright?" Tianming asked as he approached.
"It hurts!" Lan Huang groaned loudly. It was almost ironic how it was so afraid of pain, despite its tough and huge body, to the point that it cried so loud it made his ears hurt.
He inspected Lan Huang's wound and saw some damaged scales and charred flesh, but it didn't cover a huge area. The injury was relatively light, but the vulture's attack was definitely impressive enough to pierce Lan Huang's starry defense.
"Stop whining and go avenge yourself," Tianming said.
"Now I’m mad!" Lan Huang charged back in like a rabid dog. The vulture was still engaging Ying Huo in combat, only to be rammed and pressed into the water once more as Lan Huang pummeled it nonstop.
"Eat my sword, stupid bird!" Ying Huo shone brightly as it used its Skypiercing Diablos Feathers to execute the Hexapath Samsara Sword, this time with more fidelity than the last. With both its wings, it could simultaneously execute both the Life Sword and Death Sword.
The impressive Skypiercer Ki tore its opponent's flesh apart. Thanks to their teamwork, the trihead lifeflame vulture was now on the brink of death. Tianming refined its soul and handed it to Ying Huo. "Don't waste it!"
"You think refining abilities is easy? Luck plays a role!" Ying Huo said. Fatal Flare wasn't its ability; it only needed it as a guide to unlock its bloodline chains and awaken its own ability.
After Ying Huo returned to his lifebound space, Tianming said, "You, go back too."
"I don't wanna!" Lan Huang said stubbornly.
Tianming's head was starting to hurt; now, Meow Meow wouldn't come out and Lan Huang wouldn't go in. "If you don't do as I say, I won't let you play with your favorite Sister Youyou again."
"Fine... I’ll go back in, all right?"
"Say it like you mean it."
"I’ll go back in!" it yelled loudly with both its heads right next to Tianming.
"Dammit!" He felt like his eardrums were about to shatter. Right after he managed to get Lan Huang back in, he felt an incoming threat and dodged. There was a blood colored petal embedded where he was standing just before. It was a hidden weapon with tribulation patterns and it had almost pierced the back of his head. Someone had definitely come after detecting Lan Huang's commotion.
"Who is it?!" The moment he said that, a young man in brown robes appeared above the cliff, looking at Tianming coldly.
"Li Tianming, the heavens must want to get rid of you by allowing you to encounter me." The young man was tall and lanky, like a wooden pole. In his hand was a flower with eight other petals like the one from before. The one he had thrown automatically returned to the flower, making it the ninth. Behind him was a wood-colored dragon. It made for quite an odd sight, for its body resembled a rather rough, towering tree. The many claws of the dragon branched out from its body like roots that grew into the ground.
Tianming immediately felt that something was amiss and hurriedly dodged. The next instant, many dragon claws came bursting out of the ground where he stood. He immediately used the Grand-Orient Sword to cut them, but even more popped out, totaling up to about a thousand.
"Meow Meow!" Tianming immediately called. This foe was too powerful for him to deal with right now.
"Ah, we're escaping again? Watch me!" Meow Meow said sleepily as it turned into a Regal Chaosfiend and dragged Tianming along.
"Hey, you’re running the wrong way!" Tianming was speechless. He was actually being dragged into the direction of the youth.
"Huh?" Meow Meow widened its eyes in surprise and hurriedly turned around. Countless wooden dragon claws burst out from the ground, but Meow Meow was able to evade them all.
"Who are you?" Tianming asked.
"Xuanyuan Cangcang," he said coldly as he gave chase, riding on his dragon.
"Is there a grudge between us?"
"My younger brother is Xuanyuan Ganggang."
"Ah, I see." Tianming ignored him and kept running. Given that person's speed, he was probably more powerful than an eighth-level empyrean saint. There was no need for him to fight him to the death, it simply wasn't time.
"So long." Tianming zipped away as Meow Meow sped up. He looked back and saw no one. "We’re safe now."
Right after they stopped, the little colorful egg in the lifebound space jumped around.
"What's going on?" Tianming asked as he took it out.
The egg jumped onto Meow Meow and pointed to a spot. Tianming looked closer and saw a little green bean and picked it up.
"What’s this?" Meow Meow asked.
"A seed. Xuanyuan Cangcang can probably use this to track us."
"Wow, Fourth is amazing. It even found this." Meow Meow shrank and lovingly stroked the egg.
"I’ve got it," Tianming said as he smiled.
"Got what?"
He picked up the egg and said, "This fellow has a close affinity to plants. It might be a wood type, or even a life type."