Chapter 67: Controlling Demonic Beasts?
Xiao Chen took long strides in the direction of the cry, toward the east side of camp. . As he came closer, the mournful cries grew louder. When he was about 400 meters away from the source of the sound, Xiao Chen stopped.
He condensed his Spiritual Sense into a column and extended it out in front slowly. When it reached 200 meters, Xiao Chen could feel his Spiritual Sense being blocked by something.
“Pu Ci!”
Xiao Chen concentrated and fashioned his Spiritual Sense into the shape of a sword, slowly piercing through the barrier preventing it to go further. After a period of time, his Spiritual Sense finally arrived at the origin of the sound.
In the groove ahead, there was a Martial Grand Master wearing the Tang Clan attire lying on the ground. In front of him was a huge black bird, gorging itself on his internal organs.
Xiao Chen frowned slightly and looked up; there was a dark human figure floating in the air. He was darker than night, and his being gave off a feeling that was as deep and wicked as a black hole.
Although it was incredibly strange, Xiao Chen could sense a feeling of extreme weakness coming from the person’s body; he should be severely injured.
“After hiding for three days, I finally found him,” Xiao Chen heard the dark figure laughing and muttering to himself. The laughter in the black of night sounded like it came from hell, and was exceptionally gloomy.
Suddenly, a black Qi came from the body of the cultivator on the ground and entered into the other’s body. An expression of extreme pleasure appeared on his face. It was as though he could taste a delicacy as that strange bird fed on the internal organs.
Even Xiao Chen could feel it when the wounds on the dark figure’s body began significantly recovering as the black Qi entered them. He actually relied on the consumption of human internal organs to recover his wounds; it was truly unbelievable.
When that black Qi dispersed, the Tang Clan cultivator on the ground no longer made any sounds. The huge black bird flew to the feet of dark figure with a ‘shua’ sound.
Xiao Chen was very startled; he was sure that this huge bird was a Demonic Beast. This person could actually ride on a Demonic Beast. This was something he had never heard of before.
“I originally thought that certain death awaited me; who knew that I would run into this nourishment. How unexpected for this king,” the man smiled, feeling pleased with himself as he stood on that huge bird.
Suddenly, his complexion changed. He stared at Xiao Chen’s column of Spiritual Sense. His eyes gave off a deep glow, and it was as though he could see through Xiao Chen’s formless Spiritual Sense.
Xiao Chen quickly caused his Spiritual Sense to turn into a small sword and hide behind a huge tree, sneakily observing the person.
After the man saw Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Sense it seemed as though he remembered something horrifying; a terrified expression crossed his face. Riding on the demonic bird, he fled as though he was in a sorry state.
It was extremely fast, like a bolt of black lightning, leaving behind countless dark streaks in the forest. He managed to instantly leave the range that Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Sense could observe.
Xiao Chen did not dare to advance rashly; he slowly approached the dead Tang Clan cultivator only after the man was long gone. His state was exactly the same as the other two corpses they had found. From the looks of it, they had died while the bird fed on them.
This person was able to easily kill three Martial Grand Masters despite his severely injured state. What terrifying realm was he at? Xiao Chen felt afraid just thinking about it.
Regardless of the situation, this strange man had helped Xiao Chen indirectly remove some trouble. If the three Martial Grand Masters had appeared to kill Xiao Chen and his compatriots, they would not have survived.
Recollecting his thoughts, Xiao Chen ignored the body on the ground and quickly returned to the camp. Xiao Chen temporarily hid this matter from Xiao Yulan when she interrogated him.
He felt the matter was extremely strange. To think that there was actually someone who could control Demonic Beasts. Before he clarified this, Xiao Chen decided to temporarily not tell the others.
Around midnight the two of them called someone over to take over their shift. After resting for four hours, the sky had already brightened. Of course, within the Gloomy Forest, it was still dark and gloomy. The visibility was no better than when it was night. However, at least it was not as cold as it was at night.
Xiao Chen moved around his left arm, with the Blood Replenishing Pill he felt that there was no longer any major problems with it. Essence was not able to flow smoothly, but it was best not to make any excessive movements for the time being.
The other people in the wooden hut were still sleeping. As there was no sunlight to shine into the wooden hut to wake them up, they were all fast asleep. Thus, Xiao Chen woke everyone up himself.
After they finished washing up, they started to assign people to groups.
When they were split into groups, Xiao Ling`er indicated that she wanted to be in Xiao Chen’s group. There were even a few others who expressed the same thoughts.
This caused Xiao Chen to feel a headache. Finally, he decided to merge Xiao Yulan’s and Xiao Jian’s group together. This way, the strength of the two groups would be similar.
In the end, Xiao Ling`er was still assigned to Xiao Chen’s group. Xiao Chen led four people and headed toward the south. He decided to start off with Fire Lizards.
This was because he had already killed quite a few, and had some experience with them. He released his Spiritual Sense and soon managed to find a Fire Lizard on the top of a large tree.
“Wait here first,” Xiao Chen called out, and had the group stop.
“Brother Xiao Chen, why are we stopping? Is there a Demonic Beast? Where is it?” Xiao Ling`er asked in a bizarre manner, her eyes looking all around, searching her surroundings.
Xiao Chen smiled, “Stop looking for it, it’s right above you.”
Xiao Ling`er was startled when she heard this and retreated backwards a few steps. Xiao Chen raised his head and saw that the tree branches were crisscrossing in a complex manner, causing the sky to be hidden and looking very mysterious.
This was Gloomy Forest. Aside from dangers coming from around you, one must also pay attention to what’s above. Xiao Chen’s smile faded away as he opened his mouth to say, “All of you, take a step back.”
After he said that, his body vanished from its original spot; a bright electrical light shone in the darkness. They could vaguely see Xiao Chen holding the Lunar Shadow Saber, jumping from tree branch to tree branch.
When the electrical light faded away, the forest returned to its previously dark state. The four people below could not see even a hazy figure; all they could see were swaying tree branches.
“Boom!”
A loud sound came from the top and a huge monster fell to the ground, causing the ground to tremble. The four people on the ground hastily retreated.
Xiao Chen did not immediately come down. Instead, he stood on a tree branch and smiled at the group, “It’s your turn to perform. Do not be careless or you might end up dying.”
The Fire Lizard had already stabilized itself before the four people managed to reply. When it saw them its hostility shifted and it swept its tail towards them.
The four of them hurriedly jumped and scattered. A red shadow headed towards Xiao Ling`er; it looked like a red ribbon in the air, and its speed was ridiculously fast.
What led Xiao Chen to feel surprised was that, despite Xiao Ling`er normally seeming weird, her reflexes were very fast. She pushed off the ground lightly with her feet and her body nimbly evaded the attack.
She even slashed at the red tongue, creating a wound at the instant she turned around. This Fire Lizard was obviously stronger than the ones that Xiao Chen had met before; the toughness of its tongue was very strong. Xiao Ling`er’s Spirit Weapon had no way to break it apart.
The four of them were being chased around by the Fire Lizard, cursing Xiao Chen in their hearts, feeling that he was very despicable. Many of them regretted choosing to follow Xiao Chen.
No one had expected that Xiao Chen would ignore them after attracting the Fire Lizard over. Those who were initially planning to rely on Xiao Chen regretted their decision.
Time slowly went by and something that caused the four of them to want to vomit blood happened. Xiao Chen took out a bottle of wine fromt the Universe Ring and started drinking on the tree branch.
“Xiao Chen, you are too despicable. After seeing that we are being chased in such a miserable manner, you are still not making any moves to help us!” finally someone below could no longer tolerate it and scolded him.
“Indeed! Brother Xiao Chen, you are too heartless. Ling`er originally liked you a little, but now, I hate the sight of you,” Xiao Ling`er said fiercely, but with a pout.
Xiao Chen did not reply and revealed a faint, indifferent smile. After they overcame the initial shock, they finally got into the pace of things.
They left wounds of varying degrees on the body of the Fire Lizard. After the four of them were hit by the Fire Lizard’s tail a few times, there were two who had a trickle of blood at the corners of their mouths.
However, Xiao Chen still did not make a move. This was their trial. If he made a move, then there would be no purpose to this. The martial path relied on the comprehensions one attained while they were in the middle of life and death situations; it could not be attained by the assistance of others.
“Bang!”
Xiao Ling`er was unable to evade once again and was hit by the Fire Lizard’s tail. She spat out a mouthful of blood. Seeing this, Xiao Chen felt that he could bear it no more.
However, something happened that surprised Xiao Chen. This girl did not cry out. Her pretty face was filled with an unswerving determination; she did not look like her usual, weird self.
“Martial Technique, Cloud Breaking Refreshing Breeze Chop.”
Xiao Ling`er actually used a Martial Technique in the air; it was truly unbelievable. The sword in her hands was like a Cloud Breaking Refreshing Breeze, and with a white flash, the Lizard Tail was chopped into two halves.
Xiao Ling`er landed firmly on the ground and wiped the blood off the corner of her lips. Then she made a face at Xiao Chen that caused him to fluctuate between laughter and tears.
“Shua!”
Another person exploded out and was able to break apart the Fire Lizard’s greatest weapon; its red tongue. Now, the Fire Lizard had lost two of its greatest moves. Everyone’s morale surged.
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Everyone was excited and started to execute their Martial Techniques, exhausting their Essence. They actually managed to make this terrifying Demonic Beast attempt to beat a hasty retreat, and in a short while it no longer had its initial imposing look.
“Since I was chased by you so miserably earlier, I definitely have to kill you today!” one of the Xiao Clan cultivators, who had his behind smacked by the Lizard Tail twice before, said ruthlessly.
Just when the Fire Lizard was about to die, an ice arrow gave off a cold gleam and flew from a distant place. With a ‘shua’ sound, it killed the Fire Lizard. A cold Qi spread throughout the Fire Lizard’s body.
It caused all the black Qi in its body to be expelled. After that, the Fire Lizard instantly turned into an ice sculpture. The cold Qi was very threatening. Everyone was startled and did not understand what was going on.
“Bang!”
Xiao Chen leaped down from the tree and fired out a stream of purple flame, colliding with a second ice arrow coming from a distance, resulting in an intense explosion.
The ice disappeared into nothing, but the Purple Thunder True Fire did not weaken at all and continued to fly forward.
“Boom!”
After a while, there was another explosion coming from the front. There were the sounds of footsteps from a group of people coming towards them.