bookbashuk Chapter 82 Omens
Chapter 82 Omens
This shaping was slightly more difficult than that of the Ironbacked Bear. The spirit of this Fiery Horned Rhinoceros was even more violent, and it resisted fiercely when the spiritual fire enveloped it, almost breaking several of its fiery threads.
However, Chen Bai's spiritual awareness at this time was comparable to the late stage of fetal breathing. In just a moment, he suppressed the restlessness of his soul and allowed the spiritual fire to complete its shaping smoothly.
The crimson flames gradually subsided.
A rhinoceros, its entire body made of crimson flames, appeared in the cauldron. Its two horns were of different lengths, with the tips of the horns swirling with extremely condensed flames. Its four hooves trod on fire. Its body was slightly smaller than when it was alive, but it was even more agile.
The two beast spirits were sculpted in just a few incense sticks' worth of time.
Compared to the slow and meticulous nurturing he used when refining his first spirit crow, Xiao Liu, his current Crimson Flame Spirit Guiding Technique has reached a high level of proficiency. The entire process is smooth and seamless, without the slightest delay.
The next step is the final one.
Chen Bai placed the two essences of demonic energy into the cauldrons containing the two beast spirits.
At the same time, the wondrous workings of the small cauldron were activated, with each beast spirit contributing fifty drops of primordial essence.
A total of one hundred drops of primordial essence flew out from the primordial essence pool, transforming into a fine golden rain of light, which sprinkled onto the two beast spirits respectively.
The power of creation perfectly matched the "gap" left after the improvement of the Crimson Flame Spirit Guiding Technique.
Golden light rain seeped into the beast spirit's body, merging with its demonic essence to build bones, muscles, and meridians within the spirit's body...
It is not real flesh and blood, but it is more resilient than flesh and blood.
The essence of the demonic energy is transformed into a "false core" of the beast spirit, which floats deep in the chest cavity, replacing the position of the heart. With each beat, it draws the power of the demonic energy to flow throughout the body.
A white light emanated from the cauldron.
After the white light dissipated, the two beast spirits were completely different.
The iron-backed bear stood firmly in the cauldron, its fur the color of jade.
Its four paws are thick like cushions, and its claws are jet black and shiny.
The Fiery Rhinoceros stood beside it.
His entire body was covered in copper-colored nail plates, with firelight flickering between the nail seams.
The flames on the horn were no longer an illusion, but real flames, burning quietly on the tip of the horn, turning the surrounding space of the sea of consciousness several feet in size red.
At this moment, the aura and strength of the two beast spirits were no different from those of the previous Ink-Scaled Water Python.
Mid-stage of embryonic breathing!
Chen Bai breathed a long sigh of relief.
He glanced at the remaining amount in the Yuanzhi Pool. Subtracting 100 drops from 546 drops left him with 446 drops.
The reserves of primitive materials are still relatively abundant.
He summoned three beast spirits at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm: the Ink-Scaled Water Anaconda, the Iron-Backed Azure Bear, and the Fiery Horned Rhinoceros.
They were arranged one by one in the sea of consciousness.
The Ink-Scaled Water Anaconda was coiled on the far left, its emerald green vertical pupils gleaming coldly; the Iron-Backed Gray Bear was in the center, its dark red eyes concealing a fierce glint; and the Fiery Horned Rhinoceros was on the far right, its crimson flames swirling around it.
Including Lingya Xiaoliu, there are a total of four beast spirits.
He is one short of his maximum spiritual awareness limit of five, leaving him room to maneuver.
Chen Bai nodded in satisfaction.
Now that he has four mid-stage Nascent Soul beast spirits at his disposal, his sense of security has returned.
Consciousness withdrew from the sea of consciousness, and the eyes were reopened.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the pine needles, dappling the ground like broken silver.
No one noticed what he had just done.
Only Xiao Liu emerged from his dantian, quietly landing on his lap, tilting its head to rub against the back of his hand.
Chen Bai extended a finger and scratched Xiao Liu's crest feathers, his gaze calm.
……
However, what Chen Bai didn't know was that during the time he was meditating...
Before a stick of incense.
Miao Wuniang sheathed her short sword, stood up, and walked over to Wu Liang, who was sitting by the stream in a daze.
She walked very fast, her steps quick and swift.
Wu Liang heard the noise and looked up. He saw Miao Wu Niang's face and instinctively wanted to back away, but there was a stream behind him and nowhere to retreat.
Miao Wuniang grabbed his collar and pulled him up.
His voice was low, but he couldn't suppress the surging anger within.
"Wu Liang, what did you say before we went into the mountains? We'd advance and retreat together—"
Did you say those words yourself?
Wu Liang's face flushed red. He tugged at his clothes a few times, but couldn't get them open, so he awkwardly raised his hands and said, "Fifth Sister, listen to me..."
"What should I say? That I have my reasons? That I have my difficulties?"
Miao Wuniang didn't give him a chance to speak at all. "With just one word from Xue Zhen, the three of us were dragged out as cannon fodder. You just sat there, didn't you utter a single word?"
"I--"
"You wouldn't dare," Miao Wuniang answered for him.
She released her grip, took a half step back, and her voice, though lower, grew even colder. "Over the years, I've seen all sorts of people. Cowards, people who are afraid of death... What's your reason?"
Wu Liang's lips trembled, as if something was blocking his throat, and it took him a long time to finally manage to utter a sentence.
"We...we independent cultivators are weak and outnumbered. What good can come of it if we go head-to-head with the disciples of the immortal sects?"
I swallowed my anger not because I was afraid of dying, but because not enduring it meant death!
Fifth Sister, tell me, if I had stood up back then, would Xue Zhen have let you go?
No! He'll take our whole team out, leaving no one behind.
"If the three of you go and lure the monster, perhaps two of you will come back alive. If I step forward, we'll all go, and none of us will return."
Miao Wuniang was silent for a moment.
"So you're just going to say nothing?"
"I……"
Wu Liang opened his mouth, but ultimately did not argue further, and simply lowered his head.
Miao Wu Niang turned around and walked away without looking back.
Duan Heisi woke up at some point.
He sat on the large rock and watched the whole scene from beginning to end, but said nothing.
He handed the water pouch to Miao Wuniang as she walked past him.
Miao Wuniang took the water bag, drank a large mouthful, returned the water bag to Duan Heisi, and then walked alone to a tree in the distance, sitting down with her back to the others.
Duan Heisi hung the water bag around his waist, walked over and patted Wu Liang on the shoulder.
Wu Liang looked up at him, his eyes filled with unease.
Duan Heisi simply shook his head, his voice lower than usual: "Forget it... Fifth Sister has to get over her anger herself."
Don't let her fiery temper fool you; she's actually more sentimental than anyone else. She'll be fine once this mission is over.
Wu Liang lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the map, and said nothing.
……
The group set off again in the afternoon.
After walking northwest along the valley for about two more hours, the terrain became slightly gentler.
The outline of a small mountain appeared on the ridgeline ahead. The mountain was shaped like an inverted bowl, with a slightly flat top and dense, towering trees growing below the waist. Several streams extended down from both sides of the mountain.
Everyone's spirits lifted, because the mission location was right there.
The closer you get to there, the quieter the mountain road becomes.
"Let's all work harder and try to get there today," Xue Zhen encouraged.
Just as everyone was focused on getting on their way.
One of the outer disciples, who was leading the way to scout ahead, suddenly muttered in confusion, "Strange, why is there not a single demonic beast moving around here?"