The mother bear's head laid on the ground, as her shoulder and stomach bled profusely. The baby cub cried, sensing that something was wrong. Wang Li Tian called out in a slightly rushed tone, "Elder Phoenix, are you there?"
Before the competition started, he had received a feather from Elder Phoenix. There, he would be able to communicate with Elder Phoenix if need be. This was to ensure that Wang Li Tian's life could be saved in a dangerous situation. As Shadow Grove Forest was created by Southern Wind Academy, Elder Phoenix was able to travel to this location too.
"Yes? Are you in danger?" The origin beast asked.
"No, but I have a request I would like to ask you."
"Oh? What is it?" In Elder Phoenix's head, he was guessing that Wang Li Tian was going to ask for him to help him in this tournament. What came out of the boy's mouth had stunned him instead.
"There is a mother bear demonic beast that is going to die very soon. Is there anything I can do to help her live?"
"What? A mother bear?" Elder Phoenix immediately scried using his spiritual energy. He found Wang Li Tian easily via his feather and continued to speak to him, "This is a Thunder Bear. Indeed, it is going to die very soon. Why do you want to save her so badly?"
"She has a baby cub. I do not want the baby cub to not have a parent growing up. I do not want it to be like me." Wang Li Tian spoke earnestly. The motherly love shown by the Thunder Bear had touched the youth deeply.
"Alright," Hearing the young boy's explanation, Elder Phoenix understood Li Tian's kind intentions and gave in to his request. "Let me come over to you."
Wang Li Tian nodded and waited patiently. Currently, the baby cub was scratching the unconscious Thunder Bear. It was attempting to wake up its mother. The boy walked up and picked the cub off the mother bear. The baby bear was almost half Wang Li Tian in height and its weight was probably equivalent to himself, but he was able to pick it up extremely easily.
He petted the baby cub's head softly, wanting to calm it down. Within a few short moments, Elder Phoenix had appeared right beside Wang Li Tian and the pair of mother and child. The elder in white walked up to the mother bear and placed his hand on her head. Circulating his energy, Elder Phoenix started to transfer a small portion of his pure spiritual energy into the Thunder Bear.
Typically, when spiritual energy is passed on from one person to another, the spiritual energy from another person would be rejected by the recipient's body. Only when it was pure energy that originates from the spiritual core, would the energy be excepted by the recipient. Only those in the Core Establishment Stage and above would be able to freely exchange their spiritual energy. However, it takes cultivators a while to recover back to their original amount of spiritual energy. Thus, not many people would willingly give away their energy.
As Elder Phoenix was a Grade 6 demonic beast, the highest realm in the Great World, he did not mind sparing a bit of his energy so as to help Wang Li Tian save the Thunder Bear. After the short transfer, the thunder bear's breathing started to become constant again. Elder Phoenix also fed her a Blood Coagulating Pill, which was able to stop her excessive bleeding. Knowing that the bear was safe, Wang Li Tian finally let go of the baby cub and allowed it to stay by its mother.
"Thank you, Elder Phoenix." Wang Li Tian bowed respectfully. He, himself was useless in this situation. He was extremely grateful that the Phoenix was willing to help him out on his request.
"Its really nothing, little one. You can carry on with your competition now." Elder Phoenix nodded.
"I will leave once the mother bear wakes up, in case any Demonic Beast would attack her during her sleep." Wang Li Tian wanted to make sure things were done proper.
"Okay. Be careful. You are in the middle of the forest right now. If the fight gets too tough, be sure to take care of your safety first." With that, Elder Phoenix flew off again and Wang Li Tian was left with a confused expression.
"Wait.. I am in the middle of the forest? When did I get here?" He was clueless as usual.
For the remaining of the day, Wang Li Tian sat in the cave built to fit the mother and child. There was only one point in time that he had to fight and that was against a Grade two Wolf Beast. The fought was rather anti-climactic.
"Quickdraw 1st Style - Slice." While regulating his Braveheart aura into his sword, Wang Li Tian sliced through the wolf's side cleanly. The sword technique was so fast that blood did not even spill onto the blade.
At night, he built a small fire to roast the wolf meat that he had slain. Compared to the rations, today's meal was far more delicious. He kept the bear cub company as the mother bear rested.
On the other hand, Jiang Rou Xuan and his brothers had just arrive at the exit of the Shadow Grove Forest. Their speed was comparable to many strong cultivators. When they arrived, Jiang Rou Xuan immediately looked around, hoping that his little brother Li Tian had already arrive. She was left disappointed.
Jiang Rou Xuan's group left to stay in their respective temporary residence, while she stayed behind at the exit and watched other martial cultivators cross the line. Only at midnight did she leave back to the residence, worried. Did something happen to Li Tian?
She knew that Wang Li Tian's strength was definitely good enough to make it through the first stage. Grade one and two demonic beasts with never pose as a problem for his little brother. Unless… Did he enter the central region of the forest? It was as she had predicted. The dull-witted boy had indeed accidentally run into the center.