Pa!
Kunpeng snapped his fingers.
As rumbling came from outside, Kunpeng glanced at the two, walked out and smiled, "Come with me."
They were right behind him, but froze as they left the cave.
It was a heap of bloody spiritual beast wings. Scarlet blood ran from the base in rivulets, a testament to how freshly plucked they were.
While over them, 9th level spiritual beasts flew around still, adding to the heap an extra pile of bloody wings, shaking the ground every time.
Zhuo Fan gasped. As a Demonic Emperor, he had seen his fair share of ghastly genocides, but it was his first time seeing it done by their own kin in cold blood.
He now knew for sure that Kunpeng was a determined, vicious and ambitious person.
Spiritual beasts were naught but slaves to a sacred beast, their tiny little lives having no worth whatsoever. Even as they tore those wings from the beast's shivering bodies, their hearts wouldn't so much as twitch.
"I know you've been looking for spiritual beast wings. Here are a hundred thousand from 4th, 5th and 6th level spiritual beasts. I can have them fetch more if you want."
Kunpeng smiled in a savage tone, fitting for a beast overlord.
Zhuo Fan waved quickly, "Senior is so thoughtful. I could never use so many. I only wanted a thousand. Senior's generosity and consideration has been more than enough. However, my ring can't hold so many wings."
"It's fine."
Kunpeng flicked his hand and the heap of wings entered his ring before he handed it over to Zhuo Fan, "Please, take it."
It was a ring sparkling in azure, of a different class than his Thunder Ring. It had such a thick spiritual energy coming from it that it gave off a refreshed feeling and filled one with Yuan Qi.
There was no way an average guy could just show up and make one.
[Sacred Ring!]
He wanted to go for it, but taking such an item couldn't be done casually.
Only those in power in the Sacred Domain had the right to flaunt such rings. Not even he, a Demonic Emperor, qualified.
Kunpeng chuckled at his hesitation, "I see. Although no one can recognize this Sacred Ring in the mortal domain, you will one day go back to the Sacred Domain. Ha-ha-ha, you have such a far gaze. But it's fine."
Kunpeng hooked his finger and the Thunder Ring flew into his hand. With a flash of azure, the two rings combined.
Thunder Ring on the outside, but still as large inside as the Sacred Ring.
Zhuo Fan paled and sighed inside.
[Such skill, his refining must be divine.] Another thing this Demonic Emperor found he was lacking.
[Vaulting Kunpeng truly is the head of the five sacred beasts, of the same existence as the ten Emperors.]
His dumbfounded look stroked Kunpeng's ego, smiling and nodding. The guy's cunning tricks involved not only luring but shock and awe as well.
[See that? No flattery will ever match my greatness. So be good and stick with me if you want to live a good life. Or I just might squash you!]
Zhuo Fan's face was just the one he had wished for.
"Eh?"
Kunpeng raised an eyebrow, looking at the ring stunned. With a wave and a flash of purple, a purple Thunder Skylark flew out and landed behind Zhuo Fan. He glanced at Kunpeng in fear, further hiding behind his father.
"How odd, this Thunder Skylark wields the power of purple lightning!"
Kunpeng's eyes shook, pointing at Qiao'er, "Boy, did you have a role in getting the Thunder Skylark to use purple lightning?"
"Uh, yes and no. When I entered Lightning Canyon, Qiao'er hadn't hatched and was forced to use it to absorb the purple lightning. I never expected for him to turn out like this. His mind is also sharper than a mere spiritual beast. It is his fortune." Zhuo Fan stated, "Why, senior, is there a problem?"
"It's such a freaky event that I've never seen one in my life. Heavenly Emperor's purple lightning comes from Heaven-splitting Thunder Phoenix, one of the five sacred beasts. It's innate ability was this purple lightning. A sacred beast would pop under its attack and not even Soaring Qilin could defend against it. Even with the Thunder Skylark capable of swallowing lightning, it should still crumble under the purple lightning. But this Thunder Skylark was born from it. It's like inheriting the Thunder Phoenix's legacy. Amazing!"
Kunpeng sighed.
Zhuo Fan figured as much. While the egg took the brunt of the purple lightning back then, he was using the peak of Nine Serenities Emperor's research, Demon Transformation Art.
It can absorb anything in the world.
This had to be why the undeveloped Qiao'er could take in the purple lightning into himself. While Zhuo Fan took some of the brunt as well.
Without this mystical art, the man and bird would've long been shot dead.
Zhuo Fan had figured it all out, but was not feeling quite forward with this particular info. With how humans were twisted inside, discretion was the better side of valor, not to mention keeping his cards hidden.
[Humph, Kunpeng may know the ancient emperors, but he has no clue of Nine Serenities Emperor's masterpiece, the Demon Transformation Art.]
[The unknown is the ultimate weapon.] Zhuo Fan knew that fully well since his first life.
To the pondering and baffled Kunpeng, Zhuo Fan put on an equally dumbstruck look.
Kunpeng sighed in the end, "Such a huge opportunity. This bird's fortune is immense. Kid, you sure have one lucky star. Not only you're blessed yourself, but even your damn pet struck gold. You're practically blinding from all the karma on you!"
"Senior, that's just luck." Zhuo Fan bowed.
Kunpeng grinned, "Then let me add my own blessing and gild the lily."
Kunpeng motioned and Qiao'er drew closer, panicking and crying.
Gu Santong wanted to interfere, but Zhuo Fan stopped him.
Kunpeng was the head of sacred beasts, he wouldn't lower himself to picking on 4th level spiritual beasts.
Kunpeng fixed his happy eyes on Qiao'er and an azure glow flew from his finger and into the bird's forehead.
Qiao'er's frantic wings stopped, it cawed once and bowed, "Thank you for your blessing, sacred lord!"
"Qiao'er can speak!" Gu Santong turned shocked to Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan was out of it as well, but only for a jiffy, "But why is it a female?"
Yep, Qiao'er was a she now, along with all the perks that entailed. She had a soothing voice and was unlike her old man in style. Though a chick, in more ways than one, she shouldn't have such a soft voice even as a young one. It was totally different from Gu Santong.
"Father, brother, I have always been a girl. You just always took me for…" Qiao'er flapped next to the two, blinking her huge innocent eyes.
Zhuo Fan ahem-ed, "Son."
"Younger brother." Gu Santong blushed.
Qiao'er huffed and puffed, flying around the two, "I'm a girl, a girl!"
"Ha-ha-ha, kid, you don't even know your spirit animal's gender?" Kunpeng cracked up.
[Malarkey! How should I know when I didn't send her to find a mate?]
Rolling his eyes, Zhuo Fan kept that to himself and only showed respect, "It's of my own neglect, embarrassing myself before senior. But what did sir do…"
"Opened her mind."
Kunpeng smiled, "Kid, I have to admit, you are loaded with treasures yet can't even see them. I was born out of chaos itself to become the head of the five sacred beasts. Like that Thunder Phoenix, I use the Chaos Flame, a gentle flame. It can transcend the soul, harmonize yin and yang and open the mind!"
"Kid, you have my Chaos Flame. If you used it to refine your soul for ten years you would have been in the Ethereal Stage. What are you still doing in the Profound Heaven Stage? A darn shame."
"Why didn't you tell me that the first time?" Zhuo Fan was stumped and grumbling inside. At least he was a hard worker in building up his strength all this time.
But who'd be a moron to skip such a shortcut?
It should've hit him a long time ago, in fact. When he got his Discerning Field and wielded Radiant Stage's skills. Weren't all of them a byproduct of the azure flame? Why didn't he take the educated and logical guess of using it to refine his soul?
Zhuo Fan felt like shedding dry tears, [All those years, for nothing!]
Kunpeng shook his head, "I gave you the azure flame to shield your soul while also helping you get in the Lightning Canyon. I never intended for you to use it and go ethereal. But now that you've refined my old flame, you have complete control over it and should've enjoyed your fortune. A shame you're such a schmuck to understand this basic truth, ha-ha-ha…"
Zhuo Fan's face twitched.