I stopped for a moment, tapping my chin. "I just need to find two beasts of the same level and gender for now… but can I beat them?" I blinked, the realization hitting me.
"Well, I'll find out when I meet any," I shrugged, resuming my walk. "Honestly, I don't even know if this is a cultivation world. I can't sense any energy in the air… Maybe it's because I can't cultivate."
My eyes scanned the towering trees again. "But looking at how tall these trees are, or how the grass sparkles a bit… it doesn't look like the mortal world. I've seen cultivation trees reaching tens of thousands of meters, even millions, touching the sky. Trees that could hold small planets on their branches, some with elements and consciousness."
I exhaled slowly, glancing at the surrounding forest. "This place seems so… colorless. Maybe it's because I was in a much bigger, grander place before."
Everything around me felt new, and I couldn't help but be curious about it all the rocks, the trees, even the leaves. I studied them closely, trying to see if there was more than what met the eye.
"Walking like this sucks," I muttered, frustration creeping back in. "How can something be this slow? You know," I said, talking to myself again, "when I rode my first pet, Croissant, it could travel at a hundred times the speed of sound. And that was the slowest ride I ever had."
I sighed, shaking my head at the memory. "Sigh… just keep bullshitting this and that…" I whispered, continuing on my way, my mind buzzing with excitement for what lay ahead.
It didn't take long before a beast finally showed up.
"Ughh, what's this?" I squinted, focusing on the creature emerging from the dense foliage.
A bird-like creature with yellow and red fur stood before me, its crimson eyes gleaming like polished jewels. It flapped its wings lightly, its feathers shimmering in the sunlight.
"A phoenix?" I blinked, confusion washing over me. "But… when did they become this small? And why does it look so disgustingly weak?"
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, my eyes narrowing as I studied the creature. My mind churned, trying to reconcile this pitiful thing with the majestic phoenixes I once knew.
Suddenly, a translucent screen appeared above the beast, flickering into existence like a ghostly whisper.
Hen
Cultivation: One Star
Type: Low Magic Beast
Quite dangerous for someone like you… so run with that tail between your legs.
"Hen?" I blinked, my eyes darting back to the screen. "What's that?"
The screen updated, almost as if mocking me.
[Also known as: Chicken.]
"Ughhh, what the fkkk is this?" I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "A hen? A chicken? So hard to remember… I'll just call it a Chicken Phoenix."
I exhaled, shaking my head. "Maybe creatures like this were too insignificant to even be known by me in my past life," I whispered, half amused, half irritated. "Great… I'm learning something new."
The chicken no, the Chicken Phoenix turned its head, its beady red eyes locking onto me.
"Pk-k-k, pk-k-k," it clucked, tilting its head as it blinked, clearly curious about the intruder before it.
"Hey," I called out, my voice filled with the pride of someone who had once stood above all. "I'm Ray. I want your life. Give it to me it would be an honor for your eighteen ancestors." I extended my hand toward the creature, my tone steeped in arrogance.
The Chicken Phoenix tilted its head again, blinking as if trying to decipher the nonsense coming from my mouth.
Silence stretched between us, broken only by the gentle rustling of the leaves in the wind. The awkwardness of the moment hung in the air like a heavy cloud.
I stood there, hand still extended, waiting for the chicken to respond.
Nothing.
The bird simply stared, unmoved, unbothered.
"How rude," I muttered under my breath, coughing lightly to cover my embarrassment. My pride, forged from years of standing at the pinnacle, refused to let me back down.
"Bow before me!" I commanded again, this time straightening my posture and striking an invincible pose, as if my mere presence would compel it to submit.
The Chicken Phoenix remained silent, unmoved by my display of dominance.
The awkwardness thickened, each second stretching longer than the last.
I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply to calm the storm brewing inside me. I had never, ever, been disrespected like this. I, the direct heir of the primordial family, who even ancestral phoenixes took pride in serving, was being ignored by this diluted, pathetic creature.
My eyes snapped open, blazing with newfound intensity. "How dare you…" I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "I shall make you submit to me."
My words hung in the air, heavy with authority and unyielding resolve.
The hen, seemingly having had enough of my nonsense, took a step forward, its talons scratching the ground with a faint pak pak pak as it tilted its head from side to side, studying me with those unblinking red eyes.
"Are you… attacking me? The great me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. My voice dripped with incredulity. "Hah, I can't even sense if you have cultivation. How odd."
I crossed my arms, frowning. "Well, I know I can't sense cultivation right now, but I can tell by experience… you're weak. No elemental or magical fluctuations at all. Not a trace."
I rubbed my chin, considering the possibilities. "Is it a rare case? Maybe it has the elements of time or space… or even the laws of heaven?" My eyes narrowed, scanning the creature more intently.
But then I shook my head, the thought dismissing itself. "No… no, this thing's too weak for that. It's not a joke to possess such elements. That level of power doesn't come easily."
I sighed, waving my hand dismissively. "Forget it. It's too weak. Even the environment around us isn't affected. If it can't even influence this much, then…" I trailed off, feeling a wave of disappointment. "What a pain in the ass. What did the system say about its cultivation level?"
I looked back at the translucent screen hovering above the creature.
One Star
Cultivation: Low Magic Beast
Tips: Quite dangerous for someone like you… so run with that tail between your legs.
"One star?" I blinked, the term unfamiliar. "Never heard of it." My mind drifted back to when I was born. "When I was born, I had the cultivation of a Spirit King."
I scoffed at the memory. "Yeah… I wasn't exactly a genius, just average for the direct lineage of the primordial family." The thought brought a pang of shame, which I quickly pushed aside.
"Sigh…" I exhaled heavily, shaking my head as the memory faded.