The valley lay still, trees broken, the ground littered with fallen leaves.
The earlier gales had already frightened off the few wild pet beasts nearby, leaving behind an unusually quiet clearing.
Qiao Sang waited. And waited.
“Xun xun?”
Little Treasure looked worried. He cried out softly, as if asking: They won’t really fail to co back, will they?
“You thought of the sa thing as …” Qiao Sang sat on the ground, leaning back against Yabao’s body, sighing in her heart.
“No, they’ll co. Just wait a little longer.”
“Xun xun…”
Little Treasure rembered how his future little brother stroked clouds for him. Feeling that his beast master’s words made sense, he settled down to wait patiently.
Legendary pet beasts wouldn’t lie, would they? Judging by how violent Qingfeng Yunren had been before, if it had truly refused, it would’ve struck outright…
Qiao Sang reassured herself as she pulled out the Qingqingni Compass, wanting to check if Qingqing Ni was still within its ten-kiloter sensing range.
But just as she lowered her head, strange noises echoed from underground and among the branches.
Her heart snapped to alert. She set down the compass and stood up, scanning her surroundings.
Suddenly, dozens of insect-type pet beasts, mantis-like in form, leapt out from the earth and branches, slashing at her with blade-like forearms.
Yabao reacted first. He opened his mouth and unleashed scorching flas at the swarm bursting from above.
His head turned, adjusting the fla’s arc midair, so that every single insect-type in the air was caught within his fiery range.
Lubao leapt atop her beast master’s head, exhaling icy breath downward.
In an instant, the chilling frost spread out, freezing all the insects that had crawled up from below.
Those above were charred black and fell from the sky.
Mini Scythe Mantises, interdiate insect-types. They live in groups, hunt in packs, and even fight over food together… ten or more appearing always ans there’s a leader. Qiao Sang’s mind ran through the data. She didn’t lower her guard. R̃άƝ𝘰𝐁Ɛʂ
According to the records, the leader of this species was usually at a higher level. But here… no sign of the evolved form yet.
A high-level beast wasn’t frightening to her current self. What unnerved her was a hidden one that might strike at any mont…
Her ear twitched, movent below.
She instinctively backed away several steps.
The ground she’d just stood on split open.
From the fissure, a massive blade over seven ters long, glowing faint yellow, thrust upward!
Qiao Sang’s pupils shrank. She was about to dodge when Gangbao’s wings flared, carrying her skyward in a streak of violet light.
Lubao hopped down, landing on Yabao’s back.
The blade, having missed, swept sideways.
The leafy ground tore apart like fragile paper.
“Attack the blade’s origin!” Qiao Sang commanded without hesitation.
Yabao opened his maw, firing a red-gold beam straight at the ground beneath the blade.
Boom!
The explosion shook heaven and earth. Fire and destruction erupted outward.
With Lubao on his back, Yabao blinked them all into the sky in an instant.
“Lili!”
From the blasted earth crawled a mantis-like beast over six ters long, shrieking as it fell back down.
A Blade Scythe General… an advanced insect-type, the evolved form of the Mini Scythe Mantis. Qiao Sang’s mind imdiately recalled its entry.
Engulfed in flas, the creature collapsed unconscious.
“Xun xun~”
Little Treasure popped beside his beast master via teleport, waving as if to say: Didn’t even get my turn this ti.
“Gu gu!”
Before Qiao Sang could reply, a thunderous cry shook the valley.
A terrifying aura swept across everything.
“Gu gu!”
The roar reverberated, dislodging rocks from the cliffs.
The call of an Ancient Winged Bird… Qiao Sang’s heart chilled.
Could the commotion just now have angered it?
Before she could decide, a colossal bird appeared overhead. Nearly twenty ters long, with red eyes, its plumage of white-brown streaked faintly with blue, trailing a long brown tail, it blotted out half the sun.
The valley plunged into a suffocating stillness.
Its cold, wrathful eyes locked on Qiao Sang and her beasts.
Her blood froze. Crap. The Ancient Winged Bird really is here for !
Should she order Little Treasure to teleport them away imdiately?
But Qingfeng Yunren and Qingqing Ni hadn’t returned yet!
If she fled now… how would she ever find them again?
Her mind raced with choices.
“Yap!”
Yabao bared his teeth, his body taut with unprecedented tension, though he radiated defiance.
“Lu Di.”
Lubao climbed onto Yabao’s head, gaze solemnly fixed on the giant bird.
The difference between when the Ancient Winged Bird had closed its eyes earlier and now with its full might unveiled was overwhelming.
“Xun xun…”
Little Treasure inched closer to his beast master, whispering anxiously: Should we go?
If they fled, they might never find Qingfeng Yunren and Qingqing Ni again… Calm down. There had to be another way.
An Emperor-level beast like the Ancient Winged Bird surely heard the earlier fight. Yet it hadn’t opened its eyes then, clearly it didn’t care. Now, disturbed, it was enraged. If they could pacify it, maybe it would go back to ignoring her…
Qiao Sang’s mind flashed with an idea.
Have Lubao use Healing Soundwaves.
But just as she opened her mouth, a strange wind rose above.
Her words froze.
The Ancient Winged Bird parted its beak, condensing a blinding white beam of destruction.
Sweat pooled in her palms, though her face remained calm.
“Displace it.”
“Xun xun!”
Little Treasure’s eyes shone blue. Energy surged wildly inside.
In the next second, the Ancient Winged Bird, and its gathering beam, vanished from the sky.
BOOM!!!
A deafening blast resounded in the distance.
The shockwaves rattled everything.
Wild pet beasts shrieked, scattering chaotically in all directions.
“Qingfeng…”
Qingfeng Yunren finally appeared, stunned at the scene.
“Qingqing…”
Qingqing Ni surfaced beside it, wearing the sa expression.
“Ahem…” Qiao Sang feigned a cough.
The two turned to her.
“I told you, I’d leave the Ancient Winged Bird for Qingqing Ni to handle. I wouldn’t strike first.” Her tone was utterly serious.
Qingfeng Yunren’s eyes lit up.
“Gu gu!”
Another furious cry erupted in the distance.
Not good. If it cos back, we’re finished. Panic gnawed at her gut, but she kept a smile: “I’m glad I trusted you to return. Are you ready?”
She shot Little Treasure a look: Go!
“Xun xun!”
He understood instantly.
Blue light flared.
Before Qingfeng Yunren could react, everything went black.
When sight returned, Qiao Sang, her beasts, Qingfeng Yunren, and Qingqing Ni had vanished.
Seconds later, the Ancient Winged Bird dove from the clouds, wrath uncontained.
“Gu gu!!!”
It roared at the empty sky, angrier than before.
--- Read at: sblogspot-translatedstories. blogspot/?m=1 ---
Little Treasure kept teleporting them again and again.
“Qingfeng!”
At last, high above a dense forest, Qingfeng Yunren cried out impatiently, Where are we even going?
Little Treasure halted, looking to his beast master.
Finally safe… Qiao Sang surveyed the forest, relaxing slightly. Then realized Gangbao still carried her in her talons in a rather undignified way. Through their link, she said, Put on Yabao’s back.
Obediently, Gangbao flew down and released her.
Straightening her back atop Yabao, she declared: “I’m looking for a place to train.”
Gangbao gave her a quiet look.
“Qingfeng…”
Qingfeng Yunren blinked, clearly not expecting that answer.
“Qing qing?”
Qingqing Ni tilted its head curiously, asking: Does a training place an sowhere dangerous?
“Exactly.” Qiao Sang nodded.
“Qing qing.”
Qingqing Ni suddenly brightened, it knew several such places! Should they go now?
Qiao Sang: …
…Not necessary.
Gangbao nearly burst into laughter.
Qiao Sang caught the look, narrowing her eyes. Did you just laugh?
Gangbao blinked innocently: Nope.
“Qing qing?”
Still no answer, Qingqing Ni asked again.
Qiao Sang, under Qingfeng Yunren’s piercing gaze, said solemnly: “No need. Seeking out danger deliberately lacks aning. I prefer crises that co at random. That’s how I sharpen my adaptability.”
Qingqing Ni looked awed.
Qingfeng Yunren’s eyes softened further with approval.
Little Treasure stopped teleporting. Yabao carried them across the skies instead.
Along the way, Qingfeng Yunren produced a pink crystal orb from its white clouds, handing it to Qingqing Ni.
“Qing qing.”
It accepted happily and began nibbling.
A Spirit-Refining Crystal… a fairy-type item that purifies energy inside fairy beasts. Qiao Sang recognized it imdiately as one of the treasures Little Treasure had once pulled out.
Which made her think...
Secret Realm No.16 only opens every 30 years, filled with resources. Since I’ve gathered so much already, I could turn a profit while still inside…
Her thoughts were cut by commotion nearby.
Several flying beasts stared in awe at Qingfeng Yunren and Qingqing Ni, whispering excitedly like fans before celebrities.
Qingfeng Yunren glanced at them.
The beasts nearly trembled with excitent.
Qiao Sang realized sothing sharply. She turned serious: “You two following like this is too conspicuous. Many inside the secret realm are hunting for you. It’s safer if you stay as wind, like before.”
If she could track Qingqing Ni with the compass, so could anyone else.
“Qingfeng?”
Qingfeng Yunren cried.
“Gang Zhan.”
Gangbao translated: It says, aren’t you very strong?
Qiao Sang paused.
“…I’m still growing.”
Qingfeng Yunren looked at her, then turned into wind, vanishing.
“Qing qing~”
Qingqing Ni finished its crystal, smiled sweetly, then dissolved into the breeze as well.
So it really can be reasonable… Qiao Sang felt the warm wind brush her cheeks, at ease once more.
Still, she couldn’t just wander blindly. She’d need to face wild beasts directly to showcase her strength to Qingfeng Yunren, while also gathering resources.
Ti ticked by.
Twice they were attacked by high-level wild beasts, re practice.
At so point, Yabao yawned.
Ah, nap ti again.
She switched to Gangbao’s back.
Yabao shrank down, curling up on Gangbao, eyes closing in sleep.
Qiao Sang thought of sothing, then asked aloud to the empty air: “Do you two ever sleep?”
Only insects and birds answered.
“Qing qing~”
After several seconds, Qingqing Ni appeared, curled up beside Yabao.
It smiled sweetly at her, then fell asleep.
Qiao Sang’s heart lted. Too cute…
She didn’t ask further. Qingfeng Yunren’s silence was already its answer.
---
Clouds shifted. Seasons turned.
The air grew cold, spring into winter.
Yabao and Qingqing Ni woke and slept in cycles, day blurring into night.
Her phone’s battery had long died. Judging by Yabao’s naps, nearly twenty days had passed.
On a snowy mountain, Little Treasure hurled a Shadow Ball, striking down a wild beast.
Qiao Sang crouched, blade in hand, harvesting its fur.
Snow-Warm Spheres… their fur makes clothes resistant to -30°C cold, and it’s also a key material for warming potions. Taken, it keeps one warm for 24 hours, perfect for celebrities walking winter red carpets.
Just as she finished, her ears twitched. Footsteps crunched in the snow nearby.
She lifted her head.
Two n in black coats approached.
And one of them… held a Qingqingni Compass.
-----
T/n: Ehehehehe... Sorry for vanishing🥹😭 I got busy with the orientation and shopping for things to prepare. I'm going to be deployed to the school this Monday since the papers are signed and all. Here's four chapters to compensate🥹
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