On the evening of the third day, Han Li, who had been meditating in deep concentration, finally opened his eyes.
He raised his head to glance at the darkening sky, then flipped his palm to reveal a Moonlight Stone. Tossing it into the air, a milky white glow spilled down, illuminating the nearby peach grove brightly.
Without a word, Han Li stood up, retrieved a red coral several feet in size, and placed it beneath a peach tree. He then took out a jade box, opening it to reveal a small spiritual herb with a single stem and thirteen leaves, barely an inch tall. The herb emitted a faint, misty radiance—it was none other than the Rainbow Skirt Grass he had nurtured countless times!
“Is this your prepared method?” The Great Divinity Sovereign, utterly baffled, couldn’t help but speak up. Though he had seen Han Li use this herb to feed the Gold Devouring Beetles with astonishing results, its appearance now left him deeply puzzled.
Hearing the question, Han Li chuckled softly. “This herb has another name—’Demon Lure Grass.’ Without further explanation, Senior should understand my intentions.”
“Demon Lure Grass! Could it be that you intend to…” The Great Divinity Sovereign’s voice trailed off in sudden realization.
“Exactly. Six days from now is when that little Sunbird is let out for fresh air. When that time comes… heh.” Han Li let out a cold laugh.
—
Fang Chu was a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator of Yueyang Palace. At his level, there were at least a thousand similar disciples in the sect, making him seemingly insignificant. Yet, contrary to expectations, not only did other Foundation Establishment cultivators treat him with respect, but even some Core Formation uncles and elders addressed him politely, never treating him as a junior. Whenever benefits were distributed within the sect, Fang Chu was always the first among Foundation Establishment disciples to receive them.
This made Fang Chu’s life in Yueyang Palace quite comfortable. However, despite his pride, he knew all this stemmed solely from his assigned duty—he was the caretaker of the smaller Sunbird.
He had been chosen for this role due to his innate ability to understand the language of avian spiritual beasts, a talent no one else could replicate. Otherwise, given the Sunbird’s rarity, such a responsibility would never have fallen to him.
After all, “caretaking” also meant a degree of control over the spiritual beast, which was no small matter.
The Sunbird under his care, though not yet at its peak strength, could easily overpower late Core Formation cultivators and rival nascent Soul Formation beings. No wonder others treated Fang Chu with such wariness.
Having tended to the Sunbird for over thirty years, Fang Chu had grown accustomed to the task. The only inconvenience was that, whether cultivating or meditating, he had to remain by the bird’s side at all times. Even during the brief half-day when the Sunbird was allowed to fly freely for fresh air, he had to interrupt his own cultivation to follow it discreetly from afar, ensuring no mishaps occurred.
Yet, Fang Chu harbored no real concern. The entire 100,000-li Tianyue Mountain Range was under Yueyang Palace’s control—what could possibly go wrong?
With such relaxed thoughts, Fang Chu followed the Sunbird as it flew out of its aviary early that morning, trailing it from a distance.
The Sunbird wasn’t particularly large, measuring about ten feet in length, with several long tail feathers accounting for most of its size. From afar, it resembled a giant crimson peacock, though no ordinary peacock could boast such fiery, resplendent plumage.
The spiritual bird was clearly excited. Once beyond Yueyang Palace’s restrictions, it flapped its blazing wings, circling and dancing in the air without noticing the figure following behind.
Normally, Fang Chu wouldn’t have been able to evade the Sunbird’s spiritual sense. But before leaving, he had affixed a specially crafted Concealment Talisman to his body, allowing him to remain undetected despite his modest cultivation.
Watching the bird’s joyful cries, Fang Chu smiled knowingly. Having spent so much time with it, he recognized the Sunbird’s current mood as one of pure delight. This outing would likely keep the bird content for the next half-month.
True to habit, the Sunbird leisurely circled above Yueyang Palace before changing direction and flying outward.
Fang Chu wasn’t concerned. The bird typically made a wide loop around the palace, covering a radius of a hundred li before returning, so he followed at a relaxed pace.
But this time, after flying barely thirty li, something unexpected happened.
The previously exuberant Sunbird suddenly halted mid-flight, its cries turning sharp and piercing.
Fang Chu, startled by the change, had no time to react before the Sunbird burst into flames several feet long and shot off in a new direction. Within moments, it transformed into a massive fireball streaking hundreds of zhang away.
Shocked and terrified, Fang Chu hastily pulled out a jade token, channeling spiritual power into it while emitting strange, bird-like calls, attempting to summon the Sunbird back.
The distant Sunbird seemed to hear the call, hesitating briefly before letting out even more frantic cries and vanishing beyond the horizon without looking back.
Fang Chu’s face turned deathly pale as he hovered in mid-air, momentarily paralyzed with indecision.
Then, remembering something, he frantically retrieved a Sound Transmission Talisman, shouted a few urgent words into it, and hurled it into the air. The talisman transformed into a streak of fire, speeding back toward Yueyang Palace.
Gritting his teeth, Fang Chu tightened his grip on the jade token and pursued the Sunbird’s direction at full speed. Whether he could catch up or not, he couldn’t afford to wait idly—facing the sect elders empty-handed would mean severe punishment.
—
As Fang Chu gave chase, chaos erupted simultaneously across Tianyue Mountain Range’s other spiritual beast habitats.
In the northern mountains, several low-ranking Yueyang Palace disciples struggled to restrain a giant vulture-like bird with silver ropes, trying to control its sudden, violent attempts to change direction. Soon, they were drenched in sweat, yet the beast remained frantic, desperate to charge toward an unknown destination.
In a hidden tree hollow at the mountain’s edge, a masked cultivator in yellow-green robes, resembling withered wood, pressed down on a foot-long black spider with a glowing green hand. The spider snarled furiously, its agitation making the cultivator’s eyes flicker with unease.
At Nantian Peak, within a concealed hall of Yueyang Palace, a white-haired elder in purple robes stroked another Sunbird—identical to Fang Chu’s, though slightly larger.
The elder sensed the bird’s sudden, inexplicable restlessness. Had she not repeatedly cast calming spells, the bird would have already fled the hall. Frowning, she fell into deep thought.
—
Fang Chu, burning through his spiritual power in pursuit, had long lost sight of the Sunbird. Yet, thanks to the jade token’s tracking ability, he wasn’t worried about losing it within Tianyue Mountain Range.
But as he raced onward, he noticed something astonishing—low-level demonic beasts were emerging from hidden dens across the mountains, all sprinting or leaping in the same direction as the Sunbird.
In no time, a small-scale beast tide had formed, including rare creatures seldom seen in the mountains. Fortunately, high-level beasts and flying demons had long been purged by Yueyang Palace’s elite, so there was no immediate danger.
Still, the sudden loss of control over both the Sunbird and the beasts left Fang Chu deeply unsettled.
—
Meanwhile, in a secluded valley tens of thousands of li away, Han Li sat cross-legged, the Rainbow Skirt Grass planted on coral before him, bathed in red radiance. Six of its leaves had unfurled, shimmering mysteriously under the spiritual light.
Han Li wasn’t focused on the herb, however. His eyes were half-lidded as he coldly observed the scene beyond the peach grove, his expression unreadable.
Outside the barrier, dozens of low-level spiritual beasts had gathered, frantically assaulting the outer restrictions in their frenzy to devour the six-leafed Rainbow Skirt Grass.
The sheer number of low-level beasts in Tianyue Mountain Range surprised Han Li. Yet, he paid them no mind, closing his eyes to sweep his spiritual sense toward Yueyang Palace.
By his calculations, the Rainbow Skirt Grass’s allure should be most effective on seventh-level demonic beasts. Given the Sunbird’s speed—far surpassing ordinary magical treasures—it shouldn’t take long to arrive.
Soon, Han Li’s icy expression shifted. His eyes snapped open as he formed hand seals and uttered a low incantation. Several spell techniques flew out, activating the outermost illusion array. A layer of white mist rose from the ground, swiftly enveloping half the peach grove.
At that moment, two distinct sounds echoed from the east and west—a beast’s furious roar and a clear, melodious bird cry. A massive yellow orb and a colossal fireball shot toward the valley from opposite directions, both targeting Han Li’s location.
Seeing this, Han Li let out a soft sound of surprise, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face.
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