Although Li Tan had temporarily failed to detect any nearby traces of demonic beasts, this might be due to the fact that demonic beasts from deeper within the Fallen Immortal Domain had driven away the fierce creatures in this area, leaving it unusually empty—something that would never occur under normal circumstances. Thus, Li Tan traveled for quite some time, only to find the biggest obstacle being chaotic thickets and thorns, which left him both amused and frustrated.
As he climbed over a bush, Li Tan suddenly felt a chill on his forehead. He looked up in concern and saw a half-human-sized eagle perched on a tree branch, its feathers dyed red, obviously injured.
“Injured beast?”
Li Tan murmured softly.
The eagle stared back at Li Tan, its emerald eyes filled with wariness, its injured body shrinking inward, seemingly protecting something.
“No, it’s a demon beast.”
Li Tan’s eyes instantly sparkled with excitement, his previously limp fingers tightening. He paid special attention to the object the white-feathered eagle was shielding with its body, speculating that the eagle might have just engaged in a fierce battle with other demonic beasts and narrowly emerged victorious. The treasure it was guarding could very well be the spiritual herb he needed.
“Strike it down with a mental attack, then quickly climb the tree and take the item.”
Li Tan quickly formulated a plan and prepared to act immediately.
However, the moment his spiritual force extended outwards, the eagle emitted a mournful cooing sound. Its wary gaze gradually transformed into one of pleading, seemingly aware of its situation, silently saying: Please don’t kill me.
Li Tan was slightly startled: “Begging for mercy?
It seems this creature’s intelligence is quite high.”
Still, surprise aside, the creature in front of him was a demonic beast, not a human. Li Tan wouldn’t soften his heart so easily. His spiritual force shot out without hesitation, sharp like a sword.
The white-feathered eagle immediately let out a shriek and fell from the treetop, pulled down by gravity. Meanwhile, Li Tan nimbly climbed the tree and looked toward the eagle’s original position, only to freeze.
There was no treasure or spiritual plant on the branch—only a sleeping, weak baby eagle.
“This creature was protecting its young. It must have just given birth, rushed out to fight for something, and ended up defeated.”
Li Tan sneered slightly, his eyes showing disdain.
No sooner had he spoken than there was movement beneath the tree. Glancing down, he saw the white-feathered eagle frantically struggling, dragging itself forward with desperate and panicked screeches.
“You want to save this chick?”
Li Tan sneered at the eagle, then moments later, his hand resting lightly on the tree trunk trembled slightly as his gaze returned to the chick. “The offspring of a demonic beast could fetch a handsome price if sold. In a larger city, it might even be exchanged for the herbs needed to refine the Nine Revolutions Verdant Spirit Pill.”
Li Tan felt tempted and reached out to grab the chick.
Soft and tender, like cotton.
At this moment, the white-feathered eagle struggled even harder, its cries becoming increasingly frantic, but to no avail.
Li Tan tightened his grip on the baby eagle and calmly sat on the branch, looking down. He knew and was certain that with such injuries, the white-feathered eagle couldn’t even stand, let alone fly up to fight. Remaining calm, he said, “You’re about to die anyway. Leaving this chick here would only make it prey for ferocious beasts. It’s better I take it. At least then it won’t die.”
Young monsters sold at auctions or similar venues are typically purchased by individuals who raise them to form bonds, either as secondary combat companions or pets, ensuring their survival—since no fool would spend a fortune just to kill and stew them.
At this moment, the white-feathered eagle raised its head and stopped its futile struggle, glaring at Li Tan like at an enemy.
Li Tan was happy to take a break and didn’t rush to leave. He remained seated, watching intently, planning to wait for the eagle to die before taking its inner core.
Later, with the inner elixir and the chick, he could head to a larger city, find an auction house, and have a great chance of acquiring the herbs needed for the Nine Revolutions Green Spirit Pill. If lucky, he might even collect all the necessary ingredients at once.
After a while, the white-feathered eagle seemed to have figured something out and successfully stood up. However, Li Tan’s expression didn’t change at all. What good was standing up if it couldn’t fly?
Sure enough, although the white-feathered eagle stood, it didn’t make any further moves. Once soaring high in the skies, it was now so helpless, only trembling and glaring at Li Tan with resentment and hatred in its eyes.
At that moment, Li Tan felt a pulling force from his palm as the chick opened its eyes, seemingly awakened, trying to turn its body.
To prevent injury, Li Tan loosened his grip slightly.
The baby eagle successfully turned over and, with legs like reed stalks, unsteadily stood up. Tilting its tiny head, it reached the white-feathered eagle and cocked its head, letting out a soft, curious sound. The chick was probably wondering why its mother seemed different today.
Moved slightly, Li Tan decided to let the white-feathered eagle see its child a few more times before dying, so he extended his hand slightly.
Seeing its chick, the white-feathered eagle couldn’t stay calm. It lost balance and fell back down but quickly stood up again. This happened several times before it finally calmed down, glaring at Li Tan with hatred. Li Tan noticed the eagle’s eyes were now dull and its legs trembling violently, knowing its time was up. Without hesitation, he jumped down, landing a meter away.
This short distance felt like an abyss to the white-feathered eagle.
The baby eagle struggled toward its parent, chirping and trying to jump from Li Tan’s hand. Its spiritual intelligence wasn’t fully developed, but the bond of blood made it sense something was wrong, wanting to return to its mother’s side.
Thinking it couldn’t escape anyway, Li Tan simply loosened his grip and let the chick clumsily run to the white-feathered eagle.
The white-feathered eagle tiredly used its head to gently nuzzle the baby eagle before lifting it up, gazing at Li Tan with a complex expression.
Li Tan remained silent, watching quietly. He had almost precisely calculated the white-feathered eagle’s time left to the second.
After a long while, the white-feathered eagle seemed to make a decision. Its throat vibrated, its beak opened wide, and a soil-yellow, thumb-sized orb dropped out. After completing this series of actions, it no longer had any strength left. It fell sideways, its life force completely exhausted. In its final moments, it used its wing to push the baby eagle forward, softly chirped once at Li Tan, and then its eyes closed forever.
The baby eagle didn’t seem to understand what had happened, gently pecking at its mother’s body.
Li Tan stepped forward, picked up the soil-yellow orb, and slightly furrowed his brows: “Voluntarily giving me its inner core to entrust its child?”
To Li Tan, the white-feathered eagle’s actions held no real significance. Even without its willingness to surrender its inner core, he could extract it intact himself. Yet, despite saying so, Li Tan, with his iron heart, was slightly moved.
“If it were Leyin, she’d probably be crying already?”
Thinking of that overly kind girl, Li Tan helplessly shook his head slightly and said to the white-feathered eagle’s corpse, “I’ll find a kind-hearted master for it.”
He gently picked up the baby eagle, placed it in his pocket, then casually cut some branches and leaves from big trees, covered the white-feathered eagle’s body, lit a small fire with flint, and then turned to leave.
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