The Jiao Peng youth was small, but his gaze was chilling, decisive yet forcefully domineering. Straining his arms, he drew open a sacred bow taut as a full moon, a steel arrow shimmering with cold radiance aimed directly at the three nestlings. “Chi” — a frosty light shot forth, howling ominously like ghostly cries on violent winds hurtling toward Zi Yun. He had targeted this hatchling specifically, deeming its gleaming purplish-gold plumage most auspicious; it appeared mystical indeed, ripe for a strike and subsequent capture.
“Qiang!” A tiny, alabaster fist slashed through the air, batting away the arrow’s deadly flight. All stood agape: this youth moved faster than sound! With one bound, he had intercepted the arrow’s crushing force!
“Why’re you so cruel, why hurt everyone?” The indignant young one scowled, round eyes afire with wrath.
“Step aside!” The Jiao Peng youth barked back coldly, a cruel glint dancing across knitted brows and in piercing pupils alike. His gaze cut like blades while a heartless smile curled icy at his lips – relentless and unyielding enough to incite ire across second brothers, urchins, little rascals… Never had they witnessed more heartless intentions! These fledglings belonged to village nurturers.
“Do you know decency at all” Shi Da Zhuang roared furiously, raising a brass cauldron heavy enough to take both hands to grip as though charging into fray himself.
“Stay behind Da Zhuang,” Little Hero commanded, aware fully only his fists outshone that merciless predator.
“Defy further, let this merciless barb pierce flesh!” The merciless Jiao Peng declared as he leveled shaft and fletchings with an aloof detachment belying youthfulness.
“You will flee!” Shi Hao declared turning, placing slight frame protectively between peril, commanding “Dadie, Zhu Yun retreat first.”
“Not one shall!” The cruel predator proclaimed again, setting string once more. An icy edge shimmered malevolently.
“Whoosh…” A whistling of winds heralded sudden motion from Zishankun alongside Leimingyuan. Lest they trail too closely behind, they rushed into position, nocked iron fletchings drawn. The great nest had long recognized mortal hunters encroaching with intent – their young, although lacking words, radiated sharp-witted understanding as potent a wisdom as might mankind boast. Righteously incensed, they flared their pinnae threateningly, but only Little Hero would interdict this cruelty midair leap.
“This is MY kin! Hurt them no more!” Came the piping protest. At this clamoring protestations rang, Stonewood tigers and kin stormed hastily toward commotion in righteous fury. Hospitality they had assumed earlier, but such cruel disregard! They had welcomed unwelcome interlopers.
“That’s hardly seemly,” the old one from Skycloud Temple murmured once more attempting intercession.
“Just youthful tempers clashing,” came mediation from onlookers watching the tiff; perhaps better that tempers flare, offering means perhaps to pilfer young Stone Villager’s relic bones?
Meanwhile Jiacang from Rofu Marsh kept glacial silence throughout.
Likewise indifferent stood clans of Zishan and thunderline.
“Well… if ‘children’s spats’ suffice,” the temple oldster murmured conceding nonintervention.
Despite fury burning behind ribs, Zhonghou and kindred suppressed wrath watching their diminutive prodigy wave caution with tiny hands. They recognized mortal dangers posed by those strangers surrounding their home.
Suddenly “Chi! Chi!” Strings sang. Jiao Peng shot forth arrows in volleys: relentless, gleaming pinion streaks crackling with death as they pierced sky. Little One’s movements became lightnings against dark clouds as he attempted shielding against more adversaries still. Zishankun and Leiming Yuan, although vigilant adversaries, proved secondary in his mind when against this onslaught.
“Clang” rang steel upon scale! One impacted the young golden eagle, Dadie, whose wings thundered defiance. Protective scales, although stout, yielded partially. Blood seeped forth; verdant scale flake after flake peeled.
“Qiang! Dadie roared a cry that split mountains as the strikes hit their marks, each one another wound upon him that made scarlet petals dance.
Although he was merely past age five, power surged from those arms — each arrow packed enough force to tear mountains apart with the impact they landed on these young birds.
Although these young birds possessed rare qualities themselves and had studied the glyphs alongside Hao, the fledgling’s three-month birth had still left them unripe in mastery. The young warriors still too young to wield potent techniques — their armor paled beside a mature azure eagle’s hide. While blood didn’t spill from Zi Yun’s skin, both Dadie and Xiao Qing bore grievous scales torn loose.
Eyes burning fierce rage ignited anew, the white-cloaked boy dashed before his comrades to oppose the assailant.
“Back! You pest!” Jeered Jiao Peng’s cruel taunting; bowstring now drawn taut against tiny white throat, his icy eyes fixed upon little neck’s tender spot – merciless hunter targeting his mark, unhesitant execution. Stone villagers flared crimson – these young ones had made their home amongst their hearths. Hunters dared come into their home seeking spoil without care, too grievous!
“Do not FORCE me,” even young Hero spoke rarely with such wrath.
“Yet force further I WOULD!” came the defiant dare; the cruel grin never slipping. Having tasted shame at pure might’s mightiness in prior test of fists, this contest he sought now with Glyphs in grasp he craved redemption against those fists he’d faced.
“Shiuuu!!!” The arrow shot, howling faster than thought as aimed at tiny throat.
But “Bong!!” – the Hero’s hand snapped out, faster than lightning — clamping frigid shaft mid-flight, the grip deft as any master duelist then whipping the deathblow reversed with precision upon thrower. As that barbed fletching returned upon former flight-path with enhanced fury. Meanwhile, his jump covered more than fifty steps across open air as if dragon-son diving to strike.
“You were worth waiting!” Taunted that predator.
“You dwelled amidst crag, oblivious to boundless skies beyond,” the arrogant youth smirked, fingers wreathed in flashing ancient markings — swirling symbols enveloping his form with protective halation, augmenting might.
He charged, intending total subdication.
Silently, radiating light, the Hero surged in response – body wreathed suddenly with auroral luster that surged forth like morning breaking across sky.
Haloed limbs radiated purity.
“Hong——!!”
The clash roared, as though titanic ranges crumbling upon themselves.
Gasping, grunting pained — the arrogant figure flew bodily sideways with explosive force! His knuckles cracked with blood, spasms shook his arms like flung dolls. Were it not for mysterious glyphs blazing across his wrists and sending forth serpentine shapes curling around his limbs, perhaps broken limbs indeed greeted him.
“Puh-TOOONGGG!!”, he slid for many lengths beyond original place then rolled, still struggling to stand.
Silence engulfed the clearing — absolute pin-pricked quiet. Who’d have guessed a single blow would send this arrogant prodigy soaring?
“He wields divine might!”
Amongst prodigies of the same age, such prowess already stood leagues apart from mere talents — such might heralded true celestial gifted!
Jiao Peng twisted upright in stubborn defiance, cheeks red with anger’s heat and humiliation.
Then resounded a “Dong!” from another feat; an alabaster hand lashed a colossal copper cauldron aloft that had been laying groundside weighing no less than 10,000 catties. Now, it soared straight towards the two other hunting figures from Zishanku and Thunderline!
For while his contest unfolded against this arrogant serpent-descendent, the two remaining interlopers, having taken advantage of his distraction, aimed their sacred bows.
A titanic furnace flew amidst gasps!
Did this little villager’s limbs deceive? Could a child not four summers strong genuinely unleash so formidable a strength, flinging weights akin to mere pebbles? The porcelain-doll demeanor now vanished — what beheld were nothing short of mighty!
“HONGG!!,” it crashed toward them with might capable toppling cliffs! The weight flew with crushing intent, startlingly formidable. Raising iron cauldrons challenged no one here. Yet wielding one through midair as though mere club?
A terrifying sight indeed. The two prodigious figures dodged with haste lest their limbs shatter upon the smallest brushing of this monstrous metal titan.
“KACHA!” But too slowly, Zishankun’s bow bore strike’s impact, and as the cauldron’s might struck true, snapping it despite his desperate defensive move as he dodged.
His body intact, his precious bow shattered beyond remedy.
“You two come here!” the tiny, white-clothed prodigy shouted at the fleeing two even as he kept watchful eye fixed toward Jiao Peng, finger now accusing them all as one and then added:
“Now! The THREE OF YOU — COME TOGETHER!”
Shocked silence once more fell across those present — from aristocrats of Zishan or Lightning Families as much as from Rofu’s great swampers.
Did they hear correctly?! — three peer geniuses forced into combined assault against one suckling infant from such humble cradle?
Should these three stand as titans themselves, then this tiny creature must’ve been something beyond mere talent — something altogether monstrous…
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