71: Chapter 71 The Journey

"Since that's the case, I'll go out with you. But it's agreed, at least one-third of the medicinal herbs we encounter will be mine!" Zi Yan said, looking at Xun'er beside Xiao Yan.

She had long since grown tired of staying at the academy, so hearing Xiao Yan's promise, she naturally wanted to follow him out.

After waiting a short while for Zi Yan, the three of them prepared to set off for the Heavenly Serpent Mansion.

Upon stepping outside, the cry of an eagle echoed from the sky. It was a giant eagle with a wingspan of several dozen zhang, its back fixed with a platform that could accommodate dozens of people. It suddenly descended from the sky, kicking up a gust of wind.

"This is a Tier 6 Demonic Beast I found a few days ago. It's perfect as a mount and very stable to ride," Xiao Yan explained with a smile to Xun'er and Zi Yan. He had been craving a mount for a long time and finally had the free time these past few days to specifically go out and find a suitable one.

This Purple-Winged Giant Owl, with strength comparable to a Dou Huang, was the result of Xiao Yan's hard work over the past few days. On the owl's head was a flame mark—Xiao Yan's Fallen Heart Flame mark—which could accelerate the owl's cultivation. This was one of the reasons the Purple-Winged Giant Owl was willing to serve as Xiao Yan's mount. Another reason was that Xiao Yan had promised to refine a Transformation Pill for it in two years.

"This big eagle is quite impressive. Where did you get it, Xiao Yan?" Zi Yan asked, tilting her head as she looked at the Purple-Winged Giant Owl before her.

As a Tier 6 Demonic Beast, the Purple-Winged Giant Owl's intelligence was no lower than an ordinary person's. Seeing Zi Yan, it spoke in a sharp, slightly disdainful tone: "Little girl, I am no mere big eagle. I am the master of the Purple Owl Mountain Range, the Purple-Winged Giant Owl!"

"Big bird, I don't care what mountain range master you are. Aren't you still just a mount now!" Zi Yan was clearly dissatisfied with the Purple-Winged Giant Owl calling her a little girl, and she said loudly with her hands on her hips.

The disdain in the Purple-Winged Giant Owl's eyes grew stronger, but out of consideration for Xiao Yan, it merely let out a cold snort and said nothing more.

"Zi Yan, be more polite," Xiao Yan said, frowning at Zi Yan. Although the Purple-Winged Giant Owl was a mount, Zi Yan speaking like that to its Face was somewhat insulting to the beast.

"Big Purple, don't underestimate Little Zi either. She is a Demonic Beast with an ancient Bloodline," Xiao Yan said to the Purple-Winged Giant Owl. If it weren't for the sake of his own Face, the two would likely have started fighting on the spot. Explaining it now was for the best, to avoid future conflicts between the two beasts.

"This girl is also a Demonic Beast?" the Purple-Winged Giant Owl asked, looking at the small Zi Yan beneath it with surprise and suspicion.

Seeing the skeptical look on the Purple-Winged Giant Owl, Zi Yan couldn't help but snort. A strange purple light flashed in her eyes, and an aura pressed down upon the Purple-Winged Giant Owl.

The moment that pressure spread, the Purple-Winged Giant Owl's massive body suddenly sank without warning, as if struck by some form of coercion.

Although it immediately steadied itself, it caused a stormy sea to rise in the Purple-Winged Giant Owl's heart.

Its sharp eyes were covered in shock. Given its strength, it could naturally see that Zi Yan was in the Dou Wang Realm, yet that aura just now had indeed been released from her body.

Generally speaking, there are only two reasons a Demonic Beast would feel such pressure: one is a huge disparity in strength, and the other is pressure stemming from the Bloodline.

The first reason could naturally be ruled out; there was still a gap between Zi Yan's strength and the Purple-Winged Giant Owl's. Thus, only the second reason could explain it.

Xiao Yan naturally knew why. Zi Yan was currently the most powerful type of Demonic Beast on the Fighting Qi Continent—a Void Ancient Dragon!

"This... she is actually a Demonic Beast?" the Purple-Winged Giant Owl looked at Zi Yan in shock. Only a Demonic Beast with a Bloodline far superior to its own could make it feel such pressure from the Bloodline.

"Hmph, scared now? Although I don't know what kind of Demonic Beast I am, I'm definitely much stronger than you, you big bird."

Xun'er also looked at Zi Yan in surprise; Xiao Yan had never told her before that Zi Yan was a Demonic Beast.

"Hehe, alright, let's get ready to set off..."

After Xiao Yan introduced Zi Yan and Xun'er to the Purple-Winged Giant Owl, he and the two ladies leaped onto the platform on the owl's back. The platform was empty, save for an object resembling a monster core embedded in a small pillar at the front.

Xiao Yan walked up to the small pillar, and a surge of Fighting Qi poured out, stored within the sphere. Instantly, a somewhat transparent energy formed over the platform, covering the entire area like a semi-circle.

The energy membrane could not only block wind and rain but also withstand attacks of a certain power.

Once the energy defensive shield was formed, the Purple-Winged Giant Owl flapped its wings violently. Its massive wings kicked up a hurricane that raged in all directions, and then it soared straight into the sky, tearing through the air towards the Northwest Continent.

...

Early morning. The vast, boundless blue sky was dotted with clear clouds, and the sun rose as usual.

A roar of wind suddenly came from the horizon. Looking up, a black dot approached from afar, carried by the wind. A purple bird, over a hundred meters in size, flapped its wings slightly, gliding rapidly through the air.

Below in the sky, a long line of hundreds of people moved slowly. At the back of the line, a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion looked up numbly, then listlessly swung his whip, striking the emaciated, unkempt old man in front of him.

"Old man, walk faster, or we'll both be in trouble..."

The clinking sound of iron chains rang out. This line of hundreds of slaves was being driven by another group of slaves wielding whips.

Surrounding the line were dozens of fierce bandits mounted on horses. The bandits looked on with cold, indifferent eyes at the ragged, tattered slaves.

Seeing that the old man and the middle-aged man had been lagging at the back for a long time, a mounted bandit's eyes turned cold, and he shouted, urging his horse forward.

"Hmph, looks like not enough of you have died yet!"

The bandit swung his ruthless long blade downwards, slashing at the old man and the middle-aged man, who watched with despairing and numb eyes.

However, the two seemed accustomed to this. As the long blade fell, they had no intention of resisting and completely closed their eyes.

A few people at the front of the line trembled, but then they quickened their pace. For this kind of direct execution, it could be considered the simplest way to die.

The bodies were cleaved into quarters, blood pooling together...

And this pair of father and son, who had suffered for a lifetime, finally found release today.

A shriveled youth in front of the bodies saw this, his body trembling slightly. Dragging his frail frame, he struggled forward a few steps, taking the second-to-last position.

He didn't want to die, but his weak body only allowed him to struggle at the back of the line. Yet he was relatively lucky; a few days ago, several boys his age had closed their eyes early, never to open them again.

"Move faster, damn it! Be careful not to miss the destination, or I'll kill all you vermin! Hahaha!" the burly man on the horse laughed wantonly. To these useless slaves, dying at his hands was the greatest honor of their lives.

"Hahahaha! If you kill them all, we won't get paid!" another man holding a blade laughed wildly, then fixed his eyes on the youth in the second-to-last position.

"Little thing, not bad. You managed to survive the last two days by relying on your parents to drag you along, even though your sister died. And now, you're still holding on? Hehe, if you can survive another two days, I'll take it upon myself to ensure you don't die too ugly a death."

This man had a sinister look in his eyes, and the words he spoke were enough to make one feel despair.

He had made a bet with the man who swung the blade earlier that this kid could hold on for one more day. If he couldn't, hahaha, he would have to experience the agony of being burned alive.

The shriveled youth's entire family had previously been reduced to ashes. Looking forward to it, looking forward to it! Looking forward to your performance over these next two days!

"Hehe, hehehehe..."

Thanks to "Misaka 0126, Reading Bibliography, One Flame Burns the Heavens, Qing Chen_, Book Friend 170121103231742" and others for the monthly tickets!