Eating Monsters

"Scythe?" Yang Yi called out again, moving a few steps closer.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the Roc suddenly flapped its wings and burst out, its massive wings stirring up a gust of wind that swept up flying sand and stones.

Yang Yi couldn't help but raise his hand to shield his eyes. His body involuntarily retreated a few steps, and with a stumbling gait, he tripped and fell to the ground. A sharp pain shot through his palm as he braced himself.

Before he could lower his wrist after the wind and sand subsided, he suddenly heard a peculiar shout from behind him, "Trying to leave?!"

Yang Yi spun around abruptly, lowering his blocking hand, and saw the Gu carving bound by Ling Yao's tail.

The Gu雕 naturally wasn't willing to be captured so easily. Its huge, iron-hard wings flapped violently as it struggled, emitting sharp sound wave attacks from its mouth. The already scarred stone walls around them swayed precariously, and the flying sand and stones stirred up a cloud of dust.

A strong sense of crisis washed over the vulture. The Grim Reaper seemed to be extending its pale, withered fingers towards it. It could almost feel the deadly sharpness of the fingernails on those fingers, making the hairs on its neck stand on end and its entire body feel like it was plunged into an ice cellar. The vulture's struggles became even more frenzied.

Ling Yao tightened its grip on the tail. The Gu diao's immense strength and near-maniacal struggles were causing it some trouble as well.

"Tsk, troublesome." Ling Yao slammed down on the Gu*diao* with a "potsticker" move. Its seemingly soft feathers let out a sharp, piercing whistle, leaving behind a faint afterimage.

Unable to evade while bound by Ling Yao's tail, the Roc was hit squarely. With a dull thud, the Roc felt a powerful force strike it, sending its body uncontrollably to one side. Yet, it was still restrained, and the pulling force seemed to twist its internal organs together. Blood rushed backward, its ears roared, and its brain felt alien.

Everything before its eyes was like looking through a fog, hazy and indistinct.

All of the Gu雕's struggles ceased. If not for Ling Yao's tail, it would have likely collapsed on the ground by now.

Ling Yao stepped on the Gu雕's head and turned to look at Xiao Xiao, its eyes cold with a hint of indifference. Its lofty posture exuded an imposing and resolute demeanor.

Xiao Xiao: ...?

Ling Yao grew impatient with Xiao Xiao's bewildered expression, thinking humans were truly foolish creatures. The thought that its master was such a stupid human made Ling Yao feel utterly awful.

Noticing Ling Yao's increasingly displeased expression, Xiao Xiao looked confused and innocent.

Ling Yao closed its eyes in exasperation for a moment before finally speaking as if bestowing a favor.

"Do you want me to eat it?"

Eat... it?! Xiao Xiao was startled, then chided himself for overreacting.

Monsters were inherently a more direct, brutal, and bloody race than humans. Humans couldn't accept cannibalism, but the slaughter of monsters among themselves was commonplace.

Monsters were not a gentle species.

Besides, devouring other monsters could strengthen oneself, right?

Xiao Xiao guessed, wasn't that how it was written in many novels?

Existence justifies itself; perhaps reality was just like that.

"Stop, what are you doing?" Yang Yi's sudden interjection surprised Xiao Xiao, who glanced over, having almost forgotten about his presence.

"What are we doing?" Xiao Xiao repeated Yang Yi's question with a hint of playfulness. "We're doing what you were doing earlier."

Xiao Xiao's eyes curved slightly, but there was no mirth in his dark pupils.

He still vividly remembered the scene of the Gu雕 eating people.

Such a shocking image was hard to forget, and even a slight recollection would bring up a high-definition, watermark-free image in his mind, with all details clearly visible, and even dynamic.

This trauma might stay with him forever.

The danger brewing in Xiao Xiao's slightly furrowed brow caused Yang Yi to swallow the question he was about to blurt out.

However, Yang Yi, who had always had things his way and was naturally overbearing, couldn't possibly back down so easily. He adjusted his emotions, straightened his somewhat stiff expression, and spoke again, his words even carrying a hint of pride and certainty.

"Let go of the Gu figurine. What do you want?"

The Gu雕 was his unique reliance, something he was unwilling to lose.

Therefore, even at great risk, he was willing to feed the Gu worm with human flesh.

He, Yang Yi, was born into wealth and blessed with exceptional talent. Now, he had wealth, status, fame, and beautiful women – whatever he wanted. But the appearance of the Gu carving had shown him a different, even more brilliant and glorious future.

He was no longer content with his previous routine life. After seeing other possibilities, how could he be willing to be like the common masses?

He was extraordinary!

Yang Yi clenched his fists, the desires and cravings burning within his heart, making him forget his fear, forget his pain. His blazing gaze was filled with fervent, manic light.

He was like a beast with insatiable greed.

Xiao Xiao frowned slightly, feeling that Yang Yi was beyond saving, completely submerged in the abyss of desire and unable to extricate himself.

The appearance of the Gu carving had unleashed the demon within him, breaking free from the shackles of self-imposed morality. From then on, there was no right or wrong in his eyes, only the glorious outcome. As for the bloodshed along the way, what did it matter?

Xiao Xiao felt he had nothing more to say to Yang Yi. He was never one to lecture others; everyone had to take responsibility for their own choices. Others were ultimately just others.

"Ling Yao, knock him out."

Before Yang Yi could comprehend Xiao Xiao's words, his vision went black, and he fainted.

Ling Yao slowly retracted its wings.

"You didn't kill it, did you?" Having witnessed the miserable fate of the Gu Eagle after taking a hit from the Ling Yao, could Yang Yi, whose physical strength was far inferior to the Gu Eagle's, withstand it? Xiao Xiao had no intention of killing it.

The Ling Yao disdained to even address Xiao Xiao's idiotic question. How could it possibly fail to control even this much force?

Alright, Xiao Xiao shrugged. After receiving a glare from the Ling Yao, he understood he was overthinking things.

Actually, he had just asked subconsciously, without any hint of doubt.

"Do you want me to eat it?" The Ling Yao, as if nothing had happened, repeated its initial question. The tip of its long tail twitched slightly, and the magnificent feathers covering it shimmered with a dark, lustrous glow.

Hearing the question again, Xiao Xiao no longer felt the initial shock and confusion. His thoughts became clearer and more transparent.

Xiao Xiao smiled faintly. His face, still bearing a touch of youthfulness, was as calm as still water. His voice was not loud, but each word was distinct, clear, and resonant. "Yes, eat it."