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Spirit Beast Masters had exceptional understanding. They directed Demon Beasts in battle, helped them comprehend the Dao, and carefully raised them. In turn, Demon Beasts repaid them with spiritual energy, channeling it into their bodies through a mysterious spiritual resonance.
The warm current Chu Yun felt while sleeping was the spiritual energy the Heavenly Fox had sent back into his body. Like spring rain nourishing all things in silence, this energy quietly transformed Chu Yun's body and improved his physical fitness.
As if struck by a thought, Chu Yun left the cave and went to the edge of a deep pool, its surface as clear as a mirror.
A young man was reflected in the water. He had red lips and pearly white teeth, delicate features, and eyes like stars. His skin was especially smooth as water, with even a faint sheen to it.
"I've turned into a pretty boy." Chu Yun gave a wry smile. Before, he'd only been somewhat handsome. But after his body was transformed by spiritual energy, his skin had become as smooth as jade—and even his original features and bearing were changing.
He was starting to stand out from the crowd, with a growing tendency to become a handsome young man.
All of this was caused by the spiritual energy the Heavenly Fox had given back to him, transforming his body.
Every Demon Beast repaid its master with spiritual energy, altering the master's body, appearance, and bearing while improving their physical fitness.
But the change didn't always make the master more handsome. Some spiritual energy could turn a dashing master hideously ugly. Some could change their skin or hair color. Some could make a man eight feet tall gradually become a little dumpling. And some could turn a short, skinny fellow into a great fat pig.
For instance, the Demon Beast Green Blade Mantis would change its master's eyes into a triangular shape while making both arms grow longer. The Demon Beast Drunkard Dog would give its master thick body hair and a bushy beard, while making his frame more burly.
The higher the grade of a Demon Beast, the greater the changes and improvements it brought to its master. When a Demon Beast reached the peerless grade, the effects of the spiritual energy it returned were especially powerful; it could even awaken innate abilities.
Chu Yun's Fire Eye was one such ability.
Fire Eye was often an innate talent bestowed upon a master by a peerless fire-element Demon Beast. By focusing his gaze, he could perceive the presence of fire essence with the naked eye.
Though these innate abilities couldn't match any Dao technique in power, their support was immeasurably useful.
Fire Eye could reveal a Demon Beast's attributes, the dangers of a place, an enemy's strengths and weaknesses, and even help uncover Fire Crystals buried deep underground.
In his previous life, Chu Yun had possessed Fire Eye. Those miraculous eyes had helped him overcome countless crises hidden within deadly predicaments. But after the Heavenly Fox died, his Fire Eye had gradually faded away. It was a great pity.
"According to my memories of my previous life, the Heavenly Fox didn't grant me Fire Eye until it grew into a Great Demon. I never imagined that at just twenty-one years old, still a Lesser Demon, it could already do this. The perfect Heavenly Fox's potential is truly breathtaking. It keeps bringing one delightful surprise after another!" Chu Yun exclaimed from the bottom of his heart.
Roar!
Just then, a Demon Beast's furious roar suddenly rang out. It shook the heavens and earth, sweeping over from afar.
"Hm? What's going on?" Chu Yun felt as though the entire forest had stopped breathing. The ground trembled, and ripples spread across the previously still pool.
"That kind of power—it must be a Great Demon! Are two Great Demons fighting?" Chu Yun's heart jolted. He quickly climbed the cliff and looked into the distance.
Thanks to the Heavenly Fox's spiritual energy transforming his body, his eyesight had improved greatly. He could just make out a shadow like a small mountain at the edge of his vision. It was struggling, its thick forelimbs flailing in the air, as if battling an invisible foe. It roared again and again, sending waves of sound sweeping through the forest.
"It's a Wasteland Bear—a Great Demon Wasteland Bear! A swarm of wild bees is chasing it. That means there must be Gold Spirit Honey!"
Chu Yun's eyes lit up. Drawing on his experience from his previous life, he immediately guessed the truth with near certainty.
Demon Beasts like the Wasteland Bear loved to steal Gold Spirit Honey. But among any swarm of bees that could produce Gold Spirit Honey, there was at least one Great Demon-level queen bee. They were evenly matched, and now they were fighting fiercely.
"A Great Demon of this level must be the king of the forest. What a chance! Gold Spirit Honey is a fine ingredient for mid-grade pills. Even if I don't use it for alchemy, I can feed it to the Heavenly Fox. It's much better than the Satiety Pills I bought."
Chu Yun's mind stirred with all sorts of ideas.
The eggshells had all been used up, and now Chu Yun was feeding the Heavenly Fox ordinary Satiety Pills. They were only low-grade goods, useful merely for filling its stomach.
There was no other choice. Though Shu Family Island also had mid-grade food pills, they were expensive. Chu Yun didn't have much money to spend on a large supply.
"I'll take my chances." His adventurous spirit kicked in. Chu Yun drew a deep breath, feeling his whole body tremble faintly.
Stealing Gold Spirit Honey right under the noses of two Great Demons—the enormous risks and rewards made every pore on his body open. A shiver ran through him, thrilling and exhilarating.
It was intoxicating.
As the man and fox set off on their adventure and ventured deep into the forest's inner reaches, a fierce battle had already been raging across a stretch of sea for an entire day and night.
Corpses bobbed on the waves, and blood stained the sea red. Flames blazed up to the heavens, battle cries rang out, and Demon Beasts shrieked.
It was a brutal naval battle. On one side fought the valiant fleet of Shu Family Island, led by Shu Tianhao. On the other were the vicious, infamous pirates of the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group.
"Volcano Turtles, Magma Boulders! On my command—three, two, one, fire together!" A commander on Shu Tianhao's side bellowed.
Under his unified command, a squad of Spirit Beast Masters worked in coordination, directing their Volcano Turtles. Almost simultaneously, the turtles spat out boulders of molten rock as large as a bushel basket.
Boom, boom, boom...
In an instant, dozens of magma boulders, trailing scorching heat, arced across the sky in crimson streaks and bore down on nearly ten warships belonging to the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group.
Bang, bang, bang...
Some boulders crashed into the sea, raising towering columns of water. Others landed on warships and exploded, spraying red-hot magma that corroded hulls and pierced flesh. Screams rang out one after another. Still others skimmed past the sails, and flames immediately roared across the canvas.
"Mystic Frost Fish, Frost Bombs! Fire!"
Almost at the same time, the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group launched its counterattack. Nearly a hundred snow-white ice bombs rose into the sky, then rapidly came crashing down toward Shu Tianhao's side.
The temperature plunged, and ice chips flew everywhere. Sailors struck by the bombs had their heads split open and bloodied. A layer of frost then covered their bodies, freezing them solid.
The pirates' attacks were chaotic, but their sheer numbers made up for their lack of firepower. Shu Tianhao's side was at an absolute disadvantage.
"Damn it! How did the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group suddenly get such overwhelming firepower?" Shu Tianhao stood firm on the deck, a pillar holding the fleet's morale steady. His expression was resolute and cold, but a dense shadow had already gathered in his heart.
"They came prepared. They must have something planned. The Remnant Wolf Pirate Group has always struck once, then fled into the distance. Waging such a brutal, drawn-out naval battle isn't their style. There must be something fishy going on behind the scenes..."
Shu Tianhao vaguely sensed a hidden hand at work, but he was powerless to do anything about it. The entire fleet was locked in a bitter fight.
And as for breaking through?
Shu Tianhao looked at the sea around his warships, now frozen into solid ice, and abandoned the impractical idea.
"Retreating would only turn into a rout. Damn you, Remnant Wolf! Even if I die, I'll drag you down with me to the underworld!"
A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. In such dire straits, Shu Tianhao's aura only swelled, making him seem impossible to defy.
He reached his right hand behind his back and slowly drew a great saber from the scabbard he carried there.
What a fine saber!
It was six feet long, with a broad, thick spine. Its tip curved upward, forming an elegant sweep with the blade, like a towering wave surging up from the sea.
The saber was snow-white from end to end, its hilt cold as ice. The moment it left its sheath, a chill mingled with a faint fragrance and spread throughout the ship.
Countless warriors felt it and turned to look. Their gazes burned as they stared at the man standing atop the ship's bridge, holding the great saber and standing tall as a tiger.
Drunken Snow Blade—Shu Tianhao!
In an instant, shouts rang out everywhere. Shu Tianhao said nothing. The mere act of drawing his saber and standing ready infused every warrior with his spirit.
The fleet of Shu Family Island surged with morale!
"Remarkable, remarkable indeed! Is this the man known as the All-Star Fierce Tiger?" On the flagship of the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group, a middle-aged man with a body of pale, jiggling fat and eyes narrowed into slits gazed into the distance and voiced his sincere admiration.
Had anyone knowledgeable been there to see him, they might have cried out on the spot, "The manager of Tianbao Shop?"
But in truth, this fat man's real identity was the strategist of the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group—the White Prowler, who worked in tandem with its leader!
He was sinister and crafty, full of schemes. He plotted for Remnant Wolf and was insatiably greedy.
"The All-Star Fierce Tiger? Heh heh heh. By now, he's nothing but a sick cat without claws or fangs." A one-eyed man sat beside the White Prowler.
As he spoke, the lone eye glinted with a bone-chilling light.
"Today's battle will make our Remnant Wolf famous throughout the All-Star Archipelago! The archipelago's tiger will be torn to shreds by my Remnant Wolf's fangs!"