"Da Niu, can you still keep up?"
In the mountains of Floating Cloud Mountain, Fang Qianyuan and the others rode their respective spirit creatures deeper into the range. Accompanying them was a sturdy, dark-skinned village boy of fourteen or fifteen.
The boy was named Da Niu, and he was a relative of one of the villagers who had died.
His younger sister had died in the demon attack, so he hated demons to the marrow of his bones. When he heard that Fang Qianyuan and the others needed a guide to enter the mountains and slay the demons, he volunteered to come along.
For mortals, and even ordinary Spirit Tamers, such an undertaking carried enormous risks.
Fang Qianyuan had originally been unwilling to let a mortal like him take that risk, but the boy was stubborn, and he finally agreed.
The terrain around Floating Cloud Mountain was complex, with countless peaks. They really did need a local guide familiar with the area to find the lair more quickly.
"I can..." Da Niu was very sturdy. Even after climbing several slopes in succession, he was only a little out of breath and did not look as though he was forcing himself onward.
Unfortunately, none of us has a flying mount. Carrying a person requires a flying mount to consume spirit essence continuously, and not just anyone can control one. Besides, the skies are fraught with danger. Ordinary mortals wouldn't deliberately take to the air unless necessary. We won't really use them until we reach earth rank. Fang Qianyuan silently approved of the boy's endurance, but could not help feeling some regret.
Spirit Tamers needed suitable spirit creatures. For a trip into the mountains to slay demons like today's, having a good flying mount that could carry him, or even take the