Crippled

"Roar!"

The Pixiu cubs were utterly enraged, and both roared at Shi Yi.

A layer of bloody light spread over their bodies, mysterious symbols flickering within it. Then a ceaseless series of cracks and pops rang out. This was the Pixiu's innate gift, capable of repairing all manner of injuries they suffered.

Shi Yi did not attack again. He merely watched in silence, his Double Pupils glowing faintly, unfathomably deep as an abyss or an ocean. Within them, strands of Order Divine Chains seemed to dance.

That gaze cooled the furious Pixiu brothers somewhat. At the same time, it made their skin crawl, filling them with an inexplicable unease.

After their earlier exchange, they already understood that Shi Yi was an extraordinarily terrifying opponent.

In a single encounter, he had enveloped them with his two sleeves, then unleashed attacks like a raging storm. Every strike had landed with perfect precision, dismantling their techniques inch by inch.

Had the brothers not fought desperately and expended vast amounts of blood and vitality, Shi Yi would probably have already subdued and captured them.

Before they entered the secret realm, their elders had instructed them to wound Shi Yi as severely as possible, hindering his upcoming Blood Pool Baptism.

The two beasts had agreed, and they had acted accordingly, but the result had fallen short of their expectations.

After that exchange, they were the ones who had been injured.

Although their innate secret technique could repair their wounds, the Blood Pool Baptism was imminent, and there would inevitably be some repercussions.

If they kept fighting now, they would be the ones to suffer. Judging by the strength Shi Yi had just displayed, even together, the two beasts had no confidence in defeating him.

At that thought, they began to consider retreating.

Shi Yi saw all of this, and a trace of a cold sneer appeared deep in his eyes. You became my enemies, yet still want to walk away unscathed? Is that possible?

He believed that, were their positions reversed, these two vile beasts would absolutely try to kill him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shi Yi attacked.

Within his body, boundless divine radiance in his blood transformed into lifelike Golden-Winged Rocs, each also a golden symbol. They beat their wings together, and golden light instantly split the heavens. Shi Yi himself transformed into a great roc, its golden wings slicing through all things. With a beat of those wings, he became a bolt of golden lightning.

"Hmm?"

Jin Yunteng, seated in the best position, frowned slightly. This was the innate Treasure Technique of his Golden-Winged Roc race. A human had actually used it right before him-an unmistakable provocation.

However, Jin Yunteng did not rise to confront him. Over the years, there had been no shortage of Golden-Winged Rocs who left Roc Mountain and perished elsewhere. Their race's Treasure Technique had spread as well, and its transmission outside Roc Mountain had never ceased throughout those years.

Even if Roc Mountain wished to reclaim the Treasure Technique, it could not do so. Too many factions and powerful figures were involved. In the end, they could only keep one eye open and the other closed.

Even though their race's innate Treasure Technique circulated in the outside world, those creatures could never unleash greater power with it than the Golden-Winged Roc race. Ultimately, it was their race's innate Treasure Technique.

Under the gazes of all the pure-blooded creatures, a bolt of golden lightning shot out, charging at the two Pixiu cubs. It was far too fast, reaching them in the flash of a spark.

The Pixiu cubs were both shocked and furious. They no longer wanted to fight, yet Shi Yi still refused to stop.

"Spurt!"

The golden roc's feathered wing swept across the sky and struck one Pixiu's shoulder. Blood immediately gushed out, shimmering with a sacred radiance.

Shi Yi stopped abruptly and spun, his razor-sharp wing sweeping straight toward the Pixiu's face.

If that strike hit its face squarely, the Pixiu would be grievously wounded, if not killed outright.

Shocked and furious, it crossed its arms before its face.

"Slash!"

Two wounds appeared, deep enough to expose bone, nearly severing its arms. The Pixiu gasped in pain. Before it could react, Shi Yi drove a kick straight into its chest. The crack of breaking bones rang out instantly, and the Pixiu flew backward.

The next instant, Shi Yi ducked beneath the other Pixiu's claws, turned, and unleashed a punch. A Bian appeared around his fist, radiating ferocious might, its momentum surging like a rainbow.

The Pixiu whose claws had missed was greatly alarmed. This human seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, actually evading its lethal strike.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous crash, this Pixiu was also driven back, wounds covering its entire body and blood pouring from them.

Not only did Shi Yi surpass them in sheer physical strength, but his attainments in runes and bone text also exceeded theirs. On top of that, he possessed Double Pupils. Under these circumstances, even fighting two against one, he could suppress his opponents completely.

"Roar!"

Caught utterly off guard and beaten back, the two beasts threw back their heads and let out deafening roars. Each unleashed its innate Treasure Technique, attacking from opposite sides to catch Shi Yi between them.

Shi Yi maintained his Golden-Winged Roc form, which greatly enhanced his movement speed. This divine bird was born with terrifying speed.

He charged at one beast, then struck backward with an incomplete Golden Crow Precious Technique, blocking the enemy behind him.

"Spurt!"

The Pixiu before him was defeated. Nothing about it could remain secret before his Double Pupils, so it was checked at every turn, falling behind with every step.

The other Pixiu did not last much longer against Shi Yi either. He beat it until it lost all ability to fight.

Before Shi Yi arrived, the two Pixiu cubs had swept through the pure-blooded younglings and secured an excellent position for the baptism.

Now, however, Shi Yi held them in his hands like two dead dogs.

The sight stunned every pure-blooded creature present. All fell into a silence so complete that not even a crow or sparrow could be heard; the earlier clamor was gone.

Little Golden Spider swallowed, marveling inwardly at how outrageously fierce he was. Even upon reaching Shi Yi's age, Little Golden Spider would not be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, or even come close.

"Thud!"

Shi Yi exerted strength through both hands and threw the two half-dead Pixiu straight to the far end of the Blood Pool. That was the position most suited to their status.

Having done all this, he turned around, his gaze fixing directly on the Golden-Winged Roc younglings.

Before Jin Yunteng could speak, his younger brother could no longer restrain himself.

"Human, some things are beyond your reach. Only my elder brother can sit here. He is acknowledged as the foremost of the younger generation of the Primordial Divine Mountain," Jin Yunxiao snapped coldly.

Compared with Jin Yunxiao, Jin Yunteng was far more composed. He rebuked his younger brother.

"Yunxiao, mind your manners. Fellow Daoist Shi Yi, my younger brother is somewhat impulsive. Please do not take offense," Jin Yunteng said.

Shi Yi gave a noncommittal laugh.

"You are truly formidable, fellow Daoist. The title of foremost of the Primordial Divine Mountain's younger generation certainly sounds impressive.

"But you and that impulsive younger brother of yours should move aside."

At those words, Jin Yunxiao's eyes widened, and his fury became uncontrollable. This human is far too arrogant! Does he think defeating two pure-blooded Pixiu cubs qualifies him to challenge my brother?