Check-in at Qilin Cavern, Qilin Arm

Before long, a wood fire was blazing on the ground, with two Thunder-Patterned Tiger legs suspended above it, already roasted a golden brown.

Shi Teng sprinkled cumin over them, and waves of meaty fragrance wafted out.

Shi Hao kept licking his lips, drool running down the corners of his mouth.

Shi Teng cut off a piece of the best leg meat and handed it to Shi Hao. "Eat up, you little glutton!"

"Hehe!"

Shi Hao took the roast meat Shi Teng handed him. Not caring whether it burned his mouth, he blew on it while wolfing down huge bites.

Shi Teng had also cut himself a piece and was about to eat when a shrill cry rang out in the distance!

"Roar!"

It was the Golden-Winged Roc.

Shi Teng's expression shifted slightly. "Oh no, the Golden-Winged Roc is in danger!"

He sprang up and bounded into the forest in a few leaps.

Holding the roasted tiger leg in his right hand, Shi Teng quickly followed.

Not far away, the Golden-Winged Roc was bound by a rope radiating golden light. Several slender female cultivators dressed in purple stood around him.

At that moment, Shi Teng had no time to admire their long legs.

He leaped into the air and bellowed, "Let him go!"

One of the female cultivators came forward to meet him. Their fists collided, and she was instantly sent flying.

She slammed heavily into the ground.

A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the woman leading them. A slender sword appeared in her hand, and she slashed at Shi Teng.

She was incredibly fast, the sword's shadow arriving in an instant.

Before Shi Teng could react, a tiger leg hurtled toward her.

The girl's delicate figure trembled slightly as she unleashed several consecutive slashes with her slender sword.

The tiger leg was instantly sliced into dozens of pieces that scattered across the ground, filling the air with the aroma of roast meat.

Everyone looked puzzled.

Though bound to the ground, the Golden-Winged Roc excitedly pecked at the roast meat scattered around him.

The two landed on the ground. Shi Teng tried to undo the golden rope binding the Golden-Winged Roc, but though it looked soft, it was incredibly tough. He could not break it at all.

The girl said in a low voice, "Don't waste your strength. You can't undo it!"

Shi Teng ignored her completely, taking out a sharp blade and gently sawing at the rope.

Even after cutting for a long time, he had made no headway whatsoever.

It seemed this thing truly was a treasure.

Shi Teng stood up. "Release my mount, or don't blame me for failing to cherish flowers and protect jade!"

Another woman beside her spoke up. "Hmph! Like master, like mount! That bird of yours-no, that mount of yours-actually tried to seduce our Heaven Mending Pavilion's spirit beast, the White Phoenix!"

Only then did Shi Teng notice that a spirit bird covered in white feathers was indeed standing behind the four women.

Though not as large as the Golden-Winged Roc, she looked brimming with spiritual intelligence.

A faint smirk appeared on Shi Teng's lips. "Hehe, so you're allowed to find men, but your sect's spirit beast isn't allowed to find a man?

"Isn't that letting the magistrate set fires while forbidding the common folk from lighting lamps?"

Hearing Shi Teng's flippant words, the woman from earlier once again shot him a fierce look.

With a wave of her right hand, a ball of white light hurtled toward Shi Teng.

Shi Teng paid it no mind. He caught the incoming white light in his right hand, tightened his fingers slightly, and crushed it in an instant.

The woman flew into a rage and was about to lunge at Shi Teng.

The woman leading them blocked her path and said warmly, "I never expected you to possess such cultivation at so young an age, little brother. We're disciples of the Heaven Mending Pavilion. My name is Xia Youyu.

"What you said just now makes sense, little brother. We should let the spirit beasts settle their own affairs. We were rash earlier!"

As she spoke, she recited an incantation, and the golden rope binding the Golden-Winged Roc flew into Xia Youyu's hand.

"This is our Heaven Mending Pavilion's treasured artifact, the Spirit-Binding Rope. Once bound by it, even a Cave Heaven Realm cultivator cannot break free!"

Shi Teng nodded. "Mm, at least you know how to behave. Unlike certain others-no chest, yet still puffing up and acting fierce!"

"You..."

Bai Yun's little face flushed red with anger at Shi Teng, but she could not think of anything to say.

"The Heaven Mending Pavilion? If I have time, I was planning to go check in there anyway. Where is your Heaven Mending Pavilion?"

Bai Yun snapped angrily, "Hmph! Even if someone like you went there, our Heaven Mending Pavilion wouldn't take you!"

Xia Youyu raised her hand, signaling for Bai Yun to stop speaking.

Then she took a token from her waist and handed it to Shi Teng. "I see that you have considerable talent, little brother. If you haven't joined another sect, you could join our Heaven Mending Pavilion. This token contains information about our pavilion and its location. Please accept it!"

Shi Teng nodded. "Mm, all right! But stop calling me little brother over and over. It sounds awkward. My name is Shi Teng. Teng as in Shi Teng!"

"Farewell!"

Shi Teng and Shi Hao leaped onto the Golden-Winged Roc's back.

Shi Teng grinned. "You've got some skills, you rascal! I only just let you out, and you've already hooked up with the Heaven Mending Pavilion's spirit beast. You didn't get the short end of the stick, did you?"

The Golden-Winged Roc made a series of chirring noises, sounding extremely excited.

Just as they were about to leave, Xia Youyu said, "Brother Shi, we've discovered a treasure site. Would you be interested in exploring it together?"

"A treasure site? Sounds more like a burial site to me. You're not holding a grudge and trying to lure me into the woods to kill me, are you?"

Xia Youyu was so annoyed that she did not know what to say.

After a pause, she continued, "Our Heaven Mending Pavilion is an upright sect. How could we do something so disgraceful? To tell you the truth, little brother, we discovered a Qilin Cavern occupied by a Hybrid Qilin.

"We went there earlier, but we were no match for him, so we retreated.

"With you joining us, Brother Shi, and the treasured artifacts we have, even if we can't kill him, we should be able to trap him.

"They say Blood Bodhi grows inside. Eating a single one can greatly increase your cultivation!"

Shi Teng nodded. Xia Youyu sounded very sincere. Judging by his dozen-plus years of experience picking up girls, she could not possibly be lying.

Blood Bodhi? Sounds pretty good. I like it!

"Lead the way!"

Bai Yun said unhappily, "Senior Sister, why bring this brat along? Won't he just make a mess of things?"

Xia Youyu said coldly, "Shut up. If I say it's fine, then it's fine. Besides, we're no match for that Hybrid Qilin ourselves!"

With that, they leaped onto the White Phoenix's back and headed into the depths of the Great Wilderness.

The Golden-Winged Roc caught up. Both birds could have flown faster, but instead they flew side by side.

From time to time, they gently rubbed their heads against each other.

"Fuck! Even here, I'm being force-fed a serving of lovey-dovey mush!"

Xia Youyu and the others could not help lowering their heads slightly. To have two mounts flaunting their affection right in their faces-how pitiful.

The four flew at full speed for nearly an hour before landing on the ground.

Even standing on the mountaintop, they could feel the dense power of the fire element.

Xia Youyu said, "This is a volcano. That cave entrance up ahead is where the Fire Qilin lives!

"We fought him earlier and already wounded him. If we can work together to kill him, we'll definitely reap a bountiful harvest!"