Before Shi Hou could answer, a mechanical voice sounded in his mind.
[Feeding complete. Hundredfold Blood Qi return triggered.]
His Blood Qi Value returned to the hundred-million mark.
A scalding torrent of blood qi surged through his body. Every pore opened, and a faint red mist rose from his skin.
That felt good.
But before he could savor that power, Shi Hao's expression suddenly changed beside him.
Shi Hao abruptly clutched his chest, his lips pressed tight. A flicker of agonizing pain and confusion crossed his large, black-gem eyes. He folded his legs and dropped straight onto the grass of the oasis.
"Little One?"
Shi Hou had barely spoken when a dazzling, blinding golden light erupted from Shi Hao's chest.
The light tore through the sky above the oasis, carrying an ancient, majestic sound of sacrificial rites that echoed over the entire oasis.
This was no ordinary glow of runes.
Within that golden light lay a great dao rhythm that made heaven and earth themselves tremble.
Accompanied by... the sound of bone growing.
With every pulse of golden light, something beneath the skin of Shi Hao's chest was frantically reshaping itself.
The outline of a bone faintly emerged within his flesh, covered in densely interwoven, intricate and profound great dao patterns, like the first divine decree carved when heaven and earth first opened.
With every degree the patterns brightened, another measure of world-destroying killing intent filled the air.
The free-floating essence between heaven and earth was drawn toward it, forming a vast vortex of spiritual energy that poured madly into Shi Hao's chest.
Big Red was still picking its teeth with a sharp claw. The instant the golden light swept over it, its knees buckled, and an indescribable pressure pinned it flat against the sand.
Its crimson feathers