The Merits of Dao Lineages, the Mystic Phenomena of Heaven and Earth

Wentesi's mind crossed between the two worlds along the Golden Land, his consciousness surging into the golden eagle's sea of consciousness.

Thanks to his previous experience controlling the gnoll Walker, he quickly took over the demon bird's body.

In an instant, the golden eagle's brown-black eyes turned into gilded vertical pupils, fierce and intimidating.

Its field of vision was broad and clear, and he could distinctly feel the pain of the golden threads cutting into its flesh.

Meanwhile, the Crow Lord, trapped in the Heaven-Ensnaring Net of Metal Virtue, saw that he could not break free no matter what he did and simply gave up.

His two black eyes rolled, and he activated his linguistic talent, [Myna Tongue]. Opening his beak, he raised his voice:

"Human cultivator, I am the Crow Lord of the Heavenly Feather Crow Tribe. Our tribe has a great demon at Foundation Establishment. If you dare harm so much as a feather on any of us, my tribe will tear you to pieces.

I advise you not to make a mistake. Let us go at once, and we may yet form a favorable bond."

His clear voice carried a trace of feigned unruliness and arrogance.

The Crow Lord raised his head, putting on the airs of a great Demon Race household as he tried to bluff the human cultivator.

The long-bearded old man in pale yellow robes was startled at first to hear the crow speak.

Then he stroked his white beard with his left hand and burst into hearty laughter.

The next moment, golden light flowed through his eyes, and the pressure of a Qi Ingestion Realm cultivator spread out, enveloping the Crow Lord.

In the cultivation world, the hierarchy between every level was strict.

All the more so across an entire major realm: Qi Ingestion Realm cultivators naturally held an overwhelming advantage over Embryonic Breathing cultivators.

If a higher cultivator attacked a lower cultivator on the same Dao Path, it was even more terrifying.

The Crow Lord's expression changed at once. After sweeping over him, the golden light withdrew into the old man's eyes.

"Talking demons in the Embryonic Breathing Realm are rare, but unfortunately for you, crow, you can't fool me."

"You only make me laugh!"

The old man spoke mockingly, brimming with confidence:

"I've been killing demons and taking their resources for fifty years.

Birds and beasts, fish and earthworms-be they naked-skinned, scaled, furred, feathered, or shelled, there isn't one I can't recognize!

Even if you were one of the [Water Virtue] dragons of the East Sea, I'd know you."

The old man talked at great length. It seemed he had not spoken to anyone in a long time, and once he opened the floodgates, he could not stop.

"I know perfectly well which demons have backing and can't be touched, and which ones will bring trouble if killed. As for this Heavenly Feather Crow Tribe you mentioned, I've never heard of it."

He didn't fall for it...

Hearing this, the Crow Lord's heart went more than halfway cold.

He had no Heavenly Feather Crow Tribe to back him up. He was just a wild demon, and he had made up that nonsense on the spot to trick the cultivator into letting him go.

But the cultivator was clearly an old hand who had seen through his trick at a glance.

His bluff had failed, and the stupid golden eagle beside him was even less help.

Come to think of it, if that stupid golden eagle had not been caught by the cultivator while flying through the mountain forest,

he would not have come to its rescue, only to be trapped in the Heaven-Ensnaring Net himself and reduced to this state.

Alas, I've been caught. If only Shilongzi were here.

The Crow Lord sighed inwardly. Thinking of Shilongzi's formidable feats in battle, he could not help feeling a little nostalgic.

If Shilongzi were here, a single blast of fire might have roasted this old man to charcoal and ash.

The old cultivator swept his pair of golden eyes over the Crow Lord several times, his tone full of disdain:

"The world's current Mystic Phenomenon is [Floating Light Leaping Gold], so the Spiritual Qi of our Metal Virtue is flourishing, fortuitous opportunities lie everywhere, and spiritual resources are appearing all over.

"By contrast, the [Wind Qi] you bird demon cultivate is simply a worthless, third-rate Dao lineage. Apart from the first [Wind Qi] True Lord, no living being has ever attained its fruit of realization.

"Thus, for tens of thousands of years, spiritual objects, Cultivation Methods, and treasures related to [Wind Qi] have been few and far between.

"Only wild demons without an inheritance or backing cultivate it. If you're not a wild demon, what are you?

"That big eagle beside you is the same sort of trash."

The old man seemed very proud of cultivating Metal Virtue, and his words were full of smug satisfaction.

A Mystic Phenomenon was a manifestation of the world's prevailing trends, and it changed from time to time.

Mystic Phenomenon affected cultivators of every Dao Path, bringing both benefits and drawbacks.

If a Mystic Phenomenon was related to fire, it strengthened Fire Virtue cultivators and weakened Water Virtue cultivators.

Conversely, if it was related to water, it weakened Fire Virtue cultivators and strengthened Water Virtue cultivators.

The world's current Mystic Phenomenon was [Floating Light Leaping Gold].

It benefited cultivators of [Ox Metal], [Neck Metal], [Bond Metal], and [Ghost Metal] within Metal Virtue, helping them cultivate, fight, and gain insights.

It granted them a boost, much like how Wentesi, a [Hairy Head Sun] cultivator, saw his combat strength rise sharply and his spiritual power recover faster beneath the Greater Yang.

"Still, you do have some talent. It's quite rare for you to speak human language at the Embryonic Breathing Realm. Selling you to the Maple Household as spiritual meat would be a waste.

"In my view, I could sell you as a spirit pet at the market instead and get a few more Spirit Stones for you."

Wentesi had been listening the whole time. When he heard about the world's Mystic Phenomenon and how no one had attained the fruit of realization, his heart skipped a beat.

This was all information about higher cultivators in the cultivation world, and Wentesi quietly committed it to memory.

While the old man talked on, he finally stabilized his control over the golden eagle's body.

After examining the golden eagle's interior, Wentesi furrowed his dragon brows.

Why is there so little spiritual power?

This Field of Merit golden eagle clearly had a cultivation level at the Embryonic Breathing Sixth Layer, only one step away from the Qi Ingestion Realm.

Yet the Spiritual Qi within it was pitifully thin, less abundant even than Wentesi's had been at the Second Level of Embryonic Breathing.

As he examined the pathways through which its spiritual power circulated, the properties and functions of the [Wind Qi] lineage also flooded into Wentesi's mind:

[Wind Qi: ride the Gang winds through the air, command the currents of the eight wilds, travel the nine heavens, and roam the four seas]

They were all abilities for fleeing and traveling. There was nothing for attacking and killing, breaking formations, protecting the body, recovering, or providing supplementary boosts.

Wentesi's face darkened, nearly turning into a black dragon's face.

So the [Wind Qi] lineage is this lousy? All it can do is run away. No wonder I had such an easy time fighting the golden eagle last time.

Wentesi could not help grumbling inwardly.

The old man wasted no more time. He reached out, wisps of golden light appearing at his fingertips as he changed hand signs.

He began drawing in the golden-thread trapping formation and the Heaven-Ensnaring Net, intending to pull the Crow Lord and the golden eagle toward him.

His other hand reached into his Storage Bag and pulled out a pitch-black net.

Black light shimmered across the net. At a glance, it was sturdier than the means currently binding the golden eagle and the Crow Lord. If they were caught in it, they would probably have no chance of breaking free.

Seeing this, the Crow Lord abandoned all reserve and struggled madly to escape. He did not want to become a pet for humans to amuse and entertain themselves with.

If he lost his freedom like that, he would rather die!

Wentesi knew he could wait no longer. He manipulated the Wind Qi inside the golden eagle, attempting to strike the golden threads binding its body.

But the moment the Wind Qi touched the threads, it was like a clay ox entering the sea: it went in and never came back, dissipating without a trace.

Wind Qi really is useless. I'll have to rely on my [Hairy Head Sun] after all.

Wentesi immediately connected to the Golden Land and sent Hairy Head Sun Law Power through the barrier between the two worlds and into the golden eagle's body.

After several twists and turns, four or five thin, scattered wisps of Hairy Head Sun Law Power finally came through and entered the golden eagle.

"Break!"

The moment the Hairy Head Sun Law Power was released, the golden-thread trapping formation fell apart, breaking to pieces inch by inch.

"Hm?!"

The smile vanished from the old man's face. His eyes widened in surprise.

Impossible!

How could a big bird that cultivates [Wind Qi] break its golden-thread trapping formation?

Time was life.

Wentesi gave the old man no time to react. Controlling the golden eagle, he burst out and swooped to the Crow Lord's side in an instant.

He struck the Heaven-Ensnaring Net trapping the Crow Lord with Hairy Head Sun Law Power, instantly burning a large hole through it.

"Go!"

Wentesi let out a low shout and scooped up the Crow Lord by the neck with an eagle talon. Wind Sha erupted from his body, and he became a black blur, flying swiftly toward the mountain forest to the west.

He had no intention of fighting whatsoever.

Judging by the old man's cultivation, he was at least a [Metal Virtue] cultivator in the middle or late Qi Ingestion Realm.

His methods were ruthless and seasoned, and he had numerous Law Artifacts on him. Even if Wentesi came in person, he would not be entirely confident.

Using this trash Field of Merit to rescue the bird was already the limit. To meet the old man head-on would be madness.

But the old man followed close behind like a ghost, and no matter how Wentesi flew, he could not shake him off.

After a long chase, Wentesi gradually grew impatient. The old man clung to him like a dog-skin plaster, yet never attacked.

Clearly, he wanted to wait until Wentesi's spiritual power was exhausted before making his move.

So Wentesi wanted to counterattack.

More precisely, he would use his true red dragon body to strike.

One strike would be enough. He only needed to disrupt the old man, then flee immediately.