Chapter 287: Chapter 33: Choice
"These Spirit Beasts all evolved from the small, native creatures of the Kunlun Secret Realm."
As Su Zhou descended from the sky, Tang Yuan had already stepped forward. With Bai Canglang’s help, he used his spiritualized body to connect with a massive avian Demon Beast.
Transformed into a translucent phantom, Tang Yuan seemed able to forcibly communicate with minds in this state to obtain the information he needed. "They’ve lived for generations in a fixed area within the Kunlun Secret Realm... Their ancestral bloodline contains no inherited memories."
"Their ancestors were likely pets left behind by the Immortal Gods of old."
Though not as potent as Su Zhou’s, Bai Canglang’s White Tiger aura could also intimidate the beasts. With his help, Tang Yuan communicated with several other, clearly stronger tiger-like Spirit Beasts. The pale-faced young man frowned. "Professor Su, your guess was right. About eight years ago, these beasts were defeated by a giant bird and forced to submit. A short while ago, that same giant avian Demon Beast ordered them to be on alert for any unfamiliar outsiders."
"It must be intelligent. It’s probably the one trying to seize control of this Secret Realm."
"Huh? So they weren’t ordered to attack?" Su Zhou’s focus was a little skewed, and he sounded rather surprised. "I thought the locals wouldn’t be too happy to see us. You know, thinking we’re despicable outsiders and that they should do whatever it takes to drive us away."
’In that case, if I hadn’t provoked and Taunted them, would these Spirit Beasts have charged over so aggressively? Hmm, what I did was kind of like entrapment. Not the best approach. I’ll try a different method next time.’
"...You’re right, it wasn’t an order to attack." Tang Yuan activated his ability again to probe one more time. "Yes, that avian Demon Beast rarely shows itself. There’s no more information."
"That’s enough." Su Zhou smiled and patted the other man’s shoulder. He could actually touch the Spirit Body. Tang Yuan, whose Spirit Body had just been touched, was clearly startled. He had never expected that his form, which ordinary people couldn’t touch at all, could be physically contacted by someone without him initiating it. "Your ability is really useful. No wonder you were chosen for the exploration team."
"Professor Su, should we wait here for the others to regroup with us, or should we scout ahead?"
Bai Canglang took his weapon out of the case on his back—it was a multi-bladed war hammer. Of course, he also carried a heavily modified anti-materiel rifle that was over 1.5 meters long. Surprisingly, like a revolver, its cartridges had to be loaded manually. Each bullet was pure platinum in color, engraved with a dense web of sharp Runes.
Bai Canglang’s role on the team was long-range special assault. Of course, if enemies got too close, he could rely on his White Tiger Bloodline to charge in for melee combat. But in a typical Extraordinary battle, things rarely got to that point. Barring special circumstances, most enemies would have already been overwhelmed by their firepower from hundreds of meters away.
"My younger brother, Bai Jingtiao, is now a test pilot for hypersonic aircraft over at Base Three. Because of our White Tiger Bloodline, he’s very sensitive to metal fatigue and damage to the jet’s components, so he can always eject in time or slow down for a landing and provide accurate damage feedback."
This was something Bai Canglang had bragged about during a casual meal with Su Zhou not long ago. "And with the power of our White Tiger Family’s bloodline, as long as we can remotely manipulate the metal in an enemy aircraft from a distance—even just a tiny part—we can gain a massive advantage!"
In response to Bai Canglang’s question, Su Zhou, the current leader of their group, thought for a moment. He decided it was best to play it safe. After all, his friends were in this Secret Realm, so he couldn’t be as reckless as when he adventured alone. "Let’s wait for the others to regroup with us. In the meantime, we can see what other tricks that thing has planned after separating us."
That "thing," of course, was the avian Demon Beast controlling the Kunlun Secret Realm.
"Alright. Even though it’s hard to defend, the summit of Flat-top Mountain is an excellent landmark."
Bai Canglang nodded, then pulled out a flare gun and fired it into the sky. A pink dye burst high above, creating a small but conspicuous firework. "We’ll fire one every so often. Between that and the thunder from before, anyone who isn’t on the complete opposite side of the Secret Realm should be able to see it."
While they waited for the others to arrive, Su Zhou used the spare time to observe the Secret Realm’s sky and sun.
He keenly sensed that the Kunlun Secret Realm wasn’t actually that large—at least, not as vast as one would imagine it would need to be to sustain a thousand-meter-tall Demon God. Although it was covered in towering mountains and dense jungles, if a Demon God really decided to start eating, it could probably devour the whole place in just a few meals.
The sun in this world was also hazy. It didn’t look like a distant ball of fire, but merely a bright light source, and its physical form probably wasn’t very large.
Meanwhile, Bai Canglang wasn’t wasting time. While exploring the area, he noticed something unusual about Flat-top Mountain beneath their feet. He had Tang Yuan take him along in Spiritualization, attempting to phase through the rock to see what was inside. However, they were forcefully ejected by a powerful energy after penetrating only a few dozen meters.
"Is this... the shell of a Black Tortoise?!"
The power was immense, yet gentle and non-sentient. Its aura was also very familiar—it was that of the Black Tortoise, one of the Four Holy Beasts. This discovery stunned Bai Canglang. He immediately took out a collection case and gathered some rocks from the ground. "The entire Flat-top Mountain... it’s the shell of a Black Tortoise Demon God!"
"Really?" Su Zhou raised an eyebrow, also surprised. He recalled the Dragon King’s Remains on the seabed, which resembled a mountain range. Then he looked at the surrounding mountains, and a sudden realization dawned on him. ’In that case, these mountains...’
Just as Su Zhou’s group was analyzing the Secret Realm’s situation and the others were rushing to regroup...
RUMBLE!
Suddenly, a deep hum resonated from the distance.
Everyone looked toward the source of the sound—a complex of palaces at the foot of the mountains, near the Kunlun Central Five Mountains.
The sound was clear and lingering, like the ceaseless hum after swords clash violently. As it rang out, an incomparably sharp aura of metallic punishment spread in all directions, causing the light between heaven and earth to dim.
Su Zhou’s expression grew stern. He sensed something was wrong. His Perception picked up a third-party presence, one from neither Kunlun nor Earth.
Bai Canglang’s face fell. He felt an extremely strong Bloodline pressure, even more severe than the Suppression from a Pure-blooded White Tiger... and here in Kunlun Mountain, the only thing that could possess such an aura was likely the power left behind by the West Mother Great Venerable.
As for Tang Yuan, he just looked on blankly. Lacking Demon Blood and sufficient strength, he couldn’t sense anything out of the ordinary.
In the far distance, something seemed to have been unshackled and was now connecting to this Secret Realm. It appeared to be preparing to manifest an Anomaly and display its power. But before it could fully extend its influence into this world, the previously diffused aura of metallic punishment, seemingly belonging to the West Mother Great Venerable, reconverged and sealed off the connection.
Not only that, but accompanied by a violent fluctuation in the Spiritual Mechanism, the massive gateway outside the Kunlun Secret Realm that connected the two worlds slammed shut before everyone’s shocked eyes!
The two realms were once again cut off from each other!
In the Kunlun Secret Realm, at the sealed location of the great black chasm, a furious voice rang out.
"Garuda, what is the meaning of this?!"
Within the palace containing the great black chasm, numerous ferocious Evil Beasts had gathered. They were of different species and origins, but they all shared one thing in common: these tiger-like, wolf-like, and bear-like Evil Beasts stood at least four to five meters tall, their burly frames like mountains of flesh. Their crimson eyes glowed with a nearly mindless ferocity. Only a select few had clear eyes, indicating distinct intelligence.
And now, these intelligent Evil Beasts, like the voice emanating from the black chasm, were all incandescent with rage.
"Didn’t we have an agreement? You summoned us here to fight the remnants of the Immortal Realm! You’ve already called forth the vanguard of my world, so why have you reactivated the Nine Spirits Golden Mother’s suppressive Seal to hold us down again?!"
"Because this is my home. Or if not my home, at least the place where I live." Garuda’s humanoid figure looked exceptionally small set against these Giant Beasts, but it showed not the slightest trace of fear. "You, like the remnants of the Immortal Realm, are both outsiders to me. And I am alone and weak; in essence, I cannot resist either side."
"That leaves me with only two choices: either side completely with you, or side completely with the remnants of the Immortal Realm. I can use my Bloodline and my familiarity with the Kunlun Secret Realm as bargaining chips to ensure my safety. You likely value my Bloodline, while the remnants of the Immortal Realm would probably value my familiarity with the Kunlun Secret Realm and the authority I command."
Just then, a jackal-shaped Evil Beast, perhaps unable to restrain itself or influenced by the will on the other side of the black chasm, silently lunged at Garuda’s back. It kicked up a Gale, intending to tear Garuda apart with its bite—but Garuda simply raised a hand casually, letting it bite down. The creature’s sharp fangs, dozens of centimeters long, shattered against Garuda’s seemingly delicate white arm.
Garuda seized the howling jackal’s head in a reverse grip and, with a gentle squeeze, crushed it into a pulp of blood and bone dust. Even the Spiritual Power Crystal that had formed inside its skull was obliterated, exploding into a translucent shockwave that reverberated through the hall.
[Śakra Devānām Indra (Emperor Shitian) once struck a Golden-winged Bird with a Vajra Pestle, only for it to lose a single feather.]
The Divine Bird’s aura pressed out in all directions, and all the Evil Beasts could not help but lower their heads, completely intimidated.
Garuda’s tone remained calm. "After my Metamorphosis from the Celestial Cyan Glaze Pearl, I lived alone in this Secret Realm for over a decade. Then, by accident, I came here and heard your voices."
"I am grateful that you were willing to talk with me, to accompany me through that boring and lonely time. But I know very well that you are not good people. Just as you taught me, no living being does something for nothing, like engaging in pointless chatter or helping those who are of no use to them. The only reason you would spend time accompanying me is for my Bloodline and the resources within this Kunlun Secret Realm."
"So what?" The voice from the black chasm had regained its composure. It spoke in a deep tone, "At least we wouldn’t kill you like those Immortal Gods would—kill you, dismember you, and cook your remains for food. Don’t your bloodline memories tell you? They would strip your tendons, boil your marrow, drink your blood, and eat your heart raw."
The voice from the black chasm was filled with genuine hatred. Clearly, its own bloodline memories contained legacies from its ancestors. One could tell that they had once fought the Immortal Gods of old and had been defeated.
"That is merely one side of the story. I must gather information from both sides to make a correct judgment. Just as my Bloodline contains memories from two sides, I cannot simply trust one."
To this, Garuda shook its head. "You once told me there are four ways a Golden-winged Bird can be born: from a womb, from an egg, from moisture, and through Metamorphosis. I am the strongest of all—a ’Transformed Golden-winged Bird,’ born spontaneously from the qi of heaven and earth. I was born with the Divine Bird’s full legacy. My power is so great that even other Divine Beast Bloodlines of the same rank cannot defeat me."
"This is my leverage."
