Chapter Forty-Five: The Wind-Winged Flying Eagle

This time, the handover of the mission went exceedingly smoothly. With only a simple recounting of what he had witnessed, Luo Tian was awarded the corresponding contribution points.

Moreover, since Qian Bo had perished, his share of the contribution was split between Luo Tian and Zhao Lin’er. As for the cause of death, Chen Shuanghui merely asked briefly, found the explanation reasonable, nodded, and paid it no further mind.

It was all too common for a disciple or two to die. Among the several hundred outer disciples in the eastern sector of Ziyang Mountain, only those in the late stages of the Qi Condensation Realm or the descendants of the four great families warranted any real attention; the rest were nothing more than faceless names on a ledger.

“Sister Zhao, you’ve returned as well?”

Just as Luo Tian and Zhao Lin’er were leaving the mission hall, a handsome young man approached with a smile, his tone laced with both curiosity and surprise. “You’ve broken through to the third cycle?”

“Brother Wu Lei, is that you?” Zhao Lin’er smiled gently and nodded. “Yes, and I owe it all to Brother Luo!”

Brother Luo?

Wu Lei’s eyes flickered as he noticed Luo Tian standing by Zhao Lin’er’s side. He grew even more puzzled. “Sister Zhao, what does your breakthrough have to do with this Brother Luo?”

“Brother Wu, this is Luo Tian, whom I mentioned to you before,” Zhao Lin’er reminded him.

“Oh, so he’s that useless Luo Tian? I heard he’s already reached the fourth cycle of Qi Condensation?” Wu Lei let out a laugh, sized Luo Tian up and down, and dismissed him. “Sister Zhao, you and I both know that one’s path in cultivation is not something others can influence or interfere with, much less offer any real guidance. You mustn’t be too easily taken in!”

Girls these days are so gullible, he thought. Who knew what sweet words Luo Tian had spun to win over this delicate beauty, leaving her so grateful—it was truly infuriating.

Hearing the disbelief in Wu Lei’s words, Zhao Lin’er grew annoyed. “Brother Wu, I know my own affairs. I am perfectly clear about how much Brother Luo contributed. This breakthrough was entirely thanks to his guidance—I only paid three hundred contribution points, and it was well worth it!”

Three hundred contribution points?

Wu Lei rolled his eyes inwardly. What a lucrative scheme—this plain-looking Luo Tian, not even as handsome as I am, actually managed to profit from this. When it comes to charming girls, I must admit defeat!

But resorting to such deceitful means was revolting. The idea that someone could actually instruct another in cultivation—Wu Lei didn’t believe it for a moment. Such a thing was pure fantasy.

“Sister Zhao, you’ve been duped!” Wu Lei said with pained conviction. Three hundred contribution points was a small matter, but that Zhao Lin’er would throw herself at someone else—that was a true pity. He had no particular feelings for Zhao Lin’er herself but had an affection for all beautiful girls beneath the heavens, and couldn’t bear to see them led astray. On principle, he felt compelled to offer his well-meaning advice.

“How could such a thing exist in this world? Don’t be fooled, much less grateful to him!” he urged.

Luo Tian spoke calmly, “Lin’er, I’ll be going. You two can talk as you please.”

In a few days, the great competition of Ziyang Mountain’s eastern sector would begin. Not only did he want to see if he could break through to the seventh cycle of Qi Condensation, but he also needed to prepare his martial techniques, seeking any suitable ones.

After his battle with Sun Huangkun, Luo Tian felt his cultivation had advanced further. He was now only a hair’s breadth away from the peak of the sixth cycle of Qi Condensation; one more step, and he would break through.

Time was running short!

“Wait, you stop right there!” Wu Lei shouted as Luo Tian, now exposed, tried to leave. How could it be so easy?

Wu Lei had also heard rumors from the menial disciple sector, but he didn’t believe them. With a sect as powerful as Shenyang Sect, even a small trickle of its spiritual energy would benefit the menials greatly. The recent trend of menials joining the outer sect more quickly must be due to the growing strength of the sect, nothing more.

As for Luo Tian, he was simply cunning and deeply scheming—how else could he deceive others?

Now was the perfect moment to expose his trickery. Caught in the act, Luo Tian would never hold his head high again, and the girls from the menial sector would surely be grateful to Wu Lei for unmasking this fraud.

“How dare you try to leave after cheating someone? If you don’t return the three hundred contribution points to Sister Zhao today, I will not let you off! Scoundrel!” Wu Lei cursed loudly, feeling quite self-satisfied.

With his cultivation at the fifth cycle of Qi Condensation, Wu Lei was considered an elder disciple of Shenyang Sect, and he fancied himself strong and somewhat renowned. He looked down on someone like Luo Tian, who had only recently risen in fortune.

Just then, a piercing cry echoed from above Ziyang Mountain, so sharp it seemed to stab straight into the mind.

Not only the outer disciples, but even Luo Tian himself felt his spirit waver for a moment. Though he quickly collected himself, the lingering fear remained.

Everyone looked up.

They saw a raptor-like beast flying from the direction of Shenyang Mountain, home to the inner disciples, passing directly above Ziyang Mountain. The giant eagle didn’t soar too high; instead, it deliberately lowered its altitude, as if to let everyone get a clear look.

“It’s the Windwing Sky Eagle!”

“That’s Elder Shen Qingkong’s beast? Incredible!”

“If only I could tame such a creature to be my spirit pet—how impressive would that be?”

The beast’s wings spanned four or five meters, its feathers entirely blue-green. With a single beat of its wings, it could traverse a great distance. The Windwing Sky Eagle scanned the ground below, and then, as if receiving a command, let out another piercing cry and soared even higher.

With a rush of wind, the eagle shot upward, talons outstretched, aiming for a Sky Swallow. This second-rank beast was generally herbivorous and mild-tempered, but if provoked or hunted, its kind would band together in retaliation—quite a nuisance to deal with.

But the Windwing Sky Eagle was a third-rank beast, equivalent to a human cultivator at the Meridian Flow stage, and so it had no fear. Spotting a Sky Swallow daring to fly higher than itself, the eagle immediately sought to kill it.

“Look, there are two people on its back!”

“One must be Elder Shen Qingkong; I don’t know who the other is.”

“If I ever gain such a spirit beast, I’ll surely take Sister Zhao to soar across the skies with me!”

Wu Lei took the opportunity to move a step closer to Zhao Lin’er.

Zhao Lin’er gave him a faint smile. Had she heard such words before her mission with Luo Tian, perhaps she would have been moved. But now, she only felt a trace of nausea.

As for Luo Tian, he kept his gaze fixed on the Windwing Sky Eagle and the Sky Swallow.

He watched as the Sky Swallow, sensing the eagle’s attack, twisted nimbly and evaded the talons with ease.

The Windwing Sky Eagle didn’t hesitate; with another beat of its wings, it shot forward like lightning. The Sky Swallow’s form grew larger in its eyes, the distance closing rapidly. Suddenly, the eagle thrust its head forward, its sharp beak striking out like a serpent’s fangs.

The nimble Sky Swallow shuddered and changed direction in a flash, dodging the eagle’s attack once more.

Luo Tian watched the eagle and swallow chase each other into the distance until they vanished from sight, yet he remained motionless, his gaze unfocused.

In his mind, he replayed the countless maneuvers of both beasts. Though he had not been close enough to observe every detail with his spiritual sight, combining what he had seen of their motions and the flow of their power, Luo Tian felt he had gained much. He was lost in contemplation, loath to emerge.