Chapter 21: Suan Ni

In the clouds, the Azure-scaled Eagle trembled, its heart filled with fear. The Suan Ni had not died after all, and just moments ago, they had been fighting over its remains. The situation was truly terrifying.

"Yiya, how is it still alive?" Little Dot scratched his head in confusion.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar echoed through the forest. The Demon Ape, enraged, bellowed as it was violently torn apart, its blood gushing uncontrollably from the wound on its severed arm.

With one arm, it struck at the beastly Suan Ni, which appeared as vigorous as ever. The Suan Ni vanished in a flash, reappearing a hundred meters away.

"Boom!" The Demon Ape's punch shattered the remaining half of the stone mountain. The shockwave echoed through the wilderness. After the impact, it did not stop but leaped two hundred meters high, attempting to escape.

Although furious, it knew it was no match for the ancient Suan Ni.

The Suan Ni's golden eyes were cold as ice. Its entire body surged with billowing clouds and golden lightning, striking the Demon Ape's back with a resounding crack.

"Howl!"

The Demon Ape roared, trembling as blood spurted several feet high. It suffered greatly under the terrifying power of the Suan Ni's divine art, with a bloody hole piercing through its chest.

The once-mighty Demon Ape fell, its massive jaws gaping and revealing its white fangs. It used its remaining arm to strike back, its body covered in glowing runes, preparing to unleash a powerful spell.

Meanwhile, the Li Fire Bull Demon, its body crimson like fire and shimmering like satin, was also in a frenzy. Its runes glowed brightly as it attempted to avoid a direct confrontation with the Suan Ni, choosing to flee instead.

However, the Suan Ni was too formidable. From its golden pupils, two beams of light shot forth, accompanied by a thunderous roar, striking the Li Fire Bull Demon’s body and causing its runes to disintegrate, leaving terrible bloodstains.

"Howl!"

The thirty-meter-long crimson Bull Demon roared in rage, flames blazing around it. Standing upright, it opened its massive mouth and spewed scorching light that turned the stone peaks into molten lava, engulfing everything.

The force of this attack turned the scene into a sea of destruction, with countless fierce birds and beasts reduced to ash, unable even to scream.

The Suan Ni roared, its golden radiance intensifying, making the entire mountain range a dazzling golden sea. The turbulent clouds blocked the Li Fire's advance.

In the distant clouds, Little Dot murmured, "The Suan Ni was feigning death to lure its enemies into a trap. It’s a wise species, smarter than many humans."

The battle of the three ancient creatures—the Suan Ni, the Li Fire Bull Demon, and the Demon Ape—was deafening and earth-shaking, shaking the entire wilderness.

On the bodies of the Suan Ni, Li Fire Bull Demon, and the Demon Ape, mysterious runes intertwined densely, their intense light crackling like electric snakes. The tremendous power stirred the wind and clouds, preparing for the ultimate battle.

"Boom!"

The thunderous sound of explosions continued, like celestial thunder striking from the heavens. Radiant light soared, mist swirled, and lightning and fire intertwined. The confrontation between the Suan Ni, the Demon Ape, and the Li Fire Bull Demon caused the ground to split and mountains to shatter, as if the world was ending.

"Poof!"

The Demon Ape was flung from the golden divine light, bleeding profusely, its bones possibly broken in numerous places. It managed to escape from the Suan Ni’s cloud of smoke.

With a resounding thud, it stomped the earth, spreading its wings to create a hurricane of black mist, rushing deeper into the mountains.

The Demon Ape, having lost an arm and suffering severe internal injuries, needed to find a quiet place to hide and recover. If discovered by its enemies, it would face certain death.

"Howl!"

The Li Fire Bull Demon bellowed, its deep roar shaking the mountains. Covered in blood, it struggled to break free, its fiery blaze turning the sky crimson. It smashed through a peak and, walking on lava, fled into the depths of the mountains.

Only the Suan Ni remained, its golden fur radiant, standing tall and roaring triumphantly. It swept through the area like a tornado, uprooting grass and thorns, breaking trees, and sending rocks tumbling.

The Suan Ni’s cold gaze swept over the surviving powerful beasts. With a low growl, the remaining creatures seemed to receive a reprieve and, whimpering, scattered in all directions, quickly fleeing.

In fact, most of the fierce birds and beasts perished here, especially during the battle between the Suan Ni, Li Fire Bull Demon, and the Demon Ape, which had wide-ranging effects and caused great calamity.

The forest fell silent as the lava cooled, leaving only a bloody mess. The old Suan Ni stood alone, its massive body god-like and shrouded in divine light.

It seemed a bit forlorn, its eyes dimming, blood trickling from its mouth. Finally, its light exploded, its body cracking apart, and it fell heavily to the ground with a thunderous sound.

"Ah, it’s dead again. Is this for real this time?" On the back of the Azure-scaled Eagle, Little Dot's eyes widened. "It was simply too old, its life reaching its end. It’s a pity that despite setting up the trap, it couldn’t kill its enemies."

The Azure-scaled Eagle’s eyes flickered with light. It wanted to dive down but feared that the Suan Ni might not be completely dead. If that were the case, it would be courting death.

The forest remained quiet, no one daring to approach. All the fierce beasts and birds had been frightened away by the Suan Ni and did not dare to return, having fled far away.

"Auntie Azure-scaled, the Suan Ni should be truly dead this time. Let’s go and check," Little Stone said softly.

The wind howled, and the azure scales flashed in the clouds. The intelligent creature knew the risks but still proceeded cautiously, circling for a moment before diving down.

The ground was covered in red, with many blood-filled puddles. Flesh and bone fragments were scattered everywhere, the smell of blood overpowering.

"Yes, it’s really dead." Little Dot and the Azure-scaled Eagle approached, touching the Suan Ni. Its body was cooling down, life having faded.

The Azure-scaled Eagle, highly excited, flapped its iron wings vigorously, stirring up dust and stones. It soon found the severed arm of the Demon Ape, another ancient creature, rich in rare blood.

A hissing sound was heard as Little Dot carried the severed horn of the Li Fire Bull Demon, smiling widely, his eyes nearly closing into crescents. This was also a valuable beast treasure.

"Auntie, let’s hurry and leave," Little Dot urged.

The Azure-scaled Eagle was unusually thrilled, its demeanor quite different from its usual fierce self. Its eyes were half-closed, almost in a trance.

"Hey, Auntie, what’s wrong with you?" Little Dot exclaimed.

When the Azure-scaled Eagle tried to lift the Suan Ni's corpse, it stumbled and nearly fell.

"Ah, Auntie, you’ve been poisoned and haven’t fully detoxified yet," Little Stone said, filled with concern.

In the recent battle, the Azure-scaled Eagle had been bitten by the Purple-gold Snake. Despite promptly cutting away a large piece of flesh, the toxin had continued to spread.

Additionally, it had been attacked by the blood weasel and the terrifying Metal-eating Mouse King, resulting in significant injuries that weakened its body, causing the poison to spread rapidly and uncontrollably.

"Auntie, let’s get out of here and return to Stone Village. Let the clan leader help you with the antidote," Little Stone said anxiously.

The Azure-scaled Eagle flapped its wings again, finally managing to lift the massive Suan Ni and head towards Stone Village.

Along the way, the Azure-scaled Eagle wobbled several times, almost falling. Its strength was waning, nearly exhausted. Normally, it could easily carry prey twice as heavy as the current load.

"Crack!"

As it flew past a cliff, its iron wings collided with the rock, shattering a large section of the cliff face, and it almost plunged down itself.

Little Dot, worried, said, "Auntie, if you can't make it, we can leave the Suan Ni here for now, or even drop the Li Fire Bull's horn. We can come back for them later."

The Azure-scaled Eagle immediately and sternly refused. It instructed Little Dot to hold onto the several-meter-long red horn and the Demon Ape's arm tightly, without dropping them. Meanwhile, the eagle’s talons clutched the Suan Ni securely, navigating through the forest and heading towards Stone Village.

Finally, they reached Stone Village. Little Dot, holding the red horn and the Demon Ape's arm, felt immense joy and smiled broadly.

The journey had been perilous, with several close calls, but they had successfully brought back the Suan Ni's precious body, along with the Li Fire Bull’s horn and the Demon Ape’s arm. The haul was exceptionally rich.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, and Uncle and the others, have been keeping it from me, worrying about my fifth-year ceremony. Actually, I knew about it already. Now, with three ancient relics, the true blood will surely be sufficient."

He was overjoyed, his face glowing with satisfaction, his smile both sweet and pure, radiating brightly in the evening glow.

Tears streaming down, Little Dot implored, "Please vote for us, everyone. We really need your support for the new book. It’s free to vote every day. I sincerely ask all brothers and sisters to lend a hand. Thank you!"