plumnovel Chapter 54 The Vulture Recognizes Its Master
Chapter 54 The Vulture Recognizes Its Master
After Xuan Yao used his supernatural powers to capture the dark golden evil dragon in his sleeve, the poisonous water and rolling black clouds in this world suddenly lost their source.
In less than half an incense stick's time, the miasma that filled the sky was completely dispersed by the strong winds above the clouds, and the clear sky and water once again appeared in the world.
At the summit of a solitary peak on the water, hundreds of miles away from where the battle took place.
The grey-white eagle was struggling to cling to the cliff face, its wings drooping limply. The flesh on its abdomen, torn open by the dragon's tail, was exposed, and a lingering, foul-smelling black aura surrounded the wound, clearly indicating that it had been poisoned by the evil dragon.
At this moment, Lingjiu's aura was extremely weak, and its vitality was as faint as a candle in the wind. However, with the stubbornness and ruthlessness in its bones, it clung tightly to the rock and managed not to faint.
Xuan Yao stepped onto the solitary peak on a pure white auspicious cloud, moving slowly and steadily.
Upon seeing a stranger approach, the vulture's eyes suddenly flashed with a fierce, cold light.
Although it was this Taoist in green robes who saved it from its predicament, this primordial world is extremely dangerous, and it is not uncommon for a tiger to be kept out of the front door only to be let in a wolf at the back.
Who knows if this Taoist priest, like that evil dragon, also harbored the intention to devour it alive?
Xuan Yao didn't take it seriously when he saw how wary it was.
Born in such a wild and brutal land where the strong prey on the weak, if one is completely unprepared, there will probably not even be any bones left.
"Don't move around recklessly. You have accumulated dragon poison in your abdomen. If you forcefully activate your magic power again, I'm afraid it will damage the foundation of your cultivation."
Xuan Yao spoke gently, stopping three zhang away. With a flick of his sleeve, a crystal-clear water droplet radiating rich vitality appeared out of thin air at his fingertips.
This water is the pure, cold spring liquid from the Qingheishan Taoist temple, nourished year-round by the Jade Dew and Blessed Fungus.
Immediately afterwards, Xuan Yao had a thought, and a wisp of crimson-gold fire, thinner than a strand of hair, split off from his fingertip and coiled around the drop of spiritual liquid like a serpent.
Xuan Yao didn't say much, but simply held the two objects up and quietly watched the spirit vulture.
Although the vulture was extremely intelligent, it had never seen such a scene before.
However, it could clearly sense that the life force contained in that drop of water was exactly what it desperately needed to save its life, and although that wisp of crimson-gold firelight was extremely intense, it was controlled by the Taoist with exquisite skill and showed no hostility whatsoever.
After a brief stalemate, the spirit vulture seemed to realize that if this powerful Golden Immortal truly wanted to harm it, its heavily injured body would be powerless to resist.
Finally, it lowered its proud head and let out a soft moan, signaling Xuan Yao to take action.
Xuan Yao nodded slightly and flicked his finger.
The first wisp of Southern Ming fire flew out and landed precisely on the wound in Lingjiu's abdomen.
With a soft hissing sound, the highly poisonous miasma and foul, dark energy that had been lingering at the wound were utterly powerless against the pure and intense Southern Bright Fire, instantly being burned into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.
The firelight, though painful, only burned away the toxins, without harming the vulture's flesh in the slightest.
This meticulous control over the timing of the fire is the result of Xuan Yao's repeated deductions in his sea of consciousness over the past thousands of years using the Southern Brightness Divine General.
Once the poison was removed, Xuan Yao injected the drop of cold spring liquid into the wound.
The warm, moist water instantly released its life-giving energy, nourishing the parched meridians.
In just a few breaths, the deep, bone-revealing wound on Lingjiu stopped bleeding and began to slowly regrow new flesh. Its previously weakened aura finally stabilized.
While healing Lingjiu, Xuanyao's divine sense followed the spiritual liquid and inadvertently explored the depths of Lingjiu's meridians.
This investigation, however, secretly pleased Xuan Yao.
"No wonder a mere Perfected Profound Immortal can possess such incredible speed, capable of cutting through the void. It turns out that deep within the meridians of this Spirit Vulture lies a trace of extremely pure Roc bloodline!"
It should be known that the roc is a unique species among birds, with unparalleled speed, and soaring up to ninety thousand miles is nothing more than a trifle.
The reason why this eagle in front of me is gray and white and cannot transform for so long is probably because it is a wild bird of a rogue cultivator and has no elder to teach it the proper method of sorting out its bloodline, which causes the trace of the true blood of the roc to be covered by the chaotic and fierce aura.
As long as a suitable method is found in the future to cleanse its marrow and refine its essence, the Vulture's potential will be limitless.
"The result of this fortunate turn of events is an unexpected and rare treasure." Xuan Yao was extremely satisfied.
After its injuries had greatly improved, a grayish-white demonic light surged around the spirit vulture.
As the light faded, a woman dressed in a greyish-white feathered robe appeared on the solitary peak.
Her face was aloof, with a hint of the arrogance unique to birds between her brows. Although her complexion was still a little pale, she was no longer in serious condition.
The woman stepped forward, bowed deeply without hesitation, and said respectfully:
"This humble demon Lingxiao kowtows to thank the Great Immortal for saving my life! If it weren't for the Great Immortal's intervention to cut off the evil dragon's pursuit and bestowing divine water and spiritual fire to remove the poison and regenerate my flesh, I would surely have perished in this Yunze today."
Xuan Yao gently lifted her up with a flick of his sleeve, and said softly:
"I am merely acting in accordance with the natural order. That evil dragon has heavy karma and deserves this calamity."
Now that you have taken human form, I shall ask you a question: why did that evil dragon so relentlessly pursue and kill you?
Upon hearing this, Lingxiao's eyes flashed with resentment, and he gritted his teeth as he replied:
"Great Immortal, you may not know this. I am but a solitary bird deep within this vast cloud-shrouded marshland, always absorbing the essence of the sun and moon atop a solitary peak, never actively seeking trouble. That evil dragon calls itself the Mysterious Water Dragon King, relying on its Golden Immortal cultivation to seize the water palace of this cloud-shrouded marshland."
"Some time ago, this evil dragon heard from somewhere that the little demon had a trace of the true blood of the Great Roc inside its body."
That wicked beast, driven by greed, attempted to capture the little demon and devour its heart's essence.
It wanted to borrow the bloodline of the Roc to grow a pair of Wind and Thunder Dragon Wings, in order to make up for its weakness in flight.
Lingxiao gave a bitter laugh at this point:
"The little demon naturally refused. So it led its hundreds of water demons, first destroying the little demon's lair with poisonous water, and then laying a net to surround and intercept it repeatedly."
The little demon, relying on its instinctive speed, fought him off for seven days and seven nights, but eventually exhausted its magic power and was forced into this desperate situation.
Xuan Yao nodded slightly after hearing this.
He didn't rush to recruit them, but stood with his hands behind his back and asked casually:
"Now that the evil dragon has been suppressed by me. Having escaped danger, what are your plans for the future?"
Upon hearing this, Lingxiao fell into a brief silence.
Her clear, cold eyes gazed at the vast Yunze Lake, and she suddenly shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.
Having survived this life-or-death ordeal, her originally unruly and solitary nature has been completely awakened by this brutal reality.
"Great Immortal, although I am foolish, I understand one principle. In this primordial world, without a powerful backer, a rogue cultivator like me, who has a very high foundation but no great sect to protect him, is more likely to become a rare treasure or a blood-eating elixir in the eyes of others, the more outstanding his foundation is."
"Today, the Great Immortal suppressed a Xuan Shui Jiao (a type of dragon), but if other demon kings set their sights on me in the future, I, a lowly demon, will still be doomed."
Having said that, Lingxiao knelt down again without hesitation, slamming his forehead heavily against the rock, and resolutely declared:
"This humble demon is unworthy, but I humbly beseech you, Great Immortal, to take me in!"
This is exactly the result that Xuan Yao wanted to see.
"Your enlightenment is truly a testament to the wisdom I had in saving you."
After receiving her bow, Xuan Yao's expression became solemn, and he said in a loud voice:
"I already have a young disciple serving me in my temple. Since you are willing to join my tutelage, I will bestow upon you the name of a guardian spirit bird."
Xuan Yao employed both kindness and severity, explaining the rules in a clear and detailed manner:
"Once you become my disciple, you will only need to guard the temple and protect the mountain gate on ordinary days. If I go out to travel, you will serve as my porter."
"As long as you remain obedient and loyal, and achieve merit in the future, I will personally impart to you the Xuanmen Wind and Thunder Escape Technique to help you refine your Great Roc bloodline, shed these gray and white mortal feathers, and attaining the Golden Immortal realm will not be difficult."
The old trick of giving a slap followed by a sweet treat, though overused in later generations, proved to be an invincible weapon against these simple, ancient demon immortals.
Upon hearing that he could not only receive the protection of a powerful Golden Immortal, but also had the potential to obtain the righteous method to cleanse his bloodline, Lingxiao was so excited that he trembled all over.
She immediately pointed to the heavens and swore an oath:
"This humble demon Lingxiao today vows to become a disciple of the Great Immortal, and promises to never betray him in all my lifetimes. If I break this vow, may my true spirit dissipate, and I will be unable to attain the Great Dao!"
The heavens seemed to sense something, and the oath immediately took effect.
Xuan Yao, satisfied, flicked his sleeve and helped her up.
Thus, this extraordinary bird, possessing the bloodline of the Great Roc, truly became part of his core group at Green Black Mountain.
"Now that the matter is settled, you may return with me to the Qingheishan Daoist Temple to recuperate and heal your injuries."
Xuan Yao was about to ride the clouds.
Lingxiao stood still, hesitated for a moment, then bowed and spoke:
"Please wait, sir. You may not know this, but although the evil dragon has been suppressed, it still has a water palace deep in the Yunze."
Its forces not only consist of hundreds of wicked dragon-like water demons, but its underwater palace also hides many spiritual creatures it has amassed over the years.
Lingxiao's eyes turned slightly cold, revealing the ruthless decisiveness of a ferocious bird:
"If left unchecked, those water demons, without the evil dragon to restrain them, will surely unleash a bloodbath in Yunze and harm the surrounding creatures."
Even worse, that evil dragon seems to have some old acquaintances in the East Sea. If those remnants were to leak the news, it might bring unnecessary karmic trouble to our lord in the future.
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yao stopped in his tracks, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
Although he cultivates virtue and wards off evil, he is an extremely steady person at heart.
The fact that Lingxiao could think of eliminating the root of the problem shows that his temperament suits my taste.
You are absolutely right.
Xuan Yao's gaze was fixed on the depths of Yunze, as deep and unfathomable as water:
"Now that I have suppressed that old dragon, I have accepted this cause and effect."
The so-called "blessing" does not mean showing mercy.
To eradicate evil completely and leave no future trouble is the true way to follow the will of Heaven.
"You lead the way."
"This humble Taoist will now go and visit the water palace of the Xuan Shui Jiao Wang (a powerful dragon), and wipe out this Yunze (a region in Yunnan) completely."