Xiong Zhuangzhuang’s contracted demon beast, the Earth Bear, was subdued by him on his own.
He battled with Bear Da in the icy wilderness for seven days and seven nights, eventually earning Bear Da's submission through sheer endurance.
Therefore, he considered his most outstanding trait to be his resilience.
However, he had waited for nearly a day and a night without any demon beasts approaching, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
This shouldn't be happening.
When he had scouted this area a few days prior, he had encountered no fewer than five demon beasts by the stream.
Could it be that scaring away one spotted deer had made the other demon beasts afraid to come near?
The more he thought about it, the more something felt amiss, so he got up and moved rapidly towards the direction the spotted deer had fled.
He had to find out the reason.
An hour later.
Xiong Zhuangzhuang, who had been leaping swiftly, suddenly stopped, his expression grave.
He smelled the scent of demon blood.
And the aura of a cultivator.
Having contracted the Earth Bear, he had also inherited its keen sense of smell.
He immediately understood why no demon beasts were approaching.
Someone had intercepted the only path to the water source in advance.
Any demon beast that passed through this area would face a lightning-fast strike, unable to even escape, let alone drink from the stream.
The opponent was strong.
Xiong Zhuangzhuang’s resolve faltered.
His primary objective on this trip was to find the Soul Returning Demon Fruit, and he should avoid conflict with other cultivators as much as possible.
After all, any cultivator capable of setting up an ambush here would not be weak.
In an instant, he changed direction and fled towards another area.
Lu Zaiye, who was cooperating with Xu Yi in cornering a demon beast, glanced in Xiong Zhuangzhuang's direction before immediately looking away.
Xu Yi, oblivious to Lu Zaiye's distraction, was riding a Four-Winged Blood Horse that was frantically shaking its body, attempting to dislodge her.
She tightly clutched the Blood Horse's neck with both hands, muttering to herself.
"Little horse, just yield to me."
"Little horse, you're so beautiful, be my mount."
"Little horse, when I leave the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge, I will surely set you free."
"..."
Xu Yi felt like her internal organs were about to be churned out, but her grip on the Four-Winged Blood Horse's neck remained unyielding.
She was utterly enamored with this horse.
This was her dream horse.
The thought of such a beautiful horse as her mount was incredibly exciting.
She held onto the Four-Winged Blood Horse without letting go, refusing Lu Zaiye's help, and remained locked in a stalemate with it.
Unable to shake Xu Yi off and unable to escape, the Four-Winged Blood Horse eventually succumbed to exhaustion and reluctantly accepted Xu Yi as its temporary master.
Only then could Xu Yi truly admire her little horse.
The Four-Winged Blood Horse was blood-red all over, its fur like the finest silk, smooth and lustrous. Most remarkably, it had wings on its sides, allowing it to fly through the air.
Xu Yi held it, unable to put it down.
To make the Four-Winged Blood Horse like her too, she even brought Lu Zaiye along to find the most succulent fodder for it.
Lu Zaiye: ...
He looked at the Four-Winged Blood Horse, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Sensing the killing intent, the Four-Winged Blood Horse snorted, prompting Xu Yi to ask about its comfort repeatedly, fearing it was unwell.
Lu Zaiye, unable to bear it, averted his gaze.
While the Four-Winged Blood Horse was recovering its strength by eating tender spirit grass, Xu Yi and Lu Zaiye began discussing hunting in a different location.
They had ambushed this area for several days, capturing all the demon beasts that passed through.
It was unclear if demon beasts had a special way of communicating information.
They had guarded this spot all day, and only this Four-Winged Blood Horse had stumbled into their trap.
Clearly, this location was no longer suitable for them to stay.
Lu Zaiye quietly retracted his spiritual sense and pointed to the other side of the stream, "Go over there."
The scent was strongest in that direction.
It meant there were more demon beasts there.
Xu Yi had no objections and agreed.
When it was time to depart, she encountered a problem.
She had subdued the Four-Winged Blood Horse and had a mount, but Lu Zaiye did not.
Was she supposed to ride the horse while Lu Zaiye ran alongside?
Xu Yi frantically shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought.
She was the Ancestral Master.
How could she let her disciple suffer while she enjoyed herself?
But the reverse was also not an option.
She furrowed her brows, deliberating for a moment, and finally made up her mind. She leaped onto the horse's back, patted the empty space in front of her, and said to Lu Zaiye, "Lu Zaiye, you come up too."
Lu Zaiye: !!!
Although Lu Zaiye remained silent, the shock and confusion in his eyes were evident.
Had he misheard?
The junior Ancestral Master wanted him to share a horse with her?
Hallucination.
It must be a hallucination.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Yi exclaimed loudly, "You didn't mishear, come up quickly, let's go together."
Xu Yi's eyebrows were raised, immensely pleased with her quick thinking.
This way, she wouldn't have to agonize over who should ride the horse.
"No, no need."
Lu Zaiye, having recovered his senses, flatly refused.
This idea was simply preposterous.
He wanted to reprimand her, but upon seeing Xu Yi's calm expression, those words died on his lips.
The junior Ancestral Master's demeanor made his own thoughts seem rather dirty.
But this was fundamentally wrong.
Lu Zaiye was determined not to mount the horse.
However, he forgot that Xu Yi was inherently stubborn.
If Lu Zaiye wouldn't get on the horse, she wouldn't leave either. Moreover, she began lecturing him on the principles of respecting one's master.
For the first time, Lu Zaiye experienced the feeling of being at a loss.
The two of them spoke for nearly an hour in front of the Four-Winged Blood Horse.
Finally, Xu Yi even produced her Ancestral Master's token, ordering Lu Zaiye to get on the horse.
Lu Zaiye stiffened, cupped his hands, and said, "Disciple... obeys."
A smile played on Xu Yi's lips as she cheerfully patted the spot she had reserved for Lu Zaiye, beckoning him to hurry up.
Lu Zaiye took a deep breath, tapped his toes, and in a flash, appeared behind Xu Yi.
"Let's go."
A cool breath brushed against Xu Yi's ear, causing her to tilt her head uncomfortably.
Alright, even though Lu Zaiye wasn't sitting in her envisioned spot, he had gotten on the horse, so they could both compromise.
Xu Yi contentedly stroked the Four-Winged Blood Horse. "Little horse, we can go now."
As soon as the words fell.
The Four-Winged Blood Horse moved its four hooves in unison, like thunder.
The scenery flashed by rapidly, the strong wind whipping against her face, tangling her dark hair. This feeling was entirely different from flying with a magical artifact.
The smile on Xu Yi's face deepened.
If it weren't for Lu Zaiye's presence, she might have even let out a loud shout.
Lu Zaiye, seated behind Xu Yi, was completely stiff, his hands placed properly above his thighs. No matter how the Four-Winged Blood Horse leaped, he remained as still as a rock.
The wind speed increased.
A strand of dark hair suddenly brushed against his jaw, sending a tingling sensation.
Before he could react.
The next moment, another strand of dark hair brushed against his cheek.
In a daze, he thought he detected a very faint scent.
Recalling the possible source of this scent.
Lu Zaiye abruptly came back to his senses and began to dodge by turning his body.
However, those few strands of hair seemed to be deliberately against him; no matter how he turned, they kept leaning towards him.
Finally, he had to use his spiritual power to fix those strands of hair in mid-air before he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.