Lu Heng turned around. The hyenas nearby, sensing their leader was dead, no longer fought. They feigned a few fireballs to resist, then turned and fled without hesitation.
Watching the hyena pack retreat, Lu Heng looked at the Fire Phoenixes that had been fighting moments ago. The Fire Phoenixes, as if organized, left only one to collect the fire element magic crystals from the hyenas' heads. The rest surrounded Lu Heng, watching him warily.
"I mean no harm. You saw just now, I even saved this bird."
Regardless of whether these birds could understand him, Lu Heng pointed to the Fire Phoenix in front of him, which had raised its upper body and was looking at him.
After a brief silence, the Fire Phoenix, which had been lying on the ground, let out a few low chirps. Instantly, the other Fire Phoenixes, which had been glaring at him, rose and flew into the air to continue guarding the surroundings.
The Fire Phoenix collecting the magic crystals also returned, placing all the crystals from the heads of the dead hyenas before the first Fire Phoenix, and then flew into the air itself.
For a moment, only Lu Heng and the Fire Phoenix remained on the ground, staring at each other.
"Can you understand me?"
Lu Heng felt that there was no communication barrier between him and this Fire Phoenix. Otherwise, after he spoke, the Fire Phoenix wouldn't have chirped those few sounds, and the other Fire Phoenixes wouldn't have flown into the air to circle.
The Fire Phoenix nodded at Lu Heng, then its gaze shifted to the ice wall behind him.
Presumably, the Fire Phoenix disliked cold objects. Lu Heng waved his hand, and the ice wall instantly turned into a pool of water, which was absorbed by the dry, cracked earth below.
Feeling the uncomfortable presence disappear, the Fire Phoenix shifted its body, then rose and ate the fire element magic crystals placed not far in front of it.
As the Fire Phoenix stood up, Lu Heng finally saw clearly that the Fire Phoenix's belly was unusually large. It was likely pregnant, which was why the Fire Phoenixes flying in the sky were protecting it. It was about to give birth.
After eating a few fire element magic crystals, the Fire Phoenix returned to its original position. It lay down, its eyes fixed on Lu Heng, a hint of wariness in its gaze.
"I came to take away two Fire Phoenixes. Don't get up. I want a Fire Phoenix as a mount. Of course, a Fire Phoenix that follows me will be treated better than one in the wild. At the very least, I have plenty of fire element magic crystals."
Lu Heng extended his right hand, which held the magic crystal of the hyena leader he had just obtained.
The magic crystals the Fire Phoenix had eaten earlier were all level five or six fire element magic crystals. The one in Lu Heng's hand was a high-level magic crystal. Lu Heng knew that this Fire Phoenix would be even more eager for such a high-level magic crystal.
The pregnant Fire Phoenix looked at the magic crystal in Lu Heng's hand, and a hint of desire seemed to appear in its eyes. However, it did not get up to snatch the magic crystal, but quietly watched Lu Heng.
Lu Heng suddenly felt a bit awkward. What was happening to him? He could actually use some means to contract this Fire Phoenix that was about to give birth. If he did, any eggs it laid would also become his contracted pets, and they wouldn't count towards his pet limit.
Lu Heng rubbed the fire element magic crystal in his hand, then dripped his blood onto the magic crystal in front of the Fire Phoenix. He then placed the magic crystal on the ground and took a few steps back.
"I'm leaving this here. If you want to become my contracted magical beast, eat this."
For a moment, silence fell again. Lu Heng could still smell the strong scent of blood emanating from the dead hyenas not far away.
Lu Heng didn't understand why these Fire Phoenixes hadn't dealt with the hyena corpses. They neither ate the hyena carcasses nor moved them away, leaving them there. They weren't afraid of attracting other animals.
The Fire Phoenix had been watching Lu Heng's actions. Suddenly, the Fire Phoenix seemed to feel some pain. It arched its body, stretching its long neck forward, and began to chirp softly from time to time.
βIs it about to give birth?
Lu Heng retreated to the side, observing the Fire Phoenix's condition.
Logically speaking, birds usually don't take too long to lay eggs. After all, the shape of the egg means they rarely have difficult births.
However, nothing is absolute. Some birds do have difficult births. For example, the Fire Phoenix waiting to give birth before him. Lu Heng looked at its discomfort and it seemed to be having a difficult birth.
The Fire Phoenix's abdomen was unusually large and it was restless, its neck swinging up and down. It assumed an egg-laying posture but couldn't lay it for a long time.
The Fire Phoenixes circling in the sky, sensing the restlessness of the Fire Phoenix on the ground, began to cry out incessantly in the air.
Lu Heng stood still, constantly paying attention to the movements of the Fire Phoenix waiting to give birth.
After a long wait, Lu Heng felt his legs grow sore from standing. The Fire Phoenix only continued to cry out, its abdomen constantly writhing, but no egg was laid.
It was indeed a difficult birth.
"Drink some of this water, it might help you lay your egg."
Seeing the Fire Phoenix's discomfort, Lu Heng couldn't bear it any longer and brought out a bucket of water.
He placed the bucket on the ground. The water in the iron bucket was constantly steaming on the scorching ground, and the water was constantly evaporating.
The Fire Phoenix struggled for a moment longer, then looked at the water bucket Lu Heng had placed in front of it and tentatively lowered its head towards the bucket.
After drinking a few sips of water, the Fire Phoenix didn't drink much more. As if feeling a slight comfort, it gathered its strength again to continue laying the egg.
However, although the ancient well water had the effect of restoring stamina, it was not a divine water and did not have much effect on assisting childbirth.
Lu Heng tried to walk towards the Fire Phoenix's tail, looking at its anus, which was exposed due to the impending birth.
The shell of the egg could already be seen there, but it was still unable to be expelled.
Lu Heng picked up the magic crystal on the ground and held it up to the Fire Phoenix, "Eat this, and I guarantee you won't die."
If this Fire Phoenix were contracted by him, there would be no communication barrier between them, and Lu Heng would know how to help the Fire Phoenix with its birth.
Moreover, he himself possessed the ability to revive the dead, but he would not treat the Fire Phoenix for free. However, after contracting, they would have a connection, and he would not stand by and watch his contracted animal die.
The Fire Phoenix tried to exert force again. It did not want to be contracted. Although it didn't understand what contraction meant, as a magical beast that had always been free, it didn't want any relationship with humans.
In their minds, humans were synonymous with cunning. In short, any magical beast that became close to humans would disappear from the world of freedom.
Seeing that the Fire Phoenix was unmoved, Lu Heng patiently waited. If the situation worsened, Lu Heng would take some forceful measures to forcibly contract the Fire Phoenix.
However, before Lu Heng could take any strong action, the Fire Phoenix, finally feeling that it could not lay the egg by its own strength, raised its head and ate the magic crystal Lu Heng had placed aside.