“I’d rather die than submit to you!” the Violet Rain Bird roared, slamming itself frantically against the cage. It hadn’t expected the Ivy Electro Serpent’s cage to be so strong. Even with the serpent dead, the barrier remained unbreakable.Frustrated, the Violet Rain Bird clenched its beak, desperate to escape and soar once more. It knew it stood no chance against Adrian.Watching the bird’s futile struggle, Adrian sneered coldly. “Looks like I’ll need to teach you a lesson.” A glowing seal formed in his hand, radiating brilliant beams of light that lit up the area. His eyes gleamed sharply, ready to strike the bird.Suddenly, the sky trembled violently, and the Violet Rain Bird felt a terrifying force surge toward it. Waves of excruciating pain swept through the bird as the force enveloped it completely. Its enormous form crashed to the ground, creating a deep crater.“You despicable wretch!” the Violet Rain Bird roared, realizing too late that Adrian had used the cage’s power to
Adrian responded with a mocking laugh. “How utterly ridiculous. You’re trapped, and you expect me to release you? You must be dreaming.”The Violet Rain Bird’s request was indeed laughable. Adrian never expected it to ask for freedom so boldly. If he unlocked the cage, the bird would undoubtedly turn against him, bringing unnecessary trouble.“Damn human, release me! I’ll give you my golden feathers as a gift!” the Violet Rain Bird shouted.But Adrian’s gaze remained cold. “I’m not interested in your treasures. All I need is for you to become my mount. Help me traverse this secret realm and find the Phoenix Tree and the Prism Stone. Once we leave, I’ll set you free.”Nearby, Tyron stayed silent, unsure of Adrian’s true intentions but ready to follow whatever plan he had.The Violet Rain Bird scoffed. “I’ll never trust you. Humans are the most deceitful creatures. Don’t think I don’t know your schemes!”Adrian’s sharp gaze locked onto the bird’s. “I give you my word. If I say I’ll
The Violet Rain Bird could only howl in anger. Meanwhile, Adrian activated the formation again and snapped the bird's wing."Damn it!" The Violet Rain Bird roared in frustration, but it was futile. Faced with Adrian’s overwhelming strength at the Astral Stage, any resistance was pointless. The bird was already gravely injured and realized that if it didn’t relent now, it would only endure endless suffering. Yet, it still could not bring itself to submit to Adrian.Adrian looked at the creature, exasperated by its stubbornness. He had already offered terms, indicating he would release it once they left this secret realm. If the Violet Rain Bird agreed, freedom was still possible, but its defiance meant it would only face continuous pain.With a cold and unforgiving smirk, Adrian said, "Hmph! I'm giving you a chance, so why don't you take it? Why make things difficult for yourself?"If the Violet Rain Bird ended up dying by his hand, it would be its own doing. It was weak, and the Iv
The Violet Rain Bird couldn't be sure if Adrian would truly honor his promise to dissolve the contract after the latter got what he wanted.Adrian understood the bird's thoughts but chose not to press the issue. He was willing to wait for it to make up its mind. After all, he had been busy for days, and a little more time wouldn’t hurt. A strong mount would save them effort and help them move faster. Otherwise, they would soon exhaust themselves traversing this vast forest.Time passed slowly, and the Violet Rain Bird became utterly worn out. Its body was covered in wounds, with no unscathed skin left. Yet, Adrian's expression remained cold. He felt no sympathy for the creature."You despicable human! Do you really want me dead so badly?!" the Violet Rain Bird roared in rage, feeling that Adrian had gone too far.Adrian replied, "Oh, really? I'll give you three more minutes. If you don’t agree by then, I’ll kill you right here. If you want to self-destruct, go ahead. I’ve already o
Boom!A terrifying tremor erupted. The Violet Rain Bird instinctively resisted forming a contract with Adrian, but given the circumstances, it could only offer token resistance.Adrian smiled, fully aware of the bird's internal struggle. It was clearly waiting for an opportunity to escape, but now that the contract had been signed, escape was impossible.In a short time, the contract was established. The Violet Rain Bird was relatively young, having lived just over a hundred years, which marked adulthood in the realm of beasts. As Adrian examined the Violet Rain Bird's bloodline, he was astonished to discover it was a descendant of an ancient phoenix.His gaze sharpened, thinking this was quite favorable. However, he also realized he might need to fulfill the terms of their agreement. He pondered whether he would be able to take the Violet Rain Bird with him but decided he was overthinking it. For now, his priority was to locate the Phoenix Tree and the Prism Stone."Now that we'v
The Violet Rain Bird's pupils widened in shock at Adrian's display of power. It began to realize that choosing Adrian as its master might not have been a mistake, after all. With such immense strength, aligning with Adrian could prove beneficial for the bird."Come out now," Adrian said. "You're severely injured, and we need to find a safe place for you to recover. Try to shrink your body a bit."The Violet Rain Bird readily agreed. Given its injuries, remaining in its large form was unfavorable. Finding a safe spot to rest and regain its strength was essential."Understood, Master," the Violet Rain Bird replied, fully obeying Adrian's instructions.Without hesitation, they left the area. The recent commotion had likely disturbed the surrounding forest, and curious humans might soon arrive to investigate. In this secret realm, rare treasures and countless opportunities awaited those willing to seize them. The disturbances hinted at hidden possibilities, and exploration was the only
As time passed, the Violet Rain Bird recovered.Tyron took out a beast core and said, "Adrian, this is the core of the Ivy Electro Serpent. You injured it severely, and I only delivered the final blow. This belongs to you."He handed the core to Adrian without hesitation, even though it was the core of a peak Astral beast. Anyone else would have felt greedy at the sight of such a treasure as it could significantly enhance their power.Adrian's eyes widened in surprise. "Tyron, we both earned this together. I can't take it all for myself. That would be ungrateful and dishonorable. We should share its benefits, especially since the Violet Rain Bird still needs time to fully recover." He glanced at the Violet Rain Bird, noting its severe injuries and the long road ahead for its recovery.Tyron felt deeply moved by Adrian's words. Although the core was rightfully earned through Adrian's efforts, with Tyron only delivering the final blow, he recognized that Adrian could have finished of
"Tyron, let's skip the formalities. We should hurry and absorb this inner core so we can both grow stronger," Adrian said.They sat cross-legged with the beast's inner core floating between them. "Once we absorb it, we'll definitely become much stronger," Adrian added confidently.Tyron nodded, choosing not to say more. He knew that talking too much would only make him seem long-winded or overly dramatic. Following Adrian was clearly the wisest choice.As they began to absorb the core's power, a terrifying energy surged through their bodies, sending violent waves over their skin. Adrian was surrounded by azure and golden light, while Tyron was enveloped in a white glow. Although their radiance was different, it was evident that Adrian's strength was far greater, his entire being pulsing with immense power. Just one glance was enough to show who held the superior strength.Tyron sensed this and felt a wave of awe. However, he wasn’t jealous. He believed Adrian was meant to be this