Chapter 25: The Demonic Bird

The mountains on both sides stretched endlessly, and though it was already early spring, the chill of winter still lingered in the night. Bare branches swayed in the forest, their silhouettes in the distance resembling ghostly shadows, sending a shiver through the darkness.

As soon as Yin Tianfang reached the shore, he hurried straight into the mountains. He knew the pursuer was no benevolent soul, and though he couldn't guess why he was being targeted, it seemed wisest to slip away for now.

"Stop right there, boy!" The young man behind him called out, his tone cold and menacing. Despite his youth and his fine brocade garments, which marked him as a scion of wealth, there was nothing soft about him. A strong surge of spiritual energy radiated from his body as he chased relentlessly, swift as the wind.

Once Yin Tianfang plunged into the mountains, he used the terrain to his advantage and quickly vanished from the young man's sight.

"Damn it! You little bastard! If I ever catch you again, I’ll tear you to pieces!" The young man stood amid the mountains, his surroundings shrouded in darkness and silence. The absence of Yin Tianfang's figure infuriated him, but there was nothing he could do. With a fierce flick of his sleeve, he departed in frustration.

Watching the youth leave, Yin Tianfang exhaled heavily, his heart finally easing. Suddenly, the light around him dimmed abruptly. Puzzled, he looked up and saw a massive shadow blotting out the starlight.

He stared blankly at the sky as a colossal shadow swept overhead, stirring up a violent gust. It was an enormous bird of prey, exuding a crushing aura that made Yin Tianfang feel unbearably oppressed. Under this presence, he was frozen in place as if a mountain pinned him down, unable to move a muscle.

"A demon beast!"

The term flashed through his mind, and he was instantly seized by terror. During his time at the Azure Cloud Sect, beyond his cultivation, he had read much about the mystical arts. He knew that not only humans could cultivate; under certain circumstances, even plants, insects, fish, birds, and beasts could as well.

Plants that succeeded were known as spirits; animals that succeeded were called demons. Judging by the overwhelming power radiating from this beast, it was undoubtedly a great demon.

The giant bird swooped down from the sky, evidently having noticed Yin Tianfang's presence. Its enormous wings stirred the trees into a cacophonous rustling. Staring up in terror at the descending beast, Yin Tianfang forced down a gulp, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

A violent wind howled as a massive talon reached for him. Helplessly, Yin Tianfang watched it close around him and lift him from the ground. Before he could react, he was being carried high into the sky by the monstrous demon beast.

---

This was the second time Yin Tianfang had flown through the air. The first had been with the Daoist Wuchen, an experience that had filled him with delight. But now, borne aloft in the claws of this enormous demon, he could feel no joy—only dread.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but at last one prevailed: this time, he was surely doomed.

The wind roared past his ears as the demon bird soared over a deep ravine, then dove downward. It landed atop a protruding boulder beside a huge cave. With casual indifference, the beast tossed Yin Tianfang into the cave, his body crashing hard against the unforgiving stone. Though his cultivation had reached the first stage of Qi Condensation, the impact made him feel as if his bones might scatter to the winds.

Grimacing in pain, he struggled to his feet and surveyed the pitch-black cave, confusion gnawing at him. If the demon beast had caught him, wasn't it going to eat him? Why throw him into a cave?

Just as the question arose, he found the answer. From the depths of the cave, two bright points of light appeared, accompanied by the sound of footsteps. Yin Tianfang immediately realized—there was another demon beast inside.

"Could it be the beast's offspring? Did it catch me to feed its young?" Yin Tianfang's spirits sank, feeling this would be a truly humiliating end.

He glanced toward the cave's entrance—the giant bird had already left. Elated, he sprinted toward the exit. But as he reached the mouth of the cave and looked up, his joy faded instantly. Above him, mist shrouded the heights, and the stone walls were sheer and unscalable. Below, the chasm dropped into unfathomable darkness—a single misstep would spell certain death.

Just as despair settled over him, the demon chick bounded from the depths of the cave and pounced on him, knocking him flat. Yin Tianfang cried out in alarm, covering his face with his arms and squeezing his eyes shut.

A moment passed, but the anticipated sensation of being torn apart never came. Cautiously, he lowered his arms and opened his eyes, only to find a large, furry head peering at him—two round, curious eyes stared back.

The demon chick was enormous—standing upright, it was even taller than Yi Tianxing. Its golden feathers were soft and fluffy, making it look for all the world like an oversized yellow chick.

The young beast gingerly released him and nudged him with its claws, indicating that he should get up. When Yin Tianfang stood, it gently prodded him deeper into the cave. Puzzled, he obeyed, only to see the rotund yellow chick suddenly charge at him again, bowling him over with its plump body.

He staggered, and the demon chick plopped down squarely on his chest, nearly making him cough blood in distress.

But that was only the beginning. Forced to stand again by the relentless "big yellow chick," Yin Tianfang quickly learned his lesson. As soon as he got up, he broke into a run—but surprisingly, the chick was even faster than he was.

---

"Thud!"

The giant chick tackled Yin Tianfang once more and sat heavily on him, chirping gleefully.

"I'm done! Just eat me already!" Yin Tianfang sprawled on the ground in defeat, shouting. Being used as a plaything by a demon chick felt worse than death. After all, he was a Qi Condensation cultivator, yet he couldn’t match the strength of a mere beast’s offspring and was repeatedly sat upon, his dignity battered beyond repair.

Seeing Yin Tianfang lose his temper, the young demon tilted its head, regarding him with puzzlement. They had been playing happily—why had he stopped, and why was he angry?

Yin Tianfang ignored it, closing his eyes and lying motionless as if resigned to his fate. Having given up, he soon drifted into an involuntary sleep.

When he awoke, it was already the next morning. Opening his eyes, he found two big, round eyes staring intently at him. Startled, he leapt to his feet.

The demon chick, equally startled, hopped back a few steps. But as soon as it recovered, it bounded cheerfully toward Yin Tianfang again.

Seeing this, Yin Tianfang promptly lay down on the ground, thinking, "This time I’ll lie down first and see what you do about it."

The demon chick eyed him in confusion. Why was this human so fond of lying on the floor?

As man and beast stared at one another, a fierce wind swept into the cave. A massive shadow blotted out the light, plunging the cave into gloom. The air grew thick with the scent of demon energy and fresh blood.

Yin Tianfang’s heart lurched.

"Damn, the old bird is back!"