His body grew quickly, nearly two or three times larger than when he had first hatched.
The nest made from Xu Ke's hair was gradually becoming too small to hold him.
Fortunately, a fine layer of downy feathers began sprouting across Li Fan's naked body.
Before long, he would surely be able to fly on his own.
This journey into the Fallen Immortal Realm seemed exceptionally peaceful.
Spending his days by Xu Ke's side, there were no crises, nor were there any fortunate encounters.
Just when less than three days remained of the time Li Fan could stay in the Fallen Immortal Realm, a sudden change occurred.
On that day, a resonant dragon's roar echoed across the entire territory of the Beast Taming Sect.
Azure light illuminated heaven and earth, and the winds and clouds above churned violently.
Li Fan looked up and saw a massive dragon claw looming through the cover of the sky's clouds, blotting out the heavens and obscuring the sun.
Even though the dragon claw was high in the firmament and Li Fan was not its intended target, the oppressive might it inadvertently gave off made his fledgling body tremble uncontrollably.
It was the suppression of absolute power, leaving him unable to muster even a thought of resistance.
As if confronting an enemy, the dragon claw swiped ferociously at the void ahead.
Li Fan's heart stopped as he watched the world-shattering strike unfold.
And yet...
Nothing happened.
As if meeting an absolute barrier, the claw was trapped where it was, unable to advance or retreat.
“Is this the Beast Taming Sect's way of treating guests?”
A moment later, a very pleasant voice rang out.
It spread throughout heaven and earth.
Frail and scholarly, it sounded incomparably gentle.
As that voice echoed through the world, Li Fan, as a companion spirit beast, acutely felt Xu Ke's body trembling faintly.
Not out of fear, but from excitement and bewilderment.
“Mr. Bai?”
Xu Ke's gaze was dazed, filled with disbelief.
As if answering his words, Mr. Bai's gentle voice sounded once more.
“Not a bad dragon claw. I'll take it back to nourish the children.”
Before his words even finished fading, a beam of light suppressed the azure radiance filling the sky.
A wretched draconic howl resounded as that enormous, seemingly invincible claw was cleanly severed, vanishing from the heavens.
Vaguely, a lone figure could be seen standing where the claw had been.
The dragon claw being severed seemed to provoke the fury of the Beast Taming Sect.
In an instant, the sky darkened.
A Vermilion Bird cloaked in flames, a winged yellow dragon, a winged white tiger, a two-horned qilin, a long-fanged ferocious hound...
One terrifying beast after another emerged across the firmament.
Towering with ferocious malice, they surrounded that somewhat frail figure.
It seemed as though they would swarm forward at any second, tearing the insolent intruder into shreds.
Right at that moment, Mr. Bai spoke again: “Did you all come to give gifts to the children as well?”
A sudden hush fell over heaven and earth.
The ferocious, sinister expressions on the beasts froze completely.
One man, and a horde of fierce beasts.
All plunged into an eerie stillness.
“If you don't answer, I'll take that as a yes.”
“It seems I was mistaken before. The Beast Taming Sect is indeed warm and hospitable.”
Mr. Bai looked toward the winged white tiger.
“Fine wings. Eating them should help one run faster.”
Because Mr. Bai said so, the white tiger's wings broke off.
Mr. Bai glanced toward the two-horned qilin.
“Fine horns. Ground into powder, they can treat sprains and bruises.”
Because Mr. Bai said so, the qilin lost its horns.
Before Mr. Bai, the horde of fierce beasts filling the sky lacked the slightest power to resist.
Without even understanding what had happened, parts of their bodies were severed, taken as gifts for the children.
Terror instantly filled the hearts of the beasts in the sky.
Gone was their former overbearing arrogance; wearing terrified expressions, they fled in utter despair.
Yet none could outpace Mr. Bai's gaze.
Wherever his eyes fell, his unhurried words left one or two strange beasts maimed.
Down below, the disciples and elders of the Beast Taming Sect who witnessed this scene fell into speechless shock.
The sect's seniors had earnestly taught them how powerful spirit beasts like the Vermilion Bird, the qilin, the Black Tortoise, and the phoenix were.
Yet what were they looking at now?
These awe-inspiring spirit beasts, the very foundation of the Beast Taming Sect, were being slaughtered like chickens and dogs.
Who was that figure?
Just what level of strength did he possess?
And why was he doing this?
Countless questions swirled in the minds of everyone in the Beast Taming Sect.
Among them all, Xu Ke was shaken the most.
His eyes were lost, completely at a loss for what to do.
“That... that can't be Mr. Bai, right?”
“When I left the little temple back then, he was clearly just a mortal.”
“He told me so himself...”
Li Fan's reaction was hardly any better.
Seeing beasts tens of thousands of times stronger than himself slaughtered so effortlessly and casually, an instinctive terror welled up within this body that he could not suppress.
Li Fan's consciousness could only struggle to maintain control of the body, barely managing to look toward the sky to gaze upon that thin figure.
Just as Xu Ke sank into immense self-doubt, a voice rang out, shattering any lingering illusions.
“Stay your hand, Mr. Bai.”
“I know you came for me.”
Clad in blue robes, Lu Ya appeared before the frail figure.
And indeed, that figure ceased his actions.
He let the remaining beasts flee in panic across the sky, attacking them no further.
“Lu Ya, long time no see,” Mr. Bai said with a smile.
Lu Ya remained silent.
“It really is... Mr. Bai?” Seemingly unable to accept this reality, Xu Ke's legs gave way, and he fell to the ground.
Then, an even greater question welled up in his mind.
“Why on earth is Mr. Bai doing this?”
In Xu Ke's eyes, Mr. Bai was the greatest benefactor in the world.
Yet the masters, martial uncles, and fellow disciples of the Beast Taming Sect had also treated Xu Ke very well.
“Why?”
Xu Ke fell into deep confusion.
Up in the sky, Mr. Bai and Lu Ya seemed to exchange a few words.
Then, both vanished together.
Below, the Beast Taming Sect gradually descended into chaos.
In just a brief moment, the authority painstakingly established by the sect's forebears had been shattered to pieces.
Some felt that the Beast Taming Sect was vastly overrated and had no future; evil thoughts arose in their hearts, and they resolved to pillage what they could and flee amidst the confusion.
Others were frightened out of their wits, hiding away in secret chambers and refusing to step outside.
Still others, loyal disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, felt that the Dao they had pursued their entire lives had been casually trampled beneath someone's feet; in utter despair, they took their own lives.
...
Amidst this chaos, Li Fan suddenly sensed an impending crisis.
At some point, Song Yang and his two-headed snake spirit beast had quietly crept up beside Xu Ke.
Song Yang's eyes were fixed intently on Li Fan, his gaze burning with greed.
Chapter 317