Immortal Refiner

The moment the spiritual light shield vanished, a premonition of danger surged through Li Qing’s mind.

It’s coming!

A black shadow streaked across the horizon, this time diving straight for Li Qing’s neck, aiming for his throat!

In that split second, Li Qing finally caught a clear glimpse of the Wandering Sky Falcon.

Unlike other third-tier demonic beasts, this falcon was surprisingly small, no larger than two palms.

Yet its appearance was strikingly majestic. Its pupils radiated an innate arrogance, a contemptuous pride that dismissed all things in heaven and earth.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, the air around them thickening like viscous fluid. As the falcon flapped its wings, faint ripples spread through the air in concentric circles.

Its speed bordered on the mystical, approaching the very secrets of space itself—an almost unbelievable velocity.

The falcon’s razor-sharp talons struck first. Before the sound of their passage could even break the air, they were already inches from Li Qing’s throat.

In that infinitesimal gap, a surge of blood qi erupted!

Brahma King True Body!

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out, leaving a faint red mark on Li Qing’s throat, but causing no actual injury.

Before he could react, the Wandering Sky Falcon vanished from sight again.

”So fast!”

Li Qing finally grasped the true extent of the falcon’s speed. He slowly raised a hand to touch his throat, where a dull ache lingered, though the wound was superficial.

”Thank heavens my body arts are so advanced,” he muttered. ”Otherwise, my head would have been severed just now.”

As he spoke, a burning fire ignited in his eyes.

If he could truly tame this Wandering Sky Falcon, its lightning-fast speed would make it a nightmare for many cultivators of the same rank in the future!

After all, not everyone in the immortal cultivation world possessed a physique as formidable as his.

Before Li Qing could dwell on his thoughts, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder blade.

It’s coming again!

Thanks to the protective capabilities of his Golden Jade Garment, Li Qing remained unharmed, though the attacked area throbbed with lingering pain.

”This is getting troublesome,” he sighed. ”The Wandering Sky Falcon’s patience is wearing thin. If its repeated attacks fail, it might simply choose to leave.”

Li Qing frowned slightly. Since the spirit boat’s protective barrier had been deactivated, he had already endured two attacks.

Although the Wandering Sky Falcon hadn’t inflicted any damage, he hadn’t managed to capture it either, not even touching a single feather.

Ultimately, he was merely passively enduring the attacks, with no opportunity to retaliate.

As Li Qing pondered his predicament, another strike slammed into his back.

Whoosh!

The sound of the air being torn apart arrived after the attack itself. Just as before, he only heard the sound after the impact, a testament to the Wandering Sky Falcon’s speed, which surpassed even the speed of sound.

Yet Li Qing remained calm, his mind clear and focused.

”It seems I’ll have to rely on this. I wonder if it will work.”

With that thought, he calmly retrieved a dark crimson crystal from his storage pouch. Its interior appeared murky and opaque.

This was none other than the crimson crystal, renowned for its extraordinary attraction to demon beasts!

Li Qing gripped the crystal tightly between his fingers, the immense pressure causing hairline cracks to spiderweb across its surface, threatening to shatter it at any moment.

He planned to use this second-tier crimson crystal as bait, hoping to lure the Wandering Sky Falcon close enough to create an opening for his own counterattack.

The only regret was that this second-tier crimson crystal wouldn’t hold much appeal for third-tier or higher demon beasts.

At least, after Fan Tong advanced to a third-tier demonic beast, he lost much of his appetite for ordinary second-tier crimson crystals, whether due to overeating or some other reason.

However, Li Qing’s worries proved unfounded. These crimson crystals, imbued with the Red Moon Secret Power and capable of accelerating a demon beast’s metamorphosis, held irresistible allure for creatures that had never tasted them before.

In an instant, the Wandering Sky Falcon swooped down again, its sharp beak aimed at the dark red crystal Li Qing clutched tightly in his hand.

This time, Li Qing focused his mind, emptying his thoughts completely. For the first time, he managed to discern the falcon’s trajectory.

Considering the Wandering Sky Falcon’s extraordinary speed, Li Qing chose to strike ahead of its path.

With a resolute flick of his finger, Li Qing unleashed an attack. This strike drew neither upon his true essence nor spiritual energy, relying solely on the raw, overbearing power of his fleshly body.

Crack!

The crimson crystal shattered, a small portion falling into the Wandering Sky Falcon’s beak.

Immediately afterward, a piercing screech tore through the air.

Scree!

Li Qing’s finger had struck the falcon’s tail, the powerful Internal Strength surging into its body and violently disrupting its flight path.

After taking the hit, the Wandering Sky Falcon immediately flapped its wings, regained its balance, and prepared to flee.

”Where do you think you’re going?!”

Li Qing wasn’t about to let it escape. Seizing the opportunity, he channeled his true essence, which erupted from his fingertips like a razor-sharp sword, slashing directly at the falcon.

Unfortunately, Li Qing’s reaction was a fraction too slow. The blade of true essence barely missed the falcon, slicing through the air and severing only a few feathers from its body.

Whoosh!

In the next instant, the Wandering Sky Falcon vanished from the spirit boat, leaving behind only a scattering of broken feathers.

”Failed... I couldn’t even keep it here.”

Li Qing sighed heavily. He knew that after this missed opportunity, finding another chance would be exceedingly difficult.

Third-tier demonic beasts possessed spiritual intelligence nearly on par with humans, and their instinct for self-preservation was deeply ingrained. Even ordinary wild animals understood the importance of avoiding danger; a high-level Exotic Bird like the Wandering Sky Falcon would certainly be no exception.

Just now, Li Qing had nearly captured it. After this experience, the falcon would undoubtedly become even more vigilant.

Sighing, Li Qing took a few steps forward and picked up the feathers the Wandering Sky Falcon had left behind.

As he prepared to have Wu Chong reactivate the spiritual energy shield, an unusual sound of air being torn apart suddenly came from behind him.

Li Qing whirled around to see that the crimson crystal fragments that had shattered in his hand moments ago had completely vanished.

”What’s this...”

In an instant, Li Qing realized: the Wandering Sky Falcon had done this!

”Heh, ’Humans die for wealth, birds for food’—that old saying really holds true,” Li Qing chuckled softly, now fully aware of the irresistible allure the crimson crystal held for the falcon.

(End of the Chapter)