Thump~
Squeak?
Landing on the ground as the blood contract disappeared after being absorbed by it, the rabbit demon beast let out a slightly confused squeaking sound before looking around itself with an even more confused expression on its face. Not understanding where the spiritual energy inside the blood contract had disappeared after it finished absorbing it.
The spiritual energy inside the blood contract was plentiful as it had contained part of Xuan Hao's own power. If not for this, it would have been impossible for the blood contract to work with a powerful demon beast in the Second Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm. This was also the reason why the rabbit demon beast had been so tempted to absorb the blood contract in the first place. Of course… Unknown to the rabbit demon beast, this spiritual energy had been used up shortly after the blood contract had been accepted…
Not aware of this fact, the rabbit demon beast thought that it might have accidentally wasted the spiritual energy inside the contract by mistake in its earlier haste to absorb it as quickly as possible-
Squeak~
And not wasting a single second, it turned to look up towards Xuan Hao who had given it the spiritual energy with a sad expression on its small cuddly face. Almost looking like it was begging for more of the delicious spiritual energy that it had only managed to get a small taste of before it had disappeared.
This… Does it perhaps want the spirit stones that were promised according to the agreement of the contract now?
Rustle~
Squeak!
Deciding to take out a few spirit stones in front of the rabbit demon beast to test if this was the case, Xuan Hao watched as the rabbit demon beast happily jumped forward before swallowing the spirit stones in front of it in an instant before happily laying down on the ground to absorb the spiritual energy that it had just devoured. Confirming his suspicion that it did indeed want the spirit stones that was agreed on according to the blood contract.
But… What am I going to do with it now?
Looking down at the rabbit demon beast that was now laying on the ground in front of him, Xuan Hao felt a bit helpless as he remembered the powerful demon beasts who were getting closer to his current location. Even if the hill sized demon beast and the emerald serpent had not managed to detect him yet, it didn't mean that the approaching demon beast wouldn't do so. Especially considering that the emerald serpent and hill sized demon beast were busy fight with each other… And that was not mentioning the rabbit demon beast lying on the ground in front of him without the slightest care about what was happening around it.
Different from him, the rabbit demon beast didn't really have a way to properly hide its presence. On the other hand, it looked more like it was trying to get found with how its cultivation base had started leaking after it had started absorbing the spirit stones.
If not for the fact that he had jumped in and used his dao domain to block the aura of the rabbit demon beast from leaking any further, it would have been impossible for the hill sized demon beast and the emerald serpent to not have noticed its presence.
I should first assess the situation of the demon beasts before I do anything-
"This…"
Deciding to poke his head up above the tall grass to get a better idea of the current situation, Xuan Hao could not help freezing on the spot as he not only realized that the five Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beasts were far faster than he had expected, but they had also decided to split up and encircle the hill sized demon beast who was looking less than happy at the current situation.
From the looks of things, the five Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beasts had all come to the single decision of encircling the hill sized demon beast from all sides.
As for the reason they would do something like this… It was rather obvious that they had come decided to team up and kill the already injured demon beast.
Even if its size and defensive powers were superior to that of an ordinary Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beast, it had still been weakened to some degree by the emerald serpent's earlier attack and couldn't make full use of its power. Something that the approaching demon beasts had realized at some point in time and decided to take advantage of.
Normally, all of this would not really have been a problem for Xuan Hao and the rabbit demon beast, as he should be able to keep both of them hidden if he used his dao domain to hide the rabbit demon beast, but… It just so happened that the decision to encircle the hill sized demon beast had resulted in one of the Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beasts moving in a straight path towards the location where he and the rabbit demon beast were currently hiding.
Although his dao domain could be considered decent at hiding from others, this would only work at a certain distance if the other party was in the Soul Ascension Realm. Especially if that other party was stronger than him.
Even at their current reduced speed, it would not take more than a few seconds before one of them would be close enough to detect the small rabbit demon beast in front of him through his dao domain before also finding him!
Whoosh-!
Knowing that there was not any time to waste with the demon beast growing closer to his current location, Xuan hao decided to pick up the rabbit demon beast who was still fully absorbed in absorbing the spiritual energy of the spirit stones without the slightest care in the world before moving in the opposite direction of the approaching demon beast.
Although this would make him move closer to the hill sized demon beast, he would at the very least buy some more time for himself and the rabbit demon beast. Using the Dao of Space for short distance teleportation was not really an option, as the space around him was like an unmovable rock when he tried using his Drifting Cloud Steps. Even basic forms of spatial manipulation with his current understanding of space were close to impossible, the only thing he could barely perform was the basic flight he learnt after reaching the Domain Lord Realm-
"Hm?"
Suddenly realizing something as he was getting closer and closer to the hill sized demon beast, Xuan Hao came to an abrupt stop.
ROAR!?
Only a second later, the surprised roar of a demon beast sounded out a few hundred meters behind him, as one of the Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beasts in the process of encircling the hill sized demon beast, found him and the rabbit demon beast.
Squeak!?
Finally waking up from its spirit stone absorbing power nap, the rabbit demon beast let out a fearful squeak upon realizing that one of the demon beasts who had been chasing after it was now directly in front of it.
ROOOOOAR!
Recognizing the rabbit demon beast, the moment it heard its squeaking, the Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beast let out a roar filled with killing intent-
ROOOAR!
ROAR!
ROOOAR!
Alerting the other demon beasts at the same time. Instantly saving the hill sized demon beast in the process, as all of the demon beasts now turned their attention towards Xuan Hao and the rabbit demon beast.
After all, the goal of them entering the trial in the first place, was to hunt down the rabbit demon beast. In the end, killing the rabbit demon beast was far more important to them than getting rid of a possible contender for the empty void!
Swish~!
Feeling the killing intent directed towards him and the rabbit demon beast, Xuan Hao did not panic and instead used the opportunity to jump into the air before ascending at a rapid pace. Soon disappearing inside one of the clouds floating above the grass plain.
ROOAR!
Seeing this, the demon beasts on the ground let out roars filled with killing intent before jumping into the air. Intending to follow after him, but-
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All of them soon realized that they had lost their ability of flight and ended up falling back down again after having reached a height of close to a thousand meters.
Different from Xuan Hao who had comprehended the Dao of Space and used his understanding to at the very least retain his ability to fly, the demon beasts now laying on the ground with confused expressions on their faces, did not comprehend the Dao of Space and did therefore not retain their ability to fly.
If it had been a bird demon beast, Xuan Hao would really not have known how to escape, but luckily all of the demon beasts present were land based and did not have a pair of wings that they could use to chase after him…