There was a horde of Pranic Beasts lying on the ground, their senses stolen by Asaeya. Running amidst them, with his shadowy serpent coiled around Asaeya was Orakha.
The shadowy serpent had the capability of consuming all types of resources as dictated by him, one of the most important powers of his arsenal, the reason behind his rapid growth in strength.
Tertiary Nature—Mystic Eater!
The shadowy serpent was the manifestation of his Tertiary Nature of Mystic Eater, versatile in function. It didn't just allow him to consume resources to build his Human Avatar, but it also came in clutch for a variety of activities done daily.
It was also through its help that Orakha managed to climb up the steep cliff and survive the fall from the cave without sustaining any injuries. Capable of expanding and contracting while sporting a decent tensile strength, it was a versatile energy serpent.
Currently, the Mystic Eater had coiled itself around Asaeya, having consumed all her Prana, carrying her while keeping her bound. This allowed Orakha to focus on fleeing.
'Are they waking up?' He thought in worry upon seeing the bodies of the Pranic Beasts wriggle in response as the effects of Linked Rupture waned.
"Grrr!" A feline Silver Grade Pranic Beast woke up first, since the one connected to it through Linked Rupture was merely an Iron Grade Pranic Beast. Hence, its Prana was quickly depleted. Once that happened, the feline Silver Grade Pranic Beast got up, retaining most of its Prana.
Upon seeing Orakha passing right by its side, it growled and leapt at him, intending to attack him. In response, Orakha seeped Prana into the ground through the soles of his feet. Pitch black pools of liquid formed and jutting out of each were shadowy serpents.
There were four of them in total, activated as Orakha evaded the feline Silver Grade Pranic Beast's lunge. As he dodged to the side, the four shadowy serpents coiled around the Pranic Beast, treating its bones as a resource to gorge on them.
The reason he targeted the bones with priority was because that aspect of resource collection with the Mystic Eater was most reinforced due to his Mystic Bone Art. As a result, it was the most efficient to collect a target's bones in the name of resource.
The Silver Grade Pranic Beast activated its Primary Nature, shredding the shadowy serpents with some effort. It sustained some injuries, but none were severe. But by the time it had broken free, Orakha had fled far away, out of its sight.
As he continued to rush through a massive forest, a Prana Bomb suddenly slammed into the ground beside him with enough force it shattered through an eighty-metre-tall tree.
'Damn!' He was stunned by the force behind the impact, coming to a rather scary conclusion, 'Do all his Zingers have Internal Inertial Gravity?'
He turned around to stare at the sky, watching the Empyrean Zingers fly towards him in wave patterns by constantly reducing and increasing their density to accelerate, the most optimal method of gliding figured out by them to make the utmost use of their abilities and travel the farthest distance by a single flight.
Once they were in range, they rained Prana Bombs on him, delicately controlling them through psychokinesis to avoid harming Asaeya.
As they were gliding in the air, they were obviously faster than Orakha. It was just a matter of time before they caught up.
Upon knowing this, Orakha changed his plans and made a beeline to the Guna Caves. "Yeet!"
His Mystic Eater lashed out like a whip and threw Asaeya into one of the caves. It then consumed some of the resources part of the cave walls and caused them to collapse, hence sealing the entrance.
"Try your best to find her." Saying so, Orakha caused pitch-black puddles to form all over the ground as he rushed forth. Immediately in response, dozens of Mystic Eaters jutted out like worms and targeted the Empyrean Zingers, blocking them momentarily.
Using the chance, Orakha dug a hole and retreated into the ground, expertly quick in the process.
"Krieek!"
"Keek!"
"Kuak!"
The Empyrean Zingers unleashed a volley of cries as they landed at the sealed cave entrance, beginning to dig through it. But when they drilled through the collapse, all they found were two blinded Shifting Ants squirming around in a fluster.
As for Asaeya? She had vanished. The culprit was a cave entrance on the floor. Upon seeing that, a group of Empyrean Zingers assumed miniature forms and dived in without hesitation, constantly keeping the rest informed with their high-pitched screeches.
Gannala arrived at the location a couple of minutes later, carried by the Empyrean Zinger Queen, "Oh, shit!"
"Is there any news of Asaeya?" She asked and touched an Empyrean Zinger nearby.
[Not yet! The tunnel is one of the long ones. We're forming a line of communication as we descend down. We'll find Asaeya soon.]
Gannala felt irritated by the reply. She fought Asaeya all the time, but honestly speaking, she could understand where the latter came from. Hence, despite Asaeya trying to kill her multiple times, Gannala harboured no ill intent against her. After all, try her best, but Asaeya didn't have the means to kill even the current Gannala.
Besides, Asaeya was Inala's valuable disciple. She had seen his memories to know how much effort he had put into raising her into the strong cultivator she is today. Hence, nothing unfortunate should happen to her, "I'll go…"
[No!]
The Empyrean Zinger Queen shouted. In response, a group of Empyrean Zingers covered up the hole, preventing Gannala from entering it. "Don't block me!"
[No!]
[You stay! Safe!]
[Top priority!]
Upon seeing Gannala getting angry, looking like she was about to break in using her strength, the Empyrean Zinger Queen fluttered its wings and prostrated before Gannala, in submission.
[If you want to head inside, kill me. Only then will I allow your life to be put at risk!]
The Empyrean Zinger Queen was adamant, unwilling to place Gannala at risk. At present, Gannala's strength trumped everyone.
Even though the Empyrean Zinger Queen possessed Internal Inertial Gravity, her control over it vastly paled in comparison to an Empyrean Tusk who was born with the perfect physique to wield it.
Gannala already had formed five biomes in her body, storing a vast amount of resources in each. All she had to do to attack would be to exert her actual weight and the entire region would collapse.
Hence, the only method the Empyrean Zinger Queen could use to hold back Gannala was by pitting its own life at her mercy. And it worked.
'Dad created her using the Boar King's Lifeforce. She's special and will stand head and shoulders above all Empyrean Zinger Queens he will create in the future. I can't kill her.' As a result, Gannala was conflicted.
Her conflicted state caused her to hesitate, all while Asaeya's whereabouts were unknown. 'Dad! I need you back!'