The moment the lanky man’s gaze locked onto him, a sharp warning flared in Li Fan’s mind. Xu Ke, whose mind was linked with Li Fan’s, reacted in the same instant.
Shielding Li Fan behind him, Xu Ke faced Song Yang, his expression tight with tension. "Song Yang? What are you doing?"
Perhaps emboldened by the chaos, a scene the Beast Taming Sect hadn't witnessed in centuries, Song Yang dropped all pretense. "I truly don't understand how a fool like you got so lucky!" he snarled, malice dripping from his words.
"What do you think I'm doing? I'm taking back what should have been mine from the start!" Song Yang's vicious intent was laid bare at last, his eyes brimming with killing intent.
At his signal, his companion beast, the twin-headed black serpent, began to slither forward, closing the distance with a slow, sinuous motion.
Xu Ke’s face paled with horror as he retreated step by step. "Senior Brother Song, you must be mistaken! I never took anything that belonged to you..."
Even as he spoke, Xu Ke stubbornly remained positioned in front of Li Fan, trying to block Song Yang’s line of sight.
The feeble attempt at protection didn't escape Song Yang’s notice. A sneer twisted his lips.
"Enough of the act, boy. Transfer ownership of the Xuan Bird to me, and I might let you live. Otherwise..." Song Yang let out a cold snort. “Don't blame me for disregarding our shared sect ties. I'm sure you're aware of the agony involved in forcibly transferring a companion beast by extracting essence blood."
Xu Ke flinched at the words, panic rising. "Song Yang! Seizing a fellow disciple's spirit beast is a grave taboo! How dare you—"
"How unbelievably stupid," Song Yang cut him off, his patience visibly fraying. "Still prattling about sect rules at a time like this. Can't you see that the Beast Taming Sect can barely save itself right now?"
His limited patience seemed utterly spent. He wasted no more breath on words. "Black Spirit, attack!"
The twin-headed black serpent, coiled and ready, reared up slightly at the command. From its maw, a stream of dark venom shot forth.
The inky fluid streaked like an arrow toward Xu Ke.
Xu Ke’s body twisted sharply as he rode the wind, barely evading the attack. The venom struck the ground with a fierce hiss.
A quick glance made Xu Ke's face turn ashen.
Not only was all vegetation instantly corroded away, but even the stone beneath couldn't withstand the venom. Having not yet mastered protective spiritual qi, a direct hit would mean death or crippling injury at best.
The thought spurred him to action. He pulled an object from his robes and hurled it at Song Yang and the serpent. Simultaneously, he drew a white feather from his breast, intending to summon the crane for escape.
Yet, Song Yang seemed to have anticipated this move. Before Xu Ke's thrown device could detonate, a pulse of cyan light arrested it mid-air, freezing it in place.
Meanwhile, the serpent's second head, the one that had kept its eyes tightly shut until now, snapped them open. A beam of black light shot out, striking the crane feather squarely.
The white plume ignited as if set ablaze, crumbling into flakes of ash that drifted to the ground.
"It's useless, Xu Ke. I came prepared to deal with you. After months of shadowing your every move, I know all your tricks! What do you have to fight me with?" Song Yang’s gaze held the finality of one looking upon a corpse.
In the next instant, another jet of venom spewed from the serpent's maw, aimed directly at Xu Ke, who was too stunned by the failure of his escape to dodge in time.
At the brink of life and death, a beam of white light suddenly shot out from behind, meeting the black venom head-on.
The corrosive liquid that could corrode solid stone seemed no match for this white radiance. Upon contact, it vanished completely.
The white light’s momentum did not diminish, driving straight toward the two-headed black serpent.
The serpent’s closed eyes snapped open again. A black glare erupted forth, barely managing to block the white radiance.
Alongside his shock, a flicker of greed flashed in Song Yang’s eyes.
"Xuan Light of Heaven’s Will!
“The Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird is truly extraordinary. Even in its juvenile stage, it can contend directly with Black Spirit. If it were fully matured...
"Most importantly, its companion divine ability, Heaven’s Will is With Me..."
As Song Yang looked at the listless Li Fan, his desire to seize the Xuan Bird grew even stronger.
"Are you alright?" Seizing the moment bought by that beam of light, Xu Ke broke into a frantic sprint, fleeing into the distance.
The gap in their strengths was too vast; it wouldn’t be long before he was caught. Yet, Xu Ke’s first concern wasn’t for his own life. Instead, his heart ached as he looked at Li Fan, who had exhausted himself to unleash his innate divine ability to save him.
So weak. A single strike is my limit. Li Fan thought helplessly amidst his drowsiness.
Too weak to even scratch Xu Ke with his claws, Li Fan could only let out a soft cry to indicate he was still okay for the moment.
Just moments ago, witnessing Xu Ke in mortal danger, Li Fan had suddenly awakened a memory within his bloodline and unleashed the Xuan Light of Heaven’s Will to save him.
Thus, Li Fan learned the identity of the strange bird he now inhabited: the Heaven’s Will Xuan Bird.
The Xuan Bird’s own power was often not particularly great, but it possessed one ability that made all other exotic beasts, and even cultivators, burn with envy and desire to claim it for themselves.
That was the power to gather and enhance providence.
Providence was not some vague abstraction, but something that truly existed.
Some cultivators possessed peerless talent and temperament, yet lacked just that sliver of providence, ultimately meeting their end and dying with regrets.
The Xuan Bird could help those it acknowledged defy heaven and alter their providence.
Moreover, as the Xuan Bird’s strength grew, this ability to gather providence would also strengthen. In the end, it could even evolve from "altering providence" to "altering fate."
Such was the meaning of Heaven’s Will is With Me. The master of the Xuan Bird was heaven’s chosen. Escaping calamity and encountering frequent, miraculous opportunities were simply ordinary occurrences.
No wonder that scrawny beanpole is so desperate to catch me. So this strange bird I’m possessing is quite the prize. Providence...
The exhausted Li Fan forced his eyes open, attempting to activate his newly awakened divine ability.
Looking toward Xu Ke, he saw a pillar of violet-gold light erupting from the crown of his head.
Though one or two strands of black smoke now swirled around it, they could not obscure the noble aura of the violet-gold radiance.
Huh? This kid... So he already has heaven’s favor. It seems there was no need for me to do all that. And I used up so much strength on it too. Annoyed, Li Fan gave Xu Ke a sharp peck. But he was far too weak; it felt more like a tickle than a bite.
Xu Ke didn’t even notice it. After all, he was currently fleeing for his life, and the menacing Song Yang was now almost upon them.
Just as Xu Ke was exhausted to the point of despair, he suddenly saw a bewildered Azure Luan Bird standing not far ahead. At its feet lay what appeared to be the corpse of its original master.
Xu Ke’s heart leaped with hope.
In one swift motion, he reached the Azure Luan Bird’s side, threw his arms around its neck, and swung himself onto its back. “Little Qing, let’s go!” he shouted.
Startled, the Azure Luan Bird instinctively spread its wings. With a single, effortless flap, it shot skyward, soaring high into the clouds.