81: Chapter 81: The Diablos of the Feathered God

Wu Li crouched on the shoulder of the Iron-Backed Bear King, not in a hurry to leave.

He looked at the figure on the bluestone deep in the bamboo forest, remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a hoarse and indifferent voice: "Many thanks, Lady."

Lady Hua did not respond, only nodding slightly.

The Iron-Backed Bear King stood up, yawned, and said in a muffled voice: "Little brother, let's go. After you get back, you must properly Cultivate this Technique of Refining Form. Although I, Old Bear, don't like transforming into that form."

"But I have to say, it is truly convenient, and also quite strong."

A trace of curiosity flashed in Wu Li's eyes. Afterward, he let Black Feather and the Crow Flock return first, while he walked a bit longer with the Black Bear Yao Beast.

"Listening to what you mean, Brother Bear, Lady Hua transmitted the Technique of Refining Form to you all long ago?"

The Iron-Backed Bear King nodded, and while walking out, said in a muffled voice.

"Yeah, after we reached the Second Rank, Lady Hua taught us this technique."

"I remember at the time, there seemed to be some Great Yao Kings in the mountain who opposed it, and they argued very fiercely."

"And what happened later?" Wu Li pressed.

"Later?" The Iron-Backed Bear King scratched his head and chuckled honestly, "Later, they were all blocked by Lady Hua. Let me tell you, Lady Hua's status in Taiyue Mountain is extremely high."

Wu Li's blood-red pupils flickered slightly. Lady Hua's confidence was even greater than he had imagined.

"I don't know why, but today, Lady Hua actually spread this technique so widely."

"In the past, it was always taught privately. Like today, publicly lecturing in front of so many Yao Beasts, it's the first time."

Wu Li did not respond, his gaze fixed on the depths of the bamboo forest. Lady Hua's figure had already disappeared into the twilight; the bluestone was empty, with only the pool water shimmering with rippling light.

"Brother Bear, you also know that I came later."

"Can you tell me, in the depths of Taiyue Mountain, what other Great Kings are there? So that in the future, if I accidentally offend someone, I won't be unaware of it."

Wu Li withdrew his gaze and looked at the Iron-Backed Bear King.

The Iron-Backed Bear King laughed heartily, patted his chest, and his fat trembled a few times: "That's a small matter! Listen well, little brother."

He cleared his throat, slowed his pace, and said while walking: "In the depths of Taiyue Mountain, there are a total of five Great Yao Kings, all of whom are existences above the Third Rank."

"Besides Lady Hua, there are four others."

"The first is the Black Ape King. This old guy is really dark and has the most explosive temper. It is said that he is in charge of the punishments in Taiyue Mountain. Whoever breaks the Mountain Master's rules, he will go after them. But for so many years, I have killed so many Human Race Cultivators, and I have never seen him. Perhaps his reputation is blown out of proportion."

"The second one seems to be called something like the Killing-Heart White Crane, and this person's whereabouts are secretive."

"Also with Third Rank Cultivation, he lives in the Heavenly Pool at the highest point of Taiyue Mountain. He has a cold temperament and doesn't like to interact with Yao, but he is a good friend of our Lady Hua. I saw him once in earlier years; he was neither male nor female."

"The third one is called the Golden-Horned Rhino King. It is said that this Great King is also not bad; he is smiling at everyone."

"The fourth one, the Iron-Backed Bear King..." The Iron-Backed Bear King paused here and grinned.

Wu Li glanced at him: "You?"

"No, no!" The Iron-Backed Bear King waved his hands repeatedly, the fat on his belly trembling again.

"It's my old man! He is the true Iron-Backed Bear King. However, he doesn't like to manage affairs and stays in the cave sleeping all day long; you can't see him all year round."

"My cultivation was taught by Lady Hua; the old man is too lazy to care about me."

Wu Li was silent for a moment, recording all this information in his heart. The Black Ape King, Fairy White Crane, Golden-Horned Rhino King, Iron-Backed Bear King, plus Lady Hua—five Third Rank Great Yao were entrenched in the depths of Taiyue Mountain, each with their own territory and rules.

"Many thanks, Brother Bear." Wu Li spoke, his voice hoarse and sincere.

The Iron-Backed Bear King waved his hand: "No need to be polite. Just remember it, little brother, and don't go running into the depths for no reason."

Wu Li nodded and did not speak again.

...

The scene shifts. Wu Li returned to the Stone Forest.

The twilight had deepened, and the grayish-white stone pillars shone with a ghastly white light under the moonlight. He landed on the bluestone at the entrance of the Limestone Cave and was just about to go in when a flapping sound of wings came from behind him.

"Why are you so slow?" According to their speed, Black Feather and the others should have returned long ago.

Soon. Black Feather, Bai Chi, Heida, Heier, and Heisan, the five Qi Ling Realm crows, flew back first, landing on the stone pillar below Wu Li, panting heavily.

Behind them, the Crow Flock followed back in ones and twos, most of them with messy feathers and drooping wings.

Wu Li's pupils shrank sharply. The number of the Crow Flock was much less than when they left. Black Feather's left wing was missing a few flight feathers, Bai Chi's neck had a bald patch of feathers, Heida's claws were dripping blood, and Heier and Heisan were also wounded.

"What happened?" Wu Li inquired.

"Old Ancestor, on the way back, we encountered an attack from that Oriole Demon..."

At this, a trace of annoyance flashed in Wu Li's eyes. "A single Oriole Demon made you all this disheveled?"

Wu Li's voice was hoarse, but the anger in his tone could not be suppressed.

Black Feather quickly lowered its head, its voice hurried: "Old Ancestor, please forgive us! It is not that we were no match for that Oriole Demon."

"Although that Oriole Demon is at the First Rank Late Stage, she is completely unskilled in combat. Bai Chi and I joined forces and had already taken her down; Bai Chi plucked most of the feathers off her body..."

"But..." Black Feather paused, its voice dropping a few degrees, "That Oriole Demon has a Great King behind her. It is a Second Rank Feathered Eagle. We were no match, and that's why..."

A cold light flashed in Wu Li's eyes, his voice as cold as ice shards. "Very well, very well!"

Anger rose from Wu Li's heart. He spread his wings, leaped from the bluestone, landed in front of Black Feather, and stared at it with his blood-red pupils: "Black Feather, follow me, lead the way!"

Black Feather nodded quickly, forcing itself to fly with its injured wings, and led the way in front. Wu Li flapped his wings and turned into a streak of blood-red light, following closely behind.

The Crow Flock behind them became restless. Bai Chi wanted to follow, but was stopped by a low shout from Wu Li: "All of you stay and tend to your wounds! Obey my command."

Bai Chi stopped quickly and crouched on the stone pillar, watching the figures of Wu Li and Black Feather disappear into the night.

On the other side. The northeastern foothills of the outer Taiyue Mountain, above a cliff.

The Oriole Demon crouched on a protruding rock, her feathers messy, her golden feather coat missing patches here and there, revealing red skin, looking exactly like a plucked chicken.

But even so, she was very lively. "Great King! You were truly valiant today!"

Opposite the Oriole Demon, a Feathered Eagle with an unusual aura all over its body was standing there.

Its wingspan was a full three zhang, its whole body covered in iron-gray feathers, each one shimmering with a cold metallic luster. It had a hooked beak, golden pupils, and a tuft of snow-white feather crest on its head, its gaze sinister.