Chapter Ninety-Nine: The White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird

This time, however, his main objective was to find the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird. The altar was on the mountaintop and wouldn’t be going anywhere, so he decided to track down the bird first.

Passing by the crowd at the foot of the mountain, Lu Sheng overheard some hushed conversations that drifted into his ears. He consciously took in the information, hoping to glean something useful from their chatter.

“I heard the young lord of Severed Sea City has brought men into the mountains. Apparently, he’s quite interested in the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird.”

“That’s only a secondary reason for Zhuo Feifan, the young lord. Rumor has it he mainly wants to use the altar to upgrade his life card.”

“That would require a lot of monsters. Does Zhuo Feifan really have that many?”

“Who knows what these powerful factions are capable of…”

“But this White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird is proving extremely difficult to handle. Even those factions that set their sights on it haven’t succeeded in capturing it yet.”

“Brother, do you know where the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird is now?”

“You must be new here today, huh? If you want to know... well... ahem.”

“That’s easy enough. Is this tier-three source pearl enough for you?”

“That’ll do. The bird’s roughly on the north side of Heavenly Altar Mountain—it flew over from the west yesterday.”

“All right, thanks.”

The one seeking information was, naturally, Lu Sheng. In a place filled with all sorts of people, such common news was no secret. Exchanging it for a tier-three source pearl was an easy deal that no one would refuse.

After gathering the news, Lu Sheng summoned his Whitecloud Steed and set off. Entering from the east, he headed straight for the north side, following the information he’d obtained.

As soon as the Whitecloud Steed appeared, the informant gasped in astonishment, “White Horse Lu Sheng!”

Someone nearby glanced over. “It really is him! Who would’ve thought this one White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird could attract so many big names?”

Another commented, “It makes sense for Lu Sheng to be here. After all, he’s got another title too… Monster Chief!”

“That’s true…”

In just a single day, word of Lu Sheng’s exploits had spread among those who escaped. In a world without entertainment, chatting and bragging were the greatest pastimes. Any eye-catching story would be exaggerated endlessly.

Weaving through the forested mountains, the speed of the Whitecloud Steed was somewhat hampered. From time to time, Lu Sheng encountered monsters ranging from the first to the third tier.

These low-tier monsters were the most common, but Lu Sheng didn’t waste any time on them. Even if his speed was affected, riding the Whitecloud Steed meant no low-tier monster could catch up to him.

He moved swiftly through the woods and soon reached the northern slope. As he drew closer, he could clearly hear the sounds of fierce battle—the location was unmistakable.

Spurring the Whitecloud Steed, Lu Sheng rushed toward the clamor. There was no doubt: this was where the fight with the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird was raging.

The bird’s cries echoed repeatedly. Aside from the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird, no other creature could have caused such a commotion. As he approached, Lu Sheng began to make out human voices as well—a loud and chaotic din, indicating a sizable group.

Drawing even closer, he finally glimpsed the scene. There was a single team present, but they were all well-equipped soldiers in uniform armor, bearing the same weapons—a sight that set them apart from any wilderness faction.

Wilderness teams were always a mismatched bunch, wearing whatever they could scavenge, wielding whatever weapons they could find. Such standardized gear was unheard of among them.

There were about a hundred in this group, with members ranging from third to fourth tier, and a captain who appeared to be fifth tier.

The White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird was in poor shape, its whole body bloodied and its wings riddled with arrows. Clearly, these people were well-prepared, aiming first to cripple the bird’s advantages.

In the middle of the battleground, white flames burned incessantly, billowing thick smoke. Corpses, charred and unrecognizable, littered the ground—a testament to the losses on both sides.

The fifth-tier leader repeatedly tried to close in on the bird, but each time, a blast of white flame forced him back. The blackened bodies on the ground were those struck by the bird’s fire. Liu Qing had no desire to meet the same fate and could only evade.

Apart from those in the thick of the fight, a handful stood off to the side, watching. Two soldiers flanked a young noble, who sat leisurely as if waiting for his men to finish the job.

Lu Sheng frowned. This was problematic. It seemed the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird was about to be captured by someone else—had he come all this way for nothing?

Just as he was pondering his next move, the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird let out a piercing scream. Its entire form erupted in white fire.

In an instant, the flames incinerated every arrow lodged in its body, and the gaping wounds began to heal rapidly. Flapping its massive wings, it whipped up a gale that sent the surrounding soldiers flying. Seizing the opportunity, the bird soared skyward, trying to escape.

Unable to sit still any longer, the noble shouted, “Uncle Liu! Break its wings! We must capture that White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird today!”

The fifth-tier leader was anxious too, but with the bird bent on fleeing, there was little he could do. With a single powerful beat of its wings, the bird broke free.

The young noble was frantic. “Uncle Liu… quickly, after it! All of you, after it!”

Zhuo Feifan had wanted to curse Liu Qing out, but thought better of it. Now was not the time to berate his subordinates.

“Hurry! The White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird’s wings are wounded—it can’t fly far. It’s just forcing itself now!” Liu Qing hastily ordered the team to give chase. If they failed, he could already imagine the scowl on Zhuo Feifan’s face.

Truth be told, Liu Qing looked down on Zhuo Feifan. If not for the luck of his birth, would such a man have the right to order him around?

Ah… being born well was a skill, too. Liu Qing could only fume in silence; he didn’t dare show his true feelings.

Hidden above, Lu Sheng grew excited at the turn of events. He had just been wondering what to do, and now the perfect opportunity had arrived. He spurred his Whitecloud Steed toward the White-Flame Blue-Scaled Bird’s escape route. If he could slay it before the others caught up and leave immediately, the prize would be his.

Guiding the Whitecloud Steed, he deliberately leapt over the heads of the soldiers below, speeding toward the bird. At the same time, he readied a monster for a swift, fatal strike before making his escape.

The Whitecloud Steed was incredibly fast—by the time the soldiers below had even started moving, Lu Sheng had already vanished into the distance.

Following the trail of blood left by the wounded bird, he quickly caught up. Its flight was unstable, growing slower and more erratic, its form swaying as though it could collapse at any moment. It wouldn’t last much longer.