What did Li Zifeng have to fear? He was already at seventh level Beast Vein, even stronger than Li Tianming had been four years ago! He instantly appeared behind Li Tianming, intending to knock him out by striking his foeâs nape with a well-placed palm.
They no longer belonged to the same world. Further words would just be a waste of breath.
âFather will definitely appreciate my decisiveness!â
The crowd watched with bated breath as his attack landed.
A solid thump rang out as Li Tianming suddenly raised his left arm to block the blow! Under normal circumstances, Li Tianmingâs left arm would have shattered. However, contrary to everyoneâs expectations, Li Zifeng stumbled back several steps, clutching a trembling right arm. The hand heâd used to attack was bright red, and was beginning to turn slightly purple.
âYou wrapped your hand up in a layer of metal?â Li Zifeng clenched his teeth as he hissed.
âIt was your hand that was too weak,â Li Tianming replied.
âTrying to act all mysterious?â Li Zifengâs anxiousness after failing to show off was beginning to show, but that didnât stop him from being curious. âWhy can I still feel beast ki from you? Didnât you lose it all?â
âI simply used a blood pact and found another lifebound beast. How else could I test you? You donât actually think I came here to die a glorious death, right?â Li Tianming definitely had to claim he had used a blood pact. Blood pacts had low success rates of one in ten thousand. Many beastmasters who had lost their beasts would use it, only to end in abject failure.
âAmazing. Well, why not show off your new lifebound beast? Youâre so confident. Could it be... six-star? Or even seven, hmm?â Li Zifeng guffawed.
Li Tianming didnât waste words, choosing to summon his Aeternal Infernal Phoenix instead.
The little chick leapt onto Li Tianmingâs head as it appeared, showering its surroundings with a fierce glare. The entire manor went deathly still for just a moment, before a torrent of laughter rained from all sides. In front of the Purple-Eyed Bright Bird, it could only be cute, no matter how fierce it acted!
âWhat an absolutely adorable chick!ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âThatâs a lifebound beast? Ahahaha!â
Every person broke down laughing, regardless of how high their position was.
âLi Tianming really is filial. He must have come today to make the city lordâs marriage more lively in the capacity of a comedian.â
âWe misunderstood him. Heâs turned over a new leaf, and plans to make a living as a comedian from now on!â
Li Zifeng was stunned as he stared wide-eyed at the little chick attempting to act tough, before laughing to the point of pulling a muscle. Even his Bright Bird revealed a human-like smile.
âBrother Tianming. That chick isnât even enough to fill a single dish, and yet you used it as a lifebound beast?â Li Zifeng roared with laughter.
But Li Tianming and the little chick were both solemn. The little chickâs eyes turned bloodshot. âHow dare you look down on your grandpappy, you nugget!â
The little chick transformed into a bright yellow blur that assaulted Li Zifeng.
Its arrival was too abrupt. Li Zifeng was still in the midst of laughing when his instincts screamed with danger. A moment later, Li Zifeng was violently pounded into the ground as what felt like a giant house slammed into him. His stomach had been scorched black, and a bloody gash glimmered ominously at the centre.
âYuck! This flesh is sour!â The next moment, a little chick was back on Li Tianmingâs head, now with an additional strip of flesh in its beak. Anyone with two brain cells could tell it was from Li Zifeng.
Li Zifeng grimaced. âYouâre asking for it!â
The little chickâs sudden violence had cast a chilly silence upon the area, and the audienceâs smiles began to stiffen.
Li Tianming shook his head. âAh, my boy Zifeng. Youâre too undisciplined. Arrogant, brash and lacking compassion. If someone refuses to teach you well, it falls to me to do it.â
âYou? With what, that one-star lifebound beast of yours?â Li Zifeng and the Purple-Eyed Bright Bird exchanged a look, before rushing at the opposing pair.
Li Tianming and the little chick communicated telepathically. âSure, our Aeternal Infernal Beast Ki is stronger than his, but itâs not enough to overcome the gap of three levels. He has more quantity than us. Unfortunately, his attribute just so happens to be fire!â
Fire immunity was the reason Li Tianming dared to challenge Li Zifeng, even with a gap of three levels!
âThen cut the crap! Charge!â The little chickâs blood was already boiling. It was a fighting junkie, and its favorite hobby was taking on stronger existences than it. This Bright Bird was perfect.
âTrashy birdy, come on and accept grandpappyâs love!â It hooted.
Some people chuckled out loud. They hadnât expected the little chick to talk like a parrot. Usually, lifebound beasts could only speak with their beastmaster.
While the Bright Bird couldnât speak, it still understood the little chick, flying into a rage at the chickâs provocation. Extending its wings, it charged forward before Li Zifeng could say anything, its beady eyes focused on the little chick.
Li Tianming targeted Li Zifeng as the Purple-Eyed Bright Bird began to pursue the little chick.
âWatch this.â Li Tianming suddenly exploded with speed. His legs were so fast that they seemed like a mirage and Li Zifeng, who was at the receiving end, began to feel something like demons shifting in and out of existence in his vicinity.
This was the advanced beast-ranked battle art, Ghost Steps. It was more or less the best movement art among beast-ranked battle arts, and Li Tianming had spent half a year polishing it.
A ghostly figure whizzed by.
Li Tianming appeared in front of Li Zifeng as the latterâs scalp began to tingle, punching outwards at his unnerved foe. Dragon-Mammoth Heavy Strike! It was a boxing art that was Li Tianmingâs signature move. Midas had been a metal-type lifebound beast, gifted in speed and power. This advanced beast-ranked art had been made just for him.
Like its namesake, this fist was designed to explode with horrifying might and generate high frequency shock waves, capable of reducing a victimâs internal organs to mush.
The Li Tianming of today didnât have the strength of a dragon or mammoth, but he had the even more powerful Primordial Chaos Beastsâ strength. Furthermore, it was his black left arm unleashing it now, which made it even fiercer than before!
A mighty blow, backed up by incredible speed, lashed out at Li Zifeng! Li Zifeng narrowed his eyes. He could already sense the might behind the punch and calmly responded with his own advanced beast-ranked battle art, the Fierycloud Palm.
The Fierycloud Palm wasnât bad. It created a fiery cloud around the palm that could be used to guard, confuse, or even to suppress the enemy. Concealed within the fiery cloud was power that could shake mountains and rivers.
âTime to return to your kennel, you laughingstock!â Li Zifeng said coolly, filled with utmost confidence in his thick beast ki.
Palm and fist collided a moment later.
A thud rang out, a sound that was swiftly followed by a gruesome crack. Piercing shrieks filled the air as Li Zifeng flew through the sky, landing head first in a daze, blood dripping out of his nose the whole time.
Even scarier, one of his arms was twisted at an unnatural angle, the fingers covered completely in blood.
âLi Tianming!â Li Zifeng lifted his head, grimacing in pain. He knew he had completely been humiliated.
The manor fell silent, stunned by this spectacle!