Chapter 499 - 263: Mysterious Black Qi

Earthfire Cave.

The Fusang Divine Tree continued as always to devour the energy of the earthfire to restore itself.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Cry Bird called out anxiously, and when it transformed into a streak of escape light to reach Lin Chang’an inside the cave, he was taken aback.

In a corner stood the Cyan-Horned Bull, covered in blood, eyes blazing red, having completely lost its sanity, roaring madly.

The surrounding hard walls beneath the ground showed numerous marks.

"Master, it wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!"

The Phoenix Cry Bird hastily explained, knowing full well that it had joined halfway, while the silly bull had been raised by its master since it was a calf.

"I know!"

Lin Chang’an too glared at the Phoenix Cry Bird in annoyance; indeed, the bird hadn’t changed a bit.

After things went wrong, its instinctive first thought was to shirk responsibility—cough—it should be to exonerate itself.

"Moo!"

Spotting Lin Chang’an, the angry Cyan-Horned Bull snorted thick white gas like a pillar from its mouth and nose, then charged madly.

Lin Chang’an squinted his eyes; he could naturally see that the Cyan-Horned Bull had lost its mind and the injuries were indeed stemming from within.

Before he had come out, the Phoenix Cry Bird had been suppressing the bull.

"Master, this greedy, stupid bull ate your bottle."

Before Lin Chang’an could ask, the Phoenix Cry Bird blurted out the truth.

"Bottle!?"

Lin Chang’an flinched, then immediately looked up at the jade bottle collecting energy from the Fusang Tree—indeed, one was missing.

This jade bottle was used to gather the mysterious black energy purified by the Fusang Divine Tree through an array, and yet the bull had eaten it!

"Damn, really a gluttonous, stupid bull!"

Unable to help it, Lin Chang’an burst out cursing, but what greeted him was the intimidating charge of the Cyan-Horned Bull.

"Go!"

Faced with such an attack, Lin Chang’an quickly realized it wouldn’t do to let the Cyan-Horned Bull get rowdy any longer; if this continued, it might die of exhaustion.

Raising his hand, a golden talisman turned into a streak of light.

In the next instant, the Cyan-Horned Bull’s movements halted, although its terrifying momentum still drove it forward.

With a lift of his hand, Lin Chang’an, employing Exorcism Technique as a Core Formation Cultivator, levitated the Cyan-Horned Bull.

At this moment, a golden ’Calming Talisman’ was pasted on the bull’s forehead, the very talisman used last time to slay the Yin Spirit Beast King, with plenty of energy remaining.

The Tier Three Lower Grade Calming Talisman was a crushing blow to a Tier Two Late Stage beast, even if the Cyan-Horned Bull now had near Tier Three strength due to its frenzy.

"Master, is this stupid bull alright!"

Seeing that the stupid bull was finally subdued, the Phoenix Cry Bird anxiously chirped.

Demon Beasts have feelings too, especially those enlightened, having emotions akin to humans.

The Phoenix Cry Bird had joined in when it was but a fledgling, spending every day with the Cyan-Horned Bull.

From being sly, often taking advantage of the bull, it gradually grew accustomed to the simple-minded but clever Cyan-Horned Bull.

Unconsciously, the incident with the Cyan-Horned Bull left the Phoenix Cry Bird worried.

It was even prepared; if the master hadn’t emerged in another day or two, it would rely on the golden divine flame within itself to burn through the array barrier, awakening the retreating master.

"What’s up with the Cyan-Horned Bull, how did it end up here?"

Seeing the controlled bull, Lin Chang’an hurried forward to use his mana to heal the Cyan-Horned Bull while purifying the mysterious black energy inside.

Facing the master’s inquiries, the Phoenix Cry Bird embarrassedly began explaining softly.

It turned out the Phoenix Cry Bird, bored, went into the cave to steal a Spirit Fruit, only to encounter the Cyan-Horned Bull.

With the master absent, the two Spirit Beasts naturally felt free to roam around.

Tired from playing, the Phoenix Cry Bird wanted to return to its nest.

The Cyan-Horned Bull, clever but often bumbling, suspected the Phoenix Cry Bird’s nest might contain something delicious and followed it.

The result was the Phoenix Cry Bird idling atop the Fusang Divine Tree, while the Cyan-Horned Bull, about to leave shaking its head, spotted the jade bottle collecting black energy on the array.

True to its nature of always eating wherever it went, the bull swallowed the jade bottle.

This completely caught the Phoenix Cry Bird off guard, with no time to react.

"So this stupid bull is just greedy!?"

The Phoenix Cry Bird nodded eagerly, leaving Lin Chang’an speechless at the bull’s audacity in devouring anything.

Moments later.

"Moo!"

As Lin Chang’an restored its mana, the violence in the Cyan-Horned Bull’s eyes gradually faded, recovering clarity, but weakness and fatigue followed.

"This is!"

His investigation revealed that the mysterious black energy inside the Cyan-Horned Bull had infiltrated its flesh and bones, merging with the body.

"This is that black energy!"

Lin Chang’an instantly understood, exclaiming with irritation, "It’s poison and you dare eat it! Truly worthy of a stew pot!"

The weak and aggrieved Cyan-Horned Bull bellowed softly, while Lin Chang’an frowned deeply.

Leaving the Cyan-Horned Bull to guard the house, and the bull ended up consuming everything in sight.

Scolding aside, his hands were busy channeling mana to restore the injuries within the Cyan-Horned Bull.

As well as purifying the black energy that had fused with its flesh.

"What is this black energy, so festering like a bone ulcer; right now I can only purify the impurities within this black energy."

While Lin Chang’an was treating, his Divine Sense scanned the surroundings, causing his expression to freeze.