It really was a beautiful peahen with blue feathers and golden plumes.
"Peacock Spirit," Lily Bai called out. "I’m the type who always pays back a grudge! You tried to claw my face and break my limbs—take a guess, do you think I’ll let you off?"
The peahen trembled all over.
"Of course I won’t! Right?" Lily Bai stroked her gorgeous feathers. "But I’m not a fan of blood, so forget breaking limbs—how about I just pluck all your feathers instead?"
That suggestion was clearly terrible—the peahen shook her head with all her might.
"Don’t want your feathers plucked, huh?" Lily Bai raised an eyebrow.
The peahen nodded vigorously.
"If you don’t want your feathers plucked... then how about... you show me the way?"
The peahen blinked, confused.
Lily Bai turned her back into human form. The Peacock Spirit, now looking thoroughly aggrieved, asked, "Where to?"
"Crimson South Mountain."
"What are you going there for?"
"To hunt the Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast for its Soul Core."
"Are you kidding me?" The Peacock Spirit looked terrified. "No way! I’m not going—no matter what!"
"Then it’s feather-plucking time!"
"Do you even know what’s at Crimson South Mountain?" the Peacock Spirit cried.
"Isn’t it just the Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast?"
"The Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast is just a little underling! The real monster at Crimson South Mountain is a Moonlit Flood-Dragon!" the Peacock Spirit said. "Do you even know what a Moonlit Flood-Dragon is?"
"Moonlit Flood-Dragon?" Lily Bai frowned.
"Yeah! The Moonlit Flood-Dragon is a branch of the ancient Divine Race. Its divine blood has degraded, so it’s only got a demigod body now—but that’s still way out of your league!"
"How come I’ve never heard of a Moonlit Flood-Dragon in the Primeval Demon Wilds?" Lily Bai asked, puzzled.
There are plenty of ancient texts devoted to cataloging the great beasts of the Primeval Demon Wilds.
As a Heaven-Bestowed Demon Slayer, Lily Bai has read countless books on the subject.
But she’d never seen a single record mentioning a Moonlit Flood-Dragon in the Primeval Demon Wilds.
"We hadn’t seen it before either—it only popped out of the icy pool at Crimson South Mountain a few years ago," said the Peacock Spirit. "Nobody knows where it came from."
"Does it protect the Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast?"
"Yes! The Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast’s Soul Core holds the purest elemental essence. Human or demon, who wouldn’t want it?" said the Peacock Spirit. "But in recent years, anyone who’s tried to go after it has been eaten by the Moonlit Flood-Dragon!"
Lily Bai was starting to get a headache.
No wonder Mirage, that dead butterfly, was so eager to bet on her death—even knowing Lily’s skills.
If it were just the Five-Element Earth-Soul Beast, she’d be confident she could catch it.
But the Moonlit Flood-Dragon... that really is a branch of the ancient Divine Race.
Even if its bloodline has degraded... fighting two at once would be rough!
She felt like she’d fallen into a trap.
Seriously, what was she thinking when she agreed to bet with Mirage?
What was going through her head back then?
......
"I’m telling you, don’t go throwing your life away!" the Peacock Spirit added. "Isn’t living well better?"
Lily Bai gritted her teeth and said, "Just take me to Crimson South Mountain. Once we get there, I’ll let you go!"
"Really?" The Peacock Spirit still didn’t quite believe her.
Lily Bai nodded.
"You’ll really let me go?" She still didn’t believe it.
"Are you coming or not?" Lily Bai yelled.
"Fine..." She didn’t want to get her feathers plucked.
So, the Peacock Spirit led Lily Bai to Crimson South Mountain.
When they arrived, Lily Bai really did let her go.
Since this was the Demon Emperor’s territory, of course she had to be polite to his people.
But come to think of it, why were all his followers women?
Peacock Spirit, Mirage, Azure Flame—each one more beautiful than the last!
Hmph!
Men are all bad.