Rebirth as a Wind Cultivator-Chapter 89: Spirit Beast

The most dangerous moment in battle is not when facing your enemy's strength, but when underestimating their desperation. Even the humblest fox, when cornered, may summon powers that rival the greatest tigers.

—Master Wu Zhi, Commander of Ten Thousand

Another barrage of stones ripped through the air, smacking against the ancient tree trunk. Splinters of bark exploded outward. Xiulan shifted her stance to guard her face and readied Severing Light.

“Earth element qi?” Xiulan gripped her weapon tighter.

“Yes.” Ming pulled a yellow talisman from her robes. The paper glowed with spiritual energy as she stepped out from their cover. A fresh volley of rocks smashed against an invisible barrier that shimmered gold on impact.

Ming pointed toward a dense thicket. “That direction!”

A massive fox burst from the underbrush, its reddish-brown coat gleaming in the gold blaze of Ming’s talismans. A large stone hovered above its head, suspended by swirling qi.

Xiulan drew her iron darts and darted behind Ming’s protective barrier. The fox’s multiple tails—three of them—swished in agitation.

Ming produced more talismans from her sleeves. The fox’s ears flattened against its skull before it spun and bolted into the forest. Ming’s attack talismans activated, sending bolts of golden qi streaking after the beast.

As if in response, the enormous boulder over the beast’s head flew back at them like a rocket. Xiulan channeled her qi into her arms as she stepped in front of Ming and swung Severing Light like a baseball bat.

The rock crunched and remained suspended for a second before redirecting to the side and demolishing a row of younger trees into splinters.

Xiulan puffed from the sudden surge of force.

Ming shook her head. “Be careful with that. Stressing the weapon will reduce its durability.”

Xiulan nodded, and they pursued through the trees, following the fox’s path of broken branches and disturbed leaves.

“Watch for traps!” Ming called out.

The warning was right on time. Xiulan spotted a suspicious depression in the ground and leaped over what proved to be a concealed pit.

The relatively sparse undergrowth allowed them to track the spirit beast by its crashing progress through the forest.

Sharp spikes of earth erupted from the ground beneath Xiulan’s feet as she jumped over another pit. She channeled qi through her meridians, executing the water-stepping technique to counter-explode the eruption.

Using the momentum, she launched herself after the fleeing fox and released an iron dart. A sharp yip echoed through the trees. The iron dart must have struck true.

“Good job!” Ming shouted from behind.

The crashing sounds of the fox’s retreat through the bushes cut off abruptly. Ming caught up and thrust out her hand in a halting gesture. Xiulan froze in place, straining to hear any movement.

The forest fell silent. No birds called. No leaves rustled. The stillness pressed against Xiulan’s ears.

“It went into the nest.” Ming kept her voice low.

Xiulan studied the direction where the fox had disappeared. A thin trail of blood speckles smoked along a path, giving off an earthy scent. “That thing was huge—twice my size. How could it fit?”

They crept forward through the underbrush. A massive hole gaped in the ground before them, the entrance wide enough for three people to walk side by side. The tunnel slid down into darkness like a natural cave, disappearing into shadow.

“Earth elemental foxes build extensive networks underground.” Ming pulled several talismans from her robes and handed half to Xiulan. The papers felt warm against her palm, infused with spiritual energy.

“The talismans create a structural integrity aura. They won’t stop direct attacks—just prevent changes to the cave structure itself.” Ming gestured at the dark entrance.

Xiulan studied the glowing characters. “How long do they last?”

“Hours normally, but active attacks drain them quickly.” Ming tucked the remaining talismans into her sleeve.

“Right. So we need to deal with it before it either caves us in or traps us down there.” Xiulan secured the talismans in her qi-infused pouch.

She adjusted her grip on Severing Light. “I wish we had a wood expert with us.”

“That would make this simple.” Ming activated another one of her talismans. It floated above her head, casting a soft golden glow.

The tunnel entrance yawned like a hungry mouth. Xiulan’s shoulders tensed as they stepped into the passage. The walls pressed close on either side, the ceiling barely clearing their heads.

Each step took them deeper underground, away from the openness of the forest above. Ming’s hovering talismans lit their way, but the darkness beyond their circle of light seemed to wait for them.

The darkness pressed. Each shadow seemed to hold watching eyes. “Something’s tracking us.”

“Of course.” Ming kept her gaze forward as they descended deeper. “We invaded its territory. Earth element beasts sense vibrations through the ground—it knows exactly where we are.”

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The tunnel split into two paths ahead. Ming pulled out the tracing crystal from earlier, holding it toward each opening. The right path made the crystal tug against its chain.

“This way.” Ming held up her tracing crystal, indicating the right path. “And we stay together.”

“Agreed,” Xiulan said firmly. People who split up in horror stories are always idiots.

The winding passage opened into a massive underground chamber. Broken tree trunks littered the floor, stripped of bark and splintered. Dead vines formed a circular depression against the far wall, woven together.

Xiulan studied the nest-like structure. “Looks like its bedding.”

“It’s here in the chamber with us.” Ming shifted into a defensive stance.

Xiulan scanned the rough stone walls, searching for any sign of movement. A flash of russet fur caught her attention—a tail flicking behind a rocky outcropping. The fox’s earth-attuned qi blended its form almost seamlessly with the cavern walls.

Two yin-yang darts flew from Xiulan’s fingers. The projectiles erupted in brilliant flashes, illuminating the chamber with shocking intensity. Ming unleashed a barrage of glowing talismans that streaked through the air like golden comets.

The fox jumped away from the projectiles and darted along the walls with supernatural agility. More talisman bolts smashed into the wall behind it as it sprinted. Its paws found purchase on impossible angles as it circled the chamber.

There was only one way out, and Xiulan and Ming planted themselves at the entrance. The confined space left limited options for escape.

At the closest point between wall and floor, the beast launched itself straight at Xiulan. Shards of earth materialized mid-air, intercepting Ming’s qi bolts.

Xiulan spun Severing Light in a defensive arc while launching three iron darts in a spreading pattern. Yang energy coursed through her meridians and into the weapon, making the blade gleam with building power.

She brought Severing Light down in a precise strike just before the fox reached her. The accumulated yang energy discharged in a thunderous blast that arced to the yin infused darts. A shield of compressed earth manifested around the fox, the surface scoring and cracking under the force of her attack.

The fox’s earthen shield exploded outward, pelting Xiulan with razor-sharp shards. Pain lanced through her arms and chest as the fragments sliced into her skin. The impact knocked her backward, Severing Light clattering against stone.

“Stay down!” Ming unleashed a barrage of glowing talismans. The papers ignited mid-flight, transforming into chains of golden light that snaked toward the fox.

The beast snarled and stomped its front paws. Pillars of earth shot up from the ground, intercepting Ming’s spiritual chains. The fox spun, its tails whipping through the air. Each movement sent waves of stone spikes erupting across the chamber floor.

Ming danced between the deadly protrusions, her hands weaving complex patterns. More talismans materialized around her, forming a protective barrier that deflected incoming rocks. The fox charged, its claws leaving deep gouges in the stone floor.

Ming slammed her palm against the ground. A wave of golden energy rippled outward, destabilizing the fox’s footing. The beast stumbled, giving Ming the opening to strike with another talisman array.

Xiulan pushed herself up, ignoring the stinging cuts. She pulled two lightning-infused darts from her pouch, channeling qi through her meridians. The metal hummed with building energy.

The fox broke free from Ming’s binding array with a pulse of earth-attuned qi. It whirled to face both of them, lips pulled back in a snarl. Three stone projectiles orbited its body, ready to launch. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Xiulan threw the first dart pair. Lightning crackled between them as they spiraled through the air. The fox deflected one with its floating rocks, but the second dart struck true. Electricity arced across its fur.

Ming capitalized on the opening, her talismans forming a golden net that descended toward the stunned beast.

The fox thrashed against the golden bindings, its three tails whipping violently. Earth-attuned qi pulsed from its body in waves, sending rocks flying from every surface of the chamber. The projectiles pinged off walls and ricocheted in deadly patterns.

Xiulan positioned herself between Ming and the barrage and began to clap. “Thunder God Claps for Arrogant Young Masters!”

The repeated blasts shook the cavern and the structural reinforcement talismans pulsed in her robe in warning. But the incoming stones slammed into the walls instead of them. So, worth it.

Golden light streamed from Ming’s floating papers, forming more complex interconnected geometric patterns that contracted around the spirit beast. The fox snapped at the barrier. Its claws scraped against the ground, pulling up chunks of stone that orbited its body like a shield.

The space within the qi prison shrank steadily. The fox slammed its body against the walls of light, making the barrier fluctuate and spark. Despite the increasingly confined space, the beast refused to submit. It continued launching volleys of stone shards that bounced harmlessly off the reinforced containment field.

Ming pulled a final talisman from her sleeve—deep green characters glowed across its surface. She darted forward and slapped the paper directly onto the fox’s flank through a gap in the barrier.

Emerald flames erupted across the spirit beast’s fur. The fox released one final, piercing yip before dark green fire consumed its form completely.

Xiulan released a long breath, letting the tension drain from her muscles. The cuts from the stone shards stung, but none seemed deep enough to warrant immediate attention.

Ming plucked her talismans from the air as they floated back to her. The golden papers dimmed as she tucked them away, their spiritual energy spent. She studied the spot where emerald flames still flickered, her brows drawing together in a concerned frown.

“What’s wrong?” Xiulan stepped closer, mindful of the scattered debris.

Ming pointed at the dying flames. As the last green embers faded, they revealed a pristine white egg nestled on the scorched earth.

Xiulan blinked at the unexpected sight. “Oh—a spirit beast egg.”

“Take it if you want.” Ming shrugged. “I have no interest in raising a spirit beast.”

Questions bubbled up in Xiulan’s mind about Ming’s dismissal, but she swallowed them back. Instead, her thoughts turned to Feng Yu and Liuhuo.

This could help her catch up to her friend’s progress!

Xiulan carefully lifted the egg. Warmth radiated through her palms, and she sensed a faint pulse of qi within the shell. “How do I take care of it?”

“I’ll explain later. Just keep it close for now.” Ming pulled out her tracing crystal and held it up. It tugged slightly in random directions. “First, we need to ensure no other creatures lurk in these tunnels.”

Xiulan slid the egg into her robe’s inner pocket nestled against her chest. The warmth from the shell pulsed steadily as they explored the branching passages. Ming’s detection crystal led them through several smaller chambers filled with broken vegetation and scattered bones.

A glint caught Xiulan’s eye in one of the side caves. She brushed aside loose earth to reveal a cache of spirit stones. The crystalline fragments sparkled with residual qi.

Ming helped gather the spirit stones into a pouch. “The fox must have recognized their energy signature.”

They emerged from the tunnel system into early afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees. Ming pulled out several earth-attuned talismans and pressed them against the cave entrance. Golden light spread across the stone surface like flowing water and the tunnel mouth sealed seamlessly, leaving no trace of their underground battle.

“That should prevent any other creatures from claiming it as a den.” Ming tucked away her remaining talismans.

They made their way back through the forest to where Wei Kang waited with the supply wagon. Xiulan presented the egg, its pristine shell catching the sunlight.

“A fox spirit beast egg!” Wei Kang clapped his hands together. “Well done! Those are quite rare.”

Ming crossed her arms. “Keep your voice down. Just because it’s not a grand beast doesn’t mean we should broadcast its presence. Spirit beast eggs attract unwanted attention—even common ones.”

Her gaze settled on Xiulan. “Especially when they aren’t yet bound to a user.”