Chapter 74: Bao vs Wen: Ash Pit Vulture
Treasure Blue Beaver Blessed Land
In the expanse of the fighting arena, amidst the swirling tribulation clouds, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded.
Hao Meng, bearing the coveted Flame Wings Immortal Gu, found himself aloft. His body engulfed in fiery radiance, the flames of his wings stretching out left and right in a magnificent display.
Yet, even as excitement coursed through him, he wrestled with the unfamiliarity of this new sensation. He was not a man unafraid of flight, having flown many times on his icy cloud before. But now his feet found no purchase below, this was different.
Wings, meant for creatures of the sky, posed a daunting challenge for a being of the land. Wen Jie's counsel resounded in his mind, a reminder of the challenge. Very few gu masters had real experience flying with wings. Why would they when they had more convenient alternatives?
And so, amidst the concentration, Hao Meng fixed his gaze on the billowing tribulation clouds ahead, knowing not what tribulation awaited him, his heart brimmed with both anticipation and apprehension.
A shrill screech, a sound both primal and fearsome, pierced the heavens, arresting the attention of all who bore witness.
From within the heart of the tempest, a massive figure burst forth, tearing through the misty veil with an undeniable presence.
The beast's monstrous form, cloaked in thick smoke, tore through the the misty veil with a might that stirred fear in the hearts of all who bore witness. Each beat of its formidable wings traced a whirling trail.
"A dragon!" - Hao Meng blurted out subconsciously.
As the creature gained momentum, its bald and featherless head got exposed, glowing like a smoldering ember amidst the murky haze.
The immensity of the sight left Hao Meng with trepidation. His knowledge of desolate beasts was meager to none, he could merely perceive his foe as a colossal dragon, rendering him oblivious to the nature of this adversary.
Panic gripped the spectating immortals, their voices hushed as they recognized the creature's true identity.
"It is the Immemorial Desolate Beast: Ash Pit Vulture!" - Came a shout from amidst the gathering of immortals, igniting fear and panic among them.
"Immemorial desolate beast?! Immemorial desolate beasts have rank eight might!" - Warned another immortal, already preparing to flee from the scene.
"Calm down, everyone."
In an unusual display of authority, Bao Yijun raised her voice, silencing the agitated crowd. Everyone listened, apprehensive of her stern demeanor.
Bao Lang Chao, observed with discerning eyes.
"Look closer, this is but an infant Ash Pit Vulture, merely a hundred years old if I had to guess. A mature Ash Pit Vulture is described as having the wingspan of the horizon. How could a rank six tribulation conjure such a rank eight power?" - He explained, restoring a sense of reason among the embarrassed immortals.
Though it was still a formidable creature, the Ash Pit Vulture's might was not as overwhelming as initially feared. It still landed at the peak of what a rank six tribulation could create.
Bao Lang Chao wisely assessed the situation, realizing that the formation around the stage was ill-equipped to handle such immortal forces; it was meant for mortal competition. Decisively, he instructed the other Bao clan immortals.
"Send the mortals back to the Ancestral Grotto."
Acting swiftly, the immortals carried out the order, and in a blink of an eye, the spectating crowd vanished, transported safely away from the impending confrontation.
Wen clan had similar considerations, their crowd disappeared even before the Ash Pit Vulture appeared.
Wen Jie's will spoke within the Flame Wings Immortal Gu, offering vital guidance to Hao Meng.
He understood that he needed to find a delicate balance between the three qi on his own, as she could not do it for him. However, she could still control his flame wings, a deciding factor in their encounter.
With no warning, the Ash Pit Vulture lunged at Hao Meng, unleashing a relentless assault of searing feathers and razor-sharp talons.
Reacting swiftly, Wen Jie activated the Flame Wings Immortal Gu, imbuing Hao Meng with a surge of fiery energy.
He ascended swiftly, narrowly evading the vulture's deadly assault.
"So close!"
Despite the narrow escape, the weight of the situation was not lost on Hao Meng.
The speed at which events unfolded left him breathless; there was little time for contemplation.
Wen Jie warned him of the challenge they faced.
Each time she activated the immortal gu in the presence of heaven and earth qi, a formidable backlash threatened its existence.
Time was of the essence, and Hao Meng felt this race against time.
Could he muster the willpower and skill to gather and balance the three qi in time, unlocking the path to becoming a gu immortal?
Or would the intense backlash doom the Flame Wings Immortal Gu, sealing his fate along with it?
As the Ash Pit Vulture circled above menacingly, looking for the opportune moment, a sense of dread settled upon Hao Meng.
The smoky feathers scattered by the creature tainted the air, creating a fog of smoke that enveloped the surroundings. Plumes of dark mist rose, shrouding the area in an eerie atmosphere.
The enormous fiery bird of prey attacked again and again.
Wen Jie had to use more elaborate maneuvers to avoid a clash. This beast was not just strong, it also displayed a certain level of intelligence as it started to learn the patterns.
Within the billowing smoke, Hao Meng found himself disoriented in the gathering smoke.
The world around him became a hazy maze, and he struggled to discern the vulture's next move or location. The uncertainty of the imminent attack weighed heavily on him, and fear threatened to disrupt his focus.
"What am I afraid of? ... death?" - He had already resigned himself, yet fear entwined his heart at the presence of such circumstances.
Hao Meng embraced his fear, accepting it as a part of his existence. He understood that it was not the fear of death itself that mattered, but how he responded to it.
In a resolute act of defiance, he closed his eyes, shutting out the distractions and danger that the smoky environment presented.
His breathing and mind steadied, and the flow of heaven and earth qi accelerated around him.
Amidst the smoky veil, the chase between Hao Meng's figure and the Ash Pit Vulture unfolded like a mesmerizing spectacle.
Their figures darted and weaved, obscured by the dense smoke, yet occasionally revealing themselves like two luminous torches battling amidst the shadows.
From afar, one could only catch fleeting glimpses of the enthralling encounter.
Hao Meng's flame-imbued body blazed like a radiant torch, its fiery glow cutting through the murkiness.
On the other hand, the Ash Pit Vulture's exposed and featherless head glowed like an ember amidst the smoky cloak.
Each flap of its wings left a swirling wind trail in the smoke, serving as a stark reminder of the huge proportions of the creature's concealed body.
...
The three supreme elders of Bao clan transmitted to each other.
"The situation is escalating. The results might become unfavorable." - Bao Yijun expressed her concern that if the tribulation was not resolved, the competition could be annulled, leading to significant losses for the Bao clan.
"Bao clan cannot lose out! Wen clan might use this to their own benefit." - Bao Chi Ping echoed her sentiments, emphasizing the need to prevent the Wen clan from using the situation as an excuse to back out of their end of the bargain.
"We need to act but our hands are tied. I see two roads ahead." - Bao Yijun proposed two options to stop the tribulation from wreaking havoc: targeting the tribulation directly or its source.
While the options were apparent, the final decision rested with the first supreme elder, Bao Lang Chao.
After a thoughtful contemplation, Bao Lang Chao made his choice, opting to stay the course and adhere to their original plan.
Bao Yijun and Bao Chi Ping acknowledged his decision with a nod.
Meanwhile, Bao Yijun reached out to Bao Li Mu, who had retreated to the corner of the arena.
"Cooperate with the tribulation and kill Hao Meng. You may use your immortal gu."
This was a complicated situation.
Bao clan's strategy was to adhere to the competition's rules while bending them to their advantage when possible.
Bao Li Mu's current status as a gu immortal was a good example of Bao clan's clever maneuvering.
The immortal oath forbid immortals from participating directly in the competition for resource allocation. This was to avoid greater losses.
But it needed both clan's ceremonial cooperation to place the immortal oath and the soonest that could be arranged was after the ending of the competition.
By delaying the immortal oath and advancing Bao Li Mu just in time for the competition, they exploited a loophole to nominate a gu immortal in a competition meant for gu masters.
While the Bao clan immortals could intervene to combat the Ash Pit Vulture, they were restricted by the immortal oath from directly interfering in the battle between Bao Li Mu and Hao Meng.
Had the Bao clan immortals acted in the events on the stage, to quell the tribulation, it would be clause for Wen clan to not honor their obligations to hand over the resources.
Although they skirted around the rules, they did not technically break them.
Bao Li Mu and Hao Meng was technically still in the competition, so it was only right for Bao Li Mu to continue and defeat his opponent in the struggle for the annual resource allocation.
If Bao clan opted to target the tribulation and not Hao Meng, Bao Li Mu would still have to face Hao Meng after to have a proper conclusion.
The situation was intricate, and the Bao clan had to tread carefully, ensuring they upheld the competition's integrity while strategically positioning themselves to achieve their objectives.
Bao Li Mu accepted his task.
"I will use my strongest move right away. It was good I started to practice it. But it still only has a six in ten chance of success to activate." - He thought.
He skillfully used the cover of the fog to conceal his presence, approaching Hao Meng with stealth in mind.
With each passing moment, the tension mounted as they waited for the Ash Pit Vulture to reappear.
In a few breaths of time, it emerged once more.
Wen Jie's will within the Flame Wings Immortal Gu sprang into action. The gu suffered yet another backlash, but Hao Meng's body swiftly responded, flapping his wings upward, he dove to evade the vulture's impending attack.
Seizing the opportunity, Bao Li Mu recognized that this was his moment to strike. With deadly intent, he followed closely behind the vulture.
Wen Jie directed Hao Meng's movements, enabling him to maneuver his body with grace, twisting and turning his wings to evade the beast.
As the distance between them closed, Bao Li Mu readied his killer move.
With a surge of power, Bao Li Mu extended his hand, pointing directly at Hao Meng from behind the Ash Pit Vulture.
Immortal killer move: Entombed Root Coffin!
As Bao Li Mu's Immortal killer move connected with Hao Meng, the impact was immediate and profound.
The thick roots that burst forth from thin air moved with preternatural speed and precision, wrapping around Hao Meng's legs and wings with a vice-like grip.
The moment the roots made contact, an intense surge of energy coursed through Hao Meng's body.
He felt an overwhelming force attempting to immobilize him, as if the very essence of the earth sought to bind him in its embrace. He plummeted towards the ground uncontrollably.
The Ash Pit Vulture closely behind, it was only a matter of moments before Hao Meng would crash into the ground.
Upon releasing his killer move, its aura exposed Bao Li Mu's presence.
Hao Jiong's eyes twitched in anger as she realized the events.
"How dare you threaten what's mine!" - Her figure drew an icy arc as she darted to join the fight.
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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