Chapter 324: The Former Ruler?

Lin Wu looked at the beast which was once one of the Rulers of the Millennium forest.

Yes, this beast was none other than the Silver Beak Sky Soar eagle. Lin Wu had gotten a clear look at the beast in the forest and the system had also scanned it. The only reason why he didn't notice it approaching them was because Lin Wu was affected by the red stone.

The system also failed to notify him because the interference field was also restricting it. With all that, the Beast managed to approach them unnoticed. Though now that Lin Wu was sensing the spirit Qi fluctuations coming from the beast he could tell that the beast was much stronger than before.

There were additional changes that Lin Wu could sense. First of all the beast's aura had gotten many times stronger and Lin Wu could even feel a hint of suppression coming from its body.

"The Silver Beak Sky Soar eagle… it has awakened another bloodline within it… or it is evolving its bloodline." Lin Wu realized.

~Piiii~

A loud cry was let out by the beast as its beak opened wide. It stared at the priest with a gaze that could kill.

~sniff~

Shirong could see that the beast was searching for something and it soon spotted it on the body of the priest. Having found it, the beast's eyes glowed as it lowered its head. 

The priest saw this and felt terror in his heart. But before he could let out a sound, the beast picked him up with his beak and threw him in the air, before swallowing him whole.

"This…" Lin Wu was stunned as the Eagle had just swallowed Nascent Soul realm cultivator whole.

"NOOO!!!!" A loud scream came out of the Eagle's body as an illusory infant floated out of there.

If one looked at the infant, one would be able to tell that it looked quite similar to the priest. This was evidently the Nascent Soul of the priest!

The Eagle obviously spotted the Nascent Soul that was trying to flee and reacted.

~Piiiiii~

~Whoosh~

Its wings started flapping before they lit up with flames. Crimson red flames that burned intently the spread all over the area as the trees ignited instantly. Even Lin Wu felt threatened by the flames and quickly created a barrier of radiation around him while using that very radiation to control the heat.

It turned out to be hard for Lin Mu, as there was something strange within the flames. He couldn't tell what it was, but his radiation manipulation was not as effective as before. It was a bit better than when he tried to control the tribulation lightning, but it was still quite hard.

The Nascent Soul that was trying to run was not so fortunate though and was instantly burned to nothingness. Once that was done, the beast stopped flapping its wings and turned around to look at Lin Wu.

By now Shirong had also managed to stand up and was looking at the beast which he had recognized from the millennium forest. The Eagle beast let out another cry before opening its wings wide.

It was just about to flap its wings when it was interrupted.

"EAGLE QUEEN STOP!" Lin Wu said in the beast tongue.

The eagle who was about to attack Shirong and in turn Lin Mu was stunned by the voice. It tilted its head in confusion before spreading its spirit sense. Its sharp eyes had a hint of intelligence as they focused on top of the helmet.

"You… you are a beast…" The eagle beast said.

"Yes, I am. Don't attack me, we can talk!" Lin Wu said more clearly, his desire for the red stone vanishing away.

Whatever the red stone was or 'god's flesh' since it had been consumed by the Eagle beast, it didn't affect Lin Wu's state anymore. Lin Wu also decided that it was better to not fight the eagle beast now. 

There were a few reasons for this. The first was that he could tell the eagle beast had gotten very strong and was perhaps not even in the Nascent Soul realm. Lin Wu could have confirmed this by probing the beast, but doing so may probably prod it to attack him.

Another reason was that if the Eagle had come all the way here just for the Red stone, then it was likely that it knew what it was. Lin Mu knew the intelligence of the Nascent Soul realm beasts and knew they would not do something without any reason.

"why are you in this form? Did this human turn you into a tool?" The Eagle Beast asked curiously.

"No… this is just my own ability." Lin Wu replied.

"If it's your own ability, then why are you being controlled by this human?" The Eagle Beast asked again.

"I am the one controlling him." Lin Wu replied.

The eagle beast found it to be a bit strange, but it could very well sense the two different auras coming from Shirong. One belonged to Shirong himself and the other to Lin Wu. And since they had not attacked her yet, She reckoned that it was truly as Lin Wu had said.

"Why are you here?" Lin Wu decided to question this time.

The eagle beast did not answer Lin Wu and only stared at him for a while without speaking. 

"I came for the bloodline source." The Eagle beast responded.

"So it truly is a bloodline!" Lin Wu exclaimed.

The eagle beast did not take kindly to Lin Wu's words and puffed up its chest, trying to act intimidating.

"So you're here to steal my bloodline!?" The Eagle Beast screeched.

"NOO! I just want to know what it is." Lin Wu hurriedly replied as he learned what level the Silver Beaks Sky Soar Eagle was at. 

Lin Wu realized that the beast's spirit Qi fluctuations were comparable to those Dao Shell realm cultivators at the Frozen Cloud sect. 

'The silver Beak Sky Soar Eagle managed to break through to the Dao Shell Realm!' Lin Wu thought to himself with shock.

Shirong, who had been observing the strange beast was now feeling weird. He also realized that he was now unable to move for some reason. At first he had actually panicked and was wondering if some skill had been used on him, which paralyzed him.

But upon checking with his spirit sense, he could not find anything. It was just the armor that he was wearing which had stiffed. It was as if all of its joints had been welded stuck and he could not move at all.

Shirong would have even tried to put the armor away into his spatial storage ring, had it not been for the large eagle beast that had just appeared in front of him. Removing the armor and trying his luck without it would only spell doom for it.

Just from his instincts, Shirong could very well tell that the beast in front of him was no common beast and was likely to be in the Dao Shell realm. Fighting the beast without any preparation or intimation would only get him killed, and thus not acting was his best option for now.

The eagle beast also calmed down a bit after hearing the words of Lin Wu and decided to wait and see what Lin Wu had to say.

"Why did you leave the millennium forest and kill so many of your subordinates?" Lin Wu questioned.

"They were necessary supplements for my bloodline to grow. They had served their purposed and them being in my belly is a good ending for them." The Silver Beak Sky Soar eagle answered without hesitation.

"Do you know that the other rulers call you Crazy for killing them and leaving the forest?" Lin Wu replied honestly.

"I don't care about that. All I care about is my cultivation and strength. Those rulers are mere slaves of the forest and need to live under its limitations. Whereas I am free to go wherever I want to." The Eagle Beast answered.

Lin Wu found it to be correct, as that was how most beasts thought. The Beetle king and the ape kings were right about this, that the eagle beast had massacred a lot of people.

"What was that red stone you ate and how did you know where it was.?" Lin Wu questioned.

"That red stone is the leftover crystallized bloodline of the great vermilion bird. I the Silver Beak Sky Soar eagle have awakened my bloodline and am a noble beast descended from the vermilion bird the king of birds!" The Eagle Beast answered, much to the expectation of Lin Wu.

"As for how I found it… the bloodline resonance." The eagle beast responded before turning around to show its neck, which was covered with red feathers. Seeing the plumage and the changes in the beast's body Lin Wu knew that the beast was not lying.