The Jadebone Lin Beast, a third-rank spirit beast capable of contending with a Nascent Soul cultivator when using its full strength, was completely overturned, crashing down before Chu Tianbai!
Seeing his spirit beast crying out in pain, everyone turned their heads in shock and saw a massive black-and-white beast, while a huge black bird circled in the air, its call sharp and clear.
A fourth-rank Iron-Eating Beast!
A third-rank Black Abyss Falcon!
At that moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the two spirit beasts, not even noticing the few people standing beside them.
The entire Chu family was dumbfounded.
Why had the Iron-Eating Beast and the Black Abyss Falcon come here?!
"Batian!" Chu Tianbai hugged his spirit beast, his heart breaking apart.
He hurriedly examined the Jadebone Lin Beast's body and finally discovered that although it had a broken leg, it hadn't sustained internal injuries.
"Hou~" The Jadebone Lin Beast whimpered in pain, tears welling up in its eyes.
That Iron-Eating Beast actually hadn't held back at all!
It felt like it wasn't just one leg, but all the bones in its body were broken!
Chu Tianbai was heartbroken, this was his contracted companion!
He and the Jadebone Lin Beast had been contracted for many years, sharing life and death together.
Batian had never suffered injuries like this before!
"Ang——"
"Lì——"
The two spirit beasts roared again, successfully drawing everyone's attention back toward them.
The crowd stared in horror, their legs trembling and weak.
A fourth-rank Iron-Eating Beast could easily wipe out their entire Chu family!
If not for the manor being directly behind them, they might've already turned and fled.
Tan Fangjun's eyes gleamed with curiosity as he studied the two beasts, extremely surprised.
It's obvious when a beast had recognized a master and formed a contract, a seal would appear on its forehead.
Yet the foreheads of these two beasts were perfectly clear, without a trace of any mark.
To make a spirit beast obey didn't necessarily require a contract, if one had enough strength or charisma, one could coexist peacefully with a beast.
But that was much harder than contracting it.
Spirit beasts were inherently proud and rebellious. With a contract, they could be suppressed.
Without one, only raw strength could keep them in check.
But even through strength, there was no guarantee they'd listen.
—Their defining trait was being rebellious.
Tan Fangjun's gaze shifted to the group of young men and women beside the beasts.
They were clearly young, certainly not very old, and naturally, their cultivation couldn't be too high.
Tan Fangjun had been in Changtian Sect for many years and had seen countless young geniuses.
To reach Foundation Establishment at age twenty was already considered extremely talented.
But to achieve that, one needed talent, background, and hard work, all three are indispensable!
Without proper guidance, outstanding aptitude, and years of dedication, foundation establishment was but a dream!
If one's parents had enough wealth and resources, one might shave off a few years.
But judging by the clothes these youths wore, their families were clearly ordinary.
—Their robes didn't even have a trace of defensive enchantment.
Young, from simple backgrounds, their strength couldn't be that great.
So, how did they dare stand so close to these spirit beasts?
And moreover, the beasts actually seemed to listen to them!
Tan Fangjun's curiosity deepened.
This whole situation was too contradictory.
"Chu Jingzhuo?!"
Finally, someone noticed the figure in the middle and their face changed drastically.
"It's actually Chu Jingzhuo?!"
"Are these his spirit beasts?!"
"Impossible! His spiritual root was damaged!"
Hearing their words, Tan Fangjun's eyes darkened. So this was Chu Jingzhuo.
Chu Tianbai shrank the whimpering Jadebone Lin Beast and stored it into his Beast Dwelling Ring to heal.
Spirit beasts could change sizes, but only if they reached fifth rank, or were bound by a contract.
The Soul-Devouring Tiger, a fifth-rank beast, could also enlarge or shrink itself, but its true body was massive, and shrinking required spiritual energy, so it preferred remaining in its natural form.
The Iron-Eating Beast hadn't signed a contract with any human, so it naturally couldn't shrink.
Not that it cared, its true form was always the most comfortable anyway.
After sending the Jadebone Lin Beast into the Beast Dwelling Ring, Chu Tianbai stood up, eyes bloodshot as he glared at Chu Jingzhuo, "Chu Jingzhuo! You have some nerve, how dare you cause trouble here!"
His gaze locked on Chu Jingzhuo, as if he wanted to tear him apart limb by limb.
Just a brat, how could he be so arrogant?!
Then Chu Jingzhuo answered that question with action.
"Senior, please!" Chu Jingzhuo took out a stalk of bamboo and spoke to the Iron-Eating Beast.
"Ang!"
The Iron-Eating Beast accepted the bamboo and shoved it into its mouth, then charged forward.
No one had expected such a sudden movement. Startled, everyone scattered in panic, faces pale.
Even Tan Fangjun flinched and stepped aside in fright.
This young man really had no regard for martial virtue!
Couldn't they talk things out first?!
The Iron-Eating Beast thundered past, scattering everyone, but didn't continue attacking. It stopped leisurely, turned its head toward them, and let out a deep "heh heh" sound that was unmistakably mocking.
Facing the beast's black-ringed eyes filled with ridicule, the Chu family members: "..."
They had actually been mocked by an Iron-Eating Beast!
Their faces burned with humiliation, but this was a fourth-rank spirit beast!
Who could possibly withstand its attack?!
"Chu Jingzhuo!" shouted Chu Jinglin, who had dodged to the side, unable to bear it anymore. "Are you insane?! These are your family! Are you trying to kill us?!"
Chu Jingzhuo turned his gaze toward him, his eyes full of scorn, "Family? Are you sure?"
He almost laughed out loud.
He didn't have any family like this.
His family consisted only of his mother and his grandparents, everyone else was either a stranger or an enemy!
Chu Jingzhuo's expression made the Chu family's faces twist with mixed emotions.
Who could've expected that the boy they'd abandoned would suddenly return, bringing two spirit beasts with him?!
But Chu Jinglin felt no guilt. Now that he'd joined Changtian Sect, and since the Iron-Eating Beast hadn't actually hurt them, he continued shouting, "As a member of the Chu Family, how can you act this way?! Do you know—"
"Senior Dahei!" Chu Jingzhuo didn't even give him a chance to finish, calling out loudly.
"Lì——"
The Black Abyss Falcon immediately dove toward Chu Jinglin.
"Ah! Don't come near me!"
Chu Jinglin's face drained of color, he forgot his speech entirely and turned to flee.
"Ah Lin!" Chu Tianbai's face went pale as well, and he charged forward.
But his speed couldn't match the winged Black Abyss Falcon.
The falcon seized Chu Jinglin by the shoulder and soared into the sky.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!" Chu Jinglin screamed miserably.
He had only just established his foundation and couldn't possibly break free from the falcon's iron claws.
"Ah Lin!"
Chu Tianbai's eyes bulged in fury and despair. He roared, "Chu Jingzhuo! Let Ah Lin down! We can talk this out!"
"All right," Chu Jingzhuo nodded calmly, then shouted, "Senior Dahei, let him down!"
"Lì——"
"Ahhhhh——!!"
Chu Jinglin plummeted from ten meters in the air.
If Tan Fangjun hadn't reacted quickly to catch him, his arms and legs would've definitely been broken!