Chapter 5: The Manticore
Chapter 5: The Manticore
“Beast attendant?” Li Yi was stunned, his face showing confusion.
“The mountain’s fame comes not from its height, but from the immortals dwelling there; the water’s spirituality comes not from its depth, but from the dragons within! Every magical holy land has its guardian beast!” Yan Zhao already knew this kid was ignorant. Coincidentally, he was also in the mood to talk. “The guardian beast guards the Netherworld, wards off disasters, attracts good fortune, gathers favorable influences, and bestows enduring blessings! One reason Dawn Cliff stands out is because its guardian beast is a Heaven’s Revelation-level magical beast!”
“The Dawn Dragons, titled—’Morning Duck’! Not to mention anything else, its Heaven’s Revelation ability ‘Eternal Dawn Radiance’ can be compared to ‘Sowing Beans into Soldiers’!” Zhangsun Shenji couldn’t hold back, exclaiming in admiration, “My family’s…”
He realized something, gave a forced laugh, and fell silent.
“Magical beasts live extremely long lives, but they also age and die.” Yan Zhao shot Zhangsun Shenji a sidelong glance, pretending not to hear. “Several major academies carefully breed magical beasts with extraordinary bloodlines for unforeseen circumstances—putting it another way, who would ever think they have too many guardian beasts?”
Li Yi nodded, signaling Yan Zhao to continue.
“These kinds of magical beasts are extremely rare, and taming them is difficult. They can be called as rare as phoenix feathers! After many years of effort, Dawn Cliff only has two. One is said to be a variant dragon, deeply hidden, with details unknown; the other is a Transcendent Magical Beast—the Blood-Shedding Manticore.”
“Blood-Shedding Manticore? Is it the one that needs a beast attendant?” Li Yi stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“You’re really thinking about it?” Yan Zhao glared fiercely, frowning as he spoke. “In this world, is there such a thing as a free lunch? Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger, let alone a ferocious magical beast?”
Yan Zhao’s tone was harsh, but the concern in it was genuine. Li Yi felt a warmth in his heart and said with a smile, “Whether it works or not, I have to try to know…”
“You’ll have your share of hardships…”
Yan Zhao wanted to say more but, seeing Li Yi’s resolute expression, he gave up.
…
On a winding mountain path, a small group of people walked leisurely.
Leading the way was a woman of graceful demeanor.
The woman had red lips, white teeth, and features like a painting. Especially her chest, which could be described as turbulent and magnificent, making one worry whether her slender waist could bear the weight.
The mountain path was rugged. With the climb, the woman’s chest surged like stormy waves, a spectacular sight, seemingly ready to break free from her loose mage robe at any moment.
Li Yi had to concentrate very hard, keeping his eyes fixed on his nose and his mind focused, to keep his attention on his feet.
The others around him, however, were all well-behaved, staring at their toes, not daring to be disrespectful.
Gu Yanran was one of the academy’s nine great beauties. She was not a student but a teacher.
She was not very old, only twenty years of age, and already a Lower Rune Mage, which could be considered exceptionally talented.
With layers of Aura from her status, strength, innate gifts, and backing, it was no wonder she ranked first among the nine beauties.
“We’re almost there. The path here is steeper, be careful with your footing…” Gu Yanran reminded them. Her voice was soft and pleasant, but her tone was cold and distant.
Li Yi looked into the distance. Amidst the mist, a huge cavern loomed faintly visible.
Following the passage inward, stone pillars stood like a forest, as if stepping into the mouth of a giant beast—eerie and sinister, making one’s hair stand on end.
“Feixue…” Gu Yanran stopped and called softly.
Roar!
From deep within the cavern, an excited beast roar sounded, followed by the violent stirring of wind and thunder!
Amidst the wind and thunder, a scarlet red shadow rushed forward. Its stature was no less than that of an elephant, yet its running speed was even faster than a galloping horse!
Each time it landed, the ground shook with a piercing rumble.
Li Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit terrified.
About a hundred meters away, in front of the scarlet shadow, a cross-shaped starlight suddenly flashed!
Before everyone’s eyes, that mountain-like massive body seemed to dissolve into the Void, vanishing in an instant.
Almost at the same moment, spanning over twenty meters, another brilliant starlight flashed.
In a split second, the huge figure emerged from the new starlight.
Next, along a straight line pointing towards their group, cross-shaped starlights flashed one after another, each spaced about twenty meters apart. The figure seemed to leap Seamlessly, rapidly darting through.
In just the time of one breath, the starlights connected, and the giant beast had crossed a hundred meters, arriving right in front of them!
It carried a sharp, fierce wind that howled like waves!
The others stumbled and swayed. Li Yi held onto a stone pillar, somewhat less disheveled.
Looking up, he saw the giant beast and Gu Yanran face to face, snuggling close together intimately. Gu Yanran gently stroked its neck, while the giant beast narrowed its eyes into crescents, as docile as a cat.
The image of a beauty and a ferocious beast was the kind of shockingly impactful scene that could make one’s nose bleed!
This giant beast looked like an angry lion, its entire body scarlet red. Magical fluctuations surged outward, and all over its body, its mane moved without wind, like blazing flames, almost too intense to look at directly.
“Feixue is a Blood-Shedding Manticore, and she is your real employer.” Gu Yanran said with a look of affection and seriousness. “Her ancestor was a genuine Heaven’s Revelation magical beast, titled—’Red Hare’!”
“Red Hare?” Li Yi caught the hint and asked in surprise, “Isn’t that Lü Bu’s…”
“That’s right!” Gu Yanran nodded appreciatively and said indignantly, “It’s true that Lü Bu and Guan Yu were Heaven-Mandated Powerhouses, but ‘taking the enemy general’s head amid ten thousand troops’? Without Red Hare’s ‘Void Blink,’ that would just be a joke.”
“Void Blink?” A gleam appeared in Li Yi’s eyes, and he felt a surge of eagerness in his heart. “I wonder if I will ever have a day where I can command a Heaven’s Revelation magical beast…”
“Due to certain reasons, she can only stay within the confines of this cavern. Your duty is to keep her happy.” Gu Yanran’s next words made everyone’s jaws drop, but she looked as if it were perfectly natural. “She likes listening to stories. Each of you, tell a story… if she’s satisfied, you can stay.”
“Tell a story?”
This request took everyone by surprise.
Li Yi’s eyes widened like copper bells, an indescribable feeling of absurdity in his heart.
The others also stood there dumbfounded.
“You, yes, you. You go first.”
Gu Yanran didn’t stand on ceremony. With decisive efficiency, she pointed to a bespectacled boy.
“I, me… need…” The boy looked fearful, stammering. Feeling two unfriendly gazes, he became even more unable to speak.
“Too timid. Are you even a man? Eliminated!”
Gu Yanran showed no mercy, speaking coldly.
However, for that boy, it didn’t seem like a bad thing. Not caring about losing face, he seemed to receive a great pardon and quickly ran outside.
“You!” Gu Yanran said with a look of contempt, pointing to another person.
“I’m going to tell the story of Meng Jiangnu weeping over the Great Wall.” This person had prepared a little, cleared his throat, and was about to begin.
“Cliché! Change it!” Gu Yanran slightly frowned her willow-leaf eyebrows, interrupting him.
“Then, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?” His expression turned ugly. He paused and said hesitantly.
“Change it again!”
“…” The person hemmed and hawed, unable to say anything more.
Several people were eliminated one after another.
Li Yi observed from the side and gradually formed an idea.
In the giant beast’s eyes, there shone a human-like brilliance—childish, curious, lively, pure like a young child.
—Despite its huge size, it was a young beast.
However, one could imagine that when it grew up, its size would likely be no less than that of a Dragon!
After some thought, he had a judgment in his mind.
“Feixue has been in this cavern for eight years,” Gu Yanran said with a displeased expression. “She’s already tired of those familiar, well-known stories… isn’t there anything new?”
As expected, everyone before her shrank back timidly. Her eyebrows furrowed even tighter.
A hand suddenly raised.
“You? Are you a new student?” Gu Yanran looked at the young face before her, a doubtful expression appearing. “Can you do it?”
“Whether it’s a donkey or a horse, just take it for a walk and you’ll know?” Li Yi smiled slightly. “I want to tell a story called ‘Little Red Riding Hood.'”
“Little Red Riding Hood?” Gu Yanran was taken aback. Beside her, Feixue seemed interested, her eyes showing curiosity.
“Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Little Red Riding Hood…” Li Yi began slowly.
Not long after, Feixue gave a light roar. Her expression seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
“Change it.”
“Okay, then I’ll tell a story about Snow White.”
“Snow White?”
“In a faraway kingdom, there lived a king and a queen…” Li Yi wasn’t discouraged and continued calmly and unhurriedly.
“Stop, stop, stop!” Feixue roared again. Gu Yanran looked disdainful and said the word “stop” several times. “What princesses and princes? Childish and boring. Don’t you have any more mature stories?”
Being called childish by a beauty, especially one with such astonishing looks and figure, Li Yi felt somewhat annoyed.
Childish? Then I’ll scare you, let you see how formidable I am!
For some reason, a mischievous, playful emotion, like a child’s prank, arose in his heart.
“Of course I have!”
He raised his head and stuck out his neck.
“Tomb-Raising Seal, Gold-Touching Talisman, Mountain-Moving and Ridge-Removing Dragon-Seeking Art;
Man lights candle, ghost blows lamp, survey and raid tombs seeking star peaks;
Mercury patina, raises burial objects, countless Dragon Towers and Treasure Halls;
Well-sunken coffin, bronze outer coffin, with weak fate don’t come near.
Vertical burial pit, casket grave, Mountain-Movers and Ridge-Removers steer clear;
Red-clothed fierce, smiling corpse, ghost’s laughter isn’t as scary as ghost’s weeping.”
“The story I’m going to tell is called—Ghost Blows Out the Lamp!”