novelraw Chapter 447 - 446 - Pride of a Lion
Chapter 447 - 446 - Pride of a Lion
"I REFUSE!" The area just outside the Moebius Sect was cleared of some trees but only since the war. Lind had advised the disciples to nurture and assist the trees to return but the entrance was going to remain a bit clear for obvious reasons.
In that opening was now a small group of beasts. One of them was actually speaking but only put out the aura of a tier 1 Sky Realm! It was quite rare in the Floating Isles but Lind knew the higher realms had far better techniques to allow intelligent beasts to speak.
The current lion making a ruckus was over 5 meters long and nearly 3 meters high. He was quite large and there were 3 other lions behind him looking fiercely at the gorgeous woman lined in golden robes.
Lind stood silently behind Lady Frostfang while she glared at her son. He was unsure what she told him to get as far as they had but when she announced her intentions to leave him at the sect, the explosion occurred.
He was curious why she had a son so low in power compared to herself but did not pry. Likely there had been other children that either did not survive or went out on their own long ago. Beasts did not maintain connections like cultivators but the current child was like a toddler to Lady Frostfang.
He was not ready to be on his own.
Still, Lind had met other Sky Realm beasts that were far more mature but perhaps it was a difference of race. He would have to come back to it later as things were escalating.
The young lion had his hackles up while the 3 with him were now being angry as well. They could not talk like cultivators but he understood their intent.
"We follow the prince!" He noted all 3 were female which made him almost roll his eyes. Having multiple wives, Lind knew the boy was in for a rude wakeup call when he matured. He clearly picked females that were impressed by his position for the moment.
Lind narrowed his eyes but refrained as Lady Frostfang flared her own aura.
The 3 females cowed but her son hardly flinched. Clearly growing up around such a powerful mother gave him a firm will.
"You think you can take on Zhudao? You think she will let you or anyone connected to you live once I am gone?" It was the first time Lind heard contempt in her voice. Clearly she had made such moves as she loved her son but they were still beasts.
If her son let his hot headedness lead to death, she would grieve but move on. The natural world was not a kind place.
"You would have me hide among the naked apes?" Lind tilted his head at the term. He quickly realized it was how the beasts perceived them. Despite being able to speak, context and accuracy was still far off.
It reminded him of Tal learning to speak and caused a smirk to spread across his face.
Sharp stares locked on to him.
Lady Frostfang seemed irked by his amusement but her son was enraged.
"You weakling! You think you can look down on me?" Claws as sharp as any grade 5 sword extended from the paws of the prince. The once cowed females growled at him as well but that only made Lind smile wider.
"Yes, I can." His confirmation shocked Lady Frostfang but then broke her anger. A smile tugged on her face before the aura on her son flared. He blurred and Lind was actually impressed at how fast he could move.
Clearly he had air and earth in his core but Lind was unsure as Lady Frostfang blocked his Eyes. Still, Lind did not move as the young lion closed in and slashed at him. As he did not want crimson robes ruined, Lind sighed and waved his hand.
A small whirlwind appeared but it was quickly made up of all the elements and captured the young lion like he was a cub! The flustered lion roared but could not escape the relatively simple trap.
The other 3 females leapt at Lind but they were only peak Diamond Tiers and not worth his concern. He realized Lady Frostfang was blocking all the senses, not just his. They had no idea he was tier 4!
"You tricked me!" Lind arched an eyebrow at his accusation but then sped up the spin on the whirlwind. The anger turned to nervousness then the prince did not look well at all.
"For the record, I am the sect master here. I understand you did not come here under clear intentions but you need a reality check." Lind changed his hand into a clawed dragon hand and grasped the throat of the lion easily.
Despite being much smaller than the lion, he could not break free of Lind's grasp! He was too disoriented and the power was clear for him to feel.
"I also think you are far too short sighted. Do you think those 3 will stand next to you when a tier 9 Sky Realm beast blasts their aura at you?" The recent confrontation with his mother was fresh but it was unfair!
"She is too strong! We will not cower to Zhudao or anyone else!" Lind was a little stunned but then recalled he was dealing with a child effectively. What took centuries for humans only took a few decades up in the Floating Isles for beasts.
"Do you seem to be doing well right now?" The prince saw his 3 companions were useless against Lind. He was clearly weaker than the prince's mother but still easily overpowered them. "I am only in the 4th tier."
He flared his aura and something broke in the prince's eyes. A 4th tier Sky Realm had so easily beaten him but then the fire returned.
"You are weird! Zhudao would fight openly!" Lind sighed and noticed Lady Frostfang looked pained. Clearly the attitude was why she wanted her son taken in. He simply had not faced true adversity and would not so long as she stayed.
It was also possible that Zhudao had inflated his ego to fatten him up for the kill. It was not impossible.
Cats sometimes liked to play with their food as Mother of Blood had happily explained to him. He still had shivers of what she considered play.
"In that case, perhaps you need a more direct lesson." Lind then dropped the prince who still could not quite stand up due to nausea. Despite being a Sky Realm, his senses were jumbled by Lind attack and defense.
"Mother of Blood!" Lind called out and a streak of black and yellow shot through the air before landing next to him. The clear power was felt by the prince clearly at that time.
"Yes, my Lord." Shock flooded the prince as Lind was clearly weaker than the beast before him!
"I need a tier 1 Sky Realm zheng for a spar. One that you would consider a failure." Mother of Blood looked confused until she looked at the still dizzy prince before she smiled sinisterly.
A roar brought out a smaller zheng quickly. It was a female with only 4 tails but Lind had seen her in some of the lesson halls the last few months. She had taken them like a fish to water and broken through only recently as he recalled.
"She will do." Lind bowed to Mother of Blood and then cleared out a large area.
"So, here is an equal opponent for you. Same tier and you outnumber her. She has more tails but you should be able to win. Show me your strength." Lind then turned to his disciple and smirked. "Just don't kill or cripple anyone."
The young zheng tilted her head but then nodded as she assumed an attack posture. She was only 4 meters long but far more agile than a lion. Roughly, she was equal to the prince but Lind just stood back to watch the show.
"I will crush you and leave this useless place!" The prince's words made a change come over the zheng. If before she was only there at the request of the Sect Master and her leader, now she was angry.
"The spoiled cub had a good bark, but does he have the bite?" Mother of Blood poured gasoline on the raging fire and the prince blurred once more as the 3 lionesses moved quickly as well.
They actually complimented each other well but Lind saw many flaws. He was not the only one as disdain filled the zheng's eyes. She nimbly dodged the pounce of the prince before one of her tails sent him flying with earth Qi making it far heavier than normal.
The 3 Diamond Tier beasts were simply ignored as the zheng seemed to leave after images behind. Air and earth, a good combination to Lind's mind. The prince barely stood back up from the tree he hit before 3 tails encircled his throat and legs and tossed him like a piece of meat!
Lind winced as the sound of bone cracking was heard. Angry roars came from the females but disdain filled the zheng's face as she roared.
Blood spurted from all 3 females but they were not too seriously injured. They simply were incapacitated.
"What is her name?" Mother of Blood sneered at the battle but answered his question.
"Shera. She would have been eaten before we joined you. Now, your outer elders like her a lot. She has grown stronger I will admit, but useless as one of my pride." Lind understood but could still hear pride as the battle came to an end.
The 3 females were knocked out by 1 attack and were useless anyway but the prince had clearly hurt the shoulder joints and cracked a rib or 2. He could barely take a step without curling up.
"So, an open fight with a tier 1 and you were flattened. Tell me, what grand strategy did you have to face a tier 9?" Lind's cold words made the prince want to roar in defiance but he could not refute them.
The zheng never sneak attacked nor used his blindspots as they normally would. He had expected it but it was as if there was no need. She simply smacked him down and left him unable to fight back.
He would be dead if it was a true fight.
"Shera, you will be taken with Ethry on her next expedition. Do well." All 4 tails wagged happily as she purred in excitement. Ethry had taken to leading hunting parties to temper the beast disciples and allow them to grow stronger. It was a highly desired slot and she got one so easily!
Lind then knelt down and looked the prince in his dark eyes.
"Your mother is leaving. You have been protected and were too young to temper at the edge. I am not so kind nor will anyone treat you like a prince. You will earn your place and so will your companions. You have a month to consider your future." Lind bowed to Lady Frostfang and headed back into his sect.
The powerful beasts looked at his back and the one leaving nodded in approval while the one that followed him felt her heart thump in excitement when he was like that. The pride of a lion was fine with the power to back it up, but a cub had no reason to be prideful.
The world would break them of that pride and they would either shatter to pieces or rise up as a terrifying aether beast. Only time would tell what the prince would choose.