"What a round sheep," Phenex said in shock.
Before him stood a very large, very round blue creature that looked similar to a sheep.
Phenex reasonably deduced that the previous giant monster had swallowed this blue creature as food and then choked on it. That was why the giant monster had kept ramming its head into the mountain wall.
It had tried to use the recoil from hitting the mountain to swallow the food stuck in its throat.
Good idea. Suggestion: don't try it next time.
"Um… I'm not a sheep, I'm a qilin," the blue creature said with difficulty as it turned around, its head facing Phenex. A soft, shy girl's voice came from its mouth.
"Qilin?" Phenex looked the creature that called itself a qilin up and down. "I don't know what a qilin looks like, but you clearly look like a big sheep."
"I really am a qilin! It's just… it's just that I usually eat a bit too much…" The qilin's voice grew smaller and smaller as she spoke.
"Just eating a lot can make you grow this big?" Phenex looked up to meet the qilin's eyes.
Although the qilin's size was not as large as the previous giant monster, it was still very big compared to Phenex.
Phenex's size had not changed at all since birth and still looked like a four-year-old child.
The qilin's head alone was bigger than Phenex…
Hearing Phenex's question, the qilin answered blankly, "I don't know."
Phenex sighed regretfully, then looked seriously at the qilin and asked, "Hey, let me ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Is your meat delicious?"
"Huh?" The qilin's brain went completely blank. This question was outside her range of knowledge.
Seeing that the qilin did not answer, Phenex muttered to himself, "Looks like you don't know either. Then I guess we'll have to find out through practice."
As he spoke, flames were released from Phenex's palm.
The heat that radiated out instantly jolted the qilin, whose brain had crashed, awake. She stood up and began to flee in panic, not caring where she was going.
"Wait, wait, wait a moment! I'm not food…"
Before she could finish speaking, the qilin tripped over herself and fell straight to the ground. Her round body rolled down the mountain path.
"Ah! The food is rolling down the mountain!"
"I-I'm not food!"
The qilin's voice drifted over from afar.
Whether something was food or not was not decided by the food itself. Phenex thought to himself, then flew after the qilin.
The previous monster had been too heavy to carry away, but even if he couldn't lift this qilin, he could still push her. So he couldn't let this one go.
The qilin rolled in front while Phenex chased behind.
In the end, the qilin could not escape Phenex's grasp.
Phenex steadied his footing and caught the rolling qilin with both hands.
His feet left two shallow grooves in the ground before the qilin finally stopped rolling.
"Stop running. Stay still and let me eat you," Phenex said earnestly.
A faint crying tone leaked into the qilin's voice. "I really am not food! You can't eat me."
"What you say doesn't count. I need to try first."
Without any emotion, Phenex pushed the qilin toward the direction of the camp.
At this moment, a fierce gale attacked Phenex.
Accompanying it was a sharp shout: "How dare you! You insignificant scoundrel, release my disciple at once!"
Facing the gale sweeping toward him, Phenex instinctively spread the flaming wings behind him and released terrifying heat.
Phenex did not know the principle behind why this worked; he only knew that it was effective.
Driven by the heat, a current of air flowing in the opposite direction was generated, canceling out the gale.
However, although he had acted in time, Phenex had already been forced back a distance from the qilin.
Phenex looked toward the culprit who had created the gale.
A blue-and-white crane stood protectively in front of the qilin, its eyes filled with hostility as it looked at Phenex.
"Master!" The usually calm qilin's tone carried a rare trace of excitement.
"Don't be afraid, Ganyu. Master is here."
Cloud Retainer comforted her disciple, then looked warily at Phenex.
Phenex looked at Cloud Retainer with a calm expression and said, "Stand down."
Just these simple two words caused an uncontrollable urge to obey to surge in Cloud Retainer's heart.
Cloud Retainer was shocked, but this was not the time to ponder deeply. She split off a portion of her mind to suppress this instinctive impulse.
Seeing that Cloud Retainer did not obey his command, Phenex tilted his head in confusion.
In the past, no matter what kind of bird flew by, none would disobey his commands. This big bird in front of him was an exception, which made Phenex feel curious.
But even so, this big bird could not steal his prey!
"I said, stand down!"
Phenex's tone grew heavier, and Cloud Retainer felt an even deeper influence.
No, this could not continue. Cloud Retainer thought to herself.
So she decided to strike first.
Facing Cloud Retainer's sudden attack, Phenex felt no surprise.
He had been born with the ability to command birds and perceive their intentions and thoughts this was his innate talent.
And Cloud Retainer's intention to attack could also be perceived by him after all, even if Cloud Retainer was an adeptus, she could not change her own race.
"Wait, Cloud Retainer!" the qilin named Ganyu cried out in alarm.
Although Phenex had almost turned her into food, he had ultimately saved her from the monster's mouth. Therefore, the kind-hearted Ganyu did not want to see him get hurt.
However, the development of the situation next far exceeded the expectations of both Ganyu and Cloud Retainer.
Cloud Retainer was simply no match!
As soon as Phenex made his move, he displayed overwhelming power. Relying on his ability to perceive the thoughts of birds, he always caught Cloud Retainer off guard.
Cloud Retainer could only use her adeptus arts to maneuver as best she could.
A heavy sword has no edge; great skill appears clumsy. When the gap in power reached an insurmountable level, the scales of victory had already tilted.
Phenex did not know any adeptus arts, nor did he know any martial skills. However, his innate god-level elemental power was enough to suppress all technical shortcomings.
"I'll say it one more time stand down!" Phenex said.
Cloud Retainer nearly lost control of her body, but she still gritted her teeth and persisted. "As long as I am here, you will not harm my disciple!"
"I didn't intend to harm her," Phenex explained. "I just wanted to try the taste."
"You!" Cloud Retainer was furious, and the speed at which she released her adeptus arts increased.
Seeing that Cloud Retainer still refused to stand down, Phenex could not help but frown. If possible, he actually did not want to harm Cloud Retainer, since the other party was a bird.
But now, the other party's actions were making him a little angry.
Immediately, Phenex stopped holding back. A massive fire phoenix instantly took shape and was hurled toward Cloud Retainer.
How dare you steal my prey!
The scorching fire phoenix grew larger and larger in Cloud Retainer's eyes. She wanted to dodge but found her body unable to move.
She had only felt a similar sensation before on the Rex Lapis's rock lances during sparring.
This junior… is a god? Cloud Retainer realized this, but it was already too late.
The rock lances used by the Rex Lapis during sparring would still hold back, but the phoenix of a naturally born god would only burn everything to ash.
"Little friend, that's enough."
A majestic voice rang out. Golden flowing light converged in front of Cloud Retainer into a towering lance.
The lance and the phoenix, rock and fire.
The collision between gods erupted instantly. The powers of both sides rubbed against and canceled each other out, and finally everything returned to calm.
A tall and straight figure appeared in front of Cloud Retainer, radiating a sense of security. Narrow yet sharp eyes fell upon Phenex.
Phenex felt the vast and majestic elemental power emanating from the newcomer and immediately widened his eyes.
Their gazes met. Equally crimson eyes stared at each other.
The Rex Lapis, Morax, and the naturally born god, Phenex, completed this historic meeting at this moment.