The wind whipped past her face harshly. The damn bird was moving too fast and zigzaggedly. Xue Yao's hands slipped down slightly from the bird's neck and her scream tore through the forest, accompanied by the bird's screeching.
"No, no, no!" She screamed as her fingers lost hold of the bird's neck. Xue Yao's life flashed before her eyes as she fell tumbling to the ground.
"Oww." She groaned as she stopped tumbling with a loud thud.
Her eyes stared tiredly at the space before her. Her brain was still lagging behind as she could not yet figure out what in the name of the nine heavens just happened.
From afar, the bird stopped. It turned around and the moment its eyes landed on Xue Yao, they narrowed angrily. In the next second the bird charged towards her with full force.
Xue Yao scrambled to her feet when she saw the incoming danger. She began running but wasn't as fast as the bird. The bird kicked her down with its feet.
Xue Yao grimaced as she fell hard to the ground. Then she turned around, only to see a huge yellow bird's feet descending on her. She quickly rolled to the side, dodging the attack, and she scrambled back to her feet.
As she was about to run again, the bird flew to her front blocking her path. Then it opened its beak, screeching loudly in her face.
Xue Yao's eyes darkened as she knew there was no way she could outrun the bird. It was okay that the bird defended itself, but one thing she wouldn't tolerate was a bird screaming in her face and allowing its saliva to touch her precious skin.
"You really want to do this with me?" She began bouncing on her feet, one leg at a time while raising her fists to her chest.
The bird's gaze followed her movement, a little taken aback by what its food was doing. Was it a performance? It lowered its head to take a better look at her.
But in a split second, Xue Yao punched its face before jumping up, turning midair as she double-kicked the side of its face she had punched.
"Take that! After I'm done with you, I'll make sure you end up in my belly." She landed with her leg half bent, and one hand stretching to her back. Her eyes drifted up to the bird whose eyes slightly dilated to the side. "You are a chicken, no matter how big you are."
She jumped up to unleash her ultimate triple kick to its chest, but the bird lifted its wings up angrily. With a single flap of its wing, it sent Xue Yao crashing into the ground like a fly that was swatted away.
"Ahhhh!" Xue Yao grimaced as she pulled herself up, blood dripped from the corner of her lip, landing on a weird blue-looking mushroom.
Before she could stand on her feet, her eyes widened as she saw the bird's beak slamming down on her. Her breath left her lungs as she believed this was her end.
Then just as the beak was about to slam into her head, it stopped just a few inches above her head.
Xue Yao blinked a couple of times, her brain processing what the hell just happened. It was like the world had stood still. She raised her head, only to find the angry bird frozen. Even the insects were frozen, and the wind stopped moving.
"W-what the hell…?"
[Yawnnnnnn.] The little girl's voice cut through her words.
Xue Yao moved away from the beak hovering above her like an impending sword. She searched for the owner of the voice, but it was nowhere to be found.
[Watch where you are going!] The voice came again, this time a little agitated.
This time Xue Yao looked down, a gasp tore from her throat as her gaze fell on a tiny figure on Gai Liang Ruqun, the light blue fabric floating in the air elegantly.
Her pale blue hair was pulled into two buns with two strands falling over her face and her eyes were the same colour as her hair. She twirled slightly midair as she floated to Xue Yao's shoulder.
"W-who… what are you?" Xue Yao asked, ready to take a defensive stance.
The little girl tapped her shoulder casually. [Relax, you just discovered the biggest fortune that will change your life forever.] She giggled, floating to the other side of her shoulder.
"And what might that be?" Xue Yao asked with doubts laced in her voice.
The girl sighed before moving to her front. [Since you managed to wake me up from my deep slumber I guess you are worthy of my help.]
She moved to her left shoulder again with a tired sigh. [Congratulations to the new host for waking up the Beast Taming System. Pairing will now commence.] She said boredly before yawning again.
"What do you mean?" Xue Yao arched one of her brows. 'Wait, could this be the same system as in those apocalypse novels I read? I got one! But why is mine a little girl? And how can she help me tame beasts if she looks so fragile?'
Before she could ponder on it further, a sharp pain tore through her skull.
[Beast taming system initializing…]
"Ahhhh… Stop." Xue Yao grimaced.
[Pairing… completed. Welcome host. I am a Beast Taming System BTS22. But I prefer you address me as Xiao Tian Lan.]
The pain in Xue Yao's head slowly disappeared. "Xiao Tian Lan?" she muttered under her breath.
Her eyes widened with slight mischievousness as she turned to Xiao Tian Lan. "Tell me what you can do. Can you immediately turn this nasty bird into a roasted one?" She asked happily, rubbing her palms together in anticipation.
Xiao Tian Lan shook her head before facepalming herself. [Why does the universe have to give someone with no ambition? She is thinking of food at this divine moment!]
[I'm a beast taming system! I can get any beast under my control with a snap of my finger. How dare you underestimate me?! Just this mere bird?] She scoffed, folding her hands across her chest.