92 Repaying Kindness (1/2)
Xue Wei had been fleeing northwards this entire time. However, after losing his pursuer, he started changing his direction.
He ran west for a long time, after which he finally started moving south again.
He knew that he had to find information on Tie Haolong, but visiting human settlements included exposure and potentially drawing even bigger figures to himself
”My only option is to return the way I came,” Xue Wei said as he sighed. ”I can get information when I reach the capital... if I manage to reach it in time.”
Xue Wei could not help but grumble, ”I want a flying beast, too. If I had a flying beast, the trip to the capital would be simple. Now that I don't, I have to walk through the same hardships as I encountered on the way here.”
Just as Xue Wei said this, a bird cry resounded in the sky. When Xue Wei looked up, his face paled.
A Lightning Sparrow was closing in on him again. This sparrow flew faster than it did previously, and thunder rumbled in the sky due to the speed with which it moved. It was clear that it had broken through from having a strength equivalent to the Sky warrior into one of the Heavenly Warrior.
”Damn it all!” Xue Wei swore as he sped up his retreat. He had intentionally ensured that he had not been moving anywhere near other people, yet this beast had found him anyway and was now catching up to him with a speed much faster than their last encounter.
In front of him was a forest. This forest would be able to help him escape, but he was unsure of whether or not he could make it in time, as the Lightning Sparrow was simply too swift.
”Why did it have to break through now of all times?!” Xue Wei could not help but grumble. ”Is the goddess of fortune really that much against me?!” he cried out, but he did not lower his speed, frantically running for his life.
Just as he could see the beginning of the forest and a slight trace of hope began to spread in his body, a claw suddenly and gently wrapped around his shoulder and lifted him into the air.
”Let me go!” he cried out and tried wriggling out of the hold, but the bird held on to him with its claws and slowed down drastically. Another bird cry was issued, but it was not before now that Xue Wei realized that the person who had been riding the bird previously had not said a single word.
He felt puzzled. Said rider had mentioned and relished in Xue Wei's misfortune, yet now he was quiet.
This did not add up. However, when Xue Wei looked upwards, all he could see was the lower body of the bird, which gently rode the wind towards some unknown land.
”Where are you taking me?” Xue Wei muttered, but the bird just happily chirped as if it was replying to his question.
They flew for two whole days, and during these days, the bird held him gently in its claws, ensuring that he was not wounded. Xue Wei had stopped struggling too.
He had a strange feeling that there was no rider on top of this bird, as he had not heard any sounds other than the flapping of the bird's wings alongside the cheerful chirps that it released from time to time.
At the start, Xue Wei had been worried about where they were going, but the sight of the incredibly familiar landscape beneath him made him realize that he was now flying back the way he had walked previously.
They were nearing the area where the Ice Harpy had dropped him, the speed with which they were traveling much faster than it had been when he had been on foot.
Xue Wei could not comprehend what the bird was thinking, nor was he able to communicate with it, but he still got the impression that the beast wanted to help him. Was this because he had the scent of the Ice Harpy, or was it because it genuinely wanted to help him?
The bird was happy, there was no doubt about this. It chirped happily, and the claws that held onto him were steady and strong, but they did not stab into his flesh like Chu Huiyin's talons had done.
The bird had been quiet at the start as if it was nervous and worried, but it made progressively more noise as they traveled, and eventually it started chirping non-stop.
Xue Wei could feel the happiness in the bird, and suddenly he had a thought. ”Do you understand me?” he yelled, and the bird tweeted in return.
”If you understand me, chirp twice!”
The bird chirped twice. Xue Wei was stunned. This beast was a Fierce Beast. They were known to be of lower intellect than Primordial Beasts and humans. However, this specific Lightning Sparrow was quite intelligent.
”Are you helping me? Chirp twice if you are, once if you are not.”
Again, the bird responded to him with two chirps, sounding quite happy as it flapped its wings with renewed strength.
”Can you take me to a forest close to the capital?” Xue Wei asked again, and the bird nodded its head, an almost human reaction that shocked Xue Wei.
”Did you break the bond between you and your master? Chirp twice for yes, once for no,”
The bird chirped twice again. ”Is it to show me gratitude that you are helping me now?” he asked again, and the bird chirped twice to show that it was.