The next day, Lucian quietly slipped out, careful not to disturb the sleeping Rover beside him.
In Hongzhen, Lucian sat across from Youhu, a small stove placed nearby.
On the table were specialty teas and fruits from Mt. Firmament.
"Look, look!"
Youhu pulled out a small porcelain piece from her sleeve.
Lucian asked curiously, "Is this the treasure you found?"
Youhu sighed. "Yeah... Who knew Mt. Firmament would have nothing worthwhile?"
"And then, in the south, I ran into a wolf-like Tacet Discord of the Elite class!"
"It was so strong! I almost got caught—thankfully, I ran fast enough..."
She scratched her head. "Maybe I was looking in the wrong direction?"
Lucian nodded slightly. "Perhaps you should try the east."
"That area is close to Loong's Crest. There might be something good there."
Youhu's eyes lit up as she gazed at the massive dragon's head, visible from anywhere on Mt. Firmament.
"That makes sense!"
Lucian: "But before that, want me to help you get revenge?"
Youhu blinked. "Revenge?"
She eyed Lucian skeptically. "That Tacet Discord is really strong! Can you even beat it?"
Lucian smirked. "Underestimating me, huh?"
"Come on! I'll take you to settle the score!"
The next moment, Lucian transformed both of them into Violet-Feathered Herons and soared into the sky.
It wasn't that he didn't want to take Jué's form—it was just that Mt. Firmament had only recently thawed, and Jué's popularity was at its peak. Better to keep a low profile.
He didn't want to be swarmed before they could even take off.
Youhu cheered excitedly in the air. "Whoa!"
"So thrilling!"
Before long, they arrived above the wolf-like Tacet Discord.
"That's the one!"
Lucian checked the terminal's database. The Tacet Discord was named Lightcrusher.
[Lightcrusher: A unique howling-type Tacet Discord native to Mt. Firmament, known for its solitary nature and luminous footprints. Classified as a Raging Tide-level threat.]
[A large feline-mimicking Tacet Discord. Sightings have only been reported within Mt. Firmament in the Huanglong region.]
[Hongzhen's local records state: …Solitary by nature, prefers isolation… Claws and spine covered in scales… Leaves glowing footprints, locals call it the Lightcrusher.]
"Looks pretty cool."
"Looks pretty cool."
Youhu's voice trembled slightly. "Are you really sure you can beat it?"
Earlier, when Youhu passed through this beach, the Lightcrusher had spotted her and chased relentlessly.
But as a Resonator, Youhu was fast enough to escape.
Now, the Lightcrusher on the ground had noticed the two Violet-Feathered Herons above.
It glared fiercely at them.
But the next moment, it suddenly realized it could understand "human speech."
One of the herons spoke: "Come at me!"
The Lightcrusher looked utterly bewildered.
After a brief pause, it roared at the herons.
"Come down here if you dare!!"
Lucian scoffed. "Come down?"
Then, an idea struck him.
He summoned a device called an Assistance Unit from his terminal.
Similar to a Grapple, this was the latest creation from Huaxu Academy!
It could fire golden energy orbs, typically used for target practice or recreational games.
Best of all—it could fire three shots in succession!
The Lightcrusher stared at the black machine, confused. Why could this heron speak?
But that didn't matter. What mattered was that they had trespassed into its territory!
The next second, the machine glowed slightly, and three golden shots struck the beast's head with precision.
The Lightcrusher tried to dodge but found the shots unavoidable no matter how agile it was.
It braced for pain—only to realize the orbs barely tickled.
It was stunned!
Before it could process what was happening, another triple volley hit its head.
Looking up, it saw mocking expressions on the herons' faces.
The shots might not hurt much, but the insult was unbearable!
The Lightcrusher was furious.
With a roar, it conjured a transparent foothold midair.
It leaped up, ready to teach these herons a lesson.
But then, the herons ascended higher, their laughter ringing tauntingly.
Unfazed, the beast summoned several energy orbs of its own and swatted them upward.
The Assistance Unit's firepower was no match—it shattered instantly.
The beast's orbs shot toward Lucian.
Calmly, Lucian descended.
As they neared the beast, Lucian canceled the transformation and leaped onto its back.
"Youhu, watch closely."
"Ancient tales speak of Wu Song slaying the tiger—today, it's Lucian slaying the wolf!"
Youhu flapped her wings. "I'll cheer for you in spirit!"
On the beast's back, Lucian drew the Yamato and slashed along its spine, channeling his Resonance ability.
The Lightcrusher howled in agony, thrashing wildly to throw him off.
But it was futile.
After all, Lucian had fought Jué—what was a mere Lightcrusher to him?
Soon, the beast dissolved into golden light.
Lucian absorbed it, then summoned it again.
Now, a red cape adorned its neck, making it look majestic.
Youhu had also canceled her transformation and landed.
Lucian patted the obedient beast's head. "This Lightcrusher is yours now."
"It's completely tame."
He had noticed earlier that Youhu's combat skills were lacking.
Plus, she was just a kid—barely any battle experience.
This beast would be perfect for her protection.
With this and the jade pendant, she'd have double security.
The Lightcrusher crouched meekly at Youhu's feet, like an oversized cat.
Youhu gasped in admiration. "Wow! Lucian, you're amazing!"
"I used to see those forum posts about you and never believed them."
Lucian grinned smugly. "Believe it now?"
Youhu nodded eagerly. "I do, I do!"
Then she climbed onto the beast's back, beaming.
"Giddy up!"
Lucian: "..."
"Alright, you can head east now. Oh, and make sure to return before the Moon-Chasing Festival."
"We'll take you to celebrate."
Youhu nodded. "No problem! With this master on the case, I'll come back loaded with treasures!"
"Let's go!"
The Lightcrusher carried her off toward Mt. Firmament's eastern reaches.
Lucian watched their retreating figures—one large, one small—and shook his head with a smile.