Feng Xi continued speaking, telling the truth, only omitting the part about the little fat bird being a phoenix.
It wasn't that she was guarding against Xiao Baidao, but she was worried that too many loose tongues would bring unnecessary trouble. She would find a chance to tell Xiao Baidao secretly in the future.
After Feng Xi finished speaking, the scene fell into dead silence.
Not only had the three of them survived a great calamity, they had even obtained the legendary Fire-Avoiding Pearl?
Feng Xi had even contracted the strange beast Fire-Swallowing Qiu?
Is this real?
Feng Xi had everyone clear an open space, then released the Fire-Swallowing Qiu.
The Fire-Swallowing Qiu had long been holding in a bellyful of anger. It didn't dare vent it on Feng Xi, nor on the little black ball or the little fat bird. Now it had finally found an outlet.
It roared and spat fire, showing off wildly.
Then Feng Xi kicked it down with one foot.
It quieted down.
Everyone's eyes nearly popped out!
It really was a Fire-Swallowing Qiu!
Everything Feng Xi said was true!
Feng Xi put the Fire-Swallowing Qiu away and said to Hu Wankui, "Martial Uncle Hu, a few days ago the Fire-Swallowing Qiu made a hole in the jar storing earth fire in the alchemy room. In other words, the ground below is nothing but earth fire.
Better hurry and think of a countermeasure, or Beast-Taming Sect might turn into Barbecue Sect!"
Hu Wankui's head was about to burst!
He quickly summoned the sect's high-level members for discussion, and Xiao Baidao and his disciples were also present.
Inside the spirit beast pouch, the Fire-Swallowing Qiu asked Feng Xi in confusion, "They've been talking for so long because they don't want earth fire, right?
Just divert it!
Plug this hole up, then I can drill a few holes elsewhere, and the earth fire will naturally extend in other directions."
Feng Xi relayed the Fire-Swallowing Qiu's words to everyone.
Everyone: "..."
Then the heavy responsibility of plugging the hole fell upon Feng Xi and the other two.
Because Feng Xi feared someone would covet the Fire-Avoiding Pearls and lied that the Fire-Avoiding Pearl could only recognize one master. If given to someone else, it would be useless.
She successfully buried herself in a pit.
The three unlucky fellows could only obediently begin plugging the hole.
Fortunately, the hole wasn't large, and it was sealed in half a day.
What remained was dealing with the earth fire in the shallow soil layer.
This wasn't difficult, just dig outlets to expose the earth fire, and Beast-Taming Sect could think of ways to extinguish it.
Feng Xi also borrowed a large jar from Hu Wankui to store magma as reserve food for the Fire-Swallowing Qiu.
After everything was settled, it was time to settle accounts.
The unfortunate Long-Feathered Crane and the Sky-Covering Kuanghou were brought to Beast-Taming Sect's grand square.
Hu Wankui's earlier words had been sincere. Even though the Sky-Covering Kuanghou was the guardian divine beast, he had no intention of shielding it.
After causing such a huge disaster, it has to be taught a proper lesson.
"Old Xiao, how do you think they should be punished?"
Xiao Baidao wished he could slap the Sky-Covering Kuanghou to death. It was only because his two disciples were lucky that they survived. Otherwise, the odds would've been against them.
However, he handed the decision to Feng Xi.
"Xiao Xi, how should they be dealt with?"
Feng Xi thought for a moment and said to Hu Wankui, "Martial Uncle Hu, although the Long-Feathered Crane was forced by the Sky-Covering Kuanghou, it cannot escape responsibility.
Slaughter it and eat the meat…"
The Long-Feathered Crane collapsed in fright.
Then Feng Xi said, "Slaughtering it for meat would be a bit wasteful. It's better let it play with my big cat!"
After speaking, she released the Fire-Swallowing Qiu.
The Fire-Swallowing Qiu's big eyes immediately lit up!
Since it could remember, it had lived in earth fire and had barely seen any living creatures.
This big bird looked very fun!
The square was sealed by a restriction, the Long-Feathered Crane couldn't fly and could only frantically move its two bird legs to avoid the Fire-Swallowing Qiu.
But its feathers were long and were soon ignited by the earth fire surrounding the Fire-Swallowing Qiu.
The square filled with the smell of burning and the Long-Feathered Crane's shrill screams.
Feng Xi sniffed, "Martial Uncle Hu, would you like to eat roasted crane?"
Hu Wankui: "..."
At this moment, the Sky-Covering Kuanghou angrily roared, "A beast bears its own deeds! It was forced by me. Let it go. If there's anything, come at me!"
Feng Xi lightly sneered, "Oh? Quite responsible, aren't you?
Now you come out to act the hero?
When the three of us fell into earth fire, why didn't you jump in as well?
You step forward now because you rely on your status as guardian divine beast and think I won't really do anything to you, right?
You mocked the Golden Maned Suanni for its cultivation regression. Tsk tsk, your cultivation hasn't regressed, but your brain has!
Even without the earth fire incident, this stunt of yours was already slapping Beast-Taming Sect in the face!
If Beast-Taming Sect cannot even control the spirit bird it uses for ferrying, what face does it have to claim to be the number one beast-taming sect of the Northern Region?!
Guardian divine beast?
Are you worthy of that title?!
I say you are a black sheep instead!
What? You're not convinced?
If the three of us had died in the earth fire, Xuantian Sect and Beast-Taming Sect would've undoubtedly developed resentment, and perhaps even conflict.
Once the two sects became hostile, the Demon Clan would seize the opportunity to cause chaos, and then there would be wailing everywhere and living beings reduced to ashes.
You are not only the black sheep of Beast-Taming Sect, you are the black sheep of the entire human race of the Northern Region!
If I were you, I would have no face to continue living and would commit suicide to atone…"
The Sky-Covering Kuanghou was scolded into wishing the ground would swallow it. Especially when it saw that the people of Beast-Taming Sect no longer looked at it with reverence but with resentment and reproach, its head grew hot.
"Fine! Fine! I deserve to die, right? Then I'll die for you to see!"
It raised its forepaw and was about to strike its own head to commit suicide.
Feng Xi snorted coldly, "Only cowards choose suicide to escape. Do you want to be a coward?"
The Sky-Covering Kuanghou's paw couldn't strike down.
It roared angrily and asked Feng Xi, "Dying is not allowed, not dying is not allowed, what exactly do you want me to do?"
"Death penalty can be spared, but living punishment cannot.
First, solemnly apologize to the three of us and to everyone.
Second, if we don't let you bleed a little, you won't remember. So every half month, you must voluntarily donate some blood to me.
Not much, two large washbasins each time will suffice!"
The Sky-Covering Kuanghou: "..."
Two large washbasins?
Every half month?
You might as well just directly kill me!
It gritted its teeth and asked, "What do you want my blood for?"
"To make blood tofu for hotpot."
The Sky-Covering Kuanghou: "..."
I might as well die!
Actually, Feng Xi wanted to use its blood to nourish the constitution of those congenitally deficient little spirit beast hatchlings.
The blood of a divine beast is more effective than any pill.
It might even stimulate their ancestral bloodline and raise their rank.
Originally she had planned to return and draw blood from the Golden Maned Suanni. Now that the Sky-Covering Kuanghou had delivered itself to her doorstep, there was no need to be polite.
Far away in Xuantian Sect, the Golden Maned Suanni sneezed loudly and began cursing.
Damn it, there are always treacherous subjects who want to harm me!