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--- Chapter 267 ---
After flying for a few hours and avoiding the areas around the Crimson Death Desert, Han Yuan and his companions finally arrived at the Tager Desert at the extreme speed of the Skyterror Bat.
"This guy's extreme speed is amazing," commented Hai Bodong. "Unless a Dou Ancestor uses spatial power, I reckon it could just run away."
Han Yuan smiled, "The Skyterror Bat is a Rank 6 Magical Beast with the bloodline of the Darkwing Emperor Bat, a Rank 8 Magical Beast known for its extraordinary speed and mysterious ability to manipulate darkness."
"So, its speed is primarily influenced by its slender body structure, which resembles that of its ancestor, albeit imperfect. Yet, this imperfection makes it very fragile against attack, in other words, a glass cannon."
"Unfortunately, the Darkwing Emperor Bat has perished, and its legacy has long since vanished into the passage of time. The only way for the Skyterror Bat to reach its ancestral level is through natural evolution or by having a lucky chance."
Skyterror Bat remained silent throughout the journey. Although it could talk, it didn't want to speak much in Han Yuan's imposing presence. Even so, it couldn't deny the truth in Han Yuan's observations. The Skyterror Bat Tribe was indeed declining due to a disrupted lineage, and there was nothing it could do about it.
"Hmm, isn't this perfect?" Queen Medusa suddenly interjected, breaking the gloomy mood of the Skyterror Bat. "Don't you tell me that the Ten Thousand Beast Flame can purify and strengthen a Magical Beast's bloodline."
Skyterror Bat was shocked. 'Huh, Ten Thousand Beast Flame? Isn't that one of the Heavenly Flames? It can actually purify and improve a Magical Beast's bloodline?'
Curious, it craned its neck to glance at Han Yuan, who was smiling.
"Oh, are you interested?" Han Yuan asked playfully.
Skyterror Bat instinctively nodded, but felt something was off seeing Han Yuan's playful grin.
Han Yuan nodded. "Good. If you perform well, I can do one round of bloodline purification for you."
"That means..." Skyterror Bat finally managed to voice its thoughts in a surprisingly high-pitched tone.
"Y-You're a girl?" Hai Bodong, Queen Medusa, and Yafei were stunned by this revelation.
Skyterror Bat cowered at their reaction. "Um, I am male. My voice is naturally like this."
Han Yuan, having seen the truth with the Eyes of Truth, already knew this. Even so, it was amusing to see that a fearsome Magical Beast known for the Sunlight Piercer, especially a male one, had such a cute voice.
Amused by his companion's reactions, Han Yuan continued, "That means you're now part of the Martial Union. Your duty is to protect the branch in the Tager Desert, specifically the Continental Hotel. If you do well, not only can I perform bloodline purification, but I can also help you break through to Rank 7 and achieve human transformation."
Gulp!
"I-Is that really possible?" Skyterror Bat couldn't believe something so extraordinary could be true.
"Let's land near Desert City first," Han Yuan said casually, as if bloodline purification were nothing special.
Before obtaining the Authority of Dream, Han Yuan would have been troubled, as such purification and strengthening would consume vast amounts of energy.
But now? Heh, even if he awakened the bloodlines of a thousand Rank 6 Magical Beasts at once, neither he nor Enma would be exhausted, as he could effortlessly absorb energy from Heaven and Earth using the powers of the Heavenly Demon.
Heavenly Demon's power is a cheat by its own.
After landing, Han Yuan summoned Enma the blood kitten and ordered it to help Skyterror Bat purify some of its ancestors' blood. Of course, he didn't immediately do it all at once.
He wasn't so kind to the people he had just met. In fact, the Skyterror Bat was lucky because out of a few flying Magical Beasts Hu Ying hunted in the Black Abyss Forest, it was the first to submit and get this chance.
Thus, under Enma's control, Skyterror Bat felt 1% of its ancestor's blood awakened, feeling nourished and strengthened to a certain degree. But since the concentration of the ancestor's blood was too low, it couldn't make a real breakthrough.
Even then, Skyterror Bat knew Han Yuan wasn't lying anymore.
"I will do anything you ask, Sir. B-But please awaken my bloodline." The fearsome Magical Beast said with a pleading voice.
Han Yuan shuddered, "Ugh, don't say something so misleading with that voice. It makes me feel uneasy."
"Anyway, I am a man of my word."
"Just do your job well, and I will fulfill my side of the deal."
"I understand." Skyterror Bat wasn't disappointed that it wouldn't get the bloodline purification immediately. It acknowledges that there is no free meal in this world.
With that, the Skyterror Bat officially became the beast guardian of the Continental Hotel. At first, Han Yuan planned to let Hai Bodong stay and keep things under control, but realized the plan was changing, mainly because of the Spirit Awakening Method.
Upon returning to the Desert City, however, a green-haired girl hurriedly welcomed Han Yuan with a hug. "Big Brother!"
"Qing Lin!" Han Yuan caught the little girl with a smile.
He rubbed her head gently and asked, "Qing Lin doesn't cause trouble when brother left, right?"
"Mm, I've been training with Sister Leng!" Qing Lin nodded adorably as she showed her shadow boxing, which looked like a little kitten's smack for some reason. "She taught me many things!"
Leng Yi approached them with an embarrassed smile, "My teaching skills are subpar compared to Young Master."
Han Yuan laughed because of how cute Qing Lin was and then waved his hand at Leng Yi, "It's alright. We only left for half a day, so it would be a miracle if she could learn so many things."
"Eh, but I did!" Qing Lin pouted, showing another kitten punch.
"Hahaha, girl, if you want to learn how to punch someone, you need to train more!" Hai Bodong saw this and laughed in amusement.
Qing Lin pouted even more upon hearing this and said, "Brother, this grandpa is bullying me."
"Ice Emperor, your punyness really has no bounds. You even bullied a little girl." Queen Medusa snorted, approaching Qing Lin with her older sister's smile.
"Qing Lin, your martial technique is impressive for someone who hasn't learned the way of the Dou Fighter. Don't listen to that rotten old man."
"Thank you, pretty sister!" Qing Lin replied with a sweet smile.
Queen Medusa smiled back and rubbed the little girl's head a few times before glaring at Hai Bodong.
"..." Hai Bodong was stunned.
Who am I? What am I?
Is this the Queen Medusa I know?
No, impossible!
Oy, woman, tell me where you hid the real Queen Medusa?!
Yafei shook her head helplessly because she also didn't expect the proud Queen Medusa to use this kind of method to win Han Yuan's heart. Then, again, only the queen of snake people could really be close to Qing Lin in this situation.
'As expected, you cannot underestimate an elder.' Yafei said silently in her heart.
If Queen Medusa knew what Yafei was thinking, she would have gotten mad because she wasn't that old yet. She is still at her prime!
Han Yuan clapped his hands a few times, "Alright, we are not going to stay in the Desert City for too long."
"Leng Yi, go and pack Qing Lin's necessities."
"We are going back to Wu Tan City."
"Medusa, are you going back to your home first?" He asked.
Queen Medusa shook her head gently, "A week ago, I had already told my people that I planned to check something for a while. I also have left behind some orders, in case something happened."
"Then, you're following us back to Wu Tan City." Han Yuan nodded in understanding.
"What about you, Senior Hai?"
"Me?" Hai Bodong pointed at himself and then rubbed his chin.
"I might have to visit the Imperial City first. I have to meet someone from the Primer Clan and tell them I am still alive."
"I will probably visit Wu Tan City in a week or two."
"Very well." Han Yuan smiled faintly.
Then, he gazed far into the distance, recalling Xiao Yixian's face, "Let's go home then."