Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In the end, Gao Peng rejected Chen Xuehe’s invitation.
From the moment that Chen Xuehe had uttered that sentence, Gao Peng had roughly understood its cause and effect.
From the Chang’an military district, a high ranking senior military officer sacrificed his life while on a mission in the Dali Desert. Of course, the authenticity of the task and sacrifice was subject to discretion.
The high ranking officer wasn’t well acquainted with Grandpa, otherwise he wouldn’t have needed to contact Gao Peng through Chen Xuehe. He could have contacted Grandpa directly.
Looking him up was just a ruse. Taking advantage of his relationship with his grandpa and getting Ji Hanwu to act was the real intention.
If Gao Peng had acted to help, whether it was fake or not, Grandpa would definitely follow him secretly to ensure his safety.
Gao Peng resented being taken advantage of by others. He despised this behavior.
…
With the arrival of numerous large trucks along the roads, the air became dusty and smoky. The trucks finally stopped beside the lake.
When the rear iron doors of the big trucks were unbolted, huge boxes in the compartment were being slid down the ramps onto the ground, and when they were opened, there were rows and rows of fresh meat.
Firetail Monkeys wearing white gloves served as movers. They carried the boxes down, took out all the meat, and placed it by the lakeside. Very quickly, the meat piled up in small mountains.
After that, the Firetail Monkeys sat on the top of the trucks and exited via the other end of the villa. The atmosphere was filled with furious humming and the vigorous roars and rumbles of the trucks.
The surface of the lake started to ripple. A strong, rough white claw appeared from the lake and gently took aim at the mountain of meat, forming a large wave in the lake’s surface, resulting in a large quantity of meat dropping into the dragon’s mouth. On the other end, the Primitive Jade Armored Crocodile crawled out of the water. It opened its mouth and started sucking as if it were whizzing into the void, inhaling the pile of meat on the ground into its mouth like a gust of strong wind.
“Do you want to go back to Chang’an City after a while?” asked Ji Hanwu as he was cutting up the steak on his plate.
Gao Peng thought about his own home. Although he was living with Grandpa, he still considered the small house in Chang’an City his real home.
It wasn’t very big, but it was cozy and warm.
“I want to go back and tidy up the old place.” Gao Peng didn’t lift his head as he forked a cherry into his mouth.
“Did the Chang’an military district call you?” Ji Hanwu placed a piece of well-cut steak into his mouth.
His glistening teeth were like two rows of saws, chewing and smashing the beef, then swallowing it down his throat and into his stomach.
“I rejected them.” Gao Peng knew what Grandpa was talking about.
“Oh… If you’re going there and it’s convenient, just help them out.”
Surprised, Gao Peng lifted up his head to look at Grandpa.
Grandpa let out a cough. “Someone approached me for a favor. Once you’re there, you can assess the situation. If you can help, then help. If it’s too inconvenient for you to help, then just turn around and leave!”
“Okay!” Gao Peng smiled.
…
Gao Peng was preparing to go back home to Chang’an City two days later. His main purpose was to tidy up the place, although there wouldn’t be much dust in his house, because he had closed all the windows when he left.
Secondly, he would go to Dali Desert to assess the situation. Grandpa had already made an agreement with the military that if Gao Peng eventually had to help, he would be entitled the priority of selecting the final reward.
He rested a day before heading out. The best surprise was that Flamy, who had remained quiet for a month, evolved successfully on the final day.
Flames rose from the surface of the eggshell, and the red flame ignited the surrounding trees, making the fire larger and larger.
It looked like a great fire was about to happen. Unknowingly, the sky turned dark and gloomy, and a sudden storm extinguished the fire.
The giant burning egg in the forest was particularly eye-catching in the downpour.
The rainwater evaporated before it could even touch the giant egg, so there was a thick mist surrounding the surface of it. The combination of the light from the fire and the mist created a yellow glow around the egg.
A green-black beak poked out from the top of the giant egg as if a sword had been thrust straight into the sky.
The red egg suddenly burst into pieces, creating a red smokey haze in the air. A bright flare shot high up into the sky and turned the dark clouds in the sky a slight red color.
Screech—
The rainfall started to get lighter and lighter, with rainwater hitting the grass gently.
Gao Peng was watching the rain from the house. Behind him was a 13-foot-tall giant crane that was stretching its wings. Its white feathers were slightly mixed with green feathers. There were also a few red feathers at the tips of its wings.
Its scarlet eyes were like jewels, while its slender legs were as black as ink. White rings covered much of its legs. Its four sharp claws were like silver hooks. Its feathers looked bright and shiny, without any trace of being soaked by the rain.
It was November, and the weather had started to become cold, however, the inside of the house wasn’t cold at all.
A slight warmth exuded from its body. There wasn’t even any need to turn on the house heater; the temperature just rose automatically.
“I thought that I would only be going with Da Zi and Dumby to Chang’an City. The timing of your breakthrough was just right,” Gao Peng said to Flamy.
Flamy laughed and lifted up its neck with pride.
Ever since its evolution, Flamy’s body had become more attractive, slim and streamlined. It no longer gave others the impression that it was a penguin. It looked like a proper one-legged crane. However, it was still a bit fat.
The color of its feathers was peculiar. There was a mixture of green and red among the white feathers that looked rather dazzling.
The result of this evolution was really something that Gao Peng hadn’t expected.
[Monster Name]: Forest Flame Spirit Crane (Ancestral blood veins reawaken)
[Monster Level]: Level 41
[Monster Grade]: Perfect
[Monster Attribute]: Fire/Wood
[Monster Skills]: Flame Mastery Level 4, Flame Resistance Level 4
[Special Characteristics]: Fire feathers (…)
[Monster Introduction]: It has awakened a new kind of blood veins in its body. It only needs to devour fire spirits to continue to promote its grade…
Gao Peng didn’t know what kind of blood veins had been reawakened in Flamy. He didn’t want to come to any conclusions before Flamy completed all of its evolution.
…
“It’s been raining non-stop in Yuzhou City since two days ago. The temperature has dropped considerably, as well. However, it’s still bright and sunny here in Chang’an City.” Gao Peng looked at the sun above him. Da Zi, Flamy, Dumby, Silly, and the Treasure Sniffing Rodent were beside him.
Bringing the Treasure Sniffing Rodent along was a decision made at the spur of the moment by Gao Peng.
There were no major changes in the old courtyard at home. The mottled courtyard wall was covered with vines. Gao Peng heard the sound of children playing in the yard from a distance.
There were a few elders chatting on chairs in the courtyard, but a few familiar faces were missing.
When Gao Peng walked by, he didn’t attract any attention. However, Flamy and Dumby, who were walking behind, attracted the attention of others.
“That looks like… the boy from the Gao family?” one of the elders asked.
“Huh? I heard that he moved away a long time ago. Why did he come back all of a sudden?”
“The familiars behind him look quite imposing.”
“The crane looks quite good.”
“Fleshy.”
