Chapter Ninety-One: The Six-Hooved Beast

The ants were busy as well, toiling among the grasses and beneath the bark. Their mating behavior was astonishingly fervent; some insects even began a fresh cycle of life the very moment after coupling.

“Isn’t this a bit too…”

Qi Xiao wore an awkward expression. The forest seemed governed by a logic all its own, one bound up with breeding and rut, yet he still had no idea why his teacher had sent him here, much less why he was to remain for an entire month.

Qi Xiao forced himself to steady his mind, easing the embarrassment away. With magic he restrained his own hormones from being drawn outward by the forest’s atmosphere, and proceeded cautiously, step by step.

Since entering the woods, Qi Xiao had kept himself hidden. Ordinary birds and beasts naturally could not sense him, but as he drew nearer to the inner regions, the surrounding elements grew increasingly lively. There was no doubt many kinds of magical beasts lurked here.

Qi Xiao felt something trying hard to wriggle out from his sleeve. He sighed and pressed the little mushroom back inside.

At first he had thought this trip to the forest would be a good chance to bring the little mushroom along, but he had never expected an environment like this.

“Not the right time for you to come out. Sleep a little longer.”

He explained softly, then scooped up a ladle of water and examined it carefully.

The water was fairly clear, and there appeared to be no meditative impurities. A faint probe of magic showed that the elements in the water were indeed far livelier than those of an ordinary stream, but he still found no trace of the force that could stir a creature’s hormones into unrest.

As Qi Xiao pressed deeper into the forest, he began observing his surroundings more carefully, searching for possible clues. He noticed that the plants were not only growing with unnatural luxuriance, but in some areas the arrangement of the vegetation seemed to follow a certain pattern. Yet it did not look man-made; rather, it was more likely some peculiar natural formation.

His professional instincts drew his gaze among the towering trees. He discovered that the wrinkles in the bark of certain trunks seemed capable of combining into strange patterns, similar to inscriptions, yet not quite the same.

Carefully, Qi Xiao touched the folds in the bark, trying to decipher their meaning.

Before he had done so for long, a faint tremor suddenly traveled up from the ground. Qi Xiao immediately grew alert. This vibration was no natural phenomenon; some living creature was approaching. He swiftly concealed himself, climbing into a great tree and watching in silence.

Soon, a strangely shaped magical beast slowly came into view. It had six hooves, its body covered in iridescent scales, and upon its head grew a pair of curved black horns. In its large eyes flickered a trace of puzzled light.

Its pace was slow, yet every step was extraordinarily steady. Its nostrils flared as though it were searching for something.

Of course Qi Xiao would leave behind no such obvious clue as his scent, so this strange beast was bound to return empty-handed. Although there seemed to be nothing about it that resembled a sheep beyond the horns, it was still the first intelligent creature Qi Xiao had encountered since entering the forest. After the beast turned and left, he swiftly followed.

As the six-hooved beast moved onward, Qi Xiao leaped lightly from branch to branch, striving to make no sound at all. He trailed it like a ghost, keeping his presence completely unnoticed.

Though the beast looked peculiar, Qi Xiao estimated its strength to be roughly that of a junior wizard apprentice. Its intelligence was somewhat present, but not high. It clearly had no notion it was being followed, and continued wandering through the forest on its own.

After walking a short while, Qi Xiao noticed subtle changes in the surrounding plants. The shapes of the leaves grew stranger, the flowers more vivid in color, and some plants even emitted a faint glow, illuminating the nearby terrain.

Qi Xiao naturally recognized glowgrass. He had not expected to find supernatural vegetation fit for alchemical materials in a place like this already. Led onward by the beast, he passed through a deep, shadowy cave and suddenly emerged into open view, arriving at a broad clearing.

It was a small meadow ringed by all manner of bizarre plants, with a little lake at its center so small it could almost be called a pool. The water shone a profound blue.

Around the lake, more strange beasts grazed or rested at leisure. They varied greatly in form: some bore long manes, others splendid plumage. They did not seem surprised by the arrival of the six-hooved beast. On the contrary, they drew near with a certain affection, welcoming its return.

Most of these beasts had not yet entered the ranks of the supernatural. Even if the six-hooved beast was not their leader, it was at least among the upper tier of the group.

Qi Xiao’s gaze swept the area, before finally returning once more to the six-hooved creature. It walked to the lakeside, lowered its head, and with a grace and calmness wholly unlike its appearance, seemed to be paying homage to something.

The water in the lake suddenly rippled, then roared as though brought to a boil. A vast black shadow slowly rose beneath the surface, and Qi Xiao’s heart tightened. He could feel the overwhelming aura radiating from that shadow.

The ordinary beasts hurriedly gathered as well, all lowering their heads. Even the pair of forehooves at the front sank to their knees as their massive bodies trembled.

As the shadow rose rapidly, a column of water shot into the sky. A gigantic creature leaped from the lake, its body covered in blue scales that glimmered in the sunlight. Qi Xiao had never seen a being like this before. Its head was somewhat like a sheep’s, yet far more imposing, and its horns were nearly ten zhang long, crying out through the air.

With its appearance, the atmosphere of the entire group changed at once. The six-hooved beast and its companions all lowered their heads and prostrated themselves, reverently displaying their respect.

Qi Xiao realized that this might well be a member of the special race he had come to find. He had not expected that on his very first day here, he would already have found a lead.

Silently, he watched and waited. The six-hooved beast had come straight toward him with such precision, and upon returning had immediately summoned this sheep-headed magical beast; clearly, this had something to do with him. Most likely, it had come searching for him under the magical beast’s orders.

The two magical beasts communicated for a while with high-pitched cries. Most of the time the sheep-headed beast was asking questions, while the six-hooved creature answered in soft, trembling tones, clearly terrified beyond measure.

Qi Xiao did not understand beast speech, so he could only analyze them from their expressions and emotions. Their exchange was brief. After a few more sounds, the sheep-headed beast bellowed once and gradually sank back into the lake.

The six-hooved beast seemed greatly relieved. It hurriedly struggled up from the grass, still trembling. At its side, two beasts with especially splendid manes rushed forward to lick its fur, clearly attempting to comfort it. Yet the six-hooved beast was not grateful; it bit the neck of one of its own kind and leaped onto its back, beginning some unspeakable ritual.

Qi Xiao sighed and did not watch any longer. Raising his staff, he cast a mist spell and slowly approached the lakeshore.