In the midst of the large looming trees, the cold shadows zooms over all life, blocking almost all the suns light from guiding any lost travelers.
A silent breeze howls in the wind like a flock of savage wolves preying on the weak.
The wind travels around the tall trees smoothly and easily like a downwards stream of rushing water.
The wind was not only heartless, but also unbiased as all creatures withing the forest were not spared of the slightly sharp whistling air cutting through everything in its way.
But this is something that is almost completely harmless, other than causing a few wind burns and annoyance, it was not life threatening.
The forest is called the Unfettered Shadow Forest, which is almost three times as big as Suuinsong City, and sits in the south.
Luckily, the mountain that David and co had came out of was just a small ancient historical ceremonial mountain that is deemed worthless, as there is no flat plain to grow or build on, further more, it is a resting place for migrating aerial spiritual creatures.
Due the flock being extremely numerous, being near the mountain during the migration time-period of the year is even dangerous for 3rd tier cultivators.
Another reason, although silly, is that the flock of aerial spiritual creatures leave secretion the size of a large lake every year, which caused an undeniable horrendous stench that could kill a full grown elephant with just a small whiff.
Experts dealing with spiritual creatures poop all come to this mountain to extract the excretions, for all different kinds of uses such as fertilizers, brewing, pill concoction, talisman ink, and other miscellaneous uses. Though these experts have to be extremely careful by temporarily neutralizing their sense of smell so that they dont pass out or worse, die from the overbearing smell of shit.
The poop is harvested after the flock of flying beast had migrated away from the mountain for obvious reasons.
The mountain was fairly close to the city, and the migration period had yet to come, and the devasating wind could only slightly harm mortals.
Still the wind can at the very least, affect long range attacks by shifting the attacks away from the intended target, which is why many weak cultivators or mortal who specializes in long range attacks, avoid coming to this forest all together.
Actually, decimating the entire forest, and killing all creatures should be easy for the super expert laying inside the city, but for thousands of years, it has already been decided that this forest was to be a nurturing ground for the Divine Sect Disciples, as they do many tests and missions situated in this forest for the sole reason of raising fighters and survivalist while weeding out the weak.
Dong Xioubei had led a very sheltered life, living inside that cave for what seemed like an eternity, though he had been outside, he had never been outside without his parents.
"F*ck! run for your life Little Man!" Dong Xioubei was screaming for his life while pedaling to his maximum speed.
'What the f*ck are those! Hurry up, pedal faster you weakling!' David thought while biting his teeth in fear.
'Cuck cuck cuck cuckl!!!'
There were around three sinister looking spiritual creatures, stalking there juicy prey on their two hind legs like they were looking at a little lost lamb.
Dong Xioubei confidence, arrogant and outgoing visage had disappeared into a puff of smoke. He was now a little plump piggy awaiting on a chopping block with an apple in his mouth, as food for the hunters.
His legs were now trembling as the three hungry creatures follow from behind.
The blazing red eyes, reddish orange and black sharp feathers, sharp razor claws that looked like it could slice open a humans gut in one swipe, shredding the meaty skin, fat, muscles and crushing the organs into a mushy pulp.
Little man was standing on Dong Xioubei's shoulders, staring at the creatures with its buggish eyes, and threatening them with its killing intent while it waved it sharp reaper-like arms around.
'Stupid bug, look what you just did!' David complained inwardly.
'Cock-a-doodle-doo!'
The three spiritual creatures were outrage that a mere bug dare to look down on them in contempt, their eyes turned sinister and reddish, like the blood moon hanging up in the night sky, shining bloody murderous intent onto a deadly battlefield filled with millions of corpses.
Their feathers began to sparkle, like a noble aged royal king that sparked a generation of booming success, won countless wars, and is loved by his subjects by peasants and knights alike.
Their feathers had made them seem like kings, looking down on all his subjects, one that rule over a vast kingdom with mighty strength.
And what was donned on top of their heads were golden crowns!
Crowns made from flesh and blood as it was part of their very beings, like how a monkey has a tail, these cocks had a crown on the tip of their heads!
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The claws had turned pitch black, like a black hole that could destroy anything sent it's way, a single swipe could eradicate a whole cavalry. It grew longer and sharper, same as their bloody beak, which sent shivers rolling down Dong Xioubei and David's spine.
"Dammit, these roosters are not just bloodhound roosters, they are royal bloodhound rooters! Furthermore, there are three of them!" Dong Xioubei yelled out in despair because he knew that he was screwed, and would become lunch for the vicious murderous flock of cocks.
................................................
One day earlier....
A human, an insect and a bicycle had traveled out of a secret well hidden cave entrance.
David saw that they came out from a steep smooth cliff, that needed you to climb from tree to tree to advance higher in the mountains until you find a steady foothold, because the rocky walls at the lower ground were steep and vertically inclined which made it difficult to climb.
Dong Xioubei had camped up onto the cliff hole, before muttering to himself.
"Mother said that I am an adult now, and that I can finally join the Divine Relic Sect and start cultivation. Little Man, we are currently both mortals, but hopefully not for long as I will try and help you gain spiritual strength as there should be some miracle godly pill or some heavenly liquid that could help change your mortal physique. But although your situation is very helpless, I thank you Little Man for accompanying me up to this point and helping me train, but now, I think I'm ready to officially start my journey!"
'Chirp chirp chirp' Little Man happily replied back in a ecstatic manner, he too was excited to start a journey, so that he might one day stumble upon a miracle to change it's fate.
But little did they know, perhaps they had already stumbled onto a miracle right at the very beginning of their journey.
Dong Xioubei in a split second notice had carelessly jumped down as if he had a death-wish with Little Man on his shoulders, and David strapped onto his back, the strap was just quickly created using a leather belt that was used to hold up Dong Xioubei's pants.
The reason for doing so is because Dong Xioubei forgot to bring the beast pouch.
"I don't know why this shitty iron horse can't be placed inside my spatial ring, huuuumpft, what a drag, I should have left you inside that cave but it seems that this iron-horse is something my mother had personally bought for me, anyway, why did she have to buy one at a second hand run-down store when we are not even doing bad in regarding to money..." Dong Xioubei complained.
David had now advance from shitty iron horse, to semi-shitty iron horse, but that didn't make him feel good, but at least upgrading his speed had a positive affect in placing himself at a higher pedestal in Dong Xioubei's mind.
Still, David did curse relentlessly after that statement and at first, he was too busy screaming his lungs out as he was falling down from the middle of the tall mountain. Feeling regretful as he saw the earth bottom at half a mile down.
He was cursing the young fool for bringing him down to die with him, but then, moments later he was shocked.
Dong Xioubei had kicked off the rocky wall after he had fallen around a dozen meters, and jumped onto a tree.
This was literally a feat that no mortal could achieve, and although it was simple, something that young cultivators could do after training, Dong Xioubei was a full fledged mortal without a hint of cultivation.
But while Dong Xioubei was hugging tightly onto a tall tree, something unexpected had happened.
'You dumbass!' David screamed in horror as he felt his body grow weightless and light, his heavy metallic body felt soft an feathery as if he was falling from the heavens with grace.
Dong Xioubei belt strap had grown extremely loose, causing David to slip out, and fall to his doom.
'This... doesn't this situation feel similar?' David briefly thought as he was now facing the hard earthly ground numerous hundreds of meters away, which could instantly kill any mortal beings including David himself.
"Dammit, my belt!" Dong Xioubei cried after he found out that his belt fell alongside the iron horse, he was worried that his only belt would be lost amongst the trees, because he didn't have any other belt, although he did have a few set of clothes in his spatial ring, he felt that he didn't need to waste any money on buying more than one belt as it can be reused many times.
David mood turned for the worst, if he could spank this brat hundreds of times, he would do it in a heartbeat, but currently he was facing a situation much worse than the one he had above the Divine Towering Steps.
'Snap'
He hit a tree branch and had a face full of sticks and leaves stuck in-between his body.
- 3 Health points (79/110 HP)
'Snap snap snap snap'
- 11 Health points (68/110 HP)
Davids body bounced off of many thick branches, and although the obstacles were causing him to lose health points, they were essentially saving him from instant death as the branches were slowing down his fall.
'Fuck this world'
- 8 Health points (60/110 HP)
David fell a few hundreds of meters and into a bush, but miraculously survived in a moderate condition.
He was extremely lucky that he did not suffer any massive damage as he was still able to be ridden, except that it had cause him to look down more unfavorably to Dong Xioubei.
'Damn you, at least Luo Ren had solved his disaster by himself, but you, you're are a shitty second-hand version of him!'
Laying on the ground with light injuries, he waited for a few hours in the dark cold gloomy earth near some sharp spade shaped dark green bushes, and some few wandering ants and beetles that seem harmless, though the variations of these insects were one that he had never seen before.
Glowing pink ants with nine legs, rhino bugs as clear and sparkling as an opal gem, a purple dragonfly with seven sets of wings and sapphire blue eyes.
"Dammit I couldn't find my belt..." David heard Dong Xioubei voice complain, which meant that he was finally nearby.
'Hah, shame on you! Huuumpft!' David snorted.
"Let's get out of this shitty forest, it should only take around half a day, but with this iron horse, maybe we will get to the city faster" Dong Xioubei muttered before standing David on his two wheels, and began to ride to his destination.
In present time... It has already been a few hours after the fall, but Dong Xioubei and co were fleeing for their lives.
................................................
'Cock-a-doodle-doo!'
The three royal cocks were closing in on the group, furiously flapping their small wings and cawing out angrily.
Their chicken legs moved like quickly like a spotted leopard and had easily caught up to the young man.
Suddenly, David felt a bump in his front wheel, he had crashed into a small stump in the ground, which in turn, caused Dong Xioubei to fly up into the air, and crash stomach first onto the ground with dirt in his mouth.
- 6% durability in front wheels (104/110%)
David tilted over as he no longer had a rider on him, but sighed in relief as the three reddish black royal bloodhound roosters ignored him.
Two bright white plump moons could be seen, Dong Xioubei pants had fallen down to his ankle, he was groaning in pain as he was laying face-first onto the ground.
'Caw caw caw' The biggest cock had strutted to the front, extending its head highly as it faced the twin moons.
The other two smaller cocks wimped away, as the bigger cock had claimed his prey.
Slowly, the big raging mad cock inched closer and closer to Dong Xioubei's behind, causing the young mans eyes to pop out wide in horror.
"You... you get back or else I'll cut off your head!" Dong Xioubei screamed as he crawled pathetically on all four limbs with his buttocks still bare in the presence of the big black cock.