At this critical moment, the Skycrest Bird let out a sharp cry, its body suddenly shrouded in a brilliant green aura of wind energy, like a shimmering cloak. Its speed instantly surged, allowing it to easily dodge Mira’s attempted bite.

“That’s the Wind Veil Skill, which temporarily boosts a spirit beast’s speed significantly!”

Watching the Skycrest Bird’s “cloak” of wind energy, Wei Yun narrowed his eyes, quickly analyzing the situation.

After missing her target, Mira landed lightly on the ground and turned her gaze upward, her eyes fixed on the Skycrest Bird as it circled in the air.

Coo, coo—

From above, the Skycrest Bird stared down at Mira, letting out a sharp, angry chirp.

The next moment, it dove downward, extending its talons like gleaming hooks ready to strike.

“Mira, jump forward!” Wei Yun commanded.

Thanks to the tight bond between Beastmaster and spirit beast, Mira reacted instantly to his voice, leaping forward without hesitation.

Mira’s speed was comparable to the bird’s, and she managed to evade the attack.

However, the Skycrest Bird wasn’t ready to give up. It darted after Mira, it's sharp beak glinting like a spear as it aimed straight for her back.

“Mira, Shadow Clone!”

At the last moment, Mira’s figure blurred. Suddenly, two identical versions of her appeared in the air.

The Skycrest Bird’s beak pierced straight through one of the clones, missing the real Mira entirely, and it continued its flight past her.

“Chase it down! Use Swiping Claw!” Wei Yun ordered.

Taking advantage of the Skycrest Bird’s momentary vulnerability as it turned, Mira leaped forward. Just as the Skycrest Bird tried to adjust its position, Mira struck. Her claws gleamed as they slashed through the air, and a flash of red followed as blood spattered from the deep gashes on the bird’s back.

Screech!

The Skycrest Bird let out a pained cry and tumbled to the ground, struggling to rise.

Mira didn’t give it the chance. She pinned it down with her paws, preventing it from taking flight.

For avian spirit beasts, whose bones were lightweight and delicate, being pinned to the ground was almost a guaranteed defeat.

In battles between spirit beasts, rank and quality played major roles in determining the outcome, but other factors like attributes, experience, command, terrain, environment, size, and even weight could be just as critical.

“Well done, Mira!” Wei Yun praised as he walked over, giving Mira a gentle pat on the head.

Growl!

Mira lifted her head high and let out a triumphant growl. It was her first battle, and the significance was undeniable. The victory boosted her confidence and reduced her resistance to the grueling training she had endured.

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Suddenly, a faint, ethereal light enveloped Mira, causing her entire body to glow. As the light faded, Mira’s size increased once again, her body now stretched close to a full meter. Her once-cute, cub-like appearance now carried an air of dignity and strength.

“She advanced again!” Wei Yun exclaimed, excitement flooding his chest. In just two days, Mira had reached First Tier, Stage 3.

Growl!

At that moment, Mira opened her mouth wide, ready to devour the bird.

“Hold on!” Wei Yun stopped her.

It wasn’t that Wei Yun had an issue with killing, it was more strategic.

Skycrest Birds were relatively common spirit beasts, but even among common species, rare individuals with extraordinary potential occasionally appeared. Who was to say this specimen wasn’t one of them?

Although the chances were slim, the possibility still existed. Wei Yun wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. He extended his spiritual sense, covering a 30-meter radius in an instant.

Within the range of his perception, three light points appeared. One belonged to Mira, another to the Skycrest Bird lying nearby. Unsurprisingly, the Skycrest Bird’s light was dim, reflecting its low quality.

But what truly caught Wei Yun’s attention was the third light point, flickering on the edge of his range. It pulsed irregularly, sometimes glowing as brightly as a full moon, and other times dimming to the faint glow of a firefly, a stark and fascinating contrast.

What was even stranger was that this light didn’t move.

“What kind of spirit beast is this?” Wei Yun murmured, intrigued.

He focused his spiritual energy on the light point, immediately pulling up its details:

SPIRIT BEAST INFORMATION:

· Name: Nature Sprite (In Incubation)

· Realm: None

· Species: Unknown

· Quality: Unknown (The more plant essence absorbed, the higher the potential quality.)

· Bloodline: Elemental (Unknown)

· Attribute: Wood

· Status: Malnourished (Lack of plant essence could result in premature death.)

· Weakness: Fire

Wei Yun’s experiments with his special ability had taught him that the information he could see through his spiritual sense was unique to him. Even other Beastmasters, after contracting a spirit beast, wouldn’t have access to these detailed insights.

“A Nature Sprite!” Wei Yun froze for a moment, and then a broad smile spread across his face.

Sprites were a rare category of spirit beast, fundamentally different from most others. Unlike ordinary spirit beasts, sprites were born directly from nature itself, their attributes pure and powerful.

They were divided into categories based on their elements, such as Nature Sprites, Flame Sprites, and Earth Sprites.

Sprites were not known for their combat prowess but instead for their exceptional support abilities, which could greatly benefit Beastmasters.

Moreover, a sprite’s quality was never below Mid-Grade, and there were even High and Rare-grade sprites among them.

For this reason, sprites were highly sought after by Beastmasters, making them exceedingly rare in the wild.

Nature Sprites, specifically, were born from the essence of plants. Typically hidden within the vegetation that nurtured them, they could only be found under fortunate circumstances.

“Mira, finish it!” Wei Yun said after withdrawing his spiritual sense. He wanted Mira to experience her first kill.

Under the terrified gaze of the bird, Mira opened her mouth and clamped her fangs around its neck.

Coo… coo…

The Skycrest Bird let out a final, desperate cry, struggling with all its might, but Mira’s grip was unrelenting.

Before long, the Skycrest Bird stopped moving. Its once-bright eyes grew dull, and its body went limp.

Wei Yun expertly harvested valuable materials from the Skycrest Bird, including a Lower Wind-Attribute Spirit Core and four azure tail feathers.

“Mira, this is your dinner,” Wei Yun said, tossing the Skcrest Bird’s carcass to her.

At his words, Mira eagerly dug in, tearing into the it’s flesh.

Spirit beasts that absorbed energy over time had highly nutritious meat, making it a valuable food source that could aid in a spirit beast’s growth.

While Mira ate, Wei Yun turned his attention toward the mysterious light he had sensed earlier.

Following his spiritual sense, he headed toward the center of the bamboo grove.

As he approached, the environment around him began to change. The once-vibrant green bamboo gradually turned yellow and wilted, the dry leaves rustling weakly in the breeze.

Within a 10-meter radius, the only greenery left was a single, unusually large bamboo stalk in the center. However, even this bamboo appeared malnourished, its yellowed leaves drooping pitifully.

Following his spiritual sense, Wei Yun’s eyes locked onto the Nature Sprite’s location. It was nestled in the upper branches of the central bamboo stalk, where natural, glowing purple patterns had formed on the bark.