Chapter 134: This Big Goofball is No Ordinary Character!

Ye Jiuyao sat atop the giant sand eagle, looking perfectly at ease. Although they had never formed a formal contract, the eagle was surprisingly well-behaved and followed his commands without hesitation. If he told it to fly west, it would never veer east; it obeyed his every word as if it had fully acknowledged him as its master.

By all accounts, such Yuan beasts were untamable. Unless one possessed overwhelming power, these creatures would retain their wild instincts and refuse to serve as mounts. Yet, this particular eagle was different. It had surrendered to his dominance without a hint of resistance, as if beneath that dull exterior lay a surprisingly cunning mind.

Throughout the journey, Ye Jiuyao took in the scenery, and time passed quickly. On the fifth day, he returned to the Southern District, reaching the Qianye Sect by dusk.

"Nothing beats the air of the sect," Ye Jiuyao sighed.

His arrival caused an immediate stir among the disciples. News of his victory had already traveled back to the Southern District long ago, and Elder Baimei had made no effort to conceal his achievements, ensuring his name was known throughout the sect. Naturally, his return drew all eyes toward him.

"Look... that's Senior Brother Ye!"
"Senior Brother Ye is back!"
"He's returned!"

Exclamations rang out as a crowd of disciples gathered around, gazing at him with undisguised admiration. Some female disciples looked at him with clear affection, but Ye Jiuyao ignored them, heading straight for his cave dwelling. He had noticed a strange, scarlet glint in the eagle’s eyes and sensed that something was wrong.

"You idiot, don't tell me you've had a change of heart just after I took you in..." Ye Jiuyao muttered, pointing a finger at the bird. "If you try to pull anything on me, I’ll slaughter you. I’ve never tasted eagle meat before; don't think I won't do it. Hey, hey, hey... I suggest you stay on your best behavior..."

He droned on like a Buddhist monk, his constant chatter becoming unbearable. Finally, the giant sand eagle began to lose its composure. With a sharp, furious screech, it lunged toward the entrance of his cave.

"Wait, wait, hold on—!"

Ye Jiuyao’s hands moved in a blur, casting a seal to throw open the cave door. The eagle dove inside without a moment's hesitation.

"You giant bird-brain! If I hadn't been fast, you would have wrecked my home! Do you know how expensive this place is? I worked myself to the bone to get it. If you break anything, I’ll steam you—no, I’ll braise you!"

Ye Jiuyao jumped off the eagle, his face flushed with anger as he jabbed a finger at it. But the creature had slipped into a state of madness and began attacking him wildly.

"You damn bird, you dare bite the hand that feeds you? I'll beat you so hard your own father won't recognize you!"

Ye Jiuyao roared, his Yuan energy surging like a collapsing mountain. "Get on your knees and call me master! You deceptive bird, you misled me—kneel!"

His overwhelming pressure descended, amplified by the powerful Yuan gathering formation within his cave. The resulting force was explosive, pinning the eagle down for a brief moment. But the beast let out another piercing, blood-curdling cry, its state shifting into a terrifying, frenzied rage.

"What the—?! You have a transformation like this? What happened to being obedient? You wicked bird, you played with my emotions! You were pretending to be weak, you fraud!"

Ye Jiuyao yelled, channeling the power of the stars. He lunged forward, his palm striking out like a falling sky.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The tremors shook the entire cave, the sheer force too great for the structure to contain. The vibrations spilled outside, forcing his neighbor, the "Brainiac Girl" Cao Sisi, to rush out of her own dwelling.

"Ye Jiuyao, are you trying to tear down my home?!" she screamed, but she was met only by the thunderous roar of battle from within his cave. "What... what is he doing? Has he gone mad?"

Inside, Ye Jiuyao was at his wit's end. "Star Staff Style—useless! Starfall—useless! Nine Nether Heaven-Desolate Palm—useless! Nothing is working! Are you going to ascend to godhood or what? Have you actually lost your mind?!"

The eagle screeched again, unleashing a terrifying surge of power and pecking at him with a beak as hard as steel.

"Damn it! You're an eagle, not a woodpecker!"

Ye Jiuyao parried each blow, but despite the creature’s cultivation being only at the Awakening Realm, its strength was far beyond that of a Heaven-Human Realm expert. It felt as if he were facing the legendary Golden-Winged Peng.

"You bastard, don't tell me you've mutated!"

The eagle shrieked again, a sound of mournful agony, and suddenly, a scorching heat erupted from within its body.

"This is... Heavenly Demon Fire?!" Ye Jiuyao gasped, his heart sinking. He still remembered the terrifying nature of that fire from his encounter with Sun Qigang.

"What do I do? What do I do?!"

Ye Jiuyao panicked. Outside, Cao Sisi was even more terrified, sensing a destructive, searing aura. It wasn't just her; the high-ranking members of the Southern District—Elders Cao Zheng and Yu Xiu, and several deacons—had been alerted.

"What is this aura? Such terrifying power!"
"What exactly is Ye Jiuyao cultivating?"

The elders exchanged panicked glances. Cao Zheng immediately moved to seal off the area around Ye Jiuyao’s cave. "Sisi, what happened to him?" he asked, his expression grave.

"It was like this the moment I arrived..."

As confusion mounted, Ye Jiuyao felt a wave of despair. The eagle was simply too strong—unreasonably so. Suddenly, he remembered the command token he had received from Sun Qigang.