Chapter 5: Meeting The King Of Beasts

The Red Rose Beaks tribe was situated in Valgarel farthest than any other tribe from the border between the humans’ and beasts’ territories.

It was the home of all crane type beasts and many other bird type beasts. Those who were assimilated through the years, after the establishment of the tribe, joined by succumbing to the influence and prestige of the ruler of all beasts in New Earth, who also happens to be a bird type beast.

His Valor Ozeyn had all of Valgarel under his control, but the actual sphere of influence of the Red Rose Beaks tribe stretched across only several tens of caves. The caves were aligned like a sturdy chain, each of whom was abundant with mountain ranges and green ravines. They even had formations, similar to those in Kingdom Earth, creating a panoramic view of night and day.

Cave Of Long Beaks, the core cave of Red Rose Beaks tribe.

Nests by the thousands adorned each mountain from the base to the summit. A cacophony of flapping wings and bird cries rung in the air. Flocks of birds roamed the illusionary sky of the cave, only when they arrived to their destination, settled down and lowered their wings did they transform to either a humanoid or human form, depending on their ability. Such was the law in this cave, to fly as a beast, to land as a human. Those who had yet to achieve these results, trapped in their animalistic form, so long as they were members of this tribe, were bound to their nests, taken care of by their elders.

A castle was erected on a flat ground, surrounded by humanlike structures of stone and steel with a minute technological design, yet no electricity, only glamorous formations charged by Sun Stones. There were streets, but no vehicles, only pedestrians.

If one looked closely, inspected every man and woman, for there were no children, he or she would have discovered that every person was actually a beast in human form, actually speaking the tongue of Ercas Mir, Netherling, while donning garments of feathers and satin in a style very similar to the human villages above the ground.

This settlement of a castle, surrounded by short and vast buildings, and beasts in human form, Shenghuo and Zhihui alike, was the Long Beak Palace, home of His Valor Ozeyn. In it were welcomed all bird type beasts that attained a complete human form, regardless of type and cultivation. There they could get guidance, cultivation materials and opportunities nowhere presentable anywhere else in New Earth. As for non bird type beasts, unless they were invited by someone of status within the tribe or were of particular type and cultivation level, they could only hear in envy, for even to watch they were not permitted.

‘Amazing!’ Zax spectated at the Long Beak Palace from above. ‘Horn Kikon treats Ozeyn and his tribe very kindly. I guess, as a Chaoyue that surmounted other Chaoyues he is worth the investment of roping him in’.

The formations guarding the Long Beak Palace from being probed were easily bypassed by the new level of attainment of Zax’s Soul Sense. Even those that fourth level Martial Mortal could not see through without exploiting a bit of effort while eventually still get detected, did not react to Zax. Only one formation was a tad problematic, that of the castle.

‘There are no less than twenty three third realm experts, all Scarlet Cranes’. His Valor Ozeyn was the sole Demonic Scarlet Crane. ‘The highest being at the third level’. Zax was not that much surprised by the discovery.

When he first learned about the third realm from his Master, he was told that altogether there were about ten Martial Mortals in New Earth. At the time it might have been true, but since then he was taught about the existence of Deformed Beings and Pure Cores and even shared such resources with his Martial family, which benefited greatly.

‘Well ... that’s enough sightseeing. The third Black Core is my priority and I can sense its direction and that it’s close but not detect it with my Soul Sense’. Obviously it was within the parameter of the formation guarding the castle. He took a step and intruded the airspace of the castle.

BANG!

The sound of shattering glass resonated. The castle, which looked like a seven storeys pagoda with turrets at the four corners of the highest level, had another layer of protective formation that now broke. As this was the home of the king of beasts, Zax briefly wondered why it needed to be protected. Would there be any one stupid enough to break into this place? Apart from him, there were a handful of other cultivators stronger than His Valor Ozeyn.

‘The northern turret!’ The seventh storey of the pagoda and its four turrets appeared to be a place a selected few should have the right to enter.

The northern turret had small windows. Its, and the other three turrets, entrance was at the seventh storey of the pagoda and to get there, one could either squeeze through its windows, climb from the first storey or hope the doors of the top terrace are not locked.

‘They are locked’. Zax sighed. ‘If built like this, to use force would be offending Ozeyn’. Although he was firmed with taking the Black Core, he preferred to give His Valor Ozeyn as much respect as he could afford for the backing he gave the Martial family. ‘Too late now... ‘ He sighed again.

If he wanted to give His Valor Ozeyn face, he should not have broken the protective formation. Furthermore, the Red Rose Beaks tribe was in cahoots with the Violet Scaled Troops and now that Zax took New Earth as part of his domain, he intended to uproot the influence of the five powers, a process that inevitable will also undermine His Valor Ozeyn’s eminence in Valgarel.