A dark shadow swept toward them, along with a shout. White Phoenix covered Bird and dodged the attack.

    “White Phoenix, you’re a traitor of the monsters. I, White Wolf, will kill you today to avenge the shame you inflicted upon our family.” White Wolf is part of the wolf clan, and one of the four major fighters of the monsters. With his arrival, more monsters also arrived.

    “You’re still using the same old speech after this many years? White Wolf, since you haven’t worked by my side for a few years, your skills have improved a little but you talk a lot worse now.” White Phoenix kept making fun of White Wolf.

    “Aunt White, you’re always been the one who’s more eloquent, maybe cut him some slack?” Bird complained.

    “Hrmf, no need for the attitude just ‘cause you killed a few monsters. Don’t be like White Wolf, an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.”

    “He’s a white-eyed wolf.”

    White Wolf didn’t want to hear them have a comedy show at his expense; he frowned and ran toward White Phoenix with his mace. White Phoenix backed up, avoided the hit, and retaliated with moves of her own while still protecting Bird.  

    “This is the so-called legendary White Phoenix? I’m not too impressed!” White Wolf used lethal moves whenever he could, sensing White Phoenix was losing her power.

    “You’re just an underling, I don’t even need to fight you myself!”  White Phoenix shook her sleeve, unleashing some power to deflect White Wolf. “This is a boring battle for me, Bird, want to fight him for me?”

    “You understand me so well, Aunt White.” Bird walked away from White Phoenix’s protection and stared at White Wolf.

    “White Phoenix, you’re making me fight this kid?!” White Wolf looked insulted having to fight a weapon-less Bird.

    “You don’t know who’s winning yet!” Bird picked up an axe and stood ready for battle.

    Some blood drops from the frog monsters splattered from Bird’s face onto White Wolf, making him frown. “Kid, if you want to die, I’ll help you out.”

    To the monsters watching the battle, Bird was a weak kid without spiritual fire, and soon to be annihilated by the powerful White Wolf. Meanwhile, White Phoenix curved her lips as she watched the two fight.

    Bird yelled and began fighting White Wolf……

    After several rounds of fierce fighting, Bird, who was much less powerful, began to show his exhaustion and slowed down.

    “How dare a mere human fight a monster? It’s like hitting a rock with eggs. White Phoenix, I doubt your kid can win you any rest.” White Wolf taunted as he waved his mace.

    “White Wolf, I see you still lack patience after all this time.” Other than the flickering white light around White Phoenix, and her human yet monster-like face, she didn’t appear different, but in fact, she was using the pause as an opportunity to elevate her power.

    “Ever since you made the blood contract, I’ve been hunting you to avenge the shame on the White clan. It’s hard for me to hold back, seeing how the once spectacular White Phoenix is on the verge of being defeated.”

    “Shame on the White clan……?” White Phoenix seemed to be at a loss for winds. Her white gown swayed in the night wind.

    “Hey, White Wolf, don’t forget you’re fighting me.” Bird shouted.

    “Stupid human, I’ll send you to your death if you want to die so much!”

    The two continued their battles for a few more hundred rounds. As the mace fell, trees were pulled up by their roots, and a huge pit appeared in the mountains.

    When Bird didn’t get away in time, the mace broke his spine, and he fell into the pit, panting and unable to move.

    White Wolf retracted the mace behind him and hollered, “White Phoenix, don’t count on this kid to help you. Come back to the monster family to accept your punishment.”

    White Phoenix replied, “you’re underestimating my student and underestimating me.”

    “You’re insane to betray your monster lineage and take on a human disciple. You deserve to die for disrespecting the White clan!” White Wolf picked up his mace, and leaped across the pit to strike at White Phoenix.

    “You’re still so rushed to win.”

    “You seem to have recovered a lot in just a little while, no wonder you’re the legendary White Phoenix. Well, even if you’re totally fine, with your essence worn out, you’re no stronger than others.”

    “If you’re willing to die, show me what you’ve got.” White Phoenix smiled, showing off her glamour.

    They dueled, while some frog monsters jumped into the pit to attack Bird, but they were quickly snuffed out by their throat. Bird was still unable to climb out of the pit, however, but the other frog monsters hesitated to ambush him.

    “White Phoenix, you’re a mean one!” White Wolf understood his old superior, White Phoenix, really well. If she wanted to save someone, she’d focus the enemies’ attacks on herself, before dealing  them a fatal blow. “I really want to see how you can save your human sidekick today!”

    “Without a remedy, there’s no need to save.” After the brutal fighting, she was still keeping White Wolf at bay, but her essence was really decimated and her power was less strong.

    White Phoenix wavered, “fine, I’m not fighting you anymore. Let Bird go, and I’ll go back with you.”

    “So you still want to save this human? Alright, I’ll let nature take care of him. You better keep your promise, let me seal your power, and you come back to take your punishment.” White Wolf slammed at White Phoenix with his hand, blocking her power.

    The strike made White Phoenix spit out some blood. “You brute! Ungrateful white-eyed wolf! No need to hit so hard to block my power!”

    “White Phoenix, this way.”

    As White Wolf and White Phoenix prepared to leave, a red flame flickered in the pit, as if it’s a ghost fire from hell.

    As the flames danced, a wind cascaded around Bird, wiping out two-thirds of the frog monsters.

    “No one can take away White Phoenix with Bird here!”

    White Wolf thought he had captured White Phoenix, but Bird suddenly appeared next to them, and he was hardly breathing.

    Bird’s dirty hands clutched White Phoenix as hard as he could. Blood-matted hair clung to his face. Even though he was standing, his eyes were closed and he was barely conscious.

    “So I didn’t kill him but somehow activated his spiritual fire? You planned all this!” White Wolf, wary of Bird’s new power, yelled at White Phoenix.

    “He has had no parents since he was young. I’ve kept him around, sensing his potential. I didn’t think your hit could generate his spiritual power, but he’s still flesh and blood, and is worn out. He’s also burning his spiritual fire, and his time is up.” White Phoenix sighed, holding onto Bird’s hand.

    “Aunt White, don’t go, I’ll protect you to my death……” Bird tried to hold onto the leftover warmth of White Phoenix’s hand.

    “Yun Gui is gone, Que Hun is dead. The world has gone mad. Death may be a good choice now. Perhaps it’s better we both leave this messy world!” White Phoenix bid her goodbye as she turned to leave.

    “Hah!”

    White Wolf made sure Bird was about to die before he led the detained White Phoenix and the leftover frog monsters back to the monster family.

    Yun Gui is gone, Que Hun is dead. The world has gone mad.

    “Teacher, I failed you.”

    Bird yelled as hard as he could, burning up almost all of his spiritual fire, coloring the trees and mountains with the red flames, which burned for ten days and nights. Even years later, this area would stay covered by snow and never grow life.