High in the sky outside the Battle Maiden Sect, a unique, arm-length creature soared gracefully. With a serpentine body covered in vibrant red scales, each adorned with blue crystals in the center of them and had a shimmering silver outline.
The creature's wings were a blend of feathery crimson and icy white, creating a striking contrast against its scales.
A gust of hot and cold air swirled around it as it spread its wings, leaving a beautiful trail of ice and ash behind her.
Naturally, this was Elenei, who had just left Dominique.
Now that Rhydian was back, there was no longer a reason for her to stay with the child. The two weren't well-acquainted with each other either, as they hadn't interacted much, if at all.
Since Rhydian was back to take care of Dominique in case something happened, she could finally leave and fully explore her new body!
'First, let's test out my physical strength!'
That was what she was the most excited about. While her body might've been strong when she was just a Frost-Fire Phoenix, it couldn't be compared to a Dragon's. However, that's not to say that she was weaker, just that her body was. Her prowess lay in other areas.
However, now that she was a perfect fusion of both a Dragon and a Phoenix, she knew that things were bound to be different.
Elenei's eyes gleamed with desire as she flew away from the mountains, looking for suitable prey down below.
It took her some time, but eventually, she discovered an expansive plain with sparse trees scattered throughout the area. Numerous beasts, ranging from Ranks 1-5, walked the land causing a smile to creep up on Elenei's face.
'Finally!' She thought as she dived down onto the ground, 'Let's see how I fair against beasts at these Realms!'
Just based on cultivation alone, these beasts were supposed to be many times stronger. She hadn't even begun cultivating and was still considered an "ordinary" animal. Most of the time she spent with Dominique was her trying to understand her body's complexities and future cultivation path.
Landing on the ground with a thud, Elenei dashed toward the nearest beast, which just so happened to be a Rank 1 Earthbound Boar.
While it wasn't much stronger than an ordinary animal, it was a beast that prioritized defense more than anything else, having thick skin and hard bones.
The Earthbound Boar, sensing the sudden presence of a potential predator, instinctively bristled its coarse fur and hunkered down, preparing to defend itself. This might've worked against other beasts in the prairie. However, little did it know that Elenei was no ordinary adversary.
Elenei, exhilarated by the prospect of testing her newfound strength, charged toward the Earthbound Boar with astonishing speed. Her eyes burned with delight as she closed the distance between them in a matter of moments.
As she reached the unsuspecting boar, Elenei coiled her serpentine body and lashed out with a swift and powerful strike. The force behind her blow was so tremendous that it sent small shockwaves rippling through the air, which caused the surrounding grass to tremble.
The Earthbound Boar had no time to react as Elenei's powerful strike landed squarely on its head. In an instant, the boar's defenses, which it prided itself on, crumbled like they were nothing more than a brittle piece of pottery.
Elenei's claw sunk deep into its skull, turning its brain to mush and killing the beast instantly before its body flew several meters away, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud.
A sense of satisfaction filled Elenei as she observed the lifeless body of the Earthbound Boar.
'Hmm~ I thought I controlled my strength fairly well there, but it seems I'm still not used to this new body of mine yet.' Elenei mused, 'Or it could be that Rank 1 beasts are simply too weak for me.'
Shrugging, Elenei left behind the corpse of the Earthbound Boar to move on to stronger, more desirable prey.
A minute later, she locked onto her second target, a Rank 2 Ironhorn Bison, a large beast with a thick hide and enormous, curved horns. The creature noticed her approach and snorted aggressively, pawing at the ground as it prepared to charge.
Elenei smiled predatorily, welcoming the challenge as she allowed it time to prepare.
Unconsciously circulating Qi through its body, the Bison enhanced itself as it charged at Elenei like a raging bull!
*MOOOOO!*
It roared, lowering its horns to try and skewer the serpent-like creature.
Elenei stood still, intending to meet its charge head-on!
Just as the Bison reached her and was about to jab its horns into her body, Elenei jumped toward its head. Whipping her tail around, Elenei smashed its head in, feeling the crunch of its bones on her scales.
However, even though the beast had its head bashed in, it was somehow still alive.
"MOOOOOO!" It fell to the ground, crying in pain.
Elenei didn't even look at it, just kicking it with her hind leg to finish the job.
'It seems that even a Rank 2 beast can't stop me. Though, that's not exactly surprising.' Elenei thought sarcastically.
She would be too ashamed to call herself a Draco-Phoenix if she couldn't even handle a glorified cow.
'I wonder how far up the Ranks I can go without any cultivation or relying on my innate abilities.' Elenei didn't know, but she was eager to find out.
Elenei's thirst for a challenge was ignited, knowing that things would become a bit more challenging from Rank 3 onwards. As someone who sat at the top of the food chain for so long, she naturally had very few enemies.
Even the potential enemies she did have could never hope to kill her.
'Haaa...' She sighed, trying to contain her excitement. 'It's been a long time since I've felt this way.'
Trying to prevent a smirk from forming, Elenei ventured further into the plains, her eyes scanning the landscape for a more formidable opponent.
It wasn't long before she spotted a Rank 3 Razorback Panther, a creature known for its powerful muscles and sharp claws that could tear through armor, crouching in one of the few trees in this grassland.
The panther, sensing Elenei's approach, bared its fangs and growled menacingly, its body tense and ready to strike. Elenei, however, was unfazed.
'Come! Let's see how strong you really are, little kitten.' Elenei mocked inwardly as she stuck her nose up at the panther.
Perhaps sensing her disdain, the panther's growls grew more ferocious before suddenly pouncing on Elenei. Dodging its attack with ease, Elenei seized the opportunity, propelling herself forward with the help of her wings to land on its neck.
From there, Elenei wrapped her serpentine body around its neck, constricting it with incredible force.
The panther struggled in vain, its claws swiping desperately at Elenei's scales. But Elenei's grip was unyielding, and before long, an audible crack resounded throughout the area, and the beast fell limp, its body hitting the ground with a thud.
Elenei looked off into the distance, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips. 'Even a Rank 3 beast was no match for me,' she thought. 'I wonder how much further I can go? Do I have enough strength to cross the wall separating Rank 5 beasts from Rank 6?'
Elenei ignored the corpse, eagerly setting her sights on an even more daunting challenge. Something that might make her put in a bit more effort!
After a bit more walking, she soon came across a Rank 4 Thunderhoof Stag, a hulking creature with a muscular body, long, powerful legs, and a set of impressive antlers crackling with electricity. Its eyes sparkled with an electric blue hue that conveyed both its intelligence and ferocity.
The Thunderhoof Stag let out a thunderous bellow as it spotted Elenei, and the two locked eyes in a fierce stare-down. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension as they prepared to engage in battle.
In an instant, the stag charged at Elenei with incredible speed, its antlers emanating streaks of lightning. Elenei deftly dodged the initial charge, her body twisting and contorting as she avoided the stag's deadly antlers.
The Thunderhoof Stag, undeterred, quickly changed direction and charged once more, its hooves thundering across the ground like rolling thunder. Elenei met the charge head-on, her body coiling and lashing out with a swift and powerful strike.
Her talons found their mark, slashing through the stag's thick hide and causing it to stagger back, blood pouring from its wounds. With a final, desperate effort, the stag unleashed a powerful burst of lightning from its antlers, aiming directly for Elenei's head.
Elenei, however, was faster. She twisted her body, evading the deadly bolt by a hair's breadth, and closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Her claws sunk deep into the stag's neck, and with a single, brutal motion, she severed its spine.
The Thunderhoof Stag fell to the ground, defeated. Elenei descended, her heart pounding with exhilaration. She glanced at the Stag, finally feeling that she was fighting beasts that were around her level.
'Now, let's see if I can take on a Rank 5 beast!'
