Chapter 1156, Like Toying with a Monkey

Translator: Silavin

 

Yan Hua had dispatched numerous Ferocious Beasts with clean, decisive efficiency. She looked only slightly out of breath now.

 

Which told anyone watching that she was not tired in the least.

 

*Rooaar…*

 

From somewhere deep in the forest came a low, heavy roar. The sound was enormous.

 

Every creature in its vicinity took flight. One could well imagine what they thought of whatever had produced that sound.

 

“Shaman.” Yan Hua turned serious at once. The recurve bow in her hands was stowed in a single motion, replaced by a sharp long blade.

 

Yan Hua had heard enough to know the creature was enormous. Probably thick-skinned, too. Arrows from a recurve bow would do nothing to something like that.

 

“A large Ferocious Beast. Let us hope it’s not too formidable.” Sha Lan’s voice carried a genuine note of worry.

 

Sha Lan had not heard many roars that savage. But she was certain whatever had made it was very, very large.

 

“Don’t worry. The larger, the better. The more cargo it can carry.” Su Bai grinned.

 

There was something a little calculating in that grin. As though he had been quietly hoping for something the size of a mountain to wander their way.

 

Everyone else looked afraid. He looked delighted. This was not the wolf entering the tiger’s den. This was setting a trap and waiting.

 

“The Shaman seems a bit odd. I have never seen him like this.” Yan Hua said quietly.

 

“You are right. The Ferocious Beast is the one we ought to be pitying. I should be worried for it, not for the Shaman.” Sha Lan’s mouth twitched.

 

The expression on Su Bai’s face was that of a man about to eat something. The greed was not even the least bit concealed.

 

“*Ahem.* It is nothing. I am simply thinking of the Tribe.” Su Bai cleared his throat and straightened up. “The two of you should stay alert. Do not let your guard down.”

 

He had noticed he had been rather obvious just then. The tall, upright image he maintained required some maintenance.

 

*Thoom thoom thoom…*

*Roooaar…*

 

The ground trembled with each footfall. The roaring grew closer. Trees began to shiver.

 

Then, after several minutes, the source of all that sound came slowly into view.

 

A tortoise, a truly large tortoise.

 

It was complete with a heavy shell across its back. But the shell was rough and jagged, as though a mountain range had grown from it. The neck was very, very long, like that of a diplodocus, stretching out ahead of the body. The four limbs were of ordinary length, much like a common land tortoise.

 

Its colouring was a dark greenish-brown. Lumps and protrusions of various sizes covered its body, each resembling a stone, closely matching the shell above.

 

Most striking of all was the single long horn on its head, and a row of sharp teeth that made one’s skin prickle.

 

[This shape. It resembles a land tortoise. An excellent transportation vehicle.] Su Bai thought, quite satisfied.

 

He began cracking his knuckles, one by one, each pop ringing out clearly.

 

“Both of you, step back. Leave this Ferocious Beast to me. It seems to be at least an Ancient Blood Ferocious Beast, maybe even a King Blood. It is truly formidable. Neither of you is a match for it.” Su Bai said with complete seriousness.

 

“Shaman, please be careful. We have never encountered this creature before. We do not know its true strength.” Sha Lan said.

 

She had been joking about it a moment ago. But looking at the actual beast now, it was something else entirely.

 

The creature stood six metres tall. Eight or nine metres wide. Roughly as long as it was tall. The pressure radiating from it was heavy and immediate.

 

Drool fell steadily from its jaws. A thing that hungry must have not eaten in a very long time. Creatures like that were always the most dangerous.

 

“Shaman, its back appears extremely hard. Please take caution.” Yan Hua said.

 

She had weighed her own ability against what she was looking at. Even as a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior, she felt no confidence in winning against this beast.

 

Mid-Stage Totem Warriors and Ancient Blood Ferocious Beasts were, in truth, roughly equivalent in strength. That was the normal reckoning.

 

But Yan Hua’s lack of confidence came specifically from that shell. It looked impenetrable. She doubted she could deal any serious damage at all.

 

“No need to be worried.” Su Bai was calm.

 

The strength radiating from the beast was real. By its appearance alone, it clearly possessed overwhelming defensive capability.

 

But Su Bai had no intention of meeting it head on. A sensible person never would.

 

Knowing one could deal it little meaningful damage, the correct answer was to outmanoeuvre it.

 

Su Bai used his own strength and speed to reach the creature’s back before it could react. He planted himself steadily atop the shell and smiled faintly downward.

 

“Too late.”

 

The moment he landed, the beast lunged with its long neck, jaws snapping viciously toward him.

 

Su Bai moved instantly, vaulting to a section of shell closer to the tail.

 

The beast attacked again. Left. Then right. As though trying to swat a fly.

 

Su Bai had originally intended to use his Taming Skill the moment he landed on the creature’s back.

 

But he reconsidered. Better to observe its capabilities first.

 

Only by understanding them fully could he judge how much cargo to assign it later, and to which Tribe it ought to travel.

 

“Shaman…” Sha Lan had been about to say something about being careful. But it seemed rather unnecessary now.

 

Su Bai’s movements were effortless. Like teasing a small child.

 

She  had not expected this. She had known Su Bai was strong. But seeing it like this was still striking.

 

“It appears we have a new transportation vehicle. The Shaman must be testing its capabilities.” Yan Hua had begun eating dried fish.

 

She looked entirely like a spectator enjoying the show, watching Su Bai’s every movement while the Ferocious Beast raged with indignation beneath him.

 

The beast could not reach him. Each time it bit down with full force it caught only its own shell, each failed attempt producing another furious roar.

 

“Attack range extends approximately three metres from the body as its centre. A decent range. You are indeed worth keeping.” Su Bai murmured to himself, quite satisfied.

 

He decided not to play any longer. He leapt to one final position and used his Skill.

 

In an instant, a brilliant light blazed from the creature’s back.