Just as it finished roaring, speak of the devil and he shall appear—the golden core rainbow bird flew over once again. After more than a month of healing, even the injuries of Brian Carter and Blake Carter had fully recovered, not to mention the golden core rainbow bird. Even the tail feather that had been cut off had miraculously grown back. The Golden Core Dao truly was wondrous. Brian Carter couldn’t even imagine if he lost an arm, it might grow back as well.

Looking at that dazzling, multicolored bird, a cold glint flashed in Brian Carter’s eyes. The humiliation from a month ago had yet to be washed away. Over the past month, not only had he healed his wounds, but he had also completely digested the innate spiritual energy absorbed from the three beasts. His cultivation had advanced by several degrees, making him incomparable to his former self.

Of course, even with this progress, joining forces with Blake Carter still probably wouldn’t be enough to defeat the golden core rainbow bird.

“Brother Tiger, what do you mean?” Brian Carter looked at Blake Carter.

Blake Carter let out an angry roar, clearly hating the rainbow bird to the core. Now, being almost under house arrest by the bird, it was full of pent-up rage with nowhere to vent. Now that its wounds had healed and its cultivation had improved, it roared, eager for battle.

“Fine, if you want to fight, I’ll fight with you.” Brian Carter was filled with heroic spirit. “You damned bird, you’re blocking us brothers from leaving. Are you trying to recruit a royal consort or something?”

Man, tiger, and bird clashed in a chaotic battle once again. Brian Carter and Blake Carter were injured again, but the golden core rainbow bird didn’t have an easy time either—this time it was even more battered than before. As before, at the final moment, the golden core rainbow bird let Brian Carter and Blake Carter go.

In the blink of an eye, spring and summer alternated several times, and the juicy peaches ripened five times. In five years, the two sides had fought dozens of times. Each time was a life-and-death struggle. At first, the golden core bird had the upper hand, but in recent battles, the outcome was almost evenly matched, with neither side gaining the advantage. And every time Brian Carter and Blake Carter recovered from serious injuries, their cultivation advanced another level. Thanks to the abundant spiritual energy and the life-and-death battles pushing their potential, Brian Carter and Blake Carter’s innate realms were becoming more and more perfected.

Take Blake Carter for example—over five years, its body had grown smaller, but its fur had become glossier, a sign that it had reached the peak of the innate realm. The only thing that faintly worried Brian Carter was that two symmetrical lumps of flesh had grown on Blake Carter’s back. He didn’t know if it was some kind of illness. Blake Carter wouldn’t let Brian Carter touch them; every time he tried, Blake Carter would get angry.

As for Brian Carter, his complexion now faintly glowed with a jade-like luster—a sign that the innate true qi within him had reached the utmost purity. He believed it wouldn’t be long before he broke through to the great perfection of the innate realm.

Living by this pool for five years had long since made Brian Carter sick of it. He had already agreed with Blake Carter to have one last round with the golden core rainbow bird, and then the two of them would leave. With the two brothers joining forces now, the rainbow bird might not be able to stop them.

By his calculations, it was about time for the golden core rainbow bird to come challenge them again. The tiger brother and human brother waited, half relaxed and half on guard, for the bird’s arrival. The damned bird had grown more cunning, shifting from open confrontations to frequent sneak attacks, often catching Brian Carter and Blake Carter off guard and leaving them in a sorry state.

However, after waiting for a long time, there was still no sign of the golden core rainbow bird. Just as Brian Carter was starting to wonder about the bird’s intentions, a shrill, miserable cry from the golden core rainbow bird suddenly echoed from the mountaintop deep within the peach grove. Two powerful auras, nearly equal in strength, erupted simultaneously.

“The damned bird is in trouble.” Brian Carter’s brows furrowed as he spoke in a low voice. Blake Carter also stood up, eyes alert, staring into the depths of the peach grove. What kind of creature could pose such a threat to the golden core rainbow bird?

“Brother Tiger, as much as that damned bird annoys us, it’s played with us for five years and never actually tried to kill us.” Brian Carter said gravely, “Before we leave, let’s help it out.”

Blake Carter growled in agreement. Man and tiger dashed side by side into the depths of the peach grove. In the past two years, Brian Carter had also ventured in to catch some delicacies to improve their meals. At first, the rainbow bird was displeased, but over time, it turned a blind eye.

Following the direction of the bird’s shrill cries, it took only a short while for Brian Carter and Blake Carter to arrive outside the golden core rainbow bird’s nest.

“Well, Hongluan, last time you escaped because I was careless. I’ve been looking for you for a long time. It’s been ten years since we last met, and your cultivation has deepened quite a bit. Heh, it seems your talent is impressive—truly my good fortune! Be good and come back with me to be my immortal beast, and you won’t be mistreated. In the future, we’ll roam the immortal realm together.” An arrogant voice rang out.

Chapter Fourteen: The Final Battle with the Golden Core

That voice nearly made Brian Carter tumble to the ground. Heavens, it was a human voice! And the language was almost identical to the Chinese Brian Carter was familiar with. His heart rippled with emotion. It had been over ten years since he came to this bird place, and this was the first time he’d encountered another human. Hongluan? That must be the golden core rainbow bird’s proper name.

Hongluan let out another shrill cry, and a tremendous clash of energies erupted, sending the surrounding grass and trees flying and causing all the beasts to flee.