I woke up to find myself transmigrated into a disabled child.

Chapter 254 Combat

The rustling sounds inside the tent gradually subsided. Once the bird of joy, located on the other side of the cave, was certain that there were no more sounds coming from inside the tent, it suddenly opened its half-closed eyes.

A biting wind blew by, and the large bird's wings spread wide, seemingly blotting out the sun, yet it moved silently. Its departure did not alarm anyone else, but it did not escape the ears of the furball.

The three little ones in the tent had fallen asleep at some point, and the baby birds were also sleeping soundly, sprawled out on their sides beside Lezhi's pillow.

The furball, which should have fallen asleep under Lezhi's pats, suddenly opened its eyes, its bright pupils indicating that it had not been in a deep sleep.

Hearing the barely perceptible movement outside the cave, Maoqiu listened intently, confirming that there was no breathing sound from the large bird inside. A dark glint flashed in its eyes, but its body remained still.

It doesn't care that the big bird goes out for a night stroll instead of sleeping. Even if something happens to the big bird and it dies outside, Maoqiu won't care. It only cares about Lezhi's safety.

In this environment surrounded by unfamiliar birds and beasts, no matter what terrible thing happens, Maoqiu will not let Lezhi spend the dangerous night alone.

Leyou and Leting, who were being ignored, were still fast asleep and unable to protest. Even if they woke up and knew what Maoqiu was thinking, they probably wouldn't be able to refute it.

Compared to Maoqiu's fighting prowess, the two of them are indeed trash.

If you want Maoqiu to take notice, you'd probably have to reach Lei Xiu's level. If the two of them knew this, they might be even more motivated to train and study, but unfortunately, they don't.

And this is not the only thing they don't know.

Outside the valley, the moon in the night sky shone brightly, reflecting off the bioluminescent plants in the forest and making the night dreamlike and beautiful. Although the light was not as clear as during the day, it was partially obscured, adding to the mysterious atmosphere.

At the same time, it can also cover up many traces, such as a stalker.

After putting away the vine in his hand and informing the Lingyu Clan of his movements, Lei Xiu's aura calmed down once again. Standing on the thick branches, he became one with the vine tree where he was hiding, and even his breathing rate was almost in sync with it.

The nocturnal creatures rustled and whispered. A single creature might not make a sound, but when there were many of them, they added a touch of life to the forest at night.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, bringing with it a strange smell that caught Lei Xiu's attention.

On a vine nearby, a bird or beast had perched, almost twice the size of Lei Xiu. Its eyes were enormous, no smaller than the moon in the sky, and two peculiar feathers stood upright on its head, adding a touch of embellishment to its round head.

Birds and beasts fly and land silently; if Lei Xiu hadn't been alert, an ordinary person probably wouldn't have been able to detect them even if they got close.

Seemingly sensing Lei Xiu's gaze, the bird-beast, which had been facing Lei Xiu sideways, suddenly turned its head ninety degrees and stared straight at the direction where Lei Xiu was hiding.

Neither side made any rash moves. This was a test of patience, especially since Lei Xiu wasn't sure if the bird had confirmed its location. The best option was for Lei Xiu to remain still.

In a competition, the timing of the attack is very important.

It was clear that both sides were very experienced, and the atmosphere remained deadlocked.

Perhaps sensing the presence of predators, the once noisy forest gradually quieted down. Insects that came out to forage at night, as well as various plants, all chose to remain silent.

The big-eyed bird-beast was very patient, but Lei Xiu was even more patient. From the moment they began their standoff, Lei Xiu was able to slow his breathing, and the longer it went on, the calmer his aura became.

On the contrary, the big-eyed birds and beasts gradually became agitated.

"Cuckoo~"

The bird or beast is issuing a warning by first sounding its warning, telling the person that it's best to leave quickly, as this is its chosen hunting ground.

Lei Xiu, who had been warned, did not move. Not wanting to cause a conflict did not mean he was afraid; he simply did not want to make too much of a commotion.

The appearance of this bird-beast was unexpected, but it wasn't unsolvable. Normally, he would have let it go, and the existence of the bird-beast wouldn't have made any difference, but not today.

He finally found some clues, and the valley not far away was very likely where Lezhi and the others were. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, Lei Xiu would not back down.

Even if he retreats now, he'll come back sooner or later, so it's better to settle things once and for all and defeat him directly.

However, Lei Xiu needs to consider how to fight.

Killing them directly would be simpler, but the Treants wouldn't kill any creature other than insects without reason. Jormungand is the home of all living things, and they also have the right to live.

To defeat it, one must be extremely cautious during the fight, as it might attract more companions and disturb the birds and beasts in the valley.

If Lezhi and the others weren't in this valley, that would be fine, but if they were, his actions might be seen as provocation by the birds and beasts, potentially affecting their safety. Lei Xiu didn't dare to gamble.

Because of his concerns, he can only wait and see, hoping that the bird or beast will know better and leave on its own. Otherwise, once Lei Xiu decides to make a move, he must strike decisively, directly depriving the bird or beast of its ability to call for help without harming it. It is difficult to strike the right balance in this situation.

Without directly confronting Lei Xiu, the big-eyed bird-beast could sense from its intuition that the hidden presence in the shadows was extremely dangerous.

Birds, with their innate keen sense of danger, are far more sensitive to danger than tree spirits. The invisible antennae in their brains are trembling, and the increasingly tense atmosphere causes the big-eyed birds to involuntarily raise their feathers—a typical defensive posture.

The bird-beast's body changed from facing Lei Xiu from the side to facing him head-on, its wings slightly spread, and with its feathers standing up, the bird-beast's size visually doubled.

Just now, when warned, the bird would make a sound, but now that it intends to attack, it has become completely silent. This attitude of attacking without warning is a habit only top predators have.

That's true. If it weren't for the pride of top predators, most birds and beasts would choose to avoid unknown dangers, with only a very few choosing to confront them head-on.

Lei Xiu was having a bad day. The big-eyed bird-beast opposite him looked round and chubby, with round, fluffy fur from its eyes to its head to its belly. It was soft and cute, but it was extremely irritable and had sharp edges and was not smooth at all.

The bird had already taken its stance, a dark glint in its eyes, as if it could unleash a burst of fire at any moment.

It seems this battle is unavoidable!

Having confirmed this, Lei Xiu no longer held back. Raising his half-closed eyelids, Lei Xiu did not use his weapon. His wings silently unfurled behind him, the black and purple color scheme blending seamlessly with the night, not at all jarring. The eye-like patterns on his wings appeared and disappeared, creating a magical contrast with the large-eyed bird-beast opposite him.

A sudden gust of wind arose, its howling sound becoming the clarion call of war. The two sides were on the verge of clash, and the silent battle was incredibly fierce.

The bird, which had been incredibly confident in itself, suddenly found itself ineffective after a single exchange. Purple arcs of electricity erupted from Lei Xiu's hand, and a powerful current surged through its body, causing it to tremble violently. All its attacks immediately became ineffective.

Only then did it remember to call for help, but its vocal cords were paralyzed and it could no longer make a sound.