“This looks like the skeleton of an eagle-type soulbeast. Probably a magical storm eagle judging from the wind and lightning energies around it...what do you think about his inheritance, Xiao Qi?”

Bai Yunfei was currently staring at a small tornado that was standing still in the same spot. It was about a hundred meters in circumference and had the skeleton of a large eagle inside it.

Xiao Qi shook his head. “I feel his inheritance rejecting me since we’re not really related. I might be able to take it if I force the connection, but...”

“Forget it then, let’s keep on looking.” Bai Yunfei was already turning away to look elsewhere.

“Wait, Yunfei. I feel something calling for me over there, can we go look?” Xiao Qi pointed to the left with his wing.

“Oh?” Turning around, Bai Yunfei started to head in the direction pointed, “Something’s calling for you? Sounds interesting, let’s go take a look!”

Off they went to a large mountain to the left. They were on a direct path to wherever it was with Xiao Qi guiding them.

It was already three days since they entered this part of the Tomb. Three days ago was when Bai Yunfei got the +13 Guaranteed Upgrade Stone after completely annihilating that small mountain they were on. Luckily no skeletons were there on that mountain.

Every mountain they passed by on the way was given a quick look-over to see if any upgrade stones could be found. Bai Yunfei would carefully excavate a part of the mountain in hopes of encountering another ‘treasure mountain’, but to no avail. His luck wouldn’t be so good that a second treasure trove could be found.

For that reason, Bai Yunfei made sure to be more careful with his excavation efforts and dedicated more time in looking at the inheritances of the soulbeasts around.

Xiao Qi and Bai Yunfei took things slowly during those three days. Preferring to scan the area slowly and ‘revering’ every avian soulbeast skeleton they came across, the two tried to find the ‘inheritance’ that was calling out to Xiao Qi.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The Tomb of the Emperor Beasts was by no means a dangerous place. Every inheritance that could be found here was basically as good as a manual filled with the knowledge of their owners to be read. But inversely, these inheritances couldn’t be read by just anyone. The reader had to be compatible with the inheritance, lest they do more harm than good to their body and mind. That was the reason why Bai Yunfei was so careful looking at all the inheritances. He wanted to find the most compatible one for Xiao Qi to study from.

So it was surprising for Xiao Qi to suddenly say he was being ‘called’ by something after three days of searching. He already came to appreciate how magical and mysterious these inheritances were after looking at them for so long. They worked in mysterious ways for many soulbeasts, just like how Long Lan was able to ingest the blood of the Black Dragon King and mutate in ways no one would’ve been able to predict. The Black Dragon King’s blood called out to Long Lan at the time due to their compatibility.

Following that same level of logic, the inheritance that was calling out to Xiao Qi surely had to mean the two of them were extremely compatible! Perhaps it was even the most compatible inheritance for Xiao Qi!

Now that they had a destination in mind the skeletons on the path weren’t being as closely observed as before. It took more than half a day for Bai Yunfei to realize something was off...

He didn’t see a single avian skeleton in the last few hours...

They were still heading towards the same source they felt before, but the landscape had been barren for hours now. Not even a single avian soulbeast had a skeleton here!

It was strange. While Bai Yunfei knew the skeletons of a soulbeast wouldn’t be very close to one another since it would be quite rude for a soulbeast to encroach too closely to the skeleton of another. It was the polite thing for a dying soulbeast to choose an area untouched by the presence of one who came before.

But for an area like this to have not even a single skeleton for so long...

“What is that?!”

Another puzzle came to present itself to Xiao Qi and Bai Yunfei a while later. Just barely noticeable over the horizon was a floating ‘sun’ the color of the rainbow!

Every skeleton had with them parts of their energy that’d linger around after their death. The stronger they were, the more energy that’d be left behind. But...this sun had too much energy!

The higher up they climbed the mountain and closer they got toward this sun, the more suffocated Bai Yunfei felt. The air in the atmosphere was practically enough to make him fall to his knees in reverence!

He had no way of telling how long ago this particular soulbeast had died, but the energy was still as strong as ever. Even stronger than any soulbeasts they met before!

“This has to be...a late-stage class eight soulbeast? No! A peak late-stage class eight soulbeast!” Bai Yunfei cried out, “And those colors...does that mean this soulbeast can control seven different elements!?”

Bai Yunfei could tell the air was having an effect on Xiao Qi as well. The bird was already taking off from Bai Yunfei to fly faster and faster towards the sun.

And when the multi-colored sun was finally in sight...

Bai Yunfei was floored. He thought he’d find the skeleton below the sun or something, but it was a giant tree!

This was the first sign of life he saw since he came into this Tomb! Resources like rocks, stones, and minerals could be found, but none of them were very alive like vegetation!

And this tree was huge!! The canopy of the tree encompassed the entire sky almost with each and every leaf being the size of a roof!

“It’s a parasol tree!!”

Bai Yunfei exclaimed. He was familiar with what kind of tree this was, but he had never seen a parasol tree as large and tall as this one!

His eyes could just barely make out a large nest somewhere near the top of the tree. It was perched on top of a large branch and had an object shining every color of the rainbow in it. This object had a pair of wings extending forth from its main body. Was this one of the beasts of legend...a phoenix?!

Its appearance, it’s aura...it had to be a ‘phoenix’!

“Could...this be...?” Bai Yunfei was slackjawed. There was only one type of phoenix Bai Yunfei could think about that matched this description.

The ‘Immortal Iridescent Phoenix!!”

A soulbeast from the times of antiquity, the Immortal Iridescent Phoenix!

That soulbeast was definitely a beast of legends, so...why was it here right in front of them?!

Bai Yunfei hadn’t an answer for that. He could only stare in awe at the ball of light...

“Yunfei!! I’m going to inherit his inheritance!!”

Xiao Qi’s voice called out to him, startling him out from his stupor.

“Are...are you joking?! You’re choosing this inheritance?! Don’t be rash—senior Bloodhowl said to not focus on the strength of the soulbeast’s owner. It’s the compatibility that matters! If you’re not compatible with the inheritance, then...”

“I’m not being rash...this inheritance is calling out to me. He wants me to inherit his will.”

Bai Yunfei froze. “He’s calling for you? This is the inheritance that’s most compatible with you?!”

Was this...what they called a bloodline resonance?!

A prisma oriole, a soulbeast that would normally live their lives as a class five soulbeast, was experiencing a bloodline resonance with the Immortal Iridescent Phoenix? A soulbeast with the power of a class seven soulbeast since birth?!

“Phew...”

Exhaling was the only thing Bai Yunfei was capable of right now. He couldn’t believe his ears.

He slapped himself on the cheeks to clear his head. “Fine then! We choose this inheritance then!”