Chapter Fifty-Three: The Fire Elemental Giant

At this moment, Little Bai also regained her senses. Qi Xiao found it odd that a simple first-level cantrip could leave Little Bai dazed for almost ten seconds; perhaps his ambush had been too abrupt, catching her completely off guard.

Little Bai reached out and tapped the air, tearing open a rift where her finger landed. Qi Xiao, however, could not sense any spatial nodes near the tear, yet from within emerged two grotesque creatures, their bodies a purplish-red and wings short and stunted—truly bizarre.

These two imps bared their teeth and lunged at Qi Xiao, who casually swept his hand, casting a breath of frost that sent the little fiends scrambling in panic. Qi Xiao had acquired so many first-level cantrips—and, being naturally adept, had mastered them all effortlessly—that he’d never bothered to test many of the newer ones. This was, in fact, the first time he’d used this particular spell, and to his surprise, he sensed a trace of draconic might within it.

He suspected that this cantrip was an extremely simplified derivative of some ancient spell, likely inspired by the breath of a frost dragon.

Watching the two imps scramble back into the rift in terror, Little Bai looked somewhat embarrassed, though her entire face was wrapped in bandages, making her expression unreadable. Hastily, she tried to bind Qi Xiao with her bandages, then produced a feather and a small pouch, chanting under her breath.

It was an old tradition to use extraordinary materials to aid spellcasting—a simplified form of ritual magic. Nowadays, most sorcerers abandoned such methods. After all, using materials to amplify a spell’s power seemed inefficient compared to simply using scrolls or alchemical items.

However, for conjurers and diviners, employing supernatural materials remained crucial, greatly reducing the cost of their spells. Their methods were more akin to sacrifice than mere assistance, aligning more closely with the orthodox principles of ritual magic.

Naturally, Qi Xiao had no intention of standing idle and letting her complete her summoning. He flashed to her flank, deftly evading the bandages, and fired two frost-laced bullets.

The bandages on Little Bai’s back instantly came alive, snaring both bullets tightly before tossing them aside.

As the beautiful feather and small pouch faded from her hands, a dazzling figure emerged from thin air.

Qi Xiao’s eyes lit up.

“A Radiant Plume Bird!” He instantly recognized this magnificent avian, one he’d long wished to study, hoping to find a transcendent specimen someday. Unexpectedly, he’d come across one here. Its magical potency at least matched that of an intermediate-level sorcerer’s apprentice.

Qi Xiao’s gaze was sharp as he observed the Radiant Plume Bird. Though indoors, its feathers still radiated sunlight—was it actively releasing solar brilliance, storing daylight in its plumage, or was there another explanation? How he longed to study it further…

The Radiant Plume Bird instinctively struck a dramatic pose, but before it could finish its flamboyant display, a sudden chill ran down its spine.

Following the source of the gaze, it spotted a handsome and genial young man standing there. His features would normally evoke warmth and trust, but now his eyes were filled with a ravenous hunger, fixed squarely upon the bird.

Startled, the Radiant Plume Bird promptly folded its feathers and retreated behind Little Bai. What it feared most were perverts coveting its body! With such looks, why not just talk things over? There was no need for such a predatory stare—it was mortifying…

Qi Xiao had no idea why the Radiant Plume Bird suddenly lost its nerve, but Little Bai, connected to her summoned creature by a telepathic link, clearly heard the bird’s inner monologue and felt an urge to punch it.

With exasperation writ large, Little Bai tossed the Radiant Plume Bird forward with her bandages and continued her summoning behind, visibly struggling—her excessive use of summoning and bandages had clearly sapped her strength.

Seeing the Radiant Plume Bird flying toward him, Qi Xiao was more than delighted; he was already planning, under the pretext of battle, to pluck a few feathers for research.

With a flick of his hand, Qi Xiao cast a spell that filled the area with mist, the vapor mingling with dust to obscure vision even further and cling uncomfortably to the Radiant Plume Bird’s plumage.

Before it could shake off the damp earth caked to its feathers, a massive hand of magic reached up from below, grasping at the bird. The Radiant Plume Bird’s body flared with light as it shot upward, but not before the giant hand managed to seize a fistful of its feathers.

A strangled squawk burst forth as the Radiant Plume Bird stared in shock and fury at the bald patch now marring its tail. For a moment, it even considered fighting Qi Xiao to the death—its feathers were its most treasured possession.

Qi Xiao relished the tactile sensation transmitted through the Shaping Hand spell. His goal achieved, he felt a surge of excitement—today was not a wasted day.

But when he retrieved the Shaping Hand and saw the large bundle of feathers in his grasp, Qi Xiao felt a pang of embarrassment. He’d only intended to discreetly obtain a feather or two for study, but with this quantity… The Radiant Plume Bird was surely…

Without a word, Qi Xiao swiftly stowed the feathers in his bracelet, as if nothing had happened, coughed lightly, and resumed firing his gun.

All the while, Little Bai listened to the Radiant Plume Bird’s wailing and summoned her ultimate creature—a massive fire elemental, whose strength rivaled that of a senior sorcerer’s apprentice.

Qi Xiao, however, showed little fear. He raised his gun and fired two bullets shrouded in hurricane winds. The fire elemental’s body expanded, swallowing the bullets whole. It belched, seemingly sated.

If it enjoyed eating, he’d feed it more. Unbothered by the scorching heat of his elemental pistol, Qi Xiao fired four toxin-laced bullets, not caring if the weapon would need repairs later.

The fire elemental was too large a target to bother dodging. It swallowed the toxin bullets as before, but soon after, it seemed to feel unwell and, enraged, spat a jet of flame and advanced on Qi Xiao.

The fire elemental raised a fist the size of Qi Xiao himself and brought it crashing down.

A crater formed in the ground, but when the elemental lifted its hand, there was no sign of Qi Xiao’s crushed remains. Evidently, he had once again used spatial teleportation, appearing at Little Bai’s side—opting to capture the summoner rather than tangle with the elemental.

But Little Bai was well prepared. The Radiant Plume Bird, furious, shrieked at Qi Xiao, then swept its wings, releasing a shield bathed in the radiance of sun and moon—not unlike Qi Xiao’s own star-and-moon shield.

Yet such shields had a critical weakness, one rarely exploited, but which Qi Xiao happened to know.

The fire elemental moved ponderously, searching for Qi Xiao.

Then, a seductive melody drifted through the shield, reaching the ears of both the girl and the bird. The Radiant Plume Bird felt only a slight confusion in its senses, otherwise unaffected, but Little Bai suddenly crouched, clutching her ears tightly, as if she had seen or heard something utterly terrifying.