"Do you yield!?"
Yi Tianxing stomped down hard on the giant eagle's back once more, forcing it to plummet several meters further. His voice, cold and commanding, pierced directly into the creature's mind.
Screeeeech!!
The eagle let out a furious shriek. Ignoring the command entirely, it tilted its head skyward, proud and unyielding.
"You still won't submit? Looks like you need to be taught a proper lesson."
Without further words, Yi Tianxing stomped again, brutally pinning the giant eagle down. This time, he left it no room to resist, slamming it into the earth with overwhelming force.
Boom!!
The eagle crashed to the ground like a falling weight. Tree branches cracked and splintered on impact, painting a scene of destruction. Though the foliage slightly cushioned the fall, it didn't deal any serious damage to the creature—not enough to cause real injury.
"Still thinking of rebelling? Once you're under my foot, forget trying to flip the table. You're not escaping."
Even on the ground, Yi Tianxing's feet remained firmly planted on the eagle's back, like they'd grown roots. The eagle, despite burning with rage, found itself unable to move—Yi Tianxing's oppressive strength was like a mountain pressing down on it.
But the eagle didn't yield. It kept its head held high, staring at the sky, its pride intact. It refused to bow.
Yi Tianxing didn't say a word. He simply kept applying pressure, wearing down the beast's strength bit by bit, aiming to break its will completely.
Yet it wasn't easy.
This eagle was truly proud. Its legs trembled under the burden, barely able to stay standing. But even as its strength drained, its head remained lifted—refusing to kneel.
Yi Tianxing couldn't help but nod inwardly. What a fierce beast. Its energy is almost exhausted, yet it stubbornly refuses to bow. That pride—could it be instinctual? Born into its very blood? It's admirable.
Though he meant to subdue it, Yi Tianxing didn't intend to crush that pride. Pride wasn't a flaw—it was the seed of strength, the foundation of self-respect. If broken completely, the beast's potential might be crippled.
"With power like yours, you must possess some intelligence. I believe you can understand me. Even if you can't, it doesn't matter. If you want to die, I'll grant your wish. But if you want to live, and agree to become my mount, you'll not only survive, but you'll receive spirit pills and resources—everything you need to grow stronger."
He held up a white pill, glowing faintly.
"This is a Tiangang Pill. If you accept, I have many more. They'll help you grow rapidly. But if you refuse—" Yi Tianxing raised his war spear and pointed it directly at the eagle's throat."—I'll kill you on the spot."
The message was clear.
Choose: swallow the pill and become a mount, or die with dignity. Yi Tianxing would not hesitate.
The eagle looked at him, eyes glinting. It could sense the killing intent emanating from Yi Tianxing—he would strike without hesitation.
But the Tiangang Pill…
It exuded a powerful allure, drawing the eagle irresistibly. From deep within its bloodline, something stirred—a wild craving, a sense that this pill could cleanse its blood, strengthen its body, help it evolve. That yearning bubbled up from every cell.
On one side: desire.On the other: pride.And on the edge: death.
The eagle stared long and hard at Yi Tianxing.
Then, slowly, it lowered its head.
A smile crept across Yi Tianxing's face. A bowed head—that was submission. The pill, the threat of death, and his overwhelming might had done the job. A beast like this would only ever submit to a true powerhouse.
It was instinct, etched into its very blood.
"Good. Now, sign the contract."
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing leapt off its back. He didn't worry about the eagle flying off—if it tried, he was confident he could slay it in an instant. No hesitation. Life or death in a breath.
He took out a beast contract scroll, its terms nearly identical to the one he used with Green Emperor. Yi Tianxing had already signed and pressed his blood-mark onto the contract.
Snap!A glow burst from the scroll. The eagle seemed to understand its meaning, and extended a talon, pressing down without hesitation.
A stream of light split in two, shooting into both of their bodies.
Yi Tianxing immediately felt a strange connection, like blood ties. An innate sense of closeness formed between him and the giant eagle.
"From now on, you are my mount—my guardian beast. We live and die together. This Tiangang Pill is your reward. It will heal your wounds and boost your strength."
Yi Tianxing grinned. This was a win. Binding such a majestic creature as his mount at this critical moment—truly a stroke of fortune.
Chirp!
The eagle's gaze softened. It opened its beak and swallowed the Tiangang Pill.
Immediately, its body radiated power. Vitality surged, divine light flickered across its feathers. The wound on its belly began to heal visibly, and its body seemed to swell.
A faint golden sheen danced across its black feathers.A noble aura began to rise from it.
"Hmm? This eagle's bloodline isn't ordinary."
Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up. He summoned the Heavenless Book—with the beast now contracted, it was time to understand its lineage thoroughly.
He flipped the book open.
Ironwing Storm Eagle: Possesses great speed, aligned with the Dao of Wind. Can control gales and use wind-type techniques. Has awakened life apertures—Golden Wind and Heavenly Feather. Physique is powerful, feathers incredibly tough and hard to pierce. Wings as sharp as blades. Contains trace bloodline of the legendary Golden-Winged Roc. With proper training, may undergo a bloodline awakening and evolve toward the ancestral form.
Yi Tianxing's heart leapt with joy.
Looking at the eagle—now meditating to digest the pill—he murmured, "I didn't expect it to carry the blood of a Golden-Winged Roc. Though it's faint, if nurtured carefully, it could truly evolve. If it ever becomes a true Roc… this contract will have been more than worth it."
The Golden-Winged Roc—a divine beast of legend. Kin to the peacock and even the phoenix. Some even say it's more powerful than the phoenix itself. A creature that preys on true dragons. A supreme predator among the heavens.
No wonder this eagle was so proud—its arrogance stemmed from its very bloodline.
Boom!
A pulse of power burst from the eagle's body, then vanished. It had clearly made a breakthrough.
Ferocious beasts had ranks and stages. Once they awakened their Blood Sea, they were effectively at the Divine Sea Realm—drawing on blood essence for strength.
Their breakthroughs were violent and direct, forming vortices of blood in their Blood Sea. One vortex was one grade.Nine vortices—Grade Nine—was equivalent to peak Divine Sea Realm.
This eagle had just formed its seventh vortex. It was now a Grade Seven first-tier ferocious beast.
More importantly, its bloodline had been slightly purified—a thread of faint golden color appeared in its blood. The Tiangang Pill's cleansing properties had triggered this.
The Tiangang Pill, forged from pure yang qi, was capable of washing bloodlines, burning away impurities. Stimulating even a sliver of ancestral power was a natural result.
"From now on… your name shall be Jinpeng. You carry the blood of the Golden-Winged Roc. I hope one day you'll soar to the heavens and truly become a divine bird."
Yi Tianxing gazed at the giant eagle and spoke softly.