"This is the Illusionary Barrier Forest? It looks quite desolate."
The only response to Zhao Shuning was the calls of some small animals.
Zhao Shuning felt bored. Looking around and seeing no one around, she took out her Qiankun Pouch and gently shook it. A huge ape - like animal crawled out of the pouch.
When Huodou first came out, it was extremely excited. It rolled around and bowed to Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning gave it a disdainful look. If it weren't for the fact that there was no one around, she would never have let out this big trouble.
Seeing its happy look, a smile gradually appeared on Zhao Shuning's face.
"Hey, don't run around."
"Huodou, if you dare to throw stones at me again, I'll shave all your fur off and let the wind blow on your butt."
"Damn it, do you think I'm joking with you!"
Huodou slapped its chest and laughed loudly. Its appearance was not only simple and honest but also a bit funny.
Seeing Zhao Shuning gesturing and talking to it, Huodou thought she was interacting with it and that she liked its actions. So in the next moment, Huodou lowered its head, gasped, and laughed. Then it pulled out a large rock from the ground.
At that time, Zhao Shuning looked terrified.
The moment the large rock was pulled out, Zhao Shuning could feel the ground she was standing on tremble violently.
After that, Huodou picked up the large rock and looked at Zhao Shuning.
"What, what are you doing?"
Huodou laughed and made a throwing motion. Zhao Shuning involuntarily put her hands in front of her.
But the Huodou didn't throw the rock. Looking at Zhao Shuning's reaction, it laughed loudly again. Before Zhao Shuning could react, she saw Huodou pick up the large rock again.
"Hey, I'm telling you, it's okay to play, but there has to be a limit."
After saying this, Zhao Shuning turned around and ran.
Monster beasts were really terrifying. It could pick up such a large rock so easily. Moreover, judging from the monster beast's expression, it thought they were playing and looked extremely excited.
Zhao Shuning was out of breath from running. Seeing this, Huodou stopped and threw the large rock out suddenly.
"Bang!"
The large rock hit a thousand - year - old camphor tree. The big tree was on the verge of falling. It had been rooted for a thousand years, but after Huodou's powerful blow, it fell to the ground.
Huodou jumped up and down, extremely excited at the scene in front of it.
But as soon as it turned around, it was put back into the Qiankun Pouch by Zhao Shuning.
The loud noise just now was faintly noticed by Su Nian and his group in the distance, but none of them paid much attention to it.
Zhao Shuning held the Qiankun Pouch and casually picked up a branch from the ground. She kept hitting the pouch with it, and there were some whimpering sounds coming from inside.
"I, the emperor, can't even tame a small monster beast."
"I'll teach you a lesson for being disobedient!"
"If you don't listen, I'll throw you back!"
The Huodou in the Qiankun Pouch finally quieted down a bit.
Although she knew she had been a bit too harsh, she did it for Huodou's own good.
It was okay for now. Since there was no one else around when it did these things, there was no great harm. But if it did the same thing in front of innocent people, how could they escape its violent attacks?
The phoenix was very intelligent and could understand what she was thinking. But this Huodou was always going against her.
If she didn't train it well, this monster beast might really turn into a ferocious beast in the future. By then, it would be too late when it was hunted down by many high - level spiritual herb masters.
After a good beating, Zhao Shuning opened the Qiankun Pouch. The Huodou crawled out again and became huge.
But at this moment, it looked extremely aggrieved.
It obediently looked at Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning sat down cross - legged. Looking at the trembling Huodou, she motioned for it to sit down too.
"Sit down—"
Zhao Shuning pointed to the open space, but Huodou didn't respond.
Zhao Shuning picked up the branch in her hand and pointed at the open space again. Only then did Huodou slowly move over and sit down.
There was still a hint of fear on its face. Seeing this, Zhao Shuning rarely felt sympathetic. She slowly walked over and sat on Huodou's leg. Huodou was much taller than her. In the Dark Swamp, Zhao Shuning often sat on its leg to rest.
Seeing Zhao Shuning sit on it, Huodou's expression softened a bit.
The little girl shook her head, touched the places on Huodou that had been hurt by the branch, and gently blew on them as she asked, "Does it hurt?"
Huodou seemed to understand Zhao Shuning's words at this moment. Its eyes were hazy, and it nodded slightly with a look of grievance.
"Look, you can understand what I'm saying. I'm a spiritual herb master and an alchemist. I know what you're thinking, little Huodou. The world doesn't revolve around you. If you want to follow me in the future, you have to be obedient. Do you understand?"
Huodou nodded again.
"I don't want to beat you either, but if I don't, you won't listen. You're a monster beast, and there are rules in the beast world. If you hurt people randomly and are defined as a ferocious beast by those high - level spiritual herb masters, you'll be hunted down by them."
"Do you understand?"
Zhao Shuning stretched out her hand. Huodou first instinctively dodged backward. Seeing that Zhao Shuning meant no harm, it carefully stretched out its head and let Zhao Shuning stroke the fur on its head.
"That's right. Be good."
Zhao Shuning was really brave. She was only a third - level spiritual herb master and a fourth - grade alchemist. With this ability, she shouldn't be able to control such a powerful monster beast.
But just like a newborn calf not fearing a tiger, this was the first time Zhao Shuning had disciplined Huodou, and it seemed to have some effect.
After that, Zhao Shuning found that Huodou had become much more obedient.
She thought she had changed this violent big guy. But one day, when she accidentally saw Huodou catching fish by the lake, she felt a headache again.
She saw Huodou pick up a big rock again and then smash it hard at the fish in the water.
During this process, a spirit beast provoked it, and it became extremely violent.
Then, with its powerful hands, it tore the spirit beast's body in half. After hearing Zhao Shuning call it, its expression softened a lot.
Zhao Shuning was so angry that she was almost out of breath. It seemed that the obedient look it showed in front of her before was all an act. As long as she was not around, its violent beast - like aura would be fully revealed.
"Woo woo woo—"
After several such incidents, Zhao Shuning could only let nature take its course. The most urgent thing was to find Teacher Su Nian and the others as soon as possible.
If nothing unexpected happened, this time she could also settle old and new scores with Zhang Tianyuan.