Chapter 180: #FreeLuDaomeng!

There were 3 carriages on the road, moving in a straight line. Each one was driven by a City Enforcer. Shibi landed on the roof of the last one. He moved to the edge and leaned over the edge, looking through the window.

He then with drew and sent out a plume of fire up.

A rope with a rock tied at the end of it fell in front of him and he climbed up. A moment later, he landed on the middle carriage and repeated the same action. Shibi sent out 3 plumes of fire…

There was a deafening roar as the flying beat Zen rode on came down.

“Shibi says Shifu Lu is in the middle one!” Zen shouted over the sound of the flapping wings. “Let’s get Shibi out of there and bring the fire! … I mean, the earth.”

He threw a rope over and Shibi quickly climbed up.

“Good!” Zen said once Shibi was seated in front of him. “Let’s do it!”

The beast roared and earth erupted from the ground, catching the middle carriage. The carriage behind veered and tipped over. The front carriage stopped but it was also caught by another earth eruption.

“Alright, now I go down.” Zen said, putting on the long nose mask his father gave him.

“I go with you!”

“No!” Zen said. “We already spoke about this, Shibi. The fewer of us that are down there the better.”

“I protect you.”

Zen smiled. “Protect me from up here.”

He jumped down and landed on the carriage. It had been turned to the side. He opened the door and immediately a spear flew for his face but it was kicked. Lu Daomeng was the one who had saved him, he continued to kick another guard as his hands were cast in heavy set iron cuffs. He leapt out of the carriage.

“Close it! Close it!” Lu Daomeng said as he helped kick the door close. “Master Wang, you’re a fool!”

“You’re welcome, Shifu!” Zen said.

“Spear!” Lu Daomeng leapt between Zen and the oncoming spear. He kicked it off course.

Shibi and Lu Daomeng’s beast threw a combined fire ball at the carriage.

““Come get us!”” they Zen and Lu Daomeng said.

The door of the other carriage blew open and Lou Shan leapt out. She narrowed her eyes at the pair of boys.

“Oh no,” Zen said under his breath.

“That mask,” Lou Shan said, remembering seeing the mask before and who it belonged to.

The beast swooped down and Lu Daomeng and Zen hopped on.

“He freed him!” Lou Shan said.

“You know him?” oe of the enforcers said as they climbed on top of the carriage.

“Yes, that’s… the Boy!”

“Which boy?”

“The boy!” she said. “The Boy with the nose!”

She rolled his eyes at their confusion. “Get back up,” she said. “One of the academy students has freed Lu Daomeng. I’ll make sure they don’t escape.” She leapt away from the enforcers, leaving behind a strong gust of wind.

The beast flew over the woods and found a space to land in. Zen, Shibi and Lu Daomeng hopped off. The beast grunted as it turned to look at them.

Lu Daomeng raised his cuffed hands. “Please assist me with this.”

The beast’s maw snapped shut around the cuffs breaking them.

Zen’s eyes widened. “It can break iron with his bite?”

“Snapping Draco Tortoises have some of the strongest bite force.” Lu Daomeng said, running his now freed hands. “Thankfully, this guy has better control.”

The beast grunted at Lu Daomeng and puffed out steam in his face.

“Alright, I remember the deal.” Lu Daomeng said to the beast.

He touched its head. The beast grew calm and closed its eyes, welcoming Lu Daomeng’s touch. It was the most calm Zen and Shibi had seen the Snapping Draco Tortoise, with no grunting, its wings folded along its back and even its breathing and quietened to a quiet hum.

“What’s going on?” Zen said in confusion.

“Thank you. Our agreement is done and the contract is satisfied.” Lu Daomeng said.

The beast breathed out, the air causing steam from its nostrils. It opened its eyes, its dark ember eyes.

“Wh-What happened?” Zen said. “Its eyes… it’s no longer bound to you?”

Lu Daomeng nodded. “This beast owed me a favour, so we made a temporary contract that I could call on when I needed that favur repayed. He is has more than repayed it.”

The beast grunted as it spread its wings out.

“Fly fast and true, friend.” Lu Daomeng said. “And thank you for everything.”

It roared into the air and took off.

Zen and Lu Daomeng began walking away.

“I can’t believe you just let it go like that.” Zen said. “Most cultivators would keep a beast that powerful under their rule for as long as possible.”

“A good thing I’m not like most cultivators then.” Lu Daomeng said. “I have no interest in dominating another living being indefinitely. Best when they are free.”

“Well, that philosophy is what will kill you.”

They stopped and stared at Lou Shan in shock.

“Because without that beast,” she said, “you won’t survive a battle against me.”