Chapter 30. Taotie School

Ash's state of enlightenment was transmitted through his bird which was going through a sticky situation.

{Outside while Ash had went into the cave}

The muscular group of boys were having a back and forth dialogue. " You think that string bean is gonna die first in the cave or make it out alive?"

Another answered, " He'd better come out alive if he wants his bond here to live." All seven laughed at the cold words.

"I don't think the kid inside is useful like Brainiac over here." The boy was insinuating what to do with Ash after he came out.

Alvin stood smiling, contrarily his true colors were hidden deep in his green eyes. He knew about formations and seemingly everything: ranging from plants, to animals, to people in this realm. Seeing him as an asset was enough to let him keep his life.

They might have killed him and his beast had he not shown them his usefulness. His master was not a rich man but he was a beast tamer at one point, so he was given some resources for this journey. One of those being the spirit pouch in one of the boy's hands, and a storage ring in the hands of another.

He could only lament that he was unfortunate enough to meet someone from the Taotie school. A both greedy and belligerent school, known for focusing on the body.

Their members boasted a high emphasis on physical capabilities, they didn't even have weapons. Their body was their weapon. The Taotie school was in direct opposition to his own beliefs, he focused on the school of mind instead of body.

As time passed and the boys got a handle on using the formation's functions, they grew irritated. Grim sat on the ground quietly trying to keep transmitting the white energy between himself and Ash.

One of the boys, having enough waiting around, shocked Ash remotely with a matching talisman to that in Ash's body. Alvin watched on in silence as he was still trying to maintain appearances, he did take a note of who was holding Ash's shock talisman. He already knew which one held his talisman.

Another boy from the group walked over to Grim and broke his wing. Grim dare not open his eyes as the glow in his eyes wasn't controllable.

He cawed loudly as the boys laughed at the poor bird's pain, Grim tried to make sure the pain didn't overflow through the link as it may distract Ash. Unfortunately, the young bird couldn't keep the wave of pain from spreading.

Alvin decided to step in as the brutes were looking more towards Grim as time passed. A wing now but they may just kill the bird before Ash could come out. The kid was most definitely trying something in that cave but Alvin decided to take a risk to help him.

Alvin himself was welcome to any opportunity that would increase his survival. If that kid could do something to mess with the plans of these apes, it was worth a bit of effort. On the flip side, even if the boy was useless, he still had other plans in order to escape.

The group of seven were in the vicinity of the cave's entrance along with Grim at their side. The formation they surrounded wasn't that big but it didn't need to be to accomplish it's job. Alvin walked up to the brutes and begged them to let him see his beast.

The group of Taotie school disciples laughed, jeered, and lightly punched him as a form of enjoyment. He was buying time with them until they heard a bang followed by a roar.

All of the Taotie school disciples stood ready, quickly reaching in their pants one at a time, they all took out a small bag. Alvin had to say that even something as small as not taking their bags out simultaneously showed they were seasoned.

Such an act would have left them vulnerable, but taking out the bags one at a time left the majority of the group ready. Even after hearing the loud bang they did not seem fearful at all.

Grim wanted to open his eyes as he felt his tamer near but then felt both a crisis and opportunity. The bird was then lost in a state of comprehension, he had an aura of death and something obscure.

Ash flew through the air and hit the ground past the formation. He had flown at least a couple of miles at a high velocity. The fall was not pretty, as his body made a noise saying it would be out of commission, probably indefinitely.

Alvin watched as Ash's body hit the ground. His back, was most likely broken and his organs were most definitely ruptured.