Chapter 46: Supreme Authority

Li Xiang soared through the sky, guided by the figure embedded in his mind. The closer he got to his destination, the more his crimson eyes gradually returned to normal, though his instincts still refused to deviate from the course. 

He flew over golden wheat fields, passed through quiet villages, and glided above the bustling streets of castles until he finally arrived at a small island. 

His little crow brain buzzed with various thoughts, making him appear dazed and confused. 

Li Xiang cawed loudly and landed on the island's highest point. He gazed at the ocean, entering a trance-like state, his mind wandering.

It wasn't until more crows gathered around him that he snapped out of his daze, only to find a scene of complete chaos. 

Crows of all shapes and sizes were squawking over each other, their voices a cacophony, much like a crowded tourist spot during peak season, with no room to move, feathers brushing against feathers.

"Why am I here?"

"Who summoned us?"

"Hey! Watch where you're touching, pervert!"

"Shut up, you ugly crow!"

"What are we supposed to do?"

Li Xiang felt his irritation rise, like a fire burning inside him. 

'Too noisy!'

"Everyone, shut up!" 

Hovering about a meter above the ground, Li Xiang instinctively used his magic. His voice boomed, silencing the cacophony as all the crows turned their attention to him.

Unfazed, Li Xiang puffed out his chest, his beady little eyes darting around rapidly, and at that moment, his crow brain reached its peak intelligence.

His voice grew low and authoritative, commanding respect: 

"I am the servant of the Supreme One... crow! We crows have always been known for our fierce nature, our sharp wits, and our discipline. That is why the Supreme One chose us as familiars. But look at you all—panicking like children! Such behavior is disgraceful! Don't you want to be the Supreme One's familiars, to ascend to a higher level?"

The crows exchanged confused glances for a moment before, one by one, they squawked in unison: 

"We do!"

"We do!"

"We do!"

"Good!" Li Xiang landed back on the highest point, raising his right wing dramatically. "You have the will, and I am pleased. But simply being here isn't enough. Our entrance must be grand, impressive, and fitting of the Supreme One's might. We mustn't tarnish her name, and we must display the unique qualities of the crow race."

"Uh, Boss, should we fly in formation like we normally do?"

Li Xiang eyed the insightful crow that had spoken up and nodded approvingly. 

"Your idea isn't wrong, but it's too ordinary. Every crow in the world flies like that."

"Then what should we do?"

"Yeah, Boss, give us some direction!"

"Come on, there's no way we'd figure it out without your help, Boss!"

"Right, right!"

The crows' eager eyes focused on Li Xiang, waiting for his wisdom.

"Since you're all so eager, I'll gladly take the lead," Li Xiang said, nodding. "Here's the plan: a tornado."

"A... tornado? What's that?"

"Ah, I see you're all inland crows," Li Xiang said, taking a moment to think. He hopped down from the hill and scratched a spiral pattern in the dirt with the tip of his wing.

"Oh, I get it, Boss!"

A crow immediately stepped forward, spreading its wings. It covered its face with one wing and placed the other on its tail, spinning around clumsily.

"Like... like this?" it asked, clearly dizzy.

"Where's your brain at?!" Li Xiang's face darkened in embarrassment. "We're social creatures—our strength is in our numbers, got it? Individually, we're weak, but together we're unstoppable! Now, listen to my orders. I need the best flyers, the ones who can perform the most impressive aerial tricks during mating season. Step forward! And don't give me half-hearted claims—I want the ones that everyone acknowledges as the best!"

The crows squawked excitedly before finally dividing themselves into groups. About a third of the crows stepped forward.

"Not bad!" Li Xiang said, satisfied. "The crows in the back will form the storm clouds above the tornado. The best flyers, who've stepped forward, will make up the spinning core. Let's give it a try. Take flight!"

The crows immediately took to the sky. Following Li Xiang's orders, most of the crows circled high in the air, while a smaller group tightened their formation and spiraled downward. Just before hitting the sea, they swooped up again, creating a massive, swirling tornado of crows.

A black vortex of wings and feathers blotted out the sky.

Li Xiang let out an excited caw, fluttering around in glee before commanding, "Alright, everyone, return!"

"How was it, Boss? Did we look awesome?"

"You looked incredible!" Li Xiang replied, his little crow brain working hard. He suddenly thought of something and, with a dramatic flourish, conjured a light screen. 

The screen displayed a projection of the crows' tornado formation in all its glory.

"Whoa!"

"That's amazing!"

The flock erupted into excited chatter once more. Li Xiang waited a few minutes for them to settle down before speaking again.

"But an impressive entrance isn't enough," he warned. "The Supreme One summoned us to face her enemies. Some of you might wonder why, with her power, she would even need us. But as I said, together, we are powerful! We're no longer ordinary crows—we're familiars with magic! Each of us can contribute a bit of our magic, and together we'll become unstoppable! We can use our advantage in the sky. Even the smallest stone, when dropped from great heights, can kill someone. We'll coat ourselves in magic, dive from the heavens, and become the Celestial Crows! Our names will spread throughout the human world alongside the Supreme One!"

The crows cheered, fired up by Li Xiang's speech.

"But!" he cautioned, "We can't just charge headfirst into battle. A stone smashing against iron will only shatter. We're not that strong yet. We should learn from the sea, not from stone. There's an old saying: 'The highest goodness is like water.' (t/n: A phrase from Laozi's *Tao Te Ching*, meaning the best way to live is to be adaptable and humble, like water.) We should be like the waves, wearing down our enemies over time, or like water droplets, blending seamlessly with the sea, slipping through defenses without getting hurt. Now, let me teach you our first spell: Flow."

As Li Xiang taught the crows how to cast their first spell, the so-called "Supreme One" appeared on the island. She watched Li Xiang and his flock with great interest.

Beneath her black hood, her green eyes twinkled with amusement.

She couldn't understand their language, but she could clearly see what they were doing.

"A fascinating crow... a king among crows, perhaps?" she mused. Her expression shifted to surprise as the crows began to rise in unison, their magic intertwining, forming a potent force. 

Her usual calm demeanor cracked with a hint of astonishment.

"This crow... is extraordinary."

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OGA: Please remember to support this fearless Crow Master with your votes—he deserves it for leading such a spectacular flock!

t/n: i second that, lol.