"Hmm... Yellow Eyebrow Rat Wolf?" Chen Tong hesitated for a moment. He knew of a Yellow Brow Monster, but he wasn't sure if it was that guy. And what exactly was a Rat Wolf?
Chen Tong went over everything he knew in his mind, but couldn't find a single clue about Rat Wolves.
As he pondered, West Phoenix Mountain was already close at hand. A golden light suffused with Buddhist might blocked the colorful cloud carrying the two of them. It seemed that all the various Buddhas and deities who passed by were stopped there.
"Hmph, West Phoenix Mountain is just a little mountain, yet it sure puts on airs." Chen Tong sneered. He was about to send a blast of divine power at the Buddhist light barrier and break it when a cold voice rang out in his Sea of Consciousness.
"Kid, if you don't want to alert that guy, I suggest you don't make such a big scene."
Chen Tong: "..."
He knew exactly who Death Underworld Dragon meant. His hand, already gathering power, stopped in midair. He couldn't bring it down, but he couldn't simply withdraw it, either.
"What's wrong?" Bing Lin asked when she saw him.
"N-nothing!" Chen Tong gave an awkward laugh and lowered his hand. "West Phoenix Mountain is right below us, isn't it? Well... to be safe, we should go down and get a sense of the situation before rescuing your sister."
Bing Lin nodded, and the two of them landed steadily on the ground. Trees surrounded them, their green crowns reaching for the sky. The soft lawn beneath their feet felt like a sponge.
"Quick! Hurry! Don't let him get away!" Anxious shouts and the faint sound of hurried footsteps came from the woods ahead.
"Hmm...?" Chen Tong raised an eyebrow. He already had something to do?
With a thought, Chen Tong used the aura-concealing power of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal to hide Bing Lin's presence. Then the two of them hid in a Scholar Tree.
In the woods not far ahead, a scruffy man dressed in a Tiger Skin Beast Robe, with disheveled hair and a bow in hand, kept looking back every few steps as he nocked and fired arrows. He leaped with the agility of a sika deer in the grass, darting about with ease.
Three strange-looking demons with leopard faces and wolf bodies were hot on his heels. A whole pack of lesser demons followed them, cheering like a group of lecherous wolves. The sound sent shivers down one's spine.
"Isn't West Phoenix Mountain Old Thief Tathagata's territory? How come there are demons here?" Chen Tong muttered in confusion.
"Spiritual Mountain has always made it their mission to deliver all living beings from suffering. Anyone who wishes to take refuge in Buddhism is welcome."
Bing Lin's explanation made Chen Tong nod, but soon he sneered. "That old thief Tathagata has quite the ambition. He claims to deliver all living beings from suffering, but really, he just wants to expand his own power. Hmph, he's the sort who swallows meat without spitting out the bones."
Bing Lin glanced at Chen Tong in puzzlement. Why did he always show such deep hatred whenever the Western Buddha Ancestor came up?
As Bing Lin wondered, a loud BOOM rang out below. The shockwave from a spell tore wildly through the surroundings. A moment later, a figure flew out of the woods and crashed hard onto the soft lawn.
"Aren't you going to save him?" Bing Lin asked calmly, glancing down at the grievously wounded man.
"He's just some nobody. I can't be bothered to step in." Chen Tong folded his arms and turned his face away. "Besides, our goal here is to save your sister. I don't want to make trouble before then."
Though Chen Tong refused, his eyes showed that he hoped Bing Lin would step in herself. After all, those three ugly monsters were only True Demon-level, and their auras were nowhere near as powerful as hers.
"Ha ha ha!"
The Beast-clothed Man lay on the soft grass, his chest blown open and bloody bones exposed. His face was as pale as paper as he glared fiercely at the three True Demons before him. At this rate, he would likely end up in their bellies today.
The three True Demons clutched their stomachs and threw their heads back in laughter, looking down at the Beast-clothed Man with mockery and amusement. "You wild country bumpkin, aren't you good at running? Go on, try running again! Ahahaha!"
"You... you evil demons! One day, Buddha Ancestor will take you in." Blood filled the man's mouth as he voiced his last trace of fury and resentment. Deep in his eyes lay a tender affection. Mother, your son has failed you. I won't be able to care for you in your old age.
The anguish of that mournful thought made his eyes slowly close, as if he had given up struggling.
"Brothers, let's stop wasting time on him. I'll send him down to see King Yama right now!"
The smallest True Demon held a gleaming, icy-cold blade and slowly approached the Beast-clothed Man.
"Country bumpkin, don't worry. I'll savor your meat slowly. Rest easy and go."
Alas, I haven't even taken a wife or given Mother a grandchild. What a failure my life has been. Feeling the chill of the blade, he let out one last groan in his heart.
"Yaah...!" The True Demon raised his blade, gathered his strength, and brought it down toward the man's neck. On the tree, Bing Lin flicked her jade hand. A flash of icy sword light shot out and sent the small True Demon flying backward.
"Third Brother!" the other two True Demons cried out. Then they warily scanned their surroundings. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
Chen Tong glanced at her impassively. The power he had already gathered in secret slowly ebbed away. "I thought you weren't going to step in."
"Everyone in this world deserves kindness. Since we've crossed paths, we should save him if we can."
"Looks like your heart isn't as cold as you seem."
"This has nothing to do with my heart." Bing Lin replied, then appeared before the Beast-clothed Man amid a cloud of icy mist, facing the three True Demons.
"Phew! Phew! Phew!"
The lesser demons also rushed out of the woods, their expressions varied and their ranks in disarray.
"Big Brother, she looks like a True Immortal," the plump True Demon muttered to the muscular one beside him.
"Hmph! What's there to fear about a True Immortal? We're True Immortals too!" The muscular True Demon sounded disdainful. "Hey, you little beauty over there! Which mountain are you from? State your name."
The icy mist dispersed, revealing her breathtaking, icy beauty. Her fine, ice-blue hair seemed like the waters of nine heavenly rivers cascading down to earth. Such beauty did not belong in the mortal world.
"B-b-b-big Brother, a b-beauty!" The small True Demon spoke the most trembling words of his life, drool dripping from his mouth.
SMACK!!
The muscular True Demon slapped him on the head. "Look at you, acting like a fool."
"Such a cold aura, such peerless elegance. How could a beauty like her appear here?" Though the muscular True Demon was also captivated, something familiar about her helped him keep his wits.
"Fairy, please tell us which sect you belong to." The muscular True Demon continued, his tone already somewhat gentler.
Bing Lin stood there impassively, without a trace of expression from beginning to end—not even a flicker in her eyes.
"Listen. If you don't want to die, get lost."
Her cool, clear voice rang out, but no one expected such a threatening reply.
Before you continue