A Companion Could Die, but Not This Young Master

?Chapter Nine: A Companion Could Die, but Not This Young Master

With Bi Fan's strength, looking inward was no problem. It was his first time doing so.

His flesh, meridians, and organs were all sturdy, with nothing amiss.

He looked toward his dantian. Inside, he saw a hazy mist—that was naturally his inner breath.

"Damn, why is there a lotus inside my dantian? Isn't that the Two-Colored Strange Lotus I saw in Myriad Snake Den?" Bi Fan was utterly shocked.

The lotus had eighteen petals, alternating black and white. Even the enormous Lotus Leaf was there, floating in the white mist as though nourished by his inner breath.

The lotus looked somewhat wilted, as if it lacked water.

The black petals fared a little better, retaining some luster.

Bi Fan was certain this was the Two-Colored Strange Lotus he had seen in Myriad Snake Den.

As for how the Two-Colored Strange Lotus had entered his body, he had no idea.

He had already figured out some of the answers to the many questions that had troubled him before.

He had changed far too much. The Two-Colored Strange Lotus was likely responsible for most of it; the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Vein Spirit Milk couldn't possibly have such miraculous effects.

Bi Fan tried to sense the Two-Colored Strange Lotus and communicate with it, but got no response. He couldn't use it at all, so it seemed he would have to study it slowly later.

Bi Fan stopped looking inward and saw Dragon Sable's furious expression. He couldn't help finding it a little funny.

"Gluttonous Sable, all right. If I find any top-grade spirit herbs in the future, I'll definitely save some for you." Bi Fan smiled. "Come on, hop onto my shoulder. I still need to find a secluded place to cultivate."

"Chirp, chirp..." Dragon Sable shook its head repeatedly, not daring to go near Bi Fan.

Bi Fan knew Dragon Sable had been frightened. He didn't press it. "Then follow me on your own. Don't get lost."

Bi Fan didn't go far from Evil Fire Snake Lion's lair. He found a secluded spot nearby and began cultivating.

The Evil Fire Poison Lotus that the Two-Colored Strange Lotus had devoured had leaked out quite a bit of spiritual energy. It had slightly increased Bi Fan's inner breath, bringing him another step closer to becoming a Valiance Realm expert.

Bi Fan seized the time to cultivate. Once his inner breath had fully recovered, he began recalling the battle, drawing lessons from it and refining his moves so they suited him better and could unleash greater power.

After a full five hours, Bi Fan's martial skills had improved considerably, and his cultivation had advanced once more.

He stretched his limbs, producing a series of crackling sounds. His whole body felt wonderfully relaxed.

"Ah, that feels great!" Bi Fan groaned.

Dragon Sable had kept watch some distance away the whole time. It no longer dared to burrow into Bi Fan's arms and sleep as it once had.

Bi Fan beckoned. "Gluttonous Sable, come over here. Black Silk won't appear. If Black Silk had wanted to kill you, you'd already be gone."

Dragon Sable understood what Bi Fan said. It hesitated for a moment, then finally chose to trust him and leaped onto his shoulder.

Dragon Sable peered this way and that, afraid Black Silk might appear, ready to bolt at any moment. Its cautious little act was quite amusing.

Only after a long while, when Black Silk still hadn't shown up, did Dragon Sable finally relax and lie down on Bi Fan's shoulder to rest.

After soothing Dragon Sable, Bi Fan prepared to find Evil Fire Snake Lion and spar with it again.

After Bi Fan left, Evil Fire Snake Lion vented its anger on its meal and ate the entire rhinoceros.

As soon as it returned to its Cave Mansion, it discovered that the Evil Fire Poison Lotus it had guarded for over a hundred years was gone.

Evil Fire Snake Lion immediately thought of Bi Fan and hated him to the bone.

By the time Bi Fan arrived, Evil Fire Snake Lion was fast asleep. His arrival startled it awake.

Evil Fire Snake Lion flew into a rage and charged out with a roar. When it saw Bi Fan, its fury blazed even hotter.

Without another word, Evil Fire Snake Lion lunged at Bi Fan and launched a fierce assault.

Dragon Sable had hidden in the woods long ago. Bi Fan unleashed the improved Qingyang Gentle Wind Sword Art, and its power had grown greater.

Although his attacks still couldn't do anything to Evil Fire Snake Lion, he hit it far more often, naturally causing it much greater pain.

Boom! Evil Fire Snake Lion was truly enraged. It charged straight at Bi Fan.

Bi Fan dodged, and Evil Fire Snake Lion slammed into a tree, snapping it in half.

"What tremendous strength!" Bi Fan exclaimed.

In both strength and physical toughness, Bi Fan was inferior to Evil Fire Snake Lion. His advantage lay in his nimble footwork. Taking advantage of the terrain, he kept Evil Fire Snake Lion at bay.

Bi Fan always fought Evil Fire Snake Lion at close range, leaving its serpentine tail no chance to come into play. Instead, it became something of a hindrance.

By comparison, Evil Fire Snake Lion's greatest weapon was its tail. With its venomous tail useless, its combat strength was cut in half.

The more they fought, the angrier Evil Fire Snake Lion became, yet it could never get the better of Bi Fan.

Bi Fan grew stronger and more fluid with every move he used. His whole body was filled with exhilarating energy.

"Dragon Roaring Tiger Howling Fist, second form—Tiger Roar Across a Hundred Rivers!" Bi Fan shouted. He became like a fierce tiger, gathering all his strength into his fist and punching Evil Fire Snake Lion.

Bi Fan unleashed every ounce of strength in his body. The blow was devastatingly powerful.

Evil Fire Snake Lion's enormous body was knocked back several steps.

However, Evil Fire Snake Lion wasn't injured. It pounced again.

Its enormous jaws gaped wide, ready to swallow Bi Fan whole.

Carefree Immortal Finger!

When Evil Fire Snake Lion came close, Bi Fan suddenly struck. His finger force condensed into a thin line and shot into Evil Fire Snake Lion's open mouth.

"Awoo..." Evil Fire Snake Lion howled in pain. It had been badly hurt.

"Since you're already injured, you can't blame me. I might as well finish you off while I'm at it," Bi Fan said coldly.

Bi Fan used Carefree Immortal Finger repeatedly. Knowing how dangerous it was, Evil Fire Snake Lion actually dodged.

"Oh? Looks like you've gotten smarter," Bi Fan said in surprise.

Bi Fan didn't hold back. He sent one attack after another at Evil Fire Snake Lion, and whenever it left an opening, he struck with a deadly blow.

Evil Fire Snake Lion kept spitting out mouthfuls of scarlet blood. The excruciating pain was nearly unbearable, and it had begun to fear Bi Fan.

After fighting for so long without gaining the slightest advantage, Evil Fire Snake Lion knew Bi Fan's exquisite footwork was perfectly suited to counter it. Continuing the fight would bring it no benefit whatsoever.

Evil Fire Snake Lion's fighting spirit had already crumbled. Bi Fan was about to unleash his strongest attack and finish it off as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, Bi Fan heard quite a few people approaching at speed, evidently drawn by the sounds of the fight.

Without the slightest hesitation, Bi Fan abandoned his attempt to kill Evil Fire Snake Lion and quickly vanished into the dense woods.

Bi Fan left. Evil Fire Snake Lion was somewhat baffled, but still very pleased.

At last, that calamity had left. Evil Fire Snake Lion lay on the ground, enduring its pain as it slowly healed.

Evil Fire Snake Lion's calm didn't mean its anger had vanished. It had merely forced it down.

Magic Beasts were naturally violent, and Evil Fire Snake Lion was even more so than most. It had never suffered a loss like this before.

It wasn't that its strength was inferior to Bi Fan's. It was just that Bi Fan's exquisite footwork had made every one of its attacks miss.

A flash of bloody light passed through Evil Fire Snake Lion's eyes. It hated Bi Fan—and, by extension, all humans.

Bi Fan hadn't gone far. He hid nearby, ready to watch the show.

I wonder what will happen when these humans run into an enraged Evil Fire Snake Lion? Bi Fan snickered to himself.

Dragon Sable had returned to Bi Fan's shoulder, puzzled by what he was doing.

Before long, seven humans appeared at the entrance to the valley, all within Bi Fan's view.

"There are people from North Xu Palace!" Bi Fan recognized three of them. They were the same three men who had searched for his tracks by the river.

What a narrow road for enemies to meet on. Since these people wanted to throw their lives away, Bi Fan would gladly oblige them. He just didn't know whether they were all disciples of North Xu Palace.

Let's watch first. If they're all disciples of North Xu Palace, I don't mind giving Evil Fire Snake Lion a hand and letting it kill them with a borrowed knife, Bi Fan thought to himself.

"Judging by the traces of the fight, there was a fierce battle here. It's quiet now. I wonder if the fighting is over."

"I wonder what kind of Magic Beast it was. It must be incredibly strong to snap a tree that takes a man to encircle." The newcomers were full of astonishment.

"Everyone, be careful. The Magic Beast might not be dead. If we're careless, it could ambush us," said a rather seasoned man.

Their loud, heedless chatter had already alerted Evil Fire Snake Lion, which was recovering from its injuries.

This time, Evil Fire Snake Lion had grown smarter. It made not a sound as it slipped into the woods, planning to circle around behind the humans and ambush them.

Evil Fire Snake Lion unleashed all its pent-up fury, swearing to kill these humans.

Evil Fire Snake Lion knew the surrounding area like the back of its hand. It soon circled behind the humans without making a sound.

The seven humans followed the traces of the battle and slowly headed toward the valley, extremely cautious and afraid the Magic Beast would charge at them from ahead.

To look for any clues, the seven humans spread out to search.

Evil Fire Snake Lion crept closer. Its venomous tail swept out and coiled around the neck of the last man. He was strangled to death before he could make a sound.

His Magic Tool fell to the ground, making a noise.

"Jue Min, what are you doing?" One of them turned around and saw their companion, no longer struggling, being dragged away by Evil Fire Snake Lion.

He cried out in alarm. "A Magic Beast! What a vicious Magic Beast! Jue Min is done for!"

The other five turned around and got a clear look at Evil Fire Snake Lion.

Since it had been spotted, Evil Fire Snake Lion dropped Jue Min and swept its long tail across the area with immense force.

"Dodge! That's Evil Fire Snake Lion. Its tail is poisonous!" One of them was knowledgeable enough to recognize it.

The six humans dodged desperately. Though they were in a sorry state, fortunately no one was hurt.

"Get into the woods, or we won't stand a chance!" a young man in purple shouted.

Evil Fire Snake Lion attacked several times without success, and flew into a rage. It charged forward.

The six humans could no longer worry about anything else. They tumbled and scrambled into the woods.

Roar! Evil Fire Snake Lion was burning with fury. It certainly wouldn't let the humans who had entered its valley get away so easily.

Evil Fire Snake Lion raced after them. It picked one of the humans and sent its serpentine tail whipping toward him.

Anyone caught in its coils was unlikely to survive. The man at the rear was scared out of his wits and shouted, "Brothers, save me!"

A companion could die, but not this young master!

The other five understood exactly what he meant. They didn't even look back as they fled for their lives.