Half a month passed.
When Fang Shu felt that his Sun-Moon Golden Pool had been thoroughly permeated by the Scarlet True Flying Centipede and had solidified a few strands of Scarlet Gold Divine Light, he stopped spending so much time asleep and slowly roused his mind.
First, his divine sense emerged from his mind to examine his body and survey his surroundings. Then his eyes opened.
"Hm?"
The moment he opened his eyes, Fang Shu's face filled with astonishment.
He discovered that Curse Frog Mantou was not carrying him on its back. Instead, it had swallowed him into its belly.
Fortunately, the creature was loyal through and through. It had merely hidden him inside its belly, without any intention of digesting its master and bringing death upon them both.
Enduring his discomfort without a word, Fang Shu used his true qi to pry open Curse Frog Mantou's mouth and leaped out. Croak... croak!
Curse Frog Mantou froze at first. Then it felt its belly empty out, and a human figure missing all four limbs appeared before it.
It looked closely, and delight immediately spread across its face. Its tongue flicked out, ready to lick Fang Shu. Seeing that the creature still dared to lick him, Fang Shu grimaced, but merely caught its tongue with his magical power and stuffed it back into its enormous mouth.
Croak, croak, croak!
Unable to lick Fang Shu, Mantou was not disappointed. It happily bounded around him like a dog.
Then it shrank as though deflating and jumped toward Fang Shu's head.
Fang Shu had been extremely reluctant to let it perch on his head. After all, what dignity was there in wearing a toad or frog atop one's head?
But then he remembered that throughout his long slumber, he had depended on this creature