Xu Qingtong looked around and saw that it was getting late. He decided to find somewhere to rest for the night. The great hall at the foot of the mountain was definitely out of the question; someone else might already be there. Even if it was empty, he had no intention of resting there again. Two people had just died there, after all, and the thought still unnerved him.
Since that was the case, why not investigate that Mountain Cave? If there was no danger inside, he could spend the night there meditating and resting. If there was, he could retreat and make other plans.
With his mind made up, Xu Qingtong no longer hesitated and headed toward the Mountain Cave. He kept an eye on his surroundings as he walked but noticed no danger. The entrance stood more than ten feet above the ground, with a tree growing diagonally across it and concealing most of the opening.
Xu Qingtong dared not approach rashly. He stood outside the entrance and listened closely. Apart from the howling mountain wind, however, there seemed to be no sound from within. He tried extending his divine sense into the cave, only to encounter a faint obstruction, as though a thin veil blocked his way.
Xu Qingtong grew curious. Could this be an ancient ruin? The thought stirred his excitement. His encounter with Yu Xuzi at the bottom of the lake had brought him rich rewards. If this was another ancient ruin, he might make another small fortune.
He leaped up and caught the tree trunk at the entrance, then swung his body and glided into the cave.
Once inside, Xu Qingtong activated a Shield Talisman to protect himself. Holding the Red Sun Sword in his right hand, he slowly ventured deeper. The cave extended far into the mountain and was pitch-black; he could barely make out anything more than three feet ahead.
Suddenly, he sensed something like a layer of material blocking his path.
Xu Qingtong raised the Red Sun Sword and thrust forward. Sure enough, he struck a barrier. He channeled magic power through his hand, and with a pfft, the Red Sun Sword pierced it. Something like a bubble burst apart. Light immediately appeared before him, and a rank stench hit his face. At the same time, sounds of fighting and mournful cries came from deeper inside.
Xu Qingtong swept his sleeve up to block the stench and quickly held his breath. Gathering his divine sense again, he swept it through the cave. This time, he clearly perceived the scene within.
A long snake as thick as the mouth of a bowl had coiled tightly around a small bird's feet. Its forked tongue flickered from its scarlet mouth, and its gleaming green eyes stared fixedly at the bird.
The little bird looked much like a chicken raised at home. With its feet trapped, it flapped both wings and let out piercing, pitiful cries as it dodged the snake's attacks, occasionally striking back with its long, pointed beak.
When it noticed someone entering, the snake stopped attacking and turned its vivid green eyes toward Xu Qingtong. The little bird also noticed his arrival, and an almost human look of pleading appeared in its eyes.
The sight of the snake gave Xu Qingtong a sense of danger. He guessed that it was a second-tier Demon Beast, perhaps even at the peak of the second tier. He had intended to turn and leave, but the bird's pitiful gaze softened his heart.
When those villains surrounded me at Black Wind Pass, wasn't I just as helpless as this little bird? So be it. Fate brought us together, so I'll do my best to help it. Whether I can save its life will depend on its fortune.
With that thought, Xu Qingtong released the Red Sun Sword, sending it slashing toward the snake's head. Seeing a streak of crimson light shoot toward it, the snake twisted its body and flung the bird away. The bird slammed heavily into the cave wall and fell to the ground. It seemed petrified with fear, spreading both wings to barely keep itself upright as it craned and retracted its neck, watching its surroundings.
After flinging the bird aside, the snake swept its tail and knocked the Red Sun Sword away, then charged swiftly at Xu Qingtong. "Run!" Xu Qingtong shouted at the bird before throwing out a Fireball Talisman. As though it understood him, the bird flapped its wings and fled toward the entrance in a scrambling mixture of flight and hopping.
Once the bird was clear of the snake, he no longer had to hold back. He hurled Fireball Talismans into the cave one after another as though they cost nothing. He also deployed the Goumang Seal, placing it before him as a shield.
The Fireball Talismans instantly lit up the entire cave. Xu Qingtong dared not let down his guard. He continued throwing them while studying the snake intently.
The snake was clearly stronger than the Azure Sea Gate disciple he had killed. More importantly, its tough hide and thick flesh gave it formidable defenses. The fireballs could only briefly stall its attacks; they did not leave so much as a mark.
Xu Qingtong considered his situation. If the fight continued like this, defeat was only a matter of time. Once the demon snake seized an opening and swept its tail at him, what could he possibly use to block it?
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he began edging toward the entrance. The snake refused to let him escape and twisted its body in pursuit. Yet the closer they came to the entrance, the narrower the cave became. Here, the snake could do nothing but bite; its other means of attack were rendered useless. Moreover, when Xu Qingtong hurled fireballs at it, it had nowhere to dodge and could only take the hits.
Man and beast remained locked in a stalemate for a while longer. Xu Qingtong had already used more than half his Fireball Talismans, making his heart ache at the expense. The snake, on the other hand, had not suffered a single wound; the fireballs had merely irritated it.
Xu Qingtong grew anxious, searching for a solution as he fought.
Suddenly, he noticed a small hole seven inches below the snake's head, with blood slowly dripping from it. Judging by its appearance, he guessed that the bird might have pecked it there while fighting back.
This discovery sparked a new idea in Xu Qingtong's mind. Watching for the right moment, he flung three Fireball Talismans into the snake's mouth as it opened its jaws to attack him, throwing it into a frenzy of irritation.
Taking advantage of its agitation, he formed a sword seal with his left hand and poured magic power into the Red Sun Sword, abruptly driving it into the wound on the snake's neck.
Pain shot through the snake, and it tried to pull back. But a snake's scales allowed it to move forward easily, not retreat. It had to turn around before it could crawl away. Xu Qingtong would never give it that chance. He frantically poured magic power into the Red Sun Sword while gathering his divine sense into a sharp spike and shooting it toward the snake's head.
Though the snake was powerful, it had yet to take human form, and its divine sense was comparatively weak. With a flying sword churning relentlessly inside its wound, its mind was even more unsettled. Xu Qingtong's divine sense spike struck, and its body froze for an instant. With a rrrip, a three-inch gash opened seven inches below its head.
Seeing his attack succeed, Xu Qingtong pressed his advantage without mercy, madly pouring all the magic power in his body into the Red Sun Sword.
With a squelch, the Red Sun Sword plunged straight into the snake's heart. Blood immediately gushed out as though a valve had been opened.
As the snake collapsed and writhed, Xu Qingtong felt utterly drained, without a shred of strength left. He dropped onto the ground and gasped for breath.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the snake stopped twitching, and its cold, cruel eyes slowly closed. Xu Qingtong let out a long breath, the heart that had hung in his throat finally settling. Without bothering about anything else, he took out a spirit stone and began meditating to recover.
An hour later, Xu Qingtong rose from meditation, having recovered most of his magic power. This had been his hardest battle since he began cultivating. He had used nearly every means at his disposal. Had the bird not pecked a wound in the snake, it would truly have been difficult to say whose hand would fell the deer.
Right, where was that little bird?
Before you continue