Demon Beast Seeks Shelter

In the lush, dense forest, a giant python with a purple body lashed its long tail violently, and wherever its tail touched, even the thickest trees crashed to the ground.

But the giant python's triumph didn't last long. A long sword flew out of thin air, and a girl in green clothes wielded it, plunging it fiercely into the python's tail and pinning it to the ground.

Taking advantage of the moment when the giant python attacked Sang Ying, Fang Chi gripped his longsword and aimed it at the python's vital spot.

The giant python quickly understood the two's intentions, immediately abandoned Sang Ying, and instead opened its massive jaws towards Fang Chi.

Its venomous fangs snapped down, but an array plate flew out from nowhere and, before the giant python could even bite, firmly protected Fang Chi.

Helpless, the giant python could only watch as the long sword slashed towards its vital spot.

Just as the blade was about to strike it, the giant python suddenly changed its shape.

When everyone came to their senses, the giant python was nowhere to be seen. What was pinned under Sang Ying's sword was clearly just a small purple snake, about the thickness of a finger.

The little snake's tail had been severed by Sang Ying's sword, but without its tail, the little snake dared not be presumptuous at all, and reluctantly coiled itself into a spiral shape.

"What does it mean?" Fang Chi was originally in the heat of battle, suddenly found himself without an opponent and was momentarily confused about the little snake's intentions.

The three of them cautiously approached, and saw the little snake obediently swim up to them, wagging its still-ungrown tail in a fawning manner, completely devoid of its previous arrogance.

"It looks like it's begging for mercy," Sang Ying judged.

The little snake seemed to understand Sang Ying's meaning; not only did it wag its tail more enthusiastically, but it also nodded repeatedly at them.

Upon seeing this, Gu Shu said with pity, "It seems that the reputation of you three as 'Demon Beast slayers' has spread far and wide; even a little snake has heard of your deeds!"

The other two couldn't hear Gu Shu's words, so only Sang Ying felt awkward.

But she still wanted to say, it was all a misunderstanding!

After deciding to stay in the dense forest to hone their skills, the three of them started by fighting third-tier Demon Beast.

A third-tier Demon Beast is equivalent to a human cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Among the three, Sang Ying's Swordsmanship is the best, so she always charges ahead.

Fang Chi's blade wasn't very agile, but it was very powerful. Taking advantage of the Demon Beast's attention being diverted by Sang Ying, he struck at the Demon Beast's vital points. Hai Tingzhou was also forced to familiarize himself with many formations, and now he can cast them instantly.

With their combined strength and teamwork, the three of them swept through the third to sixth tier Demon Beast in the dense forest.

As a result, on one occasion, after facing a sixth-tier green-eyed toad, the toad, due to its high level, developed sentience. When Fang Chi was about to strike as ruthlessly as usual, the toad immediately knelt down in front of them.

Tears, like grass juice, streamed down her large, bright green eyes.

Although Sang Ying didn't know how the toad could perform such complex movements, they were just there to practice and didn't have any deep-seated hatred for each other.

After discussing it for a while, the three of them released the intelligent Demon Beast.

Since then, whenever they encounter a sixth-tier Demon Beast, if they are unable to defeat it, they will kneel down and beg for mercy.

Just like the little snakes now, the only difference is that it doesn't kneel, but lies prone.

"What do we do now?" Fang Chi rubbed his head, his face full of frustration.

Hai Tingzhou silently retracted the array plate. "What else can we do but release it! Didn't you see it was crying?"

As she spoke, the little snake's tears flowed even faster.

Sang Ying: The high-level Demon Beast in this dense forest don't seem to have much backbone.

Seeing that the other two agreed, Sang Ying waved her hand and said, "Alright, you can go now!"

Having received the pardon, the little snake kept wagging its tail and bowing to the three of them. If one didn't know the situation, they certainly wouldn't realize that this guy was the one who provoked Sang Ying and the others first.

Even though Sang Ying said she would let it go, the little snake didn't leave immediately. Instead, it tentatively rubbed against Sang Ying's toes in a friendly manner.

Sang Ying frowned, somewhat puzzled.

However, the more experienced Gu Shu was the first to see through its intentions. "It wants to acknowledge you as its master!"

Recognize the Lord?

Sang Ying had heard that some powerful Demon Beast would recognize a cultivator as their master after being subdued by the cultivator.

But she's only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and this snake dares to gamble and come to claim her as its master?

So it deliberately came to provoke them, just to probe their background and decide whether or not to acknowledge them as its master.

"I will not take you as a pet." Knowing its intentions, Sang Ying directly refused it.

Firstly, Sang Ying was preoccupied with swords and had no time to care for her pet beasts. Secondly, Sang Ying didn't particularly like snakes, and the same went for the giant python.

The little snake could naturally tell that Sang Ying's attitude was so firm.

It was only disappointed for a moment before turning its expectant gaze back to Fang Chi.

The golden vertical pupils should have been frightening, but on this snake, they somehow looked rather cute.

Fang Chi had been chosen, tilted his head while carrying the large sword. "I would like a beast pet, but I prefer one with sharp teeth and claws."

In her opinion, the little snake was still too weak.

Rejected by both men, the little snake lowered its head dejectedly. It hadn't originally planned to follow Hai Tingzhou, but since neither of the two it liked wanted it, it had no choice but to try its luck with Hai Tingzhou again.

"Me?" Hai Tingzhou pointed to himself, flattered, when it looked over.

The little snake nodded.

Hai Tingzhou was somewhat pleasantly surprised. Although the little snake was still defeated by the three of them, Hai Tingzhou could see clearly that if it hadn't been unwilling to fight to the death, the outcome of the final battle would have been uncertain.

Moreover, this is a sixth-tier Demon Beast, which is equivalent to a cultivator in the Golden Core Late Stage.

Hai Tingzhou immediately nodded in agreement, much to the delight of the little snake who had expected to be rejected.

As a member of the Hai Household, Hai Tingzhou had been exposed to a wide range of knowledge since childhood, so he naturally knew about the contracts with Demon Beast.

Generally, when a cultivator signs a contract with Demon Beast, they will choose a master-servant contract. Once the cultivator dies, the Demon Beast will also die.

However, Hai Tingzhou did not do that; instead, he changed it to an equal contract.

This means that if Hai Tingzhou dies, the little snake can still gain its freedom.

If the little snake's initial choice of Hai Tingzhou was somewhat of a compromise, it now genuinely wants to regard Hai Tingzhou as its master.

"Congratulations, Hai Tingzhou! You've had the biggest harvest this time!" Fang Chi said with a smile.

Hai Tingzhou; he felt the same way.

"Alright, it's getting late. Let's head back to the cave. It'll also be a good time to celebrate the arrival of our new member." Sang Ying glanced at the setting sun and reminded everyone.

Hearing Sang Ying say this, Fang Chi and the other person immediately set off back. "Great, we're in for a treat today!"

Not long after the three left, hurried footsteps could be heard coming from the woods.

A group of people, dragging a young girl, followed the signs of a fight and arrived. The leader examined the footprints on the ground and asked, "Does your junior sister really have a treasure on her?"

The others remained silent, but they all knew who their master was asking.

The person holding the girl tightened their grip. The disheveled girl in the white dress winced in pain and quickly said, "I'm sure! My junior sister has always been lucky; she definitely got the treasure from the underground palace!"

The girl in the white dress, Su Fuyun, worried that the other party wouldn't believe her, added, "You might not know, but she also has a direct descendant of the Hai Household with her!"

Su Fuyun naturally didn't know whether Sang Ying had taken any treasures. But as long as she could conceal her secret and shift the blame, what did it matter if she told a lie?

Upon hearing this, the leader seemed to completely believe her and ordered in a deep voice, "They're just ahead, pursue them!"

The group immediately ran in the direction Sang Ying and the others had left, while Sang Ying remained completely unaware of what was happening.

A note from the author:

Thus, a story circulated in the dense forest: the three men carrying swords and knives were Demon Beast traders, and the Demon Beast that encountered them all fled in tears! If you see these three, remember to stay far away. If you can't avoid them, just kneel down! At least you can save your life!

--From the Blue-Eyed Toad (I can't be the only beast to embarrass myself!)