A Demon's Path Chapter 65

From a distance, Dragon Beard Mountain was shaded dark green. It really was pleasing to the eye. Many trees with long branches were scattered about the mountain, resembling the beard of a dragon. That was where the mountain got its name from.

The dragons from legends were born as snakes. They would cultivate their soul until it took the form of a dragon. Snakes were of course in abundance on this mountain. Over the years, their cumulative breath racked up, forming a thick greyish green layer of miasma around Dragon Beard Mountain.

Ling Xiao quickly swallowed a Poison Expelling Pill before he spoke to Shen Mingfang, “Maiden Shen, we can land.”

Shen Mingfang glanced unhappily at Ling Xiao. “Why didn’t you offer me one?”

Ling Xiao chuckled mockingly. “Maiden Shen most definitely won’t take this pinch of poison seriously.”

Shen Mingfang coldly laughed. “Fine. We’re practically on the ground already. Our gifted Celestial Soul Master and pill cultivator Ling Xiao is most definitely not fazed by this height.”

Dammit! I shouldn’t have said that. I really angered that old demonic witch this time! Ling Xiao worried. He just started thinking of how to make up for his mistake, but Shen Mingfang didn’t give him such luxury. She ripped off the Flying Talisman from his broom.

“Wah!” Ling Xiao shouted as he fell to the ground along with his broom.

Even though this mountain was hundreds of meters high, substantially decreasing his falling distance, it was still a large enough distance for Ling Xiao to break out in a cold sweat. He was flying at an altitude of a thousand meters, after all!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Ling Xiao hurriedly summoned four celestial spirits. Two supported his legs with their shoulders whilst the other two pulled Ling Xiao up by his shoulders. This way, it slightly reduced the speed at which he was dropping to the ground.

Ling Xiao felt slightly embarrassed looking at these four small children supporting him with all their might. He unsummoned these wimpy brats that were hard at work when he was several meters from the ground and jumped down the last bit by himself.

Shen Mingfang had been waiting for Ling Xiao on the mountain top for quite some time. She didn’t give him any rest. She said the moment he landed, “Let’s go. It’s time to get to work!”

Ling Xiao was stunned. “We’re here? So fast?”

Shen Mingfang rolled her eyes at Ling Xiao. “The scenery won’t change for another 100 meters. You’d see it all if you simply took a look around. Now cut your chit chat and follow me.”

Ling Xiao trailed behind Shen Mingfang, snorting to himself as he walked, You’re a purple ranked powerhouse, so naturally you can take it all in with a glance. I’m not you, my eyes aren’t like yours.

Ling Xiao felt that the biggest benefit he got from tailgating a powerhouse like Shen Mingfang was that he didn’t need to make a move when something happened. At the very least, neither Demonic Beasts nor Demonic Soul Masters would dare approach them. This was like the fox exploiting a tiger’s might.

The duo arrived at an overhanging cliff. Ling Xiao reached his head over the edge and immediately withdrew in fright. Even if he had 10 hardworking children at his disposal, he would still be dead if he fell down this cliff. There was no way they could pull him back up!

The mountain clearly appeared to be no more than a few hundred meters high, yet the ravine before him fell so deep he couldn’t even see the end!

“Where’s the Thousand-Year Green Snake?” Ling Xiao hastily asked.

Without another word, Shen Mingfang pulled Ling Xiao and jumped down the overhanging cliff.

Ling Xiao’s heart leaped out of his chest. Fuck! I only lightly touched her! It can’t be that she wants to sacrifice us both for love?! I don’t want to die! This old boy has yet to become a real man! But none of his inner outcries mattered. She’d already jumped down and pulled him along with her. Ling Xiao had no choice but to brace himself for impact.

The wind blowing in Ling Xiao’s face cut him like a knife. He could actually feel pain even through his extremely thick skin[1]. The scenery on both sides flashed by. He only got a glance before it was gone again.

Bang! The crisp sound of rock shattering rang out and Ling Xiao finally came to a stop mid-air. He raised his head and saw that Shen Mingfang’s hand had transformed into a claw. It was deeply embedded into the smooth rock wall next to them.

Ling Xiao didn’t dare look down. Imagining what was down there was frightening enough. There was no doubt in his mind the ravine would continue going down way beyond his sight. He was suspended in mid-air like a rag, death looming over him in the form of an endless drop.

The entrance to a cave was visible from where they were hanging. It wasn’t too large, but enough so for a person to squeeze through. Shen Mingfang flourished her other hand and threw Ling Xiao into the cave like a sandbag.

“Aiyah!” Ling Xiao actually bit the dust. He was so stunned by this sequence of events that he felt faint, his vision turning blurred. This was unmistakingly retaliation for touching her!

Ling Xiao knew Shen Mingfang purposely made him suffer. So, he consoled himself, Ah, women. They always want to regain their honour! Such simple words of consolation helped him feel better. He stood up confidently and patted the dust off his body.

However, that confidence left as quickly as it came. There was a large snake looking at him with its beady green eyes not far from where he was standing. Its body was green and some tens of meters long with a girth of more than three meters.

An unfriendly, venomous gaze glinted in the snake’s eyes. It looked intimidating as its forked tongue darted in and out of its mouth, seemingly prepared to make of Ling Xiao its dinner.

What a frightening beast! The hairs on Ling Xiao’s body stood on their ends. His heart froze over; a valley of ice would seem like a spring resort in comparison.

Ling Xiao internally screamed, Shen Mingfang! Where are you? He turned his head and was prepared to slip away, but thankfully there she was. Seeing her stand at the entrance, he felt at ease. If she wasn’t here, he couldn’t escape even if he wanted to. The overhanging cliff was too steep; he couldn’t tell where it started or ended.

“It should be this kind of snake, right?” Shen Mingfang casually asked.

Ling Xiao nodded. “That’s rig-”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Shen Mingfang already arrived in front of the snake. She grabbed at where the snake’s gall was located with one hand.

How quick! Ling Xiao wondered if he was dreaming, for that was the only explanation that made sense. If it were reality, it would truly be impossible for him to explain how she could move so fast.

There was not a doubt in Ling Xiao’s mind that Shen Mingfang would succeed and obtain the snake’s gall with ease. But something out of his expectations happened. A bright light shone from deep within the cave. A small purple ball flew toward Shen Mingfang at a frightening speed!

Ling Xiao didn’t know what it was, but Shen Mingfang did. “It’s a Snake Spirit Soul Pearl!” Shen Mingfang exclaimed, a wild expression on her face. She had no time to dodge. She hurriedly unleashed her Strength Soul stone.

Bang! Two purple balls smashed into each other. Ling Xiao’s vision turned purple. He felt the earth quaking, the mountain shaking, then he fainted.

Ling Xiao woke up, slowly opening his eyes. They had arrived at the cave in the afternoon when it was still light out. The sun had lighted up the cave. But now all was dark, he couldn’t see a thing.

Ling Xiao didn’t dare light up a Fluorescent Stone for fear of being discovered by that Thousand-Year Green Snake. He quickly and softly called out, “Maiden Shen, Maiden Shen?”

“I’m… here,” Shen Mingfang painfully groaned out from the depths of the darkness.

Ling Xiao felt only partly reassured for the moment. Most of him remained tense because he could tell from Shen Mingfang’s voice that she was seriously injured.

“Can I make some light?” Ling Xiao asked.

“Sure.”

With Shen Mingfang’s permission, Ling Xiao took out a Fluorescent Stone and illuminated the cave. Or at least, what was left of it. Ling Xiao was gobsmacked as he speechlessly looked at his surroundings. 

The cave was a mess. The ground was littered with crushed stones of all sizes. Dust filled the air and even now hadn’t yet dispersed. What was once a proper cave, was now a ruin on the verge of collapsing.

There was only a small area around Ling Xiao that still retained its original state. Between a pile of debris before him lay the green snake’s corpse. Shen Mingfang’s claw attack had clearly succeeded in killing it. But where was Shen Mingfang?!

Ling Xiao wanted to use his mental strength to search for her, but he couldn’t. To his surprise, he found that he was surrounded by an array. His mental strength couldn’t pass through it. He was isolated from the outside world!

Ling Xiao was anxious. “Maiden Shen, where are you? Say something. I’ll come find you!”

With a pained voice that was neither loud nor soft, Shen Mingfang spat out two words, “You. Fool!”

Ling Xiao heard her voice loud and clear this time. He quickly took out the magical shovel Ancestor Qi Mo left him. He effortlessly dug a path through the debris toward Shen Mingfang.

Shen Mingfang lied on the ground, soaked in fresh blood. With her hair disheveled and a combination of dust and blood staining her body, she looked nothing like a mature beauty. Instead, she looked filthy!

When Ling Xiao got a good look at the full extent of Shen Mingfang’s injuries, he couldn’t help but inhale a sharp, cold breath. She suffered many wounds. It seemed as though she’d received corporal punishment.

Where Shen Mingfang suffered countless injuries, including multiple serious looking ones, he was unscathed. Ling Xiao instantly understood Shen Mingfang had used that array to protect him in the heat of the moment.

Ling Xiao felt touched for no apparent reason. Even if she wanted to use him, she could still think of saving his tiny life in such a critical moment. He couldn’t repay her kindness with words of thanks alone. At the same time, Ling Xiao viciously scolded himself, Useless! You need a woman to protect you! How embarrassing!

Chapter end