38 Python Toad (1/2)
After Lyu’s death, using Fang Xing as toad bait had ceased to have meaning.
Even with the perfect lure, Hou Qing was not reckless enough to face the Python Toad by himself; it was, after all, a fourth-tier beast equivalent to cultivators in the fourth tier of Spirit Stage. In his original plan, they would use Fang Xing as bait to lure the Python Toad into their pre-arranged trap, and even then there would still be quite some risk in killing the toad with the third-tier Lyu and Qian and the second-tier Zhao working together.
Yet both Lyu and Zhao were now dead, while Qian was poisoned and had no more than a third of his strength length on top of a new hatred towards Hou Qing. There was no choice but to forfeit this talisman mission; thus to Hou Qing, Fang Xing was as good as dead.
But with a single phrase, Fang Xing had once again managed to trigger Hou Qing’s wrath, and so Hou Qing decided he would first torture the boy before sending him to his demise. Although Hou Qing was wildly furious, he never once let down his guard, and he held on to his [Qin’fen Sword] as he moved closer to Fang Xing with every footstep.
Fang Xing still maintained his smile, his right hand held onto his storage ring behind his head. Whether or not he’d be able to live would now depend upon this single blow!
Impending steps, murderous intent, frosty cold air...
RIBBIT
As both were about to deliver their final strike, an earthshaking sound abruptly came from the forest. As the sound faded, a dark silhouette the size of a small hill leapt up into the chilled air from the northwest. A terrifying shadow was cast over the entire Mount Miasma as it covered what little light there was from the moon.
Within a few breaths, the dark silhouette fell like a falling star towards the exact location Fang Xing and Hou Qing were standing.
Following a loud ‘bang’, winds whirled about in all directions while trees and branches broke off. Both Fang Xing and Hou Qing had to activate their Qi shields for protection before looking almost in unison towards where it had landed.
A toad one hundred feet tall squat itself upon the ground. Two blood-red eyes looked at them grimly.
‘Python Toad. Tier four beast. Mixed blood with Giant Serpent and Mutated Asiatic Toad. Can release toxic smog, has python-like armor that can only be damaged using spiritual weapons…’ Lines of information began to pour into Fang Xing’s brain as he opened his mouth, startled.
It was the sole tier four beast of the outer Mount Miasma and the target of Hou Qing’s current mission. Who would have thought that they didn’t even need to search for it, that it would choose to appear in front of them voluntarily?
“Must be Lyu….” Hou Qing immediately knew the reason for its visit. The night was the Python Toad’s hunting period, and Fang Xing had just so happened to kill Lyu by stabbing him several times around this exact time. To the toad, large quantities of fresh blood mixed with Qi was like a ready-made braised pork waiting to be gorged down.
The only thing he didn’t consider was how fast the toad had arrived, and that it would be at the exact moment he had been about to kill Fang Xing.
Both were stunned by the sheer size and fierceness of the Python Toad. Even at the peak of tier three, Hou Qing did not dare to move recklessly, and Fang Xing even more so as he sat stiffly on his tree branch.
No one dared to move in the face of such a powerful beast.
“Hrm?” At this moment, Fang Xing thought of something. Without any delay, he looked terrified and—as if he was about to sob—he gathered his courage and let out a cry, “Shixiong H— Hou! I beg you, pl— please take me away with you….”
The sound was as soft as a bee’s buzzing and he indeed looked as though he was extremely scared. The toad was not alarmed at the small sound at all.
Surprised, Hou Qing took notice Fang Xing’s expression: it was indeed that of an extremely terrified child, and he soon smiled. ‘The kid is still just a kid after all. He might be daring and cruel, but just the thought of becoming toad dinner has sent him shivering like that…. But then again, it’s normal that kids get scared by monsters.’
As Hou Qing was thinking to himself, he suddenly noticed that Fang Xing was frantically rubbing traces of blood off his body and clothes despite the danger of being seen by the toad. Fang Xing rubbed as he looked at the toad in terror, as if praying not to be seen.
‘Bloodstains….’ Hou Qing cursed at his own stupidity after realizing he had not reacted as quickly as the boy. Although the toad must have been attracted by Lyu’s blood, now that it was between him and Fang Xing, whoever had the least amount of blood on them was less likely to become the next target. With this, Hou Qing also began to rub the stains off from his face.
Hou Qing’s bloodstains were far greater than those on Fang Xing since he had killed the serpent not so long ago. Furthermore, all of that blood had already soaked into his robe; it was impossible to get rid of it all.