Chapter 12: Beating a Dog’s Head to a Pulp

Chapter 12: Beating a Dog's Head to a Pulp

After pondering for a moment, I still decided to ask her, "Can you defeat it?"

Lin Yu widened her eyes. "What do you think? Do I look old? It's thousands of years old, and I'm not even twenty yet!"

"Then there's no question. Let's run." Upon hearing her response, I grabbed Lin Yu's hand and started to rush out. To my surprise, her eyes grew even wider.

"Bai Ci, your...your sister is still inside! Aren't you going to worry about your sister?"

"Sure, but..." I paused, considering my words. "Look, neither you nor I can defeat them. We can't save anyone; we'd just be walking into a double kill."

"But, but..."

Lin Yu hemmed and hawed for a while but couldn't come up with a coherent response. Then, she looked at me with a complicated expression. "Bai Ci, is your family very wealthy? Are you afraid that if your sister survives, she'll compete with you for the inheritance?"

I stared at her speechlessly. At a time like this, she was thinking about such matters?

Before I could say anything, a thunderous explosion rocked behind me, sending dust flying. When I turned back, I found the entrance blocked.

The sole source of light vanished, plunging the hall into pitch-black darkness. However, soon, two yellow lanterns flickered to life in the gloom.

Lin Yu tsked. "Where did those lanterns come from?"

Before she could finish her sentence, I felt a sudden rush of water toward us. The floor was already slippery, and with the added force of the water, Lin Yu and I had to cling to the wall to keep our balance.

A massive silhouette began to emerge from the darkness ahead. Slowly turning my head, I found myself staring at an obscenely large toad!

The toad's back resembled a gray rat, covered in mottled skin with bulging, pus-filled blisters. Its entire body was coated in slime, and as it approached, a putrid stench assaulted our nostrils.

If it touched me, I'd unleash a laser storm right there and then.

I had never seen such a creature before. My instinctive disgust couldn't be helped; I dry-heaved several times before barely tolerating the smell.

Those lantern-like eyes swiveled in my direction, sending shivers down my spine. I knew it was staring straight at me!

"Ah, so you're here," a deep male voice rumbled from the toad's mouth.

Huh? Was that directed at me?

Does this toad actually know me?

But I don't recognize it!

I wanted to say that it had the wrong person, but I found myself suddenly unable to speak, silenced by my own voice.

Four pink tongues on the ground wriggled like snakes, slithering towards me and ascending up my legs before gradually nearing my cheeks.

Just as those tongues were about an inch away from my face, a hole suddenly caved in from the ceiling above me. A beam of white light pierced through the breach, instantly severing the four tongues.

"Not bad, daring to touch even my people!"

Following the voice, I looked up to see Li Fan sitting atop the hole in the ceiling, backlit by the light, gazing down with lowered lids. His slender legs hung casually, and his beautiful eyes were filled with disdain.

The giant toad also noticed him, its body erupting with black mist that gradually condensed into human form.

"Excellent, Li Fan. I never thought I'd meet you again in this lifetime... I didn't even know how to avenge this vendetta!"

With a leap, Li Fan descended gracefully to the ground, and only then did I notice that he was holding a reddish-orange pearl in his hand.

The toad was enormous, nearly filling the entire hall, making Li Fan appear tiny in comparison. This stark contrast in size made me worry for him.

"Lai Yang, you've come to seek revenge?" Li Fan smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "Let me remind you, many have sought retribution against me in recent years, but their graves are now overgrown with grass two meters high."

So this toad's name is Lai Yang. Li Fan's words were indeed arrogant.

The human-like form condensed from the black fog trembled with rage, though its face remained indistinct. I could sense the fury emanating from it clearly.

"Li Fan, you stole my Inner Core, drained my essence blood, preventing me from assuming human form. Shouldn't I seek revenge?"

Li Fan sneered and took a step forward, gently pushing me behind him. "Why did I take your Inner Core and essence blood? Don't you know the reason?"

Lai Yang seemed to have been pricked at a sensitive spot, causing him to fly into a fit of anger. The black aura around him swirled again. "Li Fan! I'll strip off your fox skin today!"

With a hole punched through the ceiling by Li Fan, a new source of light illuminated the hall, allowing me to see the toad in its entirety.

Possibly fueled by Li Fan's provocation, Lai Yang's eyes bulged, and the toad's entire demeanor became menacing.

"Lai Yang, confidence is admirable, but overestimating yourself is your mistake." Li Fan's expression remained impassive as he waved his hand.

In an instant, several streaks of white light flashed, slicing through the toad's body like razor-sharp blades. The humanoid shape that the black fog had painstakingly formed dissipated.

"See, we could have had a civil conversation, but you insisted on ending up in disarray," Li Fan's voice was cold. "With all my enemies out there, they come at me like the Seven Sons of Fudo trying to avenge their grandfather, and not one of them is a match."

Lai Yang's form was rapidly fading, yet a tiny green remnant soul sneaked out and began to flee wildly.

"Li Fan, my master won't let her go! She won't..."

Li Fan furrowed his brow. Suddenly, brilliant scarlet-golden light erupted from his eyes, and a massive aura of killing intent radiated from his entire being.

"I'll spare your life, but only if you return and convey this message to your master," Li Fan's voice was cold as ice. "If anyone dares to lay a hand on her, I'll shatter their skull like a dog's!"

The toad's form dissipated entirely, leaving behind only a tiny remnant soul to return and convey a message to Li Fan.

I approached and tugged at his sleeve, only to notice the pallor of his complexion. It took a while before the golden hue in his eyes gradually faded away.

"Are you all right?" I asked, concern etching my voice.

Li Fan's irises usually held a gentle light chestnut hue, as if they would only transform into a golden tone when he was angered.

"I'm fine. That toad was too disgusting. I should be more cautious with my friends. How could I know someone so revolting?" Li Fan replied.

Suddenly, I recalled Lai Yang's words earlier when he said, "So you're here." The meaning behind those words seemed immense, hinting at some hidden story.

After a moment of hesitation, I decided to share this with Li Fan.

"What else did he say to you?" Li Fan frowned, his tone impatient.

I quickly shook my head. "That's it, just that one sentence."

"Really?" Li Fan looked at me, seemingly skeptical.

Why would he not believe me? I had nothing to hide.

However, Li Fan's reaction piqued my curiosity. Perhaps Lai Yang truly knew something about me.

Upon hearing my repeated assurances, Li Fan visibly relaxed, his voice gentler. "Bai Ci, if anyone says anything strange to you in the future, tell me right away, understand?"