Xue Tuzi, Li Zhameng, and Shudu gathered, ready to depart on their journey. Before they left, each stepped forward to pay their respects to Xue Laohu. Shudu moved first, presenting Xue Laohu with a delicate flower. He brushed it gently along Xue Laohu's cheek, a faint smirk lifting the corners of his lips. "Fear not, Grandmaster Xue," he murmured, his voice smooth, "I vow to return to you with my life intact." With a flourish, he grasped Xue Laohu's hand, pressed a soft kiss to it, and then bowed, still holding his sly smile. Xue Tuzi and Li Zhameng looked on, their expressions shifting to barely concealed disgust and resentment.
Xue Laohu pulled his hand back with an awkward laugh, clearly caught off guard by Shudu's boldness. Then it was Xue Tuzi's turn. He stepped forward, his demeanor humble, and bowed deeply. "Shizun…" he whispered, raising his head just enough to catch a glimpse of Xue Laohu's captivating phoenix-like eyes. His voice softened as he added, "Please, take care of Xiao Jiao for me." Xue Laohu offered a warm smile that made Xue Tuzi's heart skip a beat, his boyish charm so disarming. Just then, Xiao Jiao, the little Gu larva, peeked out from under Xue Laohu's sleeve, his big eyes blinking curiously. Xue Tuzi grinned and gave the creature a playful wink. "Xiao Jiao, be good for Shizun." The tiny larva's eyes grew wide and heart-shaped, his eager nods making him look almost as if he'd been struck by an arrow of love.
Finally, Li Zhameng stepped forward to pay his respects. He bowed deeply, his voice steady and full of resolve. "Shizun!" he said with conviction. Xue Laohu rested his hands on Li Zhameng's shoulders, giving him an encouraging look. "Remember your special mission," he reminded him firmly, his gaze unwavering.
"Yes, Shizun. This disciple will not fail you," Li Zhameng promised, his voice filled with quiet determination.
"Good luck," Xue Laohu replied, a soft smile on his face as he waved them off. Jiao Jiao clung to his hand, his big eyes following the group as they disappeared into the thick, rolling fog. Xiao Zongzi stayed behind nestling into her spider web as she devoured a recent prey she had caught.
The journey had barely begun when Shudu and Xue Tuzi started bickering, their voices cutting through the silence of the misty forest. Their argument grew louder with each step, escalating from sharp words to outright insults. Li Zhameng trailed behind them, rubbing his temples and sighing in exasperation. Has Shizun lost his mind? he thought, glancing at the two with a mix of frustration and disbelief. There's no way Shudu Gongzi and A-Tuzi are a match made in heaven. Maybe a match made in the eighteen levels of hell—but heaven, definitely not.
As they ventured deeper into the fog, an eerie silence settled around them, broken only by the rustling of leaves. Suddenly, without warning, a fast, whip-like tail lashed out from the mist, slicing through the air with deadly precision and shattering the rocks nearby. The ground shook, and shards of stone scattered, sending the group stumbling back.
Li Zhameng's heart raced as he scanned the mist for their attacker, the bickering momentarily forgotten. "Stay alert!" he shouted, gripping his gun as he prepared to defend against whatever monstrous creature lurked in the shadows. Shudu and Xue Tuzi fell silent, their faces pale, all their previous hostility now replaced with tense vigilance.
"Lord Shudu? It really is you." A young, hissing voice drifted from within the fog, low and menacing.
The crew tensed, each preparing for what lay ahead. Xue Tuzi quickly unraveled the ribbon in his hair, letting it fall loose as he readied himself, while Li Zhameng quietly loaded bullets into his gun, aiming into the vast emptiness of the mist. Shudu, however, merely frowned, his arms crossing over his chest as his nose twitched in irritation. He knew that voice all too well.
Before anyone could react, the fog parted as a figure lunged at him, her voice filled with venomous rage. "You bastard!"
Shudu sidestepped her attack effortlessly, his expression unimpressed. They began to exchange swift, brutal blows, the fog swirling around them as if caught in the fury of their battle. His opponent was a formidable sight-a snake demoness whose upper body resembled a human woman covered in gleaming silver scales, while her lower half was a massive, titanium-colored tail, thick and coiled with lethal strength. Her dark silver hair was styled into two tight buns, and her golden, slit-pupil eyes narrowed in a vicious glare as they locked onto Shudu with seething hatred.
Shudu dodged her strikes with practiced ease, his movements fluid and unbothered. In between evading her attacks, he managed to land a few well-aimed kicks to her face, each blow driving her back as she shrieked in pain. Her tail lashed out wildly, smashing into the rocks around them, but Shudu continued to dodge her every attempt with a smirk, taunting her with his speed and precision.
"I wonder what's going on between Shudu Gongzi and that snake demoness," Li Zhameng muttered under his breath, crouching low behind a tree with his gun drawn, ready to fire at a moment's notice. He squinted through the thick mist, eyes narrowed as he tried to follow the chaotic struggle.
Xue Tuzi placed a steady hand on the barrel of the gun, gently lowering it. "It's best not to get involved in a demon's love affair," he murmured, his tone calm but laced with caution.
Meanwhile, the demoness whipped her tail through the air, thrashing wildly as she screamed, "You lied!" Her titanium-colored tail struck out in every direction, shattering stones and splintering trees in her rage as she aimed to corner Shudu. He dodged, his expression darkening as he clenched his teeth, barely containing his anger.
"You promised—" she started, but before she could finish, Shudu let out a fierce scream that reverberated through the entire forest, sending birds scattering into the sky and shaking the trees. She winced, covering her ears as dust and debris rained down around them, her narrowed, golden eyes locked onto Shudu with defiant fury.
"Da Ge has been—" she began, but Shudu cut her off with another piercing scream, sending a shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them. The force drove her back, yet she gritted her teeth and screamed back with all her might. "Da Ge has not stopped thinking about you since you abandoned him on your wedding day!"
Li Zhameng's eyes widened as he caught the weight of her words. He turned to Xue Tuzi, hoping to catch any sign of reaction, but Xue Tuzi's face remained unreadable, his gaze fixed intently on the scene before them. Only a slight tension in his jaw betrayed his awareness of the scene unfolding before his eyes.
"Tch." Shudu spat to the side, angrily wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his fists clenching tightly. "I never promised that fool anything," he growled. "Let alone to marry him."
The snake demoness narrowed her piercing golden eyes, rage simmering in her gaze. "Da Ge has been so depressed," she hissed, her voice cracking with fury. "He's even refused to eat—all because of you!" Her thick, silver tail struck the ground in a vicious smack, sending tremors through the earth and splitting it with a sharp crack.
As she cast her gaze around, she spotted Xue Tuzi and Li Zhameng lurking behind a nearby tree. Li Zhameng kept his gun raised, aiming cautiously, though he ducked back behind Xue Tuzi's shoulder. The demoness sneered as she noticed them, her eyes narrowing further. "I can't believe you'd stoop so low as to dual cultivate with mere humans," she spat, her gaze locking directly onto Xue Tuzi.
Xue Tuzi frowned at the accusation, a mix of confusion and irritation flashing across his face.
Shudu let out a harsh scoff. "Me, dual cultivate with those lowly bastards? Don't make me laugh."
But the demoness was undeterred, her eyes never leaving Xue Tuzi. "This one has your demonic energy," she insisted, pointing a long, clawed finger at him. "Don't deny it."
Xue Tuzi shook his head, about to argue, but Li Zhameng quickly interjected, almost eagerly. "That's right!" He tilted his head up, casting a worried look at Xue Tuzi. "Didn't Shizun tell you?"
Xue Tuzi's frown deepened, confusion clear on his face as he looked back at Li Zhameng, his brows knitting together. Shizun hadn't told him anything. Li Zhameng continued, his tone shaking nervously as he continued to explain. "Shudu Gongzi gave you some of his demonic energy—through a pile of his own vomit."
Xue Tuzi's eyes widened in pure horror. "You're telling me... I swallowed that—"
"I'm actually surprised you swallowed it and all—" Li Zhameng went on, stifling a laugh.
"WHAT?!" Xue Tuzi's face turned a furious shade of red, his eyes blazing as he whipped his ribbon down, cracking it on the ground with an intensity that mirrored his outrage. He shot a deadly glare at Shudu, his whole body vibrating with anger.
"You're fucking welcome," Shudu sneered, crossing his arms as his fingers tapped irritably along the hard lines of his muscular forearms. His dark eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction, though his scowl betrayed his impatience.
Xue Tuzi could barely believe what he'd just heard. All this time, he'd thought his Shizun had given him his spiritual energy as a blessing. But the truth was revolting—a horrific image of Shudu vomiting demonic energy straight into his mouth flashed in his mind, making his stomach churn. He staggered back, one hand pressed to his mouth as he leaned against a nearby tree, gagging.
Meanwhile, the snake demoness's rage had only grown. "Da Ge has not eaten since the day you left!" she shrieked, lunging toward Shudu with renewed fury. Her massive tail coiled back before lashing out, but Shudu moved with practiced ease, leaping away and evading her strike like it was second nature.
"And I told you," he shot back, his voice edged with annoyance, "I made no such promises!"
"Liar!" she hissed, her voice raw with frustration. "I even had to go as far as finding human male blood to restore his energy, all because of you!"
Her words hung in the air, thick with accusation. Shudu's expression darkened, but he held his ground, his eyes narrowed, while Xue Tuzi barely managed to keep himself from retching at the side.
Li Zhameng gave Xue Tuzi a sharp look, realization dawning on them at the same time. She was the one who'd been wreaking havoc at Mount Dingbu. Usually, demons would feast on human flesh, but she had only been draining blood from her victims, sparing their lives in a desperate attempt to cheer up her brother with human blood. The two nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. In unison, they charged at her without hesitation.
Li Zhameng leveled his gun and fired several quick rounds, the bullets striking her thick, silver tail. She let out a guttural groan, her eyes flashing with fury as she whipped her tail back in retaliation. Meanwhile, Xue Tuzi moved in closer, wielding his ribbon like a whip, lashing it across her back with precision. The strikes left faint welts on her scaled skin, but she retaliated quickly, flicking her tail with such force that Xue Tuzi staggered, thrown momentarily off balance.
Realizing that the battle had turned into three against one, she snarled and spat a thick, sticky goo, aiming at the trio in a wide arc. Xue Tuzi and Li Zhameng managed to dodge to the side, narrowly evading the attack with practiced ease. But Shudu, who was still struggling to fan away the cloud of dust kicked up by her tail's impact, barely registered the incoming danger. The sticky goo struck him squarely in the eyes, blinding him temporarily.
"Damn it!" Shudu cursed, clawing at his face as he tried to wipe away the thick residue. His vision was clouded, stumbling back, vulnerable as he struggled to clear his eyes. The snake demoness seized the opportunity and fled.