Yue Jinxuan staggered forward a few steps and shook her head resolutely.
"No, Senior Brother, you're injured. You go in first."
"I also have the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment 4th Layer; I can hold off this demonic snake."
While dodging the attacks of the Black Abyss Spirit Python, Tang Dou shouted anxiously.
"How can that be? It's too dangerous!"
"Junior Sister, hurry inside. My hide is tough, you don't need to worry."
As they spoke—
The Black Abyss Spirit Python let out a deafening hiss, its massive body pressing down like a mountain.
Yue Jinxuan wanted to argue further.
But Tang Dou didn't give her a choice, pushing her firmly toward the cave once more.
Yue Jinxuan almost stumbled from the push. Looking at Tang Dou's resolute back, a ripple stirred in her heart.
"This damn fatty, usually he looks as timid as a mouse, yet at a critical moment he's so fearless."
With that thought, she swiftly dashed toward the cave.
Tang Dou resolutely turned around.
Facing the Black Abyss Spirit Python head-on, he took a deep breath, preparing to throw himself entirely into this battle.
The Black Abyss Spirit Python seemed to sense his fighting spirit.
It abruptly opened its giant maw, spitting out a pitch-black gas that exuded a bizarre aura.
In an instant—
The surrounding world was enveloped by this aura; the wind and clouds changed drastically, and a violent gale raged.
Tang Dou was caught off guard.
Swept into mid-air by the sudden gale, he felt the world spinning around him, and an unprecedented terror surged in his heart.
Damn it!
This, this, this...
You fucking play dirty!
The pupils of the Black Abyss Spirit Python slit vertically.
Taking advantage of Tang Dou's unstable footing, it lunged fiercely at him, carrying a heart-pounding gale.
Tang Dou's figure flipped in mid-air, deftly evading the strike of the Black Abyss Spirit Python.
In the nick of time.
With a thought, the tips of his toes lightly tapped the void, and his entire body shot forward swiftly like an arrow released from a bow.
A sword beam traced a brilliant trajectory through the air.
Aiming straight for the left eye of the Black Abyss Spirit Python!
Sensing Tang Dou's fierce offensive, the Black Abyss Spirit Python let out a deafening roar.
Its massive body twisted in the air.
It dodged Tang Dou's attack at an unimaginable angle.
Immediately following—
Its blood-fed maw snapped wide open, baring sharp fangs, aiming straight for Tang Dou's waist.
Tang Dou landed swiftly, weaving through the woods like a nimble snake.
At times he suddenly materialized to the left of the Black Abyss Spirit Python, slashing fiercely with his sword, the blade carrying a sharp gale as it heavily cleaved into the snake's body.
At other times he appeared like a ghost on its right, the tip of his sword flashing with a cold glint, directly targeting the demonic snake's forehead.
His movements were incomparably swift!
Powerful though the Black Abyss Spirit Python was, facing such flexible footwork, it appeared somewhat at a loss.
It roared angrily, launching even more violent attacks.
Finally, Tang Dou caught sight of Yue Jinxuan safely entering the cave.
He began to fight while retreating, gradually drawing closer to the cave entrance.
Spotting an opening, his figure flashed like a ghost, leaping into the cave entrance and disappearing from the sight of the Black Abyss Spirit Python.
The Black Abyss Spirit Python roared continuously.
Its body smashed wildly against the cave entrance like a torrential storm, as if it intended to raze the entire cave to the ground.
Seeing Tang Dou return safely, Yue Jinxuan hurriedly went up to him and asked with concern.
"Senior Brother, are you hurt? Let me see."
As she spoke, she reached out her hand, intending to check if there were any wounds on Tang Dou's body.
Right at that moment—
The entire mountain suddenly shook violently, and rubble constantly rolled down from the roof of the cave.
"Crash, crash... bang..."
The sound of falling debris echoed endlessly.
"Ah!"
"Oh no..."
"Senior Brother, what are we going to do?"
Yue Jinxuan's face instantly turned pale as she cried out in alarm.
"This demonic snake is so stubborn! I'm afraid this cave won't be able to withstand its pounding."
Before his voice faded.
The cave entrance had already collapsed from the impacts of the Black Abyss Spirit Python, and giant boulders rolled down.
"Rumble~"
The entire cave was plunged into pitch darkness.
Yue Jinxuan's heart leaped into her throat.
She grabbed Tang Dou's arm, her voice trembling.
"Hurry!"
"We must run deeper inside!"
"Maybe there's still a sliver of hope, let's see if there's another way out!"
Tang Dou gripped her hand tightly and comforted her.
"Junior Sister, don't be afraid, I'm here."
The two staggered forward in the darkness, the sound of falling stones echoing in their ears.
That sound sounded like the footsteps of the Grim Reaper, vibrating through their minds and souls.
Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
In the darkness, Yue Jinxuan tightly clutched Tang Dou's arm, her heart pounding like a drum.
She suddenly shrieked, flinging herself into Tang Dou's embrace and hooking her hands around his neck.
"Ah!"
"Senior Brother, it's so terrifying here."
"Could there really be ghosts?!"
Tang Dou wrapped his arms around Yue Jinxuan's waist.
With one hand on her bottom, he lifted her up gently.
"Don't worry, Junior Sister, I'm here!"
"If any ghost dares to come, see if I don't beat it until it cries."
Yue Jinxuan instinctively raised her slender legs, hooking them around Tang Dou's waist, and hugged him tightly.
"Senior Brother, hold me tight, I'm scared."
Tang Dou bantered.
"Hehe!"
"Junior Sister, you at least have Foundation Establishment cultivation, how can you still be afraid of ghosts?"
Yue Jinxuan exerted a bit more force with her arms and acted spoiled.
"Er..."
"I, I'm just scared, okay!"
"Oh? Didn't you know girls are naturally more timid?"
The two continued moving forward in the darkness.
Suddenly, at a fork in the road, the expression on Tang Dou's face changed drastically.
"Shh..."
"Junior Sister, I see ghost fire."
"What the hell, is there really a ghost here?!"
As he spoke, he grabbed with both hands forcefully, bolted toward one of the tunnels, and ran for his life.
Yue Jinxuan's face instantly turned as white as a sheet.
She abruptly looked back, and sure enough, she saw a wisp of eerie green ghost fire chasing right after them.
"Ah!"
"Senior Brother, run! It's chasing us. Ah! Ah!"
Yue Jinxuan cried out, urging him on continuously.
"Move faster!"
"Idiot, it's coming, hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Hearing this, Tang Dou instantly picked up speed, running wildly in the darkness with the ghost fire clinging tightly behind them.
Tang Dou's chest heaved violently, and his stamina was rapidly depleting.
He finally got a chance to catch his breath and asked anxiously.
"Junior Sister, did we shake it off?"
Yue Jinxuan was so anxious she clamped her legs tightly together and waved her small hands frantically.
"Not yet!"
"Senior Brother, keep running, don't stop, it's catching up again."
"Ah-ah! Run!"
Tang Dou gritted his teeth and accelerated once more.
Yue Jinxuan's sweet shrieks echoed in the darkness.
"Run! Run!"
Finally, around a corner, they shook off the ghost fire.
The two collapsed onto the ground in sheer relief, panting heavily as if they had just woken up from a nightmare.
Yue Jinxuan patted her chest and giggled.
"Senior Brother!"
"I didn't expect you to usually look so unserious."
"Yet you're quite brave at a critical moment!"
Hearing this, the corners of Tang Dou's mouth ticked upward slightly.
"Hehe!"
"Did Junior Sister fall in love with me yet?"
Yue Jinxuan scoffed.
"pah! In your dreams, I gave you a compliment and you're being unserious again!"
Tang Dou chuckled softly and continued.
"Haha! Junior Sister, you don't know..."
"I've been alone and helpless since I was little, and I was often bullied when I was a child."
"Left with no choice!"
"I could only painstakingly study the art of conversation."
"Wallowing and struggling at the bottom, I gradually came to understand a truth."
"And that is..."
Saying this, Tang Dou's expression became exceptionally serious.
"A smile can bewitch the human heart, and wrath and anger can surely terrify demons!"
Hearing this—
Yue Jinxuan's pupils constricted sharply.
Oh my!
What an overbearing little man!
What should I do?
I'm really about to fall for him this time!!