At this moment, Mo Qi was on the verge of despair.
Chang Yuning embraced him tightly from behind. She knew her meager magical power was like a drop in the ocean compared to their battle. She simply wanted him to know that she stood with him, come what may.
Mo Qi also realized that it seemed to have reached a moment of life and death.
At this time, the two stars in the sky suddenly rushed towards them, growing larger and closer. Ni Gun realized something was wrong! These were not stars at all, but the eyes of a demonic beast! This was terrifying. Furthermore, because he had gained the upper hand earlier and exerted too much force, the demonic beast perceived it as a provocation and was now lunging primarily at Ni Gun.
A dark, claw larger than a greatsword appeared out of thin air. With a gentle swipe, it dispersed the sword energy into nothingness. With another gentle swipe, it scattered the swords. The swords, losing their radiance, spun dimly in the air before falling.
Ni Gun suffered a backlash, his body violently thrown backward, falling dozens of feet away. Ignoring the pain all over his body, he scrambled up and fled shamefully.
At this point, Mo Qi still hadn't seen the demonic beast's form, only its two eyes, a vivid azure blue. When he saw those two eyes turn towards him, he was petrified and hastily retracted the Sky-Opening Axe, pulling Chang Yuning along as they continued to sprint into the cave.
The demonic beast had intended to scare Mo Qi away, but it hadn't expected him to be startled and flee blindly into the cave. Enraged, the beast pursued them at high speed, letting out furious roars that shook the entire cave. Rocks and dust rained down.
As Mo Qi and Chang Yuning ran, they had to constantly dodge falling debris, appearing utterly disheveled. The two eyes relentlessly pursued them, forcing Mo Qi and Chang Yuning to keep moving forward.
Unknowingly, a faint light appeared ahead. Could it be an exit? Mo Qi and Chang Yuning's spirits lifted, and they quickened their pace towards the faint glow. The glow grew closer, and also clearer. It didn't seem to be light, but something white. It looked like a small, oval mound of earth. Oval? It was an egg! Mo Qi suddenly realized this must be the demonic beast's egg.
At this moment, the demonic beast accelerated its pursuit, its breathing becoming heavier, the panting sounds clearly audible. Mo Qi became even more certain that this was its egg. As they drew nearer, the shape of the white object became clearer; it was indeed an egg.
Chang Yuning said urgently, "This must be its egg. It seems to care about it very much. We can use it to threaten it."
Did she even need to say that? "Alright, let's do that."
Mo Qi pulled Chang Yuning to the giant egg. He quickly took out the Sinless Spear and pressed it against the egg. The two emerald green eyes immediately stopped. Dust kicked up from the friction of its body against the ground, lingering in the air.
At this moment, Mo Qi and Chang Yuning clearly saw it: it was a dragon, but one with wings. Its eyes were particularly wide, like lanterns. This was a unique dragon of this world, a Flying Dragon. This was the fiercest dragon Mo Qi had ever seen.
The Flying Dragon's fierce eyes softened, filled with endless panic. Mo Qi began to negotiate with it, "You back off, don't make any rash moves, and we won't do anything to this egg."
The Flying Dragon seemed to understand and retreated a considerable distance. Mo Qi then picked up the egg and continued walking further into the cave with Chang Yuning. The Flying Dragon followed suit, stepping closer.
They continued to walk for a very long distance, as if there was no end. From the depths, a bloody scent drifted, along with intermittent low growls. It seemed there was another fierce beast!
Chang Yuning suddenly stopped. "How long will this go on? Perhaps we should go back out."
"Don't you think it's safer in here? With this egg, we can threaten the Flying Dragon outside. If outsiders invade, it can help us defend. Moreover, there might be some fortuitous encounter in here."
"But there might be even fiercer demonic beasts inside. Going in would be suicide."
"I think it's worth the risk. Otherwise, going out is suicide. Between suicide and taking a risk, I choose the risk."
"We can't abandon Chang Xunhuan!"
"Do you know which fork he took?"
"No."
"Then let's keep going inside. Once we've searched this fork, we'll search the others."
"I didn't say we shouldn't look for him… I mean we can't just ignore his fate, that would seem too cold-blooded."
"Yes, I understand."
So they continued to walk deeper. The bloody scent grew stronger, and the commotion inside intensified. The Flying Dragon, which had been following closely behind, became increasingly anxious, roaring at Mo Qi incessantly, as if trying to convey something.
"Is it warning us not to go in? Telling us that whatever is inside is terrifying?" Chang Yuning asked Mo Qi.
At this, the Flying Dragon actually nodded. Mo Qi, however, shook his head. "Don't be afraid. If there's a terrifying demonic beast, you go deal with it for us."
The Flying Dragon's eyes seemed to spew fire. It lunged at Mo Qi, baring its claws and teeth. Mo Qi pressed the Sinless Spear against the egg, making a motion as if to stab it. The Flying Dragon immediately begged for mercy and retreated a few steps, its actions quite comical.
Mo Qi pulled Chang Yuning along again. Chang Yuning's legs felt weak, and she could barely walk, so he had to drag her. Mo Qi was in a difficult situation, holding the giant egg in one hand, pulling Chang Yuning with the other, keeping the Sinless Spear aloft, and constantly monitoring the Flying Dragon's movements. It felt exhausting and perilous.
"Aren't you not afraid of death?" Mo Qi couldn't help but tease.
"When was I not afraid of death?"
"Your father told you to flee, and you didn't."
"Did my father escape?"
"But at least he was trying to escape at the time, while you and Chang Xunhuan were waiting to die."
"I was actually very scared then, but when fear reaches its extreme, one just gives up. But now, I'm not that scared, so I don't want to give up."
"If you think about it, you've already died once, so what's there to be afraid of? What's wrong with dying again?"
"That's what I'm thinking, but my legs and feet won't obey me."
"Then shall I carry you?"
"No, I'll walk myself."
Just as Mo Qi was about to forcibly carry her, a deafening roar echoed from within the cave. Mo Qi and Chang Yuning's hearts trembled. They looked ahead; it was still pitch black, and within the darkness, there was a soft white light. Another egg?
Mo Qi's spirits immediately lifted. He handed the egg and the Sinless Spear to Chang Yuning and said, "You hold it here to threaten it. I'll go take a look." Chang Yuning unconsciously took the egg and the spear. Just as she was about to speak, Mo Qi drifted away.
"Simply inhuman!" Chang Yuning cursed inwardly. Mo Qi quickly saw the white light clearly. It was indeed an egg, but a broken one, or rather, a pile of eggshells! It seemed the demonic beast inside had stolen and eaten the Flying Dragon's egg! It was likely that the demonic beast inside was even more ferocious and malicious. Mo Qi then conceived the idea of eliminating this demonic beast. He unhesitatingly continued to move forward.
Finally, this section of the path had an end. He saw the end of the cave. Inside, there was a faint light, illuminating the cave clearly. The light emanated from a fruit. It was a strange fruit, growing from a single blade of grass. The grass was only a foot tall, with two leaves cradling a single fruit. The fruit was round, emitting a red glow, like a red flower, alluringly vibrant. Moreover, the fruit was becoming redder, as if it hadn't reached its peak redness yet.
At this moment, Mo Qi heard a hissing sound. He looked up and was startled. Perched atop the blade of grass was a giant python. Its tail was embedded in a hole in the cave wall, and its head was extended, guarding the grass. It seemed the fruit was some kind of treasure, and it was waiting for its maturity. And this fruit was almost ripe, just a little more.
Mo Qi's sudden appearance was undoubtedly perceived as an enemy by the giant python. Mo Qi glanced sideways; there were countless holes of similar size in the nearby cliff face. The giant python could enter and exit at will, while the Flying Dragon could not. This might be why the Flying Dragon was no match for the giant python. The giant python could employ sneak attacks, striking the Flying Dragon when it was unaware and then retreating into its holes, leaving the Flying Dragon to rage impotently.
Mo Qi's eyes darted. He unleashed the Sky-Burning Stone, aiming it at the giant python. The giant python was indeed agile, instantly retracting into its hole. Mo Qi flashed forward and reached the grass, snatching the fruit. Although the giant python was in its hole, it had a clear view of the situation outside. This had touched its nerve for anger. In a fit of rage, its massive head shot out like an arrow, its gaping maw lunging at Mo Qi, while a cloud of green mist spread through the air.
Mo Qi had already been prepared for its sudden attack. He abruptly threw the Sky-Burning Stone. With a gulp, the Sky-Burning Stone landed in the giant python's mouth. The giant python reacted as if it had swallowed excrement, its eyes bulging. With a boom, the Sky-Burning Stone exploded due to combustion, blowing off the giant python's head. A centipede dies but remains stiff. The giant python's tail retracted into its hole, and it escaped.
It was resolved so easily! Mo Qi hadn't expected it to be so smooth. Now, a problem that vexed him lay before him. Could this fruit be eaten? This item that the giant python valued so highly must be a treasure. But something that is a treasure to a demonic beast might not be so for humans. He held the fruit in the air, observing it closely. Upon closer inspection, he discovered something. The light from the fruit cast onto the wall, and surprisingly, words and human figures appeared on the wall. Mo Qi carefully deciphered the words and was overjoyed. His venture had not been in vain. What was written here was a cultivation technique: Myriad Forms Soul Devourer. This technique could swallow heaven and earth, and reverse the tides.