Chapter 15 The Snake-Man

With the yellow talisman and the chill clearing the way, Gu Zhendong and his daughter walked outwards unhindered.

The snake swarm surged towards them wave after wave, yet they couldn't harm them in the slightest.

Leaving the teaching building, the two arrived at the center of the playground.

The snake swarm inside the teaching building also converged with them on the playground.

Gu Zhendong shouted loudly, "Liu Wuji, I know it's you. Now that you're here, hurry up and show yourself. Playing these childish tricks with me is pointless!"

After he shouted, the snake swarm actually stopped.

Not only did they stop, but the snakes closest to the father and daughter also retreated, clearing a space the size of a basketball court for them.

Then, the earth began to tremble, as if there was an earthquake.

"Tongtong, don't be afraid!"

Gu Zhendong said, holding his daughter's hand.

"Dad, I'm not afraid, but you... why are your hands so cold?"

Gu Yutong asked softly.

Gu Zhendong: "..."

It was one thing to notice it, but why did she have to say it out loud?

Aren't daughters supposed to be their fathers' little padded jackets? Gu Zhendong felt that his little padded jacket was a bit leaky!

Just then, the ground in front of them suddenly cracked open, revealing a huge black snake head!

The snake head soared into the sky, half of its body emerging from the earth.

"Hiss—"

The giant snake was shiny black, and its scales gleamed like metal armor.

The part of it above ground was more than three meters tall, and its body was as thick as a bucket.

"Hiss—"

The black snake flicked its blood-red tongue and let out a strange cry, sending a wave of fishy stench.

Gu Yutong frowned; she sensed an extremely dangerous aura from this black snake.

Gu Zhendong said impatiently, "Liu Wuji, what's the big deal about creating another beast? If you have the guts, come and see me yourself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a muffled voice suddenly came from the giant snake's belly.

"Heh heh heh, Left Guardian Gu, long time no see!"

Hearing this voice, Gu Zhendong was shocked and stared at the giant snake in disbelief. "Liu Wuji, are you inside this beast's stomach?"

"Heh heh heh, Left Guardian Gu, what you see before you is me."

Liu Wuji's voice came from the black snake's belly again.

"You, you, you..."

Gu Zhendong pointed at the black snake, dumbfounded. "How did you become like this? Liu Wuji, what exactly are you?"

The giant snake Liu Wuji stared at Gu Zhendong with its triangular eyes. "Left Guardian Gu, think carefully. With your knowledge, you should be able to figure it out."

Gu Zhendong pondered for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "I understand! You're a demon cultivator! You're a demon cultivator now!"

Gu Yutong asked in confusion, "Dad, what's a demon cultivator?"

"A demon cultivator is someone who occupies the body of an animal to cultivate, turning themselves into something that's neither human nor demon..."

Gu Zhendong explained succinctly.

Gu Yutong said matter-of-factly, "Neither human nor demon, isn't that a demon-man (renyao)? Why would someone want to become a demon-man when they could be a normal person?"

Gu Zhendong sneered, "Who knows what this sinister person is thinking!"

"Heh heh, little girl, I became a demon cultivator all because of you!"

Liu Wuji's words confused Gu Yutong, who immediately retorted, "Nonsense! I don't even know you. What does me being a demon-man have to do with you?"

Liu Wuji grunted. "If your father hadn't taken you, this body of the Underworld Palace (Minggong) away back then, would I have needed to turn myself into this neither-human-nor-demon thing!"

"That was your own choice, Liu Wuji. Don't you dare slander me. My daughter wasn't born to be harmed by scum like you!"

Gu Zhendong shouted, "If you had cultivated step by step, you could have achieved great things. It's just a pity that you have a sinister mind and only think about crooked ways."

"You know nothing, Left Guardian Gu. I didn't expect that after so many years, you still don't know anything."

Liu Wuji shook his massive snake head and sighed. "We cultivators in the secular world can't break through to the Yuanying realm without the empowerment from hidden sects. Back then, your daughter was a great opportunity for me, but you, the traitor, took her away."

"That's why I took a different path and transformed into a demon cultivator. When I heard the news about you half a year ago, it was the critical moment for my breakthrough, so I let you live for another half a year."

"Now, in this secular world, I am invincible! Left Guardian Gu, are you ready to die!"

After speaking, his triangular eyes suddenly turned blood red, revealing a bewitching aura.

Stared at by this gaze, Gu Zhendong suddenly felt a chill all over his body, and an uncontrollable fear arose from the bottom of his heart.

"Humph, you demon-man, with me here, don't even think about harming my father!"

Gu Yutong stood in front of her father, puffed out her chest, and shouted loudly.

"Heh heh heh, little girl, you and I should have had a good relationship, but it's a pity you have a father who doesn't appreciate favors. If you regret it now, it's not too late. Although I can't use your Underworld Palace body anymore, I'm still willing to take you in!"

Liu Wuji said with a lewd smile.

"Bah, you demon-man, you're so shameless!"

Gu Yutong was ashamed and angry, her little face flushed red.

With a wave of her hand, an ice spike appeared in the air and stabbed towards Liu Wuji.

Clang—

The ice spike hit Liu Wuji's metallic scales, not even causing a ripple.

This beast had thick skin and flesh, and she couldn't pierce it at all.

"Little girl, do you like tickling me so much? Why don't you use a little more strength? You're making me itch inside..."

Liu Wuji continued to tease Gu Yutong.

"You bastard, I'm going to fight you!"

Hearing Liu Wuji tease his daughter, Gu Zhendong was furious and rushed towards Liu Wuji in a rage.

Suddenly, Gu Zhendong's right arm began to swell, his muscles bulged, and it became several times thicker, instantly tearing his clothes.

Liu Wuji's eyes narrowed slightly, and he understood what was happening.

"Di Sha Spirit Serpent (Di Sha Ling Mang)... As expected of Left Guardian Gu, you were actually able to subdue the Di Sha Spirit Serpent with your mere Rudimentary Dao (rudao) cultivation. You truly have extraordinary talent!"

Gu Zhendong's right arm was surrounded by a layer of earth-yellow spiritual energy, which was the Di Sha Spirit Serpent that had been causing trouble in his body.

He had only recently been able to slightly control the power of this thing, but he could only unleash two or three tenths of its power.

Bang—

Gu Zhendong punched Liu Wuji's black scales.

"Hiss—"

Liu Wuji cried out in pain.

Gu Zhendong's punch finally had an effect, but the effect was far from what Gu Zhendong had hoped for.

Because he could only use the power of this Di Sha Spirit Serpent once in a battle.

After that, his body would fall into backlash and lose its ability to fight.

It would take at least two or three hours before he could return to normal.

At this moment, a painful expression had already appeared on his face.

This was his trump card, and he had thought it would have a miraculous effect, but who would have thought that it would only make Liu Wuji feel a little pain?

Thinking of this, Gu Zhendong felt even more pain...