Accompanying a chorus of barking dogs, the Apostle arrived with its shrimp soldiers and crab generals.
Lin Xiao Tian found himself instantly surrounded.
Yet, he remained unperturbed, his body enveloped in a shroud of lightning.
Lin Xiao Tian took out a purple grain of sand.
In the darkness, this grain of sand was dimmer than even the light of a firefly.
But upon seeing the sand, a blood-red hue flooded the eyes of every monster present.
"Do you want it?" Lin Xiao Tian asked, looking at the Apostle before him.
The Apostle's face was now the same as Yang Lin's, but its expression was contorted.
"You'd best give it to me."
This was the first time Lin Xiao Tian had seen the Apostle angry.
"I'll give you two choices: one, snatch it from me, or two, I'll return it to you."
Upon hearing this, the Apostle's expression grew grave.
"You are willing to return it to me?"
Lin Xiao Tian nodded.
"Then return it."
Lin Xiao Tian raised the object, then playfully drew it back.
"If I just give it to you, wouldn't I be at a disadvantage?"
"Do you think I cannot deal with you?" the Apostle said, faint blue light points flashing across its body.
Lin Xiao Tian understood clearly; this too was the power of elements.
It seemed the Apostle had come prepared this time.
"If you are unwilling to give it, then I will kill you and take it from your body."
"Do you have the ability? Perhaps it will be you who dies," Lin Xiao Tian's tone was nonchalant.
The Apostle chuckled, "The person hiding over there is yours, isn't he? When the fighting starts, can you attend to both sides?"
Lin Xiao Tian had underestimated the Apostle; he hadn't expected its strength to have increased so much this time.
But Lin Xiao Tian wasn't here to fight.
Bang!
A gunshot shattered the surrounding silence.
"Between you and me in a duel, I believe you will be the loser. You should understand the power of this thing."
In reality, this was Lin Xiao Tian's last bullet. He was gambling, betting that the Apostle wouldn't act rashly.
Seeing the gun in Lin Xiao Tian's hand, the Apostle clearly showed a trace of apprehension.
It had always disdained such human tricks. While the weapon could pierce its skin, it could resurrect infinitely and was thus unable to truly harm it.
But this was under conditions of vastly unequal strength!
Facing the Lin Xiao Tian before it, especially with such a weapon, he definitely possessed the power to strike back.
"You have a second choice," Lin Xiao Tian said, looking at it. "I am not here to fight you today; I am here to cooperate."
"Cooperate?" The Apostle frowned, clearly not expecting Lin Xiao Tian to say this.
"You know the way out of the valley. I hope you can lead us."
"Heh heh, do you think that's possible?" The Apostle sneered.
Lin Xiao Tian again raised the sand grain in his hand. "This is a part of your true form's demon core, isn't it? You are truly clever to have thought of this method for hunting. Other demon beasts wouldn't have your ingenuity."
"What a pity!"
"A clone must also take a portion of the demon core. If this portion of the demon core cannot return, then your path of cultivation will come to an end."
Lin Xiao Tian looked at the Apostle with feigned pity.
The Apostle's expression turned cold.
Its face contorted for a moment, then transformed into a monstrous visage. The human features dried out, the skin turned greenish, and its eyeballs became blood-red.
This was the original form of the Taotie!
"You lead me out, and I'll return this demon core fragment to you immediately. If you refuse, you'll never get this fragment in this lifetime. And if, one day, I'm in a bad mood and accidentally refine the demon core, don't blame me," Lin Xiao Tian shrugged.
"How dare you!"
The Apostle was enraged.
"What is there to not dare? Perhaps tonight, I'll even get more demon cores?" Lin Xiao Tian provocatively glanced at the Apostle.
For the first time in its existence, it was being toyed with by a human like this.
However, it was a high-level demon beast after all, and it eventually calmed down.
"How can I trust you? What if you renege on your word after we get out?"
"I cannot get out. I am under a curse, and I must return."
Upon hearing that Lin Xiao Tian was under a curse, the Apostle paused.
Then, it let out a cold snort.
"Hmph! Do you think I'll believe you? These people are here now, and I still have some leverage. Once they leave, what leverage will I have over you?"
"Don't you seem to have a grasp of the situation? You have no choice. If you don't agree to my terms, I guarantee this thing will disappear from the world immediately." Lin Xiao Tian finished, the lightning around his hand surging.
Though the demon core was durable, it wasn't indestructible. Especially such a small fragment; even a slight loss would be an indelible blow to the Taotie's true form.
Looking at the incredibly arrogant Lin Xiao Tian before it, the Apostle was beside itself with rage.
But similarly, it was powerless against Lin Xiao Tian.
Just as Lin Xiao Tian had said, it had no choice!
"Fine! I agree, but that person must be my hostage, otherwise I won't agree." The Apostle pointed at Yang Lin in the distance.
Upon hearing the Apostle single him out, Yang Lin's heart tightened.
He had been tortured to the brink of inhumanity by this monster before.
Seeing it now filled him with fear.
If Lin Xiao Tian actually agreed to the Apostle's terms, and then things fell apart, he would be in deep trouble.
Li Xue and Yang Xin were Lin Xiao Tian's women, after all. What was he?
Lin Xiao Tian had always been helping him; he was merely a burden.
Yang Lin recalled his past experiences. A person of little value in such a dangerous environment was easily abandoned.
When he saw Lin Xiao Tian looking at him, Yang Lin fell into despair.
He had already sentenced himself to death.
Just then, Lin Xiao Tian's voice reached him.
"Impossible! No one will be handed over to you. You have no choice." Lin Xiao Tian's tone was resolute.
Lightning crackled around his hand. Yang Lin looked at Lin Xiao Tian, his heart filled with gratitude.
After a period of stalemate, the Apostle finally agreed to Lin Xiao Tian's terms.
Lin Xiao Tian picked up Yang Lin, and as before, moved with the three of them.
"Lead the way!" Lin Xiao Tian said lightly to the Apostle.
The Apostle gritted its teeth, extremely unwillingly, and began to lead.
Once they truly started running, Lin Xiao Tian realized that the Apostle's strength was indeed not bad. Although the water element's speed boost was moderate, when running at full speed, Lin Xiao Tian would have to exert considerable effort to shake it off.
Not long after, they reached the edge of the valley.
Lin Xiao Tian sensed the area; it was a full hundred kilometers away from the蛟龙's location.
It was already dawn.
The sky in the distance had a faint, fish-belly white hue.
"We're here," the Apostle said, looking at Lin Xiao Tian.
Lin Xiao Tian observed his surroundings and indeed, outside the valley, there were several tents set up by humans.
"It's the Yang family! And the Lin family people!" Yang Lin exclaimed excitedly.
"We're out!" Yang Xin also cried out.
They had endured untold suffering in the valley these past few days.
"Go!" Lin Xiao Tian gently put Yang Lin down.
Yang Lin limped forward, while the two women, reluctant to part, stood by Lin Xiao Tian's side.
"I don't want to leave you," Yang Xin said tearfully.
Li Xue also couldn't help but cry, "Xiao Tian, don't worry, I will definitely rescue you."
Lin Xiao Tian wiped away the tears from the two women's eyes.
"Why are you crying? We've finally escaped; you should be happy."
The three exchanged reluctant farewells. Lin Xiao Tian only felt at ease after confirming they had made contact with the Yang and Lin family members before he turned back.
He dared not leave the valley because the 蛟龙 was constantly tracking his location, and Lin Xiao Tian wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.