Chapter 112: The Underground Cavern, the Blood Dragon’s Parasite

Xia Jiuxuan carried Duanmu Wan as they fled at full speed.

Only after running for more than a hundred kilometers did Xia Jiuxuan finally stop in a crevice between the rocks of a mountain cliff.

“Was that a demon from the Demon Race just now?”

Duanmu Wan still felt her heart tremble whenever she recalled that aura.

“Mm.” Xia Jiuxuan nodded. “Those pests really do find their way everywhere!”

The invasion of these demons meant that Xia Jiuxuan’s path to greatness would no longer be smooth, and that his future would be filled with uncertainty.

That was why Xia Jiuxuan hated these extraterrestrial demons.

As for Duanmu Wan, there was even less need to explain. The deaths of her parents and the destruction of the Cangwu Sword Abyss were both connected to the demons, so her hatred for them ran even deeper.

“Senior Brother Xia, did that demon take all the treasures in the valley?”

Duanmu Wan had searched for a long time earlier and had found only a single Dragonblood Flower in a crack between the rocks. She had not seen anything else.

“Perhaps. But there should still be some essence blood of the Seven-Winged Blood Dragon left in this valley. Come with me!”

With that, Xia Jiuxuan headed deeper into the rocky crevice.

A dark passageway led straight underground.

Before long, Xia Jiuxuan and Duanmu Wan arrived in a scorching cavern. Ahead of them, boiling lava churned violently.

“It’s so hot.”

Waves of heat rolled over them, leaving Duanmu Wan drenched from head to toe.

When she turned around, she saw Xia Jiuxuan carefully examining her.

“Hey, what are you looking at?”

Xia Jiuxuan said calmly, “What is your dress made of? How is it that it doesn’t turn transparent even after getting wet?”

Duanmu Wan’s face flushed. “Shameless pervert!”

Xia Jiuxuan looked disdainful. “What are you thinking about? I’m merely curious about the material of your clothes. Tch.”

“???”

Duanmu Wan gave him a fierce, contemptuous glare.

“I’m serious.” Xia Jiuxuan wore an utterly solemn expression. “Li Luoyan’s dress is better than yours. It’s much more breathable.”

Duanmu Wan wrinkled her nose, her face full of disdain. “You’ve seen it?”

Xia Jiuxuan replied casually, “Isn’t that obvious? Her figure is just a little better than yours, and she’s just a little bigger too.”

Duanmu Wan felt strange—embarrassed, yet also annoyed.

“When you pinned me down before, you said I was bigger too. Hmph! I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Look, it’s coming out.”

Xia Jiuxuan turned his head and fixed his gaze on the roiling pool of lava ahead.

“What?”

Splash! Splash!

The instant Duanmu Wan finished speaking, the lava began to churn violently. Something long and sinuous was moving within it.

“Th-that’s a dragon!”

Duanmu Wan instinctively retreated several steps and grabbed Xia Jiuxuan’s arm.

“A parasite,” Xia Jiuxuan replied.

Duanmu Wan shuddered with disgust. How revolting were parasites!

“You mean this thing is a parasite that lived on the Seven-Winged Blood Dragon?” she asked anyway.

“Exactly. You’re fairly clever, after all.” Xia Jiuxuan nodded, then continued, “Don’t underestimate it. Before the Seven-Winged Blood Dragon died, these creatures parasitized its body and constantly absorbed its essence blood to grow. They’re quite formidable.”

“If they’re that powerful, we can’t defeat them. Are we really going to capture one?”

Xia Jiuxuan pondered for a moment. “They were powerful once, but they’ve gone hungry for several thousand years. Their strength should have deteriorated by now. Let’s find a way to kill one or two.”

These creatures were extraordinary treasures. Their bodies still contained remnants of the Blood Dragon’s essence blood, which could be used to temper the body if they managed to obtain it.

“It’s coming out again!”

As the lava churned, a parasite as thick as a bowl emerged from the depths.

Xia Jiuxuan immediately summoned his Dragon-Scale Spear, aimed it at the parasite, and thrust it forward with all his strength.

The Dragon-Scale Spear shot out and pierced the parasite precisely through the head.

“Fall back!”

Xia Jiuxuan grabbed Duanmu Wan and retreated dozens of yards.

The parasite writhed in agony, thrashing wildly and sending lava splashing everywhere. The entire underground cavern was soon set ablaze.

“It’s not dead!”

“Don’t rush. Wait a little longer.”

The two of them waited for half an hour. Not only did the parasite fail to die, but Xia Jiuxuan’s Dragon-Scale Spear was melted away instead.

“Damn it, how can its life force be so monstrous? My Dragon-Scale Spear!”

Xia Jiuxuan was furious. The spear that had accompanied him for several months was gone just like that!

Duanmu Wan, however, secretly giggled. “Anyone who crosses me never comes to a good end. See? Retribution has arrived. Hee hee.”

Xia Jiuxuan wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. “Enjoying my misfortune, are you? Believe it or not, I’ll throw you over there as bait.”

Terrified, Duanmu Wan clung tightly to Xia Jiuxuan’s neck. “No! I was wrong. Please, don’t!”

Xia Jiuxuan snorted. “It’s too late for regrets now.”

He raised Duanmu Wan into the air and hurled her forward.

“Ah!”

Duanmu Wan screamed in fright. The bastard was actually serious!

She flew three yards through the air. Xia Jiuxuan gave a wicked grin and grabbed the shoulder strap of her dress, intending to pull her back.

Riiip.

Who could have known that Duanmu Wan’s dress would tear apart instead?

Xia Jiuxuan’s eyes widened. He hurriedly flew forward and pulled Duanmu Wan back into his arms.

Looking down, he saw a pair of eyes that seemed capable of killing him, along with a broad expanse of snowy white.

Xia Jiuxuan’s expression stiffened. He quickly covered Duanmu Wan’s chest with his hand.

“Sorry, sorry! It was an accident. Don’t worry—I’ll compensate you with an even better dress!”

Before Duanmu Wan had time to lose her temper, a tingling sensation spread through her body, leaving her completely stunned.

Had this bastard done it on purpose?

What a shameless old lecher!

Not only had he torn her dress, he had even put his hands on her!

“You’re awful!” Duanmu Wan struggled. “You did the same thing last time, and now you’re doing it again. Hmph!”

Her cheeks crimson, Duanmu Wan shyly rested her chin on Xia Jiuxuan’s shoulder.

Xia Jiuxuan froze. “Hey, hey, I really didn’t do it on purpose. Calm down and show some restraint!”

“???”

Duanmu Wan bit down hard on Xia Jiuxuan’s shoulder. The wretched man had taken advantage of her and still refused to admit it.

“Ow! That hurts!”

Xia Jiuxuan instinctively dropped Duanmu Wan.

“I’m furious!”

Duanmu Wan pulled her skirt upward to cover herself, then glared at Xia Jiuxuan indignantly.

Clack, clack, clack...

Just then, a series of footsteps came from the other end of the cavern.

“On the verge of death, and you still have time to flirt?”

Thud, thud, thud...

The footsteps grew denser. More than a dozen figures soon appeared before Xia Jiuxuan and Duanmu Wan.

Xia Jiuxuan’s gaze darkened, while Duanmu Wan’s heart began to pound. She instinctively hid behind him.

“They... How are they still alive?”

Duanmu Wan whispered in terror.

The people standing before them were precisely those whom Xia Jiuxuan had slain earlier.

Those whose heads had been smashed apart now had their skulls replaced by lumps of bloody, pulpy flesh.

Those whose legs had been severed now had their missing limbs reattached with layers of black armor.

As for those who had lost their heads, their entire necks were covered in black scales, and their heads had been restored as well.

“It was that demon!”

Xia Jiuxuan sensed a dense demonic aura emanating from their bodies.

“What do we do? My cultivation has only recovered to the sixth level of the Innate Realm,” Duanmu Wan said anxiously.

Xia Jiuxuan was far from calm himself. He could not see through the current strength of these people, but he knew that those resurrected by the demonic creature were definitely not weak.