At the critical moment, Little Squeak suddenly wriggled out of Ling Yue's arms.
"Squeak!!!" His baby blue eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, and his fur stood on end.
As soon as the Silver Claw Eagles made eye contact with him, they let out shrill cries of panic and dropped from the sky, dying mid-flight from sheer terror.
Taking advantage of the brief break, Ling Yue pulled herself up using the vines, trying to find solid footing. At first, relief washed over her—she was finally free from those vicious birds. But when she looked up, her face darkened. Above her was nothing but thick white mist. She couldn't even see the edge of the cliff anymore. Climbing further up was out of the question.
Glancing around, Ling Yue noticed something strange about the vines to her left. Moving closer for a better look, she discovered an opening behind them—a hidden cave entrance.
Hesitating for a second, she decided it was better than hanging mid-air. Timing her swing just right, she leapt from the vine and landed inside the cave.
No sooner had she entered than another flock of Silver Claw Eagles swooped down. But the moment they neared the cave, they let out sharp cries and immediately turned tail, fleeing as if sensing something dangerous inside.
Once inside, the first thing Ling Yue noticed was how dark it was. Still, the dimness didn't stop her from spotting the carcass of the Silver Claw Eagle King.
Apparently, during the earlier chaos, the King's body had also rolled into the cave.
Its heart still pierced by her dagger, Ling Yue hurried over to retrieve her weapon.
This is too valuable to waste. I'll also need its claws as proof, she thought.
After pulling the dagger out, she turned her attention to her surroundings. Further into the cave, a faint light glowed. Oddly, the cave was much warmer than the outside, unlike the usual damp, cold caves she knew.
Ye Ning and the others may have sent the distress signal, but Old Mayor Liu won't get here anytime soon. It'll be a while before I can leave.
With that in mind, she cautiously moved deeper inside to scout around.
The further she walked, the hotter it became. Along the path, she saw piles of bones—mountain tigers, wild boars, and even human skeletons littered the floor.
"Squeak?" sensing danger, Little Squeak gripped Ling Yue's clothes tightly and stared ahead with a wary expression.
HissHiss~
At the far end of the cave, something was slowly slithering toward them.
By the time Ling Yue noticed something was off, it was already too late. A snake-like creature appeared before her.
But this was no ordinary snake—it had glowing golden-red skin, its entire body oozed a sticky, molten fluid, and it had no eyes or legs. The only distinct feature on its head was a large, red, crown-like bump.
In a flash, the monster slithered across several meters in one move, leaving behind scorched, blackened ground.
HissHiss~
Though blind, its sense of smell made up for its lack of vision. Sensing unfamiliar intruders, it started spewing red flames.
Acting fast, Ling Yue threw her flying dagger at it—but the result shocked her.
The moment the dagger neared the beast, the intense heat stopped it midair. It dropped to the ground, completely unresponsive.
What?! It erased my spirit brand from the dagger?!
Now she understood—she was in serious trouble.
This wasn't an ordinary creature. Based on its size and the flaming crown, it was likely a spirit beast that had lived on Seven Star Mountain for hundreds of years.
Her mother once told her: A snake spirit beast will grow legs at 100 years, a crown at 500, and a horn at 1000 years of age. Based on that, this thing had to be at least 500 years old.
Hiss
Furious at her attack, the beast hissed and charged at Ling Yue.
Quickly reacting, she tumbled along the cave wall, barely avoiding the strike.
But the beast launched another wave of attacks, shaking the ground. Ling Yue now had nowhere left to run.
A wave of despair hit her.
Am I going to die here?
No! I can't die! I still haven't healed Mother's injuries, and I haven't gotten revenge yet! I must survive!
Clenching her jaw, Ling Yue let out a primal scream, like a cornered animal.
That's right—I still have the Grand Mist Sky!
Just as she was about to retreat into her dimensional space…
"Idiots."
A low, mocking voice echoed through the cave, sending a chill through both Ling Yue and the monster.
Someone else is in the cave?!
Suddenly, a hand reached out from below and lifted her up.
Startled, Ling Yue instinctively clung to the person's waist like a frightened koala.
Before she could see his face, she felt a surge of terrifying Yuan energy wrap around her body—powerful enough to explode at any moment.
A white flash of light flared.
The Yuan energy condensed into a cold, magnificent sword of pure energy. Carrying immense destructive force, it slashed down like a waterfall—cutting the snake monster clean in two before it could react.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the cave, destroying nearly half of it.
What terrifying Yuan energy…
Out of instinct, Ling Yue looked up—and her eyes met his.
From her angle, she first noticed his sharp jawline. Then came the golden mask.
The man was tall, with phoenix eyes and mysterious amber pupils. Dressed in a luxurious black robe, his long hair tickled her nose.
Staring at him, Ling Yue couldn't help but wonder, Who is he? Autumn Maple Town definitely doesn't have someone like this.
With that kind of power, she was sure—this man could probably destroy the entire Seven Star Mountain with a single sword strike.
Demonic. This man is simply too demonic…
In this context, "demonic" didn't mean evil—it meant his talent was freakishly abnormal.
He's been here this whole time… and just watched me struggle?
"What are you laughing at?!" Ling Yue snapped in frustration.
"Too weak," the man said with a lazy smirk, his tone half mocking, half amused.
His words mirrored her current state—grumpy, cheeks puffed like a steamed bun.
He's teasing me?!
Furious, Ling Yue raised her hand to slap him.
But he caught her wrist mid-air and pushed her against the cave wall, pinning her in place.
He leaned in so close, she could feel his breath.
"The favor of saving your life shouldn't be repaid like that," he said.
And then—he pressed his lips to hers.