Chapter 96: Setting Out Amid Looming Dangers

Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan set foot once more on the Demon’s Road, a path shrouded in mystery and peril that had witnessed their journey so far.

From a distance, they gazed wistfully at the once-familiar Yangchun Lounge, emotions swirling in their chests.

Silently, they gathered their belongings. Though their eyes betrayed a trace of reluctance, there was a stronger sense of resolve.

Leaving this place was a choice they had to make. Though nostalgia tugged at their hearts, they both turned without hesitation, stepping into the unknown ahead.

The sky hung heavy and gray, and the wind grew steadily colder, carrying a taste of winter. It made their bodies shiver without warning.

Facing this chilling weather, unease began to creep into their hearts.

“This weather is really unpredictable. Just a few days ago it was all sunshine, and now it’s suddenly freezing,” Xie Jinxuan muttered, glancing ahead with a shrug.

“Don’t worry, Jinxuan. It’s nothing—we can handle it. This won’t slow us down,” Gu Xiaoyao said with a reassuring smile, clapping Xie Jinxuan on the shoulder.

“Well, if you’re that confident, Xiaoyao, I guess I’ve got nothing to worry about,” Xie Jinxuan replied, then turned to pack the rest of his things.

It didn’t take them long to finish up. With determination in their steps, they left Yangchun Lounge behind and set off toward an uncertain future.

………

On Demon’s Road, dense forests stretched as far as the eye could see, the canopy so thick it blocked out the sun and cast everything in shadow. It felt like an invisible net stretched over the whole world.

Hidden among the trees, pairs of crimson eyes gleamed, watching the two intruders with predatory intent. It was as if these eyes were ready to leap out at any moment and devour them whole.

Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan moved forward with utmost caution. Their hearts hammered in their chests, feeling like they might burst right out of their throats.

Both of them knew that danger lurked everywhere in this forest. One careless step could cost them their lives.

Suddenly, a deep, guttural roar rumbled through the trees.

The roar echoed like distant thunder, rumbling through the endless forest.

They froze, eyes darting around nervously, but the thick foliage made it impossible to see where the sound had come from.

Without warning, a serpent demon of the early sixth tier burst out from the brush and lunged straight at them.

The serpent stretched dozens of meters long, its scales pitch black and gleaming with a metallic sheen.

Its eyes were like two crimson lanterns burning with a strange, eerie light.

Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan dodged fast, but the serpent was even quicker. In a blink, it was almost upon them.

“Not good! That beast is an early sixth-tier demon—we’re in trouble!” Xie Jinxuan shouted, his voice tight with alarm.

With danger closing in, Gu Xiaoyao drew his sword in a flash and struck out at the serpent demon.

His swordplay was like lightning, cutting through the air and slashing toward the creature’s body.

The serpent twisted away and barely dodged the blow, but its fangs still managed to clamp down on Gu Xiaoyao’s arm, leaving a deep bite.

Blood welled from the wound, staining his sleeve a deep scarlet.

Pain shot through his arm, but Gu Xiaoyao refused to back down.

He gripped his sword tighter, ready to attack again at a moment’s notice.

Seeing Gu Xiaoyao get hurt filled Xie Jinxuan with panic. “How dare you hurt Xiaoyao! Damn beast—you’ll pay for this!” he roared, unleashing his spell in a flash of blinding light.

The light streaked through the night sky like a bolt of lightning, carrying terrifying force as it shot straight at the serpent.

“Damn humans! You dare ambush me? I’ll tear you apart!” the serpent demon hissed, caught off guard as the magic struck it, forcing it back several paces. Its eyes burned with raw hatred and murderous intent as it glared at Xie Jinxuan.

The battle only grew fiercer as Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan seized the moment to attack together. Sword and spell intertwined as they fought the monster with perfect coordination.

The sixth-tier serpent demon was monstrously strong, but little by little its stamina began to falter under their relentless teamwork.

Spotting an opening, Gu Xiaoyao thrust his sword straight into the demon’s vital spot.

“Impossible! How could I die at the hands of you two pathetic humans?” the serpent shrieked as it collapsed to the ground.

“You stubborn beast… you really were tough to kill. But it’s over now,” Gu Xiaoyao said, breathing a sigh of relief as he and Xie Jinxuan leaned on each other and pressed on.

The pair continued on through the forest, when suddenly, piercing bird cries echoed overhead.

Looking up, they saw a flock of massive, late fifth-tier bird demons soar past, wings spanning dozens of meters as they spat fire from their beaks.

“This is bad. The ruckus with that serpent must’ve drawn their attention—let’s run!” Gu Xiaoyao shouted.

They scrambled to find shelter, but the birds had already spotted them.

The flock circled above, letting out cheerful screeches as if celebrating their lucky find.

They wheeled through the sky, waiting for Gu Xiaoyao and Xie Jinxuan to make a move.

The two hid deep within the forest, barely daring to breathe.

They both knew that in their battered state, being discovered by the bird demons would mean certain death.

Xie Jinxuan whispered, “What are we going to do? We can’t stay hidden forever.”

Gu Xiaoyao sighed helplessly. “I don’t know either. There are too many of them and they’re way too strong for us.”

Xie Jinxuan clenched his fists. “So what, we’re supposed to just sit here and wait to die?”

“No—we’re not giving up. We have to find a way out,” Gu Xiaoyao’s eyes flashed with resolve as he tightened his grip on his sword.

“But how? They’re airborne, and we’re exhausted and wounded. There’s no way we can outrun them,” Xie Jinxuan said, voice trembling as he looked at Gu Xiaoyao.

“Maybe we can use the terrain—find a place to hide,” Gu Xiaoyao said after glancing thoughtfully behind them, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Xie Jinxuan looked puzzled. “But this is a forest. Where could possibly be safe?”

Gu Xiaoyao smiled. “We can look for a cave or a river. Either would let us hide from the birds.”

“Alright, let’s go find a cave then!” Xie Jinxuan agreed without hesitation.

Creeping carefully through the undergrowth, they spotted a cave up ahead and hurried toward it.

“Quick, let’s get inside!” Gu Xiaoyao grinned and rushed forward.

The cave was spacious enough to shelter them both, and once inside, they finally let themselves relax and sat on the ground to rest.

“Those birds are way too strong for us. There’s no way we could fight them right now,” Xie Jinxuan said, peering anxiously at the entrance where shadows of the circling bird demons danced.

“Yeah, but at least we were lucky—they didn’t find us,” Gu Xiaoyao murmured, tending to his wound.

“But we can’t stay here forever. We need to figure out how to escape,” Xie Jinxuan nodded and did his best to patch himself up too.

“We can wait until they leave, then make our move,” Gu Xiaoyao said, standing and gazing outside at the sky, which was still thick with bird demons.

“But when will they finally leave?” Xie Jinxuan stared at the swarming flock, worry etched on his face.

“I have no idea. All we can do is wait and hope,” Gu Xiaoyao said, shaking his head with a helpless smile.

“Jinxuan! Looks like the flock is finally gone. Let’s get out of here!” After a long wait, the birds’ cries faded away, and Gu Xiaoyao clapped Xie Jinxuan on the shoulder.

“You’re right, Xiaoyao! Let’s go, now!” Xie Jinxuan leapt to his feet and followed Gu Xiaoyao as they hurried out of the cave.