Chapter 36: The Fierce Fight in the Cave

"My name is Chu Liang and I am a disciple of the Silver Sword Peak..."

Chu Liang contemplated for a moment and decided to introduce himself first.

The young lady, her cheeks puffed with anger, replied, "I'm Jiang... Jiang Xiaobai." She shot another glare at the Baize youngling before continuing, "I stay here occasionally. It promised me that it would help me stand guard. I don't know why it brought you here today, right in the middle of my meal..."

And she was witnessed vigorously slurping her noodles.

As Chu Liang gazed at Fairy Jiang, who remained reluctant to reveal her true name, he couldn't help but find the situation rather amusing.

You could have at least come up with a name that's less similar to your real name.

The Baize youngling seemed to realize it had made a mistake. It glanced left and right before resolutely lifting its hoof and then turning around, galloping back the way it had come.

It escaped!

"

Eh?

" Chu Liang raised his hand and called out.

You escaped so quickly... You should have taken me with you...

"Since the Baize Celestial Beast has acknowledged you as worthy, you must be someone kind. I hope you won't tell a soul about seeing me here today. Can you promise me that?" Jiang Xiaobai pleaded.

Chu Liang promptly agreed. "Of course."

If he were to reveal that he had coincidentally encountered Fairy Jiang in this cave with a cascading waterfall at its entrance, her fans would undoubtedly flock to fill the entire place.

Seeing that Chu Liang appeared kind and behaved courteously, Jiang Xiaobai formed a positive impression of him. She then offered a slight smile and said, "Well, thank you for that."

Chu Liang was just about to bid farewell politely when a sudden explosion echoed from outside.

Boom—

"

Eh?

" Jiang Xiaobai's gaze shifted to the side, her eyes suddenly sharpening.

Before the words had fully left her lips, she sprang into the air, her robes billowing. Her entire presence resembled a drawn sword, exuding an unyielding air of determination.

In this fleeting moment, her qi surged to an explosive level, suggesting a cultivation level that could very well be at the pinnacle of the Golden Core Realm. It was difficult to gauge her exact level, but Chu Liang speculated that she could kill the Soul Subjugator who had previously tormented him in just three moves!

As Chu Liang observed her retreating figure, he suddenly felt that this woman...instilled a sense of security.

Rumble~

Then, he heard a rumble resounding at the cave entrance, followed by an explosion. Debris and stones were sent flying, and amid the dust and smoke, the Baize youngling's silvery figure was sent hurtling backward, crashing onto the ground.

Thud!

"

Hreoorh!

"

The Baize youngling swiftly rolled to its feet, its face brimming with anger. As a celestial beast, its body radiated with colorful lights, and its once gentle calls had transformed into deep, menacing growls, a stark contrast to its previous playful demeanor.

Chu Liang's expression turned serious.

The celestial beast, the Baize youngling, possessed power equivalent to that of a cultivator at the fifth realm, if not greater. While it couldn't rival cultivators in terms of divine skills and artifacts, its speed and strength were undoubtedly superior. Furthermore, it hailed from a powerful bloodline and possessed innate divine abilities.

In general, ordinary demonic beasts of a certain cultivation level were often weaker than cultivators of the same level. Conversely, celestial beasts of a particular cultivation level were usually stronger than cultivators at an equivalent level.

However, this was a generalization. The actual situation could be far more intricate, and factors such as luck played a significant role.

Nonetheless, despite the intricacies, when compared to Chu Liang, a cultivator at the third realm, the Baize youngling's strength was undeniably overwhelmingly powerful.

Yet, this celestial beast, despite being at the fifth realm of cultivation, had been beaten up and sent rolling on the ground.

Bang!

The cave quaked once more.

Finally, a massive head emerged from the cave entrance. It was the head of a gigantic lizard with unusual, fleshy horns.

This enormous creature was simply too large. The moment it entered the waterfall cave, it rampaged and forcefully expanded the cave entrance by nearly half its size. Even so, it barely managed to squeeze through.

As it forced its way through the cave entrance, the space suddenly expanded, and it immediately displayed its wild and aggressive nature.

Especially when it spotted Jiang Xiaobai suspended in the air, the giant lizard's eyes ignited with fiery crimson-gold flames, and its enormous pupils brimmed with greed and madness.

"

Roar!

" The giant lizard emitted a deafening roar, and along with the sound waves, a torrent of black flames spewed from its mouth.

The overpowering black flames filled the cave, surging toward Jiang Xiaobai like a tidal wave.

The Baize youngling, brimming with determination, charged at the giant lizard with such speed that it seemed to transform into a white radiance. However, the lizard's scales were thick and sturdy, and their lightning-fast collision with the Baize youngling resulted in nothing more than a dull thud.

Jiang Xiaobai let out a soft rebuke. As her hands formed seals, a radiant light suddenly burst around her, and the shadows of numerous swords sprang into existence. They flew up into the air, forming a protective wall resembling a lotus platform. The wall of swords blocked the surrounding black flames, and the sound of swords' energy clanging and clashing together reverberated continuously.

Chu Liang watched from the corner of the cave. The giant lizard appeared to be completely oblivious to his presence and did not consider him a target.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Looking at the current situation, it was apparent to Chu Liang that this gigantic lizard was likely an adult demonic beast approaching the sixth realm of cultivation. Clearly, the celestial beast youngling at the fifth realm was rather inexperienced in comparison.

Jiang Xiaobai, who is at the later stage of the fourth realm, has not revealed her full strength, but she is obviously not strong enough to fight this giant lizard.

If I, a handsome boy in the third realm of cultivation, were to help...

Uh... honestly, it wouldn't make much difference...

The situation was extremely urgent and perilous.

Chu Liang looked around, trying to find an opportunity to escape.

Attacks from demonic creatures of such scale were rare on Mount Shu. If the senior members of the sect were alerted, dealing with this giant lizard would be relatively easy.

Unfortunately, the cave had only one entrance, and it was currently blocked by the giant lizard. This made it very difficult for Chu Liang to leave and report the situation.

"

Roar!

"

The billowing black flames raised the temperature inside the cave to an extreme level. The giant lizard then let out another furious roar as it deftly maneuvered its entire body into the cave, showcasing astonishing agility!

Its seemingly massive and bulky body was just a deceptive facade.

Swoosh!

The giant lizard leaped into the air, opening its enormous mouth with a momentum that suggested an impatient desire to swallow Jiang Xiaobai in a single gulp.

But the girl suspended in mid-air showed no fear. Her fingers danced through intricate patterns, forming numerous hand seals, while countless sword shadows around her merged into a surging sword energy.

With a flick of her finger, the surging sword energy plunged abruptly into the gaping maw of the giant lizard.

Sizzle~

When the giant lizard was on the brink of swallowing the sword energy and about to engulf Jiang Xiaobai, her body suddenly flickered. In an instant, she appeared in the air, ten zhang behind her previous position, without any warning.

She executed a swift and instant retreat.

Chu Liang, observing from the side, recognized the technique immediately.

An immortal technique! These techniques represented the pinnacle of immortal art, said to be a part of the ancient heritage passed down by members of the immortal realm. They were incredibly challenging to master but wielded immense power.

In the immortal sects, a greater proficiency in multiple immortal techniques indicated higher skill and prowess.

The Dimension Compression Technique was part of a unique immortal art belonging to the Mount Shu Sect.

While many sects possessed their own immortal techniques, very few cultivators at the Golden Core Realm had the capability to master them. It could be said that the woman before Chu Liang was not only extraordinarily beautiful but also an astonishing prodigious talent in cultivation!

Despite her relatively low cultivation level, she couldn't employ this divine skill over long distances. Nevertheless, even a short-distance maneuver provided her with an effortless means of escape.

This exemplified the charm of immortal arts.

Bang!

The giant lizard crashed heavily onto the ground.

Having pounced at nothing, it felt irritated and angry. Its fiery pupils burnt with a deep crimson hue.

At this moment, the Baize youngling remained undeterred. With a swift whoosh, it charged forward with its horn, appearing to transform into a radiant streak of white.

Thud!

The scales of the massive lizard proved to be remarkably resilient, rendering it an effective defense against such attacks.

The Baize youngling, still in its youth and lacking mastery of many innate divine skills, had no choice but to crash into the lizard. The massive creature only shuddered slightly before it swung its colossal tail, sending the Baize youngling flying once more.

Then, the lizard locked its gaze onto Jiang Xiaobai.

Meanwhile, the woman, her back against the stone wall, shot an icy glare. She subtly raised her finger, forming a hand seal, and whispered softly, "Heavenly Sword Seal."

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a burst of white light radiated from the lizard's mouth, contorting its expression in pain. As its jaws widened, the white light transformed into a trailing, rosy-hued radiance...

It turned out that the flying sword it had swallowed earlier had now transformed into an immensely massive sword radiance, slashing out from its body.

The majestic and grand Heavenly Sword Seal!

This was one of the most powerful sword techniques within the Mount Shu Sect, a top-ranked divine skill just below immortal arts. Yet, Jiang Xiaobai wielded it effortlessly.

If not for this technique, with her cultivation level at the fourth realm, she wouldn't have stood a chance against a demonic beast at the pinnacle of the fifth realm.

As Chu Liang watched her effortlessly wield these extraordinary divine skills, he found himself both awestruck by her remarkable prowess and tinged with a hint of envy.

She has learned so many divine skills. Why do I feel sad again?

Eh?

Why did I say "again"?

Rumble~

The Heavenly Sword Seal's power was truly formidable. As the sword soared out of the lizard's body, it unleashed a cascade of blackened blood that resembled molten lava. Everywhere the blood splashed, a sizzling, ominous sound echoed.

"

Roar!

" The giant lizard writhed in agony as the sword cut through its body from within, but the creature did not die.

Instead, the attack only stoked its fury.

Its fiery blood flowed, but the creature paid no heed as it charged directly at Jiang Xiaobai.

Boom!

The massive lizard violently slammed its head into the solid rock wall.

In an instant, Jiang Xiaobai's figure reappeared over ten zhang away. However, this time, upon landing, it became apparent that her steps were somewhat unsteady.

The activation of immortal techniques depleted a substantial amount of foundational qi. The fact that she could employ them consecutively twice indicated her strength, but this was not a sustainable solution.

However, the giant lizard's colossal size and lightning-fast speed rendered it challenging to evade without the use of immortal arts.

But...

Chu Liang, observing from the side, noticed the giant lizard's relentless charge had cleared the path, unblocking the cave's entrance.

With unwavering determination, he called out, "Senior Sister Jiang, make your escape through the cave opening!"

With that, he swiftly rose and soared in that direction.

Jiang Xiaobai had indeed noticed the unblocked cave opening, but she remained ensnared by the relentless grip of the giant lizard.

How could she possibly escape?

As she ascended into the air, she responded, "Leave first!"

In the split second it took her to utter these words, the giant lizard had swiftly reversed its direction and charged back towards her. When a creature of this magnitude unleashed its full wrath, the earth trembled and the mountains quivered. Those with weaker nerves might be too terrified to even muster the courage to flee, often succumbing to sheer fear.

The activation of the Heavenly Sword Seal had inflicted near-fatal damage on the lizard. Yet, inexplicably, the lizard appeared even more frenzied now, as if consuming Jiang Xiaobai could somehow save its own life.

Nonetheless, Jiang Xiaobai remained composed. It became evident that she couldn't use the Dimension Compression Technique for a third consecutive time. Raising her index finger, her longsword transformed once more, manifesting thousands of sword shadows that coalesced into a shield resembling a blossoming flower, effectively obstructing the giant lizard's path.

Bam!

However, the multitude of sword shadows scattered upon the slightest contact, and the lizard's charge proved to be unstoppable!

"What an abomination!" At this crucial moment, Chu Liang exclaimed from the sidelines.

Instead of abandoning Jiang Xiaobai to escape on his own, he hurled three bronze balls, the Shadowburst Thunder Bombs he had taken from the Soul Subjugator.

As Chu Liang contemplated a solution, he recognized that the Shadowburst Thunder Bombs were likely the only items in his possession capable of harming a demonic beast at the pinnacle of the fifth realm.

The Soul Subjugator, a cultivator at the fourth realm, had preserved these life-saving items with the belief that they possessed enough power to affect beings at the fifth realm. However, considering the lizard's formidable defenses, Chu Liang was unsure of how many he should use to ensure the attack's effectiveness.

And so, he made the decision to hurl all three Shadowburst Thunder Bombs.

After these days, he had learned a simple truth... one should not skimp on gadgets.

If one was unsure of how many to throw, the answer was simple—throw them all. Nothing would go wrong with this choice.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The lizard's full attention remained fixed on Jiang Xiaobai as the Shadowburst Thunder Bombs, thrown by Chu Liang, landed on its head. Subsequently, three simultaneous explosions of black radiance occurred above the giant lizard's head.

The sound of the explosions was accompanied by a defining roar that seemed to emerge from the depths of the netherworld. The giant lizard's body was catapulted into the air, suspended in mid-flight. For what felt like an eternity, the lizard remained motionless.

When the black light vanished, the giant lizard still maintained the same posture. The fiery glow in its colossal pupils had been extinguished, leaving only boundless anger and fear.

Chu Liang stood in astonishment as he witnessed a golden phantom emerge from the lizard's body and merge into his own.

Goodness! Is this item truly that powerful? Had it managed to obliterate the giant lizard?

He had originally intended to buy some time for Jiang Xiaobai, to create an opportunity for her escape.

Little did he know...

There was an unexpected gain?