Chapter 100

Is it Old Shi and Old Yu who have returned?

Seeing Hu Gao and the other two fleeing at breakneck speed, the dramatic change from near death to survival caused Shi Yuan’s spirit to be further stimulated, as the effects of the Black Rain Pill were already causing her intense distress. She only managed to form a simple thought, unable even to turn her head, before her head spun, her body went limp, and she collapsed on the ground.

"Sixth Sister..." Shi Dong, one hand clutching his stomach and the other his neck, called out without even trying to support Shi Yuan. He also thought that it must be Old Shi who had returned; otherwise, those three scoundrels wouldn’t have run so fast.

Shi Dong turned his body with difficulty and joy, already preparing his words to ask Old Shi and Old Yu to tear those three scoundrels to pieces.

However, the next moment, Shi Dong saw a huge toad leaping through the air, its body entirely crimson, like a meteor, hurtling toward him from a distance.

With a loud "thud," the Fire Cloud Toad, which had been chasing Hu Gao and the others, landed in front of Shi Dong with a fierce momentum. The impact of its body hitting the ground kicked up dust, causing Shi Dong’s legs to buckle and nearly knocking him over.

The Fire Cloud Toad’s beautiful eyes surveyed the two humans before it from a height.

The extreme fear not only made Shi Dong’s heart race but also caused his spirit to tremble violently, which made the Fire Cloud Toad look at him a few more times.

Shi Yuan, who had fainted on the ground, was breathing faintly. The excessive effects of the Black Rain Pill had caused her spirit to swell, making her personal imprint extremely weak. In the eyes of the Fire Cloud Toad, she looked like a human-shaped Clear Heart Orchid.

Croak!

The Fire Cloud Toad called out, gazing in the direction Hu Gao and the others had fled, its eyes showing confusion again.

Earlier, the Fire Cloud Toad had known about Hu Gao and the others picking the Black Fire Lotus pods but had ignored them, as they were just three small pests not bothering it. However, when Xiao Wu attacked, it caught the Fire Cloud Toad’s attention. It sensed a particular aura on Hu Gao that it needed.

The arrival of the four people from the Shi family, who picked the Black Fire Lotus pods frenziedly, finally roused the Fire Cloud Toad’s interest. It didn’t act immediately not because of a lack of strength, but because it was setting a trap.

Yes, a trap! The Fire Cloud Toad was waiting for the Fiery Swan. It knew that the reduction of Black Fire Lotus pods in the lava pool would make the creature agitated, forcing it to fly down from the Fire Peak. This would give the Fire Cloud Toad a chance to hunt the long-coveted delicacy.

After dealing with the intruders by the lava pool, the Fire Cloud Toad chased after Hu Gao. However, the aura that it both revered and desired never reappeared, leaving the Fire Cloud Toad puzzled.

Croak!

The Fire Cloud Toad lowered its nose and sniffed Shi Yuan, then sneezed as if it had smelled a strong perfume, sending sparks onto her body, which burned through her clothes. The Fire Cloud Toad found the intense scent of the Clear Heart Orchid on her body extremely uncomfortable but couldn’t understand why, so it ignored her.

The Fire Cloud Toad adjusted its body slightly, positioning its buttocks toward Shi Dong, and croaked playfully, as if saying goodbye. Then it kicked Shi Dong, shattering his bones and sending him flying through the air, landing in a heap of mud.

The Fire Cloud Toad turned to look at the flying Shi Dong, its mouth curling in what seemed like a smile. It then licked Shi Yuan with its tongue, tasting that she wasn’t a Clear Heart Orchid, and spat out more sparks in disgust before chasing after Hu Gao and the others.

Shi Yuan, unconscious and with torn clothes, didn’t know that Hu Gao’s prank-like attempt had saved her from the Fire Cloud Toad’s mouth. However, if her spirit survived such a shock, she would likely become a vegetable or lose all her memories.

Hu Gao, pulling Yun Feng and Han Chong, fled desperately.

"Boss, I think you should see this footage first."

At that moment, Xiao Wu’s voice suddenly echoed in Hu Gao’s mind, and a very clear image appeared in his mind.

Because of the contract, Xiao Wu could share the scenes it sensed with Hu Gao through recall.

"Huh? What is this?"

The footage showed the Fire Cloud Toad using two flame blades to sever the Fiery Swan’s wings and then swallowing it whole.

When Hu Gao saw that a Second Stage Peak Fiery Swan, which could kill a Second Stage Peak creature, couldn’t even withstand one attack and was swallowed alive, his entire body shuddered.

"Quick... Quick, leave the Fire Beast Forest! Leave the Flame Valley!" Hu Gao urged, as if worried that Yun Feng and Han Chong weren’t running hard enough. At the same time, he asked Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, can you deal with that Fire Cloud Toad?"

"What are you talking about!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, "That’s a Second Stage Peak Fire Beast King! You saw what happened to the Fiery Swan; I can’t even deal with the Fiery Swan!"

What? This is a big problem! Hu Gao felt powerless. How could the first Fire Beast King he encountered be such a terrifying creature!

"Brother Hu Gao, what happened?" Yun Feng asked, seeing Hu Gao’s face turn pale.

"Are those two old guys chasing us?" Han Chong also couldn’t understand why Hu Gao suddenly called for them to flee, ignoring the Shi siblings.

"Damn it! I wish it were those two old guys! Unfortunately, it’s a Fire Cloud Toad! The one in the lava pool! Second Stage Peak! It swallowed the Fiery Swan whole!" Hu Gao quickly explained the severity of the situation.

"Second Stage Peak?!"

"Swallowed the Fiery Swan?!"

Yun Feng and Han Chong were shocked. What was going on? Their steps quickened even more.

"Croak!"

At that moment, a fierce sound of wind rushed from behind them. The three instinctively turned back and saw a five-meter-tall golden toad, enveloped in white mist, rushing toward them like it was riding the clouds, covering hundreds of meters in a blink.

"Scatter!"

"Run in different directions!"

"Split up!"

The three shouted simultaneously but then stopped, gripping their weapons and turning to face the Fire Cloud Toad. In this critical moment, they all decided to stay behind and let the others escape, a truly miraculous decision.

What should we do? The three exchanged glances.

"Xiao Wu, what should we do?" Hu Gao asked mentally.

"Boss, don’t be impulsive. I think this Fire Cloud Toad is looking for me. It’s been scanning you with its spirit power since it appeared, clearly searching for me. I can’t come out now. But don’t worry, it doesn’t have any hostility toward you and won’t harm you. Just don’t provoke it, or we might all be done for."

"Brother Hu Gao?" Yun Feng and Han Chong saw Hu Gao standing there motionless, thinking he was scared stiff.

Hu Gao looked up at the Fire Cloud Toad, his lips twitching. However, from the Fire Cloud Toad’s peaceful aura, it seemed it truly had no hostility toward them.

Relieved, Hu Gao, under the watchful eyes of the two, bowed to the Fire Cloud Toad, "Ahem... Brother Fire Cloud, I wonder if you’re looking for me for something?"

As Hu Gao spoke, he inwardly sighed. These words were all from Xiao Wu; he was just relaying them.

"Croak croak!" The Fire Cloud Toad spat out flames, but it wasn’t clear what it was trying to say.

"Xiao Wu, what did it say? Is it really looking for you?" Hu Gao asked mentally.

"How should I know? I don’t speak frog." Xiao Wu replied irresponsibly.

"Croak croak!" The Fire Cloud Toad called out to Hu Gao again, leaving the three confused.

The Fire Cloud Toad called out anxiously, realizing Hu Gao wouldn’t understand what it was trying to say. However, it couldn’t do anything about it, as its cultivation hadn’t reached the level where it could speak human language.

"Splash splash!"

At that moment, the Fire Cloud Toad opened its mouth, and Black Fire Lotus pods appeared at Hu Gao’s feet, numbering over five hundred.

"Black Fire Lotus pods? There are so many? Oh my God, Brother Hu Gao, could this be a gift from the Fire Cloud Toad?" Yun Feng and Han Chong were shocked to see the ground covered with Black Fire Lotus pods.

"Croak!"

Seeing Yun Feng and Han Chong staring at the Black Fire Lotus pods, the Fire Cloud Toad warned them with a roar.

"Brother Fire Cloud, are you looking for something?" Hu Gao asked tentatively.

"Croak croak!" The Fire Cloud Toad blinked its large eyes, indicating affirmation.

"Are you looking for it to be a friend, or to eat it?" Hu Gao asked, ignoring Xiao Wu’s mental ridicule.

"Croak!" The Fire Cloud Toad grinned, showing friendliness.

"Really, to be friends?" Hu Gao asked again.

"Croak croak!" The Fire Cloud Toad called out loudly, its mouth spewing fire clouds, looking very excited.

"Then I’m really sorry!"

Hu Gao shrugged, an action that almost made the Fire Cloud Toad lose control, its fire clouds swirling like mist.

However, Hu Gao’s next words made its eyes widen, the flames like jade, "If you’re looking for my friend, well, he’s now in a deep sleep, cultivating. I don’t know when he’ll wake up. How about this: you leave for now, so you don’t waste your time. When my friend wakes up, I’ll bring him to find you, okay?"

"Friend?"

Yun Feng and Han Chong were stunned, looking at Hu Gao with puzzled eyes. They had entered the Fire Beast Forest with Hu Gao, and they were sure he was alone. But now it seemed there was someone else?

"Croak croak..."

Hearing that Hu Gao’s friend was in a deep sleep, the Fire Cloud Toad became extremely anxious, jumping up and down, a terrifying aura spreading from its body, like waves growing higher and higher. The surrounding rocks and trees were lifted and thrown far away. Fortunately, it didn’t harm Hu Gao and the others, or Hu Gao would have to thank his lucky stars and say goodbye to the Fire Cloud Toad while flying away.

"Whoosh!"

After a moment, the Fire Cloud Toad finally stopped, and in the shocked gaze of Hu Gao and the others, it rapidly shrank, and shrank... until it became the size of a frog, easily crushable underfoot.

"What’s going on?"

Hu Gao and the others looked at the Fire Cloud Toad in confusion. Now, the Fire Cloud Toad’s body glowed with a fiery red light, its crystals like jade, and it no longer emitted a terrifying aura. It looked like an ordinary mutant frog, but even so, Hu Gao and the others didn’t dare to make any rash moves.

"Grunt grunt..."

After shrinking, the Fire Cloud Toad’s throat moved, making continuous sounds, as if searching for something.

Soon, its glowing red eyes focused on Hu Gao’s sleeve, its eyes brightening as if it had found something.

"Whoosh!"

Before Hu Gao and the others could react, the Fire Cloud Toad transformed into a fiery red light, flashing into Hu Gao’s sleeve, where it sensed the lingering aura of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, Xiao Wu.