Cultivation: Starting from a Fighting Cock

Chapter 48 Python Demon
Ji Cheng landed on the ground and forcefully negotiated with the Azure Flame Spirit Rabbit.

This rabbit is, after all, Su Qing's spirit pet. If he were to roast and eat it, it would certainly satisfy his craving, but it would surely bring endless troubles.

Since it has chosen to conceal Ji Cheng and Da Huang's identities as demon beasts today, it means there is still room for maneuver—it must have something to ask for.

It must need two demonic beasts to help it with something.

The three parties couldn't understand each other's languages, but fortunately, Ji Cheng spoke human language, which Da Huang and Ling Tu could understand.

After much negotiation, Ji Cheng and the Azure Flame Rabbit reached an agreement.

The spirit rabbit agreed to keep Ji Cheng and Da Huang's identities as demon beasts a secret, in exchange for the two of them helping it complete a task.

As for what it was about, the rabbit couldn't speak and tried to express itself clearly by gesturing with its hands and feet for a long time, but it could only tell Ji Cheng and Da Huang to follow it.

"Lead the way."

Ji Cheng spoke calmly, but a sense of curiosity arose in his heart. He wanted to see what the Azure Flame Spirit Rabbit's purpose was.

Soon, a chicken, a dog, and a rabbit left Wuzhen and arrived at a mountain forest nestled against the mountains and beside the water.

This was a place Ji Cheng had never visited before. If it weren't for the rabbit leading the way tonight, he would never have dared to come here rashly.

"Wang!"

Big Yellow lowered its voice to warn them; it had sensed the presence of a powerful demonic beast.

This place is about fifty miles from Wuzhen. The mountains and forests are located at the bend of the river. They do not look as oppressive and frightening as the dark and gloomy mountains and forests to the west of Wuzhen, but they are still filled with a kind of hidden danger.

"squeak!"

The Azure Flame Rabbit turned around and gestured for Ji Cheng and Da Huang to be quiet.

It jumped directly onto Big Yellow's back, because it hopped around when it walked, making a lot of noise.

Da Huang turned to Ji Cheng and smiled smugly. "Hehe, who just said that simps never have a good ending?"
They then quietly crossed the bridge together and entered this mysterious mountain forest.

With the Azure Flame Rabbit as their guide, and with Big Yellow's incredibly sharp senses—its nose and ears—they were practically in a map of the entire forest.

Soon, a white python appeared in Ji Cheng's field of vision.

This white python was enormous, measuring four zhang in length. It was coiled on a boulder, its tail hooked around a large tree. Its head was as big as a basin, and its waist as thick as a barrel. It exuded a terrifying aura, and no birds or beasts could be seen within a ten-mile radius.

"A second-tier demonic beast!"

Ji Cheng sensed that this white python was extremely powerful even among second-tier demonic beasts.

While he was at the Zhao residence, he overheard Zhao Qian chatting with someone, discussing the three realms of martial arts: Qi and Blood, Internal Strength, and Opening the Meridians.

The three realms of martial arts correspond to the Qi Refining stage of cultivators and the first and second tiers of demonic beasts.

This white python would probably require the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining to deal with, and even a martial artist would need to be at the late stage of Meridian Opening to contend with it.

Big Yellow was so frightened that its legs went weak and it dared not take another step forward. Compared to this white python, Zhou Mu's wolf demon mount was nothing!
The rabbit raised its front paw and pointed to the side of the white python.

Ji Cheng and Da Huang noticed that a spiritual fruit was growing quietly on the edge of the boulder, exuding a fragrant aroma and emanating spiritual energy, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary fruit.

Big Yellow's drool involuntarily streamed down its face.

It seems that the white python was guarding this spiritual fruit, waiting for it to ripen.

Meanwhile, the Azure Flame Rabbit also took a liking to this spiritual fruit. Ji Cheng didn't know what the fruit was called, but guessed that eating it might be equivalent to decades of cultivation.
They were still quite far apart when Ji Cheng asked in a low voice, "Do you want us to help you snatch this spiritual fruit?"

He thought this little rabbit also had a pointed head, and with such a huge difference in strength, how dare you do this?

The clever rabbit nodded repeatedly in response, "Yes, that's right, absolutely right!"
"How can you steal it? This is a second-tier demonic beast. You're not planning to sneak away and steal it while the white python is eating me and this stupid dog, are you?"

Ji Cheng replied, "You're dreaming!"

He understood why the Azure Flame Spirit Rabbit hadn't told Su Qing about this. With Su Qing's Qi Refining Level 4 strength, coming here would only result in him being swallowed whole by the white python.

However, if Su Qing were to ask a powerful expert from her sect to help, then this spiritual fruit would never fall into the hands of the Azure Flame Spirit Rabbit.

Therefore, if the Azure Flame Rabbit wanted to eat this spiritual fruit, it had to plan on its own. By chance, it found two helpers, Ji Cheng and Da Huang.

Its original plan was that both of these demonic beasts were easy to fool. It would then trick the two demonic beasts into luring the white python away, and it would take the opportunity to steal the spiritual fruit.

As for the life or death of the two demonic beasts, it didn't care. Unexpectedly, this chicken demon was exceptionally clever and didn't fall for its tricks at all.

Ji Cheng turned and left, having no interest in the white python and spirit fruit of the second-tier demon beast. He was even afraid of getting too close and being discovered by the python demon.

Big Yellow and the clever rabbit chased them all the way to the edge of the forest, where the clever rabbit squeaked anxiously.

It means that we don't necessarily have to defeat this python demon. You can fly, right? We just need to lure the python demon away.

"Forget it, this python demon has never offended me, why should I take away what the python loves for no reason?"

Ji Cheng said, "This chicken of mine has never been one to fight, so I can only help it fight."

The Azure Flame Rabbit's eyes widened, as if to say, "Aren't you a fighting cock?"
Do you want to hear what you are saying?
"Little rabbit, go back to wash up and go to sleep. Ah, you can have anything in your dreams. This spiritual fruit is not something you can touch."

Ji Cheng said, "You can't even beat me, yet you want to snatch the treasure from the python demon's mouth?"
"Squeak! Squeak squeak squeak! Squeak squeak!"

The Azure Flame Rabbit cried out and gestured, as if to say, "Have you forgotten our agreement? You must help me, or I will expose your monster identity!"

"It's definitely easier to roast you after all—"

"Wang!"

Before Ji Cheng could finish speaking, just as he was about to breathe fire to roast the Azure Flame Rabbit until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, Da Huang suddenly barked warily.

This is a warning that something is coming.

Ji Cheng leaped to the treetop, while Da Huang and Ling Tu hid among the rocks and bushes.

Before long, two strong men carried a fat goat across the bridge, making the wooden bridge groan under its weight, and then walked into the forest.

"The Zhou family of Zishui City, Young Master Zhou Mu has sent someone to deliver blood offerings for Lord Python to enjoy!"

Two burly men approached the white python, put the goat down, and loudly announced their names.

The sound was exceptionally loud in the quiet mountain forest.

In fact, the two burly men were terrified when they saw the white python's terrifying size, and their legs trembled uncontrollably.

After setting down the goat with its four legs bound, the two strong men turned and ran as if fleeing for their lives, fearing that the white python would swallow them whole.

"These two are from the Snake Gang."

Judging from their clothing, Ji Cheng recognized that the two burly men were skilled members of the Xiangshe Gang, and should be at the late stage of Qi and Blood cultivation.

He was surprised that Zhou Mu had actually sent someone to deliver blood food to this python demon.

On the boulder, the white python moved. It slowly moved forward, came to the fat sheep, and swallowed it whole.

[You watched the python demon feed and absorbed a wisp of its demonic energy!]

Suddenly, Ji Cheng was overjoyed, not expecting to obtain a wisp of demonic energy from the white python.

He had just been wondering why he hadn't been able to sense any demonic energy from the white python when he observed it from a distance.

Based on his previous experiences—the dog demon gazing at the moon, the wolf demon displaying its ferocity, and this time the python demon feeding—he deduced that one must see the demons perform certain actions in order to seize the opportunity to absorb a wisp of demonic energy.

"What—"

The white python swallowed the fat sheep whole, and the screams stopped abruptly, scaring Big Yellow and the Azure Flame Rabbit into feeling a chill run down their spines.

"I'll say it again: I've never been one for fighting, so I'll just have to end this and leave."

Ji Cheng left after saying just one sentence.

In any case, he had a great night, and this trip was well worth it.

As for the Azure Flame Rabbit, he wasn't worried that it would betray him. He was afraid that it would think about how to obtain the spirit fruit and would definitely use Ji Cheng and Da Huang.

It was just a threat to scare Ji Cheng.

In fact, Ji Cheng also wanted to use it to do something.

(End of this chapter)