However, since they had come, Lin Xiao and his companion naturally would not back down.
In a short time, the three arrived before the dense barrier qi over the swamp. Qing Yan produced a leather-like pouch. With a surge of power, it released a special gas that enveloped Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan.
The gas protected them from the barrier qi’s invasion. The pair followed Qing Yan deep into the barrier for a thousand li.
Inside, the barrier qi was even denser, almost solid, like thick walls.
Fortunately, the gas from Qing Yan’s treasure caused the dense barrier qi to part wherever they went, allowing smooth passage.
“Ribbit!”
At that moment, Qing Yan let out a frog-like croak. From within the barrier qi came urgent, expectant voices.
“Here they come! Yan’er has brought the daughter-in-law back.”
“Ribbit, a sister-in-law from the outside world must be very pretty.”
“I want to see, I want to see.”
“I heard she’s human. Do humans look like us when we take human form?”
… Various voices rang out, some female, some childish, all filled with eager anticipation, as if they had waited a very long time.
While Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan stood stunned, their vision suddenly cleared. The barrier qi vanished ahead, replaced by a vast swamp. At a glance, simple thatched huts stood scattered across it.
The huts stood directly on the swamp, with no stones or planks beneath, simply using the wet mud as foundation.
What drew their eyes most, however, was the scene before them.
In front of Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan stood one toad after another.
Each toad was two or three people tall, their bodies massive like fat oxen squatting on the swamp floor. Their skin was mottled dark green. Huge eyes stared at the pair.
It sent a chill down Lin Xiao’s spine.
There were only twenty or thirty toads in total.
Two were tadpoles. One had a half-zhang round black head with a long thin black tail. The other had two frog legs beneath its big black head. Both blinked shiny black eyes, gazing curiously at Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan.
“Ribbit, is this Brother Qing Yan’s wife?
So pretty.”
The one with the long tail spoke in a childish voice, eyes fixed on Lin Xiao.
“No, the one who looks like Brother Qing Yan is male. It’s the other one.”
The one with legs said, also in a child’s voice.
“Oh oh, this one is even prettier.”
The long-tailed one said.
“…” Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan.
Both had dark lines on their faces.
“Huh, why is there a male too?”
A slightly smaller toad behind asked.
“Is he Qing Yan’s son?
I heard humans have babies quickly and grow fast.”
The long-tailed tadpole said again in its milky voice.
“…” Lin Xiao’s face darkened further.
This demon frog clan was truly isolated. Humans might reproduce quickly, but not to the point of growing this big in a few months.
“Little Yu, don’t talk nonsense. They are friends I invited. They are not my wife and son. Those two are a couple.”
Qing Yan said to the long-tailed tadpole.
“Oh, so that’s how it is…” The big head nodded.
Hearing Qing Yan’s words, the other demon frogs looked both disappointed and embarrassed.
The whole village had been waiting to see Qing Yan’s wife. In the end, he had not brought a wife but someone else’s couple.
Lin Xiao felt rather speechless. Were demon frogs this direct?
They were a couple… Well, they were not really a couple, but it was not the time to explain.
Huo Ruyan felt no awkwardness. She smiled and bowed to the group of toads. “Junior Huo Ruyan greets everyone!”
“Lin Xiao greets everyone!”
Lin Xiao followed with a bow.
“Greetings to the two sisters, no, two brothers… no, one brother and one sister.”
The long-tailed tadpole responded politely.
The largest toad at the front sighed lightly. “I thought he would bring a wife back. Now look, she already has someone.”
“Husband, why not kill the male and keep the female for Yan’er as a wife?”
The toad beside it said.
The largest shook its head. “Such things cannot be forced. Guests have come. Do not neglect courtesy.”
With that, mist surged over the massive toad’s body. It transformed into a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing mottled clothes, either its frog skin or prepared garments, identical to Qing Yan’s.
Its appearance was almost exactly like Qing Yan’s, only older and more mature.
Seeing the largest toad transform, the others followed suit, except the two tadpoles, who lacked the ability.
After transforming, their looks were similar. To human eyes, they all resembled each other, male or female, with mottled green faces.
Most importantly, they wore the same clothes. Without close attention, it was hard to tell them apart.
All had cultivation at Martial Lord or above, most at Martial Emperor.
Only the middle-aged man from the largest toad and the middle-aged woman beside him were unfathomable to Lin Xiao.
Those two were profound and immeasurable.
If he guessed correctly, they were likely Martial Saints, or eighth-order spirit beasts.
If so, Qing Yan’s family of three were all Martial Saints. This family was terrifying.
“It is rare for human friends to visit. The ground here is muddy. Young friends, please follow me inside to talk!”
The middle-aged man said to Lin Xiao and Huo Ruyan.
Lin Xiao nodded. Together with Huo Ruyan, he flew after the man.
Originally wary of the demon frog clan, after seeing the villagers’ directness and simplicity, he relaxed considerably.
The demon frog clan did not seem as fearsome as rumours claimed, full of devils.
During the flight, Lin Xiao saw the thatched huts. They were tall, but below was only mud and water, no solid footing.
As if sensing their surprise, the middle-aged man explained. “Our demon frog clan lives in this swamp. Our habits differ greatly from humans. We usually roll and sleep in the mud. Thus, our houses are built this way.”
“However, humans occasionally visit, so we also have human guest rooms.”
He continued. “Our habits, appearance, and ways differ from humans. Through the ages, demon frogs and humans have had conflicts. Thus, humans rarely accept us. Our clan has declined, numbers few. Any further discord could mean extinction. This is why we stay within the barrier qi swamp and rarely venture out.”
Lin Xiao was surprised. He had not expected the demon frogs’ isolation to have such reasons.
As for their conflicts with humans, he had never heard of them.
But the most complicated relations were among humans themselves.
The demon frogs were not wrong. If they truly moved out, their appearance alone would cause great disputes.
The older generation might manage, but among the young, casual killing was common.
Then the demon frog clan could easily face extinction.
“Our demon frog clan gestates for a century before birth. It takes twenty or thirty years to change from tadpole to frog, and a century to mature. Over generations, only we remain on the continent.”
The middle-aged man sighed sadly as they flew.
“Village chief, why are there so few of us? Did bad humans eat us?
I heard many bad humans eat anything.”
The long-tailed tadpole asked in its milky voice.
