Ye Qiu’s eyes locked onto the small creature, unblinking.
He observed it closely.
The creature resembled a hamster, but it was even smaller, covered in white fluffy fur.
After crawling out from the eye socket of the skull, it rolled on the ground, eyes closed, scratching its round belly with its tiny paws, looking adorably clumsy.
This scene, if witnessed by pet lovers from the mortal world, would likely melt their hearts—it was simply too cute.
As expected, Fairy Hundred Flowers, upon seeing the creature, exclaimed with delight, “So adorable!”
But Ye Qiu grew wary.
The environment here was bitterly cold, littered with corpses. He could not fathom how this tiny creature could survive in such a place.
“Yue’er, do you know what this little beast is?” Ye Qiu asked.
Fairy Hundred Flowers studied the creature, frowning, and said, “It seems familiar, like I’ve seen it somewhere, but I can’t recall where.”
“Strange, the conditions here are so harsh that even spirit beasts would struggle to survive. How is this little thing thriving?”
Ye Qiu said, “Could it be a divine beast?”
“It’s quite possible,” Fairy Hundred Flowers replied, crouching down and slowly extending a hand towards the creature.
The creature kept its eyes closed, lazily scratching its belly with both paws, looking utterly relaxed.
“Little one, don’t be afraid. Big sister won’t hurt you.”
Fairy Hundred Flowers spoke gently, like a caring older sister, her hand inching closer.
Just as her hand was about to touch the creature, it suddenly opened its eyes and bared its teeth at her.
“Ah—”
Fairy Hundred Flowers jumped back in fright. The creature’s eyes gleamed like emeralds, emitting an eerie green light. Its two fangs, like sharp black spikes, glinted coldly.
“Squeak!”
The creature let out a cry, then shot into the air, lunging at Fairy Hundred Flowers.
“Careful!” Ye Qiu flicked a beam of sword qi.
However, the creature was not only incredibly fast but also cunning, deftly dodging the sword qi and biting Ye Qiu’s hand with astonishing speed.
Instantly, a piercing pain shot through his hand.
“What!”
Ye Qiu was shocked. His body was as tough as iron, impervious to ordinary weapons, let alone a tiny creature like this.
Yet, unbelievably, this creature’s teeth were razor-sharp.
At that moment, Ye Qiu noticed his right hand swelling rapidly, turning black.
“The little beast is poisonous!”
Ye Qiu’s eyes flashed with killing intent.
But the creature didn’t let go, clinging to his hand, its eerie blue eyes staring at him in confusion, as if saying, “Why aren’t you dead yet?”
Ye Qiu clenched his left fist.
“Boom!”
He swung a punch.
Sensing danger, the creature finally released its grip, nimbly dodging the fist, then lunged at Fairy Hundred Flowers beside Ye Qiu.
“Looking for death!”
Ye Qiu spread the fingers of his right hand, grabbing at the air. A surge of true qi erupted, its powerful suction restraining the creature’s body.
Then, a beam of sword qi shot from his fingertip.
Pfft—
The sword qi pierced the creature’s body, and with a scream, it fell to the ground.
The next moment, its body dissolved into a puddle of black water, reeking terribly.
Fairy Hundred Flowers snapped out of her shock and asked with concern, “Ye Qiu, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Ye Qiu said, lifting his right hand. The swelling receded visibly, and his skin returned to normal.
“I didn’t expect such a tiny creature could pierce my skin. It’s truly bizarre.”
Ye Qiu was astonished.
He had seen many things, but a creature that turned into water upon death was a first.
“I remember now—that creature was a Jade-Eyed Snow Frost!”
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “I saw it in an ancient book before. No wonder it felt familiar.”
Jade-Eyed Snow Frost?
The name sounded rather pleasant.
Ye Qiu thought to himself.
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “To those unfamiliar, the name might make them think it’s some cute pet, but it’s far from that. It’s a ferocious beast, notorious even.”
“What do you mean?” Ye Qiu asked, puzzled.
Fairy Hundred Flowers explained, “The Jade-Eyed Snow Frost looks like a rat but is as ferocious as a wolf. It feeds on rotting corpses and brain marrow and is highly poisonous.”
Ye Qiu said, “In that case, the corpses beneath our feet were likely killed by it.”
“No, that doesn’t add up!”
Ye Qiu continued, “We’ve come across thousands of corpses on our way here. How could a single tiny beast kill so many people?”
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “You don’t know, but even a dozen King-realm cultivators might not defeat a fully grown Jade-Eyed Snow Frost.”
“Its speed is incredible, and it’s extremely cunning.”
“Moreover, it’s a pack-dwelling beast.”
Pack-dwelling beast?
At those words, a sense of unease surged in Ye Qiu’s heart.
“Yue’er, this place is dangerous. Let’s go quickly.”
Ye Qiu said, grabbing Fairy Hundred Flowers’ hand to leave. Just then, a “squeak” sounded nearby.
Then, more “squeak” sounds came from ahead and behind.
The noises, like cicadas in summer, were incessant and dense, chillingly ominous, like a death knell.
Ye Qiu turned his head and saw countless pairs of jade-green eyes surrounding them, at least a thousand, terrifyingly eerie.
All those eyes were fixed on Ye Qiu and Fairy Hundred Flowers.
They were surrounded!
Fairy Hundred Flowers said nothing, but Ye Qiu felt her palm grow clammy with sweat.
“Don’t be afraid. I have a way to deal with them,” Ye Qiu said, summoning the Qiankun Cauldron.
“Boom!”
The Qiankun Cauldron hovered above Ye Qiu’s head, casting rays of golden light that shielded him and Fairy Hundred Flowers completely.
At the same time, runes flowed across the cauldron’s surface, depicting fish, insects, birds, and beasts, exuding an imperial aura that swept through the air.
Instantly, the Jade-Eyed Snow Frosts were terrified, scattering and vanishing into the black mist.
Fairy Hundred Flowers finally breathed a sigh of relief, spared from a brutal fight.
“Let’s go!” Ye Qiu said, pulling her along as they pressed forward.
Protected by the divine artifact, they feared nothing, moving swiftly onward.
Along the way, Ye Qiu saw countless Jade-Eyed Snow Frosts, thousands of them, hiding in the shadows, their eyes glinting green but not daring to approach.
As they walked…
Suddenly, a scream came from ahead: “Little brat, save me quick! This poor Daoist can’t hold on…”
