Yang Dingding immediately bent over, picking up the mushrooms scattered on the ground one by one and putting them into the basket.
After he finished, he hung the basket on the tip of the Wing-Fire Snake’s tail and even patted it. “Snake Bro, give me a hand and carry this.”
The Wing-Fire Snake looked down at him, the transparent flames flickering in its eye sockets, but it didn't move.
Yang Dingding pulled his hand back sheepishly. “Fine, don't carry it then. No need to be so grumpy...”
More little demons began to return from picking mushrooms.
Just as Tao Tuantuan had said, everyone would surely pick a lot of mushrooms.
“Xiao Bi, Xiao Bi, look! I picked so many.” The little rabbit ran over out of breath, clutching a large armful of mushrooms.
“Look at mine, look at mine! There were so many mushrooms on my side!”
“And me, and me!”
The little demons piled the mushrooms together, heap after heap, and soon they formed a small mountain.
Tao Tuantuan knelt down, gathered the mushrooms together, and held them up to Chen Zhou. “Milord, is this enough?”
Chen Zhou looked at the pile, which was like a small hill and must have weighed at least a hundred jin.
“It's enough.”
He took the mushrooms, stepped onto the Wing-Fire Snake’s head, and walked out of the stone door.
Behind him, the little demons huddled together, watching nervously.
“Milord is going again!”
“Will it work this time?”
“It definitely will! Didn't Milord just say we could leave if we picked enough mushrooms?”
“But that gatekeeper is so scary...”
As Chen Zhou stepped out of the stone door, Jiao Mu Jiao immediately sensed an intruder. He stopped his circling and turned his head, his amber vertical pupils locking onto Chen Zhou.
“Withdraw.”
As soon as the word left his lips, his figure blurred, appearing directly in front of Chen Zhou as his Vine Sword slashed down.
Chen Zhou didn't even try to dodge. At the same time, a streak of transparent flame lunged from the side, slamming violently into Jiao Mu Jiao’s Vine Sword.
Boom—!
The flames exploded, and a terrifying heat instantly filled the area. The Vine Sword hissed as it burned, and charred black cracks appeared along the blade.
Jiao Mu Jiao was knocked back three steps. He steadied himself and looked up.
A massive bone snake stood before Chen Zhou, causing Jiao Mu Jiao’s amber vertical pupils to contract.
“Withdraw,” he repeated.
The Wing-Fire Snake didn't move. It looked down at him, the transparent flames in its eye sockets flickering.
Jiao Mu Jiao raised his Vine Sword and charged again with startling speed, his form turning into a ghostly blue afterimage. A faint light flashed on the Vine Sword, and the charred cracks on the blade miraculously healed within a few breaths.
The Wing-Fire Snake met the charge, opening its mouth to spew a torrent of transparent fire. The flames poured down like a waterfall, instantly engulfing Jiao Mu Jiao.
Jiao Mu Jiao’s skin hissed as it burned, and charred flesh peeled away in flakes. Yet, he remained expressionless, continuing his charge and swinging his sword at the Wing-Fire Snake.
The Vine Sword struck the Wing-Fire Snake’s skeleton, leaving white marks on the bones.
The Wing-Fire Snake lashed its tail in a counterattack.
Bang—!
Jiao Mu Jiao was swiped away, crashing into a stone pillar that collapsed upon impact.
However, he stood up immediately. A ghostly blue light surged from his charred wounds. Wherever the light passed, the burnt flesh fell away, and new flesh grew back at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In moments, he was fully restored.
The two sides traded blows. The Wing-Fire Snake’s attacks were fierce, but Jiao Mu Jiao’s abnormal recovery ability was just as formidable.
After watching for a while, Chen Zhou noticed something.
Although the Wing-Fire Snake was technically a Ghost Servant, it didn't fight like those stiff, mindless skeletons.
Without any direct commands from Chen Zhou, it knew how to dodge, judge the situation, utilize the terrain, and protect its master.
After being attacked at close range by Jiao Mu Jiao, it would deliberately create distance, denying him the chance for a continuous assault.
When breathing fire, it would even aim for Jiao Mu Jiao’s eyes and wounds—his weak points.
It even had emotions.
When white marks were cut into its bones, it grew angry. When it sent Jiao Mu Jiao flying, it seemed somewhat proud. Now, it watched the opponent’s movements warily, as if calculating its next move.
It was nothing like a low-level cannon fodder Ghost Servant.
Chen Zhou frowned and tried sending a command to the Wing-Fire Snake in his mind: Step to the left.
The Wing-Fire Snake immediately stepped to the left.
Chen Zhou gave another command: Breathe fire.
The Wing-Fire Snake opened its mouth and spewed a blast of flames.
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow.
It could execute commands, but after doing so, it would resume fighting at its own pace. It didn't feel like a puppet being controlled at all.
Chen Zhou grew thoughtful. Could it be that the Wing-Fire Snake still possessed its original consciousness?
In contrast, Jiao Mu Jiao was much stiffer than the Wing-Fire Snake. Like an ordinary Ghost Servant, he felt more like an NPC.
He repeated the same few moves over and over: swing, thrust, chop, then vine entanglement and ghostly blue restoration. He simply tanked the hits and fought back.
His moves were mechanical, like muscle memory etched into his bones that required no thought; his body moved on its own.
The two fought for nearly an hour. Jiao Mu Jiao was knocked away over a dozen times, his wounds healing only to be reopened again and again, leaving him in a wretched state.
Although the Wing-Fire Snake had a few bones broken, it fought more smoothly as the battle progressed. Its flames grew more intense, and it even began to take the initiative to pursue.
Sensing the time was right, Chen Zhou reached out to borrow a wisp of the Wing-Fire Snake’s transparent flame and lit the mushrooms in his hand.
The mushrooms ignited instantly, bursting into a bright glow.
A small pile of fire burned on the ground like a cluster of fireflies. It was warm and soft, and its light felt strangely reassuring when it touched the skin.
Jiao Mu Jiao’s movements came to a sudden halt. He had been raising his Vine Sword to strike the Wing-Fire Snake, but with the sword halfway up, he froze as if paralyzed.
He turned his head and looked at the glowing fire.
The radiance was reflected in his amber vertical pupils. The Wing-Fire Snake didn't care if he stopped; it swung its tail and slammed it into him.
Bang—!
Jiao Mu Jiao was sent flying, crashing into a distant stone wall. The wall collapsed with a roar, burying him under countless falling rocks.
The underground city shook violently, and dust fell from the ceiling.
Chen Zhou continued to toss mushrooms into the fire.
The mushrooms burned brighter and brighter, and the light grew more intense.
Jiao Mu Jiao crawled out from the rubble, covered in injuries. Ghostly blue light surged as his wounds quickly healed, but he remained where he was, staring fixedly at the light from the burning mushrooms.
Chen Zhou glanced at him, then turned back to the stone door and shouted, “You can come over now.”
Jian Huaishuang immediately organized the little demons. “Let's go. Keep up.”
The little demons cheered and scrambled to rush out.
“We can get out!”
“We can finally leave!”
“Hurry, hurry! Stop pushing me!”
The Wing-Fire Snake had already reined in its high temperature, and the transparent flames retracted into the gaps of its bones, leaving only a faint red glow circulating on the surface of its skeleton.
It coiled there like a small mountain, looking down at the group of little creatures.
Jiao Mu Jiao was still standing in place, staring at the pile of burning mushrooms, motionless.
The little demons who had returned later from picking mushrooms hadn't seen Chen Zhou summon the Wing-Fire Snake. They trembled in fear, huddling together.
“Oh my god... two monsters...”
“Why isn't that gatekeeper moving?”
“Is he dead?”
“No, his eyes are still open...”
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