C2 Ice and Fire

Chapter Two - Ice and Fire

"A Demonic Pill is only found within a Fourth Rank Demon Beast." Lu Shaoyou recalled from his memories that such a pill could only be produced by a beast of at least Fourth Rank, and it was incredibly valuable.

As the bat Demon Beast tore open the Giant Eagle, exposing its Demonic Pill, the Giant Eagle burst into flames, melting the surrounding ice. With a swift peck of its sharp beak to the bat's wounded abdomen, blood gushed forth, and a blood-streaked pearl, glowing softly and the size of an infant's fist, dropped onto the icy surface.

"Another Demonic Pill?" Lu Shaoyou was astonished. It was exceedingly rare to encounter Fourth Rank Demon Beasts, and yet here were two at the base of the cliff.

The bat Demon Beast shrieked in agony, then clamped its fangs onto the Giant Eagle's neck. Blood sprayed, and the Giant Eagle met its end.

Meanwhile, the ice on the water's surface began to thaw once more. Lu Shaoyou shivered violently, his lips white, his complexion deathly pale, his body nearly frozen solid. He watched the colossal Demon Beasts' battle as though it were a 3D movie, utterly astounded.

The massive bat Demon Beast, clutching both its own and the Giant Eagle's Demonic Pills, glided across the water, drawing closer to Lu Shaoyou.

"This is bad," Lu Shaoyou muttered, watching the bat-like beast approach with a sense of impending doom. The beast's eyes were fixed on him.

When the bat Demon Beast reached him, it emitted a sound from deep within its throat. Its eye, larger than Lu Shaoyou's entire body, held no malice, only a plea. It gazed intently at Lu Shaoyou.

Lu Shaoyou had resigned himself to his fate before the immense creature, sensing no hostility in its gaze. "Do you need my help?" he ventured, aware that higher-level demon beasts possessed significant intelligence.

At his words, the bat Demon Beast cried out joyfully and nodded, seemingly in response to Lu Shaoyou.

"You really understand what I'm saying," Lu Shaoyou marveled, momentarily taken aback. In the past, such a thing would have shocked him, but now, having traveled through time and space, he found little that could surprise him.

"Brother Beast, I'm barely able to save myself. How can I possibly help you?" Lu Shaoyou said to the bat Demon Beast with a wry smile.

The bat Demon Beast seemed to comprehend his plight. It observed Lu Shaoyou closely, then let out a deep sound and leaped onto the water's surface, pressing a claw against Lu Shaoyou's abdomen, causing him to gasp involuntarily.

Before he could grasp what was happening, two pearls in his mouth transformed into liquids—one scorching, the other freezing—and he swallowed them. The fiery liquid seared through him, igniting his insides, while the icy one turned half his body to solid ice.

The bat Demon Beast cried out once more, appearing significantly weakened. With another flap of its right wing, a dark yellow snake, about ten centimeters long, emerged from beneath.

The bat demon beast issued another cry, and the dark yellow snake appeared to understand its call. It slithered onto Lu Shaoyou and wriggled into his clothing through his collar.

Seeing the snake disappear into Lu Shaoyou's clothes, the bat demon beast's eyes softened, conveying a sense of relief. It then fixed its gaze back on Lu Shaoyou, eyes filled with a silent plea.

At that moment, Lu Shaoyou was in no state to speak. His body was a battleground for two colliding energies, and the pain was overwhelming. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips.

Eventually, the already weakened Lu Shaoyou could no longer endure and passed out atop the water's surface. Unaware, he did not see the steam rising from the water on his left, nor the chill mist on his right, leaving his face half pale, half flushed.

"Am I still alive?" Lu Shaoyou came to, finding himself lying beneath the pond, propped against a dead tree.

"I've healed." Testing his limbs, Lu Shaoyou discovered his once-broken legs and fractured arms were now fully mended, as if he had never been injured at all.

"Did you die? Thank you." He then noticed the pure white bat demon beast, now lifeless and floating on the pond's surface. Its massive hundred-meter-long body resembled a great ship.

Lu Shaoyou sensed that his miraculous recovery was undoubtedly linked to the two Demonic Pills the bat demon beast had administered. Renowned for their immense value, these pills clearly possessed extraordinary powers.

"Given your immense size, I can't possibly bury you. Let this cold pond serve as your final resting place." After climbing ashore, Lu Shaoyou addressed the corpse of the bat demon beast. He then surveyed his surroundings, knowing he needed to find a way off the cliff.

In Qingyun Town, the Lu family was regarded as a prominent clan. The town's residents were all familiar with the Lu family, whose patriarch was a formidable Martial General, a revered figure throughout the town.

The Lu family was not only a lineage of martial artists but also managed a multitude of businesses in Qingyun Town, with rumors of branches extending to other towns.

As night enveloped the town, the biting cold intensified, and snowflakes began to drift from the heavens. A slender young man emerged from the night's embrace, his clothes worn and ragged. His tattered garments billowed in the biting wind, adding to his air of forlornness.

"Is this the Lu family's residence?" The youth approached a grand estate in Qingyun Town, murmuring to himself. This young man was none other than Lu Shaoyou, a traveler across time and space.