Qing Xuan's jaw dropped in shock. Staring at the terrifying creature with his mouth agape, he exclaimed, "What, what on earth is this thing?!"
Ji Yunxi grabbed Qing Xuan by the collar and used her lightness kung fu to quickly pull him out of harm's way.
Dodging around on the cliff wall with Nian Yun, she gasped, "Look at the faint horns on its head. This is a jiao on the verge of transforming into a dragon!"
Qing Xuan stammered, "Why, why is there such a thing here?"
Gone was Ji Yunxi's former gentleness. She shouted at the top of her lungs, "How should I know!"
The jiao was relentless. Despite its huge size, it was extremely agile and mercilessly chased after the two.
"Why is it so accurate!"
It smashed the exact spots where the two had just landed. Unable to hold back any longer, Qing Xuan angrily cursed, "You stupid thing! We didn't provoke you. Why are you so persistent!"
Ji Yunxi felt a bit helpless. Her spiritual pet, this blackbird, must have been reincarnated from a chatterbox myna. Every time they were in a fight, he just wouldn't stop talking.
"Shut up. Let's see what it really wants."
Ji Yunxi concealed her aura, and Qing Xuan followed suit, disappearing from the jiao's perception. However, the jiao could still detect their positions with pinpoint accuracy.
When the jiao first emerged from the water, it wasn't fully awake. But as time passed, its reactions became quicker, and its attacks more fierce.
Qing Xuan gritted his teeth and said, "Master, you run first. I'll distract it."
Ji Yunxi shook her head. "You underestimate it. It has already realized you're just a spiritual form. It's after me now."
Qing Xuan was at a loss. "What should we do!"
He was on the verge of tears. He knew that Ji Yunxi had taken a great risk using her spiritual power to break through the stone wall just now. If she forced herself into a fight with the jiao and got injured...
If the seal set by Rong Hua were to be destroyed, Ji Yunxi would be in great danger!
Ji Yunxi was well aware of this herself, so she just kept using her lightness kung fu to dodge around with Qing Xuan.
The jiao seemed to sense their plan and suddenly stopped.
Qing Xuan asked cautiously, "Is it... tired?"
Ji Yunxi didn't think so. This was a jiao on the verge of becoming a dragon. How could it get tired so quickly?
There was only one possibility: it was brewing a more powerful and devastating attack!
Ji Yunxi immediately started to dodge around, not staying in one place for a moment.
Sure enough, the jiao couldn't determine Ji Yunxi's position for a while and could only lurk in the water.
But Ji Yunxi's strength was limited, and soon her speed slowed down.
The jiao knew this was the time to strike back. It immediately shot out of the water, several zhang higher than before, and charged straight at the two.
Ji Yunxi was out of strength and stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, a sword fell from the sky and blocked the jiao's attack on Ji Yunxi.
The jiao seemed very unhappy about being interrupted and let out a roar.
The sword seemed to understand and immediately shot up again. The tip of the sword pointed directly at the jiao's newly grown, tiny horns, as if warning it that if it dared to come any closer, it would surely cut off its horns.
Seeing the jiao stop, Qing Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Looking up, he saw Feng Xingzhi flying towards them in a white robe.
His heart settled down. He helped Ji Yunxi sit down on one side and then rushed forward to help Feng Xingzhi.
But strangely, as soon as Feng Xingzhi used his spiritual power, the jiao seemed to sense something. After a moment of hesitation, it stared straight at Feng Xingzhi.
Qing Xuan looked at the jiao and then at Feng Xingzhi. Neither of them seemed to be in a hurry to attack.
Before long, the jiao actually retreated back into the water and disappeared with a splash.
"Is it... gone?" Qing Xuan couldn't believe it. "Did it admit defeat?"
Feng Xingzhi glanced at the now calm lake. Without any delay, he picked up Ji Yunxi horizontally. "Let's leave first!"
In Feng Xingzhi's arms, Ji Yunxi's restless heart finally calmed down.
"Azhi..." She didn't realize that her voice was full of grievance.
Feng Xingzhi held her tightly. God knew how worried he was when he saw the jiao charging towards her. If he had been a moment too late, he might never have seen the person in his arms again.
Feeling the person holding her heartbeat accelerating, Ji Yunxi reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Azhi, I'm here. Don't worry."
Feng Xingzhi didn't say a word. He just adjusted her in his arms and tightened his hold.
Qing Xuan followed behind alone, barely able to keep up with the speed at which Feng Xingzhi was carrying Ji Yunxi.
On a normal day, he would surely make some teasing remarks. But now, after surviving this disaster, it was better to keep quiet.
"Azhi, where were you just now? I couldn't find you."
Feng Xingzhi finally spoke. "I fell into a stone chamber."
Ji Yunxi was very surprised. "Then weren't you flooded too? Are you okay? You didn't have any breath - holding pills on you. I was so worried!"
"Water? There was no water in my stone chamber."
Qing Xuan chimed in at this moment. "You're really lucky. When I came out, master was completely submerged in water."
"Completely submerged?"
Feng Xingzhi couldn't even begin to imagine how dangerous those four words implied. Looking at Ji Yunxi with a heart - full of pain, he uncontrollably kissed her hair, as if by doing so, he could feel that Ji Yunxi was still alive.
"Yes. I fainted after I fell. When I woke up, the ground was full of water. There were many holes in the walls of the stone chamber, and water was constantly seeping in. Later, the water flow got bigger and bigger until it submerged me."
Feng Xingzhi's hand tightened.
Ji Yunxi quickly explained, "But it's okay. I still had a breath - holding pill on me. Isn't it a coincidence?"
She deliberately laughed, hoping that Feng Xingzhi wouldn't be so tense.
"Yes, it's a coincidence." Feng Xingzhi carried her steadily forward while constantly responding with his words.
Ji Yunxi leaned forward and whispered, "I always thought that since I was so lucky, it must be your hairpin protecting me. Do you think so?"
Feng Xingzhi finally showed a hint of a smile on his usually pursed lips.
"I was very worried about you. There was a seal on the door of the stone chamber I was in. After I used my spiritual power to break it, there was a passageway. Following it led me to a more spacious stone chamber."
"What was inside?"
"There were many murals on the walls. There was also an altar in the middle of the stone chamber, piled high with things. But I didn't have time to take a closer look."
Ji Yunxi mused, "It seems this place isn't far from us?"
"You're right. I heard the sound of your fight. Worried that you were in danger, I broke through the stone wall directly. As soon as I came out, I saw you."
Ji Yunxi obediently stayed in his arms. After walking for so long, she finally asked carefully, "Azhi, I'm really okay. Why don't you put me down?"
Feng Xingzhi didn't say a word. He just gave her a look.
Ji Yunxi immediately understood. "Okay. You can still carry me."