Zhao Shuning had been wandering in this maze for almost half a month. Just when she was about to find an exit and feeling secretly pleased, a roar came from the depths of the forest.
Zhao Shuning was stunned.
She immediately leaped onto the branches of a towering tree beside her. With the lush branches and leaves, she managed to hide most of her body.
Before long, a spiritual beast appeared in Zhao Shuning's sight.
No, it wasn't a spiritual beast. It was an ancient demonic beast, an immature Huodou.
Speaking of Huodou, there's a long history. It looks like an ape, with skin as black as charcoal, and usually feeds on charcoal and stones. It can breathe fire just like the locals, so it's also called the fire - eating beast.
Since it often brings disasters to the people in the Eastern Swamp Wilderness, it's not a popular demonic beast in people's eyes.
In the Eastern Swamp Wilderness, few people would choose it as a mount.
They have no interest in lizards, insects, or rodents, and they disdain the corpses of large animals. Huodou only eats fire.
It's worth mentioning that the excrement of this animal is also fire.
It seems that this scorching energy only enters through their mouths, and after a series of twists and turns, it rushes out from the back of the Huodou.
Occasionally, fire also spurts out from their mouths, which often leads to terrifying fires.
Why would such a terrifying demonic beast exist in the primeval forest? It's a powerful one among beasts. At least Zhao Shuning dared to say that among those second - level students before, even Zhang Tianyuan, who had eaten so many inner pills, wouldn't be a match for the Huodou.
The Huodou slowly walked in Zhao Shuning's direction.
Zhao Shuning held her breath, trying not to let the Huodou detect her presence.
The Huodou had a sense of smell as sensitive as a wolf.
She couldn't afford to provoke a demonic beast of this level.
It was strange. Even if the Misty Rain Tower was powerful, they couldn't afford to raise a demonic beast like the Huodou. If they knew that there was such a place in the Dark Swamp Land with an immature Huodou in it, they would never send the new students here for trials.
The Huodou turned around three or four times, then climbed up the big trees and wandered back and forth among them.
This thing looked like an ape, and its movements were incredibly agile.
Finally, after a round of inspection, it slowly left the place where Zhao Shuning was.
"Phew—"
Seeing the Huodou leave, Zhao Shuning finally let out a long breath.
But this slightest movement, barely audible, attracted the already - leaving Huodou. It rushed madly in this direction.
Zhao Shuning was startled. She just wanted to make a defensive move, but at this moment, her ability was far inferior to that of the ape in front of her. In an instant, Zhao Shuning was pounced on by the Huodou from a high place and then fell straight to the ground.
"You're so annoying!"
Zhao Shuning flipped her palm and actually flipped her body 180 degrees in mid - air, completely avoiding the Huodou. Then, with the help of the Huodou's body, she took off into the air.
But the Huodou was an ancient demonic beast. Its ability was comparable to that of a flying snake. So it was only in a daze for a moment, and then its arm immediately wrapped around Zhao Shuning's foot and dragged her down forcefully.
"Ah! Damn it!"
Zhao Shuning felt that her mouth must have been blessed in her previous life, because whatever she said seemed to come true in this life.
Strangely enough, just when Zhao Shuning was about to have a close encounter with the ground, the Huodou actually helped her stand up straight and let her stand on the ground.
At this moment, countless question marks popped up in Zhao Shuning's mind.
What was this? What kind of operation was this?
The Huodou now put its hands on the ground and stared at Zhao Shuning with its big eyes.
When Zhao Shuning took a step to the left, the Huodou's eyes moved a bit to the left with her. When Zhao Shuning squatted down, the Huodou also lay down.
Then, Zhao Shuning tentatively stretched out her right hand. As if sensing something, the Huodou immediately leaned forward and put its head under Zhao Shuning's hand. Zhao Shuning was even more confused.
The Huodou was an ancient fierce beast, on par with the flying snake. Its existence was equivalent to that of a Misty Rain Tower. Even if it detected that Zhao Shuning was an alchemist, it wouldn't show such kindness to her, because Zhao Shuning was only a third - rank alchemist. To tame a demonic beast, one had to be at least a five - path spiritual pharmacist.
Although she had increased a lot of spiritual power on the small island, she was still a long way from being a five - path spiritual pharmacist.
So she couldn't figure out why this notoriously fierce Huodou was so close to her.
If someone said it was because of her charm that attracted the Huodou, Zhao Shuning would never believe it.
Demonic beasts were also snobbish. If you weren't their master, they wouldn't give you a good look.
Zhao Shuning gently stroked the Huodou's fur. The Huodou closed its eyes comfortably. Seeing its enjoying look, when it was about to fall asleep, Zhao Shuning suddenly ran towards the exit.
But as soon as she ran, the Huodou opened its eyes again.
Then it quickly rushed in front of Zhao Shuning.
Those eyes still looked at Zhao Shuning innocently.
"Hey, I said, buddy, we don't have any relationship, do we? Why are you always chasing after me?"
The Huodou let out a whine.
"I don't remember that you Huodous have the habit of playing with people. You don't like to eat people either, do you? When you meet people or creatures you don't like, don't you like to spit fire and burn them to death? If you want to burn me to death, just do it quickly."
Anyway, I'm not that stupid to be played with by you.
The Huodou let out another whine and then took a few more steps towards Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning quickly shouted to stop.
The Huodou sat down obediently like an ape, with its arms on both sides of its body, staring at Zhao Shuning.
A gust of wind blew, and the Huodou's fur fluttered in the gentle breeze. It was then that Zhao Shuning noticed that there was a small iron plate hanging around the Huodou's neck, and there was a character "Ye" on it.
How could it be such a coincidence?
Zhao Shuning smelled herself and then slowly reached out her hand to look at the small iron plate hanging around the Huodou's neck.
The handwriting was so familiar. Not long ago, she had seen it in the Lin family's small courtyard. Also, the character on the iron plate was "Ye". Could it be that this Huodou was Ye Xingchen's pet?
She herself had stayed on the small island for so long before, so her clothes and body were contaminated with Ye Xingchen's smell.
So now the Huodou had mistaken her for Ye Xingchen?
It was really unbelievable. How powerful was Ye Xingchen now? He could even raise a demonic beast as a pet!