The pitch-black cave was riddled with countless openings, and behind them, a frenzied monster roared!
In their panic, Yun Qingxue grabbed Daise and dashed into one of the cave openings.
“ROAR—!!”
The monster let out another furious bellow, charging relentlessly toward the direction Yun Qingxue and Daise had fled.
“BOOM!” With each thunderous step the monster took, the ground trembled beneath them.
A fiery red tongue shot out from the monster’s maw, lashing toward Yun Qingxue and Daise as they ran.
“My lady, leave me behind!” Seeing the monster’s tongue closing in, Daise realized she was slowing Yun Qingxue down. Struggling, she tried to wrench her hand free, crying, “Let it take me! Run, my lady!”
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Yun Qingxue snapped, tightening her grip on Daise as they fled. “If you call me your lady, I won’t abandon you!”
“My lady…” Tears welled in Daise’s eyes. Since gaining sentience and the ability to take human form, Yun Qingxue was the first to show her kindness…
Yet she had only been a burden—from last night’s confrontation with Yun Sisi to now, facing this monster. She couldn’t protect her lady; instead, she was dragging her down. What right did she have to stay by her side?
Better to let the monster take her and buy her lady time to escape!
In that split second, Daise made up her mind. As the monster’s slender red tongue closed in, she suddenly wrenched free from Yun Qingxue’s grasp and turned to face the oncoming attack.
By the time Yun Qingxue realized what was happening and spun around, Daise was already ensnared by the monster’s tongue, being yanked backward.
“Daise!” Yun Qingxue screamed, leaping forward.
“My lady, go!!!” Daise shouted as Yun Qingxue lunged. “Run, my lady!!!”
The crimson tongue retracted, dragging Daise toward the monster’s gaping maw. In a fury, Yun Qingxue slashed her hand through the air, sending multiple wind blades slicing toward the beast’s open mouth and the tongue coiled around Daise.
“CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!” The sound of metal striking something unyielding echoed, followed by another enraged roar from the monster.
One of the wind blades must have struck true, because the monster howled in pain, its tongue flailing wildly instead of retracting.
Daise, still trapped in its grasp, was flung around like a ragdoll, her body crashing against the cave walls and floor.
Gritting her teeth, Yun Qingxue summoned a blade of energy in her hand and leaped forward.
The monster, caught off guard by her earlier attack, was now thrashing madly, using Daise as a punching bag. Yun Qingxue dared not risk another wind blade—she had to save Daise first.
Just as she lunged, a bolt of dark-purple lightning shot toward the monster.
Ah Dai landed on the flailing tongue, bared his tiny white fangs, and bit down hard.
CRACK!
A sharp snap echoed, and Ah Dai’s round eyes instantly filled with indignation. What kind of monster was this?! He’d braved disgust to bite its tongue, only to find it harder than millennium-forged steel!
Ah Dai’s teeth ached.
While Ah Dai’s attack failed, Yun Qingxue had already closed in, slashing her energy blade toward the monster’s mouth.
“ROAR—!” The monster bellowed as a long, deep gash split the flesh inside its maw.
Yun Qingxue’s eyes lit up—the inside of its mouth wasn’t as invulnerable as its tongue!
Realizing this, she swiftly gathered energy for another attack.
“ROAR!!!” The monster seemed to sense her intent. With a furious snarl, it began retracting its tongue.
Yun Qingxue’s heart lurched. With a quick spell, she summoned vines that coiled around the monster’s tongue, preventing it from pulling back.
No way was she letting it swallow Daise!
“ROAR!” The monster roared again, thrashing violently to break free from the vines.
“Go!” Yun Qingxue cast another spell, summoning dozens more vines that tightened around the monster’s body.
“ROAR!” The beast raged, but its tongue still refused to release Daise.
A cold glint flashed in Yun Qingxue’s eyes as she unleashed another volley of wind blades, all aimed straight for the monster’s mouth.
After this prolonged battle, she’d realized: the inside of its mouth was its only weak spot!
But the monster had grown wiser. Though its tongue remained exposed, it clamped its jaws shut just in time.
“CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!”
Yun Qingxue’s wind blades struck the monster’s lips, producing metallic clangs.
Not a single scratch marred its impenetrable hide.
“ROAR!” After weathering the attack, the monster roared furiously, its massive body straining against the vines.
One by one, the vines snapped. The monster’s bulbous eyes locked onto Yun Qingxue, brimming with contempt. Meanwhile, Daise, still trapped in its tongue, was battered and barely conscious.
Having learned from its earlier mistake, the monster now kept its mouth shut tight, denying Yun Qingxue any opening to strike its weak spot.
Its strength was overwhelming—soon, most of the vines restraining it had been torn apart.
Just then, Daise, who had been knocked unconscious by the monster’s thrashing, stirred weakly. Seeing Yun Qingxue still locked in battle, she managed a faint smile.
Her lady was fighting tooth and nail to save her. Daise had chosen the right master! Even if she died now, it was worth it—to be protected so fiercely by the exalted ruler of the Flora Clan!
“My lady… go,” she whispered hoarsely. “Leave me…”
Yun Qingxue shot her an exasperated glare. “More nonsense! If you call me your lady, I *will* protect you. Or what kind of master would I be?!”
“TWANG! TWANG! TWANG!”
The remaining vines restraining the monster’s body snapped, leaving only those coiled around its tongue holding on by a thread.
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