Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 458

Before them was a small mountain, about a hundred yards high, with peaks stretching out to the left and right. They knew the Fire Toad’s habitat was a day’s journey away, so they couldn’t have arrived already.

“Nam Rong-hu, what’s wrong?” Ro Wi-yeong asked.

“It seems passing through here might be dangerous,” Nam Rong-hu replied.

“What do you mean?” Ro Wi-yeong questioned, raising his snow-white eyebrows. Han Li silently touched his nose, waiting for Nam Rong-hu to elaborate.

“Do you see the mountain ridges on both sides?”

“Yes,” Ro Wi-yeong responded.

“That’s the problem.”

“What’s wrong with the mountain ridges?” Old Man Ro asked, looking puzzled.

“No matter which way we go, we’ll reach the Fire Toad’s habitat. But on the left, a group of legendary Flying Scorpion Demons lives. Although there are only about a dozen of them, they are very violent.”

Nam Rong-hu hesitated before revealing the truth, and Ro Wi-yeong was shocked.

“Are you saying that ancient demonic scorpions live there? Aren’t those the vicious scorpion-like beasts that annihilated the Southern Sea cultivators when the Mangsuguk [a powerful ancient kingdom] appeared?”

Moreover, they were talking about the Flying Scorpion Demons, not just any ordinary scorpion demon. Han Li’s expression also changed at the mention of the demon’s name.

“That’s right, those poisonous insects. They are more powerful than the demons that appeared in Mangsuguk, and they are ancient demons that have lived for tens of thousands of years.”

“Nam Rong-hu, this is not right. Even if it were two or three, it would be too much, but a dozen! Are you trying to get us killed?” Ro Wi-yeong, slightly angered, glared directly at Nam Rong-hu.

“I’d like to take another path, but the right side is even more dangerous. There are too many hidden spatial rifts, and we can’t avoid them. We can’t possibly identify all those spatial rifts,” Nam Rong-hu said, looking helpless. Ro Wi-yeong fell silent for a moment. However, Han Li’s eyes changed slightly at those words.

“Then, the Changkon Merchant must have used a secret technique to enter through the right path,” Han Li stated.

Nam Rong-hu hesitated at Han Li’s words, then gave a bitter smile. “That’s right. But I don’t have such abilities, so there’s nothing I can do. I think facing the Flying Scorpion Demons is more feasible.”

“That won’t do. The Scorpion Demons are not easy to deal with. When I was young, I participated in the extermination of the Scorpion Demons on behalf of the Heavenly Extremity Sect, so I know them better than other cultivators. Provoking a dozen Flying Scorpion Demons is like throwing away our lives!” Ro Wi-yeong exclaimed.

Nam Rong-hu looked troubled by Ro Wi-yeong’s extreme opposition and fear. He had originally thought that if the three of them worked together, they might not be able to kill all the demons, but they could somehow escape.

At that moment, Han Li, with a furrowed brow, recalled the information about the Flying Scorpion Demons he had read in the Qi Chong Bang [a record of powerful beings]. The Flying Scorpion Demons were ancient demonic insects, similar in rank to the Seogeum Insects [another type of demonic insect].

According to what the cultivator of the Eoryeong Sect, who had died at Han Li’s hands, had written, scorpions laid few eggs, which was why the Seogeum Insects were more numerous, but their power was almost equal to that of the Seogeum Insects.

They could not be injured by ordinary swords, they had wings and moved like the wind, and they possessed deadly poison, making them incredibly dangerous.

Moreover, they had lived for tens of thousands of years and were almost fully grown. Han Li sneered inwardly, looking at Nam Rong-hu’s face.

‘To suddenly talk about the Scorpion Demons now!’

Han Li was lost in thought. Although the Flying Scorpion Demons were dangerous, if they chose the other path, he would have to reveal that he could see hidden spatial rifts. But this was a trump card for surviving in Chuma Valley, and he absolutely couldn’t let others know about it.

As the three cultivators hesitated in a dilemma, Han Li suddenly smiled. Nam Rong-hu, who had been watching the others’ reactions, immediately noticed it.

“Do you have a good idea, Han?” His voice was filled with anticipation, unusual for an old man who had reached the Nascent Soul stage. Ro Wi-yeong also looked at Han Li at those words.

Han Li immediately reached into his storage bracelet and took out a green bottle.

“Have you two ever heard of the Ten Deadly Poisons?”

“Of course, I’ve heard of the Ten Deadly Poisons. They are ten kinds of poisons with mysterious toxicity, and even cultivators like us would die if poisoned. Cultivator Wi Mu-ae’s poison technique is one of them, the Boksi Poison, which is why other cultivators never approach him within ten yards when fighting him, isn’t it?” Old Man Ro replied in surprise.

“I’ve heard that the Ten Deadly Poisons not only have powerful toxicity but also have unique uses. Do you possess one of them, Cultivator?” Nam Rong-hu asked.

“You all know without me having to say it. What I have in my hand is the Byukgu Poison, one of the Ten Deadly Poisons. It is said to be refined using the venom of the demonic beast Byukchwigu, so it is highly toxic and has a unique scent. It is said to be a scent that all poisonous insects in the world cannot resist,” Han Li explained leisurely, looking down at the green bottle.

“If I understand you correctly, Han…” Ro Wi-yeong seemed to realize something and showed a delighted expression.

“Instead of fighting the demons, we’ll use the poison to lure the Flying Scorpion Demons and pass through,” Ro Wi-yeong concluded.

“How are you going to lure them? Ah! I almost forgot that you are skilled in puppetry. We can lure them by applying the poison to a few puppets,” Nam Rong-hu added with a smile.

At that moment, Nam Rong-hu also joined in with a smile on his face. Han Li’s expression did not change at those words, but he was not comfortable.

‘He speaks so eloquently, but in the end, he wants to use my puppets, not his own. I’ve already broken several while fighting the serpent demon!’

Han Li was annoyed that Nam Rong-hu didn’t mention his own cuckoo demon and seemed to be passing all the tasks to him. However, he didn’t show it and nodded.

They had to risk their lives together, so they couldn’t get angry over small matters. After all, the map was in Nam Rong-hu’s head, and the Byukgu Poison was actually one of the treasures left in the Changkon Merchant’s box.

Han Li had opened the bottle that day, smelled it, and immediately recognized it as the Byukgu Poison.

He was surprised and had sealed the bottle tightly, keeping it with him. It was clear that the Changkon Merchant had deliberately left it behind for this journey.

However, he couldn’t understand why the merchant had prepared so meticulously for his successors to enter Chuma Valley.

Han Li had a feeling that there was some hidden secret. Still, he needed the Fire Toad’s core, so there was nothing he could do.

Han Li made up his mind and reached into his storage bracelet. White lights burst out, transforming into giant monkey puppets. He then gave them a few small jade bottles, filled each with a drop of Byukgu Poison, and sealed the lids.

Soon, following his will, the giant monkeys flew away silently, holding the bottles tightly in their hands.

“We must leave immediately. The puppets won’t be able to lure the Scorpion Demons for long, so we must pass through here before that,” Han Li urged.

At Han Li’s words, the three cultivators immediately took flight as soon as the giant monkeys disappeared from sight. As soon as they used their techniques to conceal their energy, the puppets simultaneously broke the bottles in their hands.

Then, a strange fragrance spread, stinging their noses, and the giant monkeys turned into white streaks of light, shooting out in various directions.

As the puppets scattered, Han Li and the other two cultivators hid and held their breaths. They hoped that the Scorpion Demons would be lured as they intended, but they couldn’t be sure if that would actually happen.

Han Li had only read about it in the scriptures and had never tried it before.

However, when the giant monkeys had flown about a few dozen yards, the quiet mountainside became noisy, and something roared.

At that sharp shriek, Han Li’s blood boiled, and his head became heavy, almost causing him to fall from the sky. Fortunately, he quickly gathered his spiritual energy and barely managed to regain his balance.

Looking around, he saw that the others were also staggering and about to fall, struggling to regain their footing.

To attack the body’s spiritual energy directly with just a roar, not just the consciousness. No matter how strong the consciousness protection was, it was useless against such a powerful blow.

The three cultivators were chilled by the bizarre power of the Flying Scorpion Demons. It was a reminder that not everything was recorded in the scriptures.

Shortly after, a dozen or so dark purple lights shot out from the mountainside, chasing after the giant monkey puppets.

Han Li quickly made the puppets flee at maximum speed, and the speed of the white streaks of light increased. Through the consciousness he had planted in the puppets, he saw the demons within the purple streaks of light.

The demons were black scorpions with a purplish hue, about a yard in size, flapping their wings and cutting through the air.

Except for the wings, they looked similar to ordinary scorpions, but the scorpion flying at the very front was almost two yards in size and exuded a unique aura.

Han Li frowned involuntarily at the yellow mist it was spewing from its mouth and its fierce appearance. Fortunately, the puppets had succeeded in luring them away, and they had all become small dots in the distance.

“The puppets have triggered some kind of restriction. They’ll be caught soon, so let’s go!” Han Li shouted first, released his concealment technique, and shot into the sky in an instant. The two cultivators also turned into streaks of gold and white light, following behind him.

If they lingered and were discovered, it would be the end.

The three cultivators went at full speed, and although Han Li didn’t use the Wind Thunder Technique, he didn’t fall behind the others. At their speed, passing through the mountain ridge was instantaneous.

At that moment, Han Li sensed that his connection with the puppets was being severed one after another. The three of them stopped to catch their breath only after they had run far from the scorpion demon’s lair.

“This time, we were able to avoid danger thanks to your Byukgu Poison and puppets, Han,” Nam Rong-hu laughed heartily and expressed his gratitude to Han Li.

“It was nothing. We were just lucky,” Han Li replied calmly, glancing at Nam Rong-hu. The Byukgu Poison was from the Changkon Merchant’s ruins, but there was no need to explain that.

Ro Wi-yeong also thanked him, and his sincerity was palpable. The cultivators, having regained their composure, began to move on, and the temperature in the air gradually increased.

The lush greenery covering the mountains became increasingly sparse, gradually turning into barren land. After a while, mountains with bizarre rock formations formed by lava and large and small valleys appeared.

Han Li and Ro Wi-yeong were a little surprised, but Nam Rong-hu was focused on finding the way.

Before long, the three cultivators faced a crimson peak thousands of yards high. About half of the high peak was covered in red clouds, which made it even more eye-catching compared to the surrounding low peaks.

Nam Rong-hu stopped and looked back. “There is a cave below that peak, and that is the nest of the Fire Toad, a fire-attribute demon beast. The ruins of the ancient cultivator must be passed through there, but it is not easy, so let’s discuss our strategy before attacking.”

“Below that mountain?” Han Li raised his eyebrows and spread his consciousness. Indeed, there was a rather large cave below the huge peak, and hot air was leaking out from within.

“What is there to discuss? We agreed to kill it with your ice-attribute techniques as the main strategy, and the two of us will assist, didn’t we?” Ro Wi-yeong said without hesitation.

“The situation is not that simple. According to the records left by the Changkon Merchant, the Fire Toad’s nest is in lava, and if it is injured, it will immediately jump into the lava to recover. If we fight in this state, we will be at a great disadvantage, so we must set up a barrier and lure it out to kill it. That’s why I have prepared water-attribute barrier artifacts,” Nam Rong-hu explained.

As Nam Rong-hu spoke of what he had already planned, the three immediately began to prepare. While Nam Rong-hu set up the barrier, Han Li also deployed another barrier to prepare for any eventuality.

After finishing their work, they hid, and Han Li decided to use his puppet demon to lure out the Fire Toad.

When a wounded white wolf puppet appeared from his spirit beast pouch, Han Li sat cross-legged near the barrier and controlled the wolf.

# 460