Chapter Forty-One: It Covets My Body, It’s Shameless!

“Brother Hongjun, I heard you mentioned that Phoenix-crowned Blood Serpent just now?” Yu Daoyi ignored the strange looks from the others and asked directly.

Wang Hongjun was a bit surprised that the other party brought it up himself and replied, “That’s right. Brother Wang Er already met with misfortune, and the previous three are also missing or dead. We still hope to slay that creature before more people fall victim.”

In short, it’s all to prevent the world from being destroyed, to protect peace, to uphold love and the truth of evil.

It’s you, Musashi, Wang Hongjun, Kojiro.

“By the way, I wonder if Brother Wang Er’s remains are still around. If possible, I’d like to bring him back to the Wang family—he’s one of us, and I don’t wish for him to be left outside. Little brother, did you see him before?” Wang Hongjun suddenly asked, as if recalling something.

“Art is explosion!” That vegetable-brained logic was as bizarre as ever.

Wang Hongjun: “?????”

What strange things was this guy talking about again?

“Oh~ nothing, nothing. I thought you meant Wang Er, but it turns out you meant Wang Er!” He responded cheekily, leaving everyone at a loss.

Wang Hongjun: “?????”

After a moment of silence, Wang Hongjun decisively skipped the question, realizing it was pointless to ask.

“When shall we set off?” Yu Daoyi asked.

“Set off? Brother, do you mean—?” Wang Hongjun asked in surprise.

“That shameless snake, I, Little Carp Bubble, must teach it a lesson! Just because it has a bump on its head, it thinks it’s special!” Yu Daoyi began rambling in earnest once more.

Wang Hongjun: “?????”

Is this guy an idiot or what!

Whether strangers or companions, everyone was speechless and headache-ridden by his antics. Yet, in a few words, he had shifted the tense atmosphere into something else entirely. Even Song Cheng had to admit, deep down, his admiration for the way he handled things—though he wouldn’t dare comment on his mind.

Wang Hongjun pondered for a moment. The other’s intentions were clear; there was no need to say more. The Duan siblings, too, after expressing their gratitude, remained silent. After all, the more people joined the hunt for the Phoenix-crowned Blood Serpent, the greater their chances.

“In that case, let’s set out now, while the Phoenix-crowned Blood Serpent is still wounded,” Wang Hongjun said after a brief consideration.

“No need to rush. That thing won’t recover so quickly. It’s probably still holding together at best,” Yu Daoyi waved his hand dismissively.

“What do you mean?” Wang Hongjun asked curiously.

“Oh, it was after my body—low creature, it tried to force itself on me. I got angry and shot some strange stuff into its mouth. Looks impressive but useless. It’s probably still weak now.”

Wang Hongjun: “?????”

Wang Meng: “?????”

Duan siblings: “?????”

Song Cheng and Song Qiuling: “?????”

What on earth was he talking about? Was he a demon?

Even Song Qiuling beside him clenched her fists, barely restraining herself from hitting him. It was utterly embarrassing! Yet, it was the truth. Song Cheng couldn’t fathom why the situation had changed so much since this guy arrived.

Yu Daoyi looked around at the others, bewildered as to why they all stared at him so strangely—whether he genuinely didn’t know or feigned ignorance was unclear.

“Ahem, little brother, could you explain more clearly—be more specific?” Wang Hongjun asked after a pause.

“I said it very clearly—how is it you don’t understand?” Yu Daoyi felt completely baffled; none of them seemed to have any sense.

“All right, all right. That thing wanted to eat me; I stuffed a few Exploding Pills into it. It’s probably badly hurt now, curled up somewhere. Plus, with those external wounds, it won’t regain its peak strength any time soon.”

“Exploding Pills?” Wang Hongjun chose to ignore the previous topic, worried the conversation would stray even further.

“Right, right. Since it’s our first meeting, brother, here’s a small token—a gesture of respect.” Yu Daoyi rummaged through his belongings and produced a pitch-black pill.

“What is this?” Wang Hongjun was puzzled.

“An Exploding Pill—I call it the Calamity Spirit Pellet. If you channel spiritual energy into it, it will explode, effective even against cultivators at the sixth or seventh stage.”

Seeing the doubt in Wang Hongjun’s eyes, Yu Daoyi put on a performance—he picked up another Calamity Spirit Pellet, infused it with spiritual energy, and tossed it into the river nearby.

A deafening boom erupted, water splashing everywhere. The river seemed cut off for a moment, and several fish were blasted into the air, leaving only scattered remains.

The others, who had never seen the pill’s power before, looked on in surprise and amazement.

Wang Hongjun smiled sheepishly, his eyes darting. He recalled Wang Meng mentioning explosive sounds during his escape—it must have been this thing. Seeing it firsthand was truly startling.

Even Song Cheng frowned, unsure of its significance. Wang Hongjun, noticing Song Cheng’s frown, relaxed slightly. It would be awkward to refuse, and besides, if it was as effective as claimed, the pill was worth studying and could serve as a life-saving tool.

“Brother, your actions left me at a loss back then,” Wang Hongjun sighed.

“Oh, brother, it’s nothing special—not worth much. It’s far inferior to the Crimson Blood Fruit,” Yu Daoyi replied casually.

At the mention of the Crimson Blood Fruit, Wang Hongjun understood. If he could exchange a pill for Yu Daoyi’s help and perhaps obtain a Crimson Blood Fruit, it was a good deal. He smiled and said no more.

“Then, let little brother decide when we set out.”

“Tomorrow at dawn. If we leave now, we’ll arrive at sunset, and nightfall is not convenient for action.”

“As you say, little brother.”

With that, Wang Meng and the two wooden figures rested quietly nearby. Yu Daoyi glanced at the two behind him, squinting slightly, but said nothing more.

“Brother Daoyi, are we really going to join this mess?” Song Cheng whispered in his vegetable brother’s ear.

“Do you know the story of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?” Yu Daoyi gazed ahead, speaking softly.

Song Qiuling looked confused—she had no idea what he was planning, feeling as if she’d been led astray from the very start. Only Yu Yunfan seemed unconcerned, following silently, saying nothing.

“Hello, cousin!” Yu Daoyi turned and greeted Song Yong with a smile. Song Yong nodded in return, having remained silent throughout, knowing he had no say in the situation.

“You’re too polite, little brother. But I hope you’ll think carefully before heading out. Even wounded, the Phoenix-crowned Blood Serpent is not to be underestimated. The Crimson Blood Fruit is valuable, but safety comes first,” Song Yong advised kindly.

“Cousin, are you not coming with us?” Yu Daoyi asked.

Song Yong shook his head and smiled, “Even if I went, I couldn’t help. I’m still injured and can’t use my strength. I borrowed Song Cheng’s map and noticed there’s an exit nearby. I think it’s best I leave early.”

Yu Daoyi kept smiling, “In that case, I wish you a safe journey. There are too many uncertainties in the mountain—life is unpredictable.”

“You’re absolutely right. Farewell.” After bowing to everyone, Song Yong departed, gradually moving away into the distance.

Yu Daoyi watched Song Yong leave, a bit puzzled. He whispered to Song Cheng and Song Qiuling, “Are you close with this cousin?”

Song Qiuling replied, “Not at all. Don’t know him.”

Yu Daoyi: “......”

“Not really. I’ve only seen him a few times at family gatherings. He’s something of a fringe figure in the Song family,” said Song Cheng. After a pause, he asked, “Why?”

“Nothing, just curious,” Yu Daoyi replied casually.

The sun set, and night began to fall.

Song Qiuling, watching the grinning vegetable in the distance, felt an inexplicable urge to rush over and beat him up. The more she thought about it, the stronger the urge grew.

That guy had run over to the Duan girl before sunset, shamelessly sticking by her side, not moving an inch. Every now and then, her clear, melodious laughter rang out.

Yu Yunfan was used to his brother’s antics, long since closing his eyes and keeping a safe distance—a clear sign that he had nothing to do with him.

Song Cheng watched his sister’s irritation, wanting to calm himself but unable to stop glancing in that direction. He looked up at the moon with a deep sigh.

“From time immemorial, passionate hearts are left with only regret; this regret lingers unendingly.”

My vegetable brother’s poetic lines are truly unique! Then he was terrified by his sister’s murderous glare.

Afraid, very afraid—he wasn’t as tough as vegetable brother, who could survive anything.