"Brother Guo, I have a few Spirit Fire Talismans. Perhaps they might help?" Chen An's timid voice broke through the tense atmosphere just as the horde of crazed rats closed in. The rotten tree he clung to was trembling precariously. Sweat dripped from his forehead, adding to his convincingly panicked expression.
Wu Qing immediately latched onto the suggestion. "Rats fear fire! Quickly, hand them over!"
Without hesitation, Chen An retrieved a few Spirit Fire Talismans from his storage pouch and tossed them to Guo Feng and Wu Qing on the ground. These low-level talismans were simple to use, even for cultivators of their modest level.
In an instant, the talismans ignited into roaring flames. The leading rats were consumed by fire, their charred bodies emitting a nauseating stench. Secretly, Chen An used a Wind Summoning Talisman to fuel the blaze, causing the fire to spread more aggressively. Of course, neither Guo Feng nor Wu Qing realized this. They simply attributed the sudden gusts to divine providence.
The raging inferno forced the swarm of rats to retreat, disappearing back into the earth. The crisis averted, Chen An and the skinny youth descended cautiously from the trees, gazing at the carpet of dead rats with lingering fear.
Chen An turned to Guo Feng and Wu Qing, bowing deeply in gratitude. "Thank you both for saving me! Without your intervention, I'd have been gnawed to the bone."
His flattery worked like a charm. Guo Feng and Wu Qing both stood a little taller, basking in the praise as if the credit for defeating the rats truly belonged to them.
But in truth, the real heroes of the encounter were Chen An and the youth.
Chen An approached the boy, patting his shoulder in appreciation. "If you hadn't spotted the danger ahead of time, we wouldn't have been prepared. You must have sharp instincts."
The youth lowered his gaze, his big, expressive eyes darting nervously. "I... I just happened to see it because I was leading the way."
Chen An smiled faintly, asking for the boy's name.
"I... I'm called Xiaodao." The boy's voice was soft, his head bowed as he introduced himself.
"Xiaodao..." Chen An repeated thoughtfully, deciding to stick close to the youth.
From Chen An's perspective, he and Xiaodao were cut from the same cloth—both adept at playing the fool while plotting in secret to manipulate others for their benefit.
What intrigued Chen An was Xiaodao's uncanny intuition. His red-ringed serpent, Honghuan, was exceptionally sensitive to danger, yet Xiaodao consistently detected threats even before the serpent did.
At first, Chen An thought it might be a coincidence. But Xiaodao's ability to read situations quickly and accurately, combined with his sharp decision-making, suggested otherwise.
Chen An concluded that Xiaodao was far more than he appeared to be. But since the boy seemed content to keep up his act, Chen An decided to play along.
---
The group resumed their journey after a brief rest. The deeper they ventured into the poisonous swamp, the more treacherous the terrain became. That night, they faced three more ambushes: a swarm of blood bats, a one-eyed demon wolf, and several fist-sized venomous mosquitoes.
The mosquitoes proved particularly troublesome, with their near-impervious defenses. Several times, Chen An nearly had to reveal his true strength to fend them off. Fortunately, by subtly guiding Guo Feng and Wu Qing into action, he managed to survive unscathed.
By dawn, exhaustion weighed heavily on Guo Feng and Wu Qing. The dangers of the swamp were beginning to chip away at their confidence.
Chen An noticed Wu Qing's hesitation and worked quickly to quell it. Using subtle suggestions, he reminded them of their initial purpose—to find and slay the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad. He painted the journey as a sunk cost: they had already endured so much, and turning back now would only make their efforts meaningless.
Xiaodao played along, claiming they were drawing closer to the toad's lair. The two brothers, lured by the promise of imminent rewards, pressed on.
---
After three grueling days, the group finally reached the swamp's edge. Before them lay a vast clearing, dominated by a murky, foul-smelling pond surrounded by heaps of bones. Most were animal remains, but scattered among them were the skeletal remains of humans.
As they approached, a suffocating aura of pressure fell upon them. Wu Qing's lips quivered, betraying his growing fear. The source of the oppressive aura was unmistakable.
The Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad awaited them. After countless perils and days of toil, their target was finally within reach.