Chen An was familiar with Xixia City—it was where the Pill King, renowned for crafting Marrow Cleansing Pills, resided. However, the Zhao family, a name that surfaced unexpectedly, was new to him.
From the accounts of the cultivators they had slain earlier, it seemed the Zhao family was also searching for the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad. The family had offered a significant reward for anyone who could pinpoint the beast's exact location. This lucrative bounty had lured people like Guo Feng and Wu Qing, along with the other cultivators Chen An and Xiaodao had just eliminated.
This suggested the Zhao family was no ordinary clan. To attract so many people for a single task, the reward must have been extraordinary.
But what role did Xiaodao play in all this? Was she, like the others, simply after the reward for locating the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad? Somehow, Chen An doubted it was that straightforward.
In truth, Xiaodao wasn't entirely secretive about her motives—or at least, not entirely forthright. She admitted that the Zhao family's young heir suffered from a strange illness, and only the heart of the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad could serve as an ingredient for a cure. If she could help the Zhao family acquire the heart, her reward would be substantial.
The Zhao family was no sect like the Spirit Talisman School, yet their knowledge of the surrounding areas was unparalleled, even down to the presence of the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad in the Poison Marsh. They had sent people to confirm its location after learning about its possible habitat.
Guo Feng and Wu Qing had been among the first to accept this mission, hoping to get lucky.
Xiaodao, however, had initially intended to venture into the Poison Marsh alone. Knowing the dangers lurking within, she pretended to be an ordinary person who claimed to know the toad's whereabouts, using Guo Feng and Wu Qing as her shields.
Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to encounter someone so much like herself—someone who not only shared her mindset but also mirrored her calculated and cautious nature. That person, of course, was Chen An.
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"You ventured alone into the Poison Marsh. Clearly, you're also after the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad. But since you seem unaware of the Zhao family's involvement, your motive can't be as simple as pinpointing the toad's location," Xiaodao said, her gaze sharp as blades. "What are you really after?"
The chill in her voice was unmistakable. If Chen An's goal overlapped with hers, a deadly confrontation seemed inevitable.
Chen An chuckled bitterly at her reaction.
Upon realizing Xiaodao's objective was also the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad, he had briefly entertained the idea of killing her to eliminate potential trouble. It was ironic—both of them were so alike that even their murderous intentions seemed to align.
However, once he learned Xiaodao's true aim, Chen An abandoned the thought. Though they shared the same target, their needs differed entirely.
"You want the toad's heart, but I'm after its core. There's no need for us to fight to the death over different goals. Instead, we can cooperate and take what we each need."
Chen An's calm and analytical demeanor prevailed. He carefully assessed the situation.
Even with their combined strength, they couldn't possibly defeat the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad head-on. A direct confrontation was out of the question. A better plan would be to inform the Zhao family of the toad's location and have them send reinforcements.
If the Zhao family was as influential in Xixia City as rumored, surely they could dispatch a few skilled cultivators to handle the task.
But Xiaodao shook her head at his suggestion. "You're overestimating their capabilities. A second-tier beast isn't so easily defeated," she said. "Beasts of equal rank far surpass human cultivators in raw strength. The Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad's power could challenge even a late Foundation Establishment cultivator. The Zhao family's strongest, at most, is in the early Foundation Establishment stage. They'd stand no chance against it."
Her words might have been discouraging, but Chen An remained unfazed. A faint smile played on his lips.
"If it were truly impossible, I doubt you'd be telling me this much. You wouldn't have risked your life to gouge out the toad's eye unless it confirmed something important."
Chen An's confidence startled Xiaodao. He had pieced together her motives with uncanny accuracy.
Xiaodao regarded him for a long moment, then nodded. From her storage pouch, she produced the toad's severed eye and handed it to him.
"I took this eye for two reasons," she explained. "First, as proof for the Zhao family, and second, to confirm a critical detail."
Chen An studied the massive eye, which was about the size of a human head. Its pungent stench made him recoil, and even though it had been separated from the toad for some time, its surface still gleamed with an eerie sheen. Poisonous residues lingered faintly, sending shivers down his spine.
As Chen An inspected it further, he noticed something odd—a miniature version of the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad seemed to slumber within the depths of the eye.
"Could it be… the toad is about to give birth?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Xiaodao nodded.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The toad's initial aggression was fueled by its impending labor. Its retreat, even after losing an eye, stemmed from a desperate instinct to protect its offspring.
"I once read about the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad in an ancient text," Xiaodao said. "This beast reproduces roughly every five hundred years. Before giving birth, it becomes extremely aggressive, attacking anything that enters its territory. At this time, its power peaks, equivalent to a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator."
"But after giving birth, the toad enters its weakest state, its strength reduced to only a fraction of its peak. If we strike then, with adequate preparation, we might succeed. Beasts, after all, lack the intelligence of humans."
Chen An pondered her plan carefully. It seemed feasible—this could be his only chance to acquire the core of a second-tier beast. Without it, advancing his cultivation might remain a distant dream.
But while the plan was sound, he needed to clarify a few key details.