Zhen Gu exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down. His excitement had gotten the better of him—his breathing was erratic, his movements unsteady. If not for the boy standing before him, he might have died just now.
Looking at his savior, Zhen Gu felt a deep sense of gratitude and nodded sincerely.
"I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."
Ye Ming simply smiled, turning his attention toward the approaching Hand Demon.
"Rest for now. Leave this one to me."
The Hand Demon was seething with rage, furious that the little fox had escaped its grasp.
"You meddling brat! Since you love sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, I'll kill you first!"
Its grotesque arms shot forward, wrapping around its body like coiled snakes before launching at Ye Ming from all directions, aiming to crush him.
"Watch out!"
Zhen Gu instinctively gripped his Nichirin sword, ready to dodge. But in the blink of an eye, he realized Ye Ming wasn't moving. He stood completely still.
Zhen Gu clenched his teeth. This man had just saved him—he couldn't stand by and do nothing! Taking a deep breath, he prepared to intercept the attack.
At that moment, Ye Ming drew his sword.
"Flower Breathing – Sixth Form: Whirling Peach."
A dazzling arc of pink light swept through the air like petals caught in a storm. In an instant, the Hand Demon's arms were severed, falling uselessly to the ground.
Ye Ming wasted no time. With a powerful push, he launched forward, his feet kicking up dirt as he closed the distance in a heartbeat.
The Hand Demon's expression twisted in fear.
"He's too fast! No… it's fine! My neck is strong—he won't be able to cut through it! If I just wait for his strike and counter—"
Before the thought could even finish, the demon felt a blade against its neck.
"Flower Breathing – First Form: Crimson Blizzard."
With precision and elegance, Ye Ming's sword sliced through flesh and bone without resistance.
The demon's body crumbled away, its last words filled with bitterness.
"Damn it… damn it… damn it…"
Ye Ming ignored its dying curses. With a swift kick, he sent the demon's head into the air.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
His blade danced, reducing the head to nothing but ash before it could hit the ground.
With one smooth motion, Ye Ming sheathed his sword. Every action had been fluid, effortless—like a carefully choreographed dance.
Zhen Gu, watching from the side, could only stare in awe. He hesitated before finally muttering:
"Unbelievable… he's so strong!"
---
With the battle over, Ye Ming felt a slight increase in his power. Turning to Zhen Gu, he offered a friendly smile.
"I'm Ye Ming. It's nice to meet you."
Zhen Gu quickly snapped out of his daze and responded.
"Oh—I'm Zhen Gu! Please take care of me!"
"Next time, don't get distracted in a fight," Ye Ming warned. "It's dangerous."
Zhen Gu lowered his head, ashamed. If Ye Ming hadn't stepped in, he would've died today.
"I'm sorry, I just—"
He stopped, his mood suddenly sinking. He remembered what the Hand Demon had said earlier.
Ye Ming realized he had struck a nerve and quickly changed the subject.
"Ah, did I say something wrong?"
Zhen Gu forced a small smile.
"No, it's fine. Thanks for the advice. I won't lose focus again."
As they walked forward together, Zhen Gu's curiosity got the better of him.
"You're using Flower Breathing, right? Your sword is pink."
His gaze landed on the pink-sheathed sword at Ye Ming's waist—a blade that looked more suited for a girl.
"Yeah. I was taught Flower Breathing, and this sword belongs to my mentor," Ye Ming said with a gentle smile. Then he turned to Zhen Gu. "You use Water Breathing, right?"
Zhen Gu nodded.
Ye Ming tilted his head. "I don't think Water Breathing suits you. Your strength is too low—cutting through stronger demons will be difficult."
Zhen Gu flinched, a bitter expression crossing his face.
"I know. Even my master told me that my body isn't suited for Water Breathing. But… I still want to fight alongside everyone, so I just have to work harder."
His voice carried a quiet determination.
Ye Ming couldn't help but admire him. She's really similar to Kocho Shinobu… refusing to accept her limits.
He suddenly grinned.
"I know a breathing style that would be perfect for you. Want to hear about it?"
Zhen Gu's eyes widened with excitement.
"Really? Tell me!"
Ye Ming stretched lazily, then placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ugh… my shoulder feels a little stiff. Would be nice if someone could give me a massage…"
He sat on a nearby rock, pretending to rub his shoulder.
Zhen Gu's face darkened. He saw right through Ye Ming's act, but still stomped behind him and pressed her small hands into his shoulders, kneading hard.
"Okay, now tell me!"
Ye Ming chuckled, no longer teasing him.
"Hehe. The sister of my mentor uses a breathing style called Insect Breathing. Like you, she's not very strong, but her technique relies on precision and poison to kill demons instead of brute force."
Zhen Gu's eyes sparkled. That sounds perfect for me!
"Ye Ming! Where can I learn this?" He started massaging more enthusiastically, his eager expression making him look almost adorable.
Ye Ming smirked.
"When the time comes, you can visit the Butterfly Mansion with me. But whether she teaches you or not… that's up to you. I can't help with that."
Zhen Gu nodded, full of excitement.
"Got it! Thank you! You're such a great person!"
Ye Ming froze.
A 'good person' card? Seriously?!
Unwilling to dwell on it, he quickened his pace toward the final checkpoint.
Zhen Gu blinked, confused by his reaction, but quickly caught up. Together, they walked toward the finish line, chatting and slaying any demons that crossed their path.
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