Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 931 - 931 0561 Give It Back to Me_2

Chapter 931: Chapter 0561: Give It Back to Me_2 Chapter 931: Chapter 0561: Give It Back to Me_2 However safe the path may have been, there always came a moment when it had to end, and soon, Qi Tian and his companions reached the bottom of the mountain cave. Compared to the narrow pathway they had entered through, the bottom of the cave was much more spacious. A snake demon, about ten meters long, coiled around a large rock. Compared to the other snake demons they had encountered along the way, this one was not only massive in size, but, more importantly, its head had completely transformed into a human shape. Instead of the triangular snakehead, there was now the sizeable head of a pale-faced man, with slender eyes and a triangular nose.

When Qi Tian and his group approached, the snake demon lay coiled around a large stone, its head resting on its body, eyes half-closed as if asleep. Qi Tian conveyed to Zhang Ting via mental transmission, “Whatever you want, just start looking quickly. We must hurry, lest this snake demon wakes up; that would be troublesome.”

Zhang Ting directly pointed at the snake demon and said, “I don’t want anything else, I just want it. Qi Tian, with my abilities, I stand no chance of victory in a one-on-one fight with this snake demon. If I’m not careful, I might even lose my life. That’s not the outcome I want. Surely, you wouldn’t want to see me consumed by a snake, would you? So, now is the time to prove your worth. Please stop hiding your true strength, strike with all you’ve got, kill this snake demon and let me handle the rest. If you help me fulfill this wish, I’m willing to owe you another big favor.”

Qi Tian looked at the snake demon and could clearly judge its strength. It was a Half-step Golden Core snake demon that could at any moment succeed in forming its Gold Core, a level of strength Zhang Ting certainly couldn’t handle. Just as Zhang Ting had said, if they fought, her only outcome would be to end up in its belly; there was almost no second option.

However, for Qi Tian, this snake demon posed not the slightest threat. With just the will, it could be dealt with a single slap, but that would complicate things for him. If he so easily dealt with a Half-step Golden Core snake demon, even a fool would know he was not a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. Given Zhang Ting’s personality, Qi Tian could not count on her to keep his secret. She might even use this knowledge to coerce him into doing certain things.

Qi Tian quickly made a decision. He definitely had to help, and it was essential, but how to help required careful planning.

Qi Tian said, “I told you I’d help you, and now I won’t break my word. But there’s one thing, don’t think too highly of me. I’m like you, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to fight such a snake demon alone would be suicide.”

Zhang Ting hurriedly said, “You mean you don’t have the slightest chance?”

Qi Tian decisively shook his head and said, “You should be able to see that this snake demon is extremely powerful, far beyond you and me. Not just you or me, but even if we both joined forces together, we wouldn’t stand a chance against the snake demon. However, don’t worry, there are always more methods than difficulties. When I ventured out with my senior brother in the past, he once gambled with a group of people who claimed to be from the Refining God Sect.”

“Refining God Sect? Have you actually met people from the Refining God Sect before?” asked Zhang Ting, surprised.

Qi Tian replied in wonder, “What’s so strange about that? Are those from the Refining God Sect any different?”

Zhang Ting sighed and said, “I don’t know if you really don’t understand or if you’re just playing dumb. Everyone around here knows that the world we live in is not the vast world but a finite secret territory. People like you and me are born and die within this secret territory without any chance of leaving. But the Refining God Sect is different; they are said to be the only ones in our secret territory who can freely travel between the secret territory and the vast world.”

“That incredible?” Upon hearing this, Qi Tian slapped his forehead and said, “Had I known they could move freely between the two worlds, I wouldn’t have gambled for a Gold Core Thunder Talisman with them.”

“Gold Core Thunder Talisman? What is that?” Zhang Ting was completely confused, as she had truly never heard of such a talisman, given that her previous life had been rather humble, not allowing her to encounter the powerful figures within the Imperial Family Secret Territory at the Gold Core Realm.

Qi Tian took out a Gold Core Thunder Talisman, or rather, the imperfect version of one. These types of talismans were by-products of failed attempts to create a proper Gold Core Thunder Talisman. Their attack power was not enough to shake a cultivator at the First Level of the Gold Core Realm and were thus considered defective. Consequently, their selling price was much lower than that of a genuine Gold Core Thunder Talisman. Qi Tian, while in Wanjie City, had bought quite a few, tempted by their low price.

Qi Tian handed the flawed Gold Core Thunder Talisman to Zhang Ting, saying, “Hold onto this one and just smash it towards the snake demon’s head. As long as you can manage to hit the snake demon’s head with this Gold Core Thunder Talisman, today’s mission will be more than half successful. The multiple injuries you’ve sustained just now won’t have been in vain.”

Zhang Ting had never used a Gold Core Thunder Talisman and found it hard to believe that something so small could contain the immense power required to seriously injure such a large snake demon. She hesitated and asked, “Does it really work that well?”

Qi Tian replied, “Whether it works well, I’m not sure either. It’s something that people from the Refining God Sect lost to my senior brother, who then left it with me. Now, to help you, I’m directly giving it to you. If you’re willing to trust it, then give it a try. If not, it’s okay, you can just return it to me.”

Seeing that Qi Tian was about to take the Gold Core Thunder Talisman back, Zhang Ting snatched it from him, gripping it tightly in her hand. Her desire to kill the snake demon was incredibly strong, to the point she would risk her life for it. It didn’t matter that she no longer had any other choice, even if there had been, Zhang Ting would have seized anything that might pose a threat to the snake demon.

“Tell me how I should activate it.” Zhang Ting clutched the Gold Core Thunder Talisman tightly as she fixed her eyes on the snake demon.

Qi Tian quickly explained how to activate the Gold Core Thunder Talisman and then said, “If you want to use it, you’d better hurry, I have a bad feeling that the snake demon might be waking up.”

Zhang Ting’s heart leapt. The difference between facing a sleeping snake demon and an awake one was enormous. While the snake demon was sleeping, she could calmly discuss some details with Qi Tian, but if it were awake, even taking a moment to breathe peacefully would be exceedingly difficult.

Not daring to waste another second, Zhang Ting quickly followed Qi Tian’s instructions to activate the Gold Core Thunder Talisman. Then she aimed at the snake demon’s head and threw the activated talisman.

The moment she released the Gold Core Thunder Talisman, the snake demon suddenly opened its eyes, from which two cold beams of light shot out. It instinctively sensed the threat of the Gold Core Thunder Talisman and immediately raised the front of its body, and opened its mouth wide. A putrid and foul wave rushed out of its mouth toward the Gold Core Thunder Talisman that was flying towards it.

Zhang Ting was in a panic, but she had no way to intervene. The inert presence of the snake demon lying on the rock had not been too noticeable, but now that it had awakened, the aura of a Half-step Golden Core snake demon was fully unleashed, delivering an intense visual and psychological impact to Zhang Ting. It was like the difference between watching a tiger sleep and facing an approaching one, strides and all—the mental states were worlds apart and could not be conflated.

“Qi Tian, you need to think of something quickly.” At this moment, all Zhang Ting could think of was for Qi Tian to take action. If even Qi Tian was at a loss, then her only option would be to flee for her life.