28: Chapter 28 The Departure of the Green Snake
"Phew..."
"What on earth was that!"
Xu Qing had clearly even planned out his escape route.
Yet the guy who had just spoken such harsh words died so easily and cleanly.
The harsh words still seemed to echo in his ears.
As expected of the Crane Loli, a crane of few words but fierce actions; Xu Qing was willing to call her the coolest.
"I should be a bit more restrained and just steal some kills."
Having calmed down, Xu Qing no longer felt the previous urgency.
Xu 'Composed' Qing.
As the saying goes, the army collapsed like a mountain.
After one of the human Golden Core experts fell, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators here fell into unease.
Xu Qing saw his own former shadow in these Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
That's right, these guys were probably already planning their escape routes in their minds.
Xu Qing grew anxious.
He couldn't easily let the Dao Cultivation and evolution points he'd already secured slip away.
At the very least, he had to keep a few more behind.
Such a good opportunity wouldn't come by often.
Finally, as time passed, the first Foundation Establishment Cultivator began to flee.
Following that, Foundation Establishment Cultivators began to flee one after another.
Xu Qing found an opportunity to kill one but accidentally let another escape.
The city wall was breached by a Great Yao.
Yao Beasts roared as they entered the city.
The Golden Core Great Cultivator overhead looked grim and uncertain, eventually turning into a golden light and fleeing toward the north.
The Crane Loli did not pursue him.
After all, the further north one went, the closer they got to the center of the human territory.
If she, a single crane, chased him, she would likely return with broken wings.
Flowing flames swirled over the massive Crimson Crane's body, wrapping around it and gradually shrinking it until it turned back into that 1.5-meter loli with red hair and a red dress.
"Transforming in public."
Xu Qing snapped a Cultivator's neck and made a sarcastic remark.
As the Yao Beasts completely trampled the city, the entire place became a ghost town.
However, the civilians had been evacuated in advance, so the humans didn't suffer too many casualties.
But various Formations and facilities were destroyed; it would likely take a long time to restore them.
The Yao Beasts of the Swamp of Death wouldn't have to worry about being hunted by humans or competing for resources for a long time.
"If I kill one more Foundation Establishment, I can Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."
Xu Qing looked at the surrounding Yao Beasts, thinking about whether he should pick one to follow.
The Yao Beasts didn't know that a dangerous element was hidden among them.
"Jie jie jie!"
The Crane Loli descended from the sky, arms crossed over her chest, looking at her masterpiece with a triumphant, strange laugh.
Hey, hey, hey, she's completely become a villain!
Well, maybe she was a villain to begin with.
"Little snake, you did very well."
"You made that old man show a weakness, allowing this Crane to take the chance to suppress him."
The Crane Loli patted Xu Qing's head.
However, Xu Qing noticed that there was indeed drool at the corner of her mouth.
That was exactly the same look he had when looking at a Frog!
Argh, the cursed food chain!
He couldn't stay in the Swamp of Death anymore; with this crane around, it was simply no place for a snake!
"If there's anything you want, little snake, just say it."
The Crane Loli grandly patted her flat chest, inconspicuously wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth.
"Hiss hiss hiss~"
"You don't want anything!?"
"Hiss hiss hiss!"
"How can that be? You clearly achieved such great merit!"
"Hiss hiss hiss hiss!"
"Fine, since you insist, I shall title you the First Spirit Snake under the Crimson-Tailed Burning Flame Crane!"
"Hiss hiss! Hiss hiss!"
Xu Qing cursed her mother frantically in snake language.
This bastard crane never intended to give anything.
When he makes it big in the future, the first thing he'll do is hang this crane up and beat her.
Too shameless.
Utterly shameless.
Next, the bastard crane repeated the same trick with all the other Yao.
Xu Qing felt much better.
As the saying goes, it's not scarcity that's the problem, but inequality.
"I didn't expect you all to be so polite."
"This Crane is very gratified."
The Yao said nothing; were they moved? No, they didn't dare move.
"However, the Storage Pouches obtained from killing the Cultivators belong to everyone."
"I'll help you distribute them."
The Crane Loli extended her small hand with a smile, looking quite cute.
"How shameless!"
"To be shameless to this extent, I actually feel some admiration."
Without a word, Xu Qing took out the Storage Pouch he had obtained from killing the Cultivator.
The other Yao Beasts did the same.
Before long, the Crane Loli was holding an armful of Storage Pouches, smiling very cutely.
But Xu Qing didn't think so.
He simply made a heavy note in the little notebook in his heart.
I'll remember this grudge.
"Hmm?"
"The Storage Pouches of these Cultivators actually have nothing inside!"
"Sigh, humans are truly cunning!"
The Crane Loli put on an expression of deep hatred, and with a flip of her hand, all the Storage Pouches disappeared.
Xu Qing was absolutely amazed by the sight.
This could no longer be called a technique.
This... was an art!
He silently studied and pondered.
All the Yao remained silent, and the atmosphere was a bit heavy.
The Yao were suffering, but the Yao didn't say it.
After the beast tide, the Crimson Crane's money is returned in full, and the humans' money is split 70-30.
The Yao worked hard just to get seventy percent?
That seventy percent belongs to others; you still have to give thirty percent.
The Crimson Crane left with a full load.
She waved her sleeve, not taking a single cloud with her.
Xu Qing looked at the broken human town, his snake face grim.
Some humans still managed to escape.
Crucially, these humans might spread word of what happened here.
If that happened, someone might notice something unusual about him.
A Green Water Snake didn't have such exaggerated combat power.
Combined with his physical characteristics, someone might guess his race...
Then, he would never have a day of peace.
Being captured by a good high-level Cultivator to be a spirit pet would be a lucky outcome.
It would be disastrous if he encountered an evil Cultivator who imprisoned him and used him as living Materials—bleeding him, pulling his scales, cutting his flesh, and extracting his bones.
The Resurrection Spirit Snake was famous for its high recovery and resurrection abilities.
It would definitely be a fate worse than death.
"Do I have to flee the Swamp of Death?"
Xu Qing sighed, looking at the Silly Snake dazing beside him, thinking it must be nice to be carefree.
This Silly Snake might actually possess great wisdom.
Clearly, it was the one in the most danger; during the previous battle, the traits of the Three-Colored Venomous Snake were fully exposed, and there would definitely be Cultivators coming to catch it.
"Let's go, Silly Snake."
"We're leaving this place."
"We'll go to the west."
"Heading west all the way."
Xu Qing turned and swam toward the west, no longer hesitating, no longer looking back.
No longer looking back...
No longer looking back...
"What are you dazing for, you Silly Snake? Are you coming or not!"
He turned back and smacked the dazing Silly Snake's head with his tail; the Silly Snake followed huffily, and they flew toward the west, one after the other.
At the Swamp of Death, Xu Qing could no longer smile.
Because for him, this place was indeed filled with death.
There was likely no more fitting name.
"I'll come back later."
"Crimson-Tailed Burning Flame Crane, I'll definitely show you what's what then."
Xu Qing spoke harsh words.
Stealing his, Xu Qing's, things.
He would definitely let her see why a green snake is so green.
He would pluck her tail feathers to make a fan.
Turn her into a bare-bottomed Crimson Crane.