Time passes.
Over half a month later, Bai Ning Bing had visibly slimmed down, but she radiated an aura of toughness and competence.
Her spirit was even more vigorous, and a sharp glint occasionally flickered in her blue eyes.
Without a doubt, she had adapted to this vagabond life and was learning a great deal from it.
Fang Yuan understood that Bai Ning Bing's silence did not mean she had given up.
She held a fire within her, working hard to learn and adapt. Occasionally, she would raise objections. Although shallow, they had shed their earlier naivety.
Fang Yuan could feel that Bai Ning Bing was making progress every day.
This did not surprise him, however. Subduing Bai Ning Bing was no easy feat; any true demon possessed a vigorous spirit of defiance.
Under the blazing sun, the two of them lurked in the bushes, carefully observing the valley.
In the valley lay an enormous crocodile, fast asleep.
It was a Lava Crocodile.
It was the size of three elephants stacked on top of each other. Its body was covered in dark red armored scales, and four thick legs supported its mighty frame. A ten-meter-long crocodile tail shimmered with a metallic sheen.
What was particularly striking were the two high bulges on its back, resembling miniature volcanoes. With each breath, two plumes of black smoke billowed from the volcanic vents, fluctuating in strength.
"This Lava Crocodile is a Thousand Beast King! Killing it is too risky," Bai Ning Bing said gravely.
A Thousand Beast King played host to wild Rank 3 Gu worms. Coupled with the beast king's own formidable physique, even a peak Rank 3 Gu Master would have slim chances in a one-on-one fight.
"Fortune favors the bold! It isn't easy to run into a crocodile in the mountains. The Crocodile Strength Gu needs crocodile meat to feed on, and most of it has already been consumed. Let's test it out first," Fang Yuan said.
Lava Crocodiles lived underground. Only their beast king had the ability to burrow to the surface to breathe the fresh, moist air and bask in the bright sunlight.
Bai Ning Bing gritted her teeth and stood up.
Since obtaining the Crocodile Strength Gu, she had been the one using it. Her strength had greatly increased, but it was still far from the full power of a single crocodile, not yet perfected.
The Lava Crocodile King was fast asleep. Bai Ning Bing approached to within fifty paces before it snapped open its reddish-golden eyes.
Pfft!
It slowly pushed itself up, turned its head, and blasted two streams of scorching hot air from its nostrils.
Bai Ning Bing's expression was grim. Even with the Heaven's Canopy Gu activated, she could still feel a wave of searing heat wash over her.
Without taking out the Serrated Gold Centipede, she flicked her wrist and launched a Blood Moon Blade.
The Rank 3 blade struck the Lava Crocodile's back, shearing off several thick armor plates and successfully enraging the Lava Crocodile King.
Aiming at Bai Ning Bing, it suddenly opened its massive maw and spat out a dark red lava fireball.
The lava fireball was the size of a millstone. Bai Ning Bing dared not meet it head-on and dodged.
Boom!
The lava fireball arced through the air and smashed into the mountain rock.
With an explosion, rocks flew everywhere and flames surged.
A small mushroom cloud rose into the air before slowly dissipating. The site of the explosion was now a large crater, with dark red lava flowing inside and around it, gradually cooling.
"A Rank 3 Lava Explosion Gu," Fang Yuan murmured to himself, now having a clear picture of the situation.
...
Half an hour later, Fang Yuan threw a rope down the cliff face and pulled Bai Ning Bing up.
The Lava Crocodile King roared a few times but did not pursue. After Fang Yuan and Bai Ning Bing's figures disappeared, it lay back down, closed its eyes, and resumed its sunbath.
This was because Bai Ning Bing's attack had been mostly probing. The Lava Crocodile King did not perceive her as a threat, merely an intruding beast to be driven out of its territory.
"This Lava Crocodile King has three Gu worms parasitic on it. One is the Lava Explosion Gu, one is the Blazing Armor Gu, and one is the Ash Accumulation Gu. All three are Rank 3 Gu worms. They cover the most basic aspects: attack, defense, and healing," Fang Yuan summarized as they left the valley.
Bai Ning Bing frowned deeply. Having just probed the enemy herself, she knew that killing this crocodile king would be extremely difficult, almost impossible.
"The Lava Explosion Gu is one thing, but the Blood Moon Gu can't break through the defense of the Blazing Armor Gu. We'd have to use the Serrated Gold Centipede for close combat. But if we break the Blazing Armor that way, the Serrated Gold Centipede will probably be destroyed as well. These past few days, I've used it so often to clear the way that its silver serrated edges are completely worn out. Even if we break through the defense of the Blazing Armor Gu, the Lava Crocodile King still has the Ash Accumulation Gu to heal itself. Its stamina far surpasses both of ours combined. In a drawn-out fight, we will definitely lose. What's more, it can burrow underground and return to its lair deep below. We have absolutely no way of stopping it from going back to its nest," Bai Ning Bing said.
Fang Yuan nodded. "Your analysis is very reasonable, but it just makes me want to kill it even more. The Ash Accumulation Gu feeds on ashes, which is very easy to sustain. It's a healing Gu worm that would suit us perfectly."
"Hmph, it doesn't matter how good a Gu is if you're not alive to use it. You might have the Yang Gu, but don't think you can order me around and make me risk my life in a fight," Bai Ning Bing snorted coldly.
"If we can't win by force, we can win by wit. If it were any other beast, I'd let it go. But with this Lava Crocodile King, we can lure other beast kings here, instigate a fight between them, and reap the benefits as the fisherman," Fang Yuan said. He didn't want to give up just because it was difficult.