The boy lowered his head, then suddenly raised it again as if remembering something and began to introduce himself.
“My name is Zhou Zhou.”
“Big sister, you… what’s your surname… what’s your name?”
Facing Bai Xi, Zhou Zhou seemed very nervous, unable to even speak a complete sentence.
He had heard Long Haochen call Bai Xi “Xi Xi” and originally intended to ask only for her surname.
“My name is Long Haochen.”
Long Haochen noticed Zhou Zhou’s little scheme and found it rather irritating. So, before Bai Xi could reply, he stated his own name and then steered the conversation elsewhere.
“Little brother Zhou Zhou, right? How did you end up here alone? It’s so dangerous! Judging by your appearance, are you also a Knight?”
Long Haochen’s question successfully shifted everyone’s attention to this matter.
“I am indeed a Knight. I’m eleven years old and a second-tier, fifth-level Squire.”
Zhou Zhou only answered the second question, trying to avoid the first one.
But remembering that Long Haochen and Bai Xi had saved his life, he still shared a bit.
“I didn’t stay here voluntarily. My family abandoned me.”
As he spoke, the eleven-year-old boy’s voice already carried a sob.
He didn’t understand why he had been abandoned.
When he was left behind here and discovered and chased by magical beasts, he felt utterly hopeless, as if the entire world had plunged into endless darkness.
Bai Xi’s appearance was like moonlight shining down—bright yet not glaring—pulling him out of the darkness.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. You can live well on your own. Besides, you’re only eleven and already at second-tier, fifth-level. Becoming the strongest Knight is just around the corner. By then, you’ll make them regret deeply, regretting the day they abandoned you.”
“This can neutralize snake venom. You’ll be fine in a little while.”
Bai Xi gently comforted the somewhat distressed Zhou Zhou.
She also squeezed the juice from the medicinal herbs she had gathered nearby and dripped it onto Zhou Zhou’s wound.
She believed that within ten steps, there must be an antidote, and sure enough, she found herbs to counteract snake venom nearby.
Her goodwill toward Zhou Zhou was entirely because he was exceptionally good-looking. Even at such a young age, he already possessed remarkable features.
And Bai Xi was a sucker for good looks.
“Thank you for comforting me, big sister. I already feel much better. I still don’t know your…”
Zhou Zhou’s words were interrupted again by Long Haochen.
“Well, we should hurry and move to another place. Something just died here, and if the scent attracts other creatures, it won’t be good.”
Long Haochen’s reason was perfectly justified. As he spoke, he took Bai Xi’s hand and led her toward a relatively safe area.
What could Zhou Zhou do? He could only follow.
But he glared fiercely at Long Haochen’s back, thinking to himself how annoying Long Haochen was—even more annoying than the magical beast earlier.
However, they hadn’t taken more than a few steps when Bai Xi suddenly sensed something dangerous. The ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble slightly.
“It’s another magical beast. It’s already spotted us.”
Bai Xi realized with alarm that if it hadn’t noticed them, she could have relied on the disguise skill bestowed by the Vermilion Bird to deceive the beast.
But now that they had been discovered, that trick was useless.
“Xi Xi, big sister, you two run first. It’s a red snake with wings, and it’s been chasing us.”
Zhou Zhou actually came to a halt, intending to block the snake and buy them some time to escape.
But after he stopped, Long Haochen also stopped with Bai Xi.
Before Zhou Zhou could even feel moved, he heard Long Haochen’s voice.
“We can’t outrun it. Even if we manage to block it for a moment, it won’t help.”
Long Haochen had deduced the snake’s name and level based on Zhou Zhou’s description of a red snake with wings.
The Blood-Winged Crimson Fang Snake was often the mate of the venomous python they had just killed. However, this Blood-Winged Crimson Fang Snake was at least a fourth-tier creature.
In the time it took to say that, the snake had already reached them.
And right away, it sprayed a massive stream of red venom toward them.
“This snake’s venom is extremely potent, and its venom also has corrosive properties. Anyone who gets splashed with it and doesn’t receive immediate treatment will undoubtedly die.”
While dodging, Long Haochen explained the snake’s abilities.
“It can spray venom three times a day. If my timing is right, it’s just past midnight. We’re quite unlucky.”
After avoiding the venom, Long Haochen launched an attack on the Blood-Winged Crimson Fang Snake while speaking with a bitter smile.
“Unlucky? There’s no way we could be unlucky. The only one unlucky here is this blind snake.”
Unlike Long Haochen’s worry, Bai Xi was filled with arrogance, acting recklessly and overconfident.
This fourth-tier magical beast was indeed powerful—it was the first time she had encountered such a formidable creature. But she firmly believed she could handle this magical beast and bring Long Haochen home safely.
Pure White Blade, Strike the Phoenix Tree, Cross Slash, Divine Defense Block…
The strength of this fourth-tier magical beast was truly extraordinary. The three of them had used almost all the skills they knew, yet they still hadn’t managed to injure it much.
Instead, Zhou Zhou, due to his poor condition, was struck by the snake’s tail and thrown against a tree trunk, knocking him unconscious.
“Xi Xi, you run alone. You’re faster than me. I’ll hold it off a little longer. You can definitely escape and survive.”
Long Haochen didn’t want both of them to perish here and suggested that Bai Xi run first.
“That’s a great suggestion, but let’s switch. You run, and I’ll stay.”
Bai Xi responded with a cold laugh, her eyes flickering with a crimson-gold light as the surrounding air seemed to grow scorching hot.
“No!”
Long Haochen refused without a second thought. He could never abandon Bai Xi to save himself.
Bai Xi didn’t respond to him anymore, but Long Haochen already understood everything.
They were dragon and phoenix twins, the closest people to each other in this world. If you counted the ten months in the womb, they had already been together day and night for eleven years, never separated.
Their feelings for each other and their importance to one another were unmatched by anyone else.
They could never abandon the other.
“A perfectly fine snake, why learn from birds and grow wings, making itself look like a monster.”
“Having wings is one thing, but they’re also hideous. Let me show you what beautiful wings look like.”
Bai Xi’s mouth seemed to be laced with venom, as she even insulted the magical beast that couldn’t understand human speech with enthusiasm.
The surrounding fire-attribute Spiritual Power seemed to be drawn by Bai Xi to the tip of her sword. Then, with the aura of the Vermilion Bird, Bai Xi swung her strongest current strike at the Blood-Winged Crimson Fang Snake.
“Phoenix Soars!”
Flames formed from fire-attribute Spiritual Power and sword energy coalesced beneath the blade, resembling a soaring Phoenix as they surged toward the Bloodwing Serpent, instantly engulfing it in searing heat.
The Bloodwing Serpent struggled desperately within the blaze, thrashing and fleeing, its thick tail lashing out and striking Bai Xi.
“Help! I can’t really be this unlucky, can I?”