Volume 3 Chapter 72: Awakening (Part 2)

When Li Yuhan and Sheng Yushan appeared, the elders and senior demons of Jiuhua watching the match in the sky frowned. The original bet between Zhang Xusheng and Li Xuhan and the Venerable Deaf Mute Blind involved Xu Qingfan and his friends against the three Snake Guards, but now Li Yuhan and Sheng Yushan were joining in, clearly breaking the rules.

Zhang Hualing was about to loudly intervene but saw Zhang Xusheng beside him nod and smile, "Interesting, these two little ones want to take action as well."

Zhang Hualing paused in surprise and hesitantly asked, "Uncle Martial Zhang, should I ask them to step back?"

Zhang Xusheng shook his head, laughing, "When I first set the bet, I said it would be between my three Snake Guards and the Jiuhua disciples. And ‘Jiuhua disciples’ doesn’t only refer to those little guys with Xu Qingfan, so why make them step back?"

Hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, Zhang Hualing was at a loss for words, feeling that beneath Zhang Xusheng’s calm demeanor, something was hidden, making it increasingly mysterious. The shadow in his heart also grew heavier unknowingly.

"If it were just Xu Qingfan and his three friends against the Snake Guards, this bet would be too predictable and dull. Bets are only thrilling when the outcome is unknown, right?"

Zhang Xusheng paused before continuing with a cheerful smile.

Li Xuhan and Venerable Deaf Mute Blind both furrowed their brows, exchanged glances, and were confused by Zhang Xusheng’s attitude.

Venerable Deaf Mute Blind shook his head slightly at Li Xuhan, signaling him to remain calm, as if he had his own plans in mind. Though aware of Zhang Xusheng’s ulterior motives in the gamble, he seemed confident.

Li Xuhan sighed softly, realizing that with the situation as it was, he could only take things step by step and act according to circumstances.

…

Xu Qingfan’s poisoning was hard to cure, and just as Number 4 was killed with great difficulty, he came back to life, making the situation uncertain. The twilight glow over Jiuhua Mountain suddenly seemed to grow even dimmer.

After the unexpected revival of Number 4, he returned to human form, ignoring the astonished gazes of onlookers. He moved his body, shaking his head and limbs, and after a while, frowned and shook his head in apparent dissatisfaction with his condition.

At this moment, the crowd of Jiuhua disciples finally snapped out of their shock. Upon seeing Number 4’s human form clearly, they burst into an uproar.

"Wang Qingjun!"

"That’s Wang Qingjun!"

"Number 4 turned out to be Wang Qingjun!"

Lv Qingshang, Jin Qinghan, and the others were too shocked to speak because they had seen Wang Qingjun blown to pieces with their own eyes. Now, seeing him reappear, and as Jiuhua’s arch-enemy, it was no wonder they were so astonished.

However, Wang Qingjun paid no attention to the astonished stares of the Jiuhua disciples around him. After checking himself over, he glared with hatred at Jin Qinghan, who had just wounded him, and Xu Qingfan, who was quietly meditating in the rear.

Just then, Number 33, surrounded in mist, spoke with a mocking tone, "Number 4, you used to talk so much about how useless Number 41 was. How come you find yourself in such a pitiful state now?"

Wang Qingjun snorted coldly and said, "I underestimated them, thinking I could easily win with speed alone. I didn’t expect that guy Xu Qingfan to react so quickly. If I had attacked with the sandstorm technique from the start, those guys would have been three corpses by now."

Number 33 remarked disdainfully, "That’s why I say you’re an egomaniac and a peculiar one at that. You could easily defeat enemies with the power of sandstorms, yet you always prefer to engage in close combat and rip out your opponent’s heart for fun. Was it amusing? This time, you’ve finally learned your lesson."

A murderous intent flashed in Wang Qingjun’s eyes as he turned to look at Number 33 and coldly said, "What? You keep provoking me like this, do you want to experience having your heart ripped out too?"

Number 33 replied leisurely, "If I get the chance, I’d love to give you a thrashing. Your self-proclaimed leader act is utterly annoying." After a pause, Number 33’s voice carried even more sarcasm as he continued, "But are you sure you want me to teach you a lesson now? We have other tasks at hand, and although you narrowly escaped death, you can no longer maintain your second form. In your human form, you’re only a fifth as strong, and injured as you are, your power will decline even further. Do you really dare to boast at this point? Truly arrogance beyond reason."

Upon hearing Number 33’s words, Wang Qingjun snorted coldly and said, "When I recover, you’ll regret what you just said."

Number 33 smiled slightly, the mocking tone in his voice became stronger, and he said calmly, "I hope you have that moment."

Wang Qingjun frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Number 33 sneered and said, "Have you forgotten the task the master assigned us? You dared to be so careless while completing the master’s task, and now you’ve brought disgrace to the master. I can’t guarantee the master will spare you. You must remember, the master is watching you from above right now."

Hearing Number 33’s words, Wang Qingjun shivered, instinctively raising his head to look at the sky. He found that the once chaotic battlefield in the sky had returned to silence at some point. Shadows were clustered amongst the clouds, silently watching the battle below. Although the distance made it difficult for Wang Qingjun to spot Zhang Xusheng specifically, he seemed to feel a cold, indifferent gaze fixed on him, sending chills through his heart. A deep fear surged within him, temporarily silencing any rebuttal.

Suddenly, Number Seven, who had been silent since appearing, spoke slowly, "Number 4, your strength is greatly diminished. It’s best you return to rest quickly. Leave the rest to us. As long as we can finish the task, the master will not blame you."

Number 4 snorted coldly and said, "Fine, Number 33, go ahead and kill that group. If you lose, don’t come up with excuses like underestimating the enemy."

Number 33 replied coldly, "Do you think I’m like you?"

With that, Number 33 was about to step forward but was stopped by Number Seven.

"Let me handle it." Number Seven said softly.

Hearing Number Seven’s words, Number 33 and Wang Qingjun were taken aback, looking at Number Seven in disbelief.

Wang Qingjun frowned and asked, "Number Seven, I know you really don’t want to fight them. If you act hesitantly under pressure, the result might not be good. Let Number 33 handle it instead."

Number 33 also said, "I can handle it. You know they’re no match for me. There’s no need to force yourself."

Wang Qingjun and Number 33, who are usually not on good terms, both seemed quite concerned about Number Seven.

Number Seven shook his head and calmly said, "This mission was meant for me from the start, as it was caused by me. The master assigned it to me, and you are only here to assist. I know you’re stepping in to make things easier for me, but it’s my responsibility, and I must see it through. The moment I accepted the master’s transformation, I accepted this responsibility."

Hearing Number Seven’s words, Wang Qingjun and Number 33 exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mix of relief and worry. But in the end, they nodded, as Number 33 stepped back, and Wang Qingjun returned to his place.

Meanwhile, Number Seven slowly approached Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, Li Yuhan, and Sheng Yushan, his eyes still showing a hint of sadness and hesitation, yet his steps were steady and resolute.

"Wait! Wang Qingjun, you’re not getting away so easily. Explain everything first."

Just as Number Seven was walking away without looking back, Lv Qingshang finally reacted and called out to Number Seven.

However, Number Seven seemed not to hear and continued walking back without even turning his head.

Lv Qingshang frowned slightly, feeling a hint of anger in his heart. He raised his hand, and several talismans suddenly appeared from his sleeve, swiftly flying towards Number Seven. As they flew, they connected, transforming into a large net, ready to cover Number Seven.

Judging from Number 33’s initial words, even though Wang Qingjun was struck by Jin Qinghan, he was not dead but significantly weakened. Therefore, Lv Qingshang was not afraid of Wang Qingjun’s retaliation even as he acted impulsively.

Just as the net was about to cover Wang Qingjun, Number Seven suddenly appeared in front of him, at an unknown time. Raising his hand, he grabbed the incoming net and pulled it apart with ease, tearing it into two halves before casually tossing it aside.

Witnessing this scene, everyone present was astonished. The net was formed by an array and was known for its sturdiness; even Taoist magic could hardly damage it. Yet, this Number Seven tore it in half with brute force. Although they knew Lv Qingshang hadn’t used his full strength, they didn’t expect Number Seven, a member of the "Four Square Snake Guard," to be so formidable.

Seeing Number Seven’s actions, Li Yuhan frowned and said to the three others beside him, "Be careful, this Number Seven might have combined with the Jiushen Snake."

"Southern Wasteland Jiushen Snake, enormous in size, master of ambush and stealth, possessing great strength, immune to blades and spears, impervious to water and fire. Those lacking strength must avoid direct confrontation, for victory is hard to achieve." — "Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas—Chapter of Exotic Beasts"

Li Yuhan, though rarely leaving Jiuhua Mountain, was a well-mannered person with vast knowledge. So when he said Number Seven was merged with the Jiushen Snake, it was likely true. Among the four extraordinary snakes of the Shenzhou Continent, in terms of combat power, the Jiushen Snake was the mightiest. Hearing Li Yuhan’s words, the four men did not inquire about Wang Qingjun’s affairs but instead watched the approaching Number Seven with serious expressions.

Among the "Four Square Snake Guard," although they all had snake eyes and tongues, covered in green scales and resembling one another, Number Seven was undoubtedly the easiest to identify. This was not just because of a few noticeable bulges on his body but also because, compared to others’ slender snake-like figures, Number Seven was massive. If snakes had differences in weight, Number Seven would be one of the fattest among them.

"You can ask me anything you want to know. In fact, I think I might know even more than Number 4."

As Number Seven strolled towards the four of them, he began speaking slowly.

Hearing Number Seven’s words, Jin Qinghan and the others were taken aback, unsure why Number Seven suddenly said that.

Despite their surprise, everyone’s curiosity about recent events made them want answers. Lv Qingshang couldn’t help but ask, "Do you know the answers to all our questions?"

"Yes," Number Seven nodded gently, a hint of sadness showing on his snake-like, fierce face.

Jin Qinghan stated plainly, "We still prefer to hear the explanation from Wang Qingjun himself. As for you, we’ll have a challenge with you later."

Number Seven sighed lightly and said slowly, "Wang Qingjun is involved, but so am I. Plus, I play a much bigger role in this game."

As he spoke, while the distance between Number Seven and Jin Qinghan’s group decreased, the blue scales on his skin slowly retracted, making him appear shorter and stockier.

When his snake eyes turned into human eyes and short hair grew on his head, Number Seven gave a wry smile to the astonished people before him and said, "Junior Brother Jin, Brother Lü, Nephew Li, Nephew Sheng, it’s been a while."

"Bai Qingfu!?"

"Senior Brother Bai?!"

"Martial Uncle Bai!"

The chubby man in front, giving everyone a wry smile, was surprisingly Bai Qingfu, who had previously gone missing at Zhantai!