Cold?
What should you do when a girl says she's cold?
An Yi recalled some flirtation tips he'd recently read and quickly offered, "Perfect timing—my embrace is nice and warm, cozy in winter and cool in summer!"
Xiao Xiao stared at him like he was an idiot.
An Yi coughed lightly. "Just joking to lighten the mood. If you're cold, wear more layers and drink hot water."
Xiao Xiao:
"An Yi, the infamous lecherous leader of the Asura Sect—I’ve heard of you. Don’t even think about hitting on me!" Xiao Xiao shivered violently as she warned him.
An Yi was, after all, a rising name on the Hidden Dragon Rankings—though his reputation was anything but stellar. In the martial world, he was widely regarded as a scoundrel.
As a member of the Taoist Alliance, Xiao Xiao was a staunch upholder of justice, naturally wary of someone as morally ambiguous as him.
But right now, she was freezing.
The snake venom was strange—her entire body felt icy, as if plunged into the depths of winter, the cold piercing to the bone.
An Yi glanced at her and sighed softly before pulling a down jacket from his storage space.
Seeing this, Xiao Xiao’s expression softened slightly.
Returning kindness for malice—who knew he had such gentlemanly qualities? The rumors must have been exaggerated.
"Ugh, I’m roasting! Definitely not the weather for a down jacket."
An Yi slipped the jacket on himself, fanning his face with his hand as if deeply moved by his own suffering.
Xiao Xiao:
"What an absolute moron!"
But she was so, so cold.
To her, An Yi now looked like a blazing furnace, radiating a warm, fiery glow.
Was… was she hallucinating?
Meanwhile.
With Jiang Cheng joining the fight, the Taoist priests found it much easier to handle the giant purple serpent.
Though young, Jiang Cheng’s strength was nearing the Void Realm.
In all of Great Xia, few could rival him.
The purple serpent clearly avoided Jiang Cheng, slithering and thrashing through the streets.
Several luxury cars in the parking lot were instantly crushed into scrap metal.
One Taoist failed to dodge in time—the serpent’s tail struck him, sending him flying into a wall.
Even a glancing blow shattered several of his ribs.
The serpent’s cold eyes swept over the group before it darted away again.
If it wanted to flee, no one could stop it!
But then, Jiang Cheng’s figure appeared ahead of it, fists raised in a striking stance.
The serpent charged forward without slowing—its momentum rivaled a speeding train.
White energy surged around Jiang Cheng as he channeled his power into his fist.
Suddenly, the serpent’s maw gaped open, spewing thick, toxic mist!
"Damn it!"
Jiang Cheng’s expression darkened, but his fist was already in motion—no turning back now.
Sssshhhhk!
The punch landed!
A fierce gale of force shredded the venomous mist in an instant.
The impact sent the colossal serpent flying, stunning everyone present.
But as Jiang Cheng’s energy dispersed, the remaining mist engulfed him.
Nearby Taoists were also caught in the spreading poison.
"Impressive, kid."
The serpent’s cold gaze locked onto Jiang Cheng.
If not for the venom, the outcome might have been uncertain.
As the poison spread, the body grew colder and colder.
Jiang Cheng cursed his carelessness. Though he’d wounded the serpent, he’d also fallen victim to its venom.
A biting chill seeped into his limbs, even disrupting the flow of his energy.
And the poison was still spreading…
Xiao Xiao’s gaze lingered on An Yi, her body inching closer to him, step by step.
She’d been poisoned the longest—her body could no longer resist the venom’s assault. Her blood felt like it was freezing solid.
To her, An Yi’s fiery aura was irresistible.
"Fine, stop staring. Here, take the jacket."
An Yi had just shrugged off the down jacket when—
A fragrant, delicate body pressed tightly against his back.
Completely unexpected.
He could even feel the warmth and softness of her curves.
"Uh…"
Xiao Xiao clung to him, her voice trembling. "I—I’m cold."
After being sent flying, the serpent coiled and slithered away in another direction.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!"
Zhang Qianyu’s eyes flashed coldly. He whistled sharply.
From the sky, a white crane streaked down like an arrow, spreading its wings gracefully just before landing.
Zhang Qianyu leaped onto its back.
With a single flap, the crane carried him above the serpent in an instant.
"Sword Formation!"
Zhang Qianyu’s blade shot forward!
The other Taoists hurled their swords as well.
Guided by Zhang Qianyu’s energy, the blades rained down like shooting stars!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The swords formed a precise barrier, cutting off the serpent’s escape.
"Hell yeah!"
Zhang Qianyu was thrilled by his own flashy move.
"Xiao Xiao, look at me! See how awesome I am?"
He turned to glance at her—only for his scalp to go numb.
His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
The sky had fallen.
The dream girl of every Taoist Alliance disciple was now hugging that bastard An Yi!
What the hell?!
Someone better explain this!
Trapped by the sword formation, the serpent remained unfazed.
It raised its head, tongue flickering, and spoke in a human voice: "The girl from Azure Sky Pavilion and that white-haired brat are already done for. You really think you can stop me?"
"Tch. Won’t know until I try!"
Zhang Qianyu glared at the serpent, murderous intent boiling in his chest.
Fury and heartache churned inside him.
"Sword Formation—Annihilate!"
Standing atop the crane, he raised a finger.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The swords struck the serpent’s scales—sparks flew, but not a single scratch appeared.
"With skills like these, you thought you could capture me? Did you really think I was running?"
The serpent’s voice dripped with mockery.
Suddenly, its head snapped up, jaws widening to an impossible degree as it lunged for Zhang Qianyu.
"Holy shit!"
Seeing that gaping maw, Zhang Qianyu’s entire body broke out in goosebumps.
If swords couldn’t pierce its hide, what chance did he have?
Below.
An Yi watched Zhang Qianyu fleeing on his crane, pursued by the serpent, and sighed. "Miss, mind letting go? This is our first meeting—this isn’t proper."
"Shut up!"
Xiao Xiao’s face flushed, but her voice was icy.
She knew this was wrong, but hugging An Yi was the only thing easing her trembling body. The cold inside her was receding.
There was something strange about him.
An Yi’s gaze fixed on the serpent, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He was almost certain now.
This purple serpent, like the Gourd Immortal, was a fellow traveler from the Ancient Continent.
A fourth-tier demonic beast!
Even in his world, such a creature would be a calamity.