Chapter 306: A Leopard’s Accountability
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation.
Since there was no way to escape, Hua Tu decided to stop running.
Turning around, he puffed out his chest and faced the Vine King, whose numerous vines were lashing through the air.
“Boss Vine, let’s talk this out. I really didn’t mean any—”
Crack!
A green vine sliced through the air like a whip, heading straight for Hua Tu’s face.
Startled, Hua Tu leaped with all his might, barely dodging the vine that cut through the air as sharply as a blade. Fallen petals and leaves scattered in the aftermath.
Hua Tu instinctively rubbed the fresh wounds on his skin with his foreleg, wincing in pain.
“Hey! I didn’t even do anything that bad! Did you have to go this hard?!”
Crack! Crack! Crack! Three more thick vines sprouted from the Vine King, closing in on him.
Cursing under his breath, Hua Tu dodged with every ounce of his agility while evading the encroaching vines.
A childlike giggle suddenly echoed in Hua Tu’s ears. Diverting a part of his attention, he saw the small vine he had plucked the thorns from earlier dangling proudly from the Vine King’s waist, shaking in delight like a wriggling snake.
The sight made Hua Tu’s teeth ache with anger.
If it hadn’t tried to ambush him, he wouldn’t have retaliated by removing its thorns. This was clearly a two-sided issue! Why was he the only one getting punished? Just because his family wasn’t around to back him up?
How infuriating!
At first, Hua Tu still had the mental capacity to curse his misfortune. But as more vines joined the fray, he began to struggle, his energy quickly depleting. It wasn’t long before he was forced onto the defensive.
Whack!
“Aaaargh!”
The little vine he had injured earlier sneakily rejoined the fight under the cover of its comrades. Seizing an opportunity while Hua Tu was overwhelmed, it lashed out and struck his round leopard rump.
Hua Tu recognized the culprit immediately, and his anger surged.
Without hesitation, the crack on his forehead opened wide. A black beam of light shot out, reaching the little vine in an instant.
Sensing imminent danger, the little vine trembled violently, emitting terrified cries for help.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out.
To Hua Tu’s dismay, the black beam didn’t hit the small vine but collided with a massive object instead. Bark flew in all directions, but the Vine King’s enormous body stood firm. Only a square foot-sized wound remained, barely a scratch.
Despair filled Hua Tu’s heart.
His strongest attack had done almost no damage to the Vine King. There was no hope of escaping its grasp alive.
If Yu Zhao were here, they might have had a slim chance of survival by working together. But even that slim chance paled in comparison to Yu Zhao’s ability to protect herself.
Lowering his front limbs, Hua Tu’s golden leopard eyes burned with newfound determination.
If he had to die, he, Hua Tu—a top candidate for the Beast King title and the most dazzling of the Three-Eyed Leopards—would go out in a blaze of glory!
Gathering all his strength, he opened his mouth wide, “Awoo… mmmph!”
Before his impassioned roar could take off, someone abruptly silenced him by clamping his mouth shut.
A cool voice came close. “Stop yelling and move!”
Yu Zhao held Hua Tu’s mouth firmly while glancing back at the frenzied vines with a pained expression.
She had crushed her last Ice and Fire Ghost Orchid and added fragrant spices to throw the Vine King into a dazed state. But with its massive size, the effects wouldn’t last long.
In other words, they had limited time to escape.
Noticing Hua Tu’s stunned, vacant expression, Yu Zhao frowned. Without hesitation, she swung herself onto his back and drove her heels into his flanks.
“Yipe!”
The pain snapped Hua Tu out of his daze. His eyes went wide, and instinctively, he bolted, his speed transforming him into a streak of lightning.
As the fierce wind lashed against Yu Zhao’s face, she didn’t blink. Her hands deftly formed seals, casting one Illusion Array after another in their wake.
Hua Tu had been thrown off by Yu Zhao’s sudden return. It wasn’t until she kicked him twice more that he regained his focus. Her willingness to risk her chance of survival to save him lit a fire in his heart, spreading through his limbs and even tinging his eyes with a faint red hue.
Yu Zhao trusted him, and he would never let her down.
Gritting his teeth, Hua Tu pushed his demonic energy to its limits. A green aura spiraled under his feet, propelling him faster and faster. Even Yu Zhao noticed the change but chose to remain silent.
However, the drawbacks of overexertion soon became evident. Sharp pain stabbed at Hua Tu’s legs, growing unbearable with each stride.
“Huff… huff…”
Labored breathing and piercing ringing filled Hua Tu’s ears. His vision blurred as a small voice whispered in his mind.
“Stop. Take a break.”
“If you keep going, you’ll die.”
“Your body can’t handle it, Hua Tu. Just stop!”
Should he stop?
Exhaustion, deeper than anything he had ever felt, engulfed him. If he was destined to die anyway, he’d rather die quickly than drag it out miserably.
Just as the thought of stopping crossed his mind, clarity struck him like lightning.
He wasn’t alone in this. Yu Zhao was with him, fighting by his side.
With newfound resolve, warmth surged from within, easing his aching limbs. To his surprise, he realized he had broken through.
Looking ahead, he saw the edge of Ten Thousand Flower Island drawing near.
Just a few more moments, and they would be free!
But before he could celebrate, an overwhelming pressure descended from above.
It felt like being stomped on by a colossal foot. His body collapsed, crashing into a field of petals.
Boom!
The Vine King, exuding deadly intent, lumbered closer, shaking the island to its core.
Hua Tu struggled to rise, but his overworked body refused to cooperate.
Yu Zhao’s expression darkened. Her trembling arms hung limply at her sides—not from fear, but from the injuries sustained while resisting the crushing pressure.
Even if they escaped the island, the Vine King could easily capture them with its countless clones.
Yu Zhao finally understood why most cultivators who ventured into Ten Thousand Flower Island never returned. They weren’t defeated by the natural formations of the island but devoured by its true ruler.
Would she and Hua Tu meet the same fate?
Her gaze sharpened as she quickly calculated her options.
“Hua Tu,” she heard his voice, strained and weak. “You go ahead. The vine came after me. I’ll… handle it…”
A leopard takes responsibility for his actions.
Hua Tu didn’t want to drag her down.
“Shut up.”
“…Okay.”
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This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation