"What wouldn't I dare to try? Just say the word and I'll do it. I'm not some coward, Luna—are you looking down on me?" Evan Chu retorted.
"Remember how you took down the Millennial Tree Fiend in the Monster Beast Forest? You need to use the same tactic against this Azure Spirit Drake. Its defense is absolutely terrifying—maybe even stronger than yours.
Right now, even your strongest attacks can at most crack its defenses, but you won’t be able to seriously injure it. A seventh-layer Saint Martial Spirit Beast is no joke—one casual blow could cripple you. That’s why you have to get inside its body if you want to truly defeat it," Luna explained.
Evan thought it over and quickly grasped Luna’s meaning. But one thing still bothered him—if the Azure Spirit Drake bit down on him before he braced himself, even his defense wouldn’t save him; he’d be dead for sure. And once inside, he’d be stuck in its stomach, facing that deadly corrosive gastric juice—not to mention the stench.
Just as Evan was about to say this plan sounded impossible, Luna continued, “I know what you’re worried about. As soon as you get swallowed, use the Frostbane Sword to jam its upper jaw—then it can’t bite through you. After that, wait for your chance. The stomach acid is brutal, but with your defense, you should be able to handle it.”
Evan didn’t argue further. “I’ll give it my best shot. Here’s hoping this method can actually kill the thing.”
The waiting was torture. Evan barely made it to dawn, then checked his bearings and teleported toward the riverside. Life or death—he really wasn’t sure what would happen.
At the riverbank, Evan swept the area with his divine sense but found no trace of the Azure Spirit Drake. "Did it really leave? I can’t believe such a terrifying Spirit Beast lives in this river—it’s just bizarre."
Muttering to himself, Evan gripped the Frostbane Sword, then flew over the river and unleashed an Earthsplitter straight into its center—he was determined to draw out the beast.
Earthsplitter packed a serious punch. The strike instantly split the river to its bed, sending massive waves skyward. The riverbed itself was cleaved in two and collapsed, forming a deep pit that quickly refilled with water.
"That should do it," Evan muttered, watching the river. No sooner had he spoken than a clear, bell-like voice sounded behind him, making him jump.
"Are you looking for me, human? Too bad you slipped away last night, but now you’ve come right to my doorstep. Looks like the heavens are smiling on me—I haven’t tasted human flesh in ages."
Evan didn’t turn around—instead, he darted aside before glancing back, only to see a young woman floating in midair, smiling down at him.
If Evan hadn’t known in advance that this girl was actually a seventh-layer Saint Martial Spirit Beast, he’d never have believed she was so powerful.
Her features were delicate and pretty—not quite on the level of Claire Ouyang or Jenny Sima, but maybe a touch prettier than Luna Chu. Her skin was flawless and pale, her eyes clear and bright, and a tiny horn on her head made her look almost cute.
That was all fine, but her outfit was something else—barely anything covered her chest, and anyone with sharp eyes could clearly see two hints of red.
That wasn’t even the worst of it. Her long legs and flat belly showed she had a great figure, but her most private area was just as scantily covered—and a few strands of dark grass actually poked out, leaving plenty to the imagination. If it were anyone else, they’d probably be rushing straight at her by now.
But Evan wasn’t that stupid. He’d seen plenty of women far more beautiful than her and long since developed high standards. This kind of display only made him more disgusted—there was no way he’d be interested.
"I doubt you’ve got what it takes. Who’d have thought a woman could be so vicious? If you want to eat me, come on—let’s see your real strength!" Evan challenged.
"Heh, you’re pretty fast for a human. Actually, I don’t have to kill you—if you stay and keep me company as my pet man, I’ll let you live."
"So, how do you like my figure? Don’t you want to have some fun with me? I’m pretty skilled in bed—want to give it a try?" the Azure Spirit Drake, still in girl form, teased.
Evan’s forehead creased with a black line. "With looks like yours, I wouldn’t want you even if you were free. You think I’d be your pet man? Delusional. Trash like you isn’t even worthy for me to mess with. Tch!"
The Azure Spirit Drake’s face twisted with rage at Evan’s words—her eyes nearly spit fire. Countless monster beasts would die for a chance to sleep with her, but this human actually dared to insult her?
She couldn’t stand it—no way she’d let a lowly human trample her dignity, even if he was far more handsome than any beast-turned-human she’d seen before. Furious, she snapped, "Boy, I was kind enough to spare your life, but you’re so vile and ungrateful! Don’t blame me for what happens next."
With that, a cyan light orb appeared in her hand and shot toward Evan. He’d been watching her every move and dodged to the side the instant he saw it—an earsplitting boom erupted just behind him.
"Didn’t expect her attack to be this strong. If I want to beat her, I’ll have to piss her off enough to make her show her true form—otherwise, there’s no way I can kill her," Evan thought.
He slashed out with the Frostbane Sword—a full-force Heaven-Cleave, fused with five-element power. Against an opponent like this, Evan had no choice but to go all out; one misstep and he’d be finished.
Heaven-Cleave fused with the five elements was terrifyingly powerful. The strike missed the Azure Spirit Drake, but the massive sword-qi and exploding elemental energy still left her reeling—her hair was blown apart by the blast.
A dragon-like roar erupted from the girl’s mouth. Evan knew he’d finally enraged her—her human form lacked a weapon, so her attack and defense were both weaker. Only her true form could match him now.
Which was exactly what Evan wanted. In a flash, a massive azure drake—dozens of meters long and three meters thick—appeared before him...