Chapter 27: A Hero Rescues the Beauty

Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Yan had already spent two days in the secret realm. The dense forest around him was filled with strange flowers and plants, but he had found no high-grade or rare celestial herbs.

“Ah, as expected, it’s a low-level secret realm. Two days, and I haven’t found anything,” Jiang Yan sighed leisurely, lying on a hammock strung between two towering trees. His vantage point was excellent, allowing him to overlook everything below.

Suddenly, a burst of commotion broke the tranquility. Jiang Yan glanced in the direction of the noise and was startled—it was Bai Tao and his senior brothers. Bai Tao’s weight seemed to have become a burden, leaving him lagging far behind the group. Chasing close behind them was a massive beast; dust billowed so thickly that Jiang Yan could not make out its form.

When he finally saw it clearly, his heart leapt—it was a giant silver serpent, its body so thick that it could swallow three grown men in one gulp.

Terrified, Jiang Yan rolled off the hammock with an agile leap, grabbed his motorcycle from his spatial ring, slapped on three acceleration talismans, and fled for his life.

Seeing Jiang Yan’s motorcycle, the group behind him shouted desperately for help.

“Brother, it’s us! We met you on the road—please save us!”

“Yes, yes, brother, you have such a fast mount! Please help us distract this serpent!”

“Cough, cough, brother, please show mercy and save us! We’ll pay you with spirit stones!”

Hearing their pleas, Jiang Yan was furious. Did they expect him to risk his life for these selfish people?

“Why should I? Just because your faces are thick enough?” Jiang Yan glanced coldly over his shoulder and slapped on two more acceleration talismans.

Those disciples surely had their own magical tools, and they were running fast. But the serpent’s speed was relentless. Even with five acceleration talismans, Jiang Yan felt he might still be caught.

Suddenly, someone behind cried out, “Help! Save me, I don’t want to die!”

Jiang Yan turned to see a male disciple who had tripped, the serpent closing in on him, and some unknown liquid pooling nearby.

Bai Tao was closest to the fallen disciple, hurriedly pulling him up. “Senior brother, run!”

But it was too late—the giant serpent was almost upon them. Jiang Yan’s heart raced with anxiety.

And in that critical moment, the disciple pushed Bai Tao forward and turned to flee himself.

“Sorry, junior brother. In the next life, let’s still be good brothers,” he said, abandoning Bai Tao.

Jiang Yan was furious at the betrayal. Seeing the serpent about to snatch the stunned and heartbroken Bai Tao, Jiang Yan finally turned his motorcycle around.

He drew his sword and unleashed the Fire Wind Blade technique, forcing the serpent back several meters.

If he remembered correctly, snakes feared fire. Pressing the attack, he launched several more Fire Wind Blade strikes.

“Jiang Yan, don’t worry about me. Run!” Bai Tao called out anxiously, shocked that his rescuer was Jiang Yan, whom he’d only met recently.

Though the serpent feared fire, it dodged with incredible speed and agility—Jiang Yan’s attacks missed.

“Save your breath. I’m not a coward who only knows how to run. If you’re not fleeing, then come help me!” Jiang Yan called out, still attacking.

His words reignited Bai Tao’s fighting spirit. Yes, they were here to train—what was the point if they only ran?

“Jiang Yan, I’ll help you!”

With that, Bai Tao produced his magical weapon—a Meteor Hammer.

“Come on, serpent, let me teach you a lesson!”

Jiang Yan watched as Bai Tao swung his massive hammer at the serpent, but it didn’t even scratch its skin.

“Hissssss…”

The serpent, enraged, whipped its tail and sent Bai Tao flying.

Jiang Yan swallowed nervously. Was this what they called instant defeat? Was it always so dramatic? Bai Tao crashed to the ground, spat blood, yet stubbornly climbed back up.

Jiang Yan kept casting Fire Wind Blades, this time targeting the serpent’s head—and finally landed a hit.

“Heh, not bad!”

But before Jiang Yan could celebrate, the serpent coiled him up.

Bound tightly like a dumpling, Jiang Yan found it harder and harder to breathe.

Bitterly, he thought: Is this how I die? If I die, can I return?

“Jiang Yan!” Bai Tao cried out in distress, blaming himself for Jiang Yan’s predicament.

“Cough… you… go… now…” Jiang Yan struggled to speak. Both of them dying here would be a waste—better if at least one escaped.

“Jiang Yan, you’re coughing up blood…”

The saying goes that men don’t cry easily, but Bai Tao sobbed uncontrollably.

The serpent, seeing them still chatting, infuriated, hissed loudly.

Furious, it prepared to stuff Jiang Yan into its mouth, deciding to swallow the skinny one first, then the one with more meat.

Jiang Yan, now inches from the serpent’s foul maw, was utterly miserable. How long had it been since this beast brushed its teeth?

Suddenly, a fireball slammed into the serpent’s vital point, its power immense. The serpent howled in pain and flung Jiang Yan aside.

A red arc traced across the sky as Bai Tao hurried to catch him, but another figure was faster.

Jiang Yan felt his organs crushed by the serpent, and now, tossed midair, he feared he’d cough blood and die on impact.

He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for death—just a moment, endure it, and it would be over. The sooner he died, the sooner he could reincarnate.

“Hey, big liar, why aren’t you opening your eyes?”

A familiar voice rang out. Jiang Yan opened his eyes and looked up—right into the face of a yellow dragon.

Wasn’t this the little stubby dragon? Embarrassed, Jiang Yan realized he was being carried in a princess embrace.

“Uh, it’s… you, little stubby dragon,” he managed, blood trickling from his lips.

Bai Tao rushed over, “Jiang Yan, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault!”

“Hey, human, what are you crying for? He isn’t dead yet!” The little stubby dragon found Bai Tao’s crying unbearably noisy, barely restraining its fiery temper.

“Put… me… down,” Jiang Yan muttered, mortified at being held by the little dragon.

“Oh!” The dragon obliged, dropping him with its pudgy hands.

Jiang Yan landed on his backside, grateful that the dragon’s height was not great.

He took a bottle of healing pills from his pouch and popped several like candies. Bai Tao was stunned—was that how healing pills were used?

After taking the medicine, Jiang Yan felt much better.

“Big liar, I just played hero and saved the damsel, so how do you plan to repay me?” The little stubby dragon puffed out its small chest.

Was ‘hero saving the beauty’ used like this? Jiang Yan was speechless. Still, the dragon had saved him from the serpent’s jaws, so he let it go.

“What kind of reward do you want? If I can manage it, I’ll promise you.”