### Chapter 242: Demon Seed Strikes Again
The trio’s emotions were quite mixed.
On one hand, they were delighted to have finally broken through years of misunderstandings. On the other hand, they were mired in new problems and challenges, feeling both perplexed and embarrassed.
However, Yun Zhonghe told them not to think too much about it and to leave everything to him.
But even so, Su Xiaoxiao and Su Xinghe couldn’t just dump everything on Yun Zhonghe. After all, they owed him a huge debt already.
“In any case, it’s getting late, and we should head back.”
Yun Zhonghe felt an eerie chill behind his back. Although the Ghost Vine Forest was always creepy, he had an extra ominous feeling starting from just now.
Something bad was bound to happen.
So he suggested leaving the Ghost Vine Forest first.
They could discuss anything further after they got out of the forest.
“Alright, I’ll listen to Big Bro… I mean, Cloud Brother.”
Su Xinghe caught herself mid-sentence and corrected herself hurriedly.
Big Bro? Authoritative? Bossy? Or… Bossing around? Dominating?
It felt like anything with “big bro” had negative connotations…
Did Su Xinghe still hold a grudge against what she did earlier?
Yun Zhonghe subtly glanced at her, trying to read something from her expression.
If this little girl held a grudge, who knows what damage she might do to Su Xiaoxiao’s goodwill towards him!
Yun Zhonghe thought he should have thought things through better earlier when he impulsively tried to ‘fix’ her attitude towards Su Xiaoxiao. He was too focused on making Su Xiaoxiao happy that he lost control.
“Wait, isn’t this an endless loop? To gain Huan Aotian’s trust, I need to boost Su Xinghe’s goodwill. But to stabilize that goodwill, I need to boost everyone close to her… This is like digging ditches!”
Yun Zhonghe realized his dilemma. His face twisted in frustration.
Fortunately for him, neither Lin Zhongyu nor Su Xiaoxiao had many important people to worry about, or else Yun Zhonghe would surely be overwhelmed.
“Cloud Brother?”
Just then, Su Xinghe noticed Yun Zhonghe standing still and gave him a nudge.
Yun Zhonghe snapped out of his thoughts and quickly followed.
As they returned toward the way they came, a sultry shadow glided in the distance, its eyes shining with a wicked glow.
“Just leaving already? That’s no fun. Let’s play some more, dear sister.”
After speaking, she fished out a black seed from her pocket.
A Demon Seed!
She looked down at the pile of ash where the Ghost Vine Tree Demon was once burning, a cunning smile playing at the corners of her lips. She then tossed the Demon Seed into the ashes.
Instantly, the Demon Seed let out a horrifying screech as countless dark tendrils writhed, twitched, and flailed…
…
Su Xinghe’s only task was to ensure the safety of the new trainees. Unless it was an emergency, she didn’t want to fly off with Yun Zhonghe and Su Xiaoxiao willy-nilly.
So, the three of them walked on foot.
In reality, Su Xinghe didn’t need to join in. Both Yun Zhonghe and Su Xiaoxiao could easily navigate the monster-infested woods alone.
She wanted to go along mostly because she didn’t want to part with Su Xiaoxiao.
Her and Su Xiaoxiao have always walked together, shoulder to shoulder, cherishing every moment.
Right as they were about to exit the Ghost Vine Forest, their steps suddenly halted.
Su Xiaoxiao:
Her spiritual senses hadn’t reached initial understanding yet, so she couldn’t sense many unknown dangers.
Just as Su Xiaoxiao was about to ask curiously, Yun Zhonghe yelled, “Danger! Get away quickly!”
Suddenly, the ground under them rumbled and cracked open, revealing a monstrous Ghost Vine Tree Demon. Its mouth stretched wide, swallowing them whole in one bite!
At that moment, the entire forest quaked violently.
This all happened in an instant—even Yun Zhonghe, a seasoned fighter, couldn’t react in time. But his mind managed to capture the image before chaos engulfed him.
The demon was several times larger than before, emitting sinister energy and roaring loudly. Flames flickered in its fiery eyes from its gaping maw.
Ghost Vine Tree Demons were supposed to be stationary, but clearly, it had attacked them by emerging from beneath the ground!
Meanwhile, back at the outer entrance of the monster forest, Tutor Wang Hao was leisurely enjoying his tea with the sect’s external gate master.
Suddenly, they both frowned, put down their cups, and pondered with unease.
“This isn’t right…”
Their intuition screamed danger. They immediately transformed into streaks of light and sped off northeastward.
…
When Su Xiaoxiao came to her senses, she found herself in a cave.
Pitch-black darkness enveloped her surroundings. The air was filled with the stench of bl**d from swirling drafts, making her feel nauseous.
“Chen Chen, are you okay?”
Su Xiaoxiao instinctively held onto Su Xinghe as they faced the rampaging Ghost Vine Tree Demon.
Despite her far lesser powers compared to Su Xinghe, she acted on instinct and pulled her close, hugging her tightly.
What the…
Did she imagine it or…
Why does Chen Chen look so much bigger?!
As she peered closer, her gaze met Yun Zhonghe’s green eyes.
His stylish golden hair caught her attention.
“Y-Yun Brother?!”
Su Xiaoxiao panicked.
Why is it Yun Brother, and not Chen Chen? Earlier, she was sure she was holding onto Chen Chen.
Now, Yun Zhonghe’s face was buried deep within her bosom, and thanks to her squeezing, he felt like he might suffocate from her tight hug!
Soft! So chewy!
It was softer yet chewier than jelly, providing a delightful contrast of textures without being mushy.
But wait, why am I evaluating the taste of something?
Yun Zhonghe subconsciously tried to pull away, but Su Xiaoxiao clung onto him with surprising strength.
Yun Zhonghe’s physical strength wasn’t a match for hers…
He was speechless.
“Xiao Xiao, relax… You can let go…”
Yun Zhonghe struggled to speak.
“Oh… uh…”
Su Xiaoxiao finally regained her senses, realizing how awkward she had been. Her face burned red, and she quickly released Yun Zhonghe.
Yun Zhonghe breathed a sigh of relief.
Phew, nearly choked there!
He wiped his mouth, his emotions still racing.
But Yun Zhonghe was a loyal bro, and he wouldn’t let that affect his friendship with Su Xiaoxiao…
Just then, memories of his bath session with Lin Zhongyu flooded his mind.
That cute and adorable girl had kissed him, expressing her feelings…
Was he really still Su Xiao Xiao’s good brother?
His confidence took a hit.
What if… if Su Xiaoxiao also followed Lin Zhongyu’s path…?
“Stop it! No more thinking!”
Yun Zhonghe smacked himself mentally.
First Snow Cloud Sword, then Lin Zhongyu; why were they messing up his routine?
All he wanted was to be Mu Jixue’s good brother and not some bull-headed brute.
Yun Zhonghe took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure.
Anyway, whatever the situation, they needed to deal with it first.
Yun Zhonghe sensed with his spiritual energy that they weren’t anymore in the monster forest—they had been teleported somewhere else.
“I bet we were eaten by the Ghost Vine Tree Demon; this must be its stomach, but it feels different…”
“Cloud Brother, Chen Chen’s not here.”
Su Xiaoxiao searched around but couldn’t find Su Xinghe.
Yun Zhonghe also sensed something was wrong.
“Don’t worry, she’s probably been teleported here too. Chen Chen is strong, so she’ll be fine. Let’s find her first.”
Hearing Yun Zhonghe’s words, Su Xiaoxiao calmed down a bit.
Indeed, Su Xinghe was already at the peak of Golden Core level, far surpassing both of them. Compared to worrying about her, she should focus on themselves instead.
Just like Yun Zhonghe, always quick to stay composed.
Really reliable.
Yun Zhonghe retrieved a fire elemental spirit pill from his spatial ring. After consuming it, he cast a simple spell to produce a perpetual flame to provide illumination.
Useful skills come in handy sometimes.
The cave was very deep, damp, though neither narrow nor spacious. Its walls were full of sticky crevices; it was easy to slip if one wasn’t careful.
As Yun Zhonghe led Su Xiaoxiao in searching for Su Xinghe, he attempted to establish contact with the outside.
He used the communication pendant. Spirit messages didn’t seem to get through, and activating his magical bracelet yielded no response.
This seemed rather troublesome.
“Could there be such places in the monster forest?” Su Xiaoxiao’s voice trembled slightly.
After walking for a long time, they discovered the cave was even deeper and more intricate than they imagined, much like a labyrinth. Occasionally, monstrous creatures emerged—bats, giant rats, and cockroaches…
None of them were weak, each being a Foundation Beast.
But they were more vicious than those they encountered earlier in the forest.
“We’re definitely not in the monster forest. What place did we end up in?”
Yun Zhonghe frowned, sensing something odd.
These monsters bore ominous vibes similar to the Ghost Vine Tree Demon they met earlier, and they also resembled the monster cultivator and crow swarm they encountered in Qing Zhu Town…
Su Xiaoxiao realized this too, her worry growing.
She anxiously said to Yun Zhonghe, “The monsters here aren’t right. Chen Chen will be in danger.”
“I know,” Yun Zhonghe calmly replied. “But panicking won’t help. Focus on these enemies and don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.”
Yun Zhonghe pointed out some key considerations while guiding Su Xiaoxiao in combat.
With their power, they could certainly defeat these ominously glowing monsters.
However, the current concern wasn’t about killing, but doing it silently and swiftly to avoid attracting more monsters.
Otherwise, things could spiral out of control.
Yun Zhonghe didn’t believe the dark cave was empty.
If surrounded by monsters, the two of them might not stand a chance.
Unlike Huang Aotian, Yun Zhonghe couldn’t rely on godlike abilities.
