Chapter 35: Volunteering for the Mission, Finally Departing Black Wind Mountain

Mo Fan’s words took the ox demon Dali by complete surprise, and he shook his head immediately. "How can that be?"

"Laibao, the Master specifically ordered us to look after you. If something happens to you, I wouldn't know how to answer to him."

Dali refused Mo Fan’s proposal outright.

"Brother Dali, it’s not as exaggerated as you say. You’ve been here at Black Wind Mountain for decades; have you ever encountered any real danger?" Mo Fan asked.

"Well... apart from that one time we headed toward the human territory and were ambushed by cultivators, I haven't really run into any danger," Dali said, shaking his head with a naive smile.

"Doesn't that prove my point?"

Mo Fan chuckled and continued his persuasion. "I heard the Master mention before that everything within a hundred-mile radius belongs to our Black Wind Mountain. And with a powerful Great Demon like our King watching over us, what monster hunter would dare to come here and act recklessly? That would be like an old man hanging himself—just asking for death."

"Uh... where did you learn to talk like that, Laibao?"

Dali was a bit dazed, even more astonished by the toad demon’s eloquence.

Mo Fan grinned and continued, "Besides, my position in the patrol team is the best, and my cultivation is the weakest, so I won't draw anyone's attention. No one will notice if I leave Black Wind Mountain. You guys are different—you have higher cultivation and are familiar faces. Plus, that one-eyed Ding Mu has his underlings watching everyone closely, so you can't leave the mountain as you please. I’m different; I’ve been at Black Wind Mountain for less than a month, and I don't know many demons. Leaving won't attract any suspicion."

"So, are you still hesitant, brother?" Mo Fan looked at the furrowed-browed Dali and decided to add more fuel to the fire. "You can stop me from going if you want, but Brother Red-Eye can't wait!"

Sure enough, hearing this, Dali’s expression shifted. He was very close with the rabbit demon and didn't want to see him end up on a platter. He nodded immediately. "Fine, I’ll take your word for it this time. But no matter what, you must return before our patrol period ends, or you’ll be the ruin of me!"

"Don't worry, brother, I understand!"

"Wait here for a moment; I’ll go back to my cave to grab some things and then set off to find Brother Red-Eye right away!"

Seeing that Dali had agreed, Mo Fan didn't hesitate and returned to his dwelling. He wasn't actually going back to retrieve anything; he needed to check on the dragon loaches in the spring. He knew this trip might take several days, so he had to make sure the dozen golden loaches were taken care of. Having learned from previous experiences, he no longer worried about them escaping the bamboo basket, as he had discovered that these loaches were gluttons.

As long as there were spirit stones, they wouldn't leave. He added another two hundred spirit stones to the basket, estimating it would be enough to last until he returned, and then departed.

Arriving at the mountainside, he saw Dali pacing anxiously. After a brief exchange, Mo Fan followed him along a secluded path down the mountain.

"This path is rarely used by other demons, so we should be able to avoid that dog demon."

"Usually, sending that guy Zhazha would be the best choice; he has the ability to fly, so finding Red-Eye wouldn't be difficult. But like me, he’s been targeted by that Rattlesnake, so he can't leave his post. The dog demon is the best at tracking people, but I don't trust him. In our group, he’s a notorious sycophant; the moment there’s any trouble, he’d run to report it to the Master. So this really depends on you!"

The ox demon led the way, sighing repeatedly. He hadn't expected that at such a critical moment, he would have to rely on Laibao, a newcomer, which made him feel a bit embarrassed. But there was no other way.

"Brother, don't worry. I guarantee I will complete the task!" Mo Fan promised with a smile.

"Consider this a favor we owe you; we will definitely make it up to you in the future!" the ox demon said in a deep voice. In his eyes, Mo Fan’s actions were undeniably loyal and righteous. After all, leaving one's post to search for another demon—if discovered, the punishment would be getting skinned and deboned at best, or ending up in an oil cauldron as a meal at worst.

Arriving at the foot of the mountain, Mo Fan waved his toad-leg back at the ox demon and walked away alone, his small figure quickly vanishing into the weeds.

Once away from Black Wind Mountain, Mo Fan felt his entire body lighten. The oppressive atmosphere was gone, and he felt like letting out a long howl. Looking at the beauty of nature before him, he was in a great mood, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

He was not, of course, kind enough to truly go searching for the rabbit demon, Red-Eye. Nor was he planning to run away, even though this was a golden opportunity. His only purpose in taking this chance to leave was to explore the human territories. If he was lucky, he might even catch a human who had wandered into the Demon Spirit Mountains. As for the rabbit, that was just a side task. If he found him, great; if not, well, his apologies. He didn't believe Red-Eye would run away. While five stones of meat sounded like a lot, it was only five or six hundred pounds; killing two large beasts would be enough.

If Red-Eye hunted enough meat, he would return; if not, he would still return. As long as he wasn't an idiot, this was certain. Mo Fan had only exaggerated the situation to secure this chance to leave Black Wind Mountain and see the world outside.

Having undergone three transformations and mastered the Body-Shedding Technique, along with possessing venomous demon weapons, his strength was no longer what it once was. Mo Fan felt that if he encountered that old hunter again, he was confident he could kill him in a single exchange. He didn't feel any danger in leaving the mountain; rather, it felt like a successful cultivator returning home in triumph.

After walking a fair distance, Mo Fan manifested his full spirit form, transforming into a sturdy, bald man—though his legs remained those of a toad. Even so, he noticed he was much taller than before, nearly 1.4 meters. Mo Fan looked at his smooth skin, exhaled a cloud of demon mist to shroud himself, and chanted the Body-Shedding Technique. In an instant, a wide black robe appeared on his body, covering him completely so he wouldn't be "running naked."

This was a simple application of the technique, achieved by shedding his own skin and using demon mist to form the garment. It covered his awkward toad legs, so if he encountered humans, they wouldn't immediately realize he was a monster. This was a basic illusion that most demons in Black Wind Mountain knew, though most were too wild and unrefined to use their own skin for clothing, preferring animal hides instead. For Mo Fan, it was perfectly practical.

With the oppression of Black Wind Mountain gone, Mo Fan ran across the land like an unbridled horse. Though not tall, his speed was no less than that of a horse, perhaps even faster. With the aid of his demon energy, each leap spanned a dozen feet; he was practically flying just above the ground. It was only then that Mo Fan truly realized how powerful he had become.

The difference between being a demon and not is a chasm, and the difference between one transformation and three is an even greater chasm. Soon, Mo Fan reached the depths of the Demon Spirit Mountains. Looking back, he saw only lush greenery; there was no sign of Black Wind Mountain left.