Chapter 7: A Rabbit Demon's Plea, A Hunter's Ambush

The large white rabbit rolled on the ground a few times before scrambling to its feet. It nodded at Mo Fan, and after a series of twitches of its rabbit head, it instantly transformed into the face of a young woman.

So, it really was a demon!

Seeing this, Mo Fan felt a surge of surprise, but he also realized that this rabbit demon was exceptionally beautiful. Setting aside the rabbit body, the face alone was enough to qualify her as a great beauty.

Her chubby little face featured a pair of large, watery eyes with irises as crimson as rubies. Her skin was as fair as jade, and beneath her high, delicate nose was a cherry-red mouth. Her snow-white hair hung loose and slightly messy, while a pair of white rabbit ears stood upright on her head—far from looking out of place, they only added to her charm.

"What a fine little demoness!"

Mo Fan clicked his tongue in admiration, but then the rabbit demon addressed him, "Master Toad, please, save me! A human is hunting me down!"

A human?

Mo Fan was startled and quickly asked, "What kind of human? Where?"

He feared nothing more than those self-righteous humans who lacked all reason, especially the female immortals from that mountain sect; they were as vicious as scorpions, grabbing him for alchemy the moment they laid eyes on him—it was nothing short of terrifying. Hearing that a human was in pursuit, his heart began to race.

"It's an old hunter. He has chased me across several mountain ranges. He should be here any moment. Please, Master Toad, you must save me!" the rabbit demon pleaded.

A hunter?

Mo Fan frowned slightly and asked again, "Are you sure it's just an ordinary hunter and not a cultivator who knows spells and divine abilities?"

His question took the rabbit demon by surprise. She gave a bitter laugh and said, "Master Toad, you're joking, right? How could there be any immortals in these parts? He's just a regular hunter; he's not even a village guardian or a demon catcher."

"If he's just an ordinary person, why are you panicking like this? You're a demon—are you afraid of a mere mortal?" Mo Fan asked, suspicious.

"Master Toad, you don't understand the plight of us minor demons. I've only just transformed. Apart from refining the cross-bone in my throat to speak and taking on a human head, I have no other powers. How could I be a match for that old hunter?"

"He carries a refined iron spear capable of hunting tigers and leopards, and a bow that can bring down eagles. He is terrifying," the rabbit demon said with a pained expression.

Hearing this, Mo Fan realized one thing: not all demons awaken inherent supernatural powers upon transformation! This little rabbit demon was a prime example. What frustrated him, however, was that a full-fledged demon could actually be hunted by a human—perhaps she was a rare oddity among the demon race.

"Master Toad, I beg you, for the sake of our shared kind, please save my life. I will offer you true fruits and spirit herbs in the future to repay your life-saving grace!"

Seeing that Mo Fan remained silent, the rabbit demon immediately mimicked a human bow, pleading with him repeatedly.

Mo Fan did not answer immediately. Instead, his eyes darted around as he asked, "I see you're quite clever for a rabbit demon and seem to know a lot. Do you know if there are any other fellow demons in our mountain range?"

"Of course I—oh no, the old hunter is here!"

The rabbit demon was about to answer when her expression suddenly changed. She pointed her front paw toward the distance and shrieked.

Mo Fan looked where she pointed and saw, indeed, an old man with graying hair and clad in animal skins bursting from the woods a hundred yards away.

The old man carried a long spear on his back, a large bow slung across his shoulder, and a quiver full of arrows at his waist. He looked like a formidable opponent. Despite his age, his strides were swift like the wind, moving with the agility of a mountain ape as he closed in on the small hill.

"And you call this an ordinary hunter?"

Mo Fan’s eyes widened, his eyelids twitching. This old man was moving way too fast! He was likely even faster than Mo Fan himself; only that foolish tiger, Er-Ha, could potentially best him.

"Master Toad, save me!" The rabbit demon stared at Mo Fan with large, teary, and pitiful eyes, looking utterly heartbreaking.

"Get lost! Who is your 'kind'?"

"You're a rabbit, I'm a toad. Our ancestors couldn't be traced back to the same origin even after eight generations. Stop trying to act like we're related!"

"I can't believe you're such a rabbit, leading such a dangerous hunter into Master Mo's territory. You're trying to get me killed!"

Mo Fan cursed at the rabbit demon, then turned and bolted, sprinting away while shouting, "Trying to harm your Master Mo? Not a chance!"

The rabbit demon was stunned. She hadn't expected this Master Toad to run even faster than she could. Seeing him run with such a human-like gait, he was truly a powerful demon!

With that, the rabbit demon chased after him, explaining, "Master Toad, you misunderstood! By 'kind,' I meant we are both demons; we should help each other!"

"Why are you following me? Get as far away as you can and die somewhere else! Don't drag me down with you!"

Mo Fan looked back to see the rabbit demon tailing him relentlessly, and he was so angry he nearly cursed out loud.

If it were truly just an ordinary person chasing the rabbit, he wouldn't be afraid, but that old man clearly looked extraordinary. Why should he risk his life to save her? That was a losing business, and Mo Fan wasn't about to get involved.

"Master Toad, don't you want to know the whereabouts of other demons? If you save me, I will tell you!" The rabbit demon stuck to him, revealing a piece of bait. She did indeed know where others were.

Mo Fan felt a flicker of interest, but the thought of that fearsome old hunter made him shake his head again. "I told you, stop following me, damn it!"

*Whoosh!*

Just then, a sound of something cutting through the air came from behind, followed by a scream.

Mo Fan’s heart sank; he realized the rabbit demon might have been hit. His fear intensified, but before he could take a few more steps, a second *whoosh* sounded, sending a chill down the back of his neck.

Feeling an intense sense of crisis, Mo Fan didn't even think; he threw himself into a toad-roll, dodging the projectile.

*Thwack!*

The arrow whistled past his head and embedded itself into a large tree nearby.

Staring at the arrow in the trunk, Mo Fan turned pale. He instinctively touched his head, relieved to find no injury.

"Hahahaha... looks like the old man's luck is good today. I've found two little demons!"

A hearty laugh rang out as the old hunter approached. He held his large bow, with two more arrows nocked, keeping both of them locked in his sights.

"This trip was worth it. It was worth the old man risking a deep venture into the Demon Spirit Mountains. Once I catch you two, I'll be able to sell you for a good price and buy myself several jugs of Bone-Forging Wine!"

The old hunter laughed as he approached, walking straight toward the rabbit demon while keeping his eyes fixed on Mo Fan. He warned, "Toad demon, I advise you not to move, or my arrows might not be so forgiving! Even if a dead demon fetches a lower price, it'll still buy me a few drinks."