Xu Yi's eyes opened, and she was startled by a fat, fleshy face in front of her.
She looked closely and saw a plump, unidentifiable large grub curiously peering at her from behind the protective shield.
The fat grub was green all over, with a segmented body and dozens of pairs of short, stubby legs underneath. Its pair of beady black eyes gave it a somewhat endearingly clumsy appearance.
Seeing that it meant no harm, Xu Yi ignored it. She stood up and stretched, feeling the smooth flow of spiritual energy within her body, nodding with satisfaction.
Her injuries were almost completely healed. It was time to put her plan into motion.
She leaped out of the wormhole and stood atop the tree canopy. Her spiritual sense spread out, and she quickly detected a late-stage Nascent Soul great demon, the Green Hide Barbarian Ox, nearby.
"This is the one."
Xu Yi transformed into a bolt of lightning and sped towards the Green Hide Barbarian Ox.
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox was renowned for its impenetrable hide, resistant to blades and spears.
Originally, its constitution was already superior among bovine demon beasts. Furthermore, due to the unique environment of the Giant's Realm, its size had increased tenfold, making it resemble a rocky mountain covered in trees from a distance.
Xu Yi jumped onto the Green Hide Barbarian Ox's back, appearing as an insignificant flea on the ox's back.
She pulled out a short knife and thrust it fiercely into the ox's back.
"Moo!"
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox instantly became enraged. Its thick tail tore through space, lashing out at Xu Yi.
Xu Yi retreated rapidly, engaging in a fierce chase with the tail that had turned into an afterimage.
"Moo!"
Boom!
Bang bang!
Stones flew, trees snapped, and the ground trembled.
Nearby cultivators, attracted by the violent commotion, came to investigate. Upon discovering it was the Green Hide Barbarian Ox, they quickly retreated.
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox was known for its defense, and defeating it was no easy feat. Why waste time on it?
Only someone like Xu Yi, who wasn't after bounties, would dedicate all her energy to contending with the Green Hide Barbarian Ox.
After a day and a night.
Xu Yi limped back to the wormhole. As soon as she entered, she could no longer control her weak body and collapsed backward.
After erecting a defensive shield as before, Xu Yi fell into a deep sleep once more.
Once Xu Yi's eyes closed, rustling sounds arose from the depths of the wormhole.
The large green grub, wiggling its way out from the depths of the wormhole, held a long blade of grass in its mouth.
Upon seeing Xu Yi, it happily dropped the grass and reared its upper body, leaning against the protective shield. It stared at Xu Yi motionlessly, as if Xu Yi held a special attraction for it.
Xu Yi slept for another three days. This time, she was not startled by the large green grub pressing against the protective shield.
Perhaps due to familiarity, she found the large green grub rather cute. Its plump body evoked a desire to squeeze it.
Xu Yi never denied herself anything. She covered her hand with a thin film of spiritual energy, removed the defensive shield, and unceremoniously placed her hand on the large green grub's body, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Squeak!"
Xu Yi paused. Did the large green grub make a sound?
She instinctively squeezed again, gently.
"Squeak squeak!"
The large green grub lowered its body and quickly wriggled towards the depths of the wormhole, giving the distinct impression of a hasty retreat.
Xu Yi looked down at her palm. The feel of squeezing the large green grub was exactly as she had imagined, and she was already beginning to savor that sensation.
However, Xu Yi didn't actually pursue it. After confirming that her spiritual energy had increased further, she set off again with renewed fighting spirit.
...
Some of the demon beasts within the Giant's Realm had been quite vexed lately.
First, a considerable number of cultivators had inexplicably appeared near their lairs, and then those cultivators would periodically launch attacks on them.
They could have tolerated these minor issues.
What they found unbearable was a lunatic among those cultivators, a person both reckless and audacious.
That lunatic seemed to have no regard for their own life, immediately provoking them upon arrival. Even when beaten until they vomited blood, they refused to leave, possessing incredibly tenacious vitality, and ultimately managed to escape.
When they thought the matter would be over after driving away that lunatic, the lunatic would return, stronger than before.
The repeated battles left the great demons physically and mentally exhausted.
Some of the more ill-tempered great demons had already moved their entire families, fleeing their lairs.
Only a handful of great demons were still stubbornly persevering.
On this day.
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox, dozing in its rest, suddenly shuddered and awoke from its slumber.
Without needing to think, it guessed that the lunatic had returned.
"Moo~"
It let out a listless moo, its tail lazily swaying behind it, showing no intention of moving.
Thwack!
A large boulder landed precisely on its head.
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox's tail-swaying movement paused for a moment, then resumed its unhurried sway.
Xu Yi, perched on a tree, frowned and once again used her spiritual energy to grab a giant rock and hurl it at the Green Hide Barbarian Ox's backside.
Thwack!
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox's hindquarters twitched, and it forcefully exhaled two puffs of stale air, remaining unmoved.
Xu Yi grew impatient.
She directly leaped from the tree onto the Green Hide Barbarian Ox's back, then crawled along its spine to its head. She bounced twice with displeasure, signaling her presence.
"Hey, Big Black Ox! Why aren't you fighting me anymore!"
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox feigned deafness and deliberately closed its eyes, thinking: Get lost, you're so annoying.
"You're Big Black Ox! Your whole family are Big Black Oxes!"
Finally, after Xu Yi had shouted countless times, the Green Hide Barbarian Ox, unable to bear the annoyance, roared in anger.
Xu Yi was taken aback, then remembered that demon beasts at the Nascent Soul stage could indeed speak human language. She then smiled and asked, "Why aren't you talking to me?"
"Go find other demons. I can't fight anymore. I surrender."
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox directly conveyed its thoughts to Xu Yi.
Faced with someone who couldn't be killed or driven away, even a Great Demon of the Nascent Soul stage was helpless.
"Then tell me where the other demons are? I'll go find them."
Xu Yi and the Green Hide Barbarian Ox had become acquainted through conflict. Their strengths were comparable, and neither could do anything about the other.
Xu Yi hadn't intended to bother the Green Hide Barbarian Ox again, but since several great demons in the vicinity had mysteriously disappeared, she had no choice but to try again.
"I don't know. Stop asking me."
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox shook its tail with a hint of guilt.
"If you don't know, then I'll have to resort to force."
Xu Yi took out her chastising ruler, chuckled, and gently tapped the ox's ear with it.
The Green Hide Barbarian Ox immediately felt a faint ache in its old wounds.
"To avoid you, they've all moved to the south."
The south was the most dangerous place in the entire Giant's Realm, with a large number of great demons.
The great demons living nearby all believed that by moving there, they could escape Xu Yi's clutches. Thus, they had likely re-established their lairs there by now.
Xu Yi smiled slightly, "So they went there."
Seeing the smile on her face, the Green Hide Barbarian Ox began to offer a silent prayer for its old friends.