Chapter 3, The Little Demon Princess

The giant serpent seemed to be enraged. Amidst the rumbling sounds, it emerged from the cave with a serpent body measuring four to five zhang in length. Countless fragments of rock fell into the depths of the volcano. At this moment, the serpent's body suspended in the air was at least seven to eight zhang long, and its enormous head appeared particularly fierce and terrifying. The giant serpent looked down at the crowd, its eyes flashing with a fierce light, as if it intended to dive down, but ultimately retreated unwillingly to the side of the blazing celestial lotus, pressing its entire body against the volcanic rock.

whoosh

A pitch-black cave appeared on the cliff not far from the blazing fire lotus, with two points of blood-red light shining brightly within. Amidst the rumbling sounds, countless massive stones fell from the cave into the depths of the volcano, and a colossal creature emerged from the cave.

The little princess remained exceptionally calm and composed, "Everyone, do not be afraid. The Fire Immortal Lotus is about to mature. That foul snake has been guarding it here for a thousand years, and at this critical moment, it will not leave the lotus for even a step. We will attack it from a distance."

He did not expect that after ten thousand years, he would still see the divine bow from the Fairyland Continent of that year. The Houyi Bow had changed hands countless times, and its last owner a thousand years ago was Chen Nan's father, Chen Zhan. Back then, Chen Zhan relied on this bow to consecutively kill three unparalleled powerhouses who besieged him in a single day, thus gaining fame in a battle and shaking the entire Fairyland Continent.

You said, when I present the Fiery Immortal Lotus to my father, what expression will he have? Hmm, I guess he will definitely smile broadly, allowing me to come and go freely in the imperial city. Hehe, that would be wonderful; in the future, wherever I want to play, I can go, and no one will stop me anymore, hehe ... ... ...

Chen Nan felt as if he had heard celestial music in hell, catching a glimpse of light amidst despair and fear. He let out a long sigh, secretly lamenting that this truly was a little demon

The little princess smiled and said, "There really is a blazing fire fairy lotus; Master truly did not deceive me. Hehe, this is just wonderful"

The enormous wind blade unleashed by the apprentice magician merely caused the giant serpent to shudder slightly upon impact, leaving no trace whatsoever.

The little princess, somewhat displeased, huffed and said, "Of course there is, are you all afraid?"

Chen Nan has regained his freedom, but the mute point has not been unlocked by the little demon princess. Truly, "it is more important to guard against the mouths of the people than to guard against the river"

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers

The guards removed their strong bows and crossbows, aiming arrows at the giant serpent, while three apprentice mages began to chant spells in preparation for a magical attack

Chen Nan watched the little demon bouncing around in the mountains and forests, secretly cursing: sprain your waist, twist your ankle, fall down...

Chen Nan ran all the way to the halfway up the mountain and couldn't help but stop and turn his face to watch when he heard the cheers behind him

The guards all wore苦 faces; although they were coerced by the little princess, the emperor would certainly not care about such matters and would inevitably punish them later

These individuals were thoroughly frightened, their level of shock comparable to that of Chen Nan. If the emperor were to learn that his youngest daughter had engaged in actions that brought disgrace to the royal dignity, he would surely be enraged. At that point, this group of guards would have no escape from death

Countless fragments of stone fell into the depths of the volcano, as a giant serpent slowly emerged from the cave, revealing a section of its vividly colored body. The serpent's body was covered with scales the size of palm leaves, shimmering and both enchanting and terrifying.

The little demon princess seemed to have grown tired of playing, and with her long sword, she directly swung down towards Chen Nan's body. The guards were taken aback and hurriedly shouted: "Your Highness, please do not!"

A female guard reminded, "Your Highness, I have heard that all rare treasures of heaven and earth are guarded by spirit beasts. I wonder about this celestial lotus..."

The little princess glared at him, causing the apprentice magician to immediately shut his mouth in fright

He secretly thought: A demon is always a demon

Chen Nan hid behind the volcanic rock, whispering: The little princess is fiercer than a giant snake!

The Flame Lotus takes root on the cliff three zhang below the volcanic crater, standing approximately half a meter tall. The entire plant is a brilliant fiery red, with nine translucent red leaves growing on its stem. The flowers at the top resemble lotus blossoms, yet they are a hundred times more radiant than actual lotus flowers. The fiery red petals are vividly dripping, shining like exquisite jade carvings.

Oh, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten. My master said there is a small snake over there. Hmm, you all won't be unable to handle just a small snake, will you? Just pay a little attention when the time comes

Two days later, Chen Nan finally understood the identities of this group of people and also grasped the purpose of their visit

The crowd finally arrived at the volcano's crater, where wisps of smoke billowed out. The air was intensely hot, and the crater resembled an oven; sweat dripped onto the dark brown volcanic rock, instantly evaporating and disappearing.

... ...

At that moment, a tremendous roar echoed, as countless massive boulders tumbled down from the volcano's mouth, and a giant serpent soared into the sky, its hundred-foot-long body fully exposed in the air

One of the male guards drew a long sword, deliberately waving it in front of Chen Nan, causing him to quickly shut his eyes in fear. The cold, sharp blade pressed against his skin, and he immediately broke out in small bumps. The guard smiled maliciously at Chen Nan, slowly moving the sword towards his lower body. This prolonged "waiting" brought Chen Nan immense suffering; in just a moment, he felt utterly drained, his body convulsing in spasms.

A novice magician also said: "Indeed, this... this is not a small snake; this... this is a snake spirit. We should..."

The guards exchanged glances, each revealing a hint of a smile, for they understood this little princess all too well. Although the little princess was already sixteen, she was a source of great trouble. She was both intelligent and mischievous, sometimes behaving like a naughty child, full of tricks that left others at a loss.

whoosh

The wind blade sliced through the cloth bag, and the realgar fell from the sky, landing on the giant serpent's body. The giant serpent trembled and retreated.

They had been traversing the mountains for three days, having once seen a giant dragon soaring through the sky and the enormous footprints of ancient giants, which filled the little demon princess with excitement. At such moments, she would always seek out Chen Nan to "express" her inner joy, resulting in Chen Nan "excitedly" foaming at the mouth and collapsing to the ground

The apprentice magician hurriedly said: "No, of course not. We are determined to gather the Flame Lotus for Her Highness the Princess, even at the cost of our lives."

Chen Nan secretly muttered to himself: Should I pay a little more attention? Can the guardian spirit beasts of heavenly materials and earthly treasures be easily dismissed? This little demon really has an unusually thick skin. No, I can't go in front; I should hide far behind instead.

He secretly murmured to himself: These people all have black hair and black eyes, clearly they are all of Eastern descent. Yet among them, there are actually some who can wield magic. It must be that after the two continents merged into the Tianyuan Continent, various cultivation methods began to circulate across the land, allowing Easterners to master some Western magic. Presumably, Westerners have also acquired some Eastern martial arts.

Chen Nan ran towards the volcano like the wind, and as he passed by the little princess, he cursed: "Pervert, lunatic, demon..."

The guards brought by the little princess are indeed seasoned warriors. After a moment of shock, these individuals quickly regained their composure, gripping their weapons tightly and standing ready. Three apprentice mages began to chant their spells, and waves of magical elements resonated in the air. However, unexpectedly, after the giant serpent revealed a large portion of its body at the volcano's mouth, it remained still, merely staring coldly at everyone.

The little princess carefully examined the giant snake that was shriveled in the volcano's crater and said, "I didn't expect this foul snake to be so cunning, deliberately feigning weakness to trick us. Everyone, do not approach; attack it from here."

I never expected that I, Chen Nan, would fall to such a state. Little devil, you better not fall into my hands...

Chen Nan felt a chill rapidly spreading from his head to his heels, causing a layer of goosebumps to rise on his skin

The smoke swirled around the volcanic crater, and visibility was very low. Looking down, one could only see a faint glow, undoubtedly that of the bubbling magma. Chen Nan cautiously walked forward along the circular rim of the crater, silently praying that the small snake was taking a nap.

The little princess had always believed that Chen Nan's mute hole was sealed by her. At this moment, upon hearing him shout and curse loudly, she was first taken aback, followed by intense resentment and anger. However, when she saw the colorful giant snake behind Chen Nan, her expression changed drastically. Yet, she quickly regained her composure and finally uttered a phrase that nearly caused Chen Nan to faint: "This snake is so beautiful!"

Everyone took out their gas masks and covered their mouths and noses. The little princess glanced at Chen Nan and tossed him one, saying: "Hurry up and put it on, that smoke is highly toxic."

He now recalls the sharp fangs and the menacing red scales of the giant serpent, feeling a bit of fear, yet at the same time, he also feels a sense of thrill

These individuals are all quite young, yet their skills are formidable. The magician effortlessly forced Chen Nan out of the water, while the female warrior defeated him on the ground in just over thirty moves. This clearly demonstrates the strength of these individuals.

Ah ... ...

Chen Nan hid behind the rocks, ready to make a quick escape at any moment

The magical arrows shot forth like lightning, leaving ripples in the air, causing the magical elements in the atmosphere to oscillate irregularly. The giant serpent seemed to sense the aura of danger and swiftly turned its menacing head to the side. The magical arrows sparked as they grazed the serpent's mouth, and then the arrowheads suddenly exploded, blasting away a large portion of the scales on the left side of its mouth. The remaining arrows struck this area, instantly turning the serpent's mouth into a bloody mess, revealing its sharp white teeth. The magical arrows sparked as they grazed the serpent's mouth, and then the arrowheads suddenly exploded, blasting away a large portion of the scales on the left side of its mouth. The remaining arrows struck this area, instantly turning the serpent's mouth into a bloody mess, revealing its sharp white teeth.

Hehe, you've made progress, not bad, try my trick again. Hehe, now you know how formidable it is, really funny, hehe... The sound of the little princess's happy and triumphant laughter echoed through the forest, and Chen Nan's Nth nightmare began once more

The attendants drew magical arrows from behind and nocked them on the bowstrings, all aiming at the giant serpent's crimson eyes

Chen Nan truly has unspoken hardships. Although he has long secretly unraveled the unique acupoint techniques mentioned by the little demon using his family's ancestral skills, he has no choice but to "obediently" remain silent.

On the sixth day, the little princess and her companions finally arrived at their destination, a volcano appeared before them, with layers of smoke swirling around the crater, and flames seemed ready to erupt at any moment

Chen Nan was utterly horrified, nearly losing his mind. That colossal creature turned out to be a gigantic snake's head, as large as a room. The two gleaming points of blood-red light were actually the snake's pair of crimson eyes, each the size of a basin

Suddenly, a blood-red snake's tongue, measuring two zhang in length, swiftly coiled towards him from the mouth of the giant serpent, the heavy stench making him feel nauseous

Puff

"Scoundrel, you go to the front." The clear voice of the little princess thwarted Chen Nan's plan

The little princess and the others took a breath. At this moment, a female guard stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this demon serpent has already attained a high level of cultivation, and it is beyond our ability to deal with. We should retreat quickly."

Yet he was repeatedly disappointed, while the little devil princess was as cheerful as a bird just released from its cage, occasionally running up to him to give his head a hard knock or tug at his ear with force

rumbling

At this moment, the three apprentice wizards gathered a substantial amount of magical elements, condensing them into three chilling ice spears. After being illuminated by sunlight, the three ice spears emitted a brilliant radiance, soaring towards the giant serpent's eyes like a celestial rainbow.

The crowd was invigorated, and the bags filled with realgar and large blades of wind surged forward once more. The giant serpent, its colorful scales glistening with a cold light, was covered in realgar, and the pungent smell of realgar filled the volcanic crater. Soon after, the giant serpent shriveled to the ground, motionless.

Seeing the look of terror on Chen Nan's face, the little princess was filled with joy. She gently traced the edge of her sword near Chen Nan's ear, cutting off a lock of his long hair. When the hair fell onto Chen Nan's neck, his expression changed.

Chen Nan shouted loudly, turned around, and fled, reaching the highest speed he had ever achieved. As he ran, he yelled, "Demon Stinky Fart Princess, I XXXXX, are you trying to kill me..."

"Damn it, is this... is this the little snake that the little demon was talking about? This is just too exaggerated," Chen Nan cursed with a trembling voice

Chen Nan sighed inwardly: Demon Princess

The little princess is accompanied by a total of twelve guards and three wizards, among whom there are six male and six female guards, while all three wizards are male

Arrows fell like rain, all aimed at the giant serpent's blood-red eyes. The giant serpent seemed to mock everyone as it closed its eyes, blocking the rain of arrows from entering.

Chen Nan glanced at the volcano's mouth; he longed to rid himself of that little demon and travel the world. However, he also wanted to stay and witness the rare battle between humans and snakes. He was torn in his heart. In the end, he could not resist the temptation and quietly crawled toward the volcano's mouth. When he was about ten zhang away, he hid behind a massive boulder.

Chen Nan felt a slight sense of gratitude in his heart, but it quickly dissipated. He then heard the little princess say: "Hurry up and put it on, quickly bring that little snake out."

The fragrance of the blazing fire lotus grew increasingly rich, as a gentle breeze swept by, dispersing the smoke that lingered around the volcano's mouth. The scene before Chen Nan's eyes immediately became clear.

The giant serpent ceased its movement, its blood-red eyes fixated on Chen Nan. At the same time, it opened its massive jaws, revealing its white, venomous fangs, which were sharp as swords, measuring half a meter in height, fierce and terrifying.

"Hmph, have you all eaten bitter melon? How many times have I told you that I will definitely not let Father Emperor punish you at that time?" The little princess said somewhat unhappily, glancing at Chen Nan who was standing beside her, and added, "Hmph, you scoundrel dare to laugh, come over and practice with me."

In a few months, it will be the sixtieth birthday of the Emperor of the Chu State. In order to express her filial piety, the young princess secretly escaped from the palace, preparing to gather the legendary Fire Immortal Lotus from the western region of Chu as a birthday gift for the Emperor. Her entourage was coerced and intimidated into accompanying her.

At this moment, the three apprentice wizards had gathered enough magical elements. They opened a corner of the magical barrier and then cast a large expanse of light curtain towards the giant serpent. The pale blue light curtain transformed into layers of water waves, extinguishing the flames beside everyone in the blink of an eye, while simultaneously drenching the giant serpent. Steam began to rise from the volcanic crater, and everyone took this opportunity to retreat a distance of seven or eight zhang.

Chong Chennan smiled at the little princess of books with ill intentions and said, "Why do you also look so worried? Is it really that difficult for you to accompany this princess in practicing martial arts? Hmph!"

For Chen Nan, this was an incredibly painful journey; he felt both hatred and anger towards the little princess, yet found himself powerless.

I did not expect this little demon to be quite capable, actually bringing down such a colossal creature; truly worthy of being the sister of a devil

The ice spear shattered into countless pieces before the giant serpent, its brilliance extinguished. These three powerful magical attacks were not without effect, as traces of blood appeared on the serpent's eyelids. Meanwhile, the massive serpent's head lifted once more, its previous lethargy replaced by a menacing demeanor. The terrifying forked tongue of the serpent flickered unpredictably, its sharp venomous fangs glinting with a chilling light, and a pair of blood-red eyes fixed intently on the crowd

The little princess decisively commanded: "Cease all attacks on other areas and concentrate all assaults on its eyes."

After giving the command, the little demon princess turned and walked to the side, while the female guards, their faces flushed, followed suit

During the night while resting, Chen Nan once thought of sneaking away, but as soon as he moved slightly, the guard on duty cast a cold glance in his direction, forcing him to abandon his escape plan

A group of people set off towards the mountain, while Chen Nan gradually slowed his pace, eventually falling to the back of the line

I am at the mercy of others, like fish on a chopping board. Just as I have ventured out to explore, I am met with this tragic fate. Heaven, are you truly playing a joke on me? In his heart, Chen Nan felt an overwhelming fear; if he were to suffer castration, his future would indeed be worse than death

Hou Yi's Bow

The little princess wore a displeased expression and said, "What are you doing? Do you still want to meddle in my affairs?"

Chen Nan sighed inwardly: At this moment, she appears so adorable, almost like an innocent little angel. A devil's nature, yet an angel's appearance

Ping

Hmph! The little princess threw the sword to the ground, her face returning to a cold expression. She turned her body and said, "Take him away; I want to deal with him slowly."

"Hey, you scoundrel, what kind of look is that? Are you not convinced? Do you want to challenge me like those experts do at the peak of whatever? Wow, that sounds great! How about we have a showdown at the peak of the volcano instead?" the little princess exclaimed excitedly

A female guard stepped forward and said: "The princess is of invaluable worth and cannot... cannot do..."

In the past two days, Chen Nan has trained with the little demon princess in his eyes for N times, and the princess's martial arts skills are surprisingly high, leaving him battered and bruised, a sight too painful to behold

The closer one gets to the volcano's mouth, the higher the air temperature rises, creating a stifling heat, while the rocks beneath their feet become increasingly hot. Chen Nan felt a bit anxious, constantly on guard against the small snake lurking in the shadows.

Chen Nan gritted his teeth and reluctantly walked over. In his heart, he prayed: "God, Buddha, dear angel, although I know you have all gone to the Divine and Demon Cemetery to 'enjoy' yourselves, do you not have even one distant relative? Please send them to subdue the demons. Demons, ghosts, lords of hell, quickly take away your close kin."

Chen Nan's lips trembled as he softly said: "Hou Yi's bow, I never expected to reunite with you after ten thousand years..."

The little princess quickly walked back, nodding in satisfaction at her subordinate, and, to everyone's astonishment, seized the long sword. She tapped the sword against Chen Nan's face and said, "Interesting, I didn't expect you, this lecher, to be so afraid of death"

The little demon princess, Chu Yu, is the youngest daughter of the Emperor of Chu, enjoying immense favor and affection from both the Emperor and the Empress of Chu. The guards by her side are elite warriors specially trained by the Emperor, loyal to her without question. As for the three magicians, they are not yet true magicians; they currently hold only the status of apprentices.

Chen Nan felt a surge of fear: this terrifying little demon has truly gone mad, actually intending to venture to the volcano's mouth to pick the Flame Immortal Lotus

A few days ago, the little princess continuously referred to Chen Nan as a lecher. Later, a female guard quietly whispered a few words to her, and the little princess immediately realized something. First, in a fit of shame and anger, she violently beat Chen Nan, and thereafter, she no longer called him a lecher, but instead referred to him as a scoundrel and a foul thief.

On the inner cliffs of the volcanic crater, a burst of fiery red light pierced through the smoke and reached the eyes of the crowd, with the fragrance wafting from that very spot

The guards under the little princess were extremely nervous. One of the apprentice magicians asked, "Your Highness, is there really a Flame Fairy Lotus at the volcano?"

Everyone was astonished. The little princess said in a low voice, "It seems I can only use my final move." She took out an ancient long box from the package behind her, opened it, and retrieved a long bow that gleamed with a dark luster.

The little princess said: "Did I not give you thirty-six powerful magic arrows? If not now, then when? Shoot for me!"

Chen Nan stared in astonishment and exclaimed, "No way, this super terrifying creature has already transformed into a monster, my goodness, a snake demon!" Upon seeing this, he retreated over ten zhang from the battlefield.

The little demon princess waited for a long time but did not hear Chen Nan's scream, which made her somewhat curious. She boldly turned around and saw her subordinates mentally tormenting Chen Nan, which she found extremely amusing

The giant serpent was enraged, its massive body suddenly rearing up, revealing its menacing white fangs and flickering crimson tongue. Meanwhile, the serpent's body, concealed within the cave, continuously slithered outward, causing the volcano's mouth to tremble as if shaken by an earthquake.

The little princess said: "When my master inadvertently discovered the celestial lotus, it was not yet mature. Calculating the dates, these two days are indeed the optimal time for harvesting."

She then commanded, "Quickly sprinkle that realgar over the body of that foul snake"

Smoke billowed, gradually obscuring the fiery lotus, leaving only a patch of bright red light visible. Suddenly, a profound sense of crisis surged within Chen Nan; he felt as if he were prey being targeted by a "person".

Rows of feathered arrows shot towards the giant serpent like a swarm of locusts, but astonishingly, the steel-tipped arrows merely sparked against the serpent's scales and fell to the ground.

Chen Nan saw that the little demon had come back again, and was constantly waving a long sword between his nose and eyes. His face turned pale with fright; if he accidentally stabbed down, it would be no better than a castration.

Looking at the little demon's sweet smile, he felt a shiver run through his body. He wanted to struggle, but found himself unable to move; he wanted to shout loudly, but no sound came out. In the blink of an eye, cold sweat soaked through his clothes

The giant serpent opened its massive mouth and spewed forth a torrent of flames, the roaring fire sweeping towards the crowd. Three apprentice wizards hurriedly recited their incantations, and a faint blue magical barrier enveloped everyone within it

He secretly cursed in his heart: "Little devil..." Reluctantly, he walked to the front of the line

A dozen or so bags were thrown simultaneously at the giant serpent, and at the same time, the apprentice mage had completed the incantation, unleashing a wave of glimmering icy wind blades that surged forward

Ping

Upon witnessing the little princess's actions, Chen Nan's pupils began to constrict, and he stared intently at the longbow without blinking.

Ping

A rich and fragrant aroma wafted out from the smoke, instantly refreshing the weary and troubled crowd