Chapter 263

Just as his hand was about to touch the axe, a tremendous force of suction struck him.0

His pupils trembled.0

This sensation was familiar; he knew exactly what it was.0

Earlier, Hua Bai had been sucked in by it just like this.0

And once fully swallowed by it...0

His eyes darkened, and with the last of his strength, he gripped the axe.0

He thought to himself, even if I die, I’ll chop down this cursed flower!0

He didn’t know that his determination caught Yun Xiaoxiao’s attention, making her glance at him twice.0

Just as he was about to be pulled in, a blazing inferno surged forward.0

The cave was instantly illuminated by the flames, and the temperature rose several degrees.0

The fire condensed into a fiery arrow, shooting straight toward the trumpet flower.0

As the flames approached, the flower’s stem visibly trembled.0

It immediately ceased its attack on the leaves, and even the petals that had wrapped around Aunt Long loosened.0

Aunt Long fell from mid-air.0

Fortunately, a cloud of black mist enveloped her, safely delivering her to Hua Ye’s side.0

“Aunt Long, are you alright?” Hua Ye quickly asked.0

Aunt Long shook her head, coughing uncomfortably a few times.0

Then, she looked up in astonishment at Yun Xiaoxiao, who was battling the trumpet flower.0

If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed that a child just a few years old could be so powerful!0

Such a small body, yet it unleashed an immense energy.0

Her moves came one after another, dazzling to the eye.0

The mutated trumpet flower wasn’t about to back down either; its body suddenly doubled in size.0

Though wood is naturally afraid of fire, it used its advantage in the underground river to evade the flames, retreating into the water like a coward.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Then, stealthily, it extended its green stems from the corners of the riverbed, swiftly attacking Yun Xiaoxiao.0

Just as those stems were about to entangle her, Yun Xiaoxiao leaped into the air, hovering above the underground river.0

She brought her palms together, summoning a massive storm, and hurled it fiercely into the river.0

The storm churned the water, creating swirling eddies that dug deeper and deeper.0

When she caught sight of the pink hue at the center of the vortex, Yun Xiaoxiao’s lips curled into a faint smile.0

In the next moment, she drew Lord Slasher, flipped upside down, and plunged downward, aiming straight for that pink spot.0

Seeing Yun Xiaoxiao’s confidence, Ling Jing chose not to intervene.0

He knew Yun Xiaoxiao had a strong fighting spirit.0

She didn’t like others interfering during her battles.0

So he decided to... support her with his thoughts.0

A strange sound emerged from the riverbed.0

The next moment, an unidentified object flew out from the center of the massive vortex, landing heavily on the ground.0

Hua Ye, Aunt Long, and the others looked over in confusion, only for their eyes to widen in shock.0

Wasn’t that... the “corpse” of the trumpet flower?!0

She had actually defeated this terrifying flower in such a short time?!0

Now, the once-mighty mutated trumpet flower, which had turned the entire cave upside down, lay weakly on the ground.0

Its entire body was soaked, and a large puddle of water surrounded it.0

If it weren’t for the flower’s faint, labored pulsations, everyone would have thought it was already dead.0

Yun Xiaoxiao flew down from the river and approached the trumpet flower, ready to finish it off with a single strike. But suddenly, the flower stretched toward her.0

“Be careful!”0

“Watch out!”0

Aunt Long and Hua Ye shouted in unison.0

Ling Jing also rushed over but stopped midway.0

Because...0

The flower actually nuzzled Yun Xiaoxiao’s arm in a strangely human-like manner.0

It was almost as if it was... acting coquettish...0

The group was utterly dumbfounded.0

The same flower that had just been killing without mercy was now acting cute?0

This wasn’t some TV drama!0

It was too absurd!0

If someone had told them this story, they would never have believed it, no matter what.0

But it was happening right before their eyes.0

No matter how many times they rubbed their eyes, the scene remained the same.0

They had no choice but to believe it.0

Yun Xiaoxiao, who was about to deliver the final blow, also froze.0

What... is going on?0

Though surprised, she didn’t let her guard down.0

This mutated trumpet flower clearly had human-like intelligence. If it was pretending to be weak to trick her, she’d be in serious trouble.0

She disdainfully pushed it away with the back of her blade.0

“Don’t try that. You’ve taken lives. You can only...”0

Before she could say “die,” the trumpet flower suddenly swelled up.0

She tensed, only to see a person being spat out from the flower.0

Then, another.0

“It’s Old Zhang and Hua Zi!”0

One of Aunt Long’s companions spotted them immediately.0

He was the closest and scrambled over, checking their breathing with his hand.0

A look of sheer joy spread across his face.0

“They’re alive!”0

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions softened.0

They had truly thought these two were already dead.0

Now, knowing they were alive, Aunt Long and the others couldn’t contain their relief.0

Yun Xiaoxiao also raised an eyebrow in surprise.0

The next moment, she felt something nudging her.0

She looked down at the fawning trumpet flower and couldn’t help but smirk.0

She couldn’t understand why it was acting so submissive when she was about to kill it.0

Was it... a masochist?0

“You want to follow me?” Yun Xiaoxiao asked.0

The trumpet flower immediately nodded its blossom, making its intentions clear.0

“Why?” Yun Xiaoxiao frowned.0

The flower tilted its head, unable to answer.0

Well, it couldn’t speak...0

Seeing how fearful the others still were of the trumpet flower, Yun Xiaoxiao decided to take it with her.0

The flower had now shrunk back to its normal size.0

It must have enlarged itself earlier to devour people.0

Yun Xiaoxiao casually stuffed it into her small backpack.0

Of course, that was just for show. The moment she zipped it up, she had already stored it in her spatial dimension, placing it in the spiritual spring water.0

“Won’t it... suffocate in there?”0

A man who had been injured earlier and was still spitting blood glanced curiously at Yun Xiaoxiao’s backpack.0

Yun Xiaoxiao smiled sweetly. “Will it? I’ll check later.”0

The man’s lips twitched.0

Is that... even possible?0

But since the trumpet flower had nearly killed them and their companions, its death wouldn’t be their concern.0

“Thank you.”0

Suddenly, a somewhat awkward voice of gratitude rang out.0

It was Hua Ye.0

He looked at Yun Xiaoxiao, a bit embarrassed.0

Previously, his attitude toward Yun Xiaoxiao and her group hadn’t been the best, yet they had saved them without holding a grudge.0

“If you really want to thank me, how about... you join me?”0

Yun Xiaoxiao smiled, her eyes curved like crescents, radiating innocence.