World’s Best Martial Artist Ch.438 [Part 2]

　　……

　　Underground.

　　Fang Ping’s heart thudded in his chest. His mind was going a mile a minute. Did he accidentally dig up the grave of the Jiao’s ancestor or something? Or else why is the Jiao searching so hard for him?

　　If he was in the Jiao’s position, trying to chase down a third tier warrior with a preference for tunneling, he would’ve given up already. Might as well save the time and effort for stronger opponents instead of dealing with a runaway small fry.

　　High level demon beasts really aren’t supposed to be this persistent!

　　Why are all the monsters I’ve encountered so unreliable? Why can’t they be more like the other demon beasts?

　　“Oh my gosh stop looking for me! Why are you so hellbent on finding me? What did I ever do to you?”

　　Fang Ping wanted to cry. Huang Jing is gone, he doesn’t even know what happened to Huang Jing. If Huang Jing was here to attract the Jiao’s attention, then Fang Ping might actually have a chance at running away.

　　Right now, it seems that Fang Ping is the only living thing left on the Hedgehog Beast’s Ridge. There’s no way he could make a break for it.

　　Fang Ping crammed himself into a little crevice, pretending to be a rock and hoping to escape the Jiao’s notice.

　　Suddenly, Fang Ping’s eyes shifted. “What’s this?” He saw a faint strand of red seeping from the soil, before slipping into his body. “What the hell is this?” Fang Ping’s expression changed. When the blood-colored thread flowed into his body, Fang Ping’s expression twisted even further!

　　Vitality!

　　This familiar vitality!

　　“This is my own vitality!” Just as realization dawned on Fang Ping, the world in front of his eyes flashed brightly – the soil above his head had been lifted entirely!

　　Fang Ping found himself face to face with a giant golden head.

　　Fang Ping’s face instantly became white as a sheet. He smile awkwardly at the demon beast: “logn time no see!”

　　This Jiao is really nuts!

　　It actually kept his vitality!

　　Never in a million years would Fang Ping ever think that the Jiao was willing to go as far as keeping a piece of Fang Ping’s vitality around.

　　The Jiao’s large eyes stared Fang Ping down, a slight mocking expression simmered in the depths of those pupils.

　　Fang Ping swallowed dryly, and climbed up from the dirt: “King Jiao, are you hungry? Did you eat a meal already?”

　　The Jiao didn’t bother to reply. It isn’t in the mood to eat right now.

　　In the next moment, Fang Ping floated upwards and was quickly deposited in front of the dead demon beast.

　　The Jiao looked at the dead demon beast, and then looked towards Fang Ping. Fang Ping was very confused. “Are you giving me a gift my liege?” Fang Ping asked carefully.

　　Just as the words left his mouth, the Jiao’s giant golden claws slammed down!

　　Fang Ping sunk into the ground, his face was flushed from embarrassment. You suddenly dragged me here, how in the world am I supposed to know what you want to do?

　　So the Jiao is not giving me a gift?

　　The Jiao slapped at Fang Ping’s direction with a claw. A broken hedgehog quill in front of Fang Ping levitated. Fang Ping recognized it to be from the hedgehog beast from before.

　　Is the Jiao trying to show him something?

　　The Jiao realized that Fang Ping still didn’t understand. It sliced the quill with a wave of its claw, and then turned its gaze to the distance, deep in thought. Suddenly, the image of a shortsword appeared midair, formed from spiritual energy. A blurry human figure appeared along with the short sword.

　　Fang Ping looked at the image for a bit. Is the Jiao trying to play pictionary?

　　“Someone used the shortsword to kill the hedgehog beast, and you want the shortsword?”

　　Fang Ping actually already guessed the human figure to be Huang Jing, even though the Jiao was only able to manifest a faint image.

　　When Fang Ping realized that the Jiao was staring at him, Fang Ping began to stutter out of nervousness. “This – I – ah – I know who this person is, but I’m not very well acquainted with him.”

　　“What? If I can’t find him you’re going to eat me? Please don’t…”

　　Fang Ping thought very deeply. Should he bring the Jiao to find Huang Jing?

　　But what doe the Jiao want to do?

　　Does it want to eat Huang Jing?

　　Wait no. The Jiao wanted the shortsword. The divine weapon?

　　The Jiao wanted a divine weapon?

　　Seeing the Jiao use its claws to gesture at its own body in slashing motions, Fang Ping became even more confused. “My King, you want to use the short sword to stab yourself?”

　　“……”

　　“Um…… how about I just use a regular knife and…”

　　Fang Ping shut his mouth immediately upon seeing that the Jiao was on the verge of exploding from anger. Although his words stopped, Fang Ping’s mind didn’t. Thoughts swirled in his head.

　　What does the Jiao want to do?

　　Let Huang Jing stab it with the short sword?

　　Did the Jiao get tired of living?

　　Even though Fang Ping couldn’t understand, he still smiled as if he did. “You don’t have to be like that my liege. How about this: I’ll go find the person, and when I do, I’ll bring the shortsword back, and then stab you a couple of times?”

　　It’s not hard to lead the Jiao to Huang Jing.

　　But what if the Jiao decided to kill Huang Jing?

　　Plus, no one even knows the what’s going on with Huang Jing right now.

　　Right. The headmaster is currently being chased by demon beasts. Should Fang Ping……lead the Jiao is that direction.

　　Fang Ping didn’t even get to finish thinking about it before the Jiao became impatient and stomped on the ground in annoyance.

　　In the next moment, Fang Ping levitated off the ground – the Jiao picked him up is now flying after the direction that Huang Jing had escaped to.

　　Does the Jiao want to go find the Headmaster? What does it want to do?

　　Fang Ping looked down at the demon beast corpses that were slowly disappearing from view. He was feeling a little bummed. Why didn’t the Jiao let Fang Ping at least take some heartcore and the braincore!

　　The Jiao is being so wasteful!

　　Perhaps Fang Ping’s gaze was a bit too heated, but the Jiao growled softly, its tone full of warning.

　　Fang Ping half-guessed at what the Jiao was trying to convey. “I can’t do anything to the demon beast corpses? King Jiao, you’re the one that killed them right? Why aren’t you eating them?”

　　“……”

　　“You can’t eat it? You have to leave them there?”

　　“……”

　　Fang Ping guessed time and time again. It’s only when the Jiao had already flown Fang Ping for quite a distance that Fang Ping realized……he wasn’t’ wearing any clothes!

　　But at this hour, it’s already dark outside, no one should be able to see Fang Ping right?

　　The Jiao wanted Huang Jing to use the shortsword on it. It’s also leaving the corpses of all those demon beasts there. All the demon beasts of the Hedgehog’s Ridge had disappeared – could it be that they were all killed in order to silence them?

　　This Jiao, could it be that it wanted Old Huang to take the blame?

　　Fang Ping thought that the way that the Jiao is acting is a bit familiar. Perhaps there’s some evidence on the dead demon beast’s body…..evidence that points to Old Huang, so the Jiao didn’t do anything to the dead bodies…….the long quill from before……the faint traces of the saintly weapon, could it be that there’s some leftover traces from the saintly weapon on those corpses?

　　The Jiao and the Hedgehog Beast were on the same side, and then the Jiao turned on the Hedgehog Beast and killed it. And now the Jiao wants to falsely place the blame on Old Huang.

　　But the Jiao is worried that someone – or another demon beast – will see through its ruse, so the Jiao wants Old Huang to injure it, and leave wounds that has traces from the saintly weapon?

　　But who or what does the Jiao want to gain the trust of?

　　Demon Beasts congregate into groups?

　　Wait no. The main thing is……. this Jiao, it’s got some impressive tricks up its sleeve – it even knows how to use other people as scapegoats.

　　Fang Ping was deep in thought. But what happened next made him lose it completely.

　　A beam of bright, gold light shone directly on to him!

　　Under the dark of night, Fang Ping’s form was illuminated in gold, the sight was especially eye-catching……but the main problem is – Fang Ping was completely naked!

　　Fang Ping is absolutely certain, that anyone and everyone within a mile’s radius can see him.

　　I’m gonna slaughter you! Fang Ping screamed internally. This Jiao has finally gone crazy. It thought of such a crude way to attract Huang Jing here.

　　The Jiao is just crushing Fang Ping’s dignity today!

　　Fang Ping was angry enough to spit blood. A smear of gold light rose from his head, obscuring his face. The same gold light appeared on his lower body, covering up his member.

　　I’ll remember this! Just you wait! I’ll get you one day!

　　Fang Ping felt faint from all the anger. Meanwhile, a flash of curiosity glimmered in the Jiao’s eyes. So this is the indestructible body?

　　Disregarding the angry human, the Jiao carried Fang Ping about. The golden Fang Ping bobbed in the night like a bizarre lamp.

　　It turns out that the Jiao’s little scheme actually worked.

　　From afar, Huang Jing spotted the bright, golden light from the forest where he was hiding. Many expressions flickered rapidly across Huang Jing’s face.

　　Fang Ping’s been caught! Huang Jing didn’t even think about it, but now the Jiao’s done it – the Jiao was actually smart enough to use a hostage to threaten him!

　　After running away, Huang Jing didn’t go back to the City of Hope. Fang Ping and Qin Feng Qing were both still at the Hedgehog’s Ridge. The two most powerful demon beasts at the Hedgehog Beast’s ridge have both died, so Huang Jing was waiting for the Jiao to leave before going out to find Fang Pign and Qin Feng Qing.

　　But to Huang Jing’s surprise, the Jiao not only refused to leave – it actually started searching for him.

　　What exactly does this Jiao want?

　　Huang Jing’s expression darkend. Should he show himself?

　　He’s definitely too weak to be the Jiao’s opponent. Especially now, when the Jiao has consumed an entire eighth tier demon beast. The Jiao right now is most likely even more powerful than it had been before.

　　It’ll be dangerous once he shows himself.

　　But Fang Ping has been caught. If Huang Jing doesn’t come out of hiding and the Jiao decides to kill Fang Ping……

　　Huang Jing’s features twisted in agitation, reflecting his inner turmoil. A real warrior will never back down in this situation!

　　If word gets out that Fang Ping was killed by the Jiao because of him, no one would think that he’s in the wrong. He’s only a seventh tier, challenging the Jiao is a gamble at best, and even if he gives himself up to the Jiao, there’s no guarantee that the Jiao will really let Fang Ping go. Everyone will understand if Huang Jing decides to give up in this kind of situation.

　　But can he really watch Fang Ping get killed?

　　Just as Huang Jing struggled to hide his presence, ducking down while he wrangled with the choice, Fang Ping suddenly shouted from mid air: “If you’re here, just leave the sword, you don’t have to come out!”

　　Huang Jing’s expression changed to one of confusion. The sword?

　　The Jiao was chasing him because of the divine weapon?

　　What are the chances of coming out unscathed if they do agree to the bargain and use the divine weapon to trade for Fang Ping’s life?……this……

　　If Fang Ping can survive so long as they trade with the sword, Wu Kui Shan might not actually be against it. Especially since there’s hope of Fang Ping breaking into the ninth tier.

　　But, what if the Jiao decides to kill Fang Ping after all, and both the person and the sword are gone?

　　Haung Jing suddenly sighed. Screw it. At this point, all they can do is to make a gamble.

　　It’s too late, there’s no way to weasel out of this one. If Fang Ping is really killed, then it’ll be hard to break the news to Li Chang Sheng and Lu Feng You.

　　A short sword materialized in Huang Jing’s hand.

　　A flicker of worry appeared in Huang Jing’s eyes, he left the shortsword before making his escape quickly.

　　The sword is done for, it would be bad if Huang Jing was also captured.

　　Once Huang Jing has put some considerable distance between where he was before, he hid himself quickly. The left-behind sword flashed with a faint gold glow.

　　From above, a streak of gold flashed by, falling quickly to the ground. Fang Ping, upon landing on the ground, immediately began to run towards the golden light of the sword. He can’t let the Jiao seize the sword – after all, didn’t it only want Fang Ping to use the sword to make some wounds on its hide?

　　This demon beast wouldn’t go back on its words, and take the sword away right?

　　But the Jiao didn’t make any sudden moves. It landed on the ground but didn’t move, allowing Fang Ping to take the short sword.

　　The Jiao’s large eyes watched the short sword as it carefully felt the traces of power emanating from the short sword.

　　It’s the dumb tree’s scent!

　　A really strong and concentrated scent!

　　The Jiao appears to have come to a realization. This sword……belongs to the person that broke into the City of the Demon Forest!

　　Of course!