For ordinary people, inhaling such poisonous gas would immediately paralyze their cerebral nerves, even causing them to lose consciousness and fall to the ground.
However, Cheng Xiaofan was no ordinary person. His body had undergone several internal and external modifications, granting him strong resistance to poison.
Poisonous gas like this simply couldn't harm him.
He knew that the three cultivator corpses lying on the ground would soon dissolve into a pool of black liquid and disappear.
Thinking of the fate of these three individuals after being attacked by that giant, anyone would be petrified.
"If you have the guts, then come out!" Cheng Xiaofan shouted several times, but there was no response.
Considering that Potianying and Taoqibao would arrive soon, he had no choice but to leave the area and return to the previous cave.
This cave was not large and could serve as a place to spend the night if necessary.
As the sun began to set, Cheng Xiaofan observed from the cave entrance a large number of cultivators departing the deserted island by boat.
Despite the distance, Cheng Xiaofan's gaze could clearly discern their expressions and even hear their conversations as he focused on these cultivators.
Their expressions were all filled with fear.
"Everyone must have heard from the nearby fishermen, right? Every time it gets dark, that strange beast on the island comes out to roam and tear apart anyone it catches!"
"Those three just now died horribly. Fortunately, I ran fast!"
"Did you see what the strange beast looked like?"
"I was so scared I lost my senses, I didn't get a good look. I just heard three cultivators scream, and one of them had his stomach ripped open."
"Zhu Xi Village has a village bully named Cheng Xiaofan, and now there's another strange beast on this deserted island. How are we cultivators supposed to live!"
"..." Listening to the cultivators' discussions, Cheng Xiaofan was truly speechless.
Were their minds filled with cow dung?
How could they compare the so-called strange beast on the deserted island to him?
He was just a simple, honest farmer from the countryside. When had they ever seen a ferocious side to him?
Truly, the spoken word is a fearsome thing!
He wondered if these people would return tomorrow after leaving the island. If they managed to find the dragon bone and take it away, how would he get it back?
Not all cultivators had left the deserted island.
Some bolder cultivators had set up a large tent near the coast, gathering together.
Before the sun had set, they had gathered a large pile of firewood and lit a huge bonfire, its flames illuminating the surroundings.
This was a typical display of using fire to embolden themselves.
In the eyes of these cultivators, both strange beasts and wild animals were afraid of firelight.
"Jeeeee!"
At this moment, a clear shriek from Potianying echoed from the sky.
Potianying flew invisibly, its calls audible only to Cheng Xiaofan, unheard by anyone else.
As the cry faded, Potianying landed in front of Cheng Xiaofan.
"Woof woof!"
Taoqibao immediately jumped down from Potianying's back, its tail wagging like a wind-powered wheel, and ran happily towards its master.
Cheng Xiaofan gently patted its head and said, "Tonight I planned for you to help me search for the dragon bone, but there's been a bit of trouble, so we'll have to postpone it."
Taoqibao was stunned. What in the world could cause its master trouble?
Anything that could trouble its master must be a big problem!
"Woof woof!"
Master, whatever trouble you have, just tell me, and this dog grandpa will solve it for you.
Seeing Taoqibao's boastful demeanor, Cheng Xiaofan glared and rebuked, "You little dog, don't be so overconfident. You'll probably lose your life before you even solve it!"
"Master, what exactly is it?" Potianying asked from the side.
Cheng Xiaofan frowned and said, "On this deserted island, I discovered a giant. This person should be as tall as the bamboo villa I built by Bai Mang Lake."
"This person's feet are more than ten times larger than normal!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Taoqibao's bravado completely vanished.
After a long moment, it recovered and said, "What kind of person is that? Just thinking about it is scary!"
"What, you're chickening out?" Cheng Xiaofan asked.
"No, no, no... Master, you misunderstand this dog grandpa. There is no one in this world that can make this dog grandpa admit defeat!" Taoqibao immediately straightened its body and declared.
Potianying sneered, "So, you're that powerful even in front of Master?"
Taoqibao immediately glared fiercely at Potianying and yelped, "Master doesn't count. Don't you know he's not human at all, but a favored son of heaven!"
Truly a standard sycophant.
Even after ten years of learning, Potianying believed it couldn't match Taoqibao's flattery by even one-tenth.
At this moment, Cheng Xiaofan took out roasted wild boar meat and energy pills, placing them in two bowls, and said, "You two fill your bellies first, and we'll act according to the situation tonight!"
Seeing the grim expression on its master's face, the dog and the eagle didn't dare to say more and buried their heads in eating.
After they finished eating, Cheng Xiaofan poured some energy water into each bowl for them to drink.
The sky had completely darkened.
A layer of dark clouds covered the night sky, and darkness enveloped everything.
Only by the coast where the cultivators had gathered was a large bonfire burning, illuminating a corner brightly.
However, no matter how dark the night, it could not block the heaven-defying eyes of Cheng Xiaofan, Taoqibao, and Potianying; they could see clearly in every corner.
Whooo—whooo—
The wind began to blow.
Gusts of wind traversed the island's forests, emitting strange whistling sounds.
The wind whipped up enormous waves in the sea, crashing against the island's shore with a rumble... like thunder.
"Chao, why is the weather on this island so terrifying when it changes?"
"I regret it, I shouldn't have stayed on the island tonight at all!"
"Exactly! This entire island looks like a devil's den!"
"It's all that boatman's fault, he's the same sort as Cheng Xiaofan, seeing we were desperate to find the dragon bone, he hiked up the ferry price!"
"Alas, if it weren't for this point of pride, we wouldn't be spending the night on the island!"
The cultivators' words completely demoralized Cheng Xiaofan. It seemed his reputation among the martial world cultivators was too villainous.
Why did everything have to be pinned on him!
At this moment, a cultivator shouted loudly, "Everyone, take out your basins and bang them with all your might to boost your courage!"
Immediately, the cultivators took out their basins and began to bang them with a clanging sound.
For a moment, Cheng Xiaofan was stunned. When had these martial world cultivators fallen so low as to use the sound of banging basins to boost their courage?
"Roar—"
The cacophony of banging basins startled the giant in a certain corner.
He emerged from a damp mire, shook his long hair that hung over his shoulders, and his eyes flashed with fierce, dark red light.