Liu Nanfeng's worries were unfounded, as the giant scorpion's attack did not harm the young monk.
The monk, pierced by the scorpion's tail, vanished into a wisp of smoke. He reappeared behind the giant scorpion, raising his alms bowl. The scorpion was immediately sucked inside, and the young monk breathed a sigh of relief.
"Master?" Liu Nanfeng called out, appearing not far from him.
The young monk's expression immediately became guarded. Upon recognizing Liu Nanfeng, he let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Benefactor, you are..."
The young monk chanted a Buddhist phrase and looked at Liu Nanfeng with some confusion. He had done his research before entering the Heavenly Palace. He had reviewed the records of everyone who had successfully broken through the Heavenly Gate and entered the Heavenly Palace, and Liu Nanfeng was clearly not among them.
This was why he asked the question, and he remained vigilant. In this perilous world, he could not trust a stranger he had never met.
"I am Liu Nanfeng. I entered after you and the others," Liu Nanfeng explained.
"Amitabha, this humble monk Liaokong greets the benefactor," Liaokong bowed to Liu Nanfeng again.
"You are too kind, Master. I have known Brother Zhang Xinwu for a long time, and you are familiar with him as well. I suppose we are not strangers," Liu Nanfeng said with a smile. Liaokong's demeanor immediately relaxed a bit upon hearing this.
"Amitabha, Benefactor, at such a young age, to possess such cultivation and to have broken through the Heavenly Gate independently truly impresses this humble monk," the monk Liaokong said with a smile.
Liu Nanfeng inwardly chuckled. This monk Liaokong was not straightforward either. While his words seemed to praise Liu Nanfeng, they were indirectly probing how many people had entered the Heavenly Palace with him.
Liu Nanfeng did not hide anything. He smiled and replied, "I do not deserve your praise, Master. I merely rode on the coattails of my elders to enter the Heavenly Palace."
"Breaking through the Heavenly Gate to enter the Heavenly Palace is not something to be taken lightly. Benefactor, your strength must be considerable, and having elders protect you is also a matter of destiny. May I ask how many people are accompanying you on this journey, Benefactor Liu?"
Seeing that Liu Nanfeng was also playing along, Liaokong stopped beating around the bush and asked directly.
There was nothing to conceal, so Liu Nanfeng informed him of his situation.
"However, the Heavenly Gate teleports randomly, causing our group to be scattered. I am currently moving forward, hoping to encounter some of them."
"This humble monk is in the same situation," Monk Liaokong said.
This was their first meeting, and it was clear Liaokong did not fully trust Liu Nanfeng. After they introduced themselves, a brief moment of awkward silence fell between them.
Seeing this, Liu Nanfeng did not want to waste any more time. Moreover, the monk was injured, and his presence might make him even more uneasy.
So, Liu Nanfeng said, "Master, I shall take my leave."
"Amitabha, please proceed, Benefactor Liu." Liaokong felt a sense of relief upon hearing this.
Liu Nanfeng then transformed into a ball of light and instantly vanished before Liaokong.
Liaokong stared in surprise at the spot where Liu Nanfeng had disappeared.
He could tell that the movement technique was extraordinary. After a while, he clasped his hands together and softly chanted, "Amitabha."
Meanwhile, Liu Nanfeng continued his journey as a ball of light. Not long after, he noticed a forest below. Trees were toppling in swathes, like dominoes. In an instant, trees spanning tens of kilometers collapsed, leaving the lush forest looking like a patch of bald scalp.
This was clearly man-made. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he stopped and looked down.
He saw a cute little panda furiously wielding a willow branch.
"Beat you all to death, beat you all to death, you bad guys, you terrible fellows..."
Around the panda, there were swarms of red insects. As the panda swung the willow branch, these red insects fell like rain from the sky, forming a thick layer on the ground in moments.
The toppled trees were a result of the power emanating from the willow branch.
This little panda was Hua Yangliu, who had broken through the Heavenly Gate into the Heavenly Palace with Liu Nanfeng.
Although her willow branches were powerful, killing the red insects in droves, their numbers were simply too vast. They seemed endless, charging forward in waves, surrounding the panda and obscuring her form.
As soon as a layer of insects was cleared by the willow branches, it was quickly replenished, resulting in a stalemate. Hua Yangliu felt overwhelmed.
"I'm really getting angry..."
"I'm really getting angry..."
"Go away quickly, you annoying things..."
"Go away quickly, you detestable creatures..."
Liu Nanfeng: ...
This senior Hua Yangliu, with her childlike appearance and behavior, was scolding while fighting. Liu Nanfeng didn't know what to say.
Unlike Liaokong, they had entered the Heavenly Palace together, and with the connection through Zhan Xiong Tian, he could not stand idly by.
Thus, light erupted from the sky. Wherever the light shone, the insects fell to their deaths. In moments, the insects spread across several kilometers were completely annihilated, with only those hiding in shadows or underground managing to escape.
Hua Yangliu, who had closed her eyes and was swinging her willow branches wildly, suddenly felt her grip lighten, and the buzzing of the insects vanished. She then opened her eyes and cautiously scanned her surroundings.
Seeing her like this, Liu Nanfeng felt a bit speechless.
Was this truly a senior of the demon race? She closed her eyes during combat.
Seeing that all the red insects were dead, Hua Yangliu stared blankly for a moment, then looked around.
However, Liu Nanfeng had transformed into light, so she naturally couldn't see him.
But just then, Hua Yangliu shielded her eyes with her willow leaves and scanned her surroundings again. Soon, her gaze fell upon Liu Nanfeng in the air, and she asked with a hint of confusion, "Who are you? Why did you help me?"
Liu Nanfeng was somewhat surprised that she could see him.
He then reverted to his human form and descended from the sky.
"Senior Hua, it's me."
"It's you."
Upon seeing Liu Nanfeng, Hua Yangliu's face lit up with joy. The fluffy tail behind her wagged incessantly, showing her great excitement.
"Yes, Senior Hua, it's been many days," Liu Nanfeng said with a smile.
"Mm, mm, it has been many days," Hua Yangliu nodded, saying softly.
Liu Nanfeng saw her looking dejected, as if she were about to cry, and felt a bit bewildered.
However, in her panda form, she was truly cute and adorable.
Liu Nanfeng couldn't help but think of Xiao Liyun. If she saw Hua Yangliu, she would surely like her.
At this moment, Hua Yangliu also reacted and transformed back into her human form.
Of course, she remained just as adorable.
"It's so good to see you," she said, letting out a long sigh, as if she had found her anchor.
Liu Nanfeng wanted to say, "But you are the senior."
However, seeing her like this, it seemed she wouldn't be able to come up with any ideas. He smiled and asked, "Senior Hua, do you want to travel with me?"
"Yes, yes!" Hua Yangliu eagerly nodded in agreement.
But then she frowned.
"Senior Hua, what's wrong?"
"Do you... do you have any food?" Hua Yangliu asked hesitantly.
Liu Nanfeng: ...
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