As the immense dark shadow was utterly bored, a young figure with gray hair slowly ascended the mountain path to the summit.
The massive dark shadow immediately sensed it, and its colossal form rumbled as it turned. In mid-air, two eyes like super-sized lanterns shot out terrifying red light, gazing down at Ling Fan.
"Croak, croak."
"Hmm, where are the other little bugs? Why is there only one little bug this year? Strange, weren't there usually ten?"
"Am I seeing things, or are the other nine invisible? Are they playing hide-and-seek with me?"
"Why aren't you speaking? Are you a mute, little bug?"
"I only get one chance to speak to someone each year. If you dare not chat with me to pass the time, you'll have no value to me. I'll just sit on you, little bug, and crush you."
"Why aren't you speaking yet? It seems next time I'll have to add a rule: those who can't chat aren't allowed into the top ten."
The colossal dark shadow spoke human words, its voice booming like thunder. After a lengthy monologue, it finally paused, appearing to seriously consider adding a rule for the top ten.
The young figure with gray hair was naturally Ling Fan. His gaze fell calmly upon the dark shadow, his deep eyes seemingly piercing through the vast medicinal qi to discern the shadow's true form.
He spoke, "I didn't expect to encounter a demon-devouring Golden Toad in the lower realms."
As his words fell, the immense dark shadow visibly trembled behind the vast white mist. The light emanating from its two giant lantern-like eyes intensified.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you've got something, little bug. After all these years, besides that old man who knew my identity, I didn't expect another little bug to see through my origins."
"It seems excellent Golden Toads can never be hidden, like fireflies in the dark, so distinct, so conspicuous. Alas!" The colossal dark shadow became wildly narcissistic.
"You are a good little bug. As a reward for recognizing my noble bloodline, I shall bestow upon you more medicinal water later."
"You little bugs love to use this medicinal water for cultivation."
"In the past, geniuses from the major sects would kneel on the ground, begging me for more medicinal water. I never indulged them, not one bit. They had no foresight, unlike you, little bug, with your discerning eyes that recognize a brilliant toad."
The colossal dark shadow opened its mouth, its two short forelimbs fumbling at its mouth, and then it began to spit out saliva. Its saliva mixed with the pervasive medicinal qi in the air, transforming into droplets of milky liquid.
"Here, see? This is the medicinal water I'm bestowing upon you. You little bugs have cultivation too low to directly absorb the medicinal qi left by the old man. You must mix it with my saliva. Not only will it allow you to absorb it, but it will also enhance the medicinal qi's effects."
"Come now, quickly beg me."
"If you beg me, I can then bestow medicinal water upon you."
The colossal dark shadow placed its two short forelimbs on its hips, assuming a rather comical pose amidst the vast white mist, exuding immense arrogance.
Ling Fan looked at the turbid droplets spat out by the dark shadow and frowned slightly. He then glanced up at the huge moon overhead. Addressing the colossal dark shadow, he said, "This is the Yuan Dan left by that Moon-Gazing Martial Venerable, isn't it? I want it."
"And the demon core within your body, I won't take it, but I want half of the demonic power from your demon core."
Upon hearing this, the originally arrogant dark shadow froze, stunned for a long time. What was going on? This little bug had a huge appetite! Not only did it want to claim the Yuan Dan left by the old man, but it also wanted half of its demonic power. Damn it. This was treating it too lightly, not like a Golden Toad at all! Although, it was indeed still a Silver Toad...
"Croak, croak!"
"Are you playing with me, little bug? What kind of ant are you? Even if I gave you the Yuan Dan left by the old man, aren't you afraid of exploding from it in minutes!"
"With this level of brainlessness, I declare you a rare species. Among you little bugs, your brainlessness is even rarer than mine, a demon-devouring Golden Toad."
"And you want my demonic energy? For goodness sake, do you believe I'll spit my overnight saliva on you?"
"Hmph, you've angered me. Kneel and kowtow immediately until I am satisfied, or I will kill you in eighty-one of the most brutal ways. Are you afraid?" The colossal dark shadow chattered incoherently.
Ling Fan's expression showed a hint of impatience. This Silver Toad might have been too bored. Its mouth was truly capable of speaking a lot, and its mouth was truly foul. Not only was its mouth foul, but it was a complete chatterbox. Not wanting to hear any more of its nonsense, he stepped forward.
The colossal dark shadow was stunned again, its eyes slanted as it stared at Ling Fan in surprise.
"What's wrong with you, little bug? Do you really want to die!"
Ling Fan cast a cold glance at the colossal dark shadow, his voice chilling, "Submit to me, or die."
"Holy cow, this is the first time in my life I've seen such an arrogant little bug! Damn it, looking at your pathetic state, you must get beaten often. Today, I'll beat you to death!"
"Ptooey!" The colossal dark shadow casually spat out a mouthful of saliva. Instantly, a whistling sound erupted, and a mass of viscous liquid shot towards Ling Fan like a cannonball at an incredibly terrifying speed, passing through the vast medicinal qi. If it had hit, even someone in the Quasi-Giant Spirit Realm would have been pulverized.
However, before the mass of viscous saliva could approach within ten feet of Ling Fan, it was flicked away by Ling Fan's finger and exploded. Before the colossal dark shadow could even register its surprise, Ling Fan's figure suddenly turned into an afterimage, charging towards the dark shadow with unimaginable speed.
"Tsk, you little bug, you were hiding your strength, playing the pig to eat the tiger, damn it!"
"But no matter how powerful you are, can you be more powerful than me? Damn it, overestimating yourself, like a moth to a flame!"
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!" The dark shadow frantically spat out saliva. Instantly, rolling demonic qi permeated the air, enveloping masses of saliva, which rained down densely upon Ling Fan like a storm.
Ling Fan thrust his fist forward.
*Bang!*
A dull roar echoed through heaven and earth. The mist and medicinal qi that permeated the mountaintop dispersed instantly, revealing the true form of the colossal dark shadow. It turned out to be a colossal silver toad, a hundred meters tall, a silver toad of astonishing size.
All the saliva it had spat out earlier also recoiled, splattering back onto its own face with a crackling sound.
"Damn it, grass!" The toad let out a furious roar. Feeling the sticky sensation of its own saliva on its face, the toad itself felt like vomiting. Grass! It was the first time it realized its saliva was so damn disgusting. What the hell.