The Toad King seemed to harbor a specific hatred for humankind; his offspring, the Six-Armed Bodhisattvas, each possessed the ability to devastate an entire village or town.

“What my father told you was merely a small trick in his stories—the part about poisoning the village well. The actual event took place in the neighboring village. My father omitted details, actually. Since the Six-Armed Bodhisattva appeared in the well, the water never actually dried up, and it still made delicious tofu. The problem was, that tofu poisoned many people, which is why the village was abandoned, eventually becoming the Toad King’s lair.”

Hearing this, I asked, “Why would your father hold back information from us? And didn't you say the villagers were completely oblivious? How do you know all these details? Also, if your village is called Toad Village, why didn't the Toad King make your village his lair?”

Dazhu replied, “Let me answer one by one. My father and I know so much because he is the village chief, the one tasked with keeping the Toad King’s secrets. Generations of our family have enshrined those sacrificed for the Toad King’s spawning, which is why we have so many ancestral tablets belonging to different people. My father told you that story, deliberately leaving inconsistencies, because he didn’t want you involved; he was trying to divert your attention.”

“As for you being trapped in the earthen forest last night, that was also orchestrated by my father. Boss Bai is one of my father’s men. Those human ‘jerky’ were just ordinary pork, deliberately butchered to resemble human remains. The tale of eating his wife and son was fabricated, and those skeletons were dug up randomly from the graves.”

“We did all this to ensure you wouldn’t stay in the village, because something terrible is about to happen here.”

“If you didn't stay in the village, you would inevitably choose to reside in the earthen forest. Our family has served the Toad King for generations, so we’ve learned some metaphysical arts involving formations and Feng Shui. Using the terrain of the earthen forest, we were certain we could trap you. But unexpectedly, the Toad King discovered everything. Those amateur adventurers were all his Six-Armed Bodhisattva offspring in disguise. They lured you to the village only to wipe you out in one fell swoop.”

“In truth, if my father hadn’t set up the formation in the earthen forest, they intended to eliminate you right there. But they found the existing formation and realized the Black Serpent was also coiled within the forest, so they abandoned the pursuit.”

“As for controlling your number 12 and using my father’s formation to stir up trouble, that wasn't my father, but the Black Serpent. And the Black Serpent eventually came out personally to deal with you, but was defeated by number 2.”

“Speaking of this Black Serpent, it brings me back to your earlier question: why doesn’t the Toad King use Toad Village as his lair? It’s because although the Toad King and the Black Serpent mate every sixty years, they are not married; their relationship is more akin to symbiosis. They both cultivate extremely Yin-natured magical power, requiring them to vent this accumulated Yin energy once every Jiazi cycle, or face severe heavenly punishment—what is rumored to be the immortal’s tribulation.”

“Though symbiotic, the Toad King and the Black Serpent are privately closer to being mortal enemies, each striving to surpass the other. They are bitter rivals.”

“The difference between the Black Serpent and the Toad King is that the Black Serpent can significantly increase its cultivation by consuming highly venomous food, whereas the Toad King can only cultivate by simply absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. Consequently, the Black Serpent cultivates much faster. A hundred years ago, the Black Serpent occupied Toad Village as its training ground, driving the Toad King out.”

“However, it’s not difficult for the Toad King to defeat the Black Serpent. The Six-Armed Bodhisattvas they birthed together primarily obey the Toad King. Over the years, the number of these Six-Armed Bodhisattvas capable of living a thousand years has increased, signaling that the Toad King’s major counterattack is approaching.”

“And the most crucial point is, once they cultivate for ten Jiazi cycles, they no longer need to vent Yin energy through mating. Their own power will be sufficient to resist the Heavenly Tribulation. Therefore, this coming struggle will be an earth-shattering battle. The grievances accumulated over so many years mean they are certain to fight to the death.”

Hearing this, I asked, “You aren’t going to tell me that ultimate duel is happening tonight, are you?”

Dazhu nodded and said, “That’s right. Tonight is the night of the lunar eclipse. Even if they exhaust their magical power in a mutual destruction, it won’t invite the Heavenly Tribulation. That’s why they chose tonight for the final confrontation.”

I nodded and replied, “So, that great catastrophe you spoke of is this? Are they really that destructive? I doubt it, judging by what I’ve seen.”

As I said this, I glanced at number 2, who had just subdued the Black Serpent using his Master’s power.

Moreover, we had witnessed him single-handedly defeat the Black Serpent in the earthen forest. Surely the Toad King wouldn’t be that hard to handle either.

Dazhu sensed my thoughts and said, “Your number 2 is indeed formidable. However, the Black Serpent he defeated in the earthen forest was merely one of the Black Serpent’s nine avatars. Furthermore, when the Black Serpent had just consumed the Poison Dragon Fruit, although it could maintain its dragon form for an hour, its power was only one-third of its usual strength. If the Nine Serpents merge, their combined power will be dozens of times greater than that Black Serpent in the earthen forest! Plus, the Black Serpent’s regenerative ability is exceptionally strong; it’s practically unkillable.”

“In comparison, the Toad King’s strength is below the Black Serpent’s. If those Six-Armed Bodhisattvas don't come to its aid, perhaps this number 2 has a sliver of a chance. Subduing one of the two sides is the only way to prevent this massive war.”

When we learned the enemy we were about to face was tens of times stronger than the Black Serpent, our faces paled considerably.

Only number 2 frowned slightly and remarked, “Dealing with the Black Serpent—if it were my Master’s ability, it wouldn't be impossible, but doing so would completely deplete my Master’s primordial spirit. Does the Toad King you speak of have any weaknesses?”

Dazhu smiled faintly. “I paid a tremendous price to become like this; in another ten years, I too will become a monstrous Six-Armed Bodhisattva. But such a price is worth it. I have learned the Toad King’s sole weakness, and thus, I have found hope for avenging my brother!”

Hearing this, I asked, “Your brother was…?”

Dazhu sighed, as if recalling a past event, and said, “You haven't asked why my father, who served the Toad King for generations, would betray him.”

I said, “Well, I assumed you were unwilling to speak of it, so I didn’t ask.”

Dazhu stated, “Why do you think the nine branches of your organization designated my father as their liaison? Because decades ago, my father was already in contact with your Ninth Branch, and he even sent my brother to join them.”

“My brother was once a crucial figure in your Ninth Branch, relying on the Feng Shui secrets taught by the Toad King and Daoist immortal arts. He was virtually invincible, completing every mission flawlessly. But my brother gathered a group of trusted confidantes within the Ninth Branch and attempted to return and overthrow the Toad King’s rule. When the plot was exposed, he was killed, and your Ninth Branch also suffered massive losses. Nowadays, besides number 1 and number 2, the rest of your Ninth Branch members are useless trash, a world of difference compared to my brother’s generation.”

As he spoke, Dazhu’s eyes were fixed on number 2.

Number 2, upon hearing this, recited a Buddhist mantra: “Amitabha. Let the past rest. I am also very sorry about your brother’s fate. However, I was young then, and I only heard the story from my father. I thought it was just a tale. I never expected to meet you and Old Man Li today. By reckoning, you must be three hundred years old now? I never imagined you could persist for three centuries without turning into a monster.”

Dazhu scoffed, “It’s coming soon. Once my father dies, I’ll transform into a monster, and you won’t have to repay the debt. You must be happy about that, right?”

Number 2 closed his eyes and replied, “Buddhism speaks of karma and retribution. I believe the debt from that time will be repaid eventually. Today, even if it costs my life, I must save you and your father. Does that answer satisfy you?”

Dazhu just snorted without responding.

Then number 2 continued, “In that case, you must tell me the Toad King’s weakness.”

Dazhu hesitated slightly before saying, “Isn't the Toad King’s weakness something you carry with you? That smoke used to control the Black Serpent’s avatar just now—it wasn’t ordinary smoke, was it?”

Number 2 said, “Amitabha, this poor monk understands…”

Listening to their conversation, number 12 and I were utterly confused, only grasping that there was some unresolved entanglement between number 2’s father and Dazhu’s brother long ago.

I wanted to ask them, but seeing their grave and guarded expressions, I kept quiet. Curiosity was secondary to the mission.

If my guess was correct, that Toad King must be one of the envoys of number 2. It seemed the Ninth Branch was not dealing with an envoy for the first time.

“Alright, the reminiscences are over. We should head to the old house now. It’s nearly dusk; there are fewer than five hours until the total lunar eclipse. If we don't subdue the Toad King while it’s out of its lair, things will go very badly,” Dazhu said, leading the way forward.

We followed him closely, hurrying toward the northwest of the village.

That direction was the hilltop Old Man Li had mentioned—the only high mountain visible around the village. The old house must be in that direction.

We walked for only a short distance out of the woods before an expanse of reddish-yellow wasteland appeared before us, with only sparse, red weeds fluttering in the wind.

At that moment, Dazhu let out a loud cry, his body once again sprouted hair, and he began to grow larger, as if intending to do something drastic.