It was a head, a human head, yet only the size of a fist; if Ye Jingyu hadn't had sharp eyes, he might never have noticed it at all...

As the head emerged, the being it belonged to slowly sat up from the back of the giant toad. His body was about the same size as an ordinary person, but having such a tiny head perched on his neck looked utterly bizarre...

He was bare-chested, his lower body hidden by the giant toad's back—one couldn't tell if he was covered in leaves or something similar. However, from his gaze, Ye Jingyu detected a flicker of disdain, seemingly directed right at him...

"I am here seeking the Sky-Wane Fruit. If you can give it to me, I will leave immediately!" Despite the annoyance Ye Jingyu felt at the man's contempt, he didn't let it sour his mood too much. He needed to save Luo Ling'er and certainly didn't wish to stir up trouble here.

"The Sky-Wane Fruit? That grows at the very heart of the Azure Dream Marsh. Forget you, even I cannot see it, let alone obtain it. I advise you to leave quickly, or don't blame me for being impolite..." The man straightened up, and only then did Ye Jingyu realize that his entire head resembled a rat's—no wonder it was so small, with beady little eyes to match.

But upon hearing the man mention that the Sky-Wane Fruit grew in the central zone of the Azure Dream Marsh, a wave of joy washed over him. This meant Zhuge Yi Shi's speculation was correct; such a thing truly existed in this world, and Luo Ling'er could be saved...

Having gained this vital intelligence, Ye Jingyu paid the man no further mind and stepped forward, beginning to walk ahead. He had to seize every passing moment to locate the Sky-Wane Fruit and return to Yunjing...

Seeing Ye Jingyu completely disregard his warning and insist on proceeding forward, the man seated on the giant toad's back became instantly enraged.

"One final warning: clear out of here now, or you will never leave this place!" As he spoke, streaks of azure light began to radiate from his body...

Observing the man's savage gaze, Ye Jingyu frowned. This fellow didn't seem like a good person. With a temperament like his, if he truly disliked Ye Jingyu, he should have attacked and annihilated him immediately. Why waste time talking?

Could it be that he feared being delayed from something? Or missing an appointment? Or perhaps some rare treasure was about to emerge here, and he feared Ye Jingyu acquiring it?

The moment this thought crossed his mind, a faint, cold smile touched the corner of Ye Jingyu's lips...

"I am only here seeking the Sky-Wane Fruit. I have no interest in that other thing, so rest assured!"

"What? You actually know about the Tear of the Azure Demon?" Hearing Ye Jingyu utter those words, the Rat-man actually cried out in shock...

Ye Jingyu felt a sudden moment of panic upon hearing the man's exclamation...

He had only spoken those words on a whim, testing the waters, never imagining the man would be so naive as to reveal the treasure's actual name...

The Tear of the Azure Demon—that was an unparalleled delicacy that took a thousand years to sprout, a thousand years to blossom, and a thousand years to fruit. It was an intensely Yin essence, immensely beneficial to both the soul and the body. Legend claimed that a single Tear of the Azure Demon was enough to elevate an ordinary person to the rank of Martial Saint, provided, of course, that their meridians could withstand the fruit's formidable power.

This alone attested to the Tear of the Azure Demon's preciousness. It was an ultimate spiritual medicine, something rarely encountered and almost never seen by the naked eye across the whole realm.

Since this creature knew of such a thing's existence, it was clear he had been guarding this spot for a very long time.

The thought that a single Tear of the Azure Demon could potentially help someone close to him break through to the Martial Saint realm made Ye Jingyu's heart flutter. Yet, recalling the life-or-death state of Luo Ling'er, he quickly dismissed the notion of fighting this creature over the Tear of the Azure Demon...

"It's just the Tear of the Azure Demon; I, this young master, have no interest. Hurry up and get out of the way; I only want the Sky-Wane Fruit..." Ye Jingyu said coolly, genuinely uninterested in wasting more breath on the Rat-man.

"Since you know of the Tear of the Azure Demon's existence, how could I let you leave unharmed!" Upon hearing Ye Jingyu confirm his knowledge of the treasure, killing intent flared within the man.

Initially, he had only worried that Ye Jingyu might wander further in and stumble upon the Tear of the Azure Demon, thereby ruining his master's grand plan. That was why he spoke up to warn Ye Jingyu. After all, he had been waiting here for over a decade, and now, as the three-thousand-year cycle neared its end, the Tear of the Azure Demon was about to mature. Once his master consumed it, his divine power would reach perfection, and he himself would reap substantial rewards. How could he allow anyone to interfere?

But now that Ye Jingyu was aware of it, letting him go might risk the news of the Tear of the Azure Demon spreading, potentially attracting countless formidable experts—a prospect he absolutely could not tolerate.

As the final words fell, a slender, blue silver hook materialized in the man's hand, and his entire body rose from the giant toad's back...

Only when Ye Jingyu saw his full form did he realize the man was truly a monstrous rat—a giant, bipedal rat-man. However, his chest and lower abdomen were hairless, with only soft fuzz remaining on his legs and back, and behind him trailed a long tail...

Seeing the man in his entirety, Ye Jingyu showed a slight look of astonishment. He clearly hadn't expected this fellow to look this way. Was he man, or demon?

"Hoo..." At this moment, the giant toad opened its massive maw again, inhaling deeply. The tremendous suction returned. Ye Jingyu quickly braced his feet against the ground, resisting the pull, but the surrounding smaller toads lacked such strength and were directly sucked into the giant toad's gullet.

Ye Jingyu watched as the toad's belly swelled rapidly, like an overinflated hot air balloon. Just as it seemed ready to burst, it suddenly contracted violently and spat out its contents...

In an instant, Ye Jingyu saw a massive cloud of blue mist spewing towards him. Within this mist were countless streaks of azure light—these were the smaller toads that had been swallowed, but now they had transformed into the most terrifying projectiles, shooting toward Ye Jingyu...

Almost instantaneously, Ye Jingyu was completely submerged in the blue fog...

Meanwhile, the Rat-man atop the toad vanished from the amphibian's back. Concealed by the obscuring blue mist, he appeared directly in front of Ye Jingyu, his silver hook slashing mercilessly towards Ye Jingyu's neck...

With a "Swish..." the hook sliced across Ye Jingyu's neck, yet the Rat-man's face held no trace of pleasure, only profound horror...