Chapter 108: Capsizing Without Warning

The blood-red white horse let out a long, piercing neigh amidst the rain of blood. This creature was undoubtedly one that harbored deep grudges.

Fang Junmei felt a slight tingling sensation on his scalp. The horse’s terrifying ability to traverse space, combined with its formidable physical strength—not to mention whatever other magical arts it might possess—made it an incredibly enticing prize. If tamed, it would certainly be a powerful ally.

*Screech!*

Two shrill bird cries echoed from nearby. With the old man in black dead, the two hawk-like demonic beasts released from his Demon-Sealing Plate also began to burn with a strange, eerie fire, collapsing into ashes within a few breaths. It seemed their lives were tethered to the old man, likely through some sinister spell.

With the battle concluded, the white horse had finally gained its freedom and exacted its revenge. It stood in the void, slowly turning to face Fang Junmei. Its eyes held a complex expression—far from simple gratitude, it was tinged with deep suspicion, as if it found no other living creature worthy of its trust, even though Fang Junmei had just saved its life.

"You fellow, what kind of look is that? I just saved your life!"

Fang Junmei’s expression darkened. He couldn't help but feel that no matter what expression this horse wore, it always had an infuriatingly punchable quality.

The white horse seemed to understand him. It raised its head and let out a human-like grunt, its tone thick with disdain, as if to say, "I could have handled it even without your interference."

Seeing its arrogant demeanor, Fang Junmei smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth. "You seem to have forgotten that you are still poisoned. I’d like to see how you plan to cure yourself if I don’t help you now."

At these words, the white horse froze.

Soon, it seemed to realize the pain once more and began to neigh in agony. The black, rotting patches on its skin were clearly continuing to spread.

"Whew!"

Fang Junmei whistled casually. He first flew to the corpse of the pockmarked cultivator to retrieve his storage bag, then recovered the white jade ruler and green treasure pagoda that had been knocked away. He didn't think much of these mid-grade magical artifacts, but they would fetch a fair price in spirit stones. As for the old man’s belongings, he left them untouched for the moment and stood on the ground, watching the horse.

After the white horse jumped and bucked in pain for a while, a gray light suddenly flickered over its body. It was unclear whether it was effective against the poison or not. After a long while, the look of agony in the horse’s eyes subsided slightly, but it was clear it couldn't purge the toxins on its own anytime soon.

*Neigh—*

After a few more pained cries, the horse finally turned its head again. It stole a furtive glance at Fang Junmei, its eyes revealing a mix of reluctant pleading and frustration.

Fang Junmei watched with a faint smile, remaining motionless.

*Whoosh!*

The horse seemed to have thought of something. It flashed over to the old man’s corpse, kicked it toward Fang Junmei, and then, after two more flashes, kicked the black millstone and the red blood-net toward him as well. Clearly, it was offering bribes in exchange for help.

"His items don't count. I played half the part in killing him, and saving your life is another matter entirely," Fang Junmei said lazily as he took the storage bag and collected the items. He wasn't really trying to extort the horse; he just found its attitude incredibly irritating.

The white horse glared at him with frustration. It tilted its head, pondered for a moment, and then opened its mouth, spitting out several demonic beast carcasses. They were already lifeless, covered in thick, disgusting fluids and emitting a foul, acidic stench. The horse itself seemed unaware of how unappealing this was, even wearing an expression of deep heartache as it presented them.

*Thump, thump, thump...*

One by one, the carcasses fell before Fang Junmei. These were clearly the only "rewards" the horse could offer.

*Swish!*

Fang Junmei darted away. "Stop! Keep those for yourself; I don't need them."

The horse’s eyes brightened at the rejection, but then it remembered the poison still coursing through its veins, and its expression turned bitter again.

Fang Junmei chuckled. "To be honest, I came here specifically for you."

Upon hearing this, a look of wariness and coldness flashed in the horse's eyes.

Fang Junmei quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, I am looking for you because—" He paused mid-sentence, remembering the creature's deep-seated distrust. He changed his tone. "Never mind. Let me help you clear the poison first. I don't want you thinking I'm taking advantage of your condition to force you into anything. I, Fang Junmei, am a man of integrity; I won't have a horse looking down on me."

How open and honest!

The white horse gave him a strange look, as if it had never seen such a foolish human before.

Fang Junmei suddenly felt a bit silly himself. He laughed awkwardly and said, "I don't actually know what kind of poison you’re suffering from, and it wouldn't be wise to randomly use the pills in that guy's storage bag. If you trust me, try a few of these detoxification pills I brought from my sect."

The logic was sound. The white horse gazed at him, seemingly weighing the options.

Man and horse locked eyes, as if trying to peer into each other’s souls. Perhaps sensing Fang Junmei’s genuine sincerity, or perhaps simply because the pain was becoming unbearable, the horse finally nodded after a dozen breaths.

Fang Junmei smiled, reached into his storage bag, and produced a bottle of pills. He removed the stopper and, with a flick of his finger, sent a single pill flying toward the horse. The horse hesitated for a split second, but then opened its mouth and inhaled, drawing the pill inside.

Once the pill was swallowed, Fang Junmei waited to see the reaction. After a moment, a look of relief appeared in the horse’s eyes, and the spread of the black spots on its body began to slow.

It was working! Fang Junmei’s eyes lit up. The white horse let out an excited neigh and trotted toward him, its eyes showing a hint of warmth.

"Let’s find another place. The commotion here was too loud; if we attract any experts, we’ll both be in trouble," Fang Junmei said cautiously. He flew over and reduced the two corpses to ash. The white horse, hearing his words, ran back to swallow the pile of demonic beast carcasses it had spat out earlier. The sheer grossness of it made Fang Junmei’s stomach churn.

With that done, man and horse set off together, leaving the area.

...

Half an hour later, in a deep, hidden world beneath a mountain ravine a hundred miles away, the white horse was quietly absorbing the medicinal power after consuming most of the bottle. Fang Junmei watched from a hundred yards away. He wanted to get closer, but the horse remained deeply suspicious and kept its distance.

"Your speed is truly incredible, unheard of, really. But if a cultivator wants to deal with you, they’ll find a way, especially since your brain isn't as sharp as a human's..." Fang Junmei said idly, having nothing better to do.

The horse, which had been listening with a low, resigned gaze, suddenly rolled its eyes.

What was that supposed to mean?! Who wasn't smart?

The white horse glared at Fang Junmei and stomped its front hoof into the void with a sharp, firecracker-like crack, warning him not to provoke its dignity. Fang Junmei saw the meaning in its eyes and burst into laughter.

*Swish!*

Hearing the laughter, the horse, embarrassed and annoyed, flashed twice to appear before Fang Junmei and kicked him squarely in the chest.

The boat of friendship, capsized just like that!

*Bang!*

The kick landed solidly. Fang Junmei spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, intense pain radiating from his chest.

After the kick, a grunt of disdain came from the horse. It didn't pursue him further, simply watching the flying Fang Junmei with a haughty, arrogant air. It was clear the horse had held back; if it had aimed for his head, the consequences... well, things would have been much messier.

...

"Is this how you treat your savior?" Fang Junmei gasped, stabilizing himself in the air after kicking off the void a few times.

The white horse held its head high, its gaze profound.

Fang Junmei snorted and rubbed his chest. Realizing his bones weren't broken, he knew the horse had shown restraint, so he let it slide.

*Neigh—*

The white horse suddenly let out a long cry. Fang Junmei looked into its eyes and saw a questioning gaze, as if it were asking why he had sought it out. "Spit it out," it seemed to say, "so I can be on my way."

Fang Junmei said, "I came to find you because I heard you are skilled in spatial arts. I hope, Brother Horse, that you might offer me some guidance to help me comprehend a sword technique infused with spatial power."

At these words, a sharp glint appeared in the horse's eyes. After staring at Fang Junmei for a moment, a look of cold mockery and disdain surfaced. That mockery was so intense, it seemed to be laughing at his greed and overestimation of his own abilities—to think he would dare covet the profound Dao of Space from it.

*Clip-clop.*

After a few more glances, the horse ignored him completely and trotted off into the void.

...

Fang Junmei understood the horse's stance. His brow furrowed. Seeing the creature about to disappear from sight, he finally decided to give chase. This opportunity was not something he could easily abandon just because of a small setback.

"Brother Horse, surely saving your life is worth a bit of guidance, isn't it?" Fang Junmei called out as he gave chase.

The white horse remained unmoved, ignoring him as it continued to fly into the distance. Fang Junmei followed in hot pursuit.