Chapter Sixty-Six: The Demonic Beast—Scorpion with a Human Face

After the Flame Turtle burrowed back underwater, Naluge put away his bow and walked over to Li Pingyang, helping him to sit back down by the fire.

“Are you alright?”

Seeing Li Pingyang clutching his chest, Naluge asked with concern. Ignoring his protests, Naluge gently moved his hand aside to inspect the injury.

Through the clothing scorched by magma, he saw a patch of blistered skin, blood seeping from its edges, painful to the touch. He hadn't expected that a mere collision with the Flame Turtle would leave such a severe wound.

“I’m fine. It’s just that this scar looks ugly,” Li Pingyang joked optimistically, pointing to the flower-shaped mark on his chest. Naluge saw through his bravado and shook his head in silence.

He rummaged through his belongings and brought out a small bottle, telling Li Pingyang to brace himself, as it might sting. Removing the cap, he poured some white powder onto the wound—its sulfurous smell was pungent and unpleasant.

Li Pingyang gritted his teeth as pain flared at the injury. After using half the bottle, Naluge explained that this was the best hemostatic powder from Tibet. Though he only carried a small amount, he guarded it carefully; had Li Pingyang not saved his life, he wouldn't have used it for anyone.

Li Pingyang thanked him with a smile, secretly realizing that Naluge was not a bad man after all. If fate hadn't set them as rivals, perhaps they could have been friends.

After treating him, Naluge urged Li Pingyang to sleep while he took the first watch. The monster could reappear at any time, so one of them had to stay alert.

Naluge had just rested a little and wasn’t feeling tired, promising to wake Li Pingyang when he became sleepy. Li Pingyang agreed, already feeling drowsy.

Their clothes, dried over branches, were ready. The temperature at the canyon floor was bitterly cold; Naluge dressed, hugged his arms for warmth, and watched as the fire dwindled.

Uncertain whether night had fallen outside, Naluge sat quietly for a while before rising to gather more wood, rekindling the flames. As warmth filled the air, his vigilance faded; leaning against the rock, he drifted into sleep.

He hadn’t slept long before Naluge suddenly sat up, turning toward Li Pingyang with a chilling smile. His body twisted serpent-like upon the ground.

With a strange grin, Naluge drew a dagger from his belt and stepped toward Li Pingyang, kneeling beside him and raising the blade.

A glint of cold steel flashed. Li Pingyang’s eyelids quivered, sensing danger; as Naluge stabbed down, Li Pingyang turned his head aside, narrowly avoiding the blow.

The dagger struck earth, missing by a hair. Naluge smiled, undeterred, and attempted another strike, but Li Pingyang seized his wrist, struggling against him.

“What are you doing?” Li Pingyang shouted, noticing something odd—Naluge seemed possessed, his eyes clouded over as if coated in wax.

Naluge gripped the dagger tightly and charged again.

Li Pingyang dodged, muttering an apology, and kicked Naluge’s leg, forcing him forward. Then, pressing from behind, he pinned Naluge’s head against the rock.

Just then, Naluge’s sleeve moved, and a small creature crawled out. Li Pingyang reacted swiftly, snatching it and hurling it to the ground, stomping it to pieces.

The system identified it as a beast-scorpion called the Face Scorpion, a low-tier first-rank monster. Named for the terrifying, human-like visage etched on its back, its tail carried a hallucinogenic toxin capable of briefly controlling its victim’s body.

This scorpion could manipulate larger creatures, using them to hunt or attack prey many times its own size. Remarkably, it possessed two hidden wings, allowing it to fly.

“I’ll take the watch,” Li Pingyang sighed, raising his brows with a helpless smile. He warmed his hands by the fire, gazing into the flames, lost in thought.

His stomach growled loudly—a day had passed without food. Without something to eat, he risked fainting from hunger.

In a damp corner opposite, two more large Face Scorpions lurked. Though his mind recoiled at the thought, his stomach commanded otherwise—perhaps he could try eating them.

After much hesitation, Li Pingyang decided to catch a few and roast them, his hunger overwhelming his reluctance.

He carefully stood, drew an iron arrow from Naluge’s quiver, gripped it in his hand, and, channeling his energy, threw it to skewer a scorpion to the ground.

Using the same method, Li Pingyang caught six large scorpions, removed their innards, cut off their tails and stingers, peeled their skins, and threaded them onto iron chains to roast over the fire.

Surprisingly, once peeled, the scorpion meat resembled ribs, losing its previous horror. After a short time roasting, the outside turned bright red.

A savory aroma wafted through the air. When the meat was crisp outside and tender within, and fat dripped from the surface, Li Pingyang tore off a steaming piece and began to chew.

The flavor was better than expected—crisp and tender, reminiscent of biting into cartilage, tasting much like chicken.

After eating two, he left the rest to roast. The scent eventually roused Naluge, who woke to see a scorpion on the fire, recoiling in alarm.

Li Pingyang, now full, offered him a skewer of roasted scorpion, saying that once they’d eaten, they could get to work.

While roasting, Li Pingyang had been pondering their strategy: if they couldn’t defeat the Flame Turtle from outside, then they must strike from within, shattering its heart.

That giant bell should have an entrance leading inside the beast; he needed Naluge’s cooperation. Naluge would distract the turtle with arrows, buying him a chance.

They had worked together before. To counter the turtle’s molten armor, Li Pingyang devised another plan: binding three of Naluge’s iron arrows together.

The Thunder Bow’s string was made from the back sinew of a Fire-patterned Python beast, so it would not break. Combining the three arrows would maximize their power.

Li Pingyang outlined his plan to Naluge, and together they tore strips from their clothes to bind the arrows.

Preparations complete.

Naluge took an iron arrow and began striking the wall, luring the Flame Turtle from the water. Li Pingyang retreated, slipping into the water to approach the giant bell.