Chapter 27: Capturing the Vermilion Toad

Meng Fan, feeling a surge of excitement, reached out to stroke the Lightning Ferret, but Zhong Ling swiftly covered it with her hand, eyeing him warily. "What are you doing?"

Meng Fan rubbed his nose. "I just thought the little creature was so adorable that I wanted to pet it."

To Zhong Ling, hearing Meng Fan praise the ferret felt as if he were praising her. She tilted her head, saying, "You have a good eye. But I only recently tamed this Lightning Ferret, and it’s still a bit shy. How about I let you pet it another time?"

Meng Fan nodded.

As if showing off a cherished treasure, Zhong Ling continued, "Don't underestimate my ferret. It was raised on venomous snakes since it was small, and its mouth is filled with snake venom. If you get bitten, there’s no cure."

Meng Fan, however, had his own plans. Since Zhong Ling had only recently tamed it, the bond between master and pet was likely not yet secure. With his skills as a beast tamer, it shouldn't be difficult to make it switch masters. The main issue was how to trick—or rather, acquire—the ferret from her.

As Meng Fan pondered this while munching on melon seeds, Zhong Ling pulled a handful of seeds from her bag and sat on the ridge of the roof not far from him, cracking seeds and watching the spectacle below together. Her small legs dangled in the air, looking quite carefree, while Meng Fan sat cross-legged in a composed manner.

Meng Fan looked over at Zhong Ling. She had a round face with a tiny dimple at the corner of her mouth, skin like fresh cream, eyes like autumn water, and a complexion glowing like the morning clouds. She was bright and radiant. Despite her face and hair being smudged with coal dust and grass, her beauty remained undimmed; her skin was snow-white and pink-tinged, making her look even more delicate and charming. Her voice was sweet, soft, and petite.

Meng Fan’s eyes darted as an idea formed. He turned to the girl and asked, feigning ignorance, "Little girl, what was your name again?"

"My name is Zhong Ling. My parents call me Ling'er; you can call me that too. By the way, I still don't know your name."

"My surname is Li, and my name is Li Xingyu." Meng Fan gave a casual pseudonym—though, in a sense, it wasn't entirely false. Li Xingyun, Li Xinghe, Li Xingyu—they were all of a piece. The image of a galaxy is greater than that of a nebula, and the image of the cosmos itself is greater than both.

Zhong Ling scratched her head. "How old are you? Should I call you little brother, or something else?"

Meng Fan laughed. "I am definitely older than you."

"Then I'll call you Brother Li." Naturally, Meng Fan began to address her as Sister Zhong.

***

Intent on befriending her, Meng Fan took some candies from his bag to offer her. Though Zhong Ling was initially wary, she accepted them after seeing Meng Fan eat one himself.

"Ah, so sweet!" The colorful candies made her very happy.

Meng Fan had planned for this before his arrival, as he hadn't been certain of the timeline. Knowing Zhong Ling was a young girl, he had intentionally prepared items that girls would like to help build rapport. Even when the story began, Zhong Ling was only sixteen, not yet an adult. Considering the need for portability, he had chosen colorful, attractive fruit candies. Most importantly, they were cheap!

They proved useful right away. Through these small gifts, the distance between them closed rapidly. In Zhong Ling’s eyes, Meng Fan was likely the kindest person in the world. Little did she know, all of this was part of Meng Fan’s sinister scheme.

Soon, the martial arts competition below concluded. The two descended together, and Meng Fan asked, "Is there anywhere you want to go next? I can accompany you!"

Zhong Ling thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Brother Li, I snuck out this time. If I don't go back soon, my parents will scold me."

Meng Fan feigned disappointment. "I see!"

"What? Did you want me to keep you company, Brother Li?"

Meng Fan nodded, probing for information. "I don't have many friends. Could you tell me where you live? I can come visit you sometime."

Zhong Ling shook her head hurriedly. "No, don't! My father has a terrible temper."

Seeing Meng Fan’s expression grow even more dejected, Zhong Ling hesitated for a moment before saying, "How about this: I’ll sneak out again at this time tomorrow to play with you?"

"That sounds great!" Meng Fan readily agreed.

"It's a deal! Pinky swear, for a hundred years, no going back!"

After watching Zhong Ling leave until her figure disappeared, a small scrap of cloth from her clothing appeared in Meng Fan’s hand. "Jinbao, take a sniff. Can you track her?"

***

"Woof! (Master, I can!)"

A smile curled at the corner of Meng Fan’s lips. "Good!"

Guided by Jinbao, his white-haired hound, Meng Fan quickly located the Valley of Ten Thousand Tribulations. However, he stopped short of entering. After memorizing its location, he turned and left with his three pets to begin his search for the Manggu Toad.

With the scent-tracking of his hounds and the aerial reconnaissance of his bird, Qifu, he finally found its trail after a busy night. The Manggu Toad had a distinct, loud cry, comparable to a bull’s roar; once the general range was known, it was easy to find. The challenge was that ordinary people would never dare provoke such a highly toxic creature.

Sure enough, Meng Fan didn't have to put in much effort before he heard the sound echoing from afar: "Jang-ang, Jang-ang..."

Following the sound, he found the small, crimson toad, less than two inches long, in the woods. It lay prone on the ground, poised to strike. Though small, its aura was immense, truly living up to its reputation as the mount of the Plague God.

Meng Fan felt no fear. He strode forward, compressed his internal energy (Qi) into his fingertips, and flicked an invisible force that knocked the toad unconscious. He then used a cup to cover it, ensuring he didn't make direct contact. The toxins carried by the Manggu Toad were not to be trifled with, and Meng Fan lacked Duan Yu’s luck—who had stumbled into perfect detoxification and gained an immunity to all poisons.

Regardless of how terrifying the toad’s venom was, the creature itself was a treasure. No matter how thorny the problem, Meng Fan wouldn't let it slip through his fingers. Once tamed, it would become one of his greatest trump cards.

After securing the toad and camping in the wilderness for the night, Meng Fan made his "preparations" and arrived early the next day at the spot where he had agreed to meet Zhong Ling.

An hour later, the young girl came skipping toward him. Meng Fan waved his hand to signal his presence.