novelraw Chapter 305: A Karmic Debt Repaid with a Leopard
Chapter 305: A Karmic Debt Repaid with a Leopard
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation.
A thousand miles from Star-Plucking Mountain lay a solitary island.
Covered year-round by blooming spirit flowers that obscured its paths, it was named Ten Thousand Flower Island, also known as the Ten Thousand Flower Maze.
After a day of swift travel, Yu Zhao and Hua Tu spotted a cluster of vibrant flowers far out in the sea.
Though it seemed abrupt, the sight was not jarring. Instead, it exuded a harmony that was difficult to put into words.
“Yu Zhao, ahead lies Ten Thousand Flower Island. Will you finally tell me why you’ve come here?” Hua Tu asked curiously.
He had pestered Yu Zhao throughout their journey, but she had refused to reveal her true objective. Now that they had arrived, surely she would tell him the truth?
Yu Zhao cast him a cool glance. “I’ve told you three times already—I’m here to pick flowers.”
Hua Tu’s expression was full of disbelief. “You traveled thousands of miles just to pick flowers?”
Did she think he was a fool? The cultivation world was vast, and flowers could be found anywhere. Why would she insist on coming to Ten Thousand Flower Island? Besides, Yu Zhao had never been one to treasure flowers. The whole idea seemed absurd.Clearly, Yu Zhao didn’t trust him. Hua Tu felt as though he had become a pitiable, neglected husband in a tragic romance. The more he dwelled on it, the more aggrieved he became, wishing he could summon the storyteller to voice his frustrations.
Yu Zhao had no interest in guessing what went on in Hua Tu’s mind. She had already stated her purpose. If he didn’t believe her, she had no intention of forcing him to.
Besides, whether Hua Tu believed her or not wouldn’t hinder her plans to gather flowers.
Hua Tu waited and waited. Even after they landed on Ten Thousand Flower Island and ventured deeper into it, he still didn’t hear the explanation he hoped for. His grievance only deepened. His eyes stung, his nose prickled, and his throat felt tight—his entire body felt uncomfortable.
Unable to hold back any longer, he let out a strange, whining noise.
Hearing the sound, Yu Zhao turned to look at him and let out a surprised exclamation.
If not for the fact that the person before her was wearing Hua Tu’s clothes, she would have struggled to recognize him.
“Hua Tu, you’re having an allergic reaction.”
“Huh?”
Hua Tu blinked his swollen, barely-open eyes and mumbled through his thick tongue, “Ahm I, ahm I ‘lergic? I dun feel ‘nything.”
Yu Zhao: …
She had agreed to let Hua Tu accompany her, intending to use his keen nose to locate rare flowers on the island—preferably those with hallucinogenic properties. But who would have thought a leopard raised in the jungle would be allergic to flower pollen?
Her plan had fallen apart.
“Seal your sense of smell and take this pill.”
“Oh, okay…”
Finally realizing something was wrong, Hua Tu obediently followed Yu Zhao’s instructions. He sealed his senses and swallowed the pill.
As soon as the pill dissolved, the discomfort eased significantly, and he felt alive again.
“Th-thank you…”
He stammered his gratitude, averting his eyes in embarrassment. Thinking about how ridiculous he must have looked earlier, he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.
Yu Zhao gave him a curt nod, accepting his thanks, then turned back to the towering walls of flowers to search for her desired blooms.
The abundance of flowers on Ten Thousand Flower Island created natural walls of varying heights, forming a maze-like landscape. This was why the island was also called the Ten Thousand Flower Maze. Many cultivators, enchanted by the island’s beauty, ventured in, only to lose their way and ultimately perish, becoming fertilizer for the flowers.
As Nascent Soul cultivators, Yu Zhao and Hua Tu weren’t affected by the maze’s formations. The bigger challenge for Yu Zhao was locating specific flowers amidst the sea of colors.
Over two days, Hua Tu watched Yu Zhao pick flowers. At first, he was bored. Then, he became intrigued. Finally, he felt embarrassed, regretful, and apologetic.
So Yu Zhao’s talk of picking flowers… had been literal all along. He had misunderstood her.
Determined to make amends, Hua Tu went to apologize, but Yu Zhao shooed him away without even looking up. She was too busy searching for flowers to deal with his interruptions.
Hua Tu had no choice but to sit and wait nearby.
Unbeknownst to him, a vine as thick as a wrist silently coiled around his ankle. Its sharp thorn emerged, poised to pierce his skin.
Just as the thorn was about to strike, Hua Tu laughed loudly and yanked the vine up. “You think you can suck my blood? Dream on! Bring your mother here if you want to stand a chance!”
He teased the vine while breaking its thorn with two fingers.
The vine let out a sharp screech, writhing and struggling in his grip.
Hua Tu, mischievous at heart, was delighted. Pulling the vine further out of the flower wall, he muttered, “Let’s see if you have any more thorns. If you do, I’ll pluck them all.”
As soon as he spoke, the vine let out a pitiful whimper, its trembling body feigning weakness.
Seeing this, Hua Tu, who wasn’t one to push things too far, prepared to release it. But before he could, a massive shadow loomed over him.
Looking up, he saw a gargantuan vine emerge from the flower wall, towering twenty meters high and three meters wide. Atop it sat a colossal thorn, large enough to crush him to dust in one blow.
Great Leopard Ancestor! The vine’s mother really had come!
“What are you waiting for? Run!” Yu Zhao’s voice echoed in his mind.
Snapping out of his stupor, Hua Tu nervously chuckled, placing the smaller vine back onto the flower wall. “I was just joking! I’ll be on my way—no need to trouble yourself.”
With that, he bolted.
CRACK!
The furious vine lashed out, creating a deafening sonic boom.
An ear-splitting whistling sound followed as the massive thorn hurtled toward him.
Feeling his scalp tingle, Hua Tu transformed back into his leopard form mid-run, his muscular limbs propelling him forward at lightning speed.
But no matter how fast he ran, the vine king was close behind. Its countless offshoots frequently blocked his path, slowing him down.
Before long, another enormous shadow loomed overhead.
Hua Tu cursed himself internally.
Serves you right for being so reckless! Now you’ve provoked something you can’t handle. Not only have you endangered yourself, but you’ve also dragged Yu Zhao into this mess…
Wait. Where was Yu Zhao?
Extending his divine sense, he realized she was nowhere nearby.
Recalling her earlier warning, he concluded she must have already reached safety. He sighed in relief. It was better this way—at least she wouldn’t be caught up in his trouble.
As for his own life… well, it seemed he was destined to lose it here.
Ah.
Was this what they called a karmic debt repaid with a leopard?
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