LAVW – Chapter 48 The Thunder Tribulation Returns

You Fang glanced at the young spirit beast but said nothing. He scooped up the fluffy creature and turned away.

Yet, Shi Qian could clearly sense an undercurrent of mockery and confusion—almost as if You Fang was wondering why he was being thanked and disapproving of it at the same time.

Shi Qian thought to himself: Just a superficial act, nothing but pretense.

This guy was constantly thinking about bleeding him dry and even entertained the idea of stewing him in a giant cauldron. Who would sincerely thank someone like that?

Shi Qian lowered his head, avoiding You Fang’s gaze.

The narrow little island gradually shrank from view, its entirety captured in Shi Qian’s sight.

The island was lush with greenery, the varying shades of green resembling the footprints of a spring deity. Encircled by waves and white sandy beaches, the island radiated a vibrant fusion of spring and summer.

With the thunderclouds of the tribulation now dissipated, the sun shone bright. Shi Qian glanced at the island and found himself liking it quite a bit.

A gust of wind swirled past, sweeping over the island and toward Shi Qian, carrying with it the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Then, he heard a faint conversation—

“You’re so dark…”

“Am I?”

The voices were too soft, and Shi Qian couldn’t make out the rest.

At first, upon hearing the initial words, he thought someone was speaking to him. He almost wanted to reply, But I’m quite fair!

Except for his ears, all his fur was pure white without a single strand of a different color.

But when he focused and tried listening again, the voices had vanished.

Shi Qian doubted his own ears and asked You Fang, “Squeak Squeak?”

Brother You, did you hear someone talking?

You Fang shook his head. “No. Perhaps you’re experiencing tinnitus.”

It was possible that the thunder tribulation had muddled his senses. Even though Shi Qian’s tribulation had been mild, You Fang believed that was only because the little cub wasn’t strong enough yet and had divine protection.

Among human cultivators, those blessed with great fortune had luck so enviable that others would kill for it.

But You Fang had lived for many years and had grown indifferent to such things. Unlike other tribulation-crossing demon cultivators, he felt no jealousy or resentment.

Tinnitus?

Shi Qian tilted his head and used his spiritual power to scratch at his ear. He felt perfectly fine—hardly the symptoms of tinnitus.

Still, since he couldn’t find an answer, he decided not to dwell on it. In a place like this, curiosity could be dangerous.

Shi Qian asked again, “Squeak Squeak?”

Why is there no one on the island?

Logically, the island had a much better landscape than the one they were on. It would make sense for people to visit and explore.

You Fang wasn’t about to tell him that the island was surrounded by formations, and demon cultivators could only enter and exit via teleportation arrays. Instead, he glanced at the two budding dragon horns on Shi Qian’s head and asked, “Do you like that little island?”

Shi Qian nodded.

“When you’re older, you can come back.”

That’s just an empty promise, Shi Qian thought. Who knew how long it would take for him to grow up?

Still, the way You Fang said it, it was as if there was something special waiting for him on that island.

Shi Qian turned back for another look. He suddenly noticed that the island had grown two horns and had a long “tail” trailing behind it—its silhouette resembling a sleeping giant beast.

He used his spiritual power to touch his own horns, imagining what they would look like when fully grown.

Hopefully, my dragon horns will grow in nicely and not ruin my cute and handsome image.

Back on the main island, Shi Qian’s mood dropped a little again.

If You Fang weren’t holding a “hostage,” he would have tried escaping by now.

But by now, Long Ye should have sensed that he had reached the Golden Core stage and made a great leap in cultivation, right?

In fact, three days ago, the very moment Shi Qian ascended to Golden Core, Long Ye had vaguely sensed it.

He also noticed that Brother Qian was now “very far away.”

Considering the number of demon cultivators on the island and the thunder tribulation’s tendency to target them, Long Ye quickly deduced—

Brother Qian had been taken elsewhere to undergo his tribulation.

After thinking it through briefly, Long Ye confirmed that Shi Qian would definitely return. This place was clearly the stronghold of demon cultivators, and You Fang’s “operations” couldn’t leave this area.

However, staying secluded inside a spirit beast pouch, Long Ye had no idea how much time had actually passed. All he could perceive was Shi Qian’s rapidly increasing cultivation—growing at an unnaturally fast pace—making it impossible for him not to overthink and worry.

So, three days ago, Long Ye seized the opportunity and boldly began absorbing the Dragon Blood Divine Stone.

At this moment, Long Ye was completely unaware that Shi Qian had already returned. His entire body had taken on a dark-red hue, with scales occasionally surfacing on his face, making him look rather eerie. Two noticeable bumps had formed on his forehead.

His clothes had long since turned to ashes, with only his storage ring remaining intact.

As Shi Qian arrived by the pond, the ancient contract between them stirred, pushing Long Ye’s cultivation even higher—he directly broke through to the mid-Golden Core stage. And his cultivation was still climbing; the Dragon Blood Divine Stone contained an overwhelming amount of energy, as if it would never be fully absorbed.

Just as Shi Qian grabbed some bugs to feed the clam demon, he suddenly noticed—his cultivation had risen a little more.

Another day of being dragged forward by Brother Ye…

“Squeak Squeak.”

I’m taking a break today.

Since Long Ye wasn’t around, Shi Qian decided to secretly take a day off and continue feeding the clam demon.

“Brother Clam, we haven’t seen each other for days. Did you miss me?”

“Hoo-hoo, hulu——”

“Long Long, Xiao Hei——”

The clam demon still only knew these two phrases, just like how it stubbornly crawled around trying to cling to You Fang.

But You Fang was busy—he left in a hurry shortly after returning, leaving Shi Qian and the clam demon behind.

For several days, Shi Qian didn’t see You Fang at all. Instead, the demon cultivator woman who used to deliver supplies resumed bringing things to him.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Bye-bye.

Shi Qian waved a paw to see off the demon cultivator sister who had brought his food, then pawed through his storage bag—finding that the number of bugs inside had increased significantly, far more than he needed.

Shi Qian called toward the pond:

“Squeak——”

Brother Clam, come out! You Fang cares about you!

These extra bugs were definitely meant for the clam demon.

The clam demon crawled up from the bottom of the water, though it was unclear if it was because Shi Qian called him or because it had heard You Fang’s name.

Feeling bored, Shi Qian focused on feeding the clam demon.

“Squeak Squeak.”

One bug for you, one stone for me. Another bug for you, and I’ll switch to—

The clam demon happily devoured mouthfuls of food and, in return, spit out a large pearl for Shi Qian.

Despite the clam demon’s dark-colored insides, just like its foot, the pearl it produced was pure white—large, round, and glowing.

Using its foot, the clam demon nudged the big white pearl toward Shi Qian in silent offering.

Shi Qian: “Squeak Squeak.”

How could he possibly refuse?

Shi Qian decided not to hold back.

Hugging the pearl, he admired it for a moment before carefully placing it into his golden bowl for safekeeping.

Having received a gift from the clam demon, Shi Qian decided to return the favor.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Brother Clam, let’s go find You Fang. Want to come?

Even if You Fang worked every day, the clam demon could still go “visit him at work.”

Mentioning leaving, Shi Qian wasn’t sure if the clam demon understood, but it showed no reaction.

Shi Qian felt exasperated.

“Squeak Squeak!”

Brother Clam, if you keep staying home like this every day, how are you ever going to find love?

The clam demon wobbled its large shell.

“Hoo hoo——”

“Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei——”

The clam demon sounded happy, but Shi Qian suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

He looked up—without so much as a creak, the door hadn’t even opened, yet You Fang had already appeared on the other side of the pond, standing silently in the shadows, gazing at him.

Shi Qian guiltily wondered—how much had You Fang heard?

But even if he heard everything, what was wrong with wanting some fresh air? This place felt like a prison.

Just as Shi Qian was lost in thought, You Fang suddenly spoke.

“What is this ‘finding love’ you speak of?”

“Squeak Squeak.”

It’s that kind of romance where people kiss.

“You certainly know a lot.”

You Fang took two steps forward and sat right on top of the clam demon, as if he owned it.

He looked down at the young spirit beast, then at the unmoving clam, raising a hand to tap its shell.

“But this fool is male.”

Shi Qian thought: Wow, how old-fashioned.

Hadn’t he read cultivation novels? In this world, gender meant nothing—people crossed life and death, species, even reincarnations for love.

Of course, he wouldn’t say that out loud. Instead, he played dumb.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Does it really matter?

“The difference is that male clams have long, pointed bodies, unlike the rounder and more delicate females. Female clams also have much finer patterns.”

You Fang spoke with an air of seriousness, as if reciting from a textbook. But then, with an unsettling smirk, he added—

“Male clams also have more meat. They’re especially delicious when one is starving.”

As he spoke, the clam demon once again couldn’t resist stretching its foot toward You Fang’s leg.

At that, You Fang’s expression instantly soured, his earlier amusement vanishing. His mood was as unpredictable as ever.

Shi Qian, watching this unfold, muttered under his breath.

“Squeak Squeak.”

I don’t eat clams.

“Heh——”

You Fang let out a sneering chuckle, as if he’d just heard the funniest joke, then leaned closer and said with a grin—

“His meat is actually quite delicious.”

Shi Qian: ……

What the hell? Is this a horror story?!

Worse still, after telling his horror story, You Fang grabbed him and carried him straight to the apothecary.

This time, he pressed Shi Qian onto the table, keeping him in a lying-down position.

Shi Qian lay there stiffly, belly exposed—completely vulnerable.

He watched in horror as You Fang pulled out several small knives. They were tiny, as if custom-made just for him.

“Don’t bother struggling,” You Fang murmured. One hand held a knife, while the other stroked Shi Qian’s fur.

Shi Qian: ……

He didn’t dare look at where You Fang’s eyes were fixed on his body. Instead, he glared at him, inwardly cursing him as a total maniac.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

You Fang leaned in slightly, his voice low.

“Fool, I raised you for this purpose.”

At the beginning, his purpose in raising this young beast was simply to fulfill his own goals as soon as possible.

Shi Qian’s voice trembled.

“Squeak Squeak…”

We’re all demon beasts—why are you so cruel?

“We’re not the same. For instance, can you speak human language?” You Fang spoke calmly as his hand remained steady, slicing down with the blade.

Shi Qian looked into You Fang’s emotionless eyes and knew—this man had no heart.

That comment about clam meat being delicious? He was probably speaking from experience.

Shi Qian had tried to build a friendly relationship with him, hoping it would make life easier. But You Fang always did what he needed to do, no matter what. He was that kind of person—an obsessive madman, yet frighteningly powerful and intelligent.

Shi Qian turned his head away, focusing on the bookshelf, refusing to even glance at You Fang.

He didn’t make a sound, clenching his teeth, staring unblinkingly at the books.

You Fang only cut off a tiny bit of skin and flesh—after all, this young beast was too small. But looking at its expression, one would think it was marching toward its death.

Then, You Fang broke apart a raw medicinal pill and stuffed it into Shi Qian’s mouth.

Shi Qian opened his mouth, then suddenly snapped it shut, biting down hard on You Fang’s finger.

You Fang frowned, prying open the little beast’s mouth, then curiously asked,

“What does my flesh taste like?”

“Squeak Squeak.”

Disgusting.

Shi Qian leaped up and squeezed himself into a tight corner of the bookshelf, leaving only his fluffy tail sticking out. A moment later, even the tail disappeared.

You Fang glanced at the thick books on that shelf, then casually used spiritual power to seal off the compartment, trapping the little beast inside.

Turning away, he carefully stored the small piece of flesh, contemplating his next steps.

Good materials—truly useful.

This time, he felt like he was closer to the right path than before.

Shi Qian remained motionless inside the bookshelf. As the medicinal effects kicked in, his wound slowly healed. But even though the injury was gone, the bright red stain on his fur remained, and the overwhelming sense of loss and danger refused to fade.

He had to leave this place. No matter what.

Shi Qian could feel Long Ye’s rapidly growing cultivation. His initial worry was now replaced with wholehearted approval.

Once You Fang left, Shi Qian stored most of the books from the shelf into his necklace, leaving only one behind—a book Long Ye had mentioned before.

It was meant for children in the cultivation world, said to be full of ancient legends and wild imagination.

Shi Qian laid the heavy book flat, flipping through the pages under the dim light, searching for stories about dragons.

His gaze locked onto two characters—Dragon Island.

Before a dragon dies, it will fly back to the place where it was born, resting eternally on Dragon Island.

And for the newborn dragons on Dragon Island, they would receive selfless gifts from their elders—perhaps the ability to command fierce winds, or the secret art of nurturing plants…

Each dragon possessed unique abilities, and they would pass on all they had learned in life to their chosen successors. Even after death, fragments of their souls would linger, watching over the young dragons of Dragon Island.

Shi Qian’s heart stirred. So he hadn’t remembered wrong—Dragon Island does exist.

And this book confirmed it.

All of Long Ye’s usual rambling hadn’t been in vain!

So then… the dragon You Fang created—would it follow the cycle of birth and death dictated by Dragon Island?

Based on Shi Qian’s understanding of demon beast inheritance, that so-called “dragon” might never find Dragon Island. However, there was still a high chance that its corpse would remain, transforming into a guardian spirit for young dragons.

Shi Qian’s thoughts shifted to the small island You Fang had hinted at, and its particular shape.

If his guess was right…

Damn it. He should’ve realized it sooner!

They still didn’t recognize him as a dragon, just because he was a dragon-cat?

He even had horns now—wasn’t that enough to be considered a dragon?

Frustrated, Shi Qian put the book back in its place, begrudgingly chewed on a high-grade spiritual fruit for nourishment, then curled up in a corner to sleep and recover.

Once he woke up, he’d get right back to training with Brother Ye.

Push Long Ye’s cultivation straight to the Nascent Soul stage, summon a lightning tribulation, and go big—wipe them all out in one strike.

After a good sleep, Shi Qian really did return to cultivation, fully focused.

The clam demon surfaced from the water, curiously circling him. Seeing that Shi Qian was absorbing spiritual energy, it spat out some spirit stones, piling them up nearby.

After doing so, the clam demon flopped down beside him to bask in the sunlight again.

But it seemed restless, crawling from one spot to another, before finally diving back into the pond and disappearing underwater.

This was the first time Shi Qian had truly immersed himself in cultivation. Without realizing it, he trained continuously for half a month.

When he finally opened his eyes, even You Fang, who happened to be nearby, looked surprised.

Shi Qian ignored him and climbed onto a large rock by the pond.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Brother Clam, Brother Clam, where’s my clam?

The big clam slowly crawled up from the bottom of the pond, sluggishly making its way to Shi Qian’s side, using its foot to prop itself up against the rock.

Shi Qian wanted to feed it again, but his last stash of bugs had already run out. He’d been too absorbed in cultivation to gather more.

Asking You Fang for some? No way.

Shi Qian rummaged through his storage necklace and pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Want some sunflower seeds?

The clam demon, unable to tell the difference, wrapped its foot around the seeds and swallowed them whole—shells included.

Shi Qian: …

Poor Brother Clam. Does You Fang even feed you, or does he just keep you around to guard the house?

As an expert sunflower seed eater, Shi Qian expertly shelled about ten seeds and offered the kernels to the big clam.

Who would’ve thought—the clam demon finally figured out that the kernels tasted better! Without hesitation, it scurried off to You Fang.

Shi Qian watched in shock as the clam handed over the sunflower seed kernels he had painstakingly shelled—straight into You Fang’s hands.

He was dumbfounded.

This is betrayal.

At that moment, Shi Qian grasped a fundamental truth about life—whether as a human or a dragon-cat, never befriend a bootlicker.

It would only drive you insane.

Feeling annoyed, Shi Qian tossed the empty sunflower seed shells into the pond as petty revenge, then furiously prepared to enter meditation again.

At the entrance of the pharmacy, You Fang leaned against the doorframe, tossing a sunflower seed kernel into the air before flicking it right at the little beast’s head.

“Come here. I need some blood.”

“Squeak Squeak.”

No way.

Shi Qian thought—he hadn’t even fully recovered yet! He couldn’t let this psycho You Fang keep pushing him around.

With a plop, he jumped into the white-water pond and swam downward.

Shi Qian had long suspected that there was something strange about this pond—he even wondered if there was some big secret hidden beneath it.

But after diving to the bottom, pulling aside the water plants, and carefully searching around, he found nothing out of the ordinary. There was only a bed of unremarkable river sand below.

Before he could start digging through the silt, a black crane grabbed him by the scruff and carried him back up to the surface.

As soon as they emerged, the black crane began pecking at him. Shi Qian tucked his tail and frantically fled, darting around wildly.

He originally planned to use the clam demon as a shield, but instead, he ended up diving straight into the clam’s shell.

The big clam hesitated for a moment, then shut its shell tightly, sparing Shi Qian from another peck to his rear.

“Squeak Squeak.”

An unexpected stroke of luck.

Shi Qian hadn’t thought Brother Clam would actually protect him at a time like this—what a pleasant surprise.

But what Shi Qian didn’t know was that outside, the black crane’s expression had darkened, its anger barely concealed.

You Fang returned to his human form, took out a vial of poison, and poured it over the clam’s shell.

Slowly, the poison seeped into the thick shell, and inside, the same black fluid as before began to spread.

Shi Qian clutched a pearl in his paws, using its faint glow to illuminate the scene. When he saw the newly formed “black river” inside the shell, his heart sank.

The clam demon’s soft foot curled around him, hiding his small form within its own flesh.

“Gulu gulu—”

“Dragon, dragon—”

Shi Qian asked, “Squeak Squeak?”

“Dragon—do you mean an actual dragon?”

“Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak—”

“Does it have a dragon’s head, a body as long as a short snake, silver-white scales, spines along its back, and a pair of wings?”

“Hoo—”

“Yes, dragon, dragon…”

With the last of its fading consciousness, the clam demon finally confirmed the identity of this “dragon” for Shi Qian.

But immediately after, its mind became even more scattered—it couldn’t even form simple words anymore, only letting out pained groans.

It was clear that You Fang had done something to it.

Shi Qian pushed aside the clam’s soft flesh and crawled out from its protective embrace.

He pulled out his small sword, infused it with spiritual energy to enlarge it, and flew forward in a wobbly arc, carefully dodging the floating black venom. He made his way to the edge of the clam’s shell.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Brother Clam, let me out.

After repeated urging, the clam finally opened a small gap, allowing Shi Qian to slip through. He barely made it out, flying precariously back to where You Fang stood.

Shi Qian glanced back and saw the black venom staining the clam’s shell, forming dark, unnatural blotches over its original color.

Then, he turned back around and stretched out his arm.

“Squeak.”

Go ahead.

A beat later, he added, “Squeak.”

But not too much.

You Fang found this little creature incredibly strange. It seemed scared, yet at the same time, it wasn’t—always carrying some inexplicable mix of courage and foolishness.

He crouched down and asked, “Why did you come out on your own?”

Shi Qian thought his question was complete nonsense. “Squeak Squeak.”

You already attacked Brother Clam—how could I not come out?

“Why—”

“Squeak Squeak!”

Why so many whys?

Now it was Shi Qian’s turn to give him a look of disdain. “Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak—”

You don’t have a heart. Of course, you don’t know how to be a decent person.

“But are you even a person?”

Shi Qian: I actually was one once.

But no matter how much he explained, it wouldn’t help. Beasts like You Fang, who lacked even a basic moral compass, would never understand what it meant to “be human.” Many actual humans didn’t even get it—Shi Qian wouldn’t dare claim that he fully did either.

Right now, he was completely exasperated with himself. Not long ago, he had sworn not to befriend bootlickers, and yet here he was, facing off against a lunatic for the sake of Brother Clam.

You Fang wasn’t wrong—he really was an idiot.

Shi Qian could already guess that this black crane, masquerading among white cranes, had likely suffered an unhappy or even painful childhood.

But what had he done to provoke You Fang?

Shi Qian crossed his arms and started his rant. “Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak—”

If you don’t like those white cranes, you can just kill them outright. Was your white crane father a psycho? Then go poison him instead! Can’t you do that?

“Killing them is meaningless.”

“Squeak Squeak.”

Oh, but bullying me and Brother Clam is meaningful?

“Squeak Squeak.”

Never mind what you’ve done to me—how could you go so far against Brother Clam?

“He disobeyed. This isn’t the first time. I got a little mad.” You Fang picked up the small creature. “And you too—be more obedient, or I really will kill you.”

Shi Qian continued. “Squeak Squeak.”

I’d love to see a clam shell snap your head flat.

“You’re not Clam, and you’re too weak. Come back and say that when you’ve grown stronger.”

Without a change in expression, You Fang slit the little creature’s wrist. As punishment, he took a few extra drops of blood.

“Squeak Squeak.”

If I were Brother Clam, I definitely wouldn’t be nice to you.

Shi Qian decided You Fang wasn’t worth it.

But he was also 90% sure it wouldn’t matter. He knew full well that Brother Clam would still be a loyal little lapdog in the end—this hopeless reality left the dragon-cat utterly despairing.

You Fang collected the blood and was about to leave.

But for some reason, he stopped. Turning back, he saw the little creature crouched on the clam shell, struggling to wash the poison away with a water ball spell. When that failed, he tried other methods—one ridiculous attempt after another, all useless.

You Fang shut his eyes in frustration, then flicked his sleeve, sending both the clam shell and Shi Qian into the pond.

“So stupid.”

Shi Qian realized that the pond water actually worked and smacked his forehead.

At the same time, seeing Brother Clam’s symptoms ease, he was even more baffled by You Fang.

The antidote was just pond water, yet he’d been so brutal—what was the point? He didn’t know. And Brother Clam was just a big idiot.

Frustrated, Shi Qian buried himself in cultivation again, reminding himself to stay focused and continue leeching off the resources provided by the demonic cultivator.

If he didn’t take advantage of free offerings, he’d be a fool. He was going to milk You Fang dry.

Face? Could you eat face?

After a month of hard work, Shi Qian successfully fattened himself up again. Compared to before, he was now a whole size bigger—a solid, round fluff ball.

That day, after eating two more chunks of what was supposedly divine meteoric iron, Shi Qian let out a burp that tasted like metal—right then, he suddenly heard thunder rumbling in the sky.

Boom—rumble—

A deafening sound shook the entire island. In an instant, traces of demonic energy leaked out.

The tribulation lightning in the sky had already been gathering rapidly, but now, it swelled to an astonishing scale.

The sky darkened at an alarming speed, and the storm’s oppressive presence descended, plunging the world into chaos.

Another thunderclap exploded, with a blinding bolt of lightning slicing through the darkness, illuminating everything in a stark, ghostly white.

Shi Qian was so shocked that the meteoric iron slipped from his grasp. “Squeak Squeak!”

Help! Is the tribulation lightning trying to hit a quota or something?!

He had expected Long Ye to unleash a big move, but this tribulation… wasn’t it a little too overpowered?

A familiar, furious voice rang out—

“You Fang! Get out here!”

At that moment, You Fang really felt exhausted.

_{Another Long Chapter. I really want to see Long Ye on that island.}