"Oh?" The great beast was pleased to hear Lothur being so 'understanding' with him. "What do you want? There aren't many things I won't be able to get in this place, haha..."
Lothur saw this toad retracting its stinking tongue and expressed relief in his expression. "I have heard that there is an area near the lake ahead that has opportunities for body cultivators like me. So, if possible, I would like the senior to ensure I get in and out of that area."
"So that's what you're talking about..." The giant toad said as it looked intensely at Lothur, discovering that this young man was not hiding his cultivation.
'He's a body cultivator?'
Meanwhile, the demon was sweating with fear. "No, don't do that! Lothur, this toad is not a good thing. I bet it won't help you and will still try to steal me away!"
"The best thing for you and me is to run away now while there's still time!"
Lothur looked at that creature calling him as if they were partners and made an expression of refusal. 'Are you mad? That creature can kill me in a split second!'
'In front of such terrifying beings, it is best to surrender and cooperate!' He lamented his current weakness but could not help but follow this, which was his only path to survival.
"Demon, don't provoke me." The giant toad looked at that blue being, feeling immensely offended.
It had even thought of approaching these two and taking the demon at the slightest sign of disagreement with the human.
Depending on Lothur's behavior, it would not only rob such a person but also kill him.
But this toad changed its mind after seeing Lothur being so cooperative, full of skills and characteristics valued by beasts, and willing to make a trade.
It would not do its fame as a Nascent Soul Transcendent any good to steal from a young man who wanted to make a trade it could fulfill.
It had a territory close to where Lothur wanted to go, and it also knew the other beings that dominated the surroundings of the nearby lake. So it could ease this human's way without losing much.
In this situation, the toad felt offended by the comments of that disgusting being.
Lothur then said, trying to lessen the tension there. "If the senior will help me with this, I promise not to make trouble, and I will leave this demon in your custody without complaint."
The toad stopped staring angrily at that demon and looked at Lothur, bringing its large head closer to this young man while one of its eyes was right above this human.
As it did so, the red eyes in the distance, watching these two beings, narrowed. 'What is he thinking? Is he really going to do that?'
But this person did not act, as she saw that creature's heart quiet, with no indication that he would attack.
"Very well, human. I'll help you with that." The toad turned away from Lothur, letting him breathe. "But don't expect too much. I will only clear the way for you regarding the other beasts that may attack you for wanting to get into that area."
"Whether or not you will get any benefit there and whether you will survive will depend only on you and your luck."
"Not everyone is predestined."
Lothur clenched his fists and accepted such a thing since he had no choice in this situation. "All right. As long as the senior clears the way in and out, I appreciate it."
"I can do that." It jumped forward while gesturing for these two to follow it toward that place. "But that place is dangerous. The area is hostile even for us beasts with an affinity for it."
"I myself have no idea how dangerous it can be for a human... But, on the other hand, other beings were used to coming and going there, and I won't be able to accompany you inside."
"My size is too big." It laughed since it had already made the most of the benefits of that special area. "So someone might challenge you or attack you for whatever reason."
"Hmm, I'm fine with that," Lothur said as he ran with a large fraction of his strength to keep up with this creature.
The toad was just moving normally. But Lothur had to run with more than two-thirds of his strength with that demon in his hands to travel side by side with the toad.
"You are not weak, human." The toad laughed. "You must have one of the strongest bodies among humans in the vicinity."
"What? Really?"
"Yes, your level is not low. But you are no match for them. Each of them has such strong souls that even though they have weak bodies, they can defeat Transcendent beasts with ease." The creature spoke of some of the humans it knew.
'Speaking of which, I think you remind me of someone...' It looked away, but since it had never seen Daemon without a beard, it could not immediately remember where this feeling came from.
'I hope it's nothing.' It shook its big head as it tried to push the thought regarding that human away.
Daemon was so strong that he could defeat that toad with a snap of his fingers!
"In any case, the humans who live around here are powerful. But that shouldn't be a surprise..." It commented, thinking of this group of humans who had invaded the area and taken over the region's leadership over 100 years ago.
"Senior, can you tell me about this place we are going to? I've only heard of it from an eagle and bear nearby." Lothur asked.
"Eagle and bear? Well, there's no one powerful like that nearby, so they probably don't live near that place." It said before explaining. "But that place we're going is an old humanoid sea beasts' graveyard."
"What?" Lothur did not understand such information.
The toad said. "In the remote past, this area of the three lakes was a single body of water, which covered the entire region we are in until it reached the sea by the Hollow Stone."
"In short, at that time, there was no forest here but a complex water environment with various kinds of living things. Among them, one of the tribes of humanoid sea beasts lived around."
"This group in question created something near where this lake we are going to is, where they kept the bodies of their most powerful and renowned tribe members. Because of that and the time that has passed, the area has become somewhat special."
"Not only are there resources left by that tribe as a tribute to the dead, but the site itself is special, with different attributes condensed into wells, the ancient graves of those dead."
Lothur listened to all this carefully, impressed to discover such a story.
"So we beasts use this place to temper our bodies, find useful resources, and even mate." It said without embarrassment. "Supposedly, the area is good for that, too, hehe."
"Is it?" Lothur asked as he closed his eyes and shook his head. "And why is the senior willing to help me? Won't the other beasts think it's bad that I use the area?"
...