He wanted to shout for everyone to run, but in the next moment, the monster tore open Gangzi's abdomen right before his eyes. A whole person was like a thin sheet of paper before those sharp claws, blood splashed into his mouth, his voice failed him, and his brain even blanked for a moment.
But Yunsheng loudly yelled next to him: "Uncle Wu! Uncle Wu, run!"
His already softened legs seemed to have received a command - they didn't care whether it came from their owner or not. He ran out with all his strength, brushing past Yunsheng who was rushing towards him.
After rushing out and getting far away, he realized that he might be the only one who survived.
He, the only adult, the backbone of the group, the man who had been entrusted with the sons of more than a dozen parents before leaving, left the children in a sea of blood and ran for his life.
It should not have been him who survived.
Gangzi should have survived, he was born strong, his vitality robust, and by selling a few more hides he could gather enough money to apprentice himself to the martial arts hall in the county town, becoming a instructor, or even possibly a constable.
Yunsheng should have survived, the schoolmaster said he was a seedling for scholarship, and next year when the county examination started, he might even rank as a scholar.
Only himself, an old man who has lived enough, alone, with no one to care for, why did he rob them of the chance to flee?
How could he return to the village alone?
Fear spurred him to flee, but another emotion was looking forward to it due to shame, hoping that monster would catch up and kill him too, so that he wouldn't have to go back and face the eyes of over a dozen pairs of parents.
But the monster did not catch up immediately. It wasn't until three or four hours later when he looked back at the mountaintop, that he saw that faint shadow again. Thus he realized, it was leisurely enjoying the bodies of more than a dozen people before methodically beginning its pursuit.
His fury flared up again, and he was not so eager to die anymore. Even if the villagers pointed at his backbone and scolded him for a lifetime, even if he got laughed at by the villagers and couldn't lift his head, he must return to the village, report to the county government, request reinforcements, go back into the mountains, and then stab a knife into the creature personally, watching the monster die in agony!
So he began to cover up his tracks, design some simple traps, deliberately leave his blood on the edge of the cliff, and then quietly leave in another direction... In order to survive, he did everything he could, sparing no effort.
Now, staring at his reflection in the river, it was this belief that supported his exhausted body to stand up again. Picking up a tree branch as a support, he went on.
The raindrops grew denser, the wind wilder, and the trees swayed. Every twig and leaf was making noise; the entire forest seemed enlivened, roaring with a language beyond human comprehension.
The blood was continuously being washed away. Uncle Wu's heart was slowly rising, but after walking for over an hour, the monster still hadn't caught up.
A sense of relaxation finally crept into Uncle Wu's heart. Maybe the monster's perception was not as unpredictable as imagined. Maybe his tricks along the way had actually worked. Maybe the heavy rain and flowing river had had a greater effect than expected. Maybe that monster had no strong desire to hunt after it had eaten its full... Regardless, he seemed to have temporarily shaken it off.
While his mind slightly relaxed, his feet did not slow down. Uncle Wu still tried to move through the forest and climb over rocks as fast as he could. After about another hour, Uncle Wu finally saw the rope bridge.
Normally, when hunting, reaching this rope bridge meant you were deep into the mountain, yet this time he and his group had gone far beyond it.
Though there was still a considerable distance from the village after crossing the bridge, at least after destroying the bridge, he would not have to constantly worry about being caught up by the monster.
He could take a long rest, pick some wild fruits, catch a small animal to satisfy his hunger, then find a way to slowly return to the village.
The flame of revenge burned again. When he got back to the village, he would...he absolutely would...
Uncle Wu stepped on the rope bridge, but suddenly stopped in his tracks.
A sense of inexplicable unease surged in his heart, stemming from the intuition of an old hunter who had been hunting in the mountains for decades.
The last time he had this feeling was when he had brought back a large branch of sweet wild fruit from a hunt. When the village children rushed towards it with cheers, his heart suddenly sank, and he stopped them with a loud yell only to find a colorful poisonous snake hidden under the leaves.
Then, a terrible speculation echoed in Uncle Wu's mind. He stood in place like a statue, until his body began to slightly tremble.
He turned around sharply, but behind him was only a deep forest making a roaring sound in the rain.
Uncle Wu took a deep breath, retracted the foot he had stepped onto the rope bridge, turned around slowly and resolutely, stepping forward into the depths of the forest.
He carefully scanned the traces he had made on his way here. His dull mind became sharp again under intense stimulation. His eyes were like those of a hawk, examining every patch of the ground.
Normal... normal... normal...
Despite no discoveries, Uncle Wu continued deeper into the forest with a stoic face.
He felt that he was getting closer... very soon... as if entering some state, he became obsessively confident in his judgement.
Uncle Wu suddenly noticed an indentation. He quickly walked over to it and stood beside it, his body beginning to shake.
A vast, shallow, and fresh imprint of a plum blossom-shaped paw.
It has been trailing behind him all along.
Perhaps since he spotted it from the mountain top, it's been watching him too. Along the way, as he bandaged his wounds, stemmed the bleeding, cursed vehemently, clambered across the stream, and knelt on the ground to retch, those cruel golden eyes, stark yet stunningly beautiful, were always on him.
It intended to follow him all the way to the village!
An unbearable frosty dread swept over him, yet a sense of elation arose in his heart — Beast! You can't toy with us like a cat with a mouse anymore! I've finally beaten you once!
He let out a loud laugh, threw away his crutch, and put all his strength into turning around to run, moving so swiftly as if he were flying, seemingly squeezing out the last bit of life energy.
Upon reaching the edge of the bridge, he pulled out a dagger and roared as he cut the ropes. The rope bridge crashed down, and the sound of scattering wooden planks melded with the heavy rain.
And then he stumbled and fell, taking one last deep look across the river. Clasping his dagger tighter, he turned around and flashed a ferocious grin, "Bloody hell! Bring it on!"
The dark form by the edge of the dense jungle opposite him was indistinct, but a pair of bright, brutal golden eyes shined clearly. It seemed to not have any intentions of stopping his actions all along — just watching everything aloofly. Seemingly to respond to his call, it leisurely licked its paw and then slowly stepped out, revealing its form for the first time clearly.
His expression froze.
He felt that his efforts seemed like a joke.
It seemed as though a roar sounded, but the falling rain was like a smoky curtain enveloping the mountains. The cacophony of noise mingling together formed a sense of vast silence, obliterating all details.
...
...
Here at Lin's house, where the storm was still raging.
Having accomplished all this, Pei Ye felt the tightness in his mind slacken, and he could finally no longer support his utterly exhausted body. He so fell sideways to the ground, closing his eyes.
Once his eyes stopped receiving information, sensations from other parts of his body began to flood his brain.
Aside from the persistent burning sensation, he didn't feel much discomfort in his abdomen. Although the gourd seemed solid and real, it seemed to be pure energy — it not only did not cause any harm but also seemed to be healing and repairing his body.
Old injuries from two years ago, the traces left by Xiao Jiao heart's parasite, even the bloody hole in his abdomen all seemed to be healed in a warm glow. Pei Ye's consciousness finally fell into a deep sleep completely.
He didn't know how much time had passed in the darkness.
Pei Ye felt a gust of wind blowing by his ear, and as consciousness gradually returned, the sound grew louder until it turned into a howling wind.
Pei Ye opened his eyes to see a vast expanse of white. It was a cloud.
"You've done well."
Pei Ye lowered his head upon hearing these words and noticed that the Chi was still carrying him. He looked back to see its gaping mouth further away.
"Thank you, Quail Head, for helping me. How can I return it to you?"
"Don't flatter yourself."
Pei Ye remained silent.
"There's no need for you to think about getting rid of it because you still can't hold its ability. When 24 hours have passed, it will naturally disappear."
The Black Chi paused and added, "But you can borrow it from me at any time."
Pei Ye stiffened, replying cautiously, "I may not have many such needs."
"..." Although he couldn't see its face, Pei Ye got the feeling that it might not look too pleased.
"Do you think I make a living off rent?" the Black Chi said flatly, "Trying every day to lend out my ability and then collect a price that will make you regret for life?"
Pei Ye said nothing.
"You're very wary of me." The Black Chi pointed it out.