Xiang Yu's chest rose and fell as he gazed up to the sky above which was a canvas of grey with clouds swirling like vengeful spirits.
His blood seeped into the earth, the metallic scent thick in the air. The ox cart had been torn apart and its occupants had fled in terror. Some lay motionless on the ground having been struck down by the bandits.
He knew in this world the strong thrived and the weak lived at death's door. He had to do something about it otherwise he would be swallowed whole.
His lips twisted grimly and a soft chuckle escaped his throat causing the pain from his wound to intensify.
A raindrop tapped against his face. He reached out with his bloodied hand to wipe it away but he ended up smearing blood on his cheek. The twisted smile on his countenance turned to gritted teeth as more raindrops splashed against his face, mixing with the blood that streaked his skin.
The sky shifted from grey to a deeper shade, a storm incoming. Xiang Yu's fingers clenched the wet ground and he staggered to his feet, his hand clenched over the wound, fingers soaked with blood.
He would not die here, not like this. Revenge burned in his chest fueling his every breath. He would not let any of those bandits live. The rain intensified, washing away the blood and grime.
With grim determination, Xiang Yu staggered into the forest leaving behind bloody palm prints on the tree trunks he used for support. After a short distance, he took shelter on a gnarled tree, its branches offering hardly any protection. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he huddled beneath the tree.
"... where is that kid? I swear we left him here," came a hoarse voice from a distance. It was muffled by the rain but because of his exceptional hearing, he heard it.
"The boss said he must be of the demon race... if he is then his blood would make a good panacea. Hehehe maybe our boss can finally be a cultivator," came another voice. They must have found out his identity through the diary they stole or the ring. Either way, Xiang Yu couldn't let them catch him.
The rain pelted his back as he stumbled through the forest, each step a jolt of agony. And then in a cruel twist of fate, the ground gave way beneath his feet. He plummeted into darkness, landing hard on his just-healed shoulder. Pain shot through him, and he bit back a groan as his temple pressed hard on the rocky ground. After the intense wave of pain passed he struggled to sit up. Rainwater dripped from the edges of the hole he just fell in.
After looking around he realised he was in a cave. He dragged himself with his one good arm and sat away from the hole with his back against the damp cave wall, listening. Above, the bandits cursed and searched. Their footsteps grew closer and closer.
Xiang Yu held his breath his complexion sickly. He closed his eyes his mind racing planning his next move. He planned on going deep into the cave if they found him and then ambush them in the dark. It was a good plan but whether he had the strength to fight them was another thing.
Fortunately for him, the rain deterred the bandits making them perfunctory in their search. Their steps grew fainter as they moved away. Xiang Yu released his caught breath and glanced at his bloodied hand using the faint light from above. He tore a strip of fabric from his new robe and bound it tightly around his torso, gritting his teeth against the pain.
After suffering through the pain he chuckled softly, the sound bitter. Fate had a cruel sense of humour indeed. His laughter turned to a grim smile as he leaned his head back. The cold rain had soaked his clothes and matted his hair against his forehead. His body had a slight shiver from the cold but he ignored the discomfort. As the rain drummed on the cave hole his head slowly tilted to the side and he passed out.
As the night deepened, Xiang Yu's demon blood stirred and the wound slowly closed but not cleanly. The edges were still raw and angry.
When dawn broke, he finally stirred awake. He checked his injury and noticed that it had stopped bleeding. He was still weak but he had to get out of here and look for medicinal herbs to take care of his wound.
Staggering through he followed the sound of rushing water in the cave. Sure enough, he found a subterranean river. He followed it downstream and finally emerged at the surface.
He took off his clothes and examined them with a look of disappointment. This was his first set of new clothes but blood had seeped through from the knife wound and it was now torn. He obsessively washed them his tiny hands scrubbing hard until they were blistered and red but he could still see blood stains on them.
The water was icy but he didn't seem to feel it. A wave of annoyance washed over him and he tossed the garments on the nearby bushes to dry. It was already ruined so what was the use of continuing washing?
He submerged himself in the icy waters, washing away the blood and grime. As he stepped out of the water his gaze caught sight of a medicinal herb that he had used countless times to heal his wounds when he got beaten.
He broke off a small branch and crushed the herb into a paste with a smooth stone before applying it to his wound. In no time the pain eased. His hands pressed on the ground he leaned back soaking in the warm morning sun.
***
Days passed, and Xiang Yu's strength returned. He hunted small game, his sharp senses guiding him to hidden prey. The cave became his refuge, a place where he could nurse his injuries and plot revenge. Every night he imagined how he would do it. How he would burn everything they had to the ground and watch them gravel pleading for mercy. As these scenes replayed in his mind over and over again his demon blood surged his cold eyes turning blood red. They were no longer the eyes of a human but that of a beast on the prowl.