Chapter Thirteen: Kui'er
Returning to the familiar mountain valley, Zhong Shan felt at ease. He had traversed this terrain countless times.
As part of his daily routine, he began chopping wood, selecting a towering tree that could yield the harvest of three ordinary ones. With every swing of his blade, he exhaled calm determination.
Yet, an inexplicable tension tightened his muscles. A predator's gaze bore down on him, sinister and unyielding. From a thicket not far away, two green eyes shimmered, emanating a bloodthirsty aura.
Zhong Shan paused, instinctively tracing the source of the danger. A faint rustling behind him sharpened his senses.
"Shhh..."
The sound was almost inaudible, but it betrayed the predator's impatience. A shadow leaped forward, its motion as swift as a hurricane. With practiced precision, Zhong Shan pivoted, channeling his inner energy into his blade.
The strike landed with explosive force, a fiery aura trailing his weapon.
"Clang!"
Blade met claw, and the impact sent Zhong Shan staggering back three steps. His eyes widened as the beast revealed itself—a crimson-furred mountain cat, standing as tall as a man and radiating an aura of menace. Its blood-red eyes locked onto him with primal hunger.
"A demonic beast," Zhong Shan murmured. The earlier strike had left no mark on its steel-like hide.
The cat lunged again, its claws illuminated by a fiery glow. Zhong Shan swung his blade to counter, their clash reverberating like thunder. The sheer force hurled him into a tree, shaking loose a cascade of leaves.
Panting, Zhong Shan steadied himself, his gaze narrowing. The beast's strength and speed far surpassed his own. Its fiery attributes rendered his blade's energy ineffective.
As the crimson claws descended once more, Zhong Shan's resolve hardened. His muscles bulged, veins like iron cords under his skin. The Heavenly Demon Tempering Technique surged through his body, doubling his strength.
Once more, he slashed at the gap between the cat's claws. Yet, the beast, cunning and perceptive, diverted its strike, smashing his blade aside.
"Boom!"
The clash sent Zhong Shan flying again, blood surging in his veins. Though his strength had increased, it was still insufficient. The mountain cat hesitated briefly, startled by his sudden transformation.
Zhong Shan seized the moment, his blade now imbued with a subtle pink mist.
"Split the Heavens!"
Charging forward, he aimed at the beast's unguarded head. But the cat retaliated, its claws brushing his chest. Though the Heavenly Demon Tempering Technique shielded him, three deep red gashes marred his flesh.
The battle raged on, his strikes relentless. Blood seeped from his wounds, but Zhong Shan endured. Finally, the pink mist he had infused into his energy began to take effect. The mountain cat faltered, its movements erratic, its crimson gaze dulled by a haze of confusion.
This was his chance.
"Destroy completely!"
With a decisive slash, he severed one of the beast's claws. Blood spattered the earth as the creature howled in agony. Zhong Shan didn't relent, disabling its other claw before delivering a final, fatal strike to its throat.
"Thud!"
The mountain cat collapsed, its immense form twitching as life ebbed away. Zhong Shan stood over the carcass, panting heavily. The beast was enormous—three meters long, its body a fiery red.
Wasting no time, Zhong Shan hoisted the blood-soaked corpse onto his back and hurried to his mountain retreat. The Heavenly Demon Tempering Technique granted him strength, but only for a limited time. He needed to return before the inevitable weakness set in.
Finally reaching the courtyard, he dropped the cat's body and collapsed, his muscles returning to their normal size. Pain wracked his body, yet he smiled faintly—he had survived and emerged victorious.
But as he closed his eyes, a melodic yet icy voice pierced the silence.
"So, I've finally caught you, you liar."
Zhong Shan's eyes snapped open to see Tian Ling'er, dressed in fiery red, stepping out of his house with a wooden carving in her hand.
"What are you doing with that?" he growled, his voice tinged with fury.
"Just looking," she retorted, clutching the delicate carvings of two women tightly.
Those carvings—Bao'er and Kui'er—were sacred to him. They were not just simple mementos; they were fragments of his soul, memories carved into wood with the edge of his blade.
When she refused to return them, Zhong Shan's anger flared. A heated argument ensued, escalating until one of the carvings, Kui'er's, was crushed in Tian Ling'er's hand during the scuffle.
The sight shattered Zhong Shan's composure. Memories of a past tragedy surged to the surface—of Kui'er, whose life was cruelly taken by the tyrant known as the Sky-Cleaving Crown Prince.
"Kui'er!" Zhong Shan roared, his eyes bloodshot.
Driven by fury, he attacked Tian Ling'er with reckless abandon. She dodged effortlessly, her cultivation far surpassing his. Yet, his despair-stricken eyes and the raw agony in his voice struck a chord within her.
Eventually, she fled, leaving Zhong Shan battered and broken. Alone once more, he cradled the shattered remains of Kui'er's carving.
"Kui'er… for you, I've lost control again," he whispered, tears streaming down his hardened face.
Forty years of sorrow weighed on him as he vowed, "I will avenge you. No matter how long it takes, the Sky-Cleaving Crown Prince will fall by my hand."
Unbeknownst to him, Tian Ling'er lingered nearby, her expression conflicted as she watched the indomitable man grieve.