Evil Spirits and Yin Ghosts

Wu Tian got within a foot of the Green Snake before the venomous creature finally sensed the danger so close. Half of its body shot up, its mouth opening to flick its scarlet tongue.

But Wu Tian's instincts, honed by the hunt, kicked in almost instantly. He pounced, stirring up a gust of foul wind.

Squelch!

His claws landed with pinpoint accuracy on the Green Snake, his front paws pinning its violently writhing body.

Without hesitation, Wu Tian bit down. His sharp teeth tore through the snake's scales, opening a bloody gash.

He continued to tear and bite, ignoring the Green Snake's desperate struggles, refusing to loosen his grip.

Eventually, the Green Snake's struggles weakened. At some point, half of its body was ripped away.

Wu Tian found the gall bladder within the severed body and swallowed it whole. He licked the blood flowing from the snake's carcass, his heart in turmoil.

Because... in this bloody hunt, he felt a cold indifference and excitement originating from his very bones.

The calmness of the hunt, the exhilaration after taking down prey.

Even licking the blood and swallowing the gall bladder, he felt no discomfort.

This feeling left him conflicted.

After all, he had once been human...

But this melancholy was quickly cast aside.

Starving, he only wanted to survive.

And this little Green Snake was just the beginning...

As Wu Tian consumed the Green Snake's flesh and blood, the hunger in his belly gradually subsided.

He glanced at the jungle ahead but chose not to venture deeper. His keen ears, tuned to the wind, could detect the dangers carried on the breeze. The depths of the jungle surely held terrifying predators.

Wu Tian scanned his status panel. Both the Hunting and Listening to the Wind skills had shown slight progress, less than one percent, though that was only because he hadn't enabled the system to display more detailed data.

In reality, even the smallest improvement would be displayed with perfect precision by the system.

Even the jungle near the village was still extremely dangerous for him, a young pup.

After quickly devouring the Green Snake, Wu Tian began searching for his next meal.

Time slipped by unnoticed...

After that, his luck wasn't as good. Many of the prey were beyond his capabilities, and he had to actively avoid them.

Throughout the entire afternoon, he consumed several venomous insects, a centipede, and a patterned snake.

Not only did he fill his belly, but his Hunting and Listening to the Wind skills also improved by about one percent.

As dusk began to fall, Wu Tian didn't dare delay and quickly returned to the village.

The jungle at night was extremely dangerous. Even adult White Dogs wouldn't dare travel in the darkness; night belonged to the Evil Spirits and Yin Ghosts.

As Wu Tian slipped back into the village, he encountered a White Dog guarding the entrance. The adult dog immediately tackled him to the ground, barking ferociously at him.

"Damn it, I'm a dog now, and I still get disciplined by a dog!"

Even though he knew the adult White Dog meant well, he still felt uncomfortable and slunk away with his tail between his legs.

He arrived at Chili Mu's home, a two-story bamboo house built on stilts, not directly connected to the ground, also known as a stilted house.

He nimbly jumped up and found a small nest made of rags in a corner on the second floor. That was his dwelling.

Wu Tian jumped back into his dog bed and lay down, feeling exhausted.

The entire afternoon of hunting had greatly taxed his young body. Combined with the constant vigilance required in the dangerous jungle, he could only relax now that the immediate danger had passed.

As if hearing the commotion outside, the door opened. Chili Mu looked up towards the dog bed. Upon seeing Wu Tian, she let out a cry of surprise and joy.

"White Dragon, you're back?"

The little girl ran over excitedly. When she saw the blood and dirt on him, she was startled.

"Doggy, why did you run out by yourself? Did you leave the village on your own? Are you hurt?"

The little girl mumbled, her eyes reddening. She had watched White Dragon grow from birth and considered him her companion and family.

She had never met her mother, and her father hadn't appeared in days. Her grandfather was already too old to walk properly.

She was afraid but also very sensible, knowing the village had been very busy these past few days. Even though she missed her father dearly, she hadn't shed a single tear.

But now, seeing the blood on White Dragon, tears she couldn't hold back finally fell.

Wu Tian panicked when he saw the little girl crying. He quickly stuck out his tongue, wanting to lick her palm, but then remembered he had eaten many poisonous insects and quickly retracted it, nudging her hand with his head instead.

"Woof woof!"

He opened his mouth, but only barks came out.

After all, he was no longer human. He couldn't comfort the little girl...

Chili Mu didn't mind the blood on Wu Tian and picked him up, taking him inside to bathe him in a wooden tub.

As the bloodstains and dirt were gradually washed away, his fur became clean and beautiful again.

Finding no wounds on Wu Tian, Chili Mu's face gradually broke into a smile. However, tears still lingered on her fair, tender cheeks, making her look even more pitiable.

On the bamboo chair in this house sat an elder whose hair and beard had both turned white. He was so old that he simply watched Chili Mu's actions quietly, never speaking from beginning to end.

Only when he looked at Wu Tian did his gaze seem a little different.

"Sharp eyes, and daring to go out hunting at such a young age, he's truly a seedling for a Dog King."

Although the old man had never left the great mountains, he had lived a long time and was knowledgeable. He could tell Wu Tian was extraordinary at a glance.

"Chishe Mu met with misfortune, leaving only the pitiful child Chili Mu. I won't live much longer either. With this Dog King guarding her, I hope she can live on well..."

The elder's somewhat cloudy gaze fell upon Chili Mu, appearing exceptionally gentle.

That night, Wu Tian didn't sleep in his usual dog bed. Instead, Chili Mu held him as they slept in the bed.

When midnight arrived, he was sleeping soundly when he suddenly heard a chilling wind mixed with shrieks near his ears. His fur tensed, and he was startled awake in an instant.

When he opened his eyes, he carefully jumped off the bed without disturbing Chili Mu. He then leaped onto the table and looked out the window.

Through the gaps in the intricately carved wooden window, sparse moonlight spilled. In his pupils, he could vaguely see black winds whistling under the moonlit night, interspersed with dense shadows.

With just one glance, he felt a chill spread through his entire body, his fur standing on end, and even his blood seemed to freeze.

However, the two Exorcism Talismans pasted on the door of the room faintly emitted a soft red light, preventing the black wind from getting close.

Wu Tian even saw that in the center of the village, red light seemed to be burning like flames, protecting the entire village.

"Evil Spirits and Yin Ghosts, warding off evil and avoiding disaster. Do demons truly exist in this world?"