Hounds and Eagles Appear

"No need! I'll send you to see Wu Tong right now!" Shi Mu said expressionlessly. With a flick of his arm, the Sun and Moon Blades at his waist were drawn in an instant, cleaving Wu Hua's head from his body, leaving him dead beyond any doubt.

The young woman nearby paled slightly at the sight.

Shi Mu, however, paid her no mind and walked over to the horses, picking out two of the tallest Green Maple Steeds to re-harness to the nearby carriage.

Within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Shi Mu was once again racing down the official road in the gray carriage.

Though he had already slain Wu Tong, a Houtian Initial-Stage martial artist, he still dared not show the slightest complacency toward the Fifth Master Jin pursuing from behind.

After all, he had once heard that this Fifth Master Jin was a Houtian Mid-Stage martial artist, far beyond the likes of Wu Tong at the Houtian Initial-Stage.

At the same time, over thirty li behind the carriage, the Jin Family party was likewise whipping their horses in relentless pursuit. In the sky above, three strange eagles—pure white all over with only their heads a vivid green—soared ahead, wings spread, flying several li in front.

As the sky began to pale at the horizon, the gray carriage finally arrived at the edge of a vast, unbroken mountain range that stretched beyond sight.

Shi Mu abandoned the carriage without hesitation and, taking Zhong Xiu with him, charged straight into the mountains.

Two hours later, the Jin Family and their party had also driven their carriage to this spot.

Seated on a crimson horse, Fifth Master Jin stared at the abandoned gray carriage and the two Green Maple Steeds nearby, then barked at the tall and short men beside him:

"Have the Green-Headed Eagles fly lower, release all the Blood Hounds, and chase them down!"

The tall Eagle Servant nodded, pulled a silver whistle from his bosom, and blew into it.

After four piercing notes—one long and three short—the three strange eagles high above immediately folded their wings and dove, beginning to circle widely and continuously.

The sharp-eared, monkey-faced Hound Servant dismounted, walked straight to the black carriage, pulled open the door, and out leaped five massive hounds, each the size of a calf.

These giant hounds had bulging green eyes, blood-red, hairless bodies, and mouths that opened and shut to reveal teeth of terrifying sharpness.

The Hound Servant then pulled a gray garment from his pack and tossed it to the ground. After letting the Blood Hounds sniff it, he let out a low growl like a dog's bark.

Instantly, the Blood Hounds bolted toward the mountains.

"Follow them—the Blood Hounds have caught the scent of the garment's owner," the Hound Servant said, delighted.

"Excellent. It was worth going to that bastard's home to find this piece of clothing he often wears. Let's move!" Fifth Master Jin said with a twisted grin.

As his words fell, he too dismounted and, like a gust of wind, was the first to follow the Blood Hounds into the mountains.

The Eagle and Hound Servants naturally followed closely.

In moments, only the unskilled coachman remained at the spot.

Shi Mu, carrying the exhausted Zhong Xiu on his back, trudged through a stretch of forest with his head down. Suddenly, a crisp cry rang out from above. He paused, startled, and looked up.

Above the treetops, a strange white eagle had appeared, circling and crying incessantly directly over his position.

Frowning, Shi Mu ignored it and continued on his way, only to quickly notice that the eagle above was moving with him, its cries growing more urgent.

"Something's wrong with this eagle. Miss Zhong, please get down first," Shi Mu said, his heart tightening as he spoke without hesitation.

"Alright, Brother Shi. Be careful," the young woman said, jolted awake from her drowsiness on his back by his words, her voice filled with worry.

Shi Mu nodded, gently lowered her to the ground, then raised his arm to take the purple steel bow from his shoulder. He looked up, nocked an arrow.

With a "whoosh," the strange eagle in the air screeched and plummeted from the sky like a falling star.

"Good. Let's keep moving," Shi Mu said with a long exhale, lowering the purple bow and forcing a smile.

But no sooner had he spoken than another cry came from the distant horizon. Two more white eagles appeared, wings spread, but this time they circled far away, a full li off, refusing to come closer.

Shi Mu's face darkened. Without a word, he grabbed Zhong Xiu and sprinted toward a nearby hilltop.

"Brother Shi, what's wrong? Are those eagles trained by someone?" Zhong Xiu asked, puzzled, in his arms.

"Yes. I once heard Steward Cheng mention that the Jin Family has a breed of Green-Headed Eagles skilled at tracking, capable of flying a thousand li without tiring. But they usually work alongside another tracking breed—Blood Hounds," Shi Mu replied grimly, the wind roaring past his ears.

With his legs pumping, his running speed was no slower than a galloping horse.

"Blood Hounds—could they be..."

"Awoo!"

Just as Zhong Xiu began to understand, a fierce chorus of barking erupted from not far behind.

In the next moment, several massive blood-red hounds burst from the bushes over a hundred zhang away, charging straight toward Shi Mu.

"Shi Mu! I've finally found you! You bastard, you dared to kill my only son! Even flaying you alive and pulling your sinews won't quench my hatred!" A middle-aged man with a long face and short beard, wielding two golden short clubs, emerged from the bushes, followed by two others—one tall, one short—holding swords and blades.

It was Fifth Master Jin, along with the Eagle and Hound Servants.

Though Shi Mu had left two hours earlier, burdened by Zhong Xiu and aided by the Jin Family's Green-Headed Eagles and Blood Hounds, they had taken almost no wrong turns and finally caught up.

Shi Mu's heart sank. He knew shaking them off was no longer possible.

He made a snap decision, setting Zhong Xiu down and whispering urgently:

"Quick, run on your own. I'll hold them off first."

"No. This time, I'll stay with Brother Shi. Without you, I won't make it far. Even if we die, let it be together," Zhong Xiu said calmly, standing her ground.

Shi Mu's heart warmed. He looked at her for a few moments before speaking slowly:

"Fine. Since you feel that way, you can stay. But you still need to take cover first, so I can focus on the enemy."

"Then I'll hide behind that boulder. Brother Shi, be careful!" Zhong Xiu nodded and ran toward a large rock not far away.

Shi Mu took a deep breath, raised his arm, and once again drew the purple steel bow.

In that brief delay, the Blood Hounds had already cleared many obstacles and closed to within fifty or sixty zhang.