Facing the Enemy

They were a vicious-looking band, men with who knew how many lives on their hands. Every one of them had a murderous glint in his eyes; they clearly weren't decent folk. They charged toward the village entrance.

"You country bumpkins actually think you can resist us? One charge from our ranks will send you all to your graves." A scar-faced man atop a ferocious beast spoke coldly, looking at the villagers as though they were beneath his notice. His killing intent was astonishing.

There weren't many of them, just over a hundred, but they were all seasoned fighters. Several of their leaders in particular wielded powerful Bone Text secret arts.

"Boom!" "Boom!"...

At the same time, a terrible rumbling sounded from behind them. The earth shook and rumbled as a colossal creature appeared.

It was a pangolin, its entire body pale gold and enormous beyond measure. It stretched dozens of meters long, curled up like a golden mountain of flesh. Its eyes, like golden lanterns, gazed toward Stone Village, radiating an intense killing aura.

At the sight of this ferocious beast, everyone's hearts sank. It was a Sacrificial Spirit—how could ordinary people possibly stand against it?!

Sacrificial Spirits usually protected humankind, settling permanently in a village or town and accepting offerings from the people. They wouldn't leave lightly, yet this one had come out on its own.

Most frightening of all, this Sacrificial Spirit was vicious to the extreme. A faint blood-red glow shimmered over its pale-gold scales. It must have slaughtered countless lives and devoured other Sacrificial Spirits. It was a foe no one wanted to provoke!

Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others felt powerless. The moment they saw it, they knew they had no chance against a Sacrificial Spirit dozens of meters long. Even if the entire village fought together, they would only die in vain.

Its terrifying aura of bloodshed, its overwhelming presence, and its fearsome runes inspired dread. The instant they laid eyes on it, a sense of defeat welled up in them involuntarily.

"Can you feel how weak you are? You're nothing but aphids, yet you actually think you can stand against the True Hou?!" one of the leaders sneered from atop his beast.

"Put down those ridiculous bows and arrows. What could they possibly do? They're completely useless. Obey our orders, and we'll spare your lives!" another man said coldly.

"What do you want?" asked an elderly clan elder, tottering forward.

"Old man, all you need to do is obey. Don't run your mouth." One of the leaders barked at him, then raised his hand and lashed out with his whip. A rune flashed, and the clan elder was sent flying, splashing blood.

"Third Grandpa!"

A crowd of villagers rushed over and lifted the old man. Tears welled in the children's eyes, while the adult men all flushed with rage, ready to charge forward and fight to the death.

"Hold!" the village chief said sharply, stopping them from striking at once.

"Don't worry, the old man won't die. This was just a lesson." The one who had struck him laughed. "We're not unreasonable, and we don't want to start killing for no reason. As long as you meet our demands, you'll be safe."

The villagers glared at them, staring ahead in silence.

"You have twenty days to hand over five hundred pounds of black gold. If you have enough on hand, consider yourselves lucky. If you don't, then hurry up and find a mineral vein. When the deadline comes, if you can't deliver, you'll be slaughtered without mercy!" the man said icily.

"You heard him! If you can't do it, in twenty days we'll wipe out your entire village. We'll kill every last one of you and leave no survivors!" another leader shouted.

At the same time, the pale-gold Sacrificial Spirit threw back its head and roared, shaking the mountains and valleys. Golden mist billowed from its body, brilliant and hazy, making one's heart tremble. The villagers didn't dare make a move. Their faces were ashen. The gap between them was simply too great; they truly couldn't stand against this band of wicked raiders.

The children's little faces were tense, their eyes filled with fear, shock, and anger. They had never faced anything like this before. Their enemies had bullied them right to the village entrance, yet they couldn't fight back.

The Willow Deity was asleep, like an ordinary withered tree. The villagers had lost their protection, and frustration and anguish filled their hearts. They wished they could charge straight into battle against their enemies.

Some of the children had red-rimmed eyes, tears almost falling. Their enemies were so powerful and had come right to their doorstep, yet there was nothing they could do.

"You're nothing but a bunch of savages, and you dare to resist with bows and arrows? You don't know when to quit. Do you know how many villages like yours we've wiped out in this area alone? At least eight, if not ten." One man sneered, sweeping his gaze over the village entrance.

Shi Feijiao and the others were furious, but Shi Yunfeng had ordered them not to act. Everyone clenched their fists, their hearts filled with unbearable anguish. When had they ever been humiliated like this?!

"Remember, you have only twenty days. Otherwise, you can wait for your whole clan to be wiped out!" one of the leaders shouted, then cracked his whip hard.

A rune flashed. A "Pa!" rang out as a bloody welt appeared on the faces of Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and several others. Their skin split, blood spattering from the deep wounds.

The grown men's eyes seemed ready to spit fire. Better to die than suffer such humiliation. If they were left to their own devices, they would have fought to the death on the spot.

But the village chief still held them back, using a stern look to stop them from fighting.

"Haha..." Several leaders laughed, then turned their ferocious beasts around and rode off.

The pale-gold Sacrificial Spirit turned around. Its golden eyes, as big as lanterns, swept coldly over the villagers. Then it strode away, each step rumbling like an earthquake. It was a terrifying sight.

"Wait!" A great shout rang out from Stone Village.

A golden pillar of light pierced the clouds above Stone Village. Shi Lin slowly descended from within it, like a Heavenly God, and landed before the villagers.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here!"

Shi Lin's appearance was like a shot of calming medicine for the villagers.

After all, Shi Lin's strength spoke for itself.

"Who are you, brat?" one of the leaders barked, preparing to leave.

The wicked raiders all stopped and turned to look at Shi Lin.

"Me?" Shi Lin turned to face them and took a step forward.

"You aren't worthy of knowing, because you're all about to die!"

"What a clueless little brat! Hahaha!" The wicked raiders didn't take Shi Lin seriously at all.

Several of them grinned, their teeth gleaming white and menacing. Beneath them stood several enormous Mastiffs, two or three meters tall and five or six meters long, their terrifyingly white fangs like daggers.

These Mastiffs, raised in the Great Wilderness, were fierce and keen-sensed, with exceptionally powerful noses. The raiders believed that even if the villagers left the village, they wouldn't truly be able to escape.

"Kid, don't be stupid. Be careful, or we'll kill you!"

Shi Lin said nothing, staring at them coldly.

"Hm? What's that..." Suddenly, one of the raiders spotted a Unicorn flickering in and out of sight in the village. His eyes immediately lit with greed and delight.

"It's a variant of the Scaled Horse—the Unicorn! Strong-built, its whole body silver-white and shining. It can travel ten thousand li in a day, and it's an incredibly fast mount!"

"There's more than one. There are so many of them!"

The wicked raiders narrowed their eyes, excitement and eagerness brimming over.

These spirit beasts weren't especially powerful, but they were incredibly fast and very rare.

If they rode Unicorns, they really would be able to come and go like the wind. They could move even faster and dominate this vast Great Wilderness, invincible wherever they went.

"Hmm, the children are riding them. Are you planning to flee at any moment?" One of the leaders stared coldly, then looked toward the adults gathered at the village entrance. "Bring them over and offer up the Unicorns."

But no one answered. The group of grown men at the village entrance stared at him coldly.

"You savages, have you gone deaf? Didn't you hear me? Make those children bring the Unicorns over and present them to us, or we'll slaughter this whole village!" another leader threatened. He wore black armor, and his gaze was as menacing as a blade.

He urged his ferocious beast forward and swung the whip in his hand at the faces of Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others. He was the one who had lashed long gashes into the men's faces, drawing plenty of blood. Now he was just as vicious and overbearing, whipping them as soon as he came forward, his killing aura astonishing.

"Thump!"

Shi Lin grabbed the whip in one hand and flung it, sending the leader flying far away.

"Agh..." the leader screamed.

Dust billowed as his head and face slammed into the ground. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth; his mouth in particular was a bloody mess, with more than ten teeth knocked out.

The sudden turn of events was shocking. The wicked raiders hadn't expected anyone in this seemingly meek village to dare fight back—and the one who had done it was just a child. For a moment, they were dumbfounded.

The leader was both furious and shocked. His whole body glowed as runes intertwined around him. He got to his feet and charged at Shi Lin.

"You little brat, die!"

Shi Lin simply turned away without even looking at him. A rune sprang from his hand and sent the leader flying again.

"Pfft!"

The sound of flesh and bone shattering rang out. The leader screamed as he crashed into a boulder, breaking bones throughout his body and leaving him a wreck.

Shi Lin raised his left hand and pulled the man toward him. Then, as if tossing aside a dead dog, he flung him to the village entrance. Shi Linhu stepped forward and planted one enormous foot on the man's chest. "Weren't you so arrogant?"

"Dare to whip my face? I've had enough of you!" A group of grown men crowded around him, stomping down with their big feet.

"Ah..."

"Pfft!"

The leader's face immediately caved in, crushed into a rotten watermelon.

Everything had happened in the blink of an eye. The wicked raiders were dumbfounded. It had all happened too suddenly. The last time they'd seen the villagers, they'd been as weak as lambs, too afraid to fight back. How could even a child be so fierce today? And those grown men had gone completely mad!

"Kill them!" another leader hurriedly shouted, ordering the raiders to attack and slaughter everyone at the village entrance.

The clang of weapons rang out without end. They drew their weapons and charged forward, intent on wiping out Stone Village.

Shi Lin shouted and swung a palm at the men charging at the front. Runes spread out, and his hand seemed to swell to the size of a millstone. Thump after thump rang out as the raiders flew into the air, one after another, all sent flying.

It was an astonishing burst of divine strength. Every one of them had bones broken and was sent flying; after hitting the ground, they couldn't get back up or move an inch.

And that had only been a casual blow from Shi Lin. He hadn't even exerted much strength, yet it had caused such devastation.

The remaining leader gave a sharp cry. Light shone from his palm, and a blaze of dazzling radiance burst forth, illuminating the entire village entrance. He used his runes to unleash the Firelight Art.

In the past, they had burned and looted everywhere, and he had been one of the main men responsible for setting villages ablaze and sending countless people to their deaths in the flames. He had done it all with this Firelight Art.

But today it was useless against Shi Lin. Shi Lin calmly pushed out a palm. Runes blazed across the air and snuffed out the dazzling flames. Then, with a boom, his palm struck like a towering mountain, sending the leader flying dozens of meters away.

Crackling sounds rang out as most of the leader's bones shattered. He could no longer get back up.

"You bandits! Where's your arrogance now? Where's all that swagger?!"

Shi Feijiao and the others rushed forward, heavy weapons in hand, swinging them down. Each blow sent a spray of blood into the air.

The vicious criminals lying on the ground each had at least dozens of lives on their hands. They had always been cruel and brutal, but now even they were terrified. Their eyes went wide as they shouted and begged for mercy.

Shi Lin had struck like a thunderbolt. Dealing with this small band of wicked raiders was easy for him. He knew the true enemy was the Sacrificial Spirit. This little band didn't amount to much.

However, that pangolin had run away without a shred of loyalty. Shi Lin didn't pursue it.

The children were thrilled and excited. They immediately ran over and surrounded Shi Lin, chattering away. "Shi Lin, you're amazing! You beat them all with just one slap each. Even the leader who knew the Firelight Art couldn't last!"

"When will I be able to mow these bandits down like grass, too?!"

"Brother Lin, you're incredible!" Little One praised him without end.

Dozens of the raiders had been dealt with. Shi Feijiao and the others showed no mercy, throwing them into the mountains to feed the ferocious beasts. These criminals had blood all over their hands. Letting them go would be rewarding the wicked and punishing the good, and even more people would suffer.

As for their mounts, some were too ferocious to tame, so they were killed outright and would become food for the people of Stone Village. But more than ten, though ferocious beasts, were relatively docile and became mounts for the villagers.

"Haha, Lin, you've done a great service! These exotic beasts are all fine mounts. Their only drawback is that they're so vicious they need to eat flesh every day."

Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others were delighted. They hadn't managed to ride Unicorns yet, but this group of fine ferocious beasts could serve as substitutes for now. That wasn't bad either.

The wicked raiders naturally had decent mounts, ideal for traveling in and out of the Great Wilderness. Though they all had bloody fangs and bristling scales, they were truly powerful. Once tamed, they would make excellent steeds.

The red sun sank in the west, and the villagers were all in high spirits. They boiled the slaughtered beasts until tender in a large pot, then roasted them over the fire until golden and glistening with fat. The rich smell of meat filled the air, making mouths water.

They ate heartily as they discussed the day's gains and losses. The bandits who had attacked them had all been wiped out, letting them finally vent a long-held anger,

"It feels wonderful! Who knows how many small tribes these wicked raiders have harmed? They've taken countless lives. I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about killing them today."

"Shi Lin, you're something else. I saw how easily you broke that leader's terrifying Firelight Art. It's truly remarkable. You're getting stronger by the day, haha..."

The adults all laughed and praised Shi Lin.

After the laughter died down, the old village chief grew solemn. Standing before the bonfire, he reminded everyone, "This band of wicked raiders has been wiped out, but when they fail to return for a long time, their main force and that Sacrificial Spirit will surely come looking for them."

"Grandpa Chief, I'll go eliminate the threat." Shi Lin stood up.

The villagers were all worried at his words. Shi Lin was very strong, but he was still a child, and the enemy had many experts. On top of that, they had a Sacrificial Spirit, a fearsome presence.

What was a Sacrificial Spirit? It represented mystery and power. Tribes had to honor and worship it, offering sincere sacrifices. Such beings were extremely difficult to provoke, and no one wanted to make an enemy of one.

"This is an evil spirit, but I can get rid of it!" Shi Lin said confidently.

"Child... We've put you through so much!" The adults felt ashamed.

"This is what I should do. I'm off!"

"Then... be careful!" Shi Linhu said.

"Mm!"

In the end, Shi Lin set off, and Little One followed him. The two rode Unicorns, galloping toward the ends of the earth with fierce determination to wipe out that powerful band of wicked raiders.

He had already learned from the raiders where they were camped. Now he rode without stopping, like a silver whirlwind charging into the Great Wilderness.

The Unicorns raced like the wind, leaping over mountains and ravines. The forests on either side flew past. Half an hour later, they finally neared their destination.

The moonlight was hazy, and wild beasts roared in the mountains.

It was a stretch of elevated ground with a simple fence. A group of wicked raiders had set up camp there temporarily. They had no fixed home and had long since grown accustomed to this way of life.

The bonfires flickered. The raiders were eating game, gathered in groups of three or five around the fires, tearing at roasted meat and talking about something.

Not far away, a group of ferocious beasts were either tethered to ancient trees or chained to boulders, each one looking menacing.

It was a simple mountain stronghold, with several men standing guard and watching for ferocious beasts in the mountains. After all, this was the boundless Great Wilderness; a powerful monster could appear at any moment. Shi Lin rode up, seated on the silver-white Unicorn. He looked like a white-robed divine general descending from the heavens, streaking in like a silver beam of light and arriving in an instant.

"Who goes there?!" shouted the men guarding the mountain gate.

Shi Lin casually flung out several runes, and the men were sent flying out of sight.

He strode forward, like a general who had fought a hundred battles and never lost. Though he was small, he had a fearsome presence and the bearing of a tiger or dragon.

"Stop!" A wicked raider stepped forward to block him, gripping a battle spear and thrusting viciously.

"Thump!"

Shi Lin raised his hand and slapped him. With a crack, the battle spear snapped, and the man was sent flying dozens of meters before crashing into a huge boulder and finally stopping. He collapsed there, motionless.

"So strong!" The raiders sucked in breaths of cold air. They quickly retreated, raised their great bows, and drew the strings. One iron arrow after another tore through the sky with a ghostly howl, flying toward Shi Lin—precise, vicious, and incredibly fierce.

"Vmm!"

Shi Lin drew a circle with his left hand, instantly forming a vortex of runes that spun at tremendous speed. The densely packed iron arrows were all sucked inside, then ground into iron dust that pattered to the ground.

"Heavens, he's a little monster!" The raiders were stunned. They had fought in countless bloody battles and encountered all kinds of people, but they had never seen a child like this—so young, yet terrifyingly powerful.

Shi Lin slapped out, runes filling the sky. A dozen men who had rushed over at the commotion were instantly sent flying like stalks of grass, crashing into the boulders behind them. They vomited blood and could no longer get back up.