The Unlucky Bear (Revised)

Who am I?

Where do I come from?

Where am I going?

The big bear blinked its bean-sized eyes, as if it were pondering these three questions.

Coupled with that bewildered little expression, Lu Chuan actually found this terrifying beast to be rather cute and silly at this moment.

"Awoo!"

But immediately, it roared in fury, a flash of rage in its eyes—a human actually dared to wrestle with it?

"Oh no!"

Lu Chuan dashed forward rapidly.

This was a full-grown brown bear, much larger than any he had seen in his past life.

Bears were known for their raw strength, and with the added momentum of its downward strike, the total force was at least several thousand catties.

Wu Qiu being able to hold it off was already his absolute limit. At this moment, the veins on his neck and exposed skin were bulging, his teeth were clenched tight, sweat poured down his face, and his body was slowly being forced downward...

Perhaps only a martial artist who had achieved a minor mastery of the martial path would have the strength to fight such a large beast?

Clang!

Lu Chuan took a step forward and rolled, arriving beside Wu Qiu. He gripped the long saber at Wu Qiu's waist, and while the man held the bear at bay, he took the opportunity to slash at the bear's belly!

Splurt!

The blade was sharp; it sliced through the fur and cut into the bear's abdomen, sending blood spraying out.

"Awoo!"

The big brown bear roared in maddened pain, lifted its paws high, and slammed them down toward the two men.

"Move!"

Lu Chuan grabbed the shoulder of the freed Wu Qiu and rolled to the side, pulling the blade out as he did so, blood splattering everywhere.

Boom!

The bear's paws struck the ground, making the earth tremble, but they hit nothing but air.

The big brown bear's eyes turned blood-red. It wanted to pounce on the two men again, but it saw eight long sabers held horizontally in front of it.

The eight Flying Tiger Soldiers had caught up and were now shielding the two men behind them.

"Roar!"

The big brown bear let out a thunderous, ear-splitting roar, attempting to scare the eight men off, but they stood as still as statues, completely unfazed and ready for battle.

Drip, drop...

Blood dripped steadily from the wound on its belly.

The two sides stood in a standoff for a moment. Finally, the big brown bear gave the group a resentful look, turned around, and began to head into the forest, trailing blood.

"You beast, where do you think you're going!"

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out. Everyone looked over to see a figure rushing toward them from the left.

With a display of agility, the figure covered dozens of yards in a few leaps, his cape fluttering in the wind. He arrived before the group and delivered a side kick to the big brown bear.

The scene that followed made Lu Chuan's pupils shrink. The massive brown bear, weighing over a thousand catties, was sent flying like a ball by the newcomer's kick.

Boom...

It crashed through a dozen trees before finally landing on the ground with a heavy thud, lying motionless.

The figure performed a backward somersault, using the force of the kick to land lightly on his feet.

"General Zhou!"

The Flying Tiger Soldiers quickly saluted. The newcomer was none other than Zhou Ji, clad in full armor.

"Go take a look!"

Zhou Ji ordered the Flying Tiger Soldiers, then looked at Wu Qiu, who was sitting on the ground supported by Lu Chuan. He crouched down and asked urgently, "How are you?"

"I... I'm fine!"

Wu Qiu laughed weakly. "Thanks to this young brother, I managed to save my life."

"Don't say that. Lord Wu was injured because of me; I feel very uneasy."

Lu Chuan shook his head. In truth, he didn't need Wu Qiu to protect him; he could have dodged on his own.

However, Huang Feihu had issued a military order to ensure the safety of their guide. Wu Qiu, unaware that Lu Chuan could evade the attack, had stepped forward, leading to this outcome.

Zhou Ji checked his pulse and shook his head. "You overexerted yourself and took a blow from that beast. Your internal organs have been impacted and your blood flow is in disarray. You must return immediately for treatment. I will send someone to escort you back."

"No, General, I can still..."

Wu Qiu said anxiously, trying to reach out to grab Zhou Ji, but he found that even lifting his arm was an immense struggle.

"Go back and recover. That is an order!"

Zhou Ji's face was grim as he barked, "Your condition is still light for now. I have already used my internal energy to protect your internal organs; go back, take some medicine, and rest for a while, and you will be fine. Otherwise, if you delay, your cultivation will be forfeit."

Wu Qiu was silent, finally saying, "Very well!"

"Reporting to the General, the bear is dead."

A Flying Tiger Soldier walked over to report.

"Dead?"

Lu Chuan and Zhou Ji spoke in unison, though Lu Chuan was shocked, while Zhou Ji remained calm.

Dead?

Such a terrifying, massive beast, kicked to death by Zhou Ji with just one strike?

Lu Chuan was somewhat dazed.

If that kick had landed on a person... The scene today hammered against Lu Chuan's heart, stirring up great waves within him.

Is this the power and might of a martial artist?

Terrifying!

Truly terrifying!

"Letting it die so easily is letting that beast off too lightly. You few, take Centurion Wu back to the army to recuperate."

Zhou Ji snorted, "Also, take the bear paws, bear gall, and bear heart back to help him recover his strength. Leave the rest for everyone to have an extra meal tonight!"

"Yes!"

Those Flying Tiger Soldiers acknowledged the order and went to skin the unlucky bear, whose life had reached its end and who would never again have the chance to contemplate its "bear life."

"Many thanks, General Zhou!" Wu Qiu said in gratitude upon hearing this.

"Mm, while there is still time..."

Zhou Ji had Lu Chuan help Wu Qiu sit up, then sat cross-legged behind him. "I will heal your injuries. Kid, don't let anyone get close!"

"Oh!"

Lu Chuan nodded, walked to the side, and sat down, watching Zhou Ji's silhouette. His heart was still finding it hard to calm down.

The sheer power of a martial artist was truly awe-inspiring...

Then, he thought back to the split-second moment from earlier.

In truth, the opportunity had been rare. With the two bear paws being held up by Wu Qiu, perhaps his best choice would have been to plunge his blade into the great bear's heart.

But he did not know how much longer Wu Qiu could hold on.

The great bear itself weighed a thousand catties, and with that "Mount Tai pressing down" impact from earlier, perhaps Wu Qiu's strength had already been exhausted.

If he had lost his grip while Lu Chuan was turning the blade, both of them would have been in mortal danger...

Conversely, he had also calculated that once the bear was injured, he and Wu Qiu would have an opening; otherwise, he wouldn't have positioned himself to help Wu Qiu hide right next to the Flying Tiger Soldiers.

The only thing he hadn't calculated was Zhou Ji's arrival, and that he would kick the unlucky bear to death in a single blow.

"Badass!"

Lu Chuan shook his head. This had truly been an eye-opening experience.

Not long after, Zhou Ji finished his work and stood up. Wu Qiu's pale face had regained some color, and the bear had already been butchered.

"There are horses in the back. You take them..."

Zhou Ji looked at Lu Chuan and pointed toward the ten men. "Pick the shortest path down the mountain and return to the city."

"Me? I'm not going back. You find someone else to lead the way. I'm here to help you hunt fierce beasts."

Lu Chuan shook his head immediately. Setting aside Shen Gongbao's instructions, they wanted him to lead the way back?

Ha, they were certainly optimistic!

He had been walking deep into Cangtu Mountain for over half a month; it would be difficult enough for him to find his way back along the original path, let alone pick the shortest mountain route to guide them home.

"Rest assured, you will receive every bit of your reward when you return!"

Zhou Ji frowned, assuming Lu Chuan was concerned about the bounty.

"General, before I joined you, it seems you hadn't mentioned any reward, had you?" Lu Chuan retorted.

The implication of his words was clear: I didn't come here for your money.

Zhou Ji's brows twitched, feeling both surprised and curious. He laughed, "Then what do you want?"

"I don't want anything. I already said, I am here to help you hunt fierce beasts."

Lu Chuan said, then looked around and added, "Besides, I have never been this deep into the mountains since I was a child. If I were to lead the way, I fear I would never get out for the rest of my life. I was actually hoping to follow you to find the path."

"You... you really haven't been here before?" Zhou Ji asked suspiciously.

"If you don't believe me, I can swear an oath to you right now. You can set the terms of the oath, for example, if I am lying..."

Before Zhou Ji could finish listening, the corner of his mouth twitched. He waved his hands repeatedly, "No need, no need! I, this General, will find someone else!"