Deep in the still of night, the entire mountain village lay quiet. Only the earthen house of the Old Zhou Household still glimmered with a faint light.
The bean-sized flame tore a patch of dim yellow light from the boundless darkness. Wang Tianlei lay slumped over the little table, apparently asleep, snoring softly. Mrs. Zhou sat blankly at the bedside with a damp towel in her hands, dipping it into the basin from time to time before laying it over Goudanzi's forehead, occasionally letting out a sigh.
What had happened a day earlier had nearly frightened her soul out of her body. A black bear had actually charged into her daughter's home. Just as her daughter was about to die in its jaws, Goudanzi had stepped forward with a woodcutting saber and, as though guided by ghosts or gods, plunged it into the bear's throat, killing it outright. Though he had saved his sister, he had been injured by the bear's paw and remained unconscious, his high fever refusing to break.
The fright had almost caused her daughter, whose pregnancy was already full-term, to lose the baby. Fortunately, she was blessed with both luck and a strong hold on life: mother and child were safe, and she had delivered a plump, fair-skinned boy, giving Mrs. Zhou a grandson. With sorrow and joy mingling within a single day, Mrs. Zhou did not know whether to grieve or rejoice. On balance, though, joy still outweighed sorrow.
The physician summoned from Green Ram Market had already examined Goudanzi. The boy had been lucky. Despite taking a blow from the bear's paw, he had suffered no serious harm, only slight injuries to his muscles and bones and a few scrapes. Those would heal with some rest. But he also seemed to have suffered a fright, developing a fever that very night. It had lasted a full day without breaking. Apart from applying cool, wet compresses, she truly could think of no better remedy.
Her son-in-law, Wang Tianlei, was a considerate man who knew how to show gratitude. Goudanzi had not only saved his sister today but also Wang Tianlei's parents and the child in her womb. To mountain folk, that was an immense debt. Setting aside even the son Zhou Hua had just delivered, he had spent these past two days running around for Goudanzi. Whether fetching the physician from Green Ram Market or helping nurse him here, he had attended to every last detail. Only after a full day and night of work, when he saw Goudanzi's fever gradually receding, had he finally relaxed and slowly fallen asleep over the table.
They say that those who survive a great calamity are bound for blessings afterward. I just don't know whether you truly have that kind of fortune, child! Mrs. Zhou sighed inwardly. Looking at Goudanzi's tightly closed eyes and sweat-covered face, her gaze held a little heartache, but far more bewilderment.
"Ugh, ah-!"
Just as Mrs. Zhou was staring at him, Goudanzi's face suddenly twitched. A pained expression crossed it. Then, as though something had startled him, his eyes flew open. Two clouds of golden mist flashed and vanished, and he sat up in bed.
"Goudanzi, you're awake! Are you all right?!" Mrs. Zhou hurried forward to support him, asking anxiously. Wang Tianlei, dozing nearby, was also startled awake by the commotion. He opened his eyes, saw Goudanzi sitting on the bed, and sprang to his feet.
"Goudanzi, you're awake! Wonderful! I knew you were blessed with luck, life, and fortune, you brat! Damn it, you killed a black bear that big. I refused to believe you wouldn't pull through!"
Having just awakened from his troubled sleep, Goudanzi looked a little bewildered. He glanced blankly around. "I... where am I?!"
"You're at home!" Mrs. Zhou threw her arms around him, tears spilling from her eyes. "You wretched boy, you nearly frightened your mother to death... sob... sob...!"
She could say no more. The thousand-pound burden on her heart fell away all at once, and she clung to Goudanzi, sobbing.
Goudanzi's mind gradually cleared. Then he became aware of how parched his mouth was and how utterly empty his stomach felt. Its walls seemed to rub against each other, the hunger agonizing.
"Mother, I... I'd like some water-!" he struggled to say. Mrs. Zhou was holding him so tightly that he could barely breathe.
"Oh,
water. Yes, water!"
At that, Mrs. Zhou immediately released him. Only then did she remember that her son had been unconscious these past two days without a drop of water or a grain of rice. She hastily let him go, wiped her tears, and said, "All right, rest here a little. Mother will bring you some porridge-!"
"Thank you, Mother!" Goudanzi nodded, his voice a little hoarse. By now, his throat felt as though it were smoking.
Only after Mrs. Zhou hurried out did Wang Tianlei have a chance to approach Goudanzi's bedside. "Goudanzi, your brother-in-law really owes you his thanks this time!"
"Brother-in-law?!" Goudanzi's mind was still rather muddled. At the sight of Wang Tianlei, he seemed to remember something, and his expression abruptly changed. "Brother-in-law, is my sister all right?!"
"She's fine, she's fine. Thanks to you, both mother and child are safe!"
"Mother and child are safe?!" Goudanzi froze, then understood. He cried out, "My sister gave birth? I'm an uncle?!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, he broke into a fit of coughing.
"Yes, yes, both mother and child are safe!" Wang Tianlei hurried forward and rubbed his back. "My little ancestor, don't get worked up! If anything happened to you because you got excited again, how could I face your sister and my parents-in-law?"
"Heh, heh-!" Goudanzi chuckled softly and said nothing more. He did not dare speak, either. Every time he opened his mouth now, his throat hurt as though it were being torn apart. It was truly miserable. He simply sat there listening to Tianlei's thanks, gleaning the information he wanted. Judging by the situation, his efforts this time had not been in vain.
The black bear that had come down the mountain to cause trouble was now lying in his family's courtyard. It had already been skinned, and once the wind and snow stopped, its hide would be taken to Green Ram Market to fetch a good price. They had not yet found time to deal with the meat these past two days, but Goudanzi knew that apart from a small portion given away, most of it would be sold at Green Ram Market along with the hide. Only a very small share would remain for the family to eat.
My brother-in-law owes me a debt as great as the heavens now. Heh, heh, squeezing something out of him next time will be much easier! Watching the excited Wang Tianlei, Goudanzi secretly rejoiced.
Just then, Mrs. Zhou pushed open the door and came in carrying a large bowl of porridge. "Here, Goudanzi, have some porridge. You haven't eaten for days, so you mustn't eat too much!"
Goudanzi naturally understood that principle. Wang Tianlei also rose. "Mother, since Goudanzi is awake now, I'll head back first. Once-!"
"All right, all right, hurry back. You can't wait to see your son, can you? Tell Hua'er that Doggie is awake while you're at it, so she won't worry!"
"Yes!" Wang Tianlei answered hastily and scampered toward his own courtyard gate.
Vast Cang Mountains, West Mountain Pass.
The young man drifted with the wind, yet moved with tremendous speed. In just a few bounds, he reached West Mountain Pass and the source of the savage howls and shouts.
West Mountain Pass was already a scene of devastation. Dozens of corpses lay strewn across the ground, each bearing only one fatal wound: three vicious claw marks across the throat. Every one of them had been killed in a single strike, without any chance to fight back.
Farther inside the pass, several dozen more people were besieging a giant one-eyed wolf.
"A Demon Beast?!" At the sight of the giant one-eyed wolf, the young man's pupils contracted to pinpoints. "Well, well, it really is a Demon Beast. No wonder those howls carried a power that made my heart tremble. Heh, to think I'd encounter a Demon Beast in this remote backwater!"
The young man narrowed his eyes slightly, and his smile grew broader. Inside West Mountain Pass, Old One-Eye maneuvered freely amid the attacks of several dozen people. Ordinary blades striking his body were like scratches against an itch. Now and then they threw up a dazzling spark or two, but could not hurt him in the slightest.
He was not entirely uninjured, however. A sword wound ran from his back all the way to his right hind leg. It was bleeding and hampering his movements. Thus, although he remained agile and his claws sharp, he could not easily break through the encirclement.
The young man also noticed that several of those attacking the giant wolf were third-rank experts. One slightly older man was actually a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist. He wielded a longsword with the fierce vigor of a tiger, and fine traces of blood still clung to its edge. Presumably, the sword wound on the wolf was his handiwork.
Already decades old, and he's only reached the fourth rank. Those years might as well have been lived by a dog, yet he still has the nerve to hunt a Demon Beast here. He must be after its inner core, either to extend his lifespan or increase his power. Hmph, do you really think you're worthy of claiming this Demon Beast?
A faint, cold smile lingered on his face, but he did not move. He simply stood quietly at the mouth of the pass, watching the slaughter within.
Those fighting there were the Black Dragon Society's Grand Elder, several of its branch masters, and dozens of its elite experts.
The Black Dragon Society had made thorough preparations for this hunt. All its experts had turned out, and not a single martial artist among them was below the second rank. Yet they had still underestimated Old Wolf-Eye's strength and intelligence. Had the Grand Elder not, as though guided by ghosts or gods, struck Old One-Eye with his sword when the wolf attacked him, badly wounding him, most of them would probably already have joined the corpses on the ground. They would never have been able to trap Old One-Eye here and attempt to wear him to death. Even so, the situation was far from promising. With an injured leg, Old One-Eye could not escape, but as they wore him down, they were wearing themselves down as well. Heaven knew how the beast could possess such tenacious vitality. Nearly two hours had passed. Even if his blood had dripped out one drop at a time, he should have bled dry by now. Yet despite the blood pouring from his back, he seemed unaffected, still as lively as a dragon and tiger as he had been two hours earlier. They were riding a tiger now, unable to get off.
"Grand Elder, this can't go on! This beast seems to have endless stamina. He's too difficult to handle! At this rate, we'll be the first to collapse!" Xiao Jin shouted from the side. His lightness skill was the best among them, so he had been tasked with keeping the wolf occupied and wearing him down all along. That made his group the most exhausted.
"Damn it! If I'm not mistaken, this beast carries the bloodline of an Ancient Exotic Beast, and that bloodline has awakened. That's why he's so troublesome. But I refuse to believe so many of us can't wear him to death!" the Grand Elder shouted. His longsword suddenly stilled, and he stepped back twice. Delight appeared on the faces of the attackers, as though they had realized something, and they all retreated several steps as well. They did not go far, however. The dozens of men still kept Old One-Eye tightly surrounded, denying him any chance to escape.
"Is that... a secret technique?!"
As the old man abruptly retreated and the momentum of his sword condensed, a suffocating aura surged toward them. He raised his longsword high and drove his internal energy furiously through his body. A layer of black mist enveloped the long blade, with faint, intermittent shrieks rising from it. Though quiet, those sounds were piercingly cruel, like the roars of an endless host of vengeful spirits.
It really is a secret technique. This wretched place truly hides crouching tigers and concealed dragons. Not only does it possess a bloodline thought extinct, someone here even knows a secret technique. Hmm, this one seems exceptionally powerful, far beyond an ordinary secret technique. But his cultivation is too low. He probably can't unleash its full might! The young man's brow rose slightly, surprised by the power radiating from the old man.
Indeed, a martial artist with fourth-rank cultivation could not unleash the full power of a secret technique.
Secret techniques formed a distinct branch of martial arts in this world. Essentially, each required a unique method for channeling strength and energy. The methods for channeling strength were called technique methods, while those for channeling energy were called mental methods. At its core, a secret technique combined the internal energy within the body with one's physical strength, then unleashed them through a special method. In a sense, it resembled the ultimate moves Goudanzi had used when playing arcade games back then: attacks that brought various techniques together into one culmination, possessing tremendous power.
Of course, great power was only one of the three greats of secret techniques.
The three greats were great power, great strain, and great consumption.
Great power needed no explanation. Used well, a secret technique could allow a martial artist to challenge someone above their rank. For instance, a fourth-rank martial artist who knew a secret technique might defeat a fifth-rank or even sixth-rank martial artist who did not. Of course, if the opponent also knew a secret technique, the outcome became uncertain.
Great strain meant that using a secret technique placed an enormous burden on the body. A powerful secret technique would often cause bodily injury after just one use, preventing its use again for a long time afterward. Otherwise, even if one managed to execute it, it would inflict tremendous damage, perhaps even lifelong disability.
Great consumption followed the same principle as great strain. Often, after a secret technique was unleashed, all the internal energy and strength within the body would be exhausted. Thus, generally speaking, every secret technique consisted of only one move. If that strike failed, one could hardly fight again, and even escape became a distant luxury. For that reason, even those who knew secret techniques would not use them until the final moment.
Moreover, as their name suggested, secret techniques were highly secret. Each possessed a unique method of channeling strength, a trump card held by very few people. Only a tiny number could understand such methods. The more powerful the secret technique, the more profound its cultivation method and the more difficult the training process. In the young man's view, virtually no one in a little place near the Vast Cang Mountains should have known a secret technique.
Yet the old man before him did, and an extremely profound one at that. Who knows what kind of dog-shit luck brought it into his hands? Judging by the momentum of his sword, this secret technique should be quite powerful. I wonder whether the Demon Beast can withstand it!
Old One-Eye was a Demon Beast, naturally endowed with spiritual senses far stronger than a human's. Once everyone withdrew, he sensed something was wrong. Rather than seize the opportunity to break out, he stopped completely. Every muscle in his body contracted as he assumed an attacking stance. The blue-green fur covering him suddenly bristled, like steel needles driven into his flesh. Hissing sounds came from his nostrils, while two wisps of white vapor cycled back and forth with his breathing.
"Hah-!" The old man abruptly exhaled with a fierce shout and thrust his longsword violently toward Old One-Eye. Almost simultaneously, Old One-Eye moved. His calf-sized body shot forward, one becoming three as he split into three phantom images that charged from three directions with a roar.
The image in the middle met the interwoven black-and-white sword qi unleashed by the old man. In almost the blink of an eye, it was slashed into nothingness. The other two images remained unaffected, lunging at the old man from left and right.
Unhurried, the old man guided his longsword, and the black-and-white sword qi he had just unleashed actually split in two, becoming one black stream and one white stream that attacked the two wolf phantoms separately. The sword qi moved with tremendous speed, carrying piercing shrieks, and struck the phantoms before they could reach him.
"Roar-!"
The sword qi collided with the wolf phantoms, and both vanished almost simultaneously. Once the two phantoms disappeared, Old One-Eye finally let out a roar of defiance. His body reappeared one foot in front of the old man, blood gushing from three wounds deep enough to expose bone. He slowly collapsed.
"Whew-!" Seeing Old One-Eye fall, the old man let out a long breath. He too dropped from midair and crumpled to the ground.
"Grand Elder-!"
"Don't worry about me! Hurry, kill him and take his inner core!"
Lying on the ground, the old man hurriedly shouted when he saw everyone gathering around him. Black trails of blood seeped from all seven openings of his face, while beads of blood also emerged from his exposed skin. That sword strike had drained nearly all his vitality and internal energy.
"Yes-!" everyone answered hastily. They rushed over to Old One-Eye, preparing to kill and dismember him and take his inner core.
"You mustn't kill him. No, you mustn't!"
A clear voice rang out. Then a white figure flashed into view and circled the crowd surrounding Old One-Eye in an instant. A series of "pfft, pfft, pfft-" sounded. By the time the figure stopped, dozens of elites, including the Black Dragon Society's five branch masters, had fallen onto their backs. A finger-sized bloody hole had appeared in each of their foreheads.
"He's a treasure, you know. You mustn't kill him!"
The white figure came to a halt. It was the young man who had been watching from the side. With a light flick of his left fingertip, he sent a tiny bead of blood flying, then smiled at the Grand Elder lying on the ground.
"That secret technique you used was quite good. To encounter someone who knows a secret technique in this tiny place-not bad, not bad. Hand over its secret cultivation method, and I'll leave you an intact corpse!"
(Push, push! We're almost fifth on the new-book rankings! If we reach fifth before ten, I'll add another chapter!)
Before you continue