Zhou Wuji recognized this villager from Baizhu Village. He was the youngest son of the old village head, known to everyone as Zhang Laoyao.
The old village head was shrewd, and this youngest son was just as shrewd and smooth-spoken. Nearly every affair in the village was organized and run by him. Among the generally uneducated villagers, Zhang Laoyao stood out for his articulate speech and manner.
For such a clever man to come to the Daoist temple in frantic panic, something terrible must have happened.
Zhou Wuji helped Zhang Laoyao to his feet. "Don't panic. Tell me clearly what happened."
Zhang Laoyao was well aware of Priest Zhou's prowess. Supported by Zhou Wuji, he grew even more nervous, swallowing hard before stammering, "Immortal Master, another great beast has come to our village! It looks like a bear demon, standing over a zhang tall. It has already devoured two families..."
Of those two dead families, almost nothing remained except scraps of torn flesh and bone; they had been nearly picked clean.
Zhang Laoyao had nearly wet himself from terror at the time. Following his father's instructions, he had rushed frantically to the temple to plead for help.
Under normal circumstances, whenever trouble arose in Baizhu Village, they would seek out Zhang Xinhu. If even Zhang Xinhu could not resolve it, the county yamen certainly could not either. In their hearts, the villagers both feared and detested the authorities, and they placed zero trust in them. Now that Zhang Xinhu was gone, Baizhu Village had no choice but to turn to the temple for salvation.
During the previous incident when Wuzheng and Zhou Wuji slew the boar demon, Zhang Laoyao had witnessed it with his own eyes. The solemn, sacred altar, the Daoist commanding spirits and ghosts with a wave of his hand to summon heavenly thunder, and Zhou Wuji's peerless divine swordplay—all of it had left a profound impression on Zhang Laoyao's heart, filling him with deep reverence for Canglong Temple. Zhang Laoyao placed immense trust in the temple's Daoists, firmly believing that seeking their help was far more dependable than reporting to the authorities.
"Is that so? I will go with you to take a look."
Upon hearing that a formidable demon had appeared, Zhou Wuji's interest was piqued at once.
He had searched in vain throughout the Siming Mountains, yet now a monster was delivering itself to his doorstep!
Zhou Wuji said to Wuzheng, "Senior Brother, stay behind to watch over the temple. A minor matter like this does not require your hand."
Seeing Zhou Wuji so eager, Wuzheng found it hard to dissuade him. "Very well. Having you go is more than enough."
He had someone lead Zhang Laoyao away before turning back to Zhou Wuji. "We still do not know what manner of beast it is. Junior Brother, do not be careless."
Wuzheng reached into his sleeve, produced a Yin Thunder Bead, and handed it to Zhou Wuji. "When Master came by last time, I asked for two more Yin Thunder Beads. Take this one for protection."
A Yin Thunder Bead was exceptionally effective against beasts, evil spirits, and ghosts, and posed a considerable threat even to martial experts. Zhou Wuji did not stand on ceremony. He had not yet learned the Yin Thunder Art, so having a Yin Thunder Bead was ideal.
"Junior Brother, you must still remain cautious," Wuzheng reminded him once more. "Even Zhang Xinhu vanished without a trace. There are countless experts in this world; do not be negligent."
He detested Zhang Xinhu, yet he remained deeply wary of his mysterious disappearance.
"Understood. I will be careful."
Zhou Wuji was keenly interested in the beast, but he maintained high vigilance in his heart. A monster appearing out of nowhere and a villager coming straight to the door for aid made him sense that something was amiss. Wu Di was still alive, Yin-Yang Dao experts lurked in the shadows, and even Baihu Zhang Yunfeng of the Ironclad Guard harbored ill will toward him. Any of them had both reason and motive to plot against him; how could he not be on guard?
At the same time, Zhou Wuji was itching for a fight. He had cultivated the Five Tigers Fist to the mastery realm; the flesh, sinews, and bones throughout his body were tempered to exceptional toughness and vigor, and his arms possessed a thousand jin of strength. Coupled with his Rank 7 true qi cultivation and perfection-realm swordplay, he could kill a Rank 7 demon beast in a frontal clash. Even if someone lay in ambush, his Six Yang Dharma Eyes were no hollow trick. Having brought this low-tier spell to perfection, he could discern subtle shifts in spiritual qi and vital auras. Even a Rank 6 expert might not escape its detection.
Zhou Wuji returned to his quarters to pack a few essentials, primarily bringing along the Tiger Wing Saber as a backup, along with spare clothing. He possessed the Five Yin Pouch; though it could not be released into the open during the day, storing items inside was completely unhindered.
Once ready, Zhou Wuji requisitioned a horse from the temple. It was a red steed not quite three years old. While not an extraordinary thoroughbred, it was in its prime of stamina, more than fit to be called a fine horse. The temple originally had no horses, but various families had gifted several in an effort to curry favor. Zhang Laoyao had no horse, but he rode a sturdy grey donkey that possessed steady endurance and knew the paths well, allowing him to keep pace.
Setting out at noon, the two traveled until dusk before reaching Laocang Village.
Though anxious, Zhang Laoyao did not dare travel by night. He hesitated and said to Zhou Wuji, "Daoist Master, should we spend the night here in Laocang Village?"
"You stay here for the night. I will push through in the dark."
Zhou Wuji had no desire to lodge in Laocang Village. He was reasonably familiar with the path to Baizhu Village, and with his powerful divine sense, getting lost was out of the question. If he encountered any lurking ghosts or beasts along the way, that would suit him just fine.
Zhang Laoyao gritted his teeth and said, "How could I allow that? I must lead the way for you, Daoist Master."
"I know the way. The situation is complicated at night, and I will have no time to look after you. Stay here and come over tomorrow."
Zhou Wuji neither fully trusted Zhang Laoyao nor wished to drag along a burden. Leaving him in Laocang Village was the safest choice.
Helpless, Zhang Laoyao could only watch as Zhou Wuji spurred his horse into the distance...
A sliver of a crescent moon hung faintly in the sky. Its pale glow failed to illuminate the gloomy mountain forest, only cloaking the darkness in an ethereal, shifting haze.
A towering black bear slowly crawled out from a bamboo grove. Its body measured a full zhang in length, and even while on all fours, its shoulder reached the height of a grown man. Despite its clumsy gait, such a colossal beast moved with deceptive speed.
Hiding off to the side, Jin Chuan stared fixedly at the bear's immense bulk, barely daring to breathe. He was only ten-odd zhang away; if the bear caught his scent, it could close the distance in two lunges, leaving him nowhere to run.
The bear sniffed the ground, accelerating forward along the scent of blood. Before long, it spotted a bleeding, fattened pig. Judging by the creature's scent, the bear determined it posed no threat at all—it was nothing but a mass of fat that would surely taste delicious.
It lunged forward with sudden force. The moment its claws pressed down upon the black pig, the ground beneath its feet gave way, and it plummeted downward.
With a heavy thud, the bear dropped into a pit over a zhang deep. The bottom of the pit was lined with over a dozen short spears featuring wooden shafts and half-foot iron tips. The bear's massive body crashed onto these spears, puncturing several bloody holes in its flesh.
Agonizing pain drove the bear into a frenzied roar, its harsh, grating bellow tearing through the air.
"Could this thing be dead?"
Jin Chuan looked nervously toward Fang Boxiong. This Rank 6 Libationer of the Yin-Yang Dao had an emaciated, withered face, yet he was tall and wore broad black-and-white ritual robes. A faint emerald sheen flickered in his aged eyes, resembling a ravenous wolf.
They had gone to great lengths to lure the bear demon here. If the villagers resolved it just like that, Zhou Wuji might not come at all.
Fang Boxiong said calmly, "Though this bear demon is only Rank 7, its hide is thick and its flesh tough. It cannot be dealt with by a mere trap like this."
Before his voice had faded, several villagers came rushing up and hurled down jars of lamp oil. The coarse earthenware jars shattered upon landing, splashing oil everywhere. Two villagers tossed lit torches into the pit, and a sheet of roaring flames surged into the air.
Jin Chuan watched with mounting anxiety. A Rank 7 bear demon was still flesh and blood; burned like this, it would surely be reduced to ash...
Suddenly, a dark silhouette flashed, and the howling bear demon leapt clear out of the deep pit. Coated in oil, its entire body blazed with raging fire. The scorching agony drove the beast completely mad. Howling, it charged straight toward the gathered crowd.
The villagers holding wooden spears were terrified out of their wits. Several raised hunting bows and loosed arrows, but the shafts merely bounced harmlessly off its hide. Ordinary hunting bows were powerless against the bear's dense flesh.
The villagers armed with wooden spears retreated in panic. Seeing the flaming beast bear down upon them, they could only thrust their spears in blind desperation.
The bear ignored the thrusts entirely, plowing violently into the throng. As the spears jabbed into its body, the bear shook violently, expanding its fur and muscles outward; the wooden spears snapped or were thrown aside. The flames clinging to its coat were blasted outward by the violent concussion, scattering into countless sparks that extinguished the fire on its body. Channeling this explosive burst of power, it crashed through the villagers, shattering bones and snapping sinews as men went rolling across the ground.
In a single clash, more than half of the hunting party of twenty-odd grown men were killed or maimed. The survivors could only flee in frantic disarray.
Though watching from a distance, Jin Chuan could see clearly by the firelight. Witnessing the bear's sheer brutality, he was thoroughly shaken; this beast was far more formidable than he had imagined.
With the flames extinguished, the bear regained a shred of sanity. Seeing a mangled lump of flesh beneath its feet, it opened its jaws to bite down.
Just then, a thunderous shout boomed from the distance: "Die, monster!"
Before the shout could fade, a burst of fire shot like an arrow straight into the bear's face. Still sluggish from its wounds, the bear could only shut its eyes and lower its head to avoid the blast.
A figure tore through the air, the longsword in his hand striking like a bolt of lightning straight toward the beast.
Before the bear could react, the brilliant blade plunged through its eye and drove straight out the back of its skull. Powerful true qi surged from the steel, instantly obliterating the creature's brain.
The bear never even realized what had happened. Its massive frame swayed once, then crashed face-first to the ground, dead without another sound...
The flames within the pit continued to burn. In their light stood the newcomer, dressed in green Daoist robes and wearing a Xiaoyao cap. His broad sleeves fluttered in the breeze, lending him an air of effortless grace.
Jin Chuan was struck with shock. He had long heard of Zhou Wuji's renown, but this was his first time witnessing him wield a sword. To strike like sudden thunder with such terrifying might left Jin Chuan utterly awed.
Even Fang Boxiong could not help nodding. "Splendid swordplay!"
Then he sneered, "Yet what use is fine swordplay? For cultivators like us, what truly matters is cultivation and Daoist arts!"
Chapter 67