Heaven’s Shadow

Shaken by what had just happened before her eyes, Yi Xin’s heart was still pounding furiously. She had failed to catch Lu Chen’s words clearly so she asked softly, “Who is it that you said?”

However, because Lu Chen still had his hand covering her mouth, her words were muffled. Upon realizing this fact, Lu Chen released his grip.

Yi Xin heaved a sigh of relief and gasped for air. Glancing in the direction of the Bloodthirsty Demonic Flowers again, her face turned pale.

If Lu Chen had not stopped her previously; if they were the ones who had approached that crippled young hound and the bloodied flesh was thrown out at that moment… Yi Xin dared not think about the possible consequences.

“This place is too dangerous. Let’s go.” Yi Xin whispered to Lu Chen. Concurrently, in her mind, she solemnly vowed to never again visit such wretched lands so easily.

Lu Chen didn’t seem as though he intended to leave immediately, on the contrary. He stared coldly in the direction where the mysterious black figure disappeared, and over there, a dense forest could be seen, although it was a mystery where it led to.

“Let’s go. We’ll take a look.”

When Yi Xin heard the first half of Lu Chen’s words, visible relief appeared on her face. However, even before a smile could fully form, her enchanting features froze.

“Take, take a look at what?”, stuttered Yi Xin.

Lu Chen did not reply. Instead, he proceeded straight toward the forest that stood within the valley. Even though he looked calm on the surface, when Yi Xin observed him from the side, she realized that his eyes were particularly bright. He emanated an icy-cold aura which she had never felt from him before; it felt as though a razor-sharp blade was slowly drawn from its sheath, and the odor of blood was sent forth.

“A lone Barbarian who has left his tribe wandering in the Confounding Lands…” Very faintly, the words seemed to have been muttered from his mouth. It seemed as though he was speaking to himself, and yet again, it seemed to be a sneer.

Standing still on her spot, Yi Xin was confused and conflicted. From the savagery and bloodiness she had previously seen, the mysterious dark figure was clearly no kind person. Looking for him just like that would no doubt be extremely dangerous. Thus, she could not comprehend why Lu Chen, who had been prudent the whole time, would suddenly behave so unusually and insist on looking for that dark shadow.

Wouldn’t it be best to escape from here?

In any case, the both of them are uninjured, right?

However, when Yi Xin lifted her head to take a look, after her short hesitation, she realized that Lu Chen had already walked into the distance. Seeing how he was approaching the edge of the forest, fear overcame her once more. Due to her inexperience, the ordeals she had undergone since the last night had instilled in her a dread of the Confounding Lands. At this moment, Lu Chen was her most trusted and reliable support. Thus, she could not help but called out, “Brother Lu, wait for me.” Then, she rushed forward to catch up with him.

※※※

Upon entering the forest, Yi Xin instantaneously noticed the surrounding brightness diminishing. The temperature had also dipped slightly. On additional deliberation, she concluded that it was likely due to the densely congregated tree leaves above her. There were numerous small shrubs, and the fallen leaves that had accumulated on the forest floor over innumerable years felt soft to the feet. The smell of trees and decomposed leaves lingered in the air.

Without much effort, Lu Chen found a hidden path and proceeded on it.

The path was strange, disappearing abruptly from time to time, but Lu Chen seemed to possess mysterious abilities. At such times, he would meticulously scan the surroundings and discover some traces in an inconspicuous corner, and then continue forward on the path.

Some of these traces and pieces of evidence included the faint smell of blood that blotted leaves, the newly-fallen leaves, as well as footprints that were so faint that they were almost indiscernible. Even so, Lu Chen managed to detect everything.

Following behind Lu Chen, Yi Xin’s eyes were filled with shock and dismay. From a young age, all she had done was to immerse herself in cultivation and cultivation was all she knew. The most she had experienced were sparring matches with her seniors and juniors. She had never witnessed such amazing capabilities.

Looking at the figure before her, she felt terrified all of a sudden. What if… What if one day, she became this man’s prey, surely there would be no chance of escape, right?

She sensed that the man before her, Lu Chen, had lived in a world completely different from what she knew, and that vile world, which in all the time before she had visited the Confounding Lands, was a world she never knew of.

Lu Chen’s movements were adept and efficient and, at times, his display seemed uncanny. Lu Chen dredged up traces swiftly as if he knew of their locations beforehand, even ones that Yi Xin could not believe was possible to detect. Moreover, he seemed to be well aware of the habits of the black shadow before him…

Around an hour later, Lu Chen suddenly halted his footsteps, stopping Yi Xin as well.

Amidst the dense greenery around them, a half mu wide clearing appeared before them. A towering boulder before them unexpectedly turned out to be an opening to a steep slope, and a cave could be seen beneath the boulder.

(1 mu = 666m^2 = approximately 26m * 26m)

The ground before the cave was a mess. Numerous objects that seemed to be trash were scattered all over, such as charred rocks, broken twigs, and bones of differing sizes. At a rough glance, most of these bones came from the smaller beasts.

Hng he… Hng… Hng…

A bizarre noise echoed from within the cave, and it sounded like heavy panting. In no time, a figure walked out and it was the same mysterious man from before at the Bloodthirsty Demonic Flower River Valley.

At proximity, Lu Chen and Yi Xin could discern his features more clearly. Quickly, they realized that the ‘man’ seemed to be an elder. Aside from his emaciated appearance, his gait resembled an old man that possessed difficulties breathing.

Even so, this didn’t diminish the savage image of that strange man. As he emerged from the cave, he was still carrying the panther’s bloodied limb. The man walked directly to a rock and sat down, immediately beginning to chew.

Fresh blood trickled down the edges of his mouth, and he looked like a wild beast.

Yi Xin quivered. She could only feel overwhelming disgust at the sight and, becoming nauseated, almost threw up. It was fortunate that she knew it wasn’t the right moment and forced herself to calm down. Even so, she dared not to look at the Barbarian any longer. She cowered backward and just as she was about to communicate to Lu Chen that they should avoid trouble and just leave, her body froze abruptly.

Unknowingly, Lu Chen had already disappeared from beside her.

Yi Xin was appalled. She turned her head to look in all directions, and a moment later, discovered Lu Chen proceeding along the edges of the shrubbery near the cave. He was behind the strange man’ and was slowly getting closer.

The distance between the duo was at present a mere few zhang.

(1 zhang = 3.33m)

Watching closely, Yi Xin suddenly felt her heart beat furiously. She was so nervous that even her breathing had halted. Conversely, the surroundings of the cave were completely silent and peaceful, except for the peculiar man who was chewing on the bloodied flesh like a wild beast.

But right amidst the silence, abruptly, the desolate howl of a hound from within the cave tore apart the tranquility.

…  

==

Lu Chen, who was creeping forward slowly, froze his movements abruptly and paused on the spot. On the other hand, Yi Xin, who hid further to the rear, felt her mind turn blank. Her heart was beating so rapidly that it felt as though it was about to explode.

As for the peculiar man, who was gnawing voraciously on the panther’s limb, he stopped abruptly and raised his head. Without turning back to look, he roared, “Darned dog, shut up!” After which, he tore another mouthful of the bloodied flesh he held in his hand savagely, and with a muffled voice, he bellowed, “Count yourself lucky today! Even though I failed to capture that woman, a yellow panther came to court its own death. After I’m done eating this panther leg, if you again fail to catch me any prey, I’ll gobble you up as well!”

The howling in the cave gradually subsided. It was hard to tell whether it was because the young hound was frightened by the Barbarian’s words or that its severe injuries had sapped its strength.

The strange man sneered coldly, but after consuming a huge amount of meat, his spirits seemed to have lifted. Despite his decrepit appearance, the greed and savagery in his eyes deepened as he muttered to himself, “Damn it! If I had captured that woman today, I would be able to…”

“Be able to do what?” Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from his back.

The strange man was taken aback, nearly tossing the panther’s limb in his grasp. He swiftly turned his head and saw that a man was already standing behind him without him realizing it. Furthermore, his appearance was oddly familiar; it was the man whom he had previously spied on from the shadows during the day.

“AHH…” The mysterious old man released an immeasurably ferocious roar, leaping up and immediately throwing the panther’s leg toward Lu Chen, as though a weapon. In that instant, he sounded like an agitated wild beast.

However, halfway through his leap, he felt an abrupt, cold sensation at his waist. Following right away, an excruciating pain suddenly spread through his body. The strange man released a heart-wrenching yell of agony. Lowering his head to take a look, he noticed a black dagger that had pierced into his back waist and recognized that his leap had tugged on the dagger, ripping a massive glaring wound through him.

Crimson blood spurted in a jet as though a blood fountain, but it didn’t take long for the waterworks to die down. It seemed that the decrepit body no longer held as much blood as before.

The strange man staggered backward while releasing furious howls. However, his brittle and decrepit body seemed unable to withstand such heavy wounds. It didn’t take long for him to crash onto the ground. He struggled while panting heavily. At the same time, he glared viciously at the man who had appeared out of nowhere.

Yi Xin ran over from the side, and for an instance, her eyes met the strange man’s fearsome gaze. Frightened by the brutality projected by his eyes, her face paled, not daring to look at that beast-like man for another second. She swiftly ran to Lu Chen’s side and asked, “Are, are you alright?”

Lu Chen glanced at her and shook his head. He then pointed at the savage strange man and spoke, “The trap at the valley was targeted at us.”

Hearing those words, Yi Xin’s heart leaped, and she was at a loss for words.

Lu Chen sneered chillingly, and with the black dagger in his hands grabbed tightly, he walked leisurely toward the strange man and squatted down.

That strange man shrank backward subconsciously. Even so, he continued to glare at Lu Chen with his savage eyes. If looks could kill, Lu Chen might have been murdered countless times in the cruelest methods possible.

Nevertheless, Lu Chen seemed completely impervious. A sliver of disgust appeared on his face as he said, “You had better remain obedient.”

The mysterious man’s face was fully stained with blood and he looked exceptionally vicious and terrifying. On hearing Lu Chen’s words, he smirked cruelly and cursed, “Scram! I will eat you… AHH!”

A bone-chilling scream let loose from his mouth once again and Yi Xin, who was standing nearby, almost jumped in fright. She glanced over, only to see Lu Chen’s poker face, as he seemed completely unmoved by the strange man’s plight. The black dagger that he held within his hand was already stabbed into the strange man’s thigh. Then, after some twisting it, a huge wound was torn.

The strange man howled in agony. Tumbling about on the ground, his voice gradually weakened.

Even so, it sent a chill down Yi Xin’s spine. Unable to tolerate the sight, she walked over and tugged on Lu Chen’s sleeves gently, whispering, “Lu, Brother Lu, don’t act like this…”

Lu Chen turned his head to look at her and spoke suddenly, “Do you know who he is?”

Under Lu Chen’s gaze, Yi Xin felt uneasy. For some reason, even though she could sense that Lu Chen didn’t bear any hostility toward her, deep within, she feared him instinctively. In fact, her fear for Lu Chen seemed to surpass even that for the ferocious strange man.

She lowered her head and answered softly, “I don’t know.”

“He is a barbarian.” Lu Chen’s words rang by her ear. A tinge of coldness could be heard within his tranquil voice.

Yi Xin was taken aback. “Barbarian? Weren’t the Barbarians sent back to the Southern Barren Plains after they lost the war a thousand years ago?”

Lu Chen eyed the decrepit Barbarian, who was still pitifully howling on the ground and said, “Most of the Barbarian Tribes had retreated, but the war a thousand years ago was too intense. In fact, there were passageways and terrains that were destroyed by the powerful zhenjuns and zhenrens. Thus, there are still a group of Barbarians who remained within the Confounding Lands.”

This was the first time Yi Xin had heard of this matter. Startled by the news, she remained silent for a moment before exclaiming, “So that’s the case. I’ve never heard of Barbarian Tribes residing in the Confounding Lands.”

Lu Chen replied, “These remnants of the Barbarians mainly lived in tribes in the depths of the Confounding Lands, rarely visiting the outer perimeter, and thus, it isn’t surprising that you have never heard of them.”

Yi Xin hesitated for a moment before asking, “I’ve heard that the deeper one proceeds into the Confounding Lands, the more dangerous it is. If that’s so, why don’t the Barbarian Tribes live in the outer perimeter? Wouldn’t it be easier for them to live this way?”

Lu Chen commented impassively, “In the eyes of the Barbarian Tribes, we, human cultivators, are even more fearsome enemies than the demonic beasts in the Confounding Lands.”

Yi Xin was astounded by Lu Chen’s words and subconsciously desired to refute him. In her impression, there were good and bad cultivators, but rarely were there those who slaughtered others without giving a second thought. To be more exact, in her entire lifetime of cultivation, she had never seen such a cultivator.

But when those words reached the tip of her tongue, she glanced at the man before her and swallowed them back down. Lowering her head, she asked, “If they’re gathered in tribes, why is he alone? Furthermore, why did he escape to the outer perimeter, where human cultivators flock?”

“The depths of the Confounding Lands are treacherous. Even though the Barbarians have gathered in tribes, survival is still no easy task. Thus, a custom slowly developed. The older members of the tribe, whose bodily functions had deteriorated and could no longer hunt in the middle region of the Confounding Lands, would have to leave the tribe and survive on their own.”

With her mouth wide open, and Yi Xin felt her body turning cold. She could almost visualize a cold frost before her, and it was as though the beautiful world she knew had been flipped upside down, revealing the coldness and brutality that hid beneath.

On the contrary, Lu Chen continued with his impassive voice, “This should be the case with this Barbarian. Due to his deteriorating body, he can no longer remain in the treacherous lands of the middle region. As such, he can only slowly migrate outward, building his encampment at this valley located in the outer perimeter. On one hand, he was waiting for death, on the other, he was bringing harm to humans.”

As Lu Chen spoke, he glanced at Yi Xin and saw the expressions that flickered through her face. He continued, “You’ve also heard what he said. That trap was intended for you. Then, do you want to know what would happen if you were indeed caught by him?”

Yi Xin stared blankly into Lu Chen’s eyes which were serene but felt like a bottomless abyss. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she felt a chilling sensation permeate through the bones of her entire body, as though she had fallen into an icy cavern.

==

“What will happen?” Yi Xin asked with a hushed voice.

Staring at her face, Lu Chen said slowly, “If you were to fall into his trap and be caught alive, after you’ve been rendered powerless, he would first rape you. Then, he will chop your body into pieces and pieces of bloodied flesh before chewing on them slowly.” At which, Lu Chen pointed to the bloodied panther leg on the ground and said emotionlessly, “Just like that thing.”

Owehhh!

Looking at the panther leg, Yi Xin could no longer hold herself back. Trembling heavily, she charged into the bushes, bent down, and retched. Her face was as pale as a sheet.

Lu Chen observed her quietly, not consoling her in the least. However, he didn’t continue elaborating with those cold words of his.

After some time, Yi Xin seemed to have gradually calmed down. While still gasping, she straightened her body and slowly walked back. She no longer dared to look at the dirty, savage, decrepit Barbarian and the panther leg. She fearfully walked to Lu Chen’s side, hesitated for a moment before asking with a hushed tone, “Brother Lu, let’s, let’s go…”

“Alright!”

To Yi Xin’s surprise, Lu Chen agreed to her request readily this time. After which, she saw Lu Chen turn around and stroll toward the Barbarian who was on the ground, moaning pitifully.

Neither did he raise his volume nor were there any killing intent that could be felt from him. In fact, his expression had remained completely indifferent. Yet, Yi Xin felt the surrounding temperature dip. The elderly Barbarian seemed to have realized something as well. He wailed, cursed, and struggled to back away, dragging behind him a terrifying trail of blood.

But his efforts were futile. Lu Chen, nevertheless, swiftly walked to him And to Yi Xin’s horror, he lifted the black dagger and stabbed the Barbarian elder!

The blade, that was sharp beyond comparison, pierced through his flesh and blood instantaneously and stabbed his heart.

The elderly Barbarian’s body stiffened and curled together as he screamed a string of bizarre but indistinct words. A moment later, that dirty and savage head fell to the ground, his body frozen, and his breathing ceased.

Lu Chen retrieved his dagger and went back to Yi Xin. He was expressionless, as though he had simply completed an insignificant task. Facing Yi Xin, he said, “We can leave now.”

Yi Xin nodded her head blankly. As she watched Lu Chen walk down the slope, an impulse overwhelmed her all of a sudden and she asked, “Brother Lu, do… do you have a grudge with these Barbarians?”

Lu Chen’s paused in his steps abruptly. After a short moment, he replied without turning around, “I guess you can say that I have a grudge with them. But it isn’t to the point that I have to kill them on sight. However, if anyone were to try to kill me, I won’t simply let it go.”

※※※

Yi Xin went silent. A complex expression appeared on her face. Everything that happened before her eyes, and this was including Lu Chen, was completely different from that simple and innocent life she had been living in the past. These events exceeded her understanding. To say, if the one who had rescued her yesterday was a courageous and upright person, then he seemed to be a different man today.

“Let’s go.”

From ahead, Lu Chen shouted. Jolted out of her thoughts, Yi Xin answered and hurried forward. Yet, just as she walked past the cave toward the slope and had prepared to leave this place alongside Lu Chen, wailing echoed from within the cave suddenly. Then, a small body climbed from within the cave with great difficulty.

It was the young hound that possessed black fur but with a white stripe down its back. Its right hind leg drooped limply on the ground, and it seemed to be broken. Its entire body was dirty and messy, and it seemed to be in a wretched state.

The young hound struggled out of its cave, expending the very last bit of its energy, demonstrating its will to live, regardless of the cost. It called out to Yi Xin weakly.

“Wang, wang… Wang…”

Yi Xin stopped in her track, sympathy emerging on her face.

Yi Xin was surprised by her own compassion here. In the past, she has had seen plenty of pitiful wild dogs and cats when passing through a few other towns, but this time, she could not hold herself back. Perhaps it was a result of witnessing excessive slaughter and bloodshed, which she had never experienced in her life until today, and this heavy burden which weighed down on her gave her breathing difficulties.

Or perhaps, this was just her innocent and soft-hearted nature.

Thus, she turned around and walked toward the young hound, causing Lu Chen, who was at the front, to stop and frown.

Yi Xin squatted beside the young black puppy. Examining it carefully, she realized that the condition of the hound was worse than she had initially imagined.

Other than that fracture on its leg, there were more than a dozen of scars and lacerations. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he was a mass of bruises. Some of the flesh surrounding the wounds were even decomposing, emitting a revolting stench. It was hard to imagine what kind of torture this young hound had suffered in the past few days in the savage Barbarian’s captivity.

“Let’s save it!” Yi Xin turned around and shouted to Lu Chen.

Lu Chen shook his head impassively.

Gritting her teeth, Yi Xin slowly stood up and the young black hound whimpered while staring at her intently.

Yi Xin’s countenance changed abruptly, as all the life and death situations that she had gone through from the previous night up till now flashed in her mind. The extreme gore in those visions triggered in her a feeling of nausea. Perhaps it was due to courage, or maybe it was because of the resentment that she had been repressing within her heart bursting forth of a sudden, Yi Xin stomped her leg, pulled out a piece of cloth, and wrapped up the black puppy. Then with great difficulty, she carried it with a single hand and walked toward Lu Chen with a lowered head.

When she hurried past him, she did not dare to look at Lu Chen’s face. Even so, she paused midstep, and with a soft, quivering but extraordinarily resolute voice, she said, “I, I want to save it!”

After finishing her words, she ran forward with big steps immediately. Lu Chen was astounded by her actions. As he stared at the girl’s back view, a rare, dumbfounded expression appeared on his face.

“This woman, what exactly is her head filled with…” He muttered, shaking his head before following her.

Barely taking two steps, a scream suddenly resounded from ahead, catching Lu Chen by surprise. Lifting his gaze, he saw Yi Xin trip on a shrub because of her hurried movements and she fell flatly onto the ground, sprawled. At the same time, the young hound was also sent flying. Putong, it fell into a nearby bush. Sounds of pained wailing and exclamations in shock began to echo in the air.

Looking up into the sky, Lu Chen sighed helplessly. Then, he walked over to help Yi Xin up.

With a reddened face, Yi Xin avoided his gaze, and keeping her head lowered, she patted the dirt off her clothes before wanting to rush over to pick up the young hound.

Yet, before she could get away, she was pulled by Lu Chen to one side. Yi Xin panicked immediately, “Don’t stop me! I, I want to save…”

“Shut up!” Lu Chen bellowed at her impatiently. Then, he proceeded to pick up the young black puppy. He glared at Yi Xin and said, “Cut the nonsense, let’s go.”

Yi Xin said sheepishly, “You…”

Lu Chen harrumphed. Ignoring her, he started walking ahead with the young black hound in his arms. At the same time, he said, “I had spent so much effort to reattach that arm of yours, so don’t go fracturing it for ridiculous reasons! How troublesome.”

Yi Xin’s mouth widened for a moment. Staring at the back of that man, the corners of her lips curled up, expressing her delight.

“Hey, what are you daydreaming about!” From the front, Lu Chen turned around and yelled.

Taken aback, Yi Xin quickly ran forward to catch up with him as she replied, “I’m coming, I’m coming!”. With Yi Xin walking closely behind Lu Chen, the duo trod toward the forest’s exit.

==

The duo walked straight out of the forest and was back in the valley once again.

Under sunlight, the group of Bloodthirsty Demonic Flowers was as beautiful as ever. On the other hand, nothing was left of the yellow panther, except for a trail of blood stain that remained on the ground.

Lu Chen and Yi Xin made their way out of the valley at once. A place inhabited by large groups of ravenous demonic flowers wasn’t somewhere one would find welcoming.

Upon their exit, Lu Chen found a flat and safe ground alongside the river and placed the young hound down. Then, he beckoned Yi Xin over and meticulously checked her wounded arm before nodding his head, “Good, at least your bones are still in place.” As he spoke, relief appeared on his face. Just that, it was hard to actually tell whether he worried about Yi Xin or instead, the results of his treatment.

After saying his words, Lu Chen paid her no more heed and walked to the side.

Glancing at him, Yi Xin was initially tempted to say something, but she suppressed her words. With difficult, she moved to the young black hound and sat beside it.

The young black hound lifted its head and looked at her.

Speaking of which, it felt bizarre. Even though the young hound was covered in wounds and emitted a repugnant odor, with even its fur tangled together making it look hideous, its eyes were clear and bright.

Perhaps, that was the only beauty left on it.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Yi Xin said softly, “Let me help you. Er… Don’t bite me, okay?”

The young black hound continued its stare for another moment before calling out ‘wang’. It was hard to tell whether it was consenting to the matter or not.

Yi Xin fumbled through her belongings and quickly, she whipped out a silk handkerchief. Arduously, using just her remaining uninjured hand, she wiped dirt off from the young hound’s body and cleaned its glaring wounds.

Perhaps, due to it sensing kindness from the young lady, the black puppy didn’t avoid her touch or struggle. It sat obediently on the spot, not moving at all.

Lu Chen observed the situation from afar impassively.

Given Yi Xin’s clumsy movements, it was clear that she had never performed such tasks in the past. Furthermore, the wounds were too many and too severe, so it didn’t take much time before she accidentally contacted its wounds. Instantly, the young puppy’s body quivered and it whimpered in pain.

Yi Xin’s hands trembled in response, quickly appeasing it softly, “Sorry, sorry. I’ll be lighter…”

“Wang wang wang wang…” Before she could finish her words, the young black hound whimpered once more. Yi Xin had avoided a wound, only to press on another one. The excruciating pain caused it to shudder intensely.

Repeating just like that, the tranquil riverside was suddenly filled with the pained and helpless call of a hound. On the other hand, the young lady was also sweating profusely. Her only functional hand was moving the handkerchief around the young hound’s body, but her movements were stiff. Eventually, she didn’t even dare to press down anymore. Tears rippled in her eyes, and she was about to cry from panic.

“Hey!”

A familiar voice shot behind her and Yi Xin bounced in shock. Without her knowing, Lu Chen was already standing behind her with a helpless expression on his face. Slapping his forehead lightly, he said, “Step aside.”

Yi Xin was stunned, asking “What are you going to do?”

Lu Chen glared at her impatiently and said, “Even though I didn’t intend to save the dog, I can’t just say watching by the side as you kill it inflicting such excruciating pain.”

Yi Xin fell speechless. Her face turned so red that it seemed it was about to be set ablaze. She stepped backward hurriedly, granting Lu Chen space as she muttered softly, “I, I didn’t do it intentionally…”

Ignoring her completely, Lu Chen squatted down and glanced at the young puppy. He examined the wounds on its body before feeling its broken leg. Slowly, his eyebrows knitted tightly together.

Yi Xin stared attentively at him by the sight. Noticing the grim look on his face, her heart sank. She hurriedly asked, “Brother Lu, how is it, is the dog going to be alright?”

Lu Chen did not reply her. After a moment of contemplation, he eyed the young hound once more before saying emotionlessly, “If you wish to live, you behave obediently.”

The young black hound was obviously feeling much more anxious facing Lu Chen. Its entire body was stiffened and it let out a few low growls. It was hard to tell whether it had understood Lu Chen’s words.

With a flick of his wrist, a black dagger appeared in Lu Chen’s hands. He immediately sent it straight toward the young black hound.

Standing by the side, Yi Xin exclaimed in shock. Her body instinctively stepped forward. The young black hound barked as well; lying on the ground, it seemed to in extremely fright. Despair reflected in its eyes.

But within a split second, a pile of black fur fell from the young hound’s body, drifting down toward the ground slowly. It turned out that Lu Chen’s had only cut the fur of the young hound with the wave of his dagger. Then, he repeated the same motion fluidly over and over, trimming the young hound’s fur.

Throughout, due to tangled fur and the massive amount of injuries all over the body, it was impossible for Lu Chen to avoid the wounds altogether. Thus, the young hound yelled in pain. Even so, Lu Chen was unmoved.

Furthermore, appearing tamed by the sharp killing intent emanated by the black dagger, even though the young hound was in great pain, it forced itself to remain motionless on the spot.

It didn’t take long for all of the fur on the young hound to be shaved.

All of the sudden, the young black hound was completely bald. Its hairless form looked hideous and hilarious, but also clearly displayed the wounds scattered all over the young hound’s body, and it was terrifying to the sight.

Lu Chen didn’t stop after just completing the shave. He first began to clean all of the wounds on the young hound. Those which had formed scars were ignored, but for fresh wounds, he first poured a bit of medicinal powder before wrapping them up with a cloth. After that, he proceeded on to deal with the decomposing wounds. He hesitated for a moment before stretching out his hand to stabilize the black puppy’s body. Glancing at its face, he said impassively, “Bear with it!”

The bald young hound stared at Lu Chen blankly. However, upon seeing the black dagger again, its body convulsed intensely all of a sudden.

Under Yi Xin’s astounded gaze, Lu Chen stabbed the dagger into the decomposed and putrid flesh near the wound, twisted it, and tore the rotten flesh out, throwing it to the side.

The young hound howled in incomparable agony, and it sounded heart-wrenching. Its entire body was trembling uncontrollably, but surprisingly, even though it was clearly in great pain, it had managed to lie on the ground without a single movement.

The young hound was actually bearing with the intense pain!

Lu Chen seemed to be surprised as well. He turned his head to look at it and a sliver of admiration appeared faintly in his gaze.

==

Even though he was astonished by the black puppy’s tolerance, Lu Chen’s hands didn’t stop. The black dagger continued to fly about the young hound’s body, and it didn’t take long for another three pieces of rotten meat to be removed. Fresh blood spilled all over the ground.

Then, with abnormal proficiency, Lu Chen whipped out a few bizarre medicinal powder and sprinkled them on the young hound’s wounds. The flow of blood swiftly stopped, and Lu Chen used a white cloth to bandage the wounds.

After this was done, the young hound appeared to be on the verge of death. Devoid of any strength, it panted heavily in pain with its head resting on the ground. On the other hand, Yi Xin’s face paled after witnessing the gruesome sight of the treatment.

Even so, seeing that the wounds had been wrapped neatly with a white cloth, Yi Xin heaved a sigh of relief. Gently, she said, “Thank you, Brother Lu.”

Lu Chen glanced at her before saying, “It’s not over yet.”

“Ah?” Yi Xin was taken aback. “What else is there?”

Lu Chen quietly turned around, speechless, and pointed to the back leg.

Its leg was still broken.

For a moment, Yi Xin was at a loss for words.

It was fortunate that Lu Chen didn’t elaborate further. Just like how he treated Yi Xin earlier this morning, he went into the forest to obtain a wooden stick. Taking opportunity of this temporary lapse, Yi Xin squatted by the young hound and whispered to it gently, “Little dog, don’t be afraid. Brother Lu is an incredible person. He will treat all of your wounds…”

“His leg is different from your hand.” Lu Chen’s voice suddenly sounded by her ear. Yi Xin raised her head to look at him, only to see a wooden stick in his hand as he squatted down once again. With an impassive voice, he said, “Even though your hand is fractured, it was reattached quickly along with medicine to facilitate its recovery. Without complications, it should recover completely in at most one or two months. However, the hound’s leg is different. His leg has remained broken for way too long.”

“Ah? Then what will happen to it?” Yi Xin asked anxiously.

Lu Chen contemplated before replying, “It may be possible to reattach it, but it will not return to how it was formerly. At the very best, he would become a lame dog.”

“A lame dog…” Yi Xin repeated Lu Chen’s words blankly.

In contrast, Lu Chen had already grabbed the puppy’s broken leg. He first checked on the wounds before cleaning it. Then, he lined the bones carefully, applying some medicine before using a white cloth to fix its leg tightly onto the wooden stick.

Finally, the operation to save the hound had come to an end. At this moment, the formerly black puppy had turned bald, and numerous white cloths were wrapped around its body. On top of that, a wooden stick was tied to its back leg. The sight of it was as hilarious as it could be, but compared to how it was back in the Barbarian’s cave, it was in a much better state.

※※※

The entire matter had delayed their journey significantly. Thus, they didn’t manage to make a great distance on this day. After barely walking a few li away from the valley, the sky darkened.

(1 li = 500m)

The usual practice in the Confounding Lands was to avoid lighting a fire during the night. Lu Chen and Yi Xin did not choose to settle at the flat lands by the river. According to Lu Chen, when night falls, it was likely that some demonic beasts come to the river for a drink. If so, staying there would spell doom for them.

Naturally, Yi Xin trusted Lu Chen’s words fully. Thus, the two of them searched for a towering tree and climbed it carrying the young hound.

Soon, the entire sky had turned pitch black. Leaning against the tree trunk, Yi Xin hugged the bandaged puppy in her warm embrace, comforting it silently as though comforting a child.

Her voice was soft and gentle, and it felt like the whisperings of the forest, as well as the warm breeze of spring.

“… Don’t be afraid, we’ve already saved you. Naturally, we won’t dump you aside. At the very least, we’ll be with you until you recover from your injuries. When that time comes, I’ll set you free…”

“You setting it free would spell death for it.” Sitting on the other side of the branch, Lu Chen spoke suddenly.

Surprised, Yi Xin asked, “Why?”

Lu Chen lifted his head to look at the gloomy night sky. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Didn’t you ask me why there’s no need to save such a dog?”

“Indeed.”

“This dog is a hybrid, and its bloodline originates from the Snow Wolf and the Black Jackal. The Snow Wolf is a proud and powerful high-tier demonic beast and they often operate independently. During mating seasons, male Snow Wolves will rape the weaker Black Jackals casually when they are unable to find a mate, but there’s no way they will bother about their child. On the other hand, the Black Jackals are a species of savage and reclusive demonic beasts. They pay particular importance to the purity of their bloodline. If a hybrid such as this were to appear before the Black Jackals, they would not hesitate to pounce on it and tear it into pieces. This is also the reason why hybrids rarely survive to adulthood. Most of them are bitten to death at their time of birth.”

Yi Xin lowered her head in silence. The young hound in her embrace whimpered, seemingly to complain about its tragic fate.

※※※

There was no longer any point in pursuing why the unlucky young hound was able to avoid the fate of being bitten to death on its birth and how it had landed in the hands of the Barbarian elder.

Nevertheless, the following days were peaceful. Lu Chen led Yi Xin and the young hound around the Confounding Lands, and the group had not encountered any major troubles. About five days later, they finally arrived at the Leaping Tiger Gorge.

Thinking about it, they had just traveled one big round to return back here. However, when they entered the Confounding Lands, there were four of them, but upon their return, only two remained. Yi Xin couldn’t help but feel depressed.

On the other hand, after this five days, the unfortunate young hound seemed to have grown resilient in the face of its tragic fate. Its more severe wounds swiftly recovered and a few days later, it was able to run about the ground once more.

However, just as Lu Chen had predicted, its leg seemed to be permanently crippled. When it ran, it had to limp, making its movement seem exceptionally awkward and ungraceful. Besides, strangely after the young hound had regained its freedom of mobility, Lu Chen and Yi Xin had not kept it by their side forcefully, but the young hound followed them obediently. There weren’t signs of any intentions to escaping secretly, and just like that, it followed them to all the way here.

Entering the Leaping Tiger Gorge, Lu Chen glanced at the young hound and noticed it limping around the place curiously but could not be bothered about it. Then, he looked at the surroundings before turning around to Yi Xin. “After crossing this line, you will be out of the Confounding Lands. Let’s part ways here.”

Yi Xin’s footsteps stopped. Hesitating for a moment, she turned to Lu Chen and gratitude showed on her face. “Brother Lu, I… I am truly thankful to you.”

Lu Chen smiled, “There’s no need to be so courteous, it’s not a big deal.”

Yi Xin shook her head and sighed, “It’s not like that. I know that I am quite clumsy and I have brought you much trouble along the way. Brother Lu, I won’t say anything else, but if you have the chance, come to Kunlun Mountain to look for me. I will…”

“Un?” Lu Chen was stunned. He stopped in his tracks to look at Yi Xin, and an astonished expression showed, “What? You’re a disciple from Kunlun Sect?”

==

Upon hearing those words, Yi Xin’s face reddened, “Wu… Actually, I can’t be considered to be one yet. However, I should be able to become an official disciple soon.”

Hearing those words, Lu Chen became curious so he inquired further. It turned out that despite Yi Xin’s weakness, she came from quite an exceptional background. She was born to the Yi Clan of Kunwu City, which was located at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, and the Yi Clan had close ties with Kunlun Sect. As such, over the years, many of their clan members had been admitted into Kunlun Sect.

When Yi Xin was younger, her talent caught the attention of a powerful Jindan realm cultivator. As such, he liaised with the Yi Clan, prepared to accept her as his disciple.

However, the Jindan cultivator subsequently met with a mishap and was injured so severely, he was forced to enter seclusion to recuperate for a full decade. As such, formalities to accept Yi Xin into the sect had been delayed. However, everyone in the Kunlun Sect was aware of the matter, and the Yi Clan did not attempt to conceal the fact as well. Thus, regardless of whether it was the Kunlun Sect or Kunwu City, everyone had already considered Yi Xin as a fellow member of the sect.

And this included the other two whom Yi Xin was traveling with. They were, in fact, official disciples of Kunlun Sect, and the reasons why they brought Yi Xin along with them to the Confounding Lands for their mission to harvest Dusk Mist Flower was firstly, to get close to Yi Xin, and secondly, to fawn on the Jindan cultivator, who was about to recover fully from his wounds.

“Congratulations, congratulations.” Lu Chen smiled.

Responding with a smile of her own, Yi Xin nodded. Looking at Lu Chen now, the warm and gentle smile on his face made him seem harmless. It was just as though the killing intent he displayed in the Confounding Lands occasionally was a mere illusion.

For an instant, Yi Xin fell into a daze. In her mind, two polar illusions of Lu Chen appeared. One was the man who smiled gently amidst the warm glow of the sun whereas the other was a demon who hid within the shadows, slaughtering others coldly.

But these thoughts were pointless at this moment. Shaking her head, Yi Xin dumped these useless thoughts before biding Lu Chen farewell. Then, she beckoned to the young hound and smiled, “Ah Tu, come here. I’ll bring you home.”

Ah Tu was the name they had given to the young hound. Originally, Lu Chen had casually come up with worse names for the dog, such as ‘Black Woof’, ‘Flower’, ‘Baldy’… He reasoned that it was just a matter of time before the dog left, so there was no point wasting one’s effort on naming it.

In any case, Yi Xin found the dog pitiful, so she bucked up her courage to speak against Lu Chen. She refuted the awful names Lu Chen came up with one after another and eventually, they reluctantly came to a compromise to use a homophone for ‘bald’ and called it Ah Tu.

Even though it sounded cloddish, at the very least, there was the element of ‘earth’ and it didn’t sound too awful. Just that, it sounded to be the name of a dog raised by a rural countryside farmer. However, Ah Tu’s current appearance, putting aside how its entire body was bald, it was wrapped in a huge pile of cloth, and accompanied with its limping movements, the word ‘dashing’ really wasn’t apt for it. Its appearance might not even be able to match up to a typical domesticated dog.

Ah Tu… Let it be Ah Tu then. That was probably what Yi Xin thought helplessly back then.

In any case, ever since they left the valley in the Confounding Lands right up to this moment, Ah Tu had accompanied them for quite some time. As such, Yi Xin had grown fond of Ah Tu. Speaking of which, she was raised in the Yi Clan and even though her living environment was superb, her family had a strict regime. As such, she never got to raise cats or dogs. Thus, she truly fell in love with the obedient Ah Tu in the past few days.

Lu Chen glanced at Yi Xin in astonishment as he spoke, “You want to… bring it back with you to raise it?”

“Yes.” Yi Xin replied happily. “Ah Tu is also a pitiful soul. Look at how severe its wounds are.”

Lu Chen glanced at Ah Tu. On the day they found it, its wounds were indeed severe. However, it possessed the bloodline of a demonic beast, granting it outstanding recovery abilities. In the short span of a few days, its wounds had recovered tremendously. Especially, even the wound on its broken leg had recovered almost fully. Even though the limping problem couldn’t be solved, Ah Tu was already managing to barely run without the wooden stick, although with increased exertion.

In comparison, a wooden stick was still firmly attached to Yi Xin’s arm.

Lu Chen shrugged and replied, “If you wish to raise it, feel free to do so.”

“Ah Tu, come here.” Yi Xin beckoned the young hound once more with a smile.

Ah Tu ran obediently to her side while wagging its tail. Yi Xin squatted down and patted Ah Tu’s bald head with excessive affection. Then, she said, “Ah Tu, bid Brother Lu farewell. We’ll be returning home.”

Wang wang, Ah Tu stared at Yi Xin with its exceptionally bright eyes, tilting its head before barking twice.

Yi Xin burst into laughter and pointed at Lu Chen, “It’s Brother Lu whom you should be bidding farewell to. We’ll be leaving in a while.”

Ah Tu blinked its eyes. It glanced at Yi Xin before turning its head to look at Lu Chen. Then, it barked at Yi Xin once more before rushing to Lu Chen’s side, nestling up beside him.

“Hm?”

Lu Chen and Yi Xin were taken aback. Ah Tu’s actions were clearly not one of bidding Lu Chen goodbye. After a moment, Lu Chen seemed to have thought of something and frowned. On the other hand, Yi Xin ran over, stretched her hand to grab Ah Tu while saying, “Ah Tu, you sure are silly. I am saying that…”

Before she could finish her words, the young hound retreated, avoiding Yi Xin’s hand. Then, it dashed behind Lu Chen’s body to hide.

This time, its intentions couldn’t be any clearer. Yi Xin stood up in shock. After a moment, she suddenly felt infuriated, “Hey! Stinky Ah Tu, are you mistaken? In the past few days. I am the one who has been feeding you and hugging you to sleep. The one who usually plays with you is also me, but now, you are choosing Brother Lu over me?”

Ah Tu’s bald head popped out from in between Lu Chen’s legs carefully before barking twice, seemingly admitting to the matter.

Lu Chen rolled his eyes.

Ah Tu licked Lu Chen’s legs while wagging its tail, fawning on him.

Yi Xin grabbed her forehead in distress. She pointed to Ah Tu and bellowed, “You, you, you…”

Lu Chen coughed, “Ahem… I have roughly guessed the reason behind its actions.”

“What is it?” Yi Xin immediately asked.

“Since countless ages before, the Confounding Lands has been a treacherous land where the strong preyed on the weak. The countless lifeforms, including demonic beasts, are already used this set of rules. Thus, during their weaker stages, if they’re given a choice, they will choose to follow the strong…” Nearing the end of his words, Lu Chen glanced at Yi Xin and chuckled, not saying anymore.

Yi Xin stood dumbfounded on the spot. Her face grew red and a moment later, she roared furiously, “Damn it, even this little beast is looking down on me!”

…

Of the name of the dog, Ah Tu, Ah is simply a sound whereas Tu means soil/earth.

In Chinese, soil/earth (Tu) is a homophone of bald (Tu).

Thus, what they meant was that instead of ‘Baldy’, they decided to use a homophone for it and name it Ah Tu instead.

Also, Tu Gou is a term for Canis lupus familiaris or domesticated dogs. Thus, the name sort of hints that Ah Tu is a domesticated dog (while it is actually a hound, not a part of the ‘can be domesticated’ family).

==

Ah Tu gazed at Yi Xin with affection, but even so, it refused to emerge from behind Lu Chen. It seemed to have steeled its heart to follow Lu Chen.

Lu Chen sighed and lowered his head to speak to Ah Tu, “Hey, dumb dog, let me tell you, if you follow her, you can live in luxury for the rest of your entire life. On the other hand, if you follow me, you will just suffer. It is hard to say when you will eventually perish in the wilderness.”

“Indeed!” Yi Xin hurriedly agreed with him as she stared at Ah Tu helplessly.

This time, Ah Tu didn’t even bother looking at Yi Xin. Instead, it faced Lu Chen, wagging its tail with all its might.

“You… You dumb dog!” Choked with anger, Yi Xin was unable to say a single word. Yet, after interacting with Ah Tu in the previous few days, her eyes reddened at the thought of parting with it.

Eventually, the two humans and one dog spent half a “tea time” at the Leaping Tiger Gorge talking through the affair, but regardless of Yi Xin’s pleas, Ah Tu remained unmoved.

(a tea’s time ~ 15 minutes)

Eventually, Yi Xin had no choice but to give up. She bade farewell to Lu Chen grudgingly and before leaving, sighing, she yet again instructed firmly, “Brother Lu, I will be leaving Ah Tu to you. You must…”

“When I’m hungry, I’ll slaughter it and make dog stew.” Lu Chen replied Yi Xin indifferently.

Yi Xin was stunned. It took a moment before she was able to stutter the words out of her mouth, “What, what did you say?”

Lu Chen spoke as-a-matter-of-factly, “I never intended to raise a dog. In fact, when I saved it that day, it was because of your insistence. I didn’t order it to follow me, it was the one who chose to follow me on its own accord. So, even if I were to boil it, there is nothing wrong, right?”

“Of course there’s a problem!” Yi Xin bellowed. Then, with a tearful face, she pleaded, “Brother Lu, Ah Tu is so pitiful. Don’t eat him, let him go…”

Watching Yi Xin’s expression, Lu Chen burst into laughter. At the same time, he felt a tinge of warmth in his heart. Yi Xin is still young and she seemed to have been truly pampered, resulting in her innocent nature. It was hard to imagine why her family would allow such a young lady, who had never weathered through hardship, to come to a treacherous place like the Confounding Lands…

The thought of it astonished him. He frowned and examined Yi Xin from head to toe. Under his gaze, Yi Xin suddenly felt embarrassed and stepped backward, “Brother Lu, what’s wrong?”

Lu Chen harrumphed, “It can’t be that you sneaked out secretly without telling your family members?”

Yi Xin was dumbfounded. A bright shade of red grew on her beautiful face, betraying her thoughts.

Lu Chen shook his head, “Forget it, this matter doesn’t concern me. However, as acquaintances, I have to advise you to be careful and not to run about haphazardly.”

With a lowered head, Yi Xin appeared to have recalled something and her eyes grew red, “I understand. I will definitely apologize to father and mother when I return. Also… I seemed to have burdened Senior Uncle Han and Senior He. If not for me, they would…”

“Hey!” Lu Chen interrupted her words suddenly and frowned, “What kind of nonsense are you babbling? What do their deaths have to do with you?”

Yi Xin bit her lips and said, “I was unable to help them when the Black Jackals surrounded us due to my low cultivation, causing them to…”

“Nonsense!” Lu Chen snorted. Staring at the young lady as though she were an idiot, he spoke, “Are you a fool? What does that have to do with you? It was your first time in the Confounding Lands, and given that Han Nanzu and He Gang are official Kunlun Sect disciples who possess higher cultivation realms and greater worldly experience, it is only natural for them to take care for you! Don’t you think that it’s the fault of those two fools that you landed in such a situation that day?”

Sneering coldly, he said, “Furthermore, I have warned them time and time again before departing. It is one thing that you are still young and immature, but the two of them allowed greed to blind their minds. They deserved it, and they dragged you down. Do you get it?”

Yi Xin was perplexed. After a moment, she replied without confidence, “Is that so…”

Lu Chen continued, “Of course that’s how it is. Yi Xin, being compassionate is a good thing. However, if you choose to blame yourself for everything regardless of the truth, that can no longer be called compassionate.”

After being lectured by Lu Chen, Yi Xin’s head hung low and her face was bright red. She secretly glanced at Lu Chen through her peripheral vision and asked softly but sheepishly, “Then, then what is it?”

Lu Chen replied impatiently, “That’s called being foolish!”

※※※

Finally, with what that has to be said been said; the dog that has to go remained unwilling to go.

Eventually, unable to persuade Ah Tu, Yi Xin could only wave Lu Chen and the dog goodbye.

Before leaving, she repeatedly instructed and earnestly pleaded Lu Chen on two matters: Firstly, you must never eat Ah Tu no matter what happens. It is very obedient and honest, and given how it seems to be fated to meet us both, you might suffer karma if you eat it. Secondly, Brother Lu, if you have the chance in the future, will you come to Kunlun Mountain to look for me? It is too dangerous serving as a guide in the Confounding Lands. Why don’t I plead with my parents and my future teacher to get you a place as a menial disciple in Kunlun Sect? Not only is it safe, you will also be able to live with dignity. Also, don’t forget to bring Ah Tu with you then…

“I get it, I get it…” Even though Lu Chen had seen many things in life, he was unable to stand the naggy pleadings of this young lady. “I won’t eat this dog, I’ll just ignore it. It is getting late now, so you should hurry along.”

“Wang wang, wang wang wang…” Lying beside Lu Chen’s foot, Ah Tu barked at a very timely moment.

Yi Xin nodded her head, but she felt reluctant to part. She was someone who possessed little world experience and in the few days staying with Lu Chen and Ah Tu, she had developed some feelings for the two. Thus, with every single step, she would turn around and wave. Slowly, she walked into the distance.

Lu Chen and Ah Tu stared at her and soon, both human and dog revealed a bizarre expression.

“They must be reluctant to part with me…” As Yi Xin thought so, she felt a tinge of warmth within. Somehow, she felt shy as well, and her footsteps gradually slowed. At this moment, she suddenly heard Lu Chen’s helpless voice behind her, “Hey!”

“What’s wrong?” Yi Xin turned around and looked at Lu Chen.

“You’re walking in the wrong direction!”

Yi Xin froze immediately. With difficulty, she scanned her surroundings and then realized that she had unknowingly walked into the Leaping Tiger Gorge once more.

A moment later, she released a soft ‘ah’. Too embarrassed to meet at Lu Chen and Ah Tu in the eye, she turned around, covered her lowered face, and dashed into the distance.

Vaguely, she could hear Lu Chen’s voice behind her. He seemed to be conversing with the dog beside him.

“Ah Tu, to think that would be another person who is more foolish than you…”

“Wang wang wang wang…” Ah Tu barked loudly, seemingly dissatisfied with Lu Chen’s words.

==

TY Chapter 73: Scavenging in the Night

Unknowingly, autumn had passed. Moonfang City, which stood outside of the Confounding Lands, entered the winter season. Compared to the mythical Northern Glacial Ocean, which is said to be capable of freezing humans into ice blocks, the winter experienced here isn’t considered unbearable. At the very most, an additional layer of clothes would do. Moreover, if one’s cultivation realm was sufficiently high, they could even avoid this as well.

Lu Chen strolled leisurely around the Moonfang City and a young black hound limped closely behind him.

Even though he had spoken harshly about it when parting with Yi Xin, Lu Chen did not eventually slaughter Ah Tu for food.

The present Ah Tu looks completely different from how it did when the duo discovered it in the Confounding Lands. The fur on its body had grown and it is no longer that hideous bald dog. In addition, Ah Tu had grown significantly larger and it carries a jacket of black, lustrous fur. Its movements are nimble, its eyes shining brightly, and it appears to be extremely lively; it seems to be an entirely different dog, except for its limp, which serves as an evidence for its painful past.

The busiest location in Moonfang City Square was located just another street away. There is a constant traffic of humans, the hustle, and bustle resembling an unending onslaught of waves.

After glancing at his sides, Lu Chen continued forward with a straight face. On the other hand, Ah Tu, who was following behind him, peered curiously in all directions before abruptly darting into the crowd, disappearing within the blink of an eye.

Lu Chen took a casual look behind him and continued to proceed forward expressionlessly, paying the matter no heed at all. In no time, he arrived at the most active spot in the city square. Suddenly, he noticed a crowd before the public announcement board, with soft murmurs and individuals engaged in hushed, whispering discussions; it was as if they had witnessed something bewildering.

With his curiosity aroused, Lu Chen squeezed into the crowd to take a closer look, only to see a gigantic piece of yellow notice freshly glued above layers and layers of old paper; several rows of characters were written.

Arrest the pirate, Blue Butterfly! Greedy and lustful, he has committed innumerable evils, murder, arson, rape, and kidnap. Scourging the world, he has been bringing bloodshed wherever he goes. Recently, it’s said that he has escaped to the Confounding Lands, and we beseech for all cultivators who come by him to take him down. Anyone who takes down this criminal will be rewarded 5000 Spirit Stones.

And signing off right at the bottom, astoundingly, was the famous True Immortal Alliance.

The surrounding passers-by were engaged in intense discussions; a portion of them expressed their indignance and despise for the countless atrocities Blue Butterfly had committed whereas another portion felt that the True Immortal Alliance’s interference meant his doom. It was no wonder why he chose to escape to the Confounding Lands, which is the most treacherous and chaotic place on earth, as well as where the alliance possessed the least control over.

Lu Chen stared at the public announcement board for another moment before a strange expression emerged on his face. A moment later, he suddenly sighed and muttered to himself, “What a despicable person!”

※※※

Turning around and leaving the board, Lu Chen headed straight out of the square. Halfway through, a black shadow streaked across and the black dog Ah Tu dived out at random from amidst the crowd. It carried in its mouth a bone it had found somewhere else and there didn’t seem to be much meat on it.

Upon seeing Lu Chen, it snuggled up to him immediately, wagging its tail passionately. Then, it placed the bone beneath Lu Chen’s feet.

Lu Chen rolled his eyes, “Ah Tu, how many times have I said? I don’t eat this…”

It was hard to tell whether Ah Tu understood Lu Chen’s words, but its excitement didn’t dampen in the least. Wang wang, it barked happily at Lu Chen.

Shaking his head, Lu Chen briefly patted Ah Tu’s forehead before continuing forward. Seeing this, Ah Tu hurriedly picked up the bone on the ground and followed behind Lu Chen, gnawing and chewing noisily on the bone.

By the time the duo passed the city gates of Moonfang City, the piece of bone in Ah Tu’s mouth had already disappeared.

Exiting the city, Lu Chen led Ah Tu southward and unknowingly, they were back outside of the familiar Leaping Tiger Gorge. However, Lu Chen didn’t enter the valley passageway this time. Instead, he lifted his head to look at Tiger and Dragon mountains. Then after a moment of contemplation, he turned and entered the dense forest, beginning his scale up Dragon Mountain.

Legend has it that dragons used to frequent the Dragon Mountain. However, such legends are just like those of the Dragon Lake in Clear Water Village; the mere casual talk of predecessors, myths among descendants. The forest on the Dragon Mountain was thick and there wasn’t any obvious path that one could follow. Clearly, rarely anyone scaled this mountain.

After an hour of climbing, the duo had yet to make their exit out of the forest. However, they chanced upon a hillock where three to four boulders sat. The surfaces of the boulders were pockmarked, moist, and algae-ridden.

After looking in the direction for a short moment, Lu Chen turned to look at the sky once again. Then, he circled around the boulders and reached an area several zhang higher. Thereafter, he lied prone beside particular tree roots, where he could observe the boulders below.

(1 zhang = 3.33m)

Wagging his tail, Ah Tu plodded beside Lu Chen, its pair of clear eyes reflecting its suspicions. Lu Chen smiled at it before placing a finger before its mouth, signaling for it for remain silent.

Ah Tu slanted its head and lowered its ears down. Unexpectedly, it laid obediently beside Lu Chen.

The forest was extremely quiet, but from time to time, the clear chirping of birds could be heard from the leaves and branches above. One could even faintly hear the few occasional calls of beasts from afar, although it was difficult to discern the type of beast from just these calls.

Lying on the same spot, Lu Chen remained motionless for a long time. His gaze was steady and most of the time, his eyes were fixated on the boulders below.

But nothing happened in this long period of time, Because waiting is a dull and frustrating task, upon exceeding its tolerance, Ah Tu would fidget from time to time, using its paws to touch the fallen leaves below it, stroke its head against Lu Chen’s body, and sniff about.

Just like that, the forest darkened gradually and the day was about to come to an end.

Bored to death, Ah Tu yawned with its mouth wide open. On the other hand, Lu Chen seemed exceptionally patient. Judging from his look, it appears that he intends to continue waiting.

※※※

Soon, night descended and the forest turned completely dark.

Lu Chen picked himself up slowly, observing his surroundings carefully. As he scanned about with his peripheral vision, his body jolted violently. He realized that the pitch-black environment, as well as Ah Tu who was lying next to him, had grown clear to his eyes. A bright green glow lit in his pupils. Appearing as eerie bundles of green flames, they burnt silently within the tranquil darkness.

Lu Chen stretched his hands to stroke Ah Tu’s forehead. Ah Tu whimpered, seemingly in reply to his gesture.

Following which, Lu Chen stood up and slowly made his way down.

The forest was pitch-dark. Yet, Lu Chen seemed to be able to peer into the darkness; every single footstep he took was exceptionally accurate and stable. In no time, he arrived at the boulders.

He squatted down and placed one hand on the largest boulder while the other reached downward. The moisture from the algae dampened his hand. After fumbling about in the darkness, he retrieved an item from the dark crevice located beneath the boulder.

Tucking it into his clothes, he turned around and left.

…