Chapter Twenty-Seven: Black Water

The blades poised to strike Ji Hao were abruptly withdrawn, and the four warriors of the Bifang Clan simultaneously lunged toward Jiang Xue. When attacking Ji Hao, they had worn easy, mocking smiles, like old cats toying with doomed mice—three parts relaxed, three parts amused, and three parts dismissive. But as Jiang Xue was suddenly assaulted, the four of them looked as if they'd seen a ghost; their smiles froze over, faces turning ashen, bodies shuddering as they sprinted back in a panic. After all, Jiang Xue’s father was an elder of the Bifang Clan—if anything happened to her under their watch, their entire families would suffer.

A shadow flashed by. An emaciated old man, his bare upper body covered in totemic tattoos of venomous snakes, a two-foot-long, one-horned black serpent coiled around his neck, appeared between Jiang Xue and the four Bifang warriors.

“Out of the way!” one Bifang warrior bellowed, flames flickering behind him as a pair of fiery wings materialized from thin air. The wings, each more than ten feet wide, beat once, doubling his speed; gripping his blade with both hands, he swung at the old man’s neck.

The old man smiled sinisterly without moving an inch. The black serpent around his neck raised its upper body, mouth gaping as it unleashed a straight blast of frigid air.

With a hissing sound, the dusky chill swept forth. In an instant, the four elite Bifang warriors, all Little Shaman rank, were frozen into black ice statues. A half-foot layer of dark ice sealed their bodies, snuffing out the flames that had danced upon them.

Perched motionless on Ji Hao’s shoulder, Crow Elder let out a strange caw, spreading his wings as each jet-black feather bristled. His crimson eyes stared unblinkingly at the one-horned black serpent.

The serpent writhed uneasily, soon slithering off the old man’s neck. Upon hitting the ground, its body swelled rapidly, growing in the blink of an eye into a monstrous python over thirty yards long. With a sibilant hiss, the serpent’s massive form released such cold that the surrounding flowers and grasses froze solid.

“My old friend, it’s only a child—why so nervous?” the old man asked, puzzled.

The black serpent flicked its tongue, its giant head leaning close to the old man’s ear, gently bumping his head.

The old man’s expression changed; he looked solemnly at Crow Elder. “Little one, I never expected you’d have a damned Fire Crow at your side. What’s wrong with those decrepit elders of the Fire Crow Clan? What gives a brat like you the right to form a contract with a Great Shaman-level Fire Crow?”

Ji Hao glanced behind him. The towering Golden Crow Ridge was only a few dozen miles away; this was the very heart of the Fire Crow Clan’s sacred grounds. The slightest commotion would summon a swarm of shamans and elders—not to mention the giant crows atop the Ridge, who would tear this old man to shreds.

Relieved, Ji Hao sneered, “And what business is that of yours? Stinking snakes of the Blackwater Serpent Clan, you’re bold indeed, sneaking into the sacred grounds of the Fire Crow Clan as you do.”

The old man chuckled dismissively. “And what of Golden Crow Ridge? Is the Fire Crow Clan’s sacred ground so impressive? If we dare come, it means we have no fear of you at all. We simply didn’t expect to stumble upon something so interesting.”

Another shadow darted out from the thicket—a Blackwater Black Jiao, a black serpent coiled about his waist, took a few steps to where Jiang Xue lay sprawled, seizing her delicate throat in one hand. Jiang Xue screamed herself hoarse, but the Black Jiao smacked her hard across the face, drawing blood and silencing her instantly.

Like a cattle dealer inspecting livestock, the Black Jiao tore away Jiang Xue’s tattered clothing, roughly squeezing her hips and chest, then tilted her face to scrutinize her comely features.

With a cold laugh, he hoisted Jiang Xue to her feet, his other hand roaming freely over her. “This little beauty is fine of face and noble birth. Oh? Still a maiden—she’ll fetch a high price from the slavers.”

Flushed with excitement, the Black Jiao grinned. “Didn’t expect such good merchandise this time—heh heh!”

“Slavers?” Ji Hao’s ears pricked at the word. Watching the Black Jiao’s elation and the terror in Jiang Xue’s pale, trembling face, he edged backwards, step by careful step. “Since you two have found such a prize, I’ll take my leave and won’t disturb you.”

The Black Jiao paused, and the old man stared at Ji Hao in astonishment. “Kid, with the Fire Crow Clan’s stubbornness, shouldn’t you be throwing yourself at us to save this girl? Are you truly going to just walk away?”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Ji Hao shrugged, pointing at the old man. “You two are both Great Shamans, aren’t you? Your beasts are likely your equals in strength. I only have Crow Elder with me—at best I could run, but to save Jiang Xue would be to sacrifice myself.”

He laughed lightly. “She wants me dead; unless I’ve lost my mind, why should I save her?”

Pointing at Jiang Xue, helpless in the Black Jiao’s grip, Ji Hao retreated several dozen steps. “Her father is Elder Jiang Zhu of the Bifang Clan. She’s also the daughter-in-law of Ji Shu, the Fire Crow Clan’s new chief warrior. Though Ji Shu killed his own son, the girl’s status is valuable—don’t let her go cheap!”

As Ji Hao reached the forest edge, the old man and Black Jiao both stepped forward, but Crow Elder let out a piercing cry. Fire burst from his wings, making the two would-be pursuers halt in dread.

“You’re impressive. Little one, I never thought the Fire Crow Clan would breed someone as cunning as you,” the old man said through clenched teeth, eyes dark. “You’ll be even more troublesome than your father. Your clan is truly fortunate.”

Ji Hao couldn’t be bothered to reply, backing steadily into the woods.

With a long cry, Crow Elder’s wings flared, grabbing Ji Hao and lifting him skywards in a flash of fire, racing toward Golden Crow Ridge.

The old man and Black Jiao snorted coldly, then, each dragging Jiang Xue, quickly vanished. In a few breaths they reached a nearby stream, dove in, and disappeared amid the swirling water without a trace.

On the forest clearing, the four black ice statues shattered in silence, a biting chill spreading outward, freezing acres of woodland. Even Ji Hu, Ji Feng, and Ji Shui’s bodies were reduced to fine ice shards by the cold.

Rolling frost, and faintly the old man’s sigh echoed: “A cunning boy, hard to deal with… But now that the Bifang Clan is meddling in Fire Crow affairs, our Blackwater Serpent Clan may have its chance.”

The frigid air raged. High above, streaks of fire shot down; several burly men astride fire crows glanced at the frozen forest below, faces suddenly grim.

Soon, a blaring horn resounded, and all Golden Crow Ridge was roused. But the Black Jiao and the old man were long gone; all traces erased by the frost, leaving nothing useful behind.

***

Midnight arrives, and another chapter is done!
Please recommend, please add to your library, please shower me with your adorable love!
The typhoon’s passing, but it’s so hard to get a good night’s sleep!