Chapter Forty-Three: The Sniper

A low, guttural grunt escaped Old Stone. His body curled casually on the ground, transforming into a lifeless, inert boulder. The Old Tree Demon took his place atop Old Stone, dozens of thick roots plunging deep into the earth. In moments, he had become an utterly unremarkable ancient tree, leaning askew against a towering giant that soared a hundred fathoms high.

Lord Hengluo patted the crimson leopard beneath her. The great beast, light as a phantom, bore her swiftly away. Gracefully leaping from treetop to treetop, it covered miles in mere bounds. With a gentle sweep of her fingers along the boughs, both she and her mount vanished into the shade, like a drop of water dissolving into the sea, leaving not a trace behind.

The giant black-furred ape thumped its chest, glanced furtively about, then, huffing and puffing, hefted its massive wooden club and squeezed into a vast tree hollow. Born also of the wild, the giant ape drew a deep breath, blending its presence with the forest itself, becoming utterly undetectable.

Holding a long spear, Ji Hao deftly bounded across the branches, swiftly reaching Ji Xia's side. He stood silently behind him, peering into the pitch-black depths of the forest.

Suddenly, both Qingfu and the altar were shrouded in a faint mist. Soon, the mist became transparent—but Qingfu and the altar had vanished. The swirling winds, the mists, and the sinister, twisted shadows all melted into the night, and the forest was left in a peculiar, profound silence.

Without a sound, a metal centipede over thirty yards long darted from the woods. Diro stood atop its head, muttering furious curses under his breath. He looked up suddenly and saw Ji Xia and Ji Hao standing at the mouth of Cold Creek Valley. Diro, along with Tuoba and Tuao behind him, was momentarily stunned.

“Damn it… Don’t you ever sleep?” Diro growled, pointing at Ji Hao in frustration.

Dozens of warriors from the Bloodfang Band crept from the woods like thieves, plainly intent on a night attack. But, startled by the sight of Ji Xia and Ji Hao standing there, the warriors were as dumbfounded as Diro.

This was not part of the plan.

According to Diro’s plan, the Bloodfang Band’s “well-trained elite” would ambush the night sentries of the Fire Crow Tribe, then storm Cold Creek Valley in the confusion, luring Ji Xia into the woods so they could all strike him down together.

But why were Ji Xia and Ji Hao standing here in the dead of night, wide awake?

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Ji Hao said coldly, looking at the stunned Diro. “Hey, you hiding in the woods—stop skulking around, come out and face us!”

The forest was silent as a tomb. Ji Hun and Ji Xiao exchanged uncertain glances, unsure whether Ji Hao had truly discovered their presence or was merely bluffing to lure them out.

A massive, barrel-thick One-horned Black Serpent coiled around an ancient tree, slowly lowering its heavy head, its deep-set eyes fixed on Ji Shu and Ji Hun. Atop the serpent’s head stood the Blackwater Wujiao, his left hand gripping Jiang Xue’s slender neck.

Jiang Xue knelt pale-faced upon the enormous serpent’s head, her eyes brimming with tears, casting a pitiful glance at Ji Hun and Ji Xiao.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Take action! We all want Ji Xia dead, don’t we?” Blackwater Wujiao mocked, eyeing Ji Xiao. “Kill him, and no one will threaten your positions again… Kill Ji Xia, and Blackwater Serpent Tribe will be rid of its greatest enemy—what greater fortune could there be?”

Hundreds of warriors in tight, black serpentskin armor, their forms sinuous and lithe as vipers, emerged silently. In their left hands, they held poisoned daggers; in their right, razor-sharp swords equally laced with venom.

Blackwater Wujiao let his finger trail across Jiang Xue’s smooth cheek. “Because of this girl, someone betrayed Ji Xia’s whereabouts. I’ve come here with my kin for one purpose—to kill Ji Xia! Once he’s dead, you can take this girl back with you.”

Ji Hun narrowed his eyes at Jiang Xue, a feverish gleam in his gaze. “Of course we’ll take her back—she’s Elder Jiang Shu’s daughter. Xiao, my brother, since we can’t follow the plan and lure Ji Xia into the woods for an ambush, we’ll attack head-on!”

The giant One-horned Black Serpent shot from the shadows like a bolt of black lightning, bearing Blackwater Wujiao upon its head.

Blackwater Wujiao stood tall and laughed coldly, pointing at Ji Xia. “Ji Xia, it’s been a long time. Do you remember the Blackwater Python you killed? Today, I’ll avenge my brother!”

“The Blackwater Python?” Ji Xia shook his head contemptuously. “There are so many stinking snakes I’ve slain, I can’t possibly remember each one.”

With a cold smile, Ji Xia pointed at Diro. “Have you Blackwater Serpent curs stooped so low as to consort with these fiends? Do you not know how many of our people they’ve stolen from the Southern Wilds? Not just from the Fire Crow Tribe—even your own vassals have lost countless kin to their raids!”

Blackwater Wujiao laughed with rage. “Of course I know they’re enemies to all our tribes. But if killing you means working with fiends, so be it! Remember this: I am Blackwater Wujiao, brother to the Blackwater Python… And by the way, Ji Xia—your father was trapped and killed by my clan’s hand!”

The One-horned Black Serpent opened its jaws wide, exhaling a blast of black frost. Wherever the icy breath passed, the ground froze thick with ice, and even massive boulders shattered beneath its terrible chill. Even from a distance, Ji Hao felt the biting cold, and a thin layer of frost quickly formed on his skin.

Meanwhile, Blackwater Wujiao drew a sword with a swift motion and slashed it forward. “What are you waiting for? Strike together—kill Ji Xia! I’ll turn his skull into a wine cup; the ancestral spirits will rejoice at such a sacrifice!”

In the forest, three Blackwater Serpent shamans laughed wickedly. The serpents coiled at their waists surged forward, their bodies swelling until they spanned dozens of yards, bearing their masters toward the clearing.

At that instant, less than thirty yards away, the Old Tree Demon suddenly opened his eyes and let out a deep, resonant roar. Countless vine whips, thick as fists, shot forth like arrows. Caught off guard, the Blackwater shamans cried out as the vines struck them squarely.

Thudding impacts rang out again and again. The three shamans were hurled skyward by the sudden assault, battered by a relentless storm of vines. Their armored tunics split under the furious blows.

Ji Hun reacted instantly. As soon as the Old Tree Demon attacked, he sprang forward, swinging a heavy axe at the demon’s trunk.

But the earth beneath the demon erupted, and a giant, pale arm thundered forth, smashing Ji Hun in the chest with a tremendous blow. Ji Hun grunted, spun through the air, crashed through two giant trees, and landed deep within the forest.

Ji Xiao, horrified, gave a panicked shout, his composure shattered.

Before he could act, cold flashes rained down from above—a hundred arrows whistled through the air, each tip scented faintly with intoxicating herbs.

***

Truly, it must be that Fat Cat has clouded my brain—I posted the wrong chapter order!

Ah, but I must cry out: Heavens, how I wish I had pets like Old Stone and the Old Tree Demon! My own Fat Cat… just looking at his pudgy belly makes me want to weep!