Chapter 11: Die a Miserable Death

Wu Haishan stepped forward, examined all the traces: "That kid ran into Ghost Wushan—I'll find a guide right away."

"We didn't understand him before, but now we know every detail—he's just a lowly Rank Dan Xiu. The moment we find him, it's his doomsday!"

Wu Haishan spoke with full confidence, but the solution he came up with was still using his own potion—to control a villager as a guide, then enter the mountains to track him.

Zhao's Leather Shop was the Pingtian Society's outpost in town; Zhao Yong and his men sat inside, buying pelts from anyone who brought them, and ignoring anyone who didn't.

They never risked entering the mountains, nor had any need to, so they knew nothing of Ghost Wushan.

But they knew the town well. Wu Haishan asked: "Who in town knows Ghost Wushan best?" Someone answered: "Liu Laoguan's senior disciple, Aguang."

Liu Laoguan owned "Liu's Village Wine" across from the leather shop; his crude, strong liquor sold well throughout the town and surrounding villages.

The mountain villagers, every time they entered the mountains, always carried a gourd of Liu family wine.

Aguang frequently delivered goods to the villages.

Wu Haishan then stormed into "Liu's Village Wine."

When the bronze cannon exploded, everyone in town was startled, slamming shut their doors and hiding inside their homes.

Wu Haishan went to Liu's Village Wine to seize someone, causing another uproar of chaos.

Liu Laoguan and his wife had no children and had raised their senior disciple like a son; they knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly, pleading desperately—but Wu Haishan and his men, hearts of iron, kicked them down, pried open Aguang's mouth, and poured in the potion. Aguang stood there dazed and vacant, following them away.

The old couple wept behind them, tears streaked with blood: "You've lost all conscience—you'll die a miserable death…"

The Holy Maiden had been waiting beneath Meiren Dam all along.

Those Tian Luo beauties, for some reason, were born with a fear of the Holy Maiden and dared not appear to cause trouble.

The Holy Maiden suddenly remembered: "Where's Chang Xunbei?"

Chang Xunbei was an eighth-rank method cultivator—the strongest among the subordinates she brought along.

He should've returned long ago on this ten-mile road.

…

Xu Yuan didn't go far after entering the mountains.

This wasn't a logging path, and Xu Yuan wasn't very familiar with it.

Chang Xunbei's technique was truly unexpected—he somehow swapped their positions, directly trapping himself in the encirclement.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan's expression turned strange: "So it really is a swap of fates…"

Xu Yuan had run out before, racing back along the official road toward the county.

He never expected to run straight into Elder Qiao!

Elder Qiao usually traveled by carriage, but this time he walked alone, with a talisman tied to each leg, each inscribed: "Ride the Clouds," "Ride the Wind."

Elder Qiao strode forward with his hands behind his back, his legs hovering three to five feet above the ground, each step covering ten zhang, his robes fluttering—truly the bearing of a celestial immortal.

But his face looked grim.

Seeing Xu Yuan, his face grew even darker: "Where are you running to…"

Xu Yuan leapt off the official road and plunged into Ghost Wushan.

Elder Qiao chased after him without pause.

Xu Yuan quickly realized: Elder Qiao seemed even more familiar with Ghost Wushan than he was!

"Ungrateful wretch!" Elder Qiao shouted from behind, then gritted his teeth and swiftly wrote a "receipt."

"Whoever captures Xu Yuan may claim ten blood rations upon presenting this receipt."

Elder Qiao tossed the "receipt" into the air—no one knew who he was showing it to.

Xu Yuan was trapped.

Before him, the earth churned as a colossal mole cricket burst from the ground, its upper body rising three zhang high!

Its entire body was clad in tattered armor, but its head was a massive Buddha statue.

To the left lay a ghostly stream; childish laughter giggled as dozens of pale, hairy infant heads surfaced, eyes blood-red, fangs protruding from their lips, staring fixedly at Xu Yuan.

On the right slope stood a massive rock shaped vaguely like a tiger; it suddenly shuddered, then opened its eyes, tore its colossal body from the mountain, and stepped down toward Xu Yuan!

In the sky, a flock of bone-faced vultures flew in, circling endlessly above Xu Yuan like carrion eagles.

Just as Xu Yuan was cornered, with a bang, he found himself back in Qihe Terrace Town!

Though the Holy Maiden had laid a heavenly net, Xu Yuan still escaped.

"Now I can only detour through Ghost Wushan—it's extremely risky…" Xu Yuan muttered to himself, trying to plot a relatively safe route.

But in the end, he found no route he could be certain of.

Still, Xu Yuan set out decisively—neither the Holy Maiden nor Elder Qiao would spare him; staying near the town meant certain death.

Not long after Xu Yuan left, Wu Haishan and his men arrived at his resting spot.

Wu Haishan asked Aguang: "Which way did that kid go?"

Aguang answered obediently: "This direction—probably toward Taitou Valley."

Wu Haishan: "What's special about Taitou Valley?"

"First, anything with a human head inside is a malevolent spirit. Second, never step on those stone steps."

"Pursue!"

…

Xu Yuan circled around Taitou Valley, then hid nearby.

Soon, voices came from behind—Pingtian Society's men arrived.

Xu Yuan waited about a quarter-hour, but no screams sounded.

Xu Yuan rose swiftly and dashed into Shenshan.

"Pingtian Society's men, with a guide, know every dangerous spot in Ghost Wushan." Xu Yuan confirmed this—so his plan to use the valley's malevolent spirits to ambush his pursuers was useless.

Xu Yuan caught a distant glimpse and narrowed his eyes: "Their guide is Aguang—this is troublesome."

Xu Yuan rubbed his chin: "Ah Guang grew up in the town and knows Ghost Wushan better than I do. So what advantage do I have over him..."

Wu Haishan and his men kept chasing, only to find the brat had led them in a circle before suddenly turning and fleeing back toward the town!

"That little rascal is mocking us! Notify the Holy Maiden to block him in the town!"

The Holy Maiden did not come; she stayed in the town because the brothers of the sect would bring the "bait" there today.

One of Wu Haishan's subordinates immediately took out a crafted parrot, spoke a few words quickly, and released it; the parrot flew toward the town.

Xu Yuan did not enter the town, stopping only at a valley outside it.

Inside the valley was a cave with a thousand-year-old vine growing out from the dark, deep cavern.

Poisonous creatures such as centipedes, scorpions, ticks, and giant ants crawled out along the ancient vine.

A rooster with bright feathers stood tall and proud, guarding the valley.

It would come out and eat whatever emerged.

It especially liked eating centipedes, scorpions, and the like.

Occasionally, an exceptionally huge "Insect King" would crawl out of the cave: centipedes three feet long, scorpions as big as a wooden basin.

Whenever this happened, the rooster would become excited, flap its iron-feathered wings, raise the comb on its head high, crow "cock-a-doodle-doo" to begin the fight, then peck the so-called Insect King to death in a few strikes, snatch it in its beak, fly to a high branch, and shake it around to display its trophy!

This was the place where the rooster hunted wild food every day.

"Ah Hua!"

Xu Yuan called out a few times; the rooster had just pecked a large scorpion to death and was showing off on the treetop. Hearing the call, it tilted its head and spotted Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan waved at it vigorously. The rooster flew down somewhat reluctantly, then dropped the scorpion at Xu Yuan's feet.

Xu Yuan was at a loss for words: "Thanks for your generosity, but I don't eat this."

Hearing this, the rooster immediately became happy and ate the scorpion in three or four bites.

Xu Yuan took out some silver fragments: "I'm buying some things from the old woman. Help me fetch them."

The rooster let out a low "cock-a-doodle-doo," unwilling to return.

Xu Yuan understood its meaning: "I'll catch insects for you here and guarantee they can't escape. You go back and fetch the things for me."

The rooster grabbed the silver with its huge claw, tucked it under its feathers, and strode away with head held high.

Xu Yuan guarded the cave entrance, casually broke off a few bamboo twigs, and whenever an insect emerged, he speared it onto one.

Once strung together, he used his familiar "Fu Zhong Huo" to roast the insects until cooked.

At first, his control was a bit unskilled, and he burned a few, but later he could roast every single one until crispy on the outside and tender within.

In no time, the rooster Ah Hua returned carrying a bamboo basket. Xu Yuan opened it and saw exactly the items he had requested.

Xu Yuan smiled and bowed to the rooster: "Thanks."

Then he took off his outer robe, wrapped the items, returned the basket to Ah Hua, bent low, and slipped back into Ghost Wushan.

Ah Hua looked at the roasted insects on the bamboo twigs, tentatively took a bite, and exclaimed, "Hey! They're actually delicious!"

Ah Hua was satisfied; this fellow was sensible.

(End of this chapter)