Chapter 43: Your Mountain God Grandfather

"So, this Dao Sect is very powerful?" the old hunter asked.

"Not Dao-er Sect, it’s Dao Sect," Qi Wu corrected the old hunter’s accent.

"Tomorrow, when we head to Qinghuai County, we will write a letter and send it to the Five Great Immortal Sects, asking them to take action." Qi Wu had asked about the process when he met Dai Bufan.

At the time, he was lamenting that local officials with little cultivation were so high and mighty, while the immortal sect disciples who were not of the mortal world were actually more approachable.

However, Qi Wu did not know Dai Bufan’s status in the Dao Sect, assuming he was just an ordinary immortal sect disciple.

If he had truly known Dai Bufan’s status and cultivation, it would have been more than just a lament.

The old hunter was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked Qi Wu and the others, even saying that if they could really solve the tiger demon, he wouldn't even take the guide fee. Qi Wu hurriedly said that wouldn't do.

It wasn't that they didn't want to save money, but they didn't know if the old hunter was just being polite or sincere.

"Excuse me, I encountered heavy rain while traveling. I wonder if I could stay here for the night?"

A graceful figure broke through the curtain of rain. She was dressed in a green lotus dress, her brows slightly sorrowful, making people involuntarily want to agree to her request.

Everyone turned to look at A Yue. You said there would be a female ghost, and one really came. Is your mouth blessed?

"No!" Qi Wu immediately rejected the green-clad girl’s request.

This place was in the middle of nowhere, and such a beautiful woman suddenly appearing in the deep mountains and old forests made him suspicious, especially considering what the old hunter had just said.

Most importantly, this green-clad girl was dry!

The rain outside was like the heavens pouring water; how could she be dry?

The green-clad girl was slightly indignant, feeling that while these people looked like they had read books, their words were quite rude.

"You are being unreasonable. Not to mention that this Mountain God Temple has no owner, you are only here to shelter from the rain. It is raining heavily outside; do you expect me to keep a spell up to block the rain forever?!"

"A spell? Are you a cultivator?" Qi Wu’s tone became cautious. Most cultivators treated mortals with a gentle attitude, but if they were truly angered, one couldn't be sure what they might do.

He hesitated.

The old hunter, however, was firm. Based on his years of experience living in the mountains and forests, he felt this green-clad girl definitely had a problem, though his tone was much more tactful: "This cultivator master, you are a cultivator and a woman. Sharing a temple with eight big men like us, it wouldn't sound good if word got out."

"How about this: there is a mountain path to the north. Halfway up that path is a wooden hut we hunters built temporarily. At this distance, for a high-level person like you, it’s only a few steps away."

The old hunter wasn't lying; there was indeed a wooden hut there, but it couldn't hold all of them, which was why he had brought Qi Wu and the others to the Mountain God Temple to shelter from the rain.

The green-clad girl thought about it and felt the old hunter made sense. As a woman, although she didn't stand on ceremony while traveling the world, why stay in this drafty temple if there was a better choice?

After the green-clad girl left, everyone breathed a long sigh of relief, fearing that she would turn into a fierce tiger and eat them.

"Alright, let’s all sleep. We need to get up early tomorrow to continue our journey. I really don't want to come to this haunted place a second time," Qi Wu said with a yawn, his eyelids fighting each other, too sleepy to keep his eyes open.

Qi Wu had wanted to sleep facing inward, which would face the Mountain God statue, but he always felt there was something wrong with the statue and didn't dare get too close, so he could only have everyone sleep facing the door.

After arranging for two people to keep watch, everyone fell asleep.

After they fell asleep, the Mountain God statue’s eyes turned, staring down at them.

No one noticed.

A Yue yawned, his eyes blurry, as if he were about to fall asleep at any moment. He and another person were on the first night shift.

"So sleepy, I really want to sleep."

"Just bear with it. You heard it too; it’s not safe in these mountains..."

"Right, I can't sleep. I’m still waiting for a female ghost to raid me at night."

"You look average. Didn't you read in the books that female ghosts like handsome ones? She should raid me instead."

"Female ghosts like scholars. How many days have you actually read books? Female ghosts like people like me who have read the sages' books."

The two argued in low voices about the non-existent female ghost, becoming more energetic the more they talked.

Suddenly, a low roar sounded. Even the thunder and rain couldn't block it. Both of them shivered instantly.

Just as they were wondering if they had misheard, another low roar came, even closer!

"It’s that tiger demon!" The two looked at each other, seeing the fear in each other’s eyes.

"Everyone get up! There’s a demon!" A Yue shouted hurriedly.

Everyone woke up from their dreams, gripping their weapons tightly, staring fixedly outside the temple. Cold sweat poured from their foreheads, and their legs were trembling.

The roaring stopped, replaced by heavy breathing. From the sound of the breathing, it was easy to imagine what a behemoth the other party was.

A shadow appeared in the rain, its volume growing larger and larger. Everyone was terrified and trembling.

A huge tiger head passed through the rain and reached into the Mountain God Temple. Qi Wu could even see the tiger’s fur, every strand clear!

The tiger demon walked its entire body into the temple, making everyone break into a cold sweat. This was actually a four-meter-long tiger!

The tiger demon used its hind legs and actually stood up!

"Old Sun, what do we do now?" Qi Wu whispered. This tiger demon could definitely not be defeated by the wooden sticks in their hands.

Unexpectedly, the old hunter walked straight to the tiger demon and bowed: "Please dine, Tiger Lord."

"Hmm, well done." The tiger demon spoke in human language, its cultivation level unknown.

Qi Wu’s eyes were about to split with rage; he wished he could tear the old hunter apart with his bare hands.

That green-clad girl wasn't the ghost servant; the old hunter who had been by their side the whole time was!

The tiger demon revealed a human-like smile and mocked: "Originally, I didn't want to eat you all. After all, there are too many of you, and if you all died, it might attract outside attention. But I have no choice; you actually wanted to tell the Five Great Immortal Sects about me, so I can't keep you!"

As it spoke, the tiger demon pressed the old hunter down with one claw: "And you, you never change your habit of talking too much. You had to tell stories, and you had to make me come out to clean up the mess. Do you want me to kill you again?"

The old hunter begged for mercy repeatedly, saying he wouldn't dare next time.

The tiger demon snorted: "You driving that female cultivator away counts as a merit. Your merits and demerits cancel each other out, so I won't punish you this time!"

The tiger demon didn't have the habit of playing with its prey. It leaned over and examined Qi Wu carefully, its throat making a rattling sound, as if it had a mouthful of phlegm: "You are the smartest one here. If you are willing to join my ranks, I can refine you into a ghost servant, neither dead nor alive."

By this time, Qi Wu was no longer afraid. He pointed at the old hunter and sneered repeatedly: "Being like him and harming people everywhere? I’d rather die! Ptooey!"

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The tiger demon had never been insulted like this and was instantly furious. Waves of sound spread out, shaking the temple roof as if it were about to collapse.

The tiger demon stopped trying to persuade them and opened its bloody mouth to pounce on them. Qi Wu closed his eyes, waiting for death to arrive.

Just then, a gentleman’s sword was placed between the tiger demon and Qi Wu. The sword light bloomed like the morning sun, dazzlingly bright, cutting the tiger demon’s cheek.

"Who!?" The tiger demon was furious.

"Your Mountain God Grandfather!" ===== CHAPTER 46 =====