Chapter 11 (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Losing his arms, eyes, and hearing, Longhe was a headless chicken. He ran aimlessly toward the back of the mountain. Although he had no Essence energy to protect his body, each time he hit a tree in his path, the tree would snap and fall while rocks would shatter.

He looked like a mad cow, running in a frenzy with a loud rumble. The earth cracked open and mud was splattered meters high. Far away, frightened birds and beasts were fleeing in all directions.

Taking a deep breath, Wutian held his wounded arm and watched on like an unconcerned passerby. He did not stop nor pursue Longhe, just letting him run into the forest. He knew that Longhe was a helpless sheep now, destined to become some monster beast’s dinner. Longhe deserved it, and that was going to be his final resting place.

The rain had washed away the burnt ashes but left behind the broken bones strewn around the place. It was a hard-to-ignore scene that told the world, not long ago, a tragic incident had happened there.

Little Tian rested on his shoulder and licked his cheek with its wet, long tongue, trying to comfort him.

“A heart in bondage is the prison of the mind. Without desires, one will be able to find heaven,” Wutian mumbled to himself.

He had probably figured out why Longhe did what he did. Longhe had followed his desires. Instead of getting what he desired, though, he became heartless, unjust, disloyal, and unfilial. It was greed that had caused all of this. Curses were like young chickens; they always came home to roost.

The storm continued.

Wutian knelt in front of the village entrance, his hands glowing with light as he dug the earth. Three hours later, a fifteen-feet-across pit finally appeared. It was a grave he had dug with his hands to bury the dead of the village.

Tears flowed down his face uncontrollably, and his hair was unkempt. Wutian collected the skeletons, hand and leg bones, as well as the white and gruesome skulls. They seemed to tell of the villagers’ grievances, and he placed them in the pit.

He hobbled around, searching every corner for even the bone scraps, and put them into the pit.

He did not segregate them by gender or identity. They were all from the same village, a family. Burying them together was beyond reproach. He did not have to differentiate who was who.

At last, he gingerly placed the intact skeleton into the pit with a heavy heart. He could not his tears from flowing as he could not bear to lose his grandfather and the villagers, whom he had lived with for sixteen years. For they were dust, and to dust they shall return. He mourned his loss.

Meanwhile, behind the mountain, the sounds of roaring beasts echoed. The ancient trees in the forest shook while earth and rock crumbled, causing dust to rise into the air.

Amid the chaos, dozens of hideous monster beasts surrounded Longhe. The fangs in their open mouths glinted menacingly as they attempted to rip apart his body and eat his flesh.

Boom!

One of the monster beasts was crushed to death as blood mist flew everywhere, but there were just too many of them. They lunged at him at once and overwhelmed him, hence struggling was futile.

A thousand miles away, a Flamingo was flying at high speed. Huoshi and Liuyan were standing on the bird’s back, their clothes fluttering in the wind as they overlooked the boundless earth down below.

Huoshi’s face suddenly turned pale as a streak of blood oozed out of the corner of his mouth. His expression quickly darkened.

“What’s going on, Brother Huoshi?” asked Liuyan.

Huoshi said nothing. He just looked into the distance, where a peak stood thousands of feet tall. The cliff at the magnificent peak was so steep that it looked as if someone had chopped off a portion of the mountain and smoothened it out. From afar, it looked like a giant sword protruding into the clouds.

At the highest point of the peak was a complex with splendid temples and palaces. The fact that they had been built on the mountain’s wall was outstanding.

White fog and defused light shrouded the place along with strong Essence energy. It simply looked like a mountain of the gods, a pure land on Earth.

“Now is not the time to investigate Longhe’s death. The emblem has appeared. Therefore, we need to inform Father and let him take charge.” Huoshi’s face was grave. He kicked the Flamingo lightly, and it picked up speed, turning into a beam of fire as it flew toward the mountain peak.

“Everyone in the village is dead, Grandpa. Longhe is also dead; he was eaten by the monster beasts. He deserved it, and it will be the real culprit’s turn soon.”

Wutian then covered the bones and pit with the earth. His hands trembled. He could not let go and still had many things to say, but the words were stuck in his throat. He could only use his tears of blood to express his sorrow.

Once he placed the final handful of earth, the bones were completely buried. The living were no more, and the dead had returned to the dirt. He kowtowed before the grave three times, praying for the souls of those who had been killed.

“I vow that I will bring back the heads of Huoshi and Liuyan on a plate and offer them as a sacrifice to your souls. Please, rest in peace!” Wutian clenched his fists, and his knuckles cracked loudly. By then, there were no more tears because he had run out of them.

Finally, he rose to his feet and left, bringing endless grief with him as he disappeared into the mountain.

He had suffered severe injury during the battle, sustaining fractured bones and internal wounds. Additionally, he had exhausted his Essence energy. Hence, he needed to recuperate in the mountains.

He quickly found a cave, which was home to an ape. Seeing a human come to take its lair, the ape charged at Wutian. However, Little Tian killed the ape, puncturing its throat with a bite.