Chapter 10: 10. Choosing to Slack Off
Xinghe County, outskirts
The evening wind howled coldly.
The trees in the suburbs swayed in the wind, casting flickering shadows that resembled ghosts crying and wolves howling.
The wind also stirred the lanterns.
The lanterns of the Zhaizhuang.
The lanterns swayed, casting a scarlet light.
Under the red light, rows of straw mats were neatly laid out, upon which were placed the recently transported corpses, twenty-eight in total.
Each and every one of these corpses was in a gruesome state. Their legs and waists were reduced to bone, their chests were ripped open, and their insides were completely removed. Even their faces were pockmarked. If not for the personal belongings that still remained, serving as proof of their identities, no one would have recognized them by their appearance.
At this moment, the county magistrate of Xinghe County was gravely surveying these bodies.
Although the coroner was still examining them, there was no real need to do so. These corpses had all fallen victim to savage beasts.
Just then, another yamen runner hurried in with more information. This was the missing persons report from Agarwood Pavilion from a few days ago, detailing each person’s appearance, clothing, and personal effects.
While the appearances didn’t match, the personal belongings could still be used for comparison.
The Xinghe County magistrate crouched down slightly, comparing the report with the corpses.
At that moment, footsteps were heard from the front gate of the Zhaizhuang.
The Xinghe County magistrate turned his head and saw a kind-faced old man with sharp eyes stepping into the courtyard.
“Old Han,” the Xinghe County magistrate said with a cupped-hand salute from a distance.
The person who arrived was none other than Han Ba, the “Eight-Armed Old Man.”
The magistrate said, “Seven of the ten missing people from Agarwood Pavilion are here. The other three are likely reduced to nothing but bones.”
Han Ba replied, “The remaining ones are likely the woodcutters, hunters, and travelers who went missing in your county recently. Oh, and also Old Ma, the carrier. It’s spring, and he often went into the mountains to pick flowers to sell in town for some extra cash. I didn’t expect him to die too.”
The magistrate commented, “You seem quite familiar with them.”
Han Ba said, “Like you, I’ve observed this county for a lifetime. How could I not know who routinely comes and goes in town?”
The magistrate snorted but didn’t dwell on it. He continued, “We listened to you earlier and suppressed the missing person cases. But today, it’s become impossible to keep it quiet.
Not far from the county gate, two hunter corpses were discovered, and a crowd witnessed it.
The people of this county are not foolish. Once they saw that, they understood what had happened to the missing people before.”
Han Ba asked, “Where were the bodies found?”
The magistrate pulled out a paper from his怀 and handed it over.
Han Ba unfolded it and saw small red circles marked on it, each with a number corresponding to the order in which the bodies were discovered. In the bottom left corner, the coroner’s estimated time of death was also noted.
As Han Ba read, his expression grew increasingly somber.
The magistrate scanned the people in the Zhaizhuang and glanced towards the gate. “Old Han, shall we go for a walk outside?”
Han Ba nodded.
The two men went outside and walked beneath the somber old locust trees surrounding the Zhaizhuang. Dense shadows hung overhead, adding to the chilling atmosphere.
The magistrate frowned. “Your methods are so different from Master Ning’s style. Master Ning is a great philanthropist in the vicinity, and even I am filled with admiration when I see him.
But you… ever since the first body was discovered, you’ve insisted we conceal it, tolerate it, and wait for more bodies.
I understand you want to get a clearer grasp of the whereabouts of these fierce beasts, but these are living people!”
Han Ba replied, “I will record the people. The Ning Family Villa will provide for their families, and their livelihood will not be an issue.”
The magistrate’s frown deepened. “Did Master Ning teach you this?”
Han Ba shook his head. “Master Ning never does such things.”
He continued, “You say I’ve concealed information and caused many deaths. But do you know that we are also risking our lives? How many of us, or even my brothers, can return alive?
Gathering as much information about them as possible will increase our chances of success. If we fail, the entire county will fall. By then, it won’t be me you’ll need to face them, but you.”
With that, Han Ba placed the “map with the order of death” heavily into the magistrate’s arms and sighed.
The magistrate fell silent, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. “Where did they come from?”
Han Ba said, “This is something you’d have to ask a truly skilled geomancer or Yin-Yang master. I don’t know either.”
The magistrate sighed. “We are entirely reliant on Master Ning. If not for him, we might have remained oblivious for much longer, and who knows how many more people would have died. Old Han, why do you think they are killing one person on the outskirts here and another over there?”
Han Ba explained, “If I were to attack a village, I would first send people to test its strength and see if there are any experts.
One way is to send people to scout, and another is to kill a few people on the outskirts to lure out the villagers.
When people die, they will surely send out their experts, right?
This way, you can test whether or not the village can be attacked, County Magistrate. Don’t you agree?”
The magistrate asked, “These fiends have brains?”
Han Ba replied, “Yes.”
He then sighed again. “Have you heard of the idiom ‘running out of tricks,’ County Magistrate? Although they are like fierce tigers, Master Ning says they are new here and don’t understand the situation. Therefore… they are testing.”
The magistrate asked, “Will it be over if we just kill them?”
Han Ba suddenly burst into laughter, chuckling and pointing at the magistrate. “Have you not heard of the missing persons cases and disasters from the prefectural government and various regions? Master Ning said that everything has only just begun.”
The magistrate lowered his gaze, a thoughtful expression on his face, then asked curiously, “Then how do you fight them?”
Han Ba replied, “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask.”
The magistrate nodded, then fiddled with the “map of the order of death.” “Have you noticed anything?”
Han Ba said, “There’s one place that’s very strange. People have died all around, but that area has been spared.
Although it’s quite deep, people like herb gatherers must have gone there.
The fact that nothing happened there means it’s extraordinary. County Magistrate, please rest assured. When reinforcements arrive, we will go check it out. With this map, we have a certain understanding of their movements, and it’s time to act.”
The magistrate looked curious.
Han Ba patted his shoulder. “Get closer to the Ning Family. You’ll know more.”
With that, he turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Daybreak.
A carriage stopped near the city gate.
Inside the carriage, Xiaojie pleaded, “Young Master, wherever you’re going, please don’t go.
People have died, so many people.
Young Master, if I hadn’t listened to you and helped you conceal your whereabouts, you wouldn’t have been able to leave.
The First Madam thought you were playing in the places you usually visit…”
Ning Xuan grabbed the bundle filled with gold and silver and placed it on Xiaojie’s fair, long legs. “You have all the things, what are you afraid of?”
Xiaojie lifted her legs, trapping his hand between her smooth thighs so he couldn’t break free. Biting her lip, she looked at him and said softly, “I have some new tricks, they’re very fun, how about…”
“Later,” Ning Xuan said, pulling his hand free. He then added, “Don’t worry.”
With that, he got out of the carriage and exited the city.
Ning Xuan didn’t actually want to go.
But he knew that the deaths were likely related to the “Mountain Crushing Bear Demon.”
The presence of the “Mountain Crushing Bear Demon” nearby gave him a great sense of crisis.
He had to figure it out to better understand the Heavenly Demon Scroll. Otherwise, the next time he encountered it, he would still be in the dark.
Slacking off wasn’t the same as waiting to die.
He wanted to slack off, but he didn’t want to wait to die.
Therefore, he had to understand what kind of environment he was living in, what kind of world it was.
He familiarized himself with the process, retrieved the Heavenly Demon Scroll and the Beast Slaying Blade, and headed towards his usual training grounds.
As he approached the waterfall, Ning Xuan suddenly frowned.
He stopped.
Like a wild beast, he sensed an invasion of his territory.
“Human scent… no, an outsider is here.”
Ning Xuan was very familiar with the terrain. He took a few turns and climbed to a high point obscured by lush foliage. This high ground was very steep and difficult to climb, but it offered a panoramic view of the entire waterfall cliff area.
He climbed to the high ground, hiding behind the leaves. A quick scan revealed dozens of people standing by the mountainside where he trained daily. They were clad in armor, carrying crossbows, swords, and fully armed.
He narrowed his eyes because he recognized some of these people.
They were guards from Ning Family Villa, and also “Eight-Armed Old Man” Han Ba.
He didn’t recognize the rest.
But since they were involved with Han Ba, he assumed they belonged to the same group.
“Not enemies, but… I can’t go there now.”
Ning Xuan didn’t want to be discovered.
He decided to find another place.
Terrifying claw marks spread upwards, covering the hard stone wall with dense, widespread patterns.
Everyone standing at the foot of the cliff felt a strong sense of suffocation.
Many people breathed heavily and rapidly, their faces either pale or flushed red, filled with fear and a sense of facing death unflinchingly.
These claw marks…
Such density…
The opponent’s physique had reached a level they could not comprehend.
Han Ba looked at a yellow-robed Daoist in the center.
The yellow-robed Daoist looked calm, with two Daoist boys by his side.
Han Ba surveyed the surroundings and, in a hushed voice, commanded, “Disperse, widen the search area, and protect the True Master well!”
Immediately, everyone spread out and moved further outwards.
The yellow-robed Daoist was looking at the claw marks and after a long while, he said, “This beast is extremely powerful, Old Han. This time, it will likely be a battle to the death, with a nine out of ten chance of dying.”
Ning Xuan was on the move.
He was finding another place.
But as he ran, he suddenly heard strange footsteps.
The footsteps were rapidly moving away from him.
Ning Xuan frowned, quickly realizing someone had spotted him.
With a thought, he turned and followed in the direction of the footsteps.
The footsteps grew faster.
His speed also increased.
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped.
Ning Xuan had already pursued them to a deep valley covered in dense vines.
He sensed for a moment and heard suppressed, low-pitched breathing, like someone panting heavily.
Curiously, he walked closer and stopped behind a hanging vine, standing to the side of the cave entrance to avoid a direct confrontation. He then lifted the Beast Slaying Blade and slowly pulled aside the vine “curtain.”
As the curtain was slightly lifted, a whirlwind erupted, accompanied by a roar of despair.
A dark figure charged out, wrapped in a foul wind, and the vines were shattered into pieces.
*Swish!*
*Bang!*
The black, foul wind was directly pierced through by the Beast Slaying Blade. Ning Xuan then casually grabbed it with one hand and pinned it to the cliff face.
Ning Xuan tilted his head, looking curiously at the small black bear he had pinned.
“Roar!”
“Roar, roar, roar!”
The black bear’s eyes flashed with human-like fear, and it let out furious roars. Its teeth were not very dense, and its body was not as terrifying as the bear demons from nightmares.
Ning Xuan looked for a while and confirmed that this creature was a Mountain Crushing Bear, but it seemed to be a lesser demon.
The Heavenly Demon Scroll had truly come true, but it was likely not just one Mountain Crushing Bear, but a whole den, or even a mountain range, an entire species.
He didn’t know.
Ning Xuan stared at it for a couple of glances, then suddenly pulled out the Beast Slaying Blade.
The lesser demon was startled.
Ning Xuan poked it two more times.
The lesser demon let out a cry of confusion and pain. Just as it leaned against the rock face, preparing to die, the terrifying human suddenly sheathed his blade, turned around without a word, and left.
The lesser demon quickly clutched its wound and scrambled into a narrow path.
Ning Xuan followed.
He hadn’t even noticed this lesser demon, but it had managed to escape beforehand, which meant that demonic creatures… might also have their own cultivation techniques.
(End of this chapter)
