Chapter 6

Deng Shouyi originally thought that as long as he took action, a mere beast would be easy to capture. However, after hearing Wei Shizhi talk about the old bear's cultivation, he felt the need to proceed with caution. At his suggestion, everyone gathered to discuss the matter, exchanging ideas, and finally decided to follow the two hunters' advice: to set iron traps on the paths where the golden-backed bear roamed. Once the bear's leg was caught, they would aim for its eyes and nose with a barrage of arrows to ensure success. Wei Shizhi had a vague feeling that something was amiss, but he couldn't think of a better plan at the moment.

With the plan set, the group set off, camping in the wild at night and continuing their journey early the next morning. Wei Shizhi gauged the physical condition of the group and slightly controlled his pace to avoid leaving anyone behind. Deng Shouyi, of course, was not a problem; even if he went all out, he couldn't outpace him. Among the others, the servant surnamed Yue had the best physical condition, carrying the heaviest load without showing any signs of slowing down. In contrast, the guards, though skilled in martial arts, were not accustomed to the mountain paths. Fortunately, Wei Shizhi would stop for a rest before everyone was exhausted, so while they felt tired, no one was completely drained.

During the breaks, Wei Shizhi took the initiative to chat with the servant surnamed Yue. The servant didn't hide his humble origins, admitting he was a house-born servant of the Zhao family, named Yue Zhiyan, with a name given by the steward, Deng. Wei Shizhi noticed that his legs were slightly bowed, suspecting he had served in the border army, where long-term horseback riding was common.

By the third day, they were only a few mountains away from Black Pine Valley. Wei Shizhi walked slower and slower, stopping to rest every two to three hours to recover his energy and strength. Throughout the journey, Deng Shouyi remained silent, feeling that his uncle's judgment was correct: Wei Shizhi was a capable person who could handle everything without guidance. His uncle was old and had few capable people around him; besides Yue Zhiyan, he couldn't find another. He thought about trying to recruit Wei Shizhi after this trip.

As noon approached, Wei Shizhi looked up at the sky, which was clear and cloudless, a good day. The mountain wind swept through the forest, carrying a faint smell of wild beasts, which seemed familiar. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he shouted, "Everyone, scatter quickly and climb the trees!" Before he finished speaking, the mountain ridge trembled, the sky darkened, and the low, heavy breathing and rapid running sounds came straight at them.

Wei Shizhi dropped his hunting spear and rushed to a tall spruce tree, climbing to the treetop with his hands and feet. His heart pounded; the smell of the beast was identical to the fur in his arms—this was the old bear from Black Pine Valley!

Everyone was taken aback and didn't react immediately. Deng Shouyi raised an eyebrow, turned around, and gripped the hilt of his sword, drawing a bright, long sword and preparing himself.

"Quick, climb the trees!" Wei Shizhi shouted. Standing on the treetop, he had a clear view and saw the old bear burst out of the dense forest, its eyes bloodshot, moving as fast as a galloping horse. In just a few breaths, it was right in front of them. Instead of retreating, Deng Shouyi advanced, bending his body and exhaling, thrusting his sword at the bear's chest.

The old bear swung its paw, hitting the sword and deflecting the tip, which struck its shoulder blade and bent into an arc. With a "zing," it straightened, and Deng Shouyi retreated three steps, his arm feeling weak. His heart sank; he knew that the fur of a spirit creature was the toughest, so he had specially borrowed a Dragon-Cleaving Sword from his master. He hadn't expected the old bear to be so strong that even the Dragon-Cleaving Sword couldn't penetrate it.

The hunters, who lived in the mountains, reacted only a half-beat slower than Wei Shizhi, running to the nearest large tree. The guards, however, overconfident in their martial skills, drew their knives and swords to assist Deng Shouyi. Wei Shizhi shook his head; this wasn't just reckless, it was a death wish.

The old bear was cunning. Knowing it was in trouble after being hit by the Dragon-Cleaving Sword, it avoided the strong and attacked the weak. It turned around, stood on its hind legs, and roared, pouncing forward with both paws striking the ground. A shockwave surged like a tidal wave, scattering branches, leaves, and soil. Everyone lost their footing, swaying like a small boat in a storm, at risk of capsizing at any moment.

Deng Shouyi recovered, his left index and middle fingers together, running his hand along the sword to channel Sharp Metal Qi, which flowed continuously into the Dragon-Cleaving Sword. The old bear ignored him, rushing into the crowd, striking a guard dead with a paw, turning its head to bite another guard's jaw, and tearing off half of his head, blood gushing like a fountain.

One misstep, and the whole plan was ruined. The old bear should have been sleeping in its den; why did it suddenly appear? Wei Shizhi had a vague feeling that there was a reason, and it was all because of the fur. Seeing Deng Shouyi slowly casting his spell while the old bear continued to kill, he shook his head. The disciples of the Immortal Capital Sect weren't as powerful as he had expected—indeed, they were overconfident. However, it was too late for regrets. He quickly took out his hunting bow, aimed at the bear's eyes and nose, and fired three arrows in quick succession.

Yue Zhiyan was the first to steady himself. He took advantage of the old bear protecting its eyes and nose, rolled to the side, and grabbed a crossbow from his bag, firing an arrow at its crotch. Without waiting to see the result, he immediately discarded the crossbow and hid behind a tree. The arrow was extremely cunning; the old bear, with its vision obstructed, was caught off guard and hit in a vital spot, causing it excruciating pain. It roared and lowered its paw, only to be hit in the face by another arrow from Wei Shizhi, which narrowly missed its eye.

Over the long years, the old bear had always been the dominant force in the mountains. It had never suffered such a defeat. Enraged, it no longer concealed its mouth and nose, striking and biting, killing several more people in quick succession.

Deng Shouyi channeled most of his Sharp Metal Qi into the Dragon-Cleaving Sword, which suddenly glowed brilliantly, humming as if about to fly out of his hand. He was overjoyed and charged forward, thrusting the sword through the old bear's lower abdomen. A jet of blood spurted out, and the bear howled in pain, striking the sword with its paw, which was silently severed.

The old bear finally felt fear and turned to flee. Yue Zhiyan, seeing the direction, steadily threw an open iron trap, which the bear stepped on. Although the iron trap's teeth couldn't penetrate the thick skin, it slowed the bear down. The bear bent down to bite the trap, and Wei Shizhi, seeing the opportunity, shot an arrow directly into its eye, followed by another into its open mouth.

Deng Shouyi rushed to the bear's back, thrusting the Dragon-Cleaving Sword into the golden fur on its back, piercing through to the front. The sword's light rapidly faded as the Sharp Metal Qi wreaked havoc inside the bear. The old bear let out a deafening howl and collapsed.

Finally, it was over. The air was filled with the smell of blood, and the surroundings were in chaos, with bodies scattered everywhere. Only Wei Shizhi and Yue Zhiyan survived. Deng Shouyi pulled out his long sword, which was as bright as a mirror, not a drop of blood on it. He felt a sense of relief; if it weren't for the Dragon-Cleaving Sword and the restraint provided by Wei and Yue, he couldn't have defeated the bear alone.

Wei Shizhi jumped down from the tree, silent. In an instant, so many lives had vanished, and whether it was hatred, sorrow, or longing, the traces left in the world would be washed away by time, nothing lasting forever. It was the same for him.