Chapter 7

"These bodies... what should we do with them?" After a long while, Yue Zhiyan finally came to his senses.

Wei Shiqi put aside his emotions and hardened his heart, saying, "Dig a pit and bury them. Let them rest in peace."

Yue Zhiyan was still hesitant, but then he thought, with so many bodies, they couldn't carry them down the mountain, and if left in the wild, they would likely be eaten by wild beasts. It would be better to bury them and wait for a proper reburial later. He sighed, "There's no other choice. Young Wei, please help me. Let's get started."

It was all physical labor, but they had no proper tools, so they had to pick up two thick branches, cut off the leaves, and use them as makeshift tools. The two of them chose a piece of soft, loamy ground, dug a large pit, threw the bodies in, covered them with a layer of loose soil, stomped it down, and placed some stones on top. The bodies were not buried very deep, and they might be dug up by scavenging animals, but in the deep mountains and forests, there was no time for such formalities.

Deng Shouyi did not help. In his eyes, mortals were like ants. Before they died, he might save a few out of compassion, but burying the dead was something he found beneath him. He raised the Broken Dragon Sword, poured all the remaining sharp metal qi into it, and sliced open the bear's chest and abdomen, exposing the internal organs. He first searched the dantian, pulling out a silkworm-sized demon core, silver-white in color, which rolled around in his palm, showing a certain degree of spiritual nature.

Deng Shouyi was delighted. This was an unexpected gain. Although the demon core was young, the essence of moonlight it contained would greatly benefit him. He carefully placed the demon core in a jade box and hid it close to his body. Then, he found the gallbladder in the bear's abdominal cavity, cut it out, tied it with a hemp rope, and put it in his sleeve.

Deng Shouyi took one last look at the eviscerated bear, feeling there was nothing else of value, and with a wave of his sleeve, he found a clean stone, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to meditate.

After burying his companions, Yue Zhiyan packed the items into a saddlebag, discarded the iron traps, and tidied everything up. He then signaled to Wei Shiqi and stood beside Deng Shouyi, waiting for instructions. Deng Shouyi pondered for a long time and said with his eyes closed, "Today, thanks to your help in restraining the bear, I was able to kill it. Whatever your uncle promised you, he will fulfill when we return to Xinyang Town. You two... can ask me for one favor to thank you for your assistance."

The Daoist teachings of Xiandu Sect emphasized purity and detachment, and Deng Shouyi wanted to quickly resolve this matter to avoid any lingering issues.

Yue Zhiyan lowered his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly knelt down and kowtowed three times to Deng Shouyi, saying, "Please take me as your disciple and teach me the Dao!" To show his determination, he kowtowed with great force, splitting his forehead and bleeding profusely.

Deng Shouyi flatly refused, "Your sincerity is commendable, but I do not take disciples."

Yue Zhiyan shouted, "Please, Master, show me the way!"

Deng Shouyi knew that his uncle had a high opinion of Yue Zhiyan. Although he was a servant, his character and intelligence far surpassed those of ordinary people. His uncle had sent him to the border army, planning to help him earn military merit and remove his servitude, but Mr. Zhao refused to let him go. After returning to the Zhao residence, Yue Zhiyan continued to perform menial tasks, but he did his best without a single complaint. Such character deserved a chance. He opened his eyes and threw a metal ring from his sleeve, saying, "Since that's the case, I will give you an opportunity. On the seventh day of the seventh month next year, wear this metal ring on your right index finger and go to the Hu Yang Ferry on the West Min River to meet a disheveled old Daoist. If he approves of you, he will guide you into the Xiandu Sect."

Yue Zhiyan was overjoyed, picked up the metal ring, kowtowed three more times, and stood to one side.

Deng Shouyi looked at Wei Shiqi, "Mr. Wei, what do you want?"

Wei Shiqi clasped his hands and asked, "Do you have any more metal rings?"

"Go, go!" Deng Shouyi chuckled and threw another metal ring, then leaped up and disappeared down the mountain, his sleeves fluttering in the wind.

Wei Shiqi picked up the metal ring and put it in his pocket. Yue Zhiyan was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "I will head back to Xinyang Town now. What are your plans, Young Wei?"

"I will stay in the mountains for a few more days. These iron traps are a pity to leave behind. If you don't want them, can you give them to me?"

"Please, Young Wei, take them. I will leave first. Farewell!" Yue Zhiyan shouldered the saddlebag and turned to leave. Wei Shiqi watched his figure gradually disappear into the distance, and the mountain forest was left with him alone.

As dusk fell and the crows returned to their nests, Wei Shiqi lit a campfire, used his new curved knife to cut off several pieces of bear meat, skewered them on branches, and roasted them until they were about seven or eight parts cooked. He couldn't wait for them to cool and took a big bite. The bear meat was coarse and tough, far inferior to wild boar or deer, but Wei Shiqi was hungry and didn't care, devouring it all. He patted his bulging belly, feeling thirsty, and got up to find his water bag. As soon as he stood up, a wave of heat surged in his abdomen, spreading throughout his body like a fire.

"Could this bear meat be poisonous?" Wei Shiqi wondered.

The heat grew stronger, surging through his body, unable to be released. Wei Shiqi felt every inch of his skin swelling, and he couldn't help but look at his arm, which had inexplicably grown larger, with his pores expanding and his body hair standing on end. He staggered a few steps, his head muddled by the heat, and tripped, slamming his back into a tree.

The force of the collision was astonishing. The heat, impacted by the external force, contracted slightly, then expanded again. A searing pain shot through his back, as if a dull knife had been inserted and twisted, making him see black and feel nauseous. A series of thunderclaps echoed in his ears, and his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground like a dead pig.

"What... the... hell... is... going... on!" Wei Shiqi lay face down, tears streaming down his face, his nose bleeding and snot mixing with the blood, his upper lip cut by his teeth, and his mouth full of dirt and gravel.

After a long while, the pain gradually subsided, leaving him completely drained, his limbs twitching uncontrollably. The heat continued to surge and expand in his body. A flash of inspiration struck Wei Shiqi, and he remembered the second human figure depicted on the animal skin. He spat out the dirt and gravel, gritted his teeth, and groaned, "So... this is... cultivation... it really... hurts like... hell!"

After cursing a few times, Wei Shiqi struggled to his feet, wiped away his tears, snot, and blood, and, as if possessed, touched his crotch to check if he had lost control. Fortunately, he hadn't. He gritted his teeth, aimed at a large tree, and turned his back to it, slamming into it. Another excruciating pain shot through him, almost making him think his back had been torn open. But this time, he was prepared. When he fell to the ground, he used his hands to brace himself, avoiding further injury.

"Men should be tough on themselves!" Wei Shiqi got up and fell down again, and again, until he was completely numb. On the eleventh collision, he heard a faint "click," and something inside him seemed to loosen. His swollen body felt as if it had been punctured by a needle, and a white stream of qi burst from his mouth, dissipating three feet away.

Exhaustion surged from his bones, engulfing him like a tide. Before falling asleep, Wei Shiqi remembered Deng Shouyi's words and murmured, "So, this really is an opportunity..."