After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 183: Chapter 184: Bargaining

That would mean twice the enemies, and twice the pain.

Ke Jihai bellowed, "How dare you!" He hurled his Long Spear, which flew from his hand and pierced the man at the front straight through the heart.

But just then, the sound of beating wings echoed from above, as if a large bird were approaching. A sudden sense of danger prickled at Ke Jihai, and without a second thought, he rolled to the side.

In the next instant, a large Fireball plummeted from the sky, crashing into the very spot where he had been standing.

A chunk of the black flagstone cracked from the impact, and the plants beneath the snow were instantly scorched to ash.

Ke Jihai looked up to see a large bird in the sky. It was a bizarre creature with the head of a crow, the wings of a bat, and a snake-like neck, but it had no tail.

There was a passenger on its back wearing a Bronze Mask, with only two holes for its eyes.

Ke Jihai clenched his fists in anger. ’If I had my longbow,’ he thought, ’would I let this thing screech and caw over my head?’

That’s right—it screeched like a crow.

"Father!" Hee Yue cried out in alarm, rushing to shield Hee Chunhua. He raised a hand, loosing an Ice Arrow.

The Ice Arrow split into three in mid-air, forming a triangular pattern that struck one of the assailants.

But the remaining enemies had closed in, and now they had only one target:

Hee Chunhua.

Hee Lingchuan was too far to help. Just as he was about to hurl his Broken Blade, several shadows shot out of the woods like arrows, felling three of the attackers.

When everyone got a clear look, they were stunned:

They were several giant, gray-furred wolves.

They were the size of young calves, their limbs far stockier than those of ordinary gray wolves. They pounced on the enemies and, after a flurry of savage bites, the men were gone.

The lead wolf clamped its jaws on an enemy’s head, shook it twice, and ripped it clean off at the neck. Blood sprayed across the ground.

Of the eight attackers, five had been eliminated in a flash. The remaining three hesitated for a moment, then turned and fled.

The giant wolves did not give chase.

Within moments, Hee Lingchuan reached his family, his blade pointed at the Wolf Pack. "Stay where you are! One step further and I will show no mercy!"

Although the Wolf Pack had just saved them, the creature trapped in the Silk-entwined Celestial Net was also a Wolf Demon.

’Are they all in this together?’

Six or seven more giant wolves emerged from the dense forest, surrounding the Celestial Net and the Werewolf within it.

Hee Lingchuan’s palms grew slick with sweat, and a glint appeared in Hee Chunhua’s eyes.

"We mean you no harm." The lead wolf suddenly spoke in a human tongue. "Our target is that madman in the sky!"

Hee Lingchuan looked up at the giant bird circling overhead, and at the passenger on its back.

From the first glance, he was certain this newcomer was connected to the Giant Ape and the Werewolf. The Strange Bird was just as bizarre and grotesque, looking as if it had been pieced together from scraps.

The Strange Bird was now spitting Fireballs down at the Walnut Boat, one after another. Lacking a ranged weapon, Ke Jihai broke off a few branches and hurled them, but the bird dodged them all.

"My boat!" The sight of the Walnut Boat made Hee Lingchuan’s chest ache so badly he could hardly breathe.

The exquisite wooden boat was now marred with several blackened pits from the Strange Bird’s Fireballs. Flames licked at the wood and began to spread.

It had been designed from the start as a simple means of transport. While it had been treated to be fire-resistant, moisture-proof, and rot-proof, it was nowhere near as durable as a combat-grade Magical Artifact.

There was no telling what species the Strange Bird belonged to, but the Fireballs it spat were so red they were almost purple, capable of setting even the snow-covered stone ground ablaze.

The driver on board was using his pole to beat out the flames, extinguishing a cluster at a time, but the fire spread faster than he could fight it. Soon, the flames were burning below the boat’s rail.

This boat had just cost him a Profound Crystal! Enraged, Hee Lingchuan completely forgot the boat actually belonged to Hee Chunhua. He retrieved a bow and arrows from his Storage Ring, took a few quick steps forward, and tossed them in a high arc to Ke Jihai.

His archery skills were still lacking, and his injured left shoulder prevented him from drawing a bow anyway. But his right arm was still plenty strong, and he sent the bow and arrows flying seventy or eighty feet through the air.

The great bird dove, trying to intercept the bow in mid-air.

’Heh, go ahead and try,’ Hee Lingchuan sneered, grabbing his Broken Blade and flinging it.

The throw was accurate, but the Strange Bird was more agile than any hawk or vulture. It flipped over in the air to dodge.

The Broken Blade missed its mark and disappeared into the darkness below.

"Huh?" ’So I don’t hit my target every single time?’

But that brief delay was all Ke Jihai needed. With the bow in hand, his spirits soared. He snatched an arrow, nocked it without aiming, and in one smooth motion, drew and released. A glint of cold light shot from the string, swift and true.

The passenger on the Strange Bird brandished a small bell, shaking it with a crisp JINGLE JINGLE. A fierce gale instantly whipped up in mid-air.

His reaction was undeniably swift. Unfortunately for him, the arrow was imbued with Primordial Power—the very power that negates Divine Techniques.

No matter how hard the wind blew, the arrow was only deflected by a hair’s breadth. Ke Jihai had aimed for the Strange Bird’s abdomen, but the shot ended up piercing the base of its wing.

The Strange Bird let out a pained cry and flapped its wings, trying to glide to the opposite peak.

Just then, the thundering of hooves echoed from below. A dozen or so riders charged up the mountain path—Ke Jihai’s men had arrived.

Ke Jihai was overjoyed. "Don’t let it get away!" he shouted, drawing his bow once more.

But at that exact moment, the Walnut Boat could no longer withstand the searing True Flame. With a POP, it shrank back into a small ball.

The immense, crushing weight vanished. The Giant Ape was free, and it shot upwards like a rocket!

It leaped forty or fifty feet into the air, soaring over everyone’s heads to catch the man and bird in mid-flight. Then, like a lead weight, it plunged into the valley below.

Ke Jihai’s arrow flew true, striking the Giant Ape in the rump. The beast roared in pain but did not loosen its grip.

Everyone rushed to the cliff’s edge and looked down. The valley floor was shrouded in darkness, but they could see a few toppled pine trees, and the tops of others were still trembling.

It seemed the Giant Ape had survived and was now making its escape.

Ke Jihai ordered two of his subordinates, "You two, follow them and see where they go."

The two men acknowledged the order and spurred their horses down the mountain.

Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack was still in a standoff with Hee Chunhua’s group. Seeing Ke Jihai’s men arrive, their own forces bolstered, the humans felt a sense of relief. The Whistling Arrow from earlier had also alerted the Guards of Luming Garden; the sound of hooves from the path above told them reinforcements were near.

The pain from his wound intensified, twisting Hee Lingchuan’s smile into a grimace.

He felt at his waist; the blade had already returned.

The injured groom had fainted from the pain. The young commoner also got back on his feet. Madam Ying thanked him profusely, but the youth just waved his hand. "It’s... it’s nothing. As long as you are safe, Madam."

Hee Yue looked at the boy’s back. "The blood is black," he said. "The arrow was poisoned."

One of Ke Jihai’s subordinates, a medic, stepped forward from the crowd and offered a pill. "Take this Antitoxic Pill first."

His Antitoxic Pill was effective against most common poisons. After the boy swallowed it, however, the spot between his eyebrows grew even darker. His limbs began to twitch, and he let out a low groan.

At this rate, he would soon lose consciousness.

"What are we going to do?" Madam Ying cried out in alarm. If the boy hadn’t thrown himself in the way to save her, she would be the one suffering from the poison now.

Ke Jihai pondered for a moment, then said, "Take my token and rush him to Jinghe Hall at the foot of the mountain. A renowned physician from the Old Fu Family is in residence there. I recall one of them specializes in poisons!"

His subordinate assented, taking the boy and the unconscious driver down the mountain.

Just then, a dozen Guards from Luming Garden arrived. They were stunned to see the Wolf Pack, and the sound of CLANGING metal filled the air as they drew their weapons.

Demons running wild in the Royal Villa... If word of this got out, they would be accused of negligence and dereliction of duty.

Surrounded by aggressive humans, the Wolf Pack grew uneasy, several of them baring their fangs.

"Everyone, stand down," Ke Jihai called out at the opportune moment. "The culprit who ambushed Mr. Hee and I has already left." He then walked over to speak with the lead Guard.

The lead wolf reiterated, "We mean no harm. We followed Dong Rui here. We only wish to rescue our Young Master."

"Young Master?" Hee Chunhua’s gaze fell upon the Werewolf on the ground. Now that the masked man was gone, its frenzy had subsided, leaving only low, guttural growls.

"This is our Young Master, Luu Ze. He was severely wounded, and Dong Rui took advantage of his weakness to transform him into... this." The wolf’s voice was tinged with sorrow. "My name is Luu Xin. We are the Rock Wolf Clan from the North Star Tundra. Please, return our Young Master to us!"

They hadn’t tried to snatch the Werewolf immediately because they were wary of Dong Rui’s presence; even freed from the Celestial Net, the Werewolf would still obey him. Hee Chunhua understood this perfectly. "This creature is my prize," he said. "It very nearly killed me."

Hee Lingchuan stripped off his shirt so the medic could treat his wound. "If we tried to take your prize," he said to the Wolf Pack, "would you be happy about it?"

"We can offer compensation," said the wolf, Luu Xin. "On the North Star Tundra, there are several unique herbs. With our clan’s secret formula, we can create a Spirit Medicine that grants a Light Body and tireless travel. Not only is it useful for Martial Artists like yourselves, but it can also be used on horses to increase their stamina."

Even Ke Jihai was tempted by this offer.

Horses that could run faster and farther would provide a tangible boost to his army’s mobility, even if only used by his Scout units.

Hee Chunhua shook his head. "Mere herbs. How can their value compare to that of your Young Master?"

He then asked the Wolf Demons, "Is your entire clan here?"

"Most of our clan remains on the North Star Tundra to guard our territory."

Hee Chunhua pointed to the Werewolf on the ground. "If I return him to you, can you restore his mind?"

Luu Xin replied instantly, "We can try. You need not trouble yourself with it."

Hee Chunhua glanced at Ke Jihai, seeking his opinion. Ke Jihai immediately replied, "He is Mr. Hee’s captive. Mr. Hee should dispose of him as he sees fit."

"I am heading north to Xiazhou to recruit soldiers and buy horses. It is a time when I am in dire need of manpower," Hee Chunhua said, having already made up his mind. "I will require the Rock Wolf Clan to dispatch a squad to serve under my command. At least fifteen healthy, adult Wolf Demons. That is not an excessive demand, is it?"

These Wolf Demons had already displayed impressive combat prowess, and the advantages of a Wolf Pack—stamina, discipline, and obedience—were legendary. Hee Chunhua knew that many armies, both at home and abroad, incorporated Demon Soldiers into their ranks to effectively supplement the shortcomings of human troops.

Luu Xin was taken aback. He had never expected such a brazen demand; it was far beyond anything the wolves had anticipated.

The wolves huddled together, whispering amongst themselves. No human could understand their mode of communication, but judging by their furiously wagging tails, the debate was heated.

After a long moment, Luu Xin turned back to Hee Chunhua. "The North Star Tundra is fraught with threats. Our strongest warriors are needed to defend our territory and cannot be away from the clan for long periods."

Hee Chunhua frowned.

Fortunately, Luu Xin immediately offered a compromise. "How about this: Luu Jin and I will forge an alliance with you now. We will fight alongside you."

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