Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Barbaric Ancient Bear
At this moment, the Cyan Wolf casually walked across the Fiery Scorpion King’s territory, holding three mountain chickens in its left paw and two in its right. The Scorpion King didn’t dare to even let out a fart, trembling with fear, not daring to make a move.
Not only it, nearly all the Little Demons basking in the sun and absorbing Golden Particles were the same.
But the Cyan Wolf was evidently uninterested in them and strode broadly across, quickly converging with the Gray Fox in a snowy field less than a hundred meters away from Wang Wu’s hiding place.
What shocked Wang Wu even more was that the Cyan Wolf actually started talking.
"Younger Brother Hu, you’ve come from afar, and I don’t have much to offer. I can only borrow a few mountain chickens from under our king’s rule to make do. I hope you won’t mind."
"How dare I, how dare I! Since we last parted, Brother Lang’s charm has surpassed his past greatness. I’m really envious! This visit was a bit abrupt, so I was truly improvident."
The Gray Fox also could talk, speaking lyrically, with a peculiar cadence.
"Haha, what are you saying, my brother? You and I share a life-and-death friendship. If it wasn’t for your help back then, I would have already become a lonely ghost under the swords of Human Race Cultivators. Come, come, these mountain chickens are Little Demons raised for five years, tender meat, rich in blood, nourished by Spiritual Qi, and most delicious. Even our king loves to eat them, so don’t be polite."
"Thank you, Brother Lang! I have some fine wine stolen from the Human Race, let’s drink together!"
The Cyan Wolf and Gray Fox were really unrestrained, each hugging a wild mountain chicken and devouring them, sometimes drinking wine, enjoying themselves greatly.
After gobbling down those five mountain chickens like a storm sweeping the clouds, and finishing the wine in the gourd, the Cyan Wolf asked again, "Where is Younger Brother Hu heading?"
"Sigh, don’t mention it, I’m fleeing disaster here. Recently, Human Race Cultivators in Yun Ding City have been clamoring to expand west by three thousand li within ten years. Although nothing is happening yet, many comrades don’t quite believe it, but Brother Lang, you know me. I often mix around the territories of the Human Race, knowing their power, so I’m staying away from trouble before anything happens."
"Is there such a thing!"
The Cyan Wolf was quite surprised, "Have you reported to your king?"
"Of course I’ve reported upwards, but beings like our king are high and mighty. I’m just a mere Mountain Patrol Fox, insignificant and without authority to comment on such matters. In fact, I haven’t even seen the king’s face, so it’s best for me to flee early."
The Gray Fox seemed full, speaking lazily, but its eyes scanned the surroundings.
"Would Younger Brother Hu be interested in serving under our king? Though I’m just a Mountain Patrol Marshal, recommending you to join as a Mountain Patrol Captain shouldn’t be a problem. Moreover, we’re ten thousand li away from Yun Ding City, there’s no fear of Human Race Cultivators, and life is peaceful, just patrolling forests and nurturing Little Demons, it’s very relaxing."
The Cyan Wolf enthusiastically invited.
"Thank you, Brother! I was precisely thinking of doing that!" The Gray Fox agreed readily.
"That’s great! Younger Brother Hu, come with me to meet our king, take a Mountain Patrol Waist Token, and afterward, you can walk freely within the three hundred li range of forest!"
The Cyan Wolf rejoiced.
"Hold on!" the Gray Fox suddenly stopped the Cyan Wolf, "Is this your patrol territory?"
"No, this is the boundary between two kings’ territories. From here south, starting at that forest, extending fifty li east to Black Mountain, thirty li west to the bank of Xijiang River, and fifty li south to the foot of South Mountain, this is the territory I’m responsible for."
"Under me, there is a Black Eagle Captain and a Yellow Rat Captain, each leading a team of Mountain Patrol Demon Soldiers. You can certainly serve as my Wild Fox Captain."
"I see, thank you for the guidance, Brother, but since this is the boundary, I just smelled a bear scent nearby. Perhaps it’s a passing Little Demon. Please wait a moment, Brother."
Upon saying this, the Gray Fox leapt forward, rushing toward a pile of thick snow and dug out a black, dense piece of poop...
While Wang Wu, who was lying dormant, silently cursed and blamed himself for carelessness. This was the poop he dumped a hundred meters away a month ago, thinking it would be well concealed by snow.
Unexpectedly, after a month, the damned fox managed to sniff it out.
My life is over!
Terrified, Wang Wu saw that Gray Fox roughly grabbed that black pile, sniffing it repeatedly, and even couldn’t resist licking it, damn!
Afterward, this creature smacked its lips and discarded it with some regret, saying, "It’s left behind from a month ago, nothing fresher around here."
"If there were fresher ones, within ten days, I could identify what kind it is. If it’s a Barbaric Ancient Bear, ah, that would be a jackpot."
Upon hearing this, the Cyan Wolf laughed, "Barbaric Ancient Bears are not so easy to encounter. This is more likely left by those foolish patrol Black Bears. Under our king, there is a Marshal Xiong Hei, and two Black Bear Captains, with ten patrol Bear Soldiers. They often cross the boundary absent-mindedly; I’m used to it."
"Speaking of Barbaric Ancient Bears, last year, there was indeed an adult one passing through. The commotion wasn’t small, seemed it was being chased by a Celestial Real Great Cultivator from the Human Race. Our king and several nearby kings didn’t even dare show face; I didn’t dare even peek but hid trembling in the cave. Anyway, it shook the earth and mountains for several days, eventually overturning a mountain within the North Mountain King’s territory."
"In the end, that Barbaric Ancient Bear was captured, and our king regretted it for a long time. If only he could obtain some of the Barbaric Ancient Bear’s blood, that would be excellent for the ordinary Mountain Bears, Black Bears, Dog Bears!"
As they spoke, the Cyan Wolf and Gray Fox disappeared over the mountain.
Wang Wu, having narrowly escaped with his life, dared not to move, because the Gray Fox left its wine gourd behind, along with half a mountain chicken.
Perhaps an ordinary Little Demon couldn’t see this as a trap, but Wang Wu immediately realized that the Gray Fox hadn’t told the truth to the Cyan Wolf.
It might really be unable to identify from month-old droppings, but there was surely suspicion, hence setting a deliberate trap to lure out the possibly existing Wild Bear.
Wang Wu now had to be relieved that, over past days, he only ate ice and snow, never other food, or else those droppings would be his greatest flaw and vulnerability.
He continued to wait a full day and night.
Hunger rendered him constantly in severe torment, but he could only endure it, refraining even from eating ice and snow, not moving as the snow around his hide melted away.
Two days and nights passed again, the weather warmed more, and except for some shaded areas, the earth was clear of snow.
The snow in Wang Wu’s hide nearly melted, mud and dust covering him completely, but he remained unmoving, blocking the collapsed secret door and tunnel entrance just so.
Otherwise, the tunnel and cave dug previously would be exposed instantly.
Finally, on the fourth morning, the Gray Fox emerged from somewhere, stood on a low hill, with a cunning and elongated gaze inspecting every corner of the valley. Even its eyes briefly skimmed Wang Wu’s hideout.
But maybe the dirt covering Wang Wu, along with naturally formed dust after the melted snow, helped conceal him.
Eventually, the Gray Fox left, shortly afterward emerging from a Gray Rat’s hole carrying its wine gourd; indeed, over two days, that half mountain chicken and wine gourd were treasured away by the Gray Mouse Knight.
Only then did Wang Wu finally breathe a sigh of relief, yet still dared not to move, fearing the Gray Fox might stage a repeat gambit.