novelraw Chapter 18 : Chapter 18
Chapter 18 : Chapter 18
Chapter18 : Beast Hunt (Part 1)
The next morning, Su Wantian and a group of fully prepared hunters went up the mountain.
It had to be said, the Su family indeed had quite a bit of face locally.
Master Su had gone to see the county magistrate last night and had actually managed to borrow several sets of chain mail and leather armor, along with three long spears and good sabers and bows from the military.
Even Lao Xuetou, who had long-standing dealings with the Su family, was quite shocked at once.
If these things were in an ordinary person's home, it would be enough for the whole family to be taken away for execution, yet Master Su had borrowed them just by asking.
But shock was shock, the hunters changed into them without being long-winded.
Although wearing armor would definitely affect agility, they were going to hunt a demonic beast!
No matter how agile you were, could you be more agile than that thing?
And wearing a suit of chain mail with a layer of leather armor over it might just save one's life!
The group brought sufficient dry rations and drinking water and searched in the mountains for a day, finding nothing.
They could only spend the night in the deep mountains.
The next morning, Lao Xuetou asked Su Wantian for the approximate location where he had last seen the demonic beast, had everyone stop, and then went out to search alone.
He actually managed to find the feces left by the demonic beast.
The group then split up and searched along this clue, and by dusk, someone actually found the demonic beast's tracks!
It was right next to the waterfall pool where Su Wantian and Xun Qiu had fallen a few days ago.
It was unknown whether it was because the sound was too loud and the environment too complex, or because this demonic beast was not much stronger than a wild beast, but it did not in turn discover the hunters who were looking for it, and was still drinking water on its own.
Su Wantian and Lao Xuetou led the group of hunters to gradually approach through the forest.
They were downwind and were not afraid of being discovered.
Lao Xuetou gestured to a hunter with a bow to find an opportunity and first make a cut on the demonic beast's body, while turning his head to look at Su Wantian, his voice pressed extremely low:
“Young Master Su, are you sure you want to go up yourself and attract that beast?”
When they were discussing the hunting method yesterday, they had been troubled by the possibility that this demonic beast might have human-like intelligence and would probably choose to flee directly if it saw too many people coming for it.
At that time, Su Wantian had proposed that the others hide well while he went up to attract its attention.
The others would then take the opportunity to sneak attack and injure one of its legs, and the problem would be solved.
This was certainly a good method, but… putting the Su family's young master in such a dangerous position did indeed make Lao Xuetou a little troubled.
Although Su Wantian said that Master Su would not hold him responsible if he died, that was just talk.
Could he really believe it?
It was just that when it was actually time to carry out the action, he really couldn't think of any other method.
From a cold and unfeeling perspective, having Su Wantian, the weakest and most burdensome member of the team, take the greatest risk was a reasonable decision, but in life, one could not be completely cold and rational.
Although it had already been decided to do so, when the matter was actually about to happen, it was inevitable to be a little hesitant, which was why Lao Xuetou had this question.
To this question, Su Wantian just nodded.
Lao Xuetou also nodded, took off the self-made shortbow from his back, and urged:
“Don't get too close.”
Without giving an answer, Su Wantian weighed the dagger in his arms, deliberately made the sound of rubbing against leaves and flowers, and strode forward, approaching the demonic beast that generally looked like a wolf, but had a red head and eyes as small as a mouse's.
Noticing the movement behind it, the demonic beast turned its head in an instant.
It looked carefully before recognizing that this human was the prey that had escaped a few days ago, but the natural caution of a wild beast took the upper hand at this moment.
The demonic beast did not act rashly for a while, but completely turned around, bent its body, and patiently observed the strange prey's movements.
“……Hoo……” Su Wantian exhaled nervously.
To him, facing the demonic beast that had almost taken his life a few days ago was still a quite thrilling and exciting matter, but he did not panic because of it, and immediately recalled what Lao Xuetou had told him.
It's not easy to make a beast give up and run away from you, but to make them chase after you, you just need to turn around and run!
His feet moved slightly, his body twisted, as if he had been scared silly and was turning around.
But before this action was completed, the demonic beast suddenly pushed off the ground with all four limbs and rushed forward!
The hunter hidden in the forest did not hesitate.
He released the bowstring, and the feathered long arrow shot out, breaking through the air, heading straight for the demonic beast's front leg!
It missed.
His reaction was fast enough, the bow and arrow were good enough, and his aim was even more amazing, but it was useless!
The demonic beast's speed completely exceeded the expectations of Su Wantian and the hunters.
It was as fast as lightning, leaving a long crimson shadow in the air.
In almost an instant, it arrived in front of Su Wantian and opened its bloody maw!
Su Wantian subconsciously raised his left hand to block in front of him, but at the critical moment, an arrow flew from behind, almost grazing past his right ear, and went straight into the demonic beast's left eye!
This blow directly made it let out a strange cry like a piglet's squeal.
Su Wantian did not hesitate and ran directly into the forest.
Lao Xuetou dropped the shortbow in his hand, not even giving him a glance, and strode out, pulling out the long saber from his back, and with a fierce shout like that of a ghost or god!
“Beast! Take my saber!”
Before the words had faded, a vertical chop from top to bottom had already been delivered!
The demonic beast was already in pain from the arrow in its eye.
Although Lao Xuetou had strode out, his speed was not slow either.
This blow directly landed on its head, splitting the skin and flesh, with blood flowing freely, and it even smashed its head down!
With a successful strike, Lao Xuetou was about to follow up with another to avoid complications from a long delay, but the demonic beast suddenly let out a roar, completely different from its previous cries.
Rolling sound waves swept out, overturning the stones on the ground, and making Lao Xuetou dizzy for a moment, the movement of his hands pausing along with it.
Not good!
Lao Xuetou reacted, and his heart jumped as he was about to bring his saber back to defend.
This action saved his life.
The demonic beast slapped over with its paw, hitting the long saber made of refined steel until it trembled unceasingly, and Lao Xuetou's hand bled from the force!
Swoosh—
At the critical moment, the hunter whose arrow had missed earlier raised his hand and shot another sharp arrow.
He seized the opportunity when the demonic beast raised its front paw and its defenses were wide open.
This blow directly landed on its hind leg, piercing into the flesh.
At the same time, the other four hidden in the forest also came out, some holding long spears, some holding long sabers, and they rushed straight towards the demonic beast!
For a moment, the demonic beast was surrounded by flashes of cold light.
The beast was shocked and angry in its heart, but its movements did not stop.
Another dizzying roar made the others' movements pause.
It inevitably took a saber blow from a nearby hunter and, ignoring it, forcefully crashed out of the encirclement.
And after coming back to their senses, the others immediately chased after it.
A sharp arrow fell, injuring the demonic beast's other hind leg, cutting off its escape route.
The long and bloody battle had only just begun.
Xun Qiu, who was in the middle of cultivating, suddenly opened her eyes.
It was already the night of the second day.
In one more day, that Demonic Cult member would find them.
Logically, she should be seizing the time to cultivate.
The Tai Xuan disciple had already taught her the Tai Xuan Heart Sutra's circulation method for the Lower Five Realms, and there would be no bottleneck before stepping into the Middle Four Realms.
But Xun Qiu was inexplicably a little concerned about Su Wantian's situation.
He hasn't come over for two days, what is that good-for-nothing doing?
Without a word, she got up, pushed open the door, and walked out.
The Tai Xuan disciple did not stop her.
He opened his eyes slightly and saw that the aura on Xun Qiu's body was still growing as she walked, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
Truly a monster…