Chapter 374: Carnage
But the most crucial question remained: why hadn’t the sachet worked?
Originally intended to repel wild beasts, it now seemed to be attracting them.
Xu Sanyan gritted his teeth, vowing to slaughter the entire family of the unscrupulous merchant who had sold Chunmei this useless item.
And Chunmei was equally useless, unable to handle even this simple task.
The tiger gave him no time for such thoughts. Never one to refuse a meal delivered to its doorstep, it coiled its powerful hind legs and launched itself into the air with surprising agility, its massive body soaring through the air.
Clang!
The blade flashed from its sheath, Xu Sanyan’s eyes turning cold as he instantly entered combat mode. Carnage was no stranger to him.
“You suicidal beast!”
A fierce glint flashed in Xu Sanyan’s eyes as he flung the scabbard backhand. The scabbard, sharp as a blade, hurtled toward the tiger, only to be swatted aside with a single paw.
Bang!
The scabbard flew back and embedded itself in a tree trunk. The tiger pressed its attack, claws extending from its padded paws as it slashed downward through the air.
Xu Sanyan seized the moment, raising his long saber. He gripped the hilt with one hand and braced the back of the blade with the other.
Clang!
Claws clashed against steel, ringing out with a crisp, metallic clang. Xu Sanyan felt an overwhelming force surge through him, his legs trembling violently. His face contorted in a grimace as he fought to remain standing.
Roar!
The tiger roared, its foul breath assaulting Xu Sanyan’s nostrils. Though ferocious, this was Xu Sanyan’s moment to strike back.
The tiger lunged through the air, its initial momentum unstoppable, but its limbs hung uselessly, finding no purchase. Blocking this attack would create a fleeting opening—a mere instant!
Xu Sanyan had endured the initial onslaught precisely for this fleeting opportunity.
His face flushed crimson, Xu Sanyan drew his blade and twisted his body. As the tiger landed, he thrust the blade into the gap between its scales, driving it deep with brutal force.
With a violent twist of his wrist, he wrenched the long blade, and a piercing, agonized howl tore through the night.
Roar!
The howl was accompanied by a spray of rancid blood that splattered across Xu Sanyan’s face. Blood seeped into his eyes, turning his pupils crimson.
His eyes blazing with savage intensity, Xu Sanyan remained oblivious to the blood. He continued to exert relentless pressure, determined to deliver a fatal blow and leave the tiger no chance to struggle.
The wilderness was too dangerous for prolonged battles. He needed to end this swiftly to avoid attracting other predators.
The tiger thrashed wildly, attempting to attack him, but Xu Sanyan’s position at its flank rendered its powerful limbs useless.
With each desperate struggle, the wound widened, and the tiger’s movements grew weaker. Within moments, it drew its last breath.
Huff…
Xu Sanyan exhaled heavily, too pressed for time to clear the battlefield. He swiftly withdrew his blade and fled into the darkness.
Beneath the towering tree, Xu Sanyan discarded his blood-soaked clothes. He glanced at the fragrant pouch in his hand before tossing it aside.
That treacherous merchant will pay for this sooner or later!
Clad only in his underwear, Xu Sanyan stuffed his storage pouch inside, securing it with a strip of cloth to prevent it from jostling as he moved.
He then turned to examine the tree trunk behind him, where a conspicuous symbol had been carved.
Following the mark, he continued his journey, carefully avoiding the fierce beasts along the way.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Xu Sanyan sensed that the three days he had allotted for his journey had passed.
Despite traveling for three full days, he had yet to reach the Dog Clan’s territory. The long night had severely hampered his progress.
However, based on his calculations, he should be close. Another trip should suffice.
Whoosh—
Xu Sanyan’s figure vanished.
Within Thousand Autumns City, Xu Sanyan sat in a stone pavilion, lifting his teacup for a sip. He glanced down at the kneeling man below, his gaze oblique and silent.
Cold sweat dripped from the man’s forehead, tracing paths down his chin, but he dared not raise a hand to wipe it away. He had no idea what was happening. Someone had suddenly bound him and dragged him here, and his captor hadn’t uttered a single word since.
“Do you know why I summoned you here?” Xu Sanyan set down his teacup.
Summoned?
You call this a summons?
The man’s heart trembled. He hastily replied, “This humble one is unaware of how he has offended you, Senior. Please enlighten me.”
“Heh, very well. Then I’ll let you die knowing why.”
Xu Sanyan waved his hand, and Chunmei staggered forward from behind him. Her once rosy cheeks were now deathly pale, and streaks of blood marred her pale purple dress, the marks of a recent whipping.
Xu Sanyan had only lightly punished Chunmei, knowing she wasn’t truly at fault.
The man’s panic intensified at the sight of Chunmei’s battered state. He immediately kowtowed, shouting, “Senior, please see the truth! I have absolutely no connection to this woman! I’m already married, I would never—”
“What nonsense is this?”
Xu Sanyan waved his hand to interrupt. “Last time, she bought Beast-Repelling Powder from you. Do you remember?”
“This…” The man studied Xu Sanyan for a moment before hesitantly nodding. “I remember.”
“The Beast-Repelling Powder didn’t work. How do you explain that?”
The man was startled. “That’s impossible! I can’t speak for other things, but when it comes to repelling beasts, my shop has been operating in Thousand Autumns City for decades. I wouldn’t claim to be the best, but we’re definitely among the top two. If the powder were truly ineffective, we wouldn’t have lasted this long.”
Xu Sanyan tilted his head in thought. Could it be that the beasts in the two realms are different, requiring different types of Beast-Repelling Powder?
“What’s the principle behind the Beast-Repelling Powder?”
“Uh… well…” The man hesitated. This beast-repelling technique had been passed down through his family for generations. Revealing it to outsiders would betray his ancestors.
Xu Sanyan rolled his eyes. “Don’t answer and you’ll die.”
“The principle behind repelling beasts is scent. We mix high-level beast dung with pungent medicinal herbs, and then…” The man dared not withhold the truth. Betraying my ancestors is better than losing my life. He convinced himself that his ancestors, if they were watching from beyond, would understand his predicament.
Xu Sanyan listened quietly, gradually understanding the reasoning. It wasn’t really the man’s fault.
The beasts within the secret realm had never encountered creatures from the outside world and were unfamiliar with the scent of their droppings. Upon first smelling it, they mistakenly believed another beast had invaded their territory and came to drive it away.
Moreover, the method for making Beast-Repelling Powder wasn’t complicated. Xu Sanyan could easily prepare it himself next time.
Xu Sanyan chuckled. “It seems I misunderstood you. You may leave.”
“Thank you, Senior,” the man said, finally daring to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead as he retreated, his body trembling.
“Come here,” Xu Sanyan beckoned Chunmei with a gentle smile.
Chunmei had been unjustly beaten, and resentment simmered in her heart, though she dared not show it. She forced herself to approach, her body aching. “Master.”
“I wronged you. Do you harbor any resentment?”
Chunmei’s eyes reddened, misting over instantly. “This servant dares not.”
Xu Sanyan stroked Chunmei’s wounds, peeling back the flesh to examine the bloody, festering flesh. He found her strangely alluring in this moment, and his lower body stirred.
Xu Sanyan felt a flicker of doubt. Had he become this twisted?
Chunmei endured the excruciating pain, forcing herself to bear it.
“Do you have any family?”
Chunmei startled, fearing he intended to harm her family. She hastily knelt, tears streaming down her face, and pleaded, “Master, I have no complaints whatsoever.”
Xu Sanyan shook his head, gesturing in the direction the man had fled. “Go kill him, and the business will be yours. Consider it compensation.”
The Chaotic Cloud Mountains teemed with snakes, insects, and ferocious beasts, ensuring the Beast-Repelling Powder business would thrive. Xu Sanyan naturally had no interest in such petty ventures, but Chunmei was different—she was poor.
Moreover, Xu Sanyan had vowed to kill the unscrupulous merchant. A gentleman’s word is as weighty as a four-horse chariot.
“Ah?”
Chunmei froze, stunned. Was this how the master bestowed rewards?
Xu Sanyan rose and wrapped his arm around Chunmei’s waist, pulling her close until they were pressed tightly together, face to face. He inhaled deeply, savoring the intoxicating mix of her scent and the metallic tang of blood.
“Hiss~ Come, let’s go inside.”
(End of the Chapter)