Chapter 188 - Mad Dog
After the calamity with the Beast Deity, from north to south, appalling desertion sights were seen everywhere, not a single human for thousands of miles, not a sound from hundreds of villages, were some of the frequent encounters. Due to the short period of suffering, the north was slightly better, heading towards the south, the tragic scenes became more serious.
Ruins, defeated towns, were everywhere. And even in the wild fields empty grounds, eerie white bones could be discovered at times, a ghastly sight. Wind and smoke soughing, a bleak, desolate scene, this secular world, humans like ants, all unable to control their own fates.
Many people fled to the north, after ensuring that this calamity was indeed over, started to return to their hometowns. The infinite desolate lands, begun to have humans presence. But this also, contained much sorrowful sentiments, both sides of the road, still often had corpses, some killed by evil beasts, some, after the calamity, unable to withstand the hunger and cold on their way back, died. In-between, occasionally some remote places, a few small evil beasts remained, at times rumours of evil beasts killing humans spread. However, at this time, the huge catastrophe was after all over, although the small evil beasts were causing alarm but it could not deter the wishes of many more people who wished to return.
And even those lingering evil demons, in fact also soon disappeared. Because among the countless commoners who were returning home, there were many Good Faction disciples, whenever news of the evil demons were heard, very quickly they were subdued by those Good Faction disciples.
On the day of the great battle at Qing Yun Hill, the Beast Deity defeated by Zhu Xian sword but it did not die, the Good Faction were not fools too, what the Evil Sect knew about hitting a person when he is down, eliminating the roots, the Good Faction naturally also understood the logic of ‘eradicating evil completely’!
They were all various Good Faction sects’s dispatched talented disciples, some of the smaller sects even came out in force, if there is a chance to catch the Beast Deity, taking a broad view, this merit and reputation, how would it be ordinary? Moreover the Beast Deity was an exceptional demon, if there wasn’t any exceptional weapons with it, even fools would not believe it.
These speculations, mixed in the crowd, like the tide spread out, gushing towards the south, behind the gradual descending peace, it seemed however that many were holding their breaths to wait and see. In contrast, the commoners’ woes, not many cared.
Following this crowd heading towards the south, travelling in it together were Zhou YiXian, Xiao Huan and Wild Dog Taoist, their sentiments were different from others.
Zhou YiXian was still holding that bamboo pole, and the white banner with the words, ‘Immortal Guide’, was still hanging on it, just that the white cloth, in this turmoil and chaos of war, turned an uneven black and yellow, it still had a few tears at some places. Even the cold wind blew past, the cloth still welcomed and fluttered but there wasn’t any more celestial air, instead it was all broken and dejected.
As for Wild Dog Taoist, for this long period of time, was still following Zhou YiXian and Xiao Huan, the three of them roaming the world. But right now he had a cloth covering his face, not for anything else but just that at this time, the commoners around him were more sensitive towards people who looked slightly strange, inadvertently he might be misunderstood to be one of the evil demons, if so then it would be most injustice. After experiencing several such misunderstandings, without Zhou YiXian rolling his eyes at him or Xiao Huan persuading him, Wild Dog Taoist also could not stand it, found a cloth and covered his face up.
Among the three, Xiao Huan looked most refreshing, of course, a young and beautiful girl, naturally would be eye-catching and good-looking. In this sorrowful and dejected crowd of people, she seemed to be the most beautiful figure.
Along the way, very different from the rest, she always wore a smile but it was not the gloating kind, instead, disregarding Zhou YiXian incessantly nagging, tried her best to help the helpless commoners around her.
Someone who fell due to tiredness, she stepped forward to support; or someone in hunger and cold, she delivered food and clothing; or someone sick or weak, she seemed to have some medical skills, went up to examine; even looking at the bodies lying along the road, she would gently quietly walked past, not avoiding the stench, roughly buried them, regarded as a form of comfort.
Along the way, wind and dust covered them, other than facing the graveness of the sick, weak and dead, Xiao Huan seemed to be forever smiling, on this dim and dark path, she was like the compassionate fairy. Zhou YiXian was still perpetually quietly nagging and Wild Dog Taoist followed behind Xiao Huan, never discouraged her once, as long as whatever Xiao Huan wished to do, he would rushed to do it first: burying the bodies, he moved to dig; saving and helping the weak, he personally assisted the person. Along the way, in his eyes, there seemed to be only that delicate young girl, what Xiao Huan did, he did it too, even how hard the times were or how tired the journey, he seemed not to be bother at all.
However, they were after all not immortal, without mentioning the rest, so many were hungry and cold and only a little food, even theirs were soon gone. Having no choice, this day they had to leave the crowd temporarily, headed to the wilds, hoping in that mountain they were able to find some food.
In the catastrophe, miserable conditions like this!
Zhou YiXian holding the bamboo pole, watching the gradual fading sky, shook his head, sighed, “The times now, it’s really hard to survive."
Xiao Huan walked beside him, smiled but did not speak. But in this short period of time, although her face was stained slightly with travel but she was still beautiful as ever, with addition of some maturity which wasn’t present in the past. Wild Dog Taoist behind her, his tall figure seemed to join with Xiao Huan slender form, his face hidden behind the cloth, nothing could be seen, except a sparkling pair of eyes.
Right now they were already a distance from the main road, standing at the summit of a small hill, the night thick with dark clouds, only a few spots of stars in the distant, not a glimpse of the moon. The surrounding wild countryside, right now was silent, only cries of insects from somewhere, sometimes long sometimes short, not knowing where it came from.
Xiao Huan paused, as if recalling something, turned to Wild Dog Taoist, smiled and said, “Priest, now there isn’t anyone else, you can take down your face cloth, wrapping for a day, I am afraid you must be terribly uncomfortable."
Wild Dog Taoist’s eyes seemed to flash a faint glint in the dark night, slowly removed the cloth, revealed his strange face, whispered, “Uh, actually I am fine but you have a long day today, you should be exhausted right?"
Zhou YiXian also stopped, looked around, saw a dead wood beside, hurriedly walked over, sat right on top of it, then made a long stretch, after which he rolled his eyes at Xiao Huan, said, “Yes, only she is busy, only she is merciful, therefore gifted others her grandfather’s dried rations, and now even your grandfather is starving.”
Xiao Huan turned red, walked over and stood behind Zhou YiXian, stretched out her hands and gently beat on Zhou YiXian’s shoulders, said, “Grandpa, we are still considered fortunate but look at those people, if they do not eat something, they really will have no strength to go on, I'm afraid they might die."
Wild Dog Taoist looked left and right, said, "You both sit here, I will go into the woods to see if I can catch some wild animals, temporarily fill our stomachs.”
Xiao Huan smiled to Wild Dog Taoist and said, “Ok, have to trouble priest.”
Wild Dog Taoist grinned, Zhou YiXian suddenly snorted, sneered, "What are you laughing at? And just laughing, but why old man me see that your smile is so vulgar, don’t tell me you are having some unvirtuous thoughts in your head?"
Wild Dog Taoist was shocked, quickly put away his smile, glanced at Xiao Huan, saw Xiao Huan looking at him slightly apologetic, his eyes immediately brightened, how would it have any hint of anger, totally disregarded Zhou YiXian and straight ignoring him, said to Xiao Huan, “Then you both wait for me to come back." Speaking, he walked with quick steps into the forest.
Zhou YiXian snappily mumbled a few words, Xiao Huan behind him slightly annoyed said, “Grandpa, that Wild Dog Taoist has been with us for so long, why can’t you show him a good face, besides, all thanks to him taking care of us along the way, and furthermore he is not a bad person!”
Zhou YiXian snorted and said, "What do you know about a good or a bad person? He follows us, isn’t it because”
"Grandpa!" Xiao Huan cried out, cut off his words. Zhou YiXian grumbled a few words and did not speak again.
X x x
[Suo suo] sounds were heard in the woods, then another burst of fluttering sound, after a long while, a burst of footsteps swiftly came, Wild Dog Taoist beaming, ran out from the forest holding a wild bird. A few days ago after that catastrophe, all livings things in extreme distress, even among the mountains, these wild animals and birds, seemed much lesser than before, today Wild Dog Taoist seemed lucky, actually caught a bird that slipped through the net!
Wild Dog Taoist excitedly rushed back, loudly said, “See, look what I’ve caught” Suddenly, his voice stopped, on the open ground, there was nobody, Zhou YiXian and Xiao Huan, were gone.
[Pa da] the wild bird from Wild Dog Taoist’s hands dropped onto the ground.
The night wind cold, the chill seemed to instantly soaked through deep into the bones, Wild Dog Taoist body for some reasons, started to tremble. Step by step he walked forward, that dead wood on the ground, still even had traces of Zhou YiXian sitting on it.
"They are gone, gone" Wild Dog Taoist’s mind in a chaos, his dog face changed with different emotions, mostly fear and sadness. He at the moment, dumbstruck like a wooden bird but after a moment, he suddenly shook, his eyes lit up, behind that dead wood, there were a few spots of disorder footprints, and on the soft ground beside the footprint, there was a larger than ordinary footprint, three claws in front, definitely not a human being.
Wild Dog Taoist’s countenance changed greatly, first overjoyed, then shocked, then at the moment, a long howl seemed to be heard in the distant, its sound mournful, like a vicious wolf howling to the moon. Wild Dog Taoist subconsciously took a step back, but after a moment, his dog facial muscles slightly trembling, suddenly with a loud roar, he charged into the dense forest towards the howl direction, looking at his demeanour, it looked like a mad dog.
A crazy dog!
Just when Wild Dog Taoist dashed into the forest, on the dark night sky, a white light suddenly lit up, streaking swiftly from the north, across the horizon, not the slightest pause, straight to the south, like a meteor. And on the ground, after a while, while the remnants of the white light was still in the horizon, a black figure appeared near that empty ground, looking carefully, he was covered all in black cloth, but he was slightly panting, stopping in the forest, he muttered to himself,
“How did his skills improved so much, really met a ghost.” While he was resting, suddenly, he seemed to sense something, turned and glanced into the forest, heard indistinct fightings from the depths of the woods, the black-attired man hesitated for a moment, again looked up to that white light in the horizon, shook his head, sighed. Then his body flashed but it was light like a ghost, flashed into where Wild Dog Taoist had dashed in.
X x x
Wild Dog Taoist held his weapon fang in his hand, looking tense, but the next moment, his shoulder turned dark red, like already wounded. But before him, there was two huge demon beasts, tiger head and lion’s body, as tall as a human, Wild Dog Taoist before them, looked like he would collapse at the first blow.
Zhou YiXian and Xiao Huan right now were standing behind the two beasts. In this forest, the two demons seemed to have made a den in this desolate place, many branches, grasses and leaves piled in a mess, the heavy smell of blood assaulted the nose. But the most terrible thing was, dead bodies were scattered all around, and other than Zhou YiXian and Xiao Huan, there were still seven or eight humans alive, but they looked unconscious, even if they were conscious, they were as thin as sticks, in dreadful states.
Nobody knew from where the two beasts abducted so many people but it could be imagined that in this demon beasts calamity, how tragic it was!
Facing the two huge beasts, Wild Dog Taoist panted heavily, in full alert. Earlier on when he charged into here, saw that Zhou YiXian and Xiao Huan were still alive, before he could rejoice, he was already attacked by the two beasts. After exchanging moves, these two demon beasts were not ordinary, had huge strength and could actually slashed Wild Dog Taoist’s shoulder. But even so, Wild Dog Taoist was after all a cultivated person, different from the ordinary people, in his panic, he wielded his weapon and at the same time, hit one of the beasts, right now that beast’s front paw was dripping with blood, clearly it was not better off.
Just that the two demons looked extremely ferocious, saw the blood but it did not backed away, instead it stare deathly at Wild Dog Taoist, they were only wary of his weapon so for the moment only stood facing him. And Wild Dog Taoist was lamenting in his heart, that fight, he knew it well, if it was only one beast, he might still have a slim chance to win but two together, he would definitely lose his life.
However he perhaps could turn and flee, but for some reason, his eyes intentionally or inadvertently glanced at that terrified and anxious pair of eyes behind the beasts, and he could not move his feet to escape alone.
Some things, are really inescapable?
Ferocious roars started, finally unable to bear it, pounced over. Two figures in the shadows sweeping up the stench of blood, accompanied by Xiao Huan’s cries.
Wild Dog Taoist’s throat turned dry, both legs trembling, his instinct to turn and run, but, but, his body, instead leapt up, heading towards that ferocious demon beasts, as if --
Mad dog!
The result was known in an instant, the two beasts’ four claws almost simultaneously tore into Wild Dog Taoist’s body, and Wild Dog Taoist’s fang weapon stabbed into that wounded beast’s chest.
Beast and Wild Dog Taoist screamed at the same time, Xiao Huan’s exclamations had turned into cried.
Blood sprayed, Wild Dog Taoist only felt as if his body was shattering, like being tore into two, staggering backwards, in his panic he only saw the four blood wounds on his body, blood pouring out like a fountain.
Ahead, that beast roared a few times, its legs crumbled and collapsed on the ground. The other beast whined, actually did not attack Wild Dog Taoist, and instead beside the fallen beast, constantly used its head, using its claws to shake his comrade. However the beast’s wound, the fang had stabbed into its heart, after struggling a few times, its head drooped and died like that.
[Pa] a light sound, Wild Dog Taoist also could no longer sustain, fell kneeling to the ground, his upper body almost soaked in blood, a sheet of red, panting with huge mouthfuls, his dog face pale.
The noise however alerted the remaining beast, watching its companion died, this demon beast looked even crazy, roaring loudly to the sky, its fangs like blood, again pounced over.
Watching helplessly as Wild Dog Taoist was about to lose his life under the beast’s claws, suddenly a confusion, a beam of yellow light flashed, a few talisman papers drifted down, Wild Dog Taoist actually disappeared, the beast demon pounced onto empty ground.
The beast demon was shocked, but a moment later, suddenly heard [ai ya], Zhou YiXian with Wild Dog Taoist actually fell from the sky, he was still holding a few talisman papers in his hands.
This was naturally Zhou YiXian using his so-called ancestors’ celestial skills, when the beasts suddenly attacked them, they were caught unaware and the next moment both of them were caught, in the beasts’ bloody mouths, they didn’t have any chance of escape. Luckily Wild Dog Taoist hot-headedly came to rescue them, they then had a window to escape, initially wanted to take the opportunity to escape, unexpectedly Wild Dog Taoist’s life was in peril, with no choice, Zhou YiXian had to first save him.
But his tactics seemed to be only shallow skills, although it was similar to Taoist’s ‘Five Ghost Moving House’ skill, teleported Wild Dog Taoist but the skill was only halfway, for some reason he slipped and in the end the two of them actually fell from the sky, in an extremely sorry plight. And fortunately, Wild Dog Taoist landed on Zhou YiXian’s body, else with this impact, most likely would cause him his death.
But at the moment it was also not the time for them to think so much, that beast in a blink discovered, in a rage, again pounced over. Zhou YiXian and Wild Dog Taoist heads were still spinning, Wild Dog Taoist was slightly better but sustained heavy injuries, in the end would not be able to escape in time. Helpless, he could only wait for death. On his dog face, a lost expression quietly brush past, he turned his head to look, like he wanted to see something?
But at this flint-spark moment, a figure abruptly appeared, blocked in front of them, that person loudly shouted, “Grandpa, Priest”
Under the cold claws and sharp fangs, Xiao Huan’s desperately crying yet solemn face!
In that instant, Wild Dog Taoist only felt a gush of blood rushing up his head, his entire body like boiling up, looking at that figure, weak yet beautiful!
X x x
[Zhen]
A loud noise, the two figures collided.
Xiao Huan staggered and fell to the side, her body covered with mud, but she did not notice all these, looking back, she saw only Wild Dog Taoist who had pushed her, leapt forward, entangled with that beast and knocked that beast on the ground. That beast in its fury slashed madly onto Wild Dog Taoist, blood and flesh flew everywhere in that instant, and Wild Dog Taoist actually held onto a death grip on the beast, never releasing.
Xiao Huan and Zhou YiXian turned pale, and the group behind them were also stunned with fright, the next moment, someone shouted, those that were mobile rushed out, surrounded that beast, took all the weapons that they could find, those that could not use their own hands and legs and even teeth, attacked desperately on that fierce beast demon.
The beast initially was still loudly roaring, struggled with its might to fight back but after a while, its voice gradually weakened, becoming deeper and deeper, finally silence. And the people around it seemed to go crazy, attacked with all of their might.
Until, Zhou YiXian was the first to come to his senses, quickly shouted for them to stop, it was more important to save lives, the rest then slowly stopped. And with this release, immediately many collapsed on the ground.
Xiao Huan’s face had a few drops of blood but did not care at all, quickly used all of her effort and pulled the beast’s body, trying to pull Wild Dog Taoist body from beneath it. However, after a long time, the beast and Wild Dog Taoist were still entangled together, Xiao Huan was stunned and anxious, almost crying out.
Finally, it was still Zhou YiXian who was still sensible, after carefully looking, he saw Wild Dog Taoist’s hands had tore through the beast’s tough fur, penetrated directly into its chest, stuck inside, no wonder they were inseparable. After discovering this, Zhou YiXian quickly called the rest to help, with their assistance, finally pulled Wild Dog Taoist’s bloody hands out and separated the two bodies.
Xiao Huan with her pale face, placed Wild Dog Taoist on the ground, was about to ask when her countenance changed, using her hands to check Wild Dog Taoist’s breath, immediately froze.!
"He Priest he"
Zhou YiXian said, "How is he?"
Xiao Huan with her lips slightly trembling, her eyes full of tears, voice trembling cried, “Priest he he is already dead.”
Zhou YiXian for the moment was also stunned, struck speechless.
In Xiao Huan’s cries and chokes, under the faint light in the darkness, Wild Dog Taoist’s strange face, was full of pain but a twisted faint smile indistinctly could be seen.
He died, like a mad dog that had died!
In this world, who was once sober?