"Stop, stop! Anyone who does not lay down their arms shall be executed!"
Zhou Fugui and Xue Wentai, leading their men, were in a standoff with the Xiao family's retainers. Swords were drawn, and a fierce battle seemed imminent when Deputy General Ji Duo'er of Yan, rushing on horseback, shouted.
Ji Duo'er had drunk a bit too much the previous day and slept in. Upon waking to news of the major incident, he hastily donned a robe, leaped onto a bareback horse, and galloped over, losing a boot in his haste.
With a "clatter!", the multitude of prisoners, seeing Ji Duo'er arrive, reluctantly lowered their raised weapons.
However, the Xiao family's garrison did not lay down their arms. Zhou Fugui then raised his bow and arrow, and the prisoners followed suit.
"Zhou Fugui, Deputy General Zhou..." Ji Duo'er said breathlessly to Zhou Fugui, "You've led troops before, don't you know that military orders are not to be defied? Put down your bow and arrow quickly! You are truly... truly... a constant worry."
"Deputy General Ji, for wantonly killing my brothers, Hmph, we will not let this matter rest today!" Though Zhou Fugui spoke thus, he slowly lowered his weapon.
A wise man knows when to retreat. Prudence dictates that he who understands the times is a hero. With their inferior strength, Zhou Fugui seized the opportunity to de-escalate. Of course, as Zhou Fugui had said, this matter would not be easily forgotten. Should any opportunity arise in the future, Zhou Fugui would surely exact his revenge.
Ji Duo'er, unaware of Zhou Fugui's thoughts, held him back, saying, "General Zhou, I am here. You should quickly take your men and leave."
"Hmph, what deputy general? You are merely a convicted prisoner," at this moment, Xiao Ningshan's voice emerged from a room behind the archway. His voice was old and hoarse, completely different from before.
"Fort Master Xiao..." Ji Duo'er turned upon hearing this, and said angrily towards the room, "Wei Liang offended you, and it was wrong of him, but if you wanted to kill someone, you should have informed me first, shouldn't you? I am under imperial orders to escort these people to Xue Lin City. With one less person, I will have to answer for it. You know this, don't you?"
Ji Duo'er had already inquired about the circumstances before arriving.
"Heh heh..." Xiao Ningshan's aged laughter echoed from the room again. "A mere prisoner, his life worth less than a dog's. He's killed, so be it. What explanation is needed? If you insist on an explanation, say that this old man killed such a pig and dog. Deputy General Ji, this old man was friends with your father and grandfather. For their sake, I shall now lead my men and depart from Xiao Family Fort."
Xiao Ningshan's insults towards the prisoners enraged Zhou Fugui, Xue Wentai, and the others. Their anger surged uncontrollably. Zhou Fugui raised his Moon Chaser Bow, and Xue Wentai moved as if to charge towards the retainers blocking their path.
"Zhou Fugui, no!" Ji Duo'er exclaimed in alarm.
Unfortunately, it was too late. Before Ji Duo'er's words had even finished, Zhou Fugui swiftly loosed an arrow. The arrow flew like a meteor, heading straight for the wooden house's window.
Zhou Fugui aimed by sound and sight. If Xiao Ningshan stood by the window, the arrow would surely hit him. Even if he managed to narrowly dodge it, it would surely startle him, venting Zhou Fugui's anger and letting this beast with a human face know that he was not to be trifled with.
The arrow shot by Zhou Fugui was incredibly fast. Just as it was about to enter the window, a gust of yin wind suddenly blew from within, accompanied by ghostly cries. Two beams of eerie green light shot out from the window. Within the light beams, faint wisps of skulls could be seen, creating a terrifying spectacle.
The area around the archway, which had been bathed in sunlight moments before, was now shrouded in dark clouds.
The swiftly flying arrowhead, upon striking the eerie green light beams, fluttered to the ground like a piece of paper. The two beams of green light, however, continued unabated, one heading for Xue Wentai, the other for Zhou Fugui.
The eerie green light beam struck Xue Wentai. He cried out and fell backward, his body stained green. The other beam of green light rushed towards Zhou Fugui, reaching him in an instant.
"Ssss... Ssss... Ssss..."
Just then, everyone felt a flash of red light before their eyes. Suddenly, a blinding pillar of red light enveloped Zhou Fugui. The eerie green light beam collided with the red pillar but could not penetrate it. The two beams of light intertwined, emitting a piercing "sizzle," and the brightness intensified, becoming almost blinding. Everyone turned their heads to shield their eyes.
The Wolf God Bone around Zhou Fugui's neck was now radiating red light, like a ruby, or like the blood-red eyes of a hungry wolf.
Everyone was dumbfounded, frozen in place. Even Zhou Fugui, at the center of the red light, was greatly astonished.
...
"Is this man human or ghost?"
Ji Duo'er and Zhou Fugui, leading over five hundred prisoners, fled as if their lives depended on it, escaping Xiao Family Fort in a sorry state. They rode for over fifty li before Zhou Fugui reined in his warhorse and asked Ji Duo'er, "Is he human or ghost?"
"I told you he's a shaman, and a shaman with magic powers. Everyone within a hundred li regards him as a living deity. I warned you not to provoke him, but you insisted. Now you know how formidable he is?" Ji Duo'er grumbled. "But Deputy General Zhou, where did that red light come from?"
"I have no idea myself..." Zhou Fugui snorted in response. "Hmph, I don't care if he's human, ghost, or immortal. I will settle the score for killing my brothers sooner or later."
Was it the protection of the heavens? Zhou Fugui truly didn't know why the red light had suddenly appeared to protect him.
"Deputy General Ji..." Ji Duo'er rode his horse slowly, shaking his head and sighing. "Why are you still so stubborn? Never mind you, even a figure like Commander Hu Yan does not dare to provoke him lightly."
In the past, such incidents had occurred, and the escorting officials usually turned a blind eye, not wanting to offend the lord of Xiao Family Fort for the sake of a lowly prisoner. Only this time, Zhou Fugui had clashed with Xiao Ningshan and witnessed his formidable abilities.
"Commander Hu Yan? Who is that? A Xiongnu?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
Sharing the same surname as his mother piqued Zhou Fugui's interest, but he didn't dwell on it. There were many Xiongnu with the surname Hu Yan in the world.
"He is the lord of Xue Lin City, the great commander of the border armies, Commander Hu Yan. You don't even know this?" Ji Duo'er turned to Zhou Fugui and replied, "Commander Hu Yan is a Xiongnu. Is that strange? Our Great Yan Kingdom has many Xiongnu, some under Yuan's rule, and others who surrendered after the fall of Wei, including Xiongnu generals and soldiers."
"Oh, so is Commander Hu Yan a Xiongnu under Yuan's rule, or a surrendered Xiongnu general?" Zhou Fugui asked again.
"I'm not too sure about that," Ji Duo'er shook his head.
"Deputy General Ji Duo'er, the details are clear," at this moment, one of Ji Duo'er's retainers, an escorting Yan soldier, rode up swiftly and reported, "A woman of Fort Master Xiao, along with her young son, attempted to escape Xiao Family Fort. Wei Liang tried to help them escape, and therefore Wei Liang was killed by them."
"Why did Wei Liang try to help them escape?" Ji Duo'er pondered upon hearing this.
"Isn't it obvious?" Zhou Fugui exclaimed angrily. "Wei Liang has a soft heart. That woman must have pleaded with him, which is why Wei Liang wanted to help them escape. Are there any other reasons?"
If Wei Liang truly had an affair with that woman, Zhou Fugui and the others would indeed be somewhat in the wrong.
The reporting Yan soldier nodded.
"I told you not to meddle in other people's affairs, but you... Sigh..." Ji Duo'er grumbled again.
"Fugui, Fugui, hurry and take a look. Monk Mang has fainted again," at this moment, Yi Jisheng ran over and said to Zhou Fugui.
...
"Deputy General, Fugui, he's been poisoned by witchcraft," Wei the Blind said to Ji Duo'er and Zhou Fugui. "Fortunately, the great monk is strong, otherwise he would have been... However, if the poison cannot be removed, the great monk will not last more than a few days."
One of the two green beams emitted by Xiao Ningshan was blocked by the red light, so Zhou Fugui was spared. However, Monk Xue Wentai from Guanzhong did not have divine protection and was poisoned by Xiao Ningshan's witchcraft.
Zhou Fugui placed a hand on Wei the Blind's shoulder, partly to offer comfort, and partly to convey that this matter would by no means be let go with Xiao Family Fort.
"Is there any way to remove the poison?" Monk Mang had acted righteously for Zhou Fugui and the others, so Zhou Fugui could not abandon him.
"I am helpless," Wei the Blind replied, shaking his head.
Wei the Blind nodded, indicating he understood Zhou Fugui's intentions.
Wei Liang had met a tragic end. Wei the Blind naturally wanted to tear Xiao Ningshan into a thousand pieces and avenge Wei Liang. But in the current situation, as Wei the Blind had witnessed, instead of achieving revenge, they were about to lose Xue Wentai's life.
"The one who tied the bell must untie it..." Li Qing said.
"Are you suggesting we go back and beg that beast?" Zhou Fugui interrupted Li Qing, asking.
"Of course not..." Li Qing glared at Zhou Fugui, then said, "It's already a deadly feud. How could that person be willing to help? What I mean is, this place won't be the only shaman, will it?"
"You are correct..." Ji Duo'er sneered upon hearing this. "Within a hundred li radius, only Fort Master Xiao is there. Even if there are other shamans, they wouldn't dare to help."
"What about beyond a hundred li?" Zhou Fugui nodded and asked.
"Beyond a hundred li..." Ji Duo'er thought for a moment and then said, "To the northeast, about a hundred and fifty li from here, there is a mountain called Zou Xiong Ling. I heard shamans live there. I'm not too clear about the specifics, but..."
"But what?" Zhou Fugui pressed.
"If our journey is delayed, I cannot bear the consequences," Ji Duo'er replied.
The prisoners were heading to Xue Lin City, which was to the northwest. Ji Duo'er and his men could not and dared not travel to Zou Xiong Ling specifically for Xue Wentai alone.
Zhou Fugui nodded upon hearing this, then silently began to pack his saddle, bow, saber, rations, and water.
"Deputy General Zhou, where are you going?" Ji Duo'er asked in surprise.
"To repay a favor!" Zhou Fugui replied plainly and with unusual firmness.
Chapter 131: Peril in the Wilderness