Crash!
The Daoist stumbled against the wall, his clothes kicking up grass and dust.
“Cough, cough…”
His right ribcage was punctured, crushing a small portion of his lung, causing him to violently cough up several mouthfuls of bright red blood.
“Roar!”
Chen Guan saw his severe injuries but did not stop. Instead, he chased a few steps, changing from an upright stance to a crouching run, then suddenly raised his front paw, delivering another bear paw strike that whistled through the air!
Facing this mystical Daoist who could see his little sister,
He could not be left alive, nor could he be given any chance to catch his breath.
Because who knew what abilities he possessed?
Chen Guan had learned 'cut the grass, root out the weeds' from the Mountain Bandit Leader and his men.
“Grandpa… Bear…”
The Daoist saw the Black Bear chasing him again. Gone was the high-spirited demeanor he had upon entering the temple. Instead, he weakly begged for mercy, his voice like air escaping, while trying his best to muster strength and roll to the side.
He had just rolled a meter away.
Bang!
Chen Guan, unable to stop his momentum, slammed a paw onto the wall behind where the Daoist had just been, leaving a deep crater and spreading cracks.
Rustle—
Even the dilapidated temple trembled slightly, and some dust and sand fell from the main beam of the roof.
‘Such power… my life is forfeit…’
A meter away.
The Daoist, half-lying on the ground, slightly raised his head, looking at Chen Guan, who was over a meter tall even when crouching, and at Chen Guan’s human-like expression of fury.
At that moment, he became even more convinced that Chen Guan was a demon that had gained sentience!
Otherwise, how could a normal Black Bear possess such power? And be so human-like?
Whoosh!
After his paw struck empty air, Chen Guan quickly turned his body and looked down at him.
Most of his face was now stained red with blood.
After the rolling motion just now, his shattered bones had shifted, his internal injuries were more severe, and more blood gushed out, obscuring his pale face.
“Grand… Grandpa Bear…”
When the Daoist saw the Black Bear Demon raise its paw again, he endured the air leaking from his lungs due to the pressure loss and finally begged for mercy.
Gurgle… As soon as he finished speaking, his windpipe was filled with blood, and he fell into a coma.
Less than a second later, his chest no longer rose and fell; his breathing had completely stopped.
However.
Chen Guan could still hear a faint gasping sound from him and could see Yin Qi slowly seeping into his mouth and nose in the air.
He was using a form of Cultivator breathing, seemingly from a mythical drama, to replace normal respiration.
Fortunately, Chen Guan had Yin-Yang Eyes and could see the Yin Qi.
He could also use his keen hearing to sense that the hand pressed beneath him seemed to be making some movement.
Coupled with the gathering Yin Qi,
He seemed to be casting a Spell.
“Roar!”
Seeing this, Chen Guan showed an expression of ‘Still daring to play dead?’ and then switched to his other paw, bringing it down towards the Daoist’s head.
And as it descended.
The Daoist suddenly opened his eyes, mustered his last breath, and cursed completely, “You treacherous demon, from your ancestors!”
As he cursed, the half-formed Spell he had prepared also shot towards Chen Guan’s bear paw.
But the Spell was incomplete; as he swung his palm, bursts of Yin Qi dissipated into the air.
‘It’s over…’ This was his last fleeting thought.
Then.
Snap~
Chen Guan’s bear paw slammed down, like an irresistible force, not only breaking and knocking back his hand but also, with undiminished force, smashing his head with a thud.
Immediately, blood and a fishy smell splattered throughout the temple.
Even the mouth of the high and mighty immortal statue was splattered with a few drops of blood, getting a taste of fresh blood.
At the same time.
From Chen Guan’s sudden arrival to the killing of the Daoist, what seemed like a long time was actually only a dozen seconds.
At this point, Xiao Qing finally reacted from her fright and lingering fear, and without a word, she pounced onto Chen Guan, completely unconcerned that Chen Guan’s face and front were soaked with blood.
It was just that Chen Guan’s Qi and Yang Qi were a bit heavy.
Xiao Qing hugged Chen Guan for a few seconds, then left, feeling a little pain, while also asking with concern and urgency:
“Brother, are you hurt? Did that bad guy hurt Brother?”
“Roar.” Chen Guan shook his head, then looked at the headless corpse beside him.
If one were to speak of injuries, then the Daoist’s injuries were indeed a bit more severe.
“Brother is so amazing!” Xiao Qing was instantly overjoyed to hear that her brother was not hurt.
“Roar…” Chen Guan then pointed to the Daoist’s corpse, instructing Xiao Qing to control some items to search the body.
The vines on his body were woven by Xiao Qing for him.
Afterward, Chen Guan pointed to the backyard, adopting the 'aloof brother' demeanor of wanting to continue sleeping.
“Brother, rest quickly!” Xiao Qing, seeing that her brother wanted to sleep, also bid him farewell obediently.
Chen Guan nodded and slowly returned to the side room.
Upon entering the door and reaching the corner.
Chen Guan raised the bear paw that had previously slammed into the wall, rubbing it on the ground for a while, then kneading it, and finally shaking it.
‘Damn… it hurts like hell…’
Chen Guan’s hand hurt badly; he felt it must be a sprain.
Because ‘for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.’
Especially since the wall was made of stone, and he was made of flesh.
That angry blow surely hurt.
But his little sister was nearby earlier.
To keep her from worrying, and to maintain the image of an elder brother.
I’m fine… The night grew deeper.
Twenty li away.
The Constable, along with two Constables and several Jianghu experts, was resting in a cave in the mountains here.
Whoosh, whoosh—
The mountain wind howled, reflecting the flickering firelight.
Revealing the weary expressions on everyone’s faces.
After a moment of silence.
One of the Jianghu experts cupped his fists towards the Constable in charge and said:
“Brother Yan, the brothers have been searching with you for many days. Where did that Black Bear Demon run off to?
Can you even find it?”
“Exactly!” Another person also spoke, “Lord Yan, I’ve always admired you, but these past few days, wandering in the mountains has been so idle that birds are nesting, it’s quite boring.”
“Indeed, indeed.” A free-spirited Xia Ke leaned lazily against the mountain wall, “Brother, you should return to town soon to attend to official duties.
I don’t want the money for finding the bear and catching the demon anymore.
Consider this period as accompanying Brother for a stroll outside the mountains.”
Everyone had accompanied Detective Yan for half a month, without seeing any sign of a bear, and their morale had sagged.
Even so, they were still persisting in the search out of their friendship with Detective Yan.
And at the very beginning.
Because of the five hundred taels reward, the ‘bear-hunting team’ had more than thirty members.
But as they searched and searched, always without results, people gradually left until only these five remained.
“Brothers, rest assured!”
Now.
Detective Yan, seeing these five brothers still accompanying him, sincerely said:
“I earnestly request that you brothers stay for another half month.
At that time, whether we find the bear demon or not, I, your elder brother, will take fifty taels of silver from the yamen and divide it among you all.
This is a token of my appreciation, not an insult.”
Detective Yan said this, then smiled and added, “I know you brothers are Jianghu heroes who never care about money.
But this token of appreciation… you must accept it, right?”
“This…”
“Brother, what are you saying!”
“Since Brother has said so, we cannot refuse!”
“Yes, yes, refusing again would make us seem petty…”
Everyone heard that even if they didn’t find the Black Bear, there would still be a ‘hardship fee.’
Then there was nothing more to say.
They were all brothers, all in the silver… Late at night.
Outside a small village town.
Rumble—
Heavy rain began to fall from the sky.
Originally, it was a very ordinary thunderstorm night.
But just outside the village, at a sparse and ordinary mound of earth.
The soil here loosened, and suddenly, half a human figure emerged.