Chapter 10: Eastmarsh Swamp

At the edge of the forest outside the Western Prefecture city.

Ji Ning, Mo Wu, and the maid Qiuye sat astride three Blackjaguars. The Blackjaguars resembled leopards, faint leopard patterns visible on their hides, ox-horns atop their heads—fierce, savage beasts that could cross mountains and streams as though they were flat ground, moving with astonishing speed. They made excellent mounts, though still inferior to tamed demon beasts.

For someone of Ji Ning's status, using such a mount was quite low-key.

“Western Prefecture City.” Ji Ning turned his head and gazed into the distance at that enormous city—the place he had grown up in.

“Let's go!” Ji Ning shouted.

He kicked the Blackjaguar's belly with his heel; the beast immediately leaped forward and dashed away. Behind him, Qiuye and Mo Wu followed on their own Blackjaguars.

…

Winter passed, spring arrived.

Chapter 10: Eastmarsh Swamp

In a stretch of wilderness overgrown with weeds and brambles, several dozen men clad in animal hide were advancing joyfully. More than half of them carried carrying poles laden with goods.

“Uncle Dala!” Among them, a young boy who still looked green and held a long spear called out excitedly, “You wouldn't take me to Eastmarsh Swamp before, saying it was so dangerous. But this time… there wasn't any danger at all! We caught so many fish—enough for our tribe to eat for ages!”

Beside him, a burly man who resembled a black bear smiled. “Ayi, you brought us good luck. This trip to Eastmarsh Swamp we didn't lose a single clansman, which is rare. But don't underestimate Eastmarsh Swamp just because of that. It's one of the most notorious gathering grounds for great demons in a region spanning ten thousand li. Of course, the fish inside are endless too.”

“Ayi, this is your first time fishing with us. Take a few more trips and you'll know how dangerous it really is. When you get back, make sure to temper your body and train your qi. Only the strong live long.” A one-armed man also smiled.

“Ayi's not a child anymore. After we return, we should find him a woman. Get a few good furs and trade them with a neighboring tribe for a woman with wide hips who can bear plenty of children.”

“Get a few women, have lots of babies!”

The men teased the boy.

But not far away, lurking in a thicket of thorny bushes, lay a black-furred demon beast. It had sleek fur, a supple body, and a shape like a leopard. Its eyes glowed faintly green. The creature was over two zhang long, and its mane was exceptionally stiff, spreading out like a fan of sharp spikes.

It waited, biding its time.

“Leave that to me. I'll find one myself,” Ayi said, his face turning red. “Don't you all worry about it.”

“Ha, he's blushing!”

The men laughed.

Suddenly—

“ROAR!” A massive black shadow lunged out, charging straight at a tribesman on the edge of the group. He held a long spear.

“A demon!” The tribesman bellowed, thrusting his spear forward in a swift motion. The spear strike, honed over decades of training and backed by his internal energy, carried immense force. But the massive shadow casually slapped the spear aside with its claw, sending it flying.

“Quick!”

“Kill it!”

Several nearby tribesmen roared and stabbed their long spears at it. For a small tribe without profound immortal-demon secret arts, long weapons like spears and poles were popular. All they had to do was drill simple thrusts, blocks, and the like. Decades of such focused practice could still yield formidable power.

“Whoosh!” Stepping on the spears, the massive shadow lightly leaped into the center of the group.

These tribesmen often went to Eastmarsh Swamp to fish, so the route they chose for their return was relatively safe, rarely encountering demon beasts. Nevertheless, they remained cautious. Those carrying the poles walked in the middle, while the stronger men armed only with weapons formed the outer perimeter.

“It’s a Huan Beast!” The one-armed man shouted. “Careful!” He charged at the shadow, swinging his single blade.

“Demon, die!” The burliest man, Dala Shu, who looked like a black bear, swung a long-handled great axe at the dark shadow.

“Kill!”

The tribesmen all went berserk.

Every one of them knew the reputation of the Huan Beast. Just now, six of their strongest warriors had attacked together, yet the Huan Beast had trampled their weapons and leaped towards the center with contempt. This told them that this Huan Beast was probably a terrifying monster that had reached Houtian perfection. Some of them might die today.

“ROOOAR!” The Huan Beast howled again, this time not merely skirmishing but charging madly.

CLANG!

The one-armed man was sent flying backwards. Dala Shu, the most powerful, ground his teeth and roared, swinging his axe. The Huan Beast clearly sensed that this axeman was its greatest threat. It ignored the other tribesmen and sent a claw at the axe, deflecting it. The axe still sliced into the Huan Beast's belly, leaving a huge gash. But the beast's abdominal muscles tightened, and even the bleeding was minimal—the cut wasn't deep enough. Roaring, the Huan Beast stepped on the axe handle with its claws and opened its fanged maw to bite Dala Shu.

“Uncle Dala!” The stunned boy Ayi screamed in terror.

“Brother Dala!”

The other tribesmen panicked.

Suddenly—

“SWISH!” Like a shooting star, a streak of light pierced the distance. It drilled straight into the Huan Beast's skull, exited from the back of its cranium, then slammed into a tree that would take two men to encircle. The arrowhead emerged from the other side of the trunk.

“ROAR.”

Dala Shu fell to the ground as the massive Huan Beast collapsed on top of him, drenching his face in blood.

“Uncle Dala!” Ayi rushed over, nearly crying.

“It's nothing.” The burly man shoved the Huan Beast off and stood up. He wiped his face, which was now covered in blood. “This isn't my blood. It's the Huan Beast's.”

The one-armed man stepped over to inspect the Huan Beast's corpse, then glanced at the nearby thick tree. His pupils contracted. “An arrow that penetrated the Huan Beast's hardest skull bone, then punched through black arrow wood… terrifying. And it hit the beast mid-pounce. The archer's skill…”

“A divine archer.”

“It must be a divine archer who took the shot.” One after another, the tribesmen looked at the Huan Beast's corpse, then gazed into the distance. The direction from which the arrow had come told them roughly where the marksman was.

Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!

Three figures emerged from the deep forest, heading their way. The tribesmen watched warily… Soon they saw clearly: three people riding three magnificent Blackjaguars. The Blackjaguars traversed the rugged terrain as if it were flat ground and soon arrived before the group.

“Uh…” The tribesmen gaped at the newcomers.

They rode fine Blackjaguars and wore well-made animal-hide clothes. But the leader was a clear-featured young boy. The person beside him was an even more beautiful woman—the most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen, even though she was dressed in a warrior's garb. The man on the boy's other side exuded a fierce, ruthless aura that made the tribesmen's hearts tremble.

“Hmph.” The man dismounted from his Blackjaguar, walked over to the thick black arrow wood, and with a chi sound, pulled out the arrow.

“Young master.” The man approached the boy and respectfully handed him the arrow.

Ji Ning took it.

When venturing out and taking risks, even though he had prepared many arrows, if he simply abandoned every arrow he fired, he would soon run out. These were fine arrows… reusable.

“Honorable young master.” The one-armed man among the tribesmen stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Thank you for saving us. If there is any way the Ironstone Tribe can repay you, please command us.”

The other tribesmen dared not speak.

A young master traveling with a maid and a male servant… this was clearly no ordinary person. Moreover, the term “young master” was only used for the sons of chiefs of large tribes with tens of thousands of people. This boy clearly came from a major tribe.

“Which of you is familiar with Eastmarsh Swamp?” Ji Ning asked directly, still seated on his Blackjaguar.

The tribesmen exchanged glances.

What would this young master want in Eastmarsh Swamp? Definitely not just fishing like them—it must be dangerous.

“I am.” The burly, dark-skinned Dala Shu stepped forward. “I have fished in Eastmarsh Swamp for decades. I know it very well. If the young master intends to go, I am willing to guide you.”

“Good.” Ji Ning smiled from atop his Blackjaguar. He casually flipped out a piece of Beast-Head Gold and tossed it over. “Come with me, then.”

Dala Shu caught the gold piece and his eyes lit up. A standard ten-jin Beast-Head gold was enough to keep his children comfortable for the rest of their lives. He handed it to the one-armed man. “Take this back for me and give it to my eldest. If I die, take care of my three kids.”

“Good.” The one-armed man nodded.

“State your name,” Ji Ning said.

“Honorable young master, you may call me Dala,” Dala Shu said respectfully.

“Dala, get on her Blackjaguar.” Ji Ning pointed at Qiuye's mount. “Qiuye, come to me.”

“Yes, young master.”

Qiuye leaped down and then climbed onto Ji Ning's Blackjaguar, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. She had grown up serving Ji Ning, their bond as deep as brother and sister. Since she was his personal maid, she had long been designated as his woman, so there was no need for modesty.

Dala Shu held his breath and carefully mounted the Blackjaguar. He had never ridden such a fine mount before.

“Go.”

Ji Ning gave the order.

With a swoosh, Ji Ning and his companions vanished into the forest on their Blackjaguars.

“Uncle Blade,” the boy Ayi asked anxiously, “will Uncle Dala be in danger leading them to Eastmarsh Swamp?”

The one-armed man nodded. “They're different from us. That boy is definitely the son of some great tribe chieftain, raised with the best training. That arrow was probably his own work. He's going to Eastmarsh Swamp for his coming-of-age trial! He needs to kill enough demon beasts to pass. Eastmarsh Swamp is huge and complex—a simple map isn't enough. That's why they need Uncle Dala to guide them.”

“Coming-of-age? But that boy doesn't look old enough,” Ayi said.

“Some people look older, some look younger,” the one-armed man replied.

In truth, Ji Ning was only eleven years old, but he already stood over one meter seventy—about the same as his previous life.

“Still, this young master is kind-hearted,” the one-armed man sighed. “If that Huan Beast had ambushed us just now and he hadn't acted, we'd probably have lost a few people. The first to die would have been your Uncle Dala! With a life-saving grace like that, your Uncle Dala knew he had to go and help even if it meant dying. And on top of that, the young master gave him such a big piece of Beast-Head Gold—ten jin worth!”

“Quick, quick, quick!” the one-armed man suddenly barked. “Butcher the Huan Beast's corpse and carry it back.”

“Hurry!”

“Let's go!”

They drew knives and swung axes, quickly dismembering the Huan Beast's body. Then they continued on their way home.