Chapter 10, The Mountain of Cannibals

As the blade inserted into the surrounding "walls" covered in slime, Chang'an felt a distinct tremor around him. He looked down and saw a dark mass below, vaguely perceiving something flowing, clanging and clattering, like a pool of water whose depth was unknown, just two feet away from his suspended feet.

Chang'an stared blankly at the large bird, and inexplicably lowered his head to glance at his small hands. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of envy, as if he could never reach such heights. He wished he could possess such grandeur. In his foolishness, he even spread his arms wide, mimicking the bird's gesture of spreading its wings—this nearly caused him to tumble down from the tree.

One should repay kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity; words once spoken cannot be taken back, and a nod given cannot be retracted.

However, even though it was a wolf, it was still a young wolf, with its ears, eyes, and claws not fully developed. Chang'an had not taken ten steps when a huge shadow suddenly descended from above his head. This time, the child was unable to react in time; in an instant, his whole body tensed up, but he could only manage to tense up—he had not yet had the chance to make a move to evade before being completely enveloped by that thing.

He was turned upside down, with his head facing downward, falling downwards

Chang'an did not expect that the mighty bird, which had just been so boastful, would so quickly become someone else's meal. He could not comprehend the reasoning behind this, but he felt a sense of awe in hindsight. When the great serpent had eaten its fill and coiled up into a small mountain to sleep, he slowly slid down the tree, carefully circumventing the two-headed snake, and ran forward.

At the very moment when the large-headed monster was about to pounce, suddenly, a sharp cry echoed from afar—resembling the call of a crane, yet much sharper than that of a crane. The sound sent chills down one's spine, as if it could pierce through the heavens.

Then he looked at the large heads on the slender bodies of those monsters, feeling an urgent and unfounded anxiety in his heart: "I have so little flesh, it is not enough to eat!"

That creature is approximately as long as a large lizard, with a long tail, slender and delicate limbs, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Its body reflects a myriad of colors, yet it walks with remarkable lightness. Each one has a body as thin as an ant, but is topped with an extremely large head, swaying unsteadily as it walks, seemingly burdened, as if it could topple over at any moment.

Chang'an cast a glance over the group of unknown monsters that were eyeing him with a predatory gaze, and for reasons unknown, he lowered his head to look at himself, pondering in confusion: "Are they all here to eat me?"

My hands are covered in blood, having shed a layer of skin, and Chang'an can sense it

The giant serpent and the enormous bird crashed to the ground together, causing the entire surface to tremble. Within a radius of several dozen zhang, all living creatures, except for those in Chang'an, fled in fear, anxious to avoid being caught in the conflict between these two.

Chang An thought to himself, yet he did not dare to look back at the path of retreat. He could see that if he let his guard down even slightly, the largest monster directly in front of him would pounce and kill him. Chang An tightened his grip on the handle of the knife, and at that moment, he finally began to feel a bit of fear.

But he came up the mountain to learn the sword from that person, how could he die on the way

Chang'an did not even clearly see what that thing was when the sharp cry of the bird rang out once more. He hurriedly focused his gaze and saw that it was actually a two-headed giant snake. When it lunged at the large bird, it didn't even glance at Chang'an—because one of its heads was as large as three or four Changan. Which lion would bother to step on an ant for fun?

However, the dangers on Yufeng Mountain are far from limited to this. The little child from Chang'an, while running, suddenly came to a halt. Having grown up in a jungle tribe, the child keenly sensed that something was amiss—the sounds of insects and ants had vanished, and the surroundings fell silent all at once

Chang'an passed through the familiar forest, passing by the training ground he often sneaked a look at, then slipped through a crack in the door. After a while, he picked up a blade that seemed like scrap metal, held it in his hand, and did not pause his steps as he continued running up the mountain

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and continued to walk aimlessly up Yufeng Mountain

He moved forward cautiously like a vigilant little wolf, keeping his eyes peeled and ears alert to everything around him

It was a peculiar large bird, measuring at least seven or eight zhang in length, with its wings spread wide, capable of overshadowing the sun over Chang'an. However, only one of its wings was covered with skin and feathers, while the other side, for some unknown reason, was nothing but a row of eerie bones

The bird, completely convulsing, finally succumbed as it was slowly coiled by the two-headed snake, which simultaneously devoured it. The bird's bones were crushed and deformed by the snake's jaws, and the sound of cracking was particularly pronounced in the stillness of the night.

Chang'an returned home, and Ayan was already asleep. He hesitated at the door for a moment, but ultimately did not go in. Instead, he stood on tiptoe, leaning against the window to gaze at the woman's silhouette for a while. Then he wiped the soot from his face, which had smudged on him in the fire, with his sleeve and softly said: "Mother, I am leaving"

The large bird frantically pecked at the snake's body with its beak, dark, viscous snake blood flowing down along the snake's body, yet it refused to let go, as the enormous fangs were embedded in the bird's body

Those that fly in the sky and those that run on the ground, each one is so formidable. If one wishes to eat them, they can. When encountering a solitary giant creature, it may still have the courage to fight, but what if it encounters such a large bird

Chang'an ascended the mountain, yet unexpectedly came to a halt. He looked up at the towering peaks that pierced the clouds, feeling utterly bewildered. It suddenly dawned on him that this mountain was indeed too high, too steep, and too vast; he could not even distinguish between the east, south, west, and north. Let alone a person, even a great lion would likely be unable to find its way within such surroundings

The carpenter was burned to death, and Chang'an ran out from Ah Yan's house, feeling that he had completely betrayed Zheyan's last words

The large-headed monsters beside Chang'an immediately took a step back in unison upon hearing this

With its wings spread wide, it can throw itself three or four zhang away; when it lowers its head to peck, it can cause its own head to burst open

He suddenly realized what it was that he had swallowed whole.

Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings echoed, and a massive shadow descended from the sky. Chang'an did not hesitate; without even seeing what the shadow was, he dashed forward through the gap created by the retreating giant creatures. He was already running very fast, yet he was still swept away by the wind generated by the wings of the unknown giant bird, crashing violently into the roots of a large tree

He only knows this one move, and it is the only method he has. He does not know how long he can hold on, but not wanting to die here, he can only give it a try

These are the teachings that have been instilled in him since childhood—perhaps because Zheyan himself leads a rather ineffectual life, he constantly seeks to mold Chang'an into a tough man. He recites these words daily, morning and evening, as if chanting a scripture, feeling that something is missing from the day if he does not remind Chang'an of them.

However, when they line up one by one, their crimson eyes all fixed on Chang'an, as if contemplating how to best begin this feast, it becomes entirely devoid of absurdity

The sweat stains on Chang'an's thin clothing were quickly dried by the night breeze, and he shivered violently, gripping tightly the rusted iron piece in his hand

Whether he is a true god or a devil

However, perhaps because Chang'an was too small, the soul had not yet fully developed, and he unexpectedly held his breath and rushed into the forbidden area. He decided to seek out the person who had taught him a technique.

The elders who are familiar with Yufeng Mountain all say that it is a truly man-eating mountain, a place where only true gods and demons can reside. The moment one steps onto the slope, mortals cannot help but feel the urge to prostrate in worship, hearing the tremors and fears from the depths of their souls.

As the hot blood sprayed forth, the people of Chang'an, perched in the trees, had no time to evade it, and were drenched from head to toe, becoming little figures covered in blood

Chang'an came to a halt, the bloodstains on his face and body had dried, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable. He casually brushed his hand over them a couple of times, then tightened his grip on his most loyal companion again

The living birds do not care, as those that are dead are already enough to provide a hearty meal for them

Those once imposing big-headed monsters seemed to retreat like a tide, revealing themselves to be nothing more than bluster that only bullies children. However, the strange large bird did not pursue them. In its wake, countless monsters of all sizes lay as grotesque corpses, each sprawled on the ground, ready to be cooked.

These big-headed monsters do not care whether they have enough to eat; they have caught the scent of the tender flesh of the little creature and decided that even if they all rush together and manage to snatch just a taste of blood, it would not be in vain for them to have grown into such a form in this life

The bird's blood was somewhat hot, and he quickly reached out to wipe it away, casually smearing it on the tree trunk, then looked down.

Are you running

As it swayed, the skeleton emitted a clattering sound

The great bird once again attempted to soar into the sky, heading directly towards the direction where it sought refuge in Chang'an. Among the two-headed serpent, one head released its grip, and at that moment, its scaly body leaped into the air. It suddenly opened its massive blood-red mouth, which was several times larger than its own head, and in a place less than two feet away from Chang'an, it bit off the bird's head in one swift motion

What kind of monster is this, unheard of in Chang'an? He took a small step back, and those things pressed forward inch by inch, forming a semi-encirclement that trapped the child in the middle

The continuous and rapid running caused a tight pain in his chest, as if a long needle was stirring chaotically inside him. He was audacious enough to jog all the way up the Yufeng Mountain, a place that people usually regarded as a forbidden area.

Chang'an paused, uncertain whether to run or to do something else

Under the moonlight, Chang'an turned around and was instantly startled—behind him were countless pairs of bright red eyes, glistening in the darkness, having followed him for an unknown duration, each one gazing at him with eager anticipation.

This nearly shattered Chang'an's not-so-sturdy little frame; his vision went dark, yet he gritted his teeth and managed to find the root of a large tree behind him, firmly propping himself up. Holding his breath, he climbed up the tree in a daze.

The sound of rustling once again enveloped him, as Chang'an firmly planted his feet on the ground. He recalled the movements of that man from that day, instinctively shifting his foot back half an inch—this made him feel even more invigorated.

He brandished the knife, but it did not instill any sense of intimidation in the other party. The monster extended its long tongue, swiftly flicking it in the air. Chang'an observed clearly that its tongue was covered with barbs; once caught, a large chunk of flesh would be torn away.

The beak of that large bird is hooked, forged from steel, and with a slight nod downward, it can simultaneously pierce several large-headed monsters, leaving them in a state of utter devastation, exuding an overwhelming majesty

Chang'an silently lowered its center of gravity and deftly adjusted the angle of its wrist

After a while, he finally regained some composure and was able to see clearly what was coming down at him.

Very amusing

The night was deepening, and the surroundings were filled with a rustling sound, as if a shadow were endlessly pursuing him from behind

However, just as it opened its belly and was eating with great satisfaction, Chang'an suddenly felt something rush past him from behind, stirring up a sharp wind, and the leaves it carried grazed his neck, leaving a shallow cut that drew blood.

However, his divine artifact had no place to be utilized at this moment

However, he cannot go back.

This fear, on the contrary, made his mind exceptionally clear; however, although he was awake, he regrettably had not had the time to learn any skills, and his mind remained an empty void—except for that one strange move taught to him by that peculiar person

Growing up under such education in Chang'an, he believed that he had nodded in agreement first. Now, he had already become someone who goes back on his word, a sin that is unforgivable. He decided to bear such a "heavy crime" and go up the mountain to learn the sword from that person. He had solemnly promised himself this. If he were to retreat and give up at this moment, would that not be going back on his word once again

At the moment he gripped the handle of the knife, the fear in Chang'an's heart miraculously vanished, as if he had gained an immense support, as if the broken copper and iron in his hand was a divine weapon capable of slaying gods and demons

Something is rising and falling within it. Upon closer inspection, Chang'an has adapted to the darkness and recognized that it is a piece of bone

For the first time in his life, he pondered this question—why am I so weak

In the blink of an eye, Chang'an instinctively reached out, only to touch an extremely smooth slime. The slime brushed against his delicate skin, causing a sharp sting. Reflexively, Chang'an swung his hand violently to the side, and the blade plunged into something, halting his falling body

At the age of seven, Chang'an did not yet understand what "conscience" meant, yet he already felt the condemnation of some mysterious force.

Two fierce snake heads simultaneously bit down hard on the large bird, which let out a sharp cry of pain. It flapped its wings and leaped high into the air, only to be pulled back by the two-headed snake to a distance. Soon, the bird and the snake became entangled in a fierce struggle, raising a cloud of dust that covered Chang'an's face.

As soon as he stopped, those things also came to a halt. The one leading took two steps forward, its body exposed to the moonlight

There is no difference between the top and the bottom of Yufeng Mountain; it remains a dense forest, but as one ascends the mountain, the trees become sparser and the air grows colder, until at the summit, only the pure white snow remains

He left just like that, without saying a single word to Ayan