Chapter 6: Eagles Soar and Dogs Leap

Many of the clansmen were already frightened to the point of being dumbfounded; they had never seen a raptor with such capabilities, which was truly terrifying. Lǜluó screamed as she wobbled and flew into the air, when suddenly her ankle was grabbed by a chubby little hand. The newcomer turned out to be Hǔwá, who was two heads shorter than her.

Ruoshān said, "This is not an ordinary raptor. First, place it on the altar; I will return to see how to handle it." He then patted Huwawa's back and said, "Good child, you saved the green orchid today. ... ... No more crying, let's go back and rest for a while." He carried Huwawa back to the stone house.

Since the village began raising chickens, roosters have crowed every dawn. According to the villagers' speculation, this is the rooster calling the hens to wake up and lay eggs. Later, it also became a signal for the villagers to realize that it was dawn and time to start their labor. However, this is a remote and wild mountainous area, and the crowing of roosters can attract predatory birds from afar

The naive and ignorant Panhu could never have imagined that the mountain god here would place such heavy expectations upon it. It is merely a flower-tailed dog that believes itself to be human and is happy and carefree. Although it was beaten today and had to behave for a while, after some time it began to frolic again, though its rear still hurt a bit

What else?

Its entire body is covered with black and white feathers, and on the top of its head, there is a tuft of raised white plumes. Its sharp, hooked beak is one foot long and glistens with a cold light

On its back, there was unexpectedly a dog with a floral tail, and Panhu actually jumped up! Panhu originally couldn't jump this high, but it had just leaped onto the roof next to it, then took a few steps to gain momentum on the roof and leaped into the air with all its might. At the moment it was about to pounce on the strange bird to capture the tiger cub, it happened to land on its back.

Since Huwa arrived in Lu Village, Li Qingshui has been particularly attentive to this place. He is well aware that Huwa is not an orphan of the Qingshui clan, and the identity of the woman who brought Huwa to the Qingshui fortress and later rescued him is even more suspicious. Although he knows that no one could send an infant as an undercover agent, whenever Li Qingshui sees this child, especially the rattan ring around his ankle, he is always filled with doubts

The two dogs later ascended to the fourth level of the path to heaven, and under the guidance of the Clear Water deity, transformed into human form to live in the fortress of the Clear Water clan. According to common understanding, they are considered two monsters; however, they retained none of the characteristics of supernatural beings. Their appearance and behavior were essentially indistinguishable from those of the tribal residents, and apart from the two generations of priests, no one knew their true identities

Pan Hu reluctantly let out a sigh, emitting two low growls from his throat. He stood up, baring his teeth, clearly in pain from his wounds. He hunched his shoulders and began to jog on his hind legs, heading off to find the water grandmother. Ruo Shan lifted Hu Wa from the ground and patted the dust off his clothes, asking, "Were you scared?"

Lüluo is only a little over six years old this year. She was frightened today and, once she regained her composure, found herself with many unanswered questions. Thus, she came to seek the elder's counsel. At this moment, she blinked her eyes and said: "Mountain Elder, when that wicked bird came today, you were standing right beside us and could have brought it down at any time. Why did you wait until the very end to take action?" As she spoke the last part, her eyes turned red again, clearly recalling the scene and still feeling scared and wronged.

Bo Zhuang and Zhong Zhuang simultaneously launched the harpoons in their hands, the two harpoons cutting through the air with a heavy and powerful sound. The movements of the strange bird were extremely agile, as it swung its pair of giant claws and sent forth a whirlwind, striking both heavy harpoons away with two loud claps. However, the recoil also propelled its body into the air.

If Shan couldn't help but laugh, patting Huwa on the back, he said: "It's good that you know fear! Since you are so afraid, why didn't you close your eyes just now?"

The meaning of this sentence may be too profound for Green Ivy. Not understanding, Green Ivy retorted, "Mountain Elder, how could you not be here? You are our clan leader!" Not only Green Ivy, but even in the minds of the elders in the clan, Mountain Elder has always been the leader of the fortress and seems destined to remain the leader forever

Today, Huwa's performance is commendable. Although he did not have any eggs to eat, he enjoyed a whole half of a stewed red-footed falcon, and it was incredibly fragrant, leaving not a drop of soup behind! However, he did not forget the injured Panhua, sharing a wing and half of the soup with the dog, which ate while whimpering and smacking its lips.

Although it is rare for beasts to attain spiritual enlightenment, over the years in such vast wilderness, there have indeed been occurrences. Two dogs, which successively awakened their intelligence, happened to be discovered by Li Qingshui. He then guided them in their cultivation under the guise of a mountain deity and later directed them to meet each other

The strange bird was about three zhang above the ground. Although it could capture people from a distance, the power it could exert was limited. It could barely lift a pothos plant, and with an additional tiger child, it found it somewhat difficult to lift. The pothos ran away, the hen also flew off, leaving only the tiger child sitting on the ground. The strange bird flapped its wings and swept away the second round of darts, then used its ability to capture objects from a distance to draw him in.

Only after Ruo Shan led the tribe in worshiping the mountain god did everyone begin to prepare the meal. To prevent precious food from spoiling, fresh meat is generally consumed first, and only when it cannot be eaten will it be dried for preservation, to be eaten in the following days. However, this peculiar bird was different; its meat was first offered to the mountain god, and during the ritual, it seemed to have undergone a special treatment, perhaps due to the divine power of the mountain god, and the tribe did not consume it that day

Although Licheng Shui can no longer employ the method of sensing the divine through the roar, the reactions of the entire village, especially those of the clansmen on the back mountain, clearly indicate that this surpasses ordinary barking, and is not a sound that an ordinary dog could produce. This suggests that Panhu has acquired a certain innate divine ability, which is a sign that beasts may be awakening their intelligence.

Tiger Cub: "Wuwu... I didn't have time just now..."

Tiger Cub: "Wuwu... Closing my eyes makes me even more scared, because then I can't see the big bird, and it might take me away..."

If Shan had given it a pat on the backside, he would say: "That's enough, no need to bite anymore, hurry and go to Water Granny to treat your wounds"

In the early hours of that day, a rare event occurred in the village, prompting discussions among the clansmen. Fortunately, it ended without any danger; they successfully hunted down the monstrous bird without anyone getting hurt, except for a small cut on Panhu's shoulder. Granny Shui had already treated Panhu's wound, using a clean piece of cloth to wrap from its chest around to its back.

The old woman took out a sharp little knife, cut a thin slice of meat from the body of the white-feathered Gu sculpture, carefully placed it on the tip of the knife, and gazed at it intently. After closing her eyes and sensing for a while, she finally nodded and said: "Of course it can be eaten, and moreover..."

The water witch arrived at the altar in the center of the village and saw Ruoshan studying the strange bird that had been hunted, surrounded by the clan members. She frowned and asked, "Do you know what kind of bird this is?"

The tiger cub yawned and woke up, sitting up to see that Panhu was already gone. He quickly climbed down from the bed and stumbled outside. They were going to see the commotion; every day at dawn, when the roosters crow, there is often a lively scene in the village. Perhaps by noon, there would be delicious bird meat— the meat of the red-billed falcon is the most fragrant!

The tiger cub has not yet gotten up, appearing very frightened, yet he does not cover his eyes; instead, he keeps watching the strange bird in the sky. The bird's captivating movements are quite evident, with its wings sweeping downwards like arms, stirring up a swirling wind on the ground, while a pair of claws extends forward, generating a pulling force directed towards the tiger cub.

The angle of the strange bird's neck rotation is quite large, and its sharp, long beak has already pecked at the shoulder of the panhu. Just then, a loud voice suddenly shouted: "Halt!"

Today is a fortunate day; indeed, a raptor swooped down. With the sound of the bowstring, a Eurasian eagle-owl and a common kestrel were shot down one after the other, eliciting excited cheers from the tribe members. Tiger Boy also stood there clapping his hands and shouting. At that moment, someone suddenly shouted, "Be careful, a big one is coming!"

Whether it is a mischievous child or a playful dog, they are both tired from playing during the day, and they have little to think about, sleeping soundly and deeply. Panhu occasionally lets out a soft grunt, his eyelids fluttering slightly, as if he is dreaming, though it is unclear whether he is dreaming of chasing chickens or getting beaten. He sleeps until the dawn breaks, and when the rooster crows, Panhu's ears perk up, and he leaps out of his doghouse, wagging his tail and dashing out quickly

When Huwa ran out of the house, most of the villagers were already awake, standing outside and gazing at the sky. The strong men had prepared their bows and arrows, hiding in various corners, which was a unique form of entertainment in the walled village. Excited, Panhu ran to the center of the open space and barked at the sky. A young girl from the village, Lvluo, hurried over and slapped its forehead, saying, "Stop barking! You scared the chickens away and frightened off the hawks. Go back and stand by the wall!"

This is something that no one could have anticipated, not even Bai Sha, who had been monitoring Li Qingshui. This is because Li Qingshui knows the identity of Pan Hu and is also acquainted with Pan Hu's parents—two dogs, one male and one female, who have transformed into human form.

However, this doubt does not allow Li Qingshui to ignore Huwawa; on the contrary, he is always unable to resist the urge to see what Huwawa is doing and how he is doing now. But just like when he first saw that woman saving the baby, Li Qingshui's primary concern was not the baby but the woman. Now, his main focus is not on Huwawa but on the dog named Panhu.

If Ruoshan was somewhat satisfied, he nodded. Just now, Huwawa was very scared, even so frightened that he forgot to cry, but he kept staring at that strange bird; otherwise, he would not have been able to avoid the attack that seemed to reach out from afar. Ruoshan had been watching from the side all along. When the green vine was swept up, he had already raised his bone staff, ready to take action. However, when Huwawa made such a move, he temporarily refrained from casting a spell, wanting to observe the reactions of the others.

Suddenly, the sound of whistling arrows filled the air, as over a dozen arrows were shot in succession. However, that strange bird suddenly flapped its wings, stirring up a whirlwind of fine, chaotic winds that scattered the feathered arrows in all directions. A couple of arrows were still shot with great precision, but were swept aside by the bird's wings, producing a resounding "clang" sound.

The tiger cub was very close to the pothos just now and reacted quickly. He saw that the bow and arrow had not blocked the strange bird, and the two hens had not yet run away. Perhaps they remembered the chieftain's reprimand from yesterday, or they felt embarrassed for losing one of their own. He casually picked up a stick and rushed over, intending to drive the two hens away

The tiger cub shouted, "Green vine, come down quickly! Chicken, run fast!" At the same time, he swung a large stick forcefully at the strange bird in the sky

The pothos, having finished speaking, did not care whether Panhu could understand or not, and tugged at the dog's ears to drag it to the eaves of the open space. At that moment, the rooster crowed again, and several hens clucked as they walked out of the chicken coop, likely having just laid eggs. The clansmen, hearing this sound, felt elated, and even the Tiger Boy, who had been punished by not being allowed to eat eggs for a month, looked up at the sky and laughed foolishly without a care in the world

If Shan picked him up and said: "Then why didn't you cry just now"

When the calamity struck the Qing Shui clan, Pan Hu had just been born for a little over a month. Before his parents confronted the enemy, they concealed him in a gourd and employed supernatural techniques to ensure that this young dog went unnoticed by the adversaries, thus allowing him to survive the disaster. In Li Qing Shui's view, Pan Hu's parents were no different from the members of the Qing Shui clan, which is why he regarded Pan Hu as the true orphan of the Qing Shui lineage.

At that moment, Green Lo heard another exclamation, and she saw the strange bird in the sky fold its wings, creating a peculiar whirlwind that swept Green Lo up. It was unable to directly capture its prey, yet it could still ensnare people from a distance

The tiger cub could not possibly swing that stick to a height of three zhang, but at that moment, an invisible force was pulling upward, and he instinctively smashed the thick and sturdy stick outwards. In reality, the stick was taken by the strange bird itself, replacing the earlier green vine, and then with a "crack," it was crushed by the bird's claws. At that moment, several harpoons whistled through the air and shot towards it, but the strange bird extended its claws and flapped its wings, deflecting the harpoons one after another.

How could the tiger cub not be frightened? It cried out loudly, saying while sobbing: "I am terrified!"

This stick is as thick as an adult's arm and nearly as long as his body. What strength could such a small child possess? He was almost dragging the stick as he ran. Meanwhile, Green Loach ran much faster than him, overtaking him, and was just caught by the ankle by Tiger Boy, who was running behind, when a strange wind swept her up.

The owls that circle at night and are about to return to their nests at dawn may silently swoop down from the heights, and many other raptors in the mountains are equally startled. However, the one that left the deepest impression on Huwa was the red-billed falcon, as its meat is the most delicious and it appears most frequently

All the arrows shot by the crowd missed their target; the enormous monstrous bird descended too quickly, leaving no time to shoot a second round of arrows. Many people shouted simultaneously, "Not good!" while others cried out, "Green vine!"

After dark, Panhu crawled back into Tiger Boy's small house to sleep. Tiger Boy lay on a bed made of stones and wooden planks, covered with a thick layer of dry grass, on top of which were many messy pieces of animal skins. Panhu, on the other hand, slept beside the stone bed, having dragged a considerable amount of dry grass to spread on the ground and pulled a few pieces of animal skins from the bed to cushion himself, mimicking Tiger Boy's sleeping posture.

Every morning, as soon as the rooster crows, red-billed hawks and other raptors swoop down. The tribe has become quite experienced; the strongest warriors grab their bows and spears and rush out of the house in preparation. Initially, they did this to protect the chickens, but it later evolved into a daily hunting activity, with the rooster's crowing becoming a lure to attract prey.

Unfortunately, Pan Hu is merely a small dog. Qing Shui often contemplates that this may be the most painful torment and expectation bestowed upon him by heaven, while also being the best opportunity. Although he is unaware of the arrangements made by Bai Sha in secret, he is acutely aware that Bai Sha must be monitoring his every move. Any attempt he makes to communicate with others, while gathering his remaining thoughts, could be subject to Bai Sha's surveillance.

During the day, when the chickens wander around the village, they occasionally attract raptors circling in the sky, but these birds are most commonly seen at dawn when the roosters crow. At night, the chickens are kept in the coop, and during the day, family members watch over them in the village. However, at the moment the roosters crow, people have not yet risen, and the surroundings are very quiet, making it easier for the raptors to spot their targets from a distance

The warriors of the clan reacted swiftly, but even Roshang did not expect that Panhu could leap from the roof onto the back of the strange bird. Just as the monstrous bird posed a threat to Panhu, he promptly took action to resolve the situation. At that moment, Bozhuang approached with a bloodied spear and inquired, "Master Shan, the bird has been slain; how should we handle such a large creature?"

Signs do not necessarily guarantee success; even if one successfully awakens their intelligence, it does not ensure achievement. This requires not only natural insights gained over a long period but also guidance and inspiration in some form. Otherwise, a confused dog is much like a newborn infant; it is quite difficult for it to attain self-realization in cultivation. Before it develops this conscious awareness, it may have already reached the end of its lifespan or met with an untimely demise.

The old woman glanced at him and said: "A great supplement!"

Many people were still standing there in a daze, while Bozhuang, Zhongzhuang, and other tribesmen who often accompanied the chieftain on hunts had already reacted, rushing forward with heavy shotguns as thick as chicken eggs. Before the strange bird could land, it was heavily pierced in the chest by two shotguns. Its body trembled as if trying to break free, but upon landing, it was struck on the head with a large rock, finally becoming motionless

In this empty space, the pothos fell back to the ground, hitting the tiger cub squarely. She rolled with the momentum and screamed as she ran away, while the two hens had long since flapped their wings and fled. The strange bird just now must have employed some kind of supernatural spell, but it was precisely interrupted by the tiger cub's stick and the spears of the crowd, allowing the pothos to escape.

By clarifying the waters in this manner, not only do these two dog demons learn and comprehend more among the human populace, advancing further along the path to ascension, but they also become the "guardian beasts" of the Qingshui clan. On the night when Bai Sha slaughtered the Qingshui clan's fortress, these two dog demons bravely stepped forward, wielding their magical artifacts to slay the greatest number of enemies, ultimately fighting to the death.

The long beak and sharp claws of the strange bird are incredibly sharp, and the long feathers covering its body are also very tough. However, it is bound by Ruoshan's magical power and cannot unleash its abilities. At close range, it is unable to withstand the direct thrust of a spear from strong warriors like Bozhuang and Zhongzhuang. A gash was opened on the shoulder of Panhu by the bird's beak, causing blood to flow profusely. Fortunately, Ruoshan acted in time, and it only sustained flesh wounds, still biting down on the base of its wing without letting go.

... ...

Although the strange bird is large, its back is not particularly wide, and as it is swooping through the air, Pan Hu finds it difficult to maintain his footing. The dog's claws cannot grasp objects like human hands, so it immediately bit down on the right wing root of the strange bird, its four legs flailing as it clung to the bird's body. This time, Pan Hu did not make a sound, but that bite was quite powerful, with its sharp teeth deeply embedded in the flesh and bone.

The tiger cub saw the pair of bird claws reaching for him from mid-air and instinctively recalled the earlier encounter of the green vine. He rolled to the side several times. Dust was kicked up from the ground, and he actually managed to evade it! At that moment, the strange bird suddenly let out a shrill cry, its voice filled with pain and immense anger, as it flapped its wings vigorously in the air, seemingly trying to shake something off its body, while simultaneously twisting its head to peck at its own back

Such a large bird is certainly a rare delicacy for the tribe. However, today this bird is quite special. Ruo Shan did not immediately instruct the tribe members to cook and share it as usual. Instead, he led them to meticulously disassemble this white-feathered eagle with the sharpest tools, cutting the meat into small pieces and placing them in designated vessels on the altar. The bird's bones and many feathers were preserved intact and sent to the tribe's storeroom

Although they possess extraordinary abilities, they are far from having reached the transformation realm like Li Qingshui. Such demon beings that can take human form may unite, but they cannot produce offspring unless they belong to the same lineage. However, Pan Hu's parents are both dog demons, which is why they can have descendants. Yet, since the parents have not attained the transformation realm, the offspring remain as dogs.

The little mouth of the tiger cub gaped in astonishment, forgetting to close, and his eyes widened in disbelief; he had never seen such a large bird! The wingspan of a lynx owl is usually just over two feet, barely enough to carry away a chicken, while that of a red-billed falcon can sometimes exceed four feet, easily capable of snatching even the fattest hen. However, the bird that swooped down at this moment had a wingspan of over ten feet, bringing with it a gust of fierce wind

When Huwa and Panhu were eating meat and drinking soup in the small hut, the clan leader Ruoshan saw Lvlv standing at the entrance of his stone house. He asked, "Do you have something to discuss?"

If Shan walked over and gently touched her hair, smiling kindly, he said: "If I were to always do this, what would the clan members do if I were no longer in the clan?"

But who would have thought that Li Qingshui's true concern was not a person, but a dog? He eagerly anticipates the day when Panhu will awaken its intelligence; no matter how remote this hope may seem, he is willing to wait. Today, the roar emitted by Panhu made Li Qingshui realize that he was not deluding himself. He has begun to contemplate how to guide this dog on the path of cultivation. Although the passage of time may be long, he is prepared to invest even a hundred years if necessary. Today, the roar emitted by Panhu made Li Qingshui realize that he was not deluding himself. He has begun to contemplate how to guide this dog on the path of cultivation. Although the passage of time may be long, he is prepared to invest even a hundred years if necessary

The little girl, L绿萝, was frightened by the enormous monster bird. An arrow, released by the bird's wings, struck the wall beside her, causing sparks to fly from the arrowhead. L绿萝 let out a scream and ran forward, but she was heading straight towards the spot where the monster bird had landed. There, two hens were flapping their wings, and the bird's massive claws could easily snatch L绿萝 away.

Pan Hu continued to bite the wing root, hanging on the back of the strange bird and kicking wildly, while the body of the strange bird seemed to lose conscious control in that instant, remaining motionless in its original posture, plummeting towards the ground with the wind. The clan leader, Ruo Shan, walked over slowly, his bone staff pointing at the strange bird, for it was he who had cast the spell.

Ruo Shan: "This is a White-feathered Gu Diao, which is rarely found at such a size. Our village has never hunted one before. I am currently studying the physical properties of its blood and flesh; it should be edible. What do you think?"