The Tale Never Ends Chapter 116 Hag In The Highlands

"It's magic," I replied, "You'll never understand!" She continued hara.s.sing me for the fun of it. "It's a silenced weapon! Where's the silencer?!"

This time, I said nothing, merely pointed to the horses, gesturing her to bring them to us. She strode to the horses and had it knelt down so that they could lift the carca.s.s and set it on its back. "Well, Mr. Boar, due to your actions in your former life, you have been reincarnated as a boar. I'm now ending your suffering. This is the end of your penance! Let's send you back to the Underworld for your rebirth!" I muttered into the mouth of my Gourd. I recited another spell, sending it off to the Underworld. "Why did you not use its soul to refine pills?" Lin Feng asked. "It's not right to unwisely tamper with the workings of Karma. I'll only use the souls of evil men for my own use!"

On the way back, Edelweiss continued pestering me with more questions, asking me how was I able to track the herd of boars. Due to the rich Yang energy in daytime, it was only natural that she could not see my spirit wolves.

We went back to the site where the rest of the company was waiting and were greeted by exulted cheers at our catch. The barbecue utensils and firewood were ready. With the rope that I weaved yesterday, we hung the boar in between two branches like a spit and Yuan Chongxi went to work, skinning the carca.s.s and cleaning its insides. Edelweiss trotted off to relate our little hunting excursion to her sisters and I searched through the jungle foliage and found some wild onions which I cleaned at the brook and prepared some soup. As he worked, Yuan Chongxi never stopped sprouting praises for the sharpness of Lin Feng's dart which he was using in his ch.o.r.e. The three of us were especially thrilled; somehow, despite the comfort of sitting at the roadside stalls and the availability of condiments in our food, we seemed to enjoy greatly the experience of barbecuing food in the wild. I looked for some pebbles from the creek and tossed them into the fire. The barbecue must begin with first the internal organs of the boar before we dive into the main course: the roasted pork!

Before our meal was almost finished, I fished the pebbles from the fire and cleaned off the soot before tossing them into the pots of water which contained the wild onions. This allowed the water to boil almost immediately. Everyone took a swig and were happy with its taste, including Yuan Chongxi, who quipped that we must try this method again one day when we return! "What a b.u.mpkin are you!" Lin Feng teased and said, "People use this way to roast bread, you know?" "Well, if you can't find them," I added, "I'm sure Taobao has plenty!"

For the rest of the journey, it was I who handled the food by leading little hunting trips. We had even encountered a pack of wolves; seven of them. But we did not slaughter them for food, merely driving them away with my spirit wolves and spirit eagle. It was the first time the girls had such a chance to enjoy so much exotic meat!

As days went by, our pursuit began to grow colder as we entered the region of snowy highlands.

We came before a strange-looking hill which looked like someone had bisected it at its waist, forming a flat plateau at the top with steep towering slopes around it. My spirit eagle circled around its top and we stopped at the cliffs hanging precipitously above us. We moved around the hill, climbing up the precarious paths through the mountain pa.s.s to hike around the hill as quickly as possible, otherwise, we would lose sight of my spectral familiar when it continued flying.

But before we react, the unmistakable cracks of gunfire erupted from over our heads! Bullets rained over us and slammed into the walls of the cliffs! From the noise of the uneven gunfire, I recognized the sound. Those were AK47-like rifles! And our enemy was firing at us from close range, even though we had yet to locate them! Knowing we were already nearing the borders, I cautioned everyone to be more careful.

Just then, a huge crash came tumbling down. "What was that noise?!" Yuan Chongxi was the first to scream, throwing his head around to look for the origin of the new cacophony. As I looked intently into the snow, I realized something. An avalanche! The gunfire earlier must have triggered an avalanche! I was standing just beside Yuan Chongxi, and we were just outside of the cliffs. Realizing the impending danger, I sprang to my feet without thinking and pushed him into the other girls who were under the shelter of the cliffs. Next thing I knew, snow poured down on me like a thundering train and everything around me went dark.

For some time I remained unconscious, until I finally woke up. But I could feel nothing of my body as if I was dead. There was no feeling from my limbs or any part of my body, even my eyelids! With that, I succ.u.mbed to the weight of sleepiness and fainted again. When I woke up again, I felt nothing but pain. Intense pain that stabbed at every part of my body, even though I smelled a fragrance familiar and intimate although I could not recognize it. I began to feel my limbs. But I could not move, like I was in ice. I was sprawled on the ground face-down with something soft and fluffy beneath me. Then I felt the soft and tender skin of a person's arms swaddling me like how a mother would with her child and I pa.s.sed out again.

For the third time, I woke up again to find the nails of my fingers and toes painfully sore. I was lying in somebody's arms. I looked up and saw that it was Edelweiss cradling my head! "He's awake!" She gasped.

Only then I realized that we were in a cave! Before us, seated a young woman. She studied me with a keen and piercing glance from her almond-shaped eyes that accentuated her oval face, her ravis.h.i.+ng features marred by the distinct air of anger and hatred emanating from within her. A piece of sable fur was draped over me. With barely any consciousness, I panted, "Gourd! My gourd!" Edelweiss quickly handed my gourd to me, which I tipped over and a pill fell out on my hand. I swallowed it as Edelweiss instinctively handed me a water pouch. I took a few thirsty swigs and closed my eyes again to rest.

Seconds pa.s.sed as I felt the pain abated. My hands felt around my waist anxiously, where was my sword?! The young woman came to me and took away my s.h.i.+yan Blade. She peered at it and gripped it tightly. "You are the son of Murong Hai?" she asked. "Yes, I am!" I croaked. My answer was reciprocated with the woman's fierce stare. "Speak!" She spat suddenly. "Who is your mother?" I made no reply. My hand wandered to my pocket as I began looking for a cigarette before a thoughtful Edelweiss helped me extracted one and my ZIPPO lighter from the pack in my pocket and lighted it for me after inserted one between my lips. I took two draughts. "What are you asking about my mother for?" I asked casually.

"I want to know which trollop of a woman has the charms to captivate such a man like Murong Hai and has remained in hiding so long that they even have such a b*stard child!" Yet despite her angered words, I noticed tears welling in her eyes! Oh my G.o.d, I gasped, another one of Father's paramours! Feeling more invigorated now, I studied the young woman again with my Spirit Sight. She was hardly a young woman, but rather, an old hag! A demoness of untold age, even though she was under the guise of a young woman! With a contemptuous glare in return, I stretched my sinewy neck and said, "And why should I tell you?"

The woman clambered to her feet and stare at me angrily, her nostrils flaring! Edelweiss sprang up and stood in front of me. "What honor is there in striking an injured person?" She screamed defiantly. "Take on me first if you dare!"

"Oh my?" The demoness teased and said, "What is this? Lover's romance? To think that you were so reluctant when I had you stripped to warm him with your body! You should've done so! Maybe you can go on and have a baby while you're at it!"

Such vulgar words, I thought quietly. But then I realized something: Edelweiss had stripped herself naked to give me warmth and prevent me from freezing! A sweet tenderness and gratefulness for her kindness seeped through me! I tugged at her arm and pulled her aside, while performing several hand seals. With a lightning-quick swish, the s.h.i.+yan Blade zipped out of its sheath and into the air before propelling back into my hand. I thrust a finger at her. "I am not a trueborn of my mother! I'm adopted! You're happy now?! Now give me back my scabbard!" "Look at yourself, a demon of countless age! Yet here you are, trying to frighten a young la.s.s barely twenty years old! You call yourself a senior?!"

A bright pink patch blazed furiously on Edelweiss' cheeks. With my sword in one hand, I wrapped my other arm around her. "Don't be afraid! I'll protect you!" "Y-you! Murong Hai has taught you his swordsmans.h.i.+p!?" The old crone yelped with astonishment.