Rustle
Rustle
Among the trees and bushes, a large boar moved through the grass, searching for food. It wasn’t just any ordinary boar but a Rank-1 Spirit Beast— a massive, 2-meter tall Four-Tusked Boar.
About 50 meters away, hidden behind the bushes, a boy was carefully observing the boar. Slowly, he placed an arrow on his bow, drawing it back as he aimed.
Swoosh
The arrow flew but failed to pierce the boar’s thick skin, falling to the ground with a soft thud.
The boy didn't seem surprised. The boar, now alerted to his presence, turned towards the bushes, its eyes full of rage. It let out an enraged grunt and locked onto the boy’s figure.
The boy stood up from his hiding spot, and in a heartbeat, the boar charged toward him. He turned and dashed away, the boar in hot pursuit behind him.
Nimbly, he dodged obstacles, running swiftly through the dense forest. The boar, however, plowed through everything in its path, smashing through bushes and trees, closing in on him.
The boy sprinted, his breaths growing heavier, but he didn’t run blindly. The boar was getting closer—he could hear its grunts and the pounding of its hooves thundering behind him.
Though exhausted and with the boar almost catching up to him, he remained calm, knowing he was close to his destination.
Ahead, a vine dangled from a large tree branch. Below it, the ground was covered in dry leaves.
With a final burst of speed, the boy jumped, grabbed the vine, and swung forward. Releasing his grip, he landed firmly on the ground and stopped running.
He turned to face the boar, which was rapidly closing in, snorting angrily.
The boy stood still, not intending to run any further. As the boar charged towards him, it reached the area covered in dry leaves and suddenly crashed with a loud thud, tumbling into the trap.
The boar had fallen into the pit the boy had prepared earlier—dug deep and carefully concealed with branches and a thick layer of dry leaves on top. Without a closer inspection, it looked like just another patch of ground. Unaware of the danger, the boar had charged full speed and crashed into the hidden hole.
Crash!
Bam!
The sound of the boar’s fall echoed through the forest, followed by its loud, frustrated grunts.
The boy looked down at the boar that had fallen into the pit. It wasn’t just a simple hole—he had lined the bottom and sides of the pit with wooden stakes tipped with sharpened Spirit Beast bones, like spears.
The spears pierced the boar’s body, blood flowing from multiple wounds. The boar let out pained grunts, struggling in the pit.
The boy observed carefully—it wasn’t dead yet, still thrashing and making noises.
He picked up a large stone nearby and, with considerable effort, hoisted it over his head. The stone was quite large compared to his small frame. He then threw it down onto the boar’s head.
Bam!
The boar cried out, struggling even more, blood flowing from the wound on its head where the stone had struck, but its strong vitality kept it clinging to life. The boy grabbed stone after stone, throwing each one with force. Each strike was met with another pained grunt from the boar, until finally, it stopped moving.
"Hahhh... finally," the boy sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead. He sat down on a large tree root to catch his breath.
"Not bad, kid. For a mere mortal, you managed to kill a Four-Tusked Boar," a voice suddenly rang out, startling the boy.
He jumped up, immediately grabbing his bow and nocking an arrow, scanning the area for the speaker.
A figure appeared, hovering in the air above him. The boy's heart raced, but he tried to remain calm, though sweat trickled down his brow. He lowered his bow, returned the arrow to his quiver, and knelt, bowing with cupped hands. "Greetings, sir."
"Mmm," Liu Yang nodded, noticing the boy’s fear.
"I was just passing by and saw you being chased by that Four-Tusked Boar. I thought you might need help, but it turns out you were luring it into a trap all along. You’re quite capable. Judging by your experience, this isn’t your first time hunting a Four-Tusked Boar, is it? Hahaha, I was worried for nothing."
"Thank you, sir, for your concern," the boy replied, bowing again.
"What’s your name, kid?" Liu Yang asked.
"My name is Huan Lei," the boy responded respectfully.
"Do you live around here?" Liu Yang asked.
"Currently, I live in Lianfen Village. Previously, I lived in a secluded place at the foot of the mountain with my father, but a few months ago, he suffered a grave injury while hunting a Spirit Beast and passed away. So, I moved to Lianfen Village," Huan Lei explained.
"Are you familiar with Yuezhi Forest?" Liu Yang inquired.
"I’m not too familiar with Yuezhi Forest, sir. I’ve only been to the outskirts. I only visit familiar places and don’t dare venture deeper. I usually hunt around the peripheral area," Huan Lei said cautiously.
"I see. By the way, you did a good job hunting this Four-Tusked Boar," Liu Yang remarked.
"My father was an experienced hunter, and he often took me along, teaching me his skills. Although this Four-Tusked Boar is strong, it’s quite stupid and easily fell into my trap," Huan Lei replied modestly.
"Have you ever come across Rank-2 slimes or higher?" Liu Yang asked.
"No sir, I haven’t. I’ve only encountered Rank-1 slimes, and there are plenty of them around the forest," Huan Lei admitted.
"I see," Liu Yang said, sounding a bit disappointed before flying off.
The mysterious cultivator disappeared into the distance, but Huan Lei didn’t relax until a while later, making sure the cultivator had flown far enough. He sighed in relief, cold sweat drenching his back.
He didn’t know who the cultivator was, as the man hadn’t shared his name or background, and Huan Lei hadn’t dared to ask.
Without a second thought, he dashed in the opposite direction, not daring to look back.
"Mmm?" Liu Yang sensed something as he continued deeper into Yuezhi Forest. Through his Spiritual Sense, he noticed the boy, Huan Lei, running away, leaving behind the Four-Tusked Boar he had just killed.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"Ugh, am I that scary?" he wondered, puzzled. He had done nothing to scare the boy. "Oh well." Shrugging it off, Liu Yang continued his flight deeper into the forest.
Meanwhile, Huan Lei raced through the trees, sweat dripping and breath ragged, but he didn’t stop. He even left the Four-Tusked Boar carcass behind, desperate to put as much distance as possible between himself and the mysterious cultivator.
Huan Lei wasn’t his real name, but the fake name he used now. In truth, he was Huang Lei, the last survivor of the Huang Family. His family had been destroyed by enemies, leaving him the sole survivor.
Along with his loyal guard, they had managed to escape, but Huang Lei had been severely wounded in the process, his cultivation crippled, his Dantian destroyed. His guard had led their pursuers away, allowing him to flee alone.
He eventually made it to Lianfen Village, collapsing from his injuries. When he regained consciousness, he found himself surrounded by beggar children, who had found him bloodied and unconscious in an alley and taken care of him.
His body was in terrible condition, suffering from serious internal injuries and numerous external wounds, including a few broken bones. His storage rings had been lost during the chase, leaving him without any medicine pills to treat his injuries.
He could only try to suppress his internal injuries, and although the beggar children did their best to take care of him, his condition worsened by the day.
Despite being frail and hungry themselves, they still shared the meager food they managed to scrape together with him. Huang Lei was deeply moved by their kindness.
One day, a mysterious man came and gave them food. The beggar kids gratefully accepted it, sharing it amongst themselves as always.
Huang Lei was also given a share, and as he tasted it, he realized it wasn’t just ordinary food—it contained low-quality Spiritual Herbs and Spirit Beast meat.
After eating the food, he focused on absorbing as much of its medicinal properties as possible and barely managed to stabilize his condition, preventing his injuries from worsening.
Slowly, his body began to recover, although his internal injuries remained untreated. His external wounds and broken bones gradually healed, all thanks to the food given by the mysterious man. Even though it was made from low-quality Spiritual Herbs and Spirit Beast meat, it had saved his life.
In the past, he had consumed far better-quality Spiritual Herbs and Spirit Beast meat and never would have considered eating something so low-grade, but now, that very same food had saved him.
After just a month, his body had recovered enough for him to move around. Huan Lei decided to go to the outskirts of Yuezhi Forest to search for Spiritual Herbs. He managed to find some low-quality Spiritual Herbs, which helped improve his health further.
Once his strength improved, he began hunting Spirit Beasts, starting with weaker ones. As his body grew stronger, he started hunting more powerful Spirit Beasts like the Four-Tusked Boar.
Every now and then, Huang Lei would return to the forest to hunt, bringing some of the meat back and sharing it with the beggar children.
Currently, he was able to hunt Rank-1 Spirit Beasts. However, he didn’t dare sell the meat, fearing it would attract unwanted attention since he still needed to stay low and hide from his enemies. Instead, he ate most of the Spirit Beast meat himself and brought back some for the beggar children.
He ate the Spirit Beast meat to replenish his vitality; as for his internal injury, there was no solution for now, since treating it would require high-grade medicine pills or high-grade Spiritual Herbs.
Huang Lei was also still waiting for his guard who had led the enemy away to return. But after all this time, there was still no news, and he was really worried that something bad had happened.
Today, Huang Lei hunted as usual and managed to kill a Four-Tusked Boar. While he was resting, a cultivator suddenly appeared out of nowhere, scaring him.
The cultivator's high cultivation level made Huang Lei wary, as such high-level cultivators who could fly were very rare in this remote area. Huang Lei was concerned that this cultivator might be connected to his enemies and looking for him.
When the mysterious cultivator asked for his name, Huang Lei provided false information about both his name and background. Only after some interaction did it seem the cultivator did not recognize his real identity, allowing Huang Lei to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
The cultivator talked with him for a while and also inquired about Rank-2 slimes before flying off. Huang Lei waited for a bit to ensure the cultivator was far away before immediately fleeing, leaving behind the Four-Tusked Boar he had just killed.
After running for a while and reaching the edge of the forest, Huang Lei stopped and spat out a mouthful of blood—his internal injury had flared up again.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, he quickly approached a large tree nearby. Hidden within a hole in the trunk were several bundles wrapped in leaves, containing Spirit Beast meat from a previous hunt. The unique leaves helped preserve the meat and masked its scent from wild animals and other Spirit Beasts.
After retrieving the bundles, he left the forest and headed straight to Lianfen Village. Despite being exhausted and still breathing heavily from running, he didn’t pause to rest.
Upon entering the village, Huang Lei made his way to a deserted alley and into a dilapidated house. Inside, there were several beggar children.
"Look, Brother Huan is back!" one of the beggar kids pointed toward him.
"Brother Huan, welcome back!"
"How was the hunt? Are you tired?" The children swarmed around him, eager for news.
"Brother Huan, did you manage to catch something?" one of them asked, smacking his lips in anticipation. The others looked hopeful, their stomachs growling with hunger.
"Why don’t you see for yourself?" Huang Lei smiled as he lowered the bundles from his back. Unfolding one of them, he revealed a large piece of meat.
"It's food!" one of the children exclaimed.
"Meat!" another said, salivating.
"What are you waiting for? Let's cook it and eat!" Huang Lei encouraged.
The children immediately sprang into action, gathering dry branches for firewood. Some headed to the nearby well to fetch water, while others went to call back those who had gone out.
Before long, the meat was simmering in an old, cracked earthen pot over a fire, filling the air with a rich, mouth-watering fragrance. Alongside the meat, some greens that Huang Lei had also brought from the forest were added, enhancing the aroma. The children gathered around, their stomachs growling as they sniffed the delicious scent.
"The meat Brother Huan brings back always tastes so good! This one smells amazing!" a beggar child said, and the others nodded in agreement.
"Brother Huan, what meat is this?" one of them asked.
"It's just deer meat," Huang Lei replied, sitting down on a nearby chair to rest.
"Oh... I've never had deer meat before," the child said while stirring the pot.
"Me neither! I can't wait!" another child chimed in, adjusting the fire.
Huang Lei smiled at the children as they worked eagerly around the fire. In truth, it wasn’t just deer meat but the meat of a Rank-1 Spirit Beast, a Golden Antler Deer. Like all the meat he had brought back before, it was Spirit Beast meat, and the greens he brought were also Spiritual Herbs—but there was no need for the children to know that.
"Is it ready yet?" one of the kids asked impatiently.
A beggar child with the best cooking skills pressed the meat, which had gotten soft from boiling, then tested the broth. His eyes lit up. "It’s so delicious! It’s ready"
"It's ready? Quick, let’s eat!" another urged.
The children lined up eagerly but in an orderly fashion, each receiving their portion in bowls—some broken, chipped, or cracked.
A little girl wearing ragged clothes that hung loosely on her thin frame approached Huang Lei with a bright, cheerful smile on her dirty face. Her hair was unkempt, and her skin was a little dirty, but none of that could hide her radiant happiness.
"Big brother, here," she said, offering him a bowl.
"It’s okay, I’m not hungry. You eat quickly," Huang Lei said, patting her head.
"Mmm," the girl shook her head. "Big brother also needs to eat."
"Alright, let’s eat together. Thank you, Little An," Huang Lei replied as he received the bowl.
She smiled and then returned to get her own share. After everyone had their portion, they all began to eat.
"Wow, this is so delicious!" one of the beggar children exclaimed.
"Yes, the meat is tender, and it tastes and smells so good!" another agreed.
"Now with Brother Huan here, we can eat meat and not go hungry. Thank you so much, Brother Huan," a beggar child said, tears falling as he ate.
The relief of not going hungry and being able to eat delicious meat overwhelmed him. The other children also expressed their thanks.
"You guys saved me, I owe you. Don't worry, you won’t have to go hungry anymore," Huang Lei replied, eating alongside them.
The atmosphere was warm and lively as they shared the food, laughed together, and enjoyed each other's company. Huang Lei observed the beggar children, feeling a deep sense of gratitude. They were not just beggars to him; they were his brothers and sisters, his saviors. He was determined to repay the kindness they had shown him.
Huang Lei’s thoughts drifted to the mysterious person who had given them food and unknowingly saved his life, altering the course of his fate. Though it had been a simple gesture, it was one that had changed everything for him. He silently swore to repay that debt someday.
He hoped to meet the mysterious person again, though he had little information about him. The only things he remembered were the man's voice and that he wore a cloak and bamboo hat, his body fully covered. However, he had noticed a small detail—beneath the cloak, it seemed the person was wearing full-body armor. Beyond that, he had no other clues.
I wonder if our paths will cross again, Huang Lei thought to himself, reflecting on his mysterious savior as he continued eating.