Chapter Ninety-Two: A Secret Conversation in the Woods

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It turned out that the cavalry squad leader who had been struck by the demon leopard’s arrow that day did not die. Instead, he fled in panic, urging his horse forward. As the saying goes, an old horse knows the way. The horse, having grown up in Black Earth City, instinctively headed in that direction without any command. Since it also needed to find its own fodder, it mostly took mountain paths. Unknowingly, it wandered into the very mountains where Li Xiong had once trained, just as the Immortal Elder Jin Ling was rescuing him. Jin Ling fed the cavalry leader a pill of celestial medicine, after which he gradually regained consciousness.

The first words the squad leader uttered upon waking were, “Quick… quick, save General Li!” Jin Ling hurriedly asked, “Which General Li?” The man weakly replied, “It’s… it’s Wild Man Li Xiong. He… he was harmed by… a purple-robed demon!” Jin Ling was startled and immediately asked, “Where was he harmed?” “At… at the Chicken Song Mountain in the Ten Thousand Demons Kingdom…” Before he could finish, he fainted again.

Jin Ling was anxious and summoned a cloud to depart, but then remembered he could not leave the soldier behind. He hurried back, applied herbal medicine, and carried him into a cave. After settling him, Jin Ling mounted the cloud again and rushed toward Chicken Song Mountain in the Ten Thousand Demons Kingdom. Soon, he arrived at the mountain’s base and saw a hairy wild man collapsed on the ground. Jin Ling quickly descended, supported the man, and upon seeing him clearly, realized it was Li Xiong.

Feeling no pulse or breath, Jin Ling’s heart tightened. He immediately sat cross-legged, pressing his palms against Li Xiong’s forehead, pouring continuous spiritual energy into him. After a long time with no response, Jin Ling knew Li Xiong had been dead for some time and was beyond ordinary rescue.

Now, to save him, Jin Ling had to perform the Soul Retrieval Technique, forcing his own soul out to enter the Netherworld in search of Li Xiong’s spirit to return it to his body. This was extremely dangerous; if disturbed, their souls might fail to reunite, becoming lost spirits forever. Therefore, Jin Ling carried Li Xiong’s body back into the dense forest. After confirming no one would interfere, he began the ritual, forcing his soul out and entering the Netherworld.

The Netherworld was shrouded in heavy mist, starless and moonless, with faint, ghostly shapes barely visible. A mournful wind howled by his ears, chilling to the bone and raising goosebumps. The ground was carpeted with blooming red spider lilies, releasing a thick fragrance that tickled his nose, causing him to sneeze twice. Knowing he could not linger, Jin Ling quickened his pace. His body streaked like lightning across the vast, misty Netherworld, searching for Li Xiong’s presence.

Yet the endless wilderness and dense fog made finding a small figure nearly impossible. Just as Jin Ling despaired, he suddenly heard the clinking of chains and sounds of struggle. A voice shouted, “Ugly… ugly… ugly monster, do you know who’s locked you up? Watch out, Lord Xiong will tear your heads off!” Jin Ling’s heart leapt with joy—it was Li Xiong’s voice! He hurried toward the sound.

After a dozen steps, he saw a hairy wild man chained and being dragged by two monsters. Despite their efforts, the wild man resisted fiercely, refusing to budge. One monster had a bull’s head, stocky and broad-shouldered, wielding a three-pronged steel fork about five feet long. The other had a horse’s face, tall and lean, holding a long halberd nearly six feet in length. They sneered, “Boy, now that you’re in the underworld, you belong to us. Don’t think you can resist! We’ll send you to the Eighteen Hells to be skinned, fried, and burned!”

Li Xiong frowned, gripping the chains tightly, cursing, “You two demons, neither human nor ghost, bullying Lord Xiong! Is that so? Come at me then!” Using his immense strength, he dragged the bull-headed and horse-faced monsters backward. They were startled and attacked simultaneously, but when their weapons struck Li Xiong, the sound rang out sharply.

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“Clang!” “Clang!” Sparks flew in the darkness as Li Xiong stood unscathed. The monsters, realizing they faced a tough opponent, retreated, tugging on the chains again. But Li Xiong was stronger, pulling them closer. Eventually, they gave up the chains and charged with their weapons.

Li Xiong, skilled with chains, swiftly swung them around, wrapping the attacking weapons tightly. The monsters could no longer reclaim their arms. Seizing their momentum, Li Xiong clenched his fists, thrust forward, and slammed his shoulders into them with two resounding thuds. Like fireworks, he sent them flying far away. They dropped their weapons, sprawled on the ground bruised and battered.

Seeing them down, Li Xiong didn’t pursue. Instead, he gripped the chains again, flexed his arms, and with two crisp snaps, tore the chains apart. “Damn you!” he spat, flinging the broken chains and entangled weapons far away until they vanished from sight. Muttering to himself about the demons, he strode forward confidently.

The bull-headed and horse-faced monsters looked terrified, faces ashen. They had never encountered such a force. Tumbling and scrambling to their feet, they fled, shouting, “Boy, wait! We’ll report to Lord Yama and send shadow soldiers after you! We’ll grind your bones to dust, denying you reincarnation forever!”

Li Xiong was about to give chase when he heard a familiar call, “Xiong’er!” Turning, he saw his master, Immortal Elder Jin Ling. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears streamed down his face as he threw himself into Jin Ling’s arms. “Master… that purple-robed demon beat me badly… it hurt so much!” Jin Ling, moved by his disciple’s sorrow, shed tears himself and gently comforted him, “Xiong’er, don’t cry. Master is here now. No one will bully you!”

After a long embrace, Jin Ling took Li Xiong’s hand. “Xiong’er, we must leave quickly. If Lord Yama sends shadow soldiers, we’ll be in trouble.” Li Xiong wiped his tears and nodded, following closely behind. Jin Ling summoned spiritual energy and lifted them into the air, soon arriving at the surface.

Jin Ling first returned his own soul to his body, then guided Li Xiong’s soul back inside. However, Li Xiong’s internal organs were severely damaged; his soul could not yet stabilize. Jin Ling had to channel spiritual energy to repair his insides.

He carefully positioned Li Xiong upright, sat cross-legged behind him, formed a mudra, and intoned, “Ninety-nine laws converge, sixty-six thoughts in harmony; strengthen and expel evil, stabilize organs, restore the body’s vitality, commence!” His thumb, index, and little fingers formed a mystical sign and touched Li Xiong’s back, sending potent spiritual energy through his heart and into his organs.

Gradually, Li Xiong’s organs healed, and his breathing steadied. Jin Ling’s heart lifted, hastening the flow of energy until sweat poured down his face. Suddenly, voices drifted nearby.

A sharp voice said, “Brother Sheep, you’re lucky to have escaped that fire a few days ago. Our fox clan suffered many casualties!” A quacking reply followed, “Brother Fox, little me escaped, but many of our brothers and sisters perished. The fire was devastating; countless animals in the forest were burned, left with no refuge!”

The sharp voice sighed repeatedly, then asked, “Brother Sheep, do you know who started that fire?” The quacking voice scoffed, “Who doesn’t know? That wild man fellow, a general in the Great Xia’s righteous army, named Li Xiong, set it!”

“Lies!” An indignant shout broke the forest’s silence. The speaker lowered their voice, “Don’t listen to the other demons’ nonsense. The real arsonist was…” Pausing, they glanced around cautiously, then whispered, “Left Prime Minister Tuoli Leopard of the Ten Thousand Demons Kingdom. He set the fire and framed that foolish Li Xiong, angering the Purple-robed Demon Elder who killed Li Xiong himself before going down the mountain to avenge his disciple!”

“Ah! Is that true? I don’t believe it! Why would you accuse our Left Prime Minister Tuoli Leopard?” The quacking voice was shocked, disbelief ringing loudly.

“Shh! Quiet! Do you want your head?” The sharp voice growled, likely muffling the other’s mouth. Heavy footsteps sounded, showing the sharp-voiced “Brother Fox” was truly agitated.

“I saw it with my own eyes! What more proof do you need?” The sharp voice grew excited but kept a low tone, still audible to Jin Ling.

Fury surged within Jin Ling, causing his spiritual energy to falter. Li Xiong suddenly winced, clutching his chest in agony. He opened his mouth, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood, his body curling up. His head tilted, knocking over several small branches.

“Who’s there?!” two small demons shouted, looking toward the sound. Jin Ling’s scalp tingled, every hair standing on end. If they were discovered now, defenseless and engaged in healing, they would be easy prey.

At this critical moment, a rustling sound came from the grass—something small darted out. “Scared me! It’s just a little gray rabbit!” one sighed with relief. The sharp voice expressed a similar feeling, “Brother Fox, you’re too timid. It’s just the two of us here; who else would be around?”

The quacking voice laughed mockingly, “Exactly! Let’s move on and gather some unburned items to take back.” The footsteps faded away.

Jin Ling exhaled deeply, feeling reassured—until the sharp voice suddenly called out, “No! There’s definitely someone there, not a rabbit!” The quick footsteps approached, terrifying Jin Ling beyond measure.

Li Xiong’s tall frame had toppled some branches over two meters high, while a small rabbit’s movement would be much quieter. This difference aroused suspicion in “Brother Fox,” who turned back.

At that moment, Jin Ling was channeling spiritual energy at a crucial point, unable to move, stand, or counterattack—completely vulnerable. If these two small demons captured them, what could they do?

Suddenly, the rustling grew louder as a fox-faced humanoid demon burst from the bushes, coming face to face with Jin Ling and Li Xiong. The demon let out a startled cry.

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