"Xiao Hu!"
Xiao Shan called the black dog, holding Xue Niang's clothes for it to smell. Xue Niang's clothes carried a lotus fragrance, which should have been easy for Xiao Hu's keen sense of smell to track.
Xiao Hu barked twice at Xiao Shan and then bolted outside.
Xiao Shan followed Xiao Hu out of the house, where he encountered Xu Da Niu walking towards him. Xu Da Niu's dark face displayed the simple honesty characteristic of rural folk.
"Brother Xiao, Xue Niang said yesterday she wanted to go up the mountain to pick mushrooms, but I didn't have time to go with her. Today I picked some to bring to her."
"Yesterday?" Xiao Shan stopped. "When?"
Xu Da Niu thought for a moment. "In the morning. Oh, Scholar Ge was also going up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs around that time, it must have been near the hour of Si."
Xiao Shan narrowed his tiger-like eyes, staring at Xu Da Niu's honest face for a long time.
Xu Da Niu's hair stood on end under his gaze. For a moment, she felt as if he could see right through her.
The next moment, Xiao Shan had already bypassed her and followed Xiao Hu up the mountain.
Meanwhile, the village chief and his men searched the shallow forest again but still couldn't find Liu Dong Huai. Everyone guessed he had gone into the deep mountains. Some people started suggesting they ask Xiao Shan for help again, but the village chief disagreed.
The man had just rescued people and hadn't even had a moment to rest, and now they wanted him to help find someone else. That was asking too much.
"Uncle Village Chief, we can't be so particular at a time like this. Xiao Shan seems like a righteous person. Lives are at stake, we can't afford to delay!"
"That's right! Uncle Village Chief, but it's been all night, I wonder if Dong Huai has..." been eaten by wild beasts.
The village chief sighed. There was no other way. If Xiao Shan could help, he would make sure the village contributed something to show their gratitude.
Just as they finished discussing, they heard the sound of a dog barking.
A black dog was jumping back and forth in the grass, heading towards them.
Wasn't that the dog Xiao Shan had brought down the mountain?
Indeed, soon a tall figure appeared in their sight.
It was a case of speaking of the devil. A young man shouted excitedly, "Brother Xiao Shan!"
Xiao Shan walked over and quickly learned the reason the village chief was on the mountain. He showed no outward reaction. His peripheral vision caught Xiao Hu sniffing around. The dog stopped in front of a few pine trees and circled the area, looking very puzzled.
"Hey, don't let that dog go in there, that's the Ghost Forest!"
The young man had sharp eyes and saw Xiao Hu running towards the edge of the Ghost Forest. He quickly warned Xiao Shan.
"What Ghost Forest?" Xiao Shan looked at the patch of woods. Apart from the plants inside appearing greener and more vibrant, there was nothing different.
"Ghosts eat people in there. Once you go in, you'll never get out!"
The young man told Xiao Shan about the horrors of the Ghost Forest, and the others nearby chimed in. Even the village chief did not refute it.
It was clear that there was something strange about this forest. He had always entered the mountain from the north before, and he had never been to this area. Had Xue Niang entered this forest?
"Village Chief, you stay here. Everyone else go back!"
Xiao Shan's expression was grim, exuding an aura of authority.
"Brother Xiao Shan, Uncle Village Chief is old. I'll stay," the young man volunteered, his eyes filled with hope.
The village chief understood Xiao Shan to some extent and knew he must have other considerations. He therefore reprimanded the young man, "Xiao Si'er, you all go back first!"
"Uncle Village Chief!" Xiao Si'er was a little unwilling.
The village chief glared and said sternly, "Go back!"
Seeing the village chief angry and Xiao Shan's solemn, terrifying expression, they finally left obediently.
As they left, Xiao Shan strode towards the Ghost Forest.
The village chief was startled. "Xiao Shan, you can't go in there! You really can't! Hey, hey, hey!"
"Wait outside!"
Xiao Shan left only these words. His and Xiao Hu's figures disappeared before the village chief's eyes.
The village chief sat down on the ground. "It's over, it's over. This one truly fears no death..."
As soon as Xiao Shan entered the forest, he sensed something unusual. There was a formation within.
With years of military experience, he might not be the most knowledgeable about formations, but he was definitely an expert. The strategist had once said that all formations in the world followed the same principles. As long as the formation's eye was found, all illusions would vanish instantly.
However, as he went deeper, Xiao Shan found that this formation was extremely exquisite, with no trace of human intervention.
Xiao Shan was greatly shocked. How could such a powerful formation exist in this remote village, almost off the map of Jing Country? It was even more exquisite than the most brilliant work he and the strategist had devised.
Every plant, tree, and stone seemed to exist naturally, making it impossible to find any pattern.
Xiao Shan's breathing began to falter.
He knew how anxious he was, and even a little afraid. After a day and a night, the mountain was cold at night, and Xue Niang's body could not withstand it.
Furthermore, Xue Niang might be with that scholar right now.
He was a man and could see the scholar's feelings for Xue Niang. They had spent a night alone outside, and it was possible the scholar might do something to harm Xue Niang.
He even started to think that if the scholar did anything, he would kill him right there, as no one could enter this place anyway.
The ferocity in Xiao Shan's body grew stronger, but he was oblivious to it.
Until he saw the scene he feared most!
Two pale, naked bodies were entwined like vines, so tightly.
"Brother Scholar... take me away. I like you. I've liked you since the first moment I saw you..."
Her voice was soft and sweet, dripping with adoration and reluctance. Her youthful hands clung tightly to the man, her eyes hazy and alluring.
Xiao Shan felt as if his chest had been pierced by a sharp knife, churning violently in his heart. A腥甜 (fishy sweetness) surged to his throat. His eyes turned blood red, and for the first time in his life, he experienced despair.
"Xue Niang..." he whispered with difficulty.
Xue Niang's gaze lazily swept towards them. She saw Xiao Shan, and a flicker of disgust flashed in her almond-shaped eyes. She wrapped her arms even tighter around the man beside her.
"Me too. I like you. Xiao Shan is a barbarian, he doesn't deserve you. Xue Niang, I'll take you away, we'll leave this place."
That was the scholar's voice.
This voice enraged the beast within Xiao Shan. He was in unbearable pain. He drew his dagger. "I'll kill you!"
He lunged at the scholar.
"Xiao Shan! If you kill him, I won't live either!"
Xue Niang hugged the man in panic. Her protective stance tore at Xiao Shan's heart even more. How could she, how could she trample him like this!
The most pathetic thing was that he couldn't bear to kill her.
Xiao Shan, oh Xiao Shan, when did you become so humble that even your dignity was thrown on the ground and trampled?
The dignified God of War!
The sky of Jing Country in the past!
How could he have fallen to this point!
He hated it! He hated Xue Niang, he hated himself!
"You die, you all die! I'll die with you!" Xiao Shan, like a mad beast, stabbed at the scholar again and again.
Blood mist filled his vision, obscuring everything.
"Xue Niang, Xue Niang, where are you?"
Xiao Shan looked around blankly.