A male voice, soft yet insistent, whispered next to Ping'an's left ear, "Wake up." The tickle of breath caused Ping'an to stir, her head shifting instinctively to the right.
"Wake up," the whisper came again, closer this time, in her left ear once more.
Ping'an was lost in the depths of a dream, oblivious to the encroaching chill of the forest night. In her dream, she wandered alone across a breathtakingly green land, vibrant with countless wildflowers. Before her stood a grand treehouse. She ascended its winding stairs, her hand reaching to slowly open the door. Inside, behind a transparent, shifting curtain, lay two women and a man. A cloudy mist swirled everywhere, obscuring their faces, yet she could distinctly tell their genders. As she stared at the three figures on the bed, a man's face suddenly materialized directly in front of her. She gazed into his cold, piercing blue eyes, paralyzed by terror, stunned, unable to move.
"WAKE UP!" the man's deep voice boomed, piercing Ping'an's eardrums and shattering the dream.
The man's powerful cry jolted Ping'an awake. She shot upright, her heart hammering against her ribs. In the silence that followed, only the eerie howling of owls could be heard, and the bright moon arced across the sky, slowly shifting its course towards the west. She leaned her head against the rough tree bark again, forcing her eyes open. Looking up, she saw a pair of menacing red eyes staring down at her from the branches above. Her heart pounded even faster. She instinctively grasped Lu Duyi's left hand, her desperation shaking him awake.
"What the hell is the matter with you?" Lu Duyi swore angrily, ripping his hand free, his voice rough with sleep and irritation.
Ping'an made no sound, but her left index finger trembled as she pointed up the tree. Lu Duyi's gaze followed hers, and his eyes widened. He saw the pair of glowing red eyes, now accompanied by prominent white fangs, growling down at them, a predatory menace in their glow.
"Shit..." Lu Duyi murmured, a genuine shock twisting his features. He scrambled to his feet, pulling Ping'an with him, and began to run wildly through the dark woods.
The creature with the red eyes launched into pursuit. It was too dark to discern its exact form, but they knew its four-legged pace was incredibly swift. Its chilling howls echoed behind them, growing closer.
"It's a wolf!" Lu Duyi shouted at Ping'an, his voice strained with exertion as he struggled to lead the way.
"I've never seen such a big wolf before!" Ping'an gasped from behind him, her voice tight with fear.
"Wolf fairy," Lu Duyi panted, almost out of breath, desperation lacing his words. "They drain human chi energy!"
The two tried desperately to escape with their lives. Suddenly, two more wolf fairies joined forces with the first, their howls now a terrifying chorus.
"Triple trouble!" Lu Duyi yelled, his voice hoarse. "Run faster!"
Ping'an and Lu Duyi scrambled up the mountain, and through the sparse trees, they could see an abandoned temple not far away.
"We go to that temple!" Ping'an shouted, her voice filled with a desperate hope.
"That's a dead end!" Lu Duyi shouted back, his voice edged with panic.
"Every temple has the statue of Guanyin or Buddha!" Ping'an insisted, a desperate plea in her tone. "No evil creature can enter!"
Driven by the terrifying pursuit, Lu Duyi and Ping'an raced towards the abandoned temple. The wolf fairies, knowing their prey was about to reach sanctuary, chased even faster, their movements a blur of fur and claws. The fairies knew that once their prey entered the temple, they might not be able to catch them.
As Ping'an and Lu Duyi approached the temple, they noticed a blazing fire inside, its warm glow a beacon in the darkness.
The moment Lu Duyi found that Ping'an had slowed, her exhausted body faltering, and with the wolf fairies just about to catch up, he made a ruthless decision. He swiftly untied the belt that bound their hands and, abandoning Ping'an, surged forward, leaving her behind as food for the wolves.
Lu Duyi reached the room first, his breath ragged. He began to slam the door panels shut, one after another. Just as he was about to close the last door, Ping'an, fueled by sheer terror, lunged and rushed inside, narrowly making it through. Lu Duyi quickly slammed the final door panel shut, the thud echoing in the small space. The two turned around, panting, to see a young man calmly roasting two chickens, his eyes fixed on them with a knowing, smirking smile. The young man sat cross-legged on the cement floor, his left elbow resting on his left thigh, his left thumb idly scratching the left side of his chin.
"How interesting this is," the young man said with an amused smile, his voice smooth and untroubled.
Lu Duyi stared at the young man, still almost out of breath. "Are you some kind of shapeshifter?" he demanded, suspicion in his voice.
The young man giggled, a sound filled with arrogance. "Do you think a shapeshifter would be able to stay this close to her?" He pointed with a casual flick of his head to the Guanyin statue behind him, a clear challenge in his eyes.
The young man was dressed very simply: a dark navy short-sleeved shirt, black gloves covering his wrists to his elbows, and gray pants, both legs tied with black rope from his ankles up to his knees, ending in very plain shoes. If anyone had to describe his clothes, they could easily compare him to a homeless person. On the floor to his left lay a gleaming sword.
Outside the room, the wolf fairies shimmered, their forms partially visible in the darkness, but they dared not cross the temple's threshold. They paced back and forth outside the door, growling and howling, making as much noise as possible, ensuring their prey knew they were waiting and would kill them if they dared step out.
"They didn't dare to come inside!" Lu Duyi cackled, a triumphant, almost manic laugh. "Ha... ha... ha... ha... ha... I am safe!"
The young man propped his face on his left hand and stared intently at Ping'an. His gaze swept up and down, focusing all his attention on her, completely ignoring Lu Duyi.
The irresistible smell of roasting chicken finally caught Lu Duyi's eye and nose. It had been two days since he had eaten. He cautiously approached the young man.
"Hey, young lad, give us some food!" Lu Duyi demanded sternly, his hunger overriding his caution.
The young man looked up at Lu Duyi, his smirk never faltering. "Are you asking? Or demanding?" Then he calmly turned his gaze back to Ping'an, resuming his silent scrutiny.
Seeing that the young man was not afraid of him, Lu Duyi felt a surge of rage, wanting to tear the young man's lips from his face. But he knew that if he fought, he might not win, as he was still severely injured by Guo Baiyu. He didn't dare to risk a fight, knowing he might be defeated.
In order to disarm the perceived enemy before launching his full-scale attack, Lu Duyi softened his voice, a cunning glint in his eye. "Asking, of course... you see, my wife and I," he said, pulling Ping'an abruptly into his arms, making her flinch. "We're lost, chased by those wolves, and haven't eaten for two days." He tried to sound friendly. "If you would please share some food with us."
In the depths of Lu Duyi's mind, evil thoughts already swirled. After eating the roasted chicken, resting for a while, and regaining his strength, he would kill the young man, take the sword, use Ping'an as bait, and then run to safety.
The young man took one of the chickens out of the bonfire and, with a casual flick of his wrist, tossed it to Lu Duyi. Lu Duyi snatched the chicken eagerly and immediately began to devour it, not even sparing a glance for Ping'an.
"Hey... is she really your wife?" the young man asked, a subtle smirk playing on his lips as he looked at Lu Duyi, his eyes curious.
"Yes... Why?" Lu Duyi answered with hesitation, his mouth full.
The young man shrugged both his shoulders, a noncommittal gesture. "Mmm... just asking." He smiled and began eating his own chicken, but his eyes were fixed on Ping'an. After a while, the young man looked at Ping'an directly. "Hey..."
Ping'an looked at the young man, who was sitting a few yards from her, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Is he your husband?" the young man asked, his smile widening slightly, a hint of challenge in his gaze.
Ping'an looked at Lu Duyi, who was still greedily eating the chicken by himself. "No," Ping'an replied, her voice clear and firm, "I am his hostage."
Lu Duyi's head snapped up, and he gave Ping'an a furious, evil stare, a silent threat.
"Grandmother always said that when we enter the temple, we should never lie," Ping'an stated calmly, meeting his glare without flinching.
Lu Duyi slowly lowered the half-eaten chicken, a new kind of suspicion dawning on his face. "She is the wife to be. Okay," he mumbled, trying to salvage the situation. He realized that eating the chicken alone had made the young man suspicious, so he tore off a chicken wing and reluctantly offered it to Ping'an.
The young man still smirked, his eyes shifting between Ping'an and Lu Duyi, an unsettling knowledge in their depths.
After Lu Duyi finished eating, and realized this place was indeed safe, he slumped against a pole and quickly fell asleep. He needed to rest well to put his evil plan into action.
Two hours later, Lu Duyi woke up with a start. He looked at Ping'an, who had also fallen asleep leaning on another pole. He walked towards her slowly, his movements predatory. When he reached her, he bent down and, with a wet, disgusting sound, licked Ping'an's face with his tongue. The repulsive sensation instantly awakened Ping'an.
"What are you doing?" Ping'an cried out, recoiling in disgust, her eyes wide with fear as she furiously wiped away his saliva from her face.
"What do you think?" Lu Duyi snarled, a malicious, evil smile twisting his lips. "One should never lie when they are inside the temple, correct?"
Lu Duyi pressed Ping'an down onto the floor, his body heavy and repulsive. He jumped on top of her, pinning her, and began to forcefully kiss and lick her face. Ping'an kicked as hard as she could, her screams tearing through the silence, begging him to let go. In that desperate moment, Lu Duyi felt a hand grab the back of his collar, pulling him with surprising force away from Ping'an, and then throwing him across the floor towards the other side of the room. When Lu Duyi came to his senses, he saw the young man standing calmly between him and Ping'an, who was now sitting up, trembling with fear.
"Hey, you little bastard! Mind your own business!" Lu Duyi roared, scrambling to his feet.
The young man remained perfectly still, his enigmatic smile still fixed on his face as he watched Lu Duyi.
Lu Duyi stood, consumed by anger. "You little idiot! I hate that damn attitude of yours! I will tear that smile from your damn face!"
The young man calmly raised his eyebrows, a look of profound disdain on his face, and scoffed, "Mmm..." He continued to mock Lu Duyi with his infuriatingly smirking smile.
Lu Duyi lunged, unleashing a barrage of furious attacks at the young man, but none of his blows even grazed him. The young man then conjured a talisman out of thin air, its edges glowing faintly. He flipped gracefully into the air, performing a single somersault directly over Lu Duyi, and in the process, he effortlessly stuck the talisman onto Lu Duyi's left shoulder.
"Go down," the young man sneered, landing on his feet with perfect balance.
Lu Duyi felt as if he was crushed by thousands of pounds of weight, an invisible force pinning him. He immediately fell to his knees on the floor, unable to move, trapped. The more Lu Duyi stared at the young man, the angrier and more helpless he became.
Lu Duyi took a heavy, ragged breath, gnashing his teeth, his voice a strained rasp. "I'm... going... to... kill... you..." He glared at the young man, hatred burning in his eyes.
"It looks like you are in no condition to do that at the moment," the young man replied, his smile unwavering. Then, he knelt on his right knee in front of Lu Duyi. He gently patted Lu Duyi's left cheek with his right hand, a gesture of almost taunting familiarity. "Lu Duyi... ah, Lu Duyi... so many roads for you to choose, why choose the road that will lead you straight to hell?"
Ping'an's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed: the young man had subdued Lu Duyi with such effortless power, a single strike of his finger seemingly knocking him to the ground.
"How... the... hell... do... you... know... me?" Lu Duyi gritted out, his voice shaky, laced with a new, terrifying fear.
"It happens that you messed with some very rich people," the young man replied, a slight chuckle in his voice. "You know, your head is worth three thousand silver ingots." He laughed, a chilling sound.
"You... going... to... kill... me..." Lu Duyi stammered, his voice trembling with terror.
"Nope. They want you alive," the young man corrected, looking at Lu Duyi, his smile unwavering. "After I hand you over to them, anything they do to you has nothing to do with me."
"Fuck..." Lu Duyi murmured softly, a profound sense of doom washing over him.
The young man laughed loudly, a booming, mirthful sound. "Yes. You are completely fucked." He burst out in laughter once more, finding the situation highly amusing.
Suddenly, the four previously closed doors of the temple swung open, and the wolf fairies slowly, cautiously entered the room, their red eyes glowing in the dim light. The young man kicked Lu Duyi hard, sending him sliding from the middle of the room directly towards the statue of Guanyin, where he came to a rest.
"Go stand next to him," the young man instructed Ping'an, his voice calm. "Do not touch his left shoulder."
Ping'an quickly got up and ran to where Lu Duyi knelt, instinctively obeying.
The wolf fairies walked inside, shaking their heads, their forms rippling as they slowly transitioned into three beautiful ladies. Standing in front of the young man were no longer three hungry wolf fairies, but three alluring women who understood and spoke the human language. They giggled at each other, their eyes alight with mischief and greed.
Ping'an couldn't believe her eyes. She had heard of such stories, of spirits transforming, but it was incredible to witness it firsthand.
"Sisters..." one of the wolf fairies purred, a predatory smile on her lips, "who knew there was such a very handsome young man living in this garbage, smelly place? It seems we've found a piece of gold in the garbage dump!" She looked at the young man, her eyes raking over him. "Your chi energy is very strong."
"Let's absorb it, sisters," the second wolf fairy suggested, her voice husky with desire.
The young man simply waved his right hand at the three wolf fairies, a casual, dismissive gesture. "Hey, you three, I only have one of me, so who will absorb my chi energy?" He smiled, a hint of challenge in his eyes, daring them.
The three wolf fairies, their arrogance piqued, launched themselves at the young man simultaneously. He calmly blocked their combined attacks, his movements fluid and precise. The three wolf fairies and the young man began to fight in earnest, a whirlwind of spiritual energy and martial prowess. After more than twenty swift exchanges, the young man conjured another talisman, quickly recited a powerful spell, and the talisman transformed into a large, shimmering red blanket, which billowed out, completely covering the three wolf fairies. The three wolf fairies, fueled by their spiritual energy, successfully tore through and destroyed the red blanket, but the young man had already sent out another talisman, a vibrant green one, towards them. This fire talisman struck the three wolf fairies, sending them flying through the front door of the temple and landing with painful thuds in the center of the temple courtyard. The young man walked calmly out to the three wounded wolf fairies, holding his sword loosely in his right hand.
"Who are you?" the youngest sister, clutching her chest, demanded angrily, looking up at the young man with frantic, fearful eyes.
The young man smiled, a chilling edge to his amusement. "Take a guess."
The eldest sister of the wolf fairies looked at the young man and his casually held sword, a dawning horror on her face. She said doubtfully, her voice trembling, "Traveling alone with that kind of attitude... and the owner of that sword... There is only one person you could be." Her face was pale with undeniable fear. "You must be the hunter, Zhao... Ren... Shu..."
The three terrifying sisters stared at Zhao Renshu simultaneously, their previous arrogance replaced by extreme caution.
"Not bad," Zhao Renshu smirked, his smile never faltering. He stopped about twenty feet away from the wounded sisters, his presence radiating an undeniable power.
"You are the famous Zhao Renshu?" the second wolf fairy asked, a note of profound disappointment and dread in her voice.
Zhao Renshu smiled, raising his eyebrows slightly at the three wolf fairies, an unspoken confirmation.
The third wolf fairy frowned, her face etched with despair. "Among all the hunters in the world," she breathed, "we actually came across Zhao Renshu, 'The Annihilator'." She took a deep, shuddering breath, her eyes devoid of hope of survival. "We are doomed."
In the world of spirits and crime, there were two hunters whom everyone feared the most. One of them was the late Master Zhao. The other was his only apprentice, Zhao Renshu, famously known as 'The Annihilator.' Zhao Renshu was feared for his incredibly powerful spells, his unmatched sword skills, and paradoxically, his striking good looks.
The eldest sister, making a desperate gambit, lunged a powerful, desperate attack at Zhao Renshu, hoping to buy her two sisters time to escape. Zhao Renshu, with blinding speed, drew his sword from its scabbard. He blocked her attack with effortless grace, then flew straight forward as fast as lightning, aiming directly for the elder wolf fairy's head. In a matter of seconds, he cleanly severed her head from her body. When this horrific act occurred, the other two sisters immediately reverted to their original wolf forms and fled swiftly, leaving their headless sister to bleed out in the temple courtyard, a grotesque heap.
Zhao Renshu was still smiling as he calmly walked back to the room. After what had just happened, Lu Duyi was extremely nervous, his body trembling. He had heard of Zhao Renshu's terrifying fame but had never seen this person in action until today.
"Those who had done evil," Lu Duyi whispered to himself, his voice shaking, "if they happen to meet Zhao Renshu, they never live to tell their stories." Lu Duyi's heart pounded wildly in his chest, a sickening realization dawning on him: meeting such a hunter today was also the most unfortunate day of his own life.