24 The Battle on Greatwood Bridge

Deep in the woods, at the border between the middle and outer forest, Cha Ming and his group, along with the baby fox, were running. They were running as fast as they could without rest, for if they stopped for more than a half hour, the hounds would surely catch up. The forest surrounding them was a mixture between the previous dead woods and the beautiful, lush outer forest. Green-and-gold leaves had fallen here and there on the desolate, dusty soil, creating a medley of creation and destruction.

Sometime in the last two days, the baby fox had finally awoken. It was quite energetic and playful, and it treated their act of running for their lives like a pleasant game. For fear of having to deal with a panicked baby fox, they did nothing to rectify the situation. After all, what they had least of was time. Their group stopped for five minutes to catch their breath. Wang Jun quickly took out a high-quality map.

"Everyone, the situation is looking very dire. The hounds are somehow able to track us even at this distance. There is only one terrain feature that we can use to obstruct them: the Greatwood Bridge. This bridge is a long, narrow bridge that crosses the Misty River. It is impossible to cross at this point of the river without using the bridge; as such, the bridge is a natural choke point for the large pack of hounds.

"Further, this is the worst-case scenario. I have a pair of obscurity talismans which we can use to try and shake them off. Let's travel in this path, and I will use the talismans here"—Wang Jun pointed at two locations on the map—"and here."

Cha Ming was not nearly as intelligent as Wang Jun, therefore he left these matters to him.

Howls sounded in the distance, and they were getting closer. It was time to leave before the midnight spirit hounds caught up. They broke into a light run, just fast enough to be able to continue indefinitely. Fortunately, qi condensation experts had a stronger physical body than normal humans. Unfortunately, everyone had different constitutions. Cha Ming had religiously practiced jogging to bolster his stamina, as had Feng Ming. Wang Jun and Gong Lan seemed to never tire either. However, Hong Xin's endurance was extremely pathetic.

Fortunately, after careful experiments, Cha Ming discovered that his Healing Hand manifestation could be used to recover stamina at the expense of his wood qi. Using his ability, they had managed to run continuously for the past two days. Whenever any member's exhaustion reached a certain level, Cha Ming would cast his Healing Hand. His qi would fully recover before the next person required a boost. The only drawback was that this technique was mentally taxing, causing Cha Ming's exhaustion to mount with every passing day.

The hounds had already almost caught up and were only five minutes of running behind them. They had been heading to the northeast, the first point of their plan. Wang Jun took out the first obscurity talisman. The talisman burst into a cloud of shadows, sticking to the closely packed group. Their group blended into the shadows, and they arced back toward the east and south. They now had an hour to shake the large group off.

Things seemed to be going rather well. For the first half day, the howling of the hounds faded. However, after another half day had passed, they realized that the hounds were on their trail once again.

"I thought you said the obscurity talisman would cover up our sounds and smells? How did they find us again?" asked Cha Ming worriedly.

Wang Jun frowned. "The hounds should not have found our trail so easily." After thinking for a while, he directed the group back toward the northeast under the effects of the second obscurity talisman. This did not seem to help the situation, as the hounds continued approaching closer and closer. They would be able to catch up in half a day, and their group was still a half day away from the bridge. They had originally been hoping to use the talisman to cross the bridge, but unfortunately this plan had gone out the window.

Their group paused quickly to catch a breather while Wang Jun tossed his seven black coins into the air. The black coins floated briefly and scattered on the forest floor. After two minutes of observing the stones, his expression turned ugly.

"Shit, they aren't tracking us by smell. When they chased us last time, one of them cast a blood-tracking spell on us! I couldn't sense it earlier because it was cast by that foundation-establishment demon beast. If we keep going, the hounds will definitely catch up."

Cha Ming paled at the revelation but steadied his mind. A quick decision was required. "Since we can't escape, we'll have to fight at the bridge," Cha Ming said. "If we allow ourselves to be surrounded, we don't stand half a chance. If we can't hold them off… we'll need to jump into the river."

Their group gasped. The Misty River was 1,500 feet below the Greatwood Bridge. Rivers were typically littered with large rocks, and their odds of survival after jumping off such a large bridge were very slim.

"We're dead if we don't try," said Wang Jun, shaking his head with regret.

--

Their journey continued for the next half day, with the hounds slowly but surely catching up to their position. Every once in a while, they encountered advanced scouts, which they dispatched in short order. Two weeks ago, fights like these would have taken a long time and wasted a lot of their qi. Not only had Xin Er, Feng Ming, and Gong Lan's strength increased by a whole level, their whole team had also experienced life-and-death combat on multiple occasions. Unknowingly, the whole team had also developed a tacit understanding, minimizing their weaknesses and maximizing their strengths.

After an arduous half day of constant running, they finally arrived at the Greatwood Bridge. It was three meters wide, allowing for two people to maneuver while fighting in cramped conditions. This feature aside, the bridge was run down; several wooden planks were missing here and there, and the railings were only three or four feet high. What made the bridge "great" was its length and height. The bridge spanned across a mighty 3,000-foot chasm. The river down below was flanked by two tall red cliffs that accentuated the 1,500-foot drop.

Wang Jun had told them a bit of history about the bridge. The base of the bridge was woven from extremely long interlinked vines. The vines were bright green and nearly indestructible. Many human cultivators and demon beasts had attempted to destroy the living bridge, but all had failed. Eventually, human cultivators had taken the initiative and invited a master spiritual blacksmith to construct golden metal railings to prevent people from falling. These railings were built to the same standard as the bridge; they were quite sturdy, and even hurricane force gales would have trouble pushing them down. The wooden portions of the bridge had been maintained by the city lord of Green Leaf City for the past several centuries.

The best place to hold off the hounds was at the other end of the bridge, where they could defend a narrow pass. They quickly made their way across the bridge in pairs, with Cha Ming taking up the rear. Once they had safely crossed the bridge, they rested for the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, just enough time to replenish their qi and assume their positions for the final battle.

--

Meanwhile, back in Green Leaf City, a man and his cat were sitting together in a small wooden shack to the south. The shack was located in a small alley near the market district. Its walls and doors were plastered with various talismans, giving the impression that if the entire city were to be destroyed, at least this small shack would survive. While this was a popular rumor that circulated around town, people knew better than to discuss it in front of the more powerful individuals, such as the dean of Green Leaf Academy or the city lord. Whenever they heard this claim, the countenance of these mighty figures would instantly turn ugly. Most people attributed their unsightly expression to the challenge to their authority. The reality was quite different; these prominent figures knew their place, and if push came to shove, that little shack would remain standing even if the lord's mansion and the dean's school were reduced to rubble.

Elder Ling was currently deep in thought. He stared at the Angels and Devils board in front of him, pondering various possible moves that he could make in the tense middle game. After a few moments, he exhaled and finally placed a black stone to assist his central group of stones in a difficult position. After placing the stone, he continued staring at the board while chewing his nails and shaking his leg. Old habits were very difficult to correct, and he had been scolded countless times in the past.

The cat sat placidly on the opposite chair. Mr. Mao Mao was currently chewing a bouquet of flowers given to him by Cha Ming several weeks ago. The bouquet pleased Mr. Mao Mao greatly, and he made sure to chew a few flowers whenever he was bored. Contrary to his usual aggressive demeanor, his small cat face was very relaxed. The cat lazily lifted a paw, reaching into the bowl and somehow withdrawing a white stone. Finally, he placed it down near the center of black's stones, letting out a smug purr and walking away from the board to continue his nap.

Elder Ling looked at the board in shock. His group was dead, and he had no way to save it. "You damn cat! Can't you let your owner win every once in a while? Can't you just lose by a slim margin instead of embarrassing me every time? That's it. I'm never playing with you again." He quickly put away the stones and the board while moping.

"I treat you like my little ancestor, yet you're always so ruthless," Elder Ling said quietly. He then looked at Mr. Mao Mao with red eyes and tears streaming down like tiny waterfalls. Mr. Mao Mao, unimpressed, closed his eyes and continued sleeping. Elder Ling let out a loud snort and instantly cheered up, his false tears quickly evaporating in the dry winter air. He was now drinking a cup of tea. It was a good afternoon.

Suddenly, Elder Ling frowned. He withdrew a black brush from his sleeve, and quickly drew out a black circle in the air. He then wrote out the character for "Long Range Divination," and after thinking for a few moments, he wrote the name "Cha Ming." The character faded and was instantly replaced by a two-dimensional image. The image contained five small moving figures running swiftly across a long wooden bridge.

"Hm… The kid's in trouble. Should we help him?" He looked over at Mr. Mao Mao while scratching his scraggly beard. Mr. Mao Mao hopped onto the floor and leapt onto Elder Ling's shoulder, looking at the mirror curiously. After sniffing at the mirror a few times, he let out a loud purr and shook his head, heading back to his bed to continue his nap.

Elder Ling frowned and retrieved a pair of spectacles, focusing on Cha Ming's figure. Finally, he nodded his head and waved his hand. The image quickly faded away like a cloud of smoke.

"You're right as always, my dear Mr. Mao Mao. He does indeed have a bit of luck he can rely on. Besides, he's only fighting a couple hundred puppies with a few slightly stronger puppies. He should be able to handle them. Maybe I worry too much." After Elder Ling finished speaking, Mr. Mao Mao continued his nap while Elder Ling continued drinking his tea. It was a good afternoon.

--

Cha Ming was breathing heavily, his body covered in a thick layer of sweat. He and his companions were exhausted. They had been fighting as efficiently as possible, not wanting to waste a single drop of qi while facing the vicious horde. If the opponent was weak enough, they would quickly beat it down with sword, staff, and saber strikes. The group of five rotated every few dozen breaths, switching out whenever the fatigue grew too intense to handle.

It was Cha Ming's turn again, and he quickly advanced to replace Gong Lan beside Feng Ming. A snarling black figure pounced at him from two feet away, jumping over the corpse of one of its pack members. Cha Ming quickly evaluated the strength of the hound as a second-level spirit beast—no need to waste qi. Stepping forward, he swung his heavy staff and batted the hound's large body, delivering just enough force to send the hound over the edge of the bridge. The black hound howled in grief as it plunged to its death at the bottom of the cliff.

Before Cha Ming had a chance to catch his breath, another five hounds stepped up to take advantage of his vulnerable position.

"Tch." Cha Ming quickly pulled out a mid-grade flame talisman, throwing it sideways at the group of hounds. A trail of flame quickly engulfed a few dozen feet of bridge. The hounds wailed as their fur caught fire, and many of them panicked and jumped to the river below, hoping that either the cold water would put out the flames or the sharp rocks would end their suffering. The burst earned their group a small reprieve of a few dozen breaths. They had repeated this process many times, whittling away fifty of the two hundred and fifty wolves on the bridge. Unfortunately, he only had three talismans remaining.

The five continued to rotate and allow each other to rest, as though they were part of a rehearsed performance. Every so often, a stronger hound popped up, prompting either a sandstorm from Feng Ming, a burst of shadow curses from Wang Jun, or one of Cha Ming's many manifestations. Finally, they were faced with the last fifty wolves.

The five of them prepared for the final bout, staring at their opponents while panting. Each member of the team had a solemn look as they gauged the strength of their final opponents. Each of the opponents were third-level spirit beasts at the very minimum. Ten of the hounds were fifth-level spirit beasts, and finally, each of them experienced an overbearing pressure from a much larger hound in the middle of the remaining pack. Cha Ming's eyes narrowed. While he was certain that this hound was not at the foundation-establishment stage, it was at least in the late stages of qi condensation.

It was time to go all out. Little did he know that the sheen of red in his eyes had grown deeper. He knew that their chances of surviving were slim, so why not kill as many of the damn beasts as possible? After these thoughts ran through Cha Ming's mind, all that was left was a desire to kill. The chattering stopped, and the twelve strings of spiritual energy he had been controlling previously suddenly split into thirty-six. He instantly realized that he could now execute the second spiritual pearl manifestations!

Cha Ming let out a loud roar as he charged toward the remaining fifty hounds. He quickly unleashed the second manifestation with thirty-six spirit pearls to cast fire wall. The string of twelve pearls was thrown downward like a vertical whip strike, thirty-six feet long. The force of impact even knocked hounds off the bridge. Feng Ming and Wang Jun followed closely behind him. Most of their qi was exhausted, but they could still lash out with their swords. Gong Lan and Hong Xin followed behind them, finishing off any stragglers as the trio flung themselves deep into the pack of hounds.

Enraged, the leaders of the pack howled and pushed their way forward, hoping to eliminate their prey as quickly as possible and minimize the pack's losses.

Cha Ming was encouraged by their frantic behavior. "Second Manifestation: Frost Nova!"

A white-and-blue light spread out from Cha Ming, guided by the thirty-six pearls on his wrist. Unfortunately for the hounds, he was positioned right beside the group. Instantly, each hound's speed was reduced by fifty percent. They could no longer dodge the many staff and sword strikes, and hound after hound fell to the terrifying onslaught. The pack leader's rage intensified as it rushed even faster, causing several small hounds to accidentally get knocked off the bridge. But Cha Ming wasn't done.

"Second Manifestation: Epicenter!" A cluster of thirty-six pearls jumped up all at once, forming a small character, "earth," and suddenly slammed down a dozen feet ahead of him. A concussive blast rang out, rattling the group of hounds and shaking their internal organs. The group continued to move their slaughter forward. Finally, a large growl sounded out as the largest hound pounced over the others directly at Cha Ming.

It's time, he thought.

"Second Manifestation: Sword!" He quickly emptied his remaining metal qi, filling all thirty-six white pearls to the brim. They came together in the shape of a sword, and a sharp sensation erupted from him as he launched his strongest attack against the pack leader. Cha Ming collapsed as the sword struck the large black hound backward. It did a full backflip before landing; the only evidence that it had been hit was a small trickle of blood dripping down from its large maw.

The strike had been ineffective. The beast was too strong! The reality of the situation finally sank in, and their group of five finally collapsed under the pressure and exhaustion. None of them could lift a finger. The large hound triumphantly started advancing once more, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Yip, yip!" Suddenly, a black figure darted out from behind the group and started growling at the hound. It was the little baby fox! It might only be a second-level spirit beast, but it couldn't just do nothing. The fox quickly started glowing with a gray light.

Poof! The baby fox split into two—one white fox and one black fox. These foxes quickly ran together and simultaneously rammed the large hound.

Unfortunately, despite its good intentions, the tiny foxes bounced back after causing absolutely no damage. The leader of the hounds let out a mocking howl and continued its advance. The air between the two foxes shuddered as the baby fox merged back into its original black-and-white form.

"Yip yip!" It darted out again. This time a glowing red light shone out of its forehead. A dreadful pressure weighed down on both the group and the hounds. The lead hound whined and crouched down in submission. It was too late, however. Fire burst out from the small fox like an exploding sun.

Reflexively, Cha Ming quickly took out his last three talismans and threw them on the ground. Three earthen walls sprung up to shield their group from the raging ball of flame. As the ball expanded, the first wall crumbled, followed by the second. Finally, the ball stopped expanding and burst outward. The last earthen barrier was barely breached and crumbled into dust. If they had been just a few feet closer to the front, the ball of flame would have immediately penetrated all three barriers and reduced the five companions to ashes.

Only the pack leader remained, collapsed in a burning heap of blood and fur. The small baby fox, the source of the giant explosion, was unconscious on the shattered remnants of the bridge. Cha Ming struggled to his feet and slowly walked over to the baby fox that had saved their lives. The remnants of a red character were quickly fading from its slightly charred forehead.

Suddenly, a loud creaking noise sounded out, forcing everyone to cover their ears. As Cha Ming looked around for the source of the sound, he saw that the ground around him had started breaking into pieces. The unbreakable Greatwood Bridge had been damaged by the massive attack. Ignoring the danger, Cha Ming quickly bent down to pick up the fox. As he took his last step forward, a large, twenty-foot-long piece of bridge suddenly gave way and started a freefall.

With his last remaining energy, Cha Ming grabbed the small fox and pushed himself off a large piece of bridge. They only way they stood a chance of surviving was if they fell directly in the water. He continued his fall, and the last sounds he remembered hearing were the screams of his friends who had barely escaped this disaster.

Would he ever meet them again? Who knew. He quickly fell through the white mist covering the river at the bottom of the cliff. The white faded to a deep blue, and as his body hit the raging waters, everything finally faded to black.