392 Foundation 3

Zheng Xian talked secretively with the man in the mist for a while longer. After they seemingly reached an agreement, the mist dissipated. He only stood up when it was completely gone, and walked thoughtfully back to the valley.

"Father." A couple of young men were waiting by the opening of the valley already. One handsome man with antlers on his head greeted him.

"We didn't find anything… in County Capital's Wang Family."

Zheng Xian frowned. "And Wang Rong?"

"By the time we forced our way in, he commited suicide with poison already. His only son escaped," the man hurriedly replied.

"Find him! Send men to block the city gates. Do not let that little bastard escape," Zheng Xian ordered in an icy tone. 

"Of course!" the man answered. "Also, Wang Family's relative by marriage, Zhang Qian of the Zhang Family, may be harboring the fugitive."

"Bring a few men with you and force them to give up the fugitive! No one in the Autumn Moon County can displease me and get away with it! He must give that thing up. Take care of anyone in the way, no matter who it may be!" Zheng Xian said coldly.

"Father, if the three major sects…" The man was hesitant.

"I'll take care of them. I can't say about anywhere else, but here in the Autumn Moon County, not many people dare go against me." After giving his son a look, Zheng Xian walked away. 

***

In a dense forest.

A youth around ten years old, his clothes covered by dirt, quietly crouched in the underbrush, not daring to move one bit. His clothes indicated he was once from a rich family, but now any sign of nobility on him was hidden by dirt and grass.

The youth had sharp eyebrows and eyes that shone like stars, and had the appearance of someone well versed in literature. It was obvious at first glance that he wasn't used to hardship, but he could only hold back his tears as he hid in the grass.

"Where is he? We just heard something."

"Could it have been a rabbit or rat?"

"Any news from the second team?"

He could hear faint voices in the distance. Inside the dark forest, aside from the glowing green eyes that occasionally passed by, the youth couldn't see anything clearly. 

He knew those were the Black Deer Tribe members searching for him.

"Don't worry.." A bamboo rat as big as a palm stood with his round belly raised next to the youth. "I smeared special soil on you three times. Even hounds with the sharpest sense of smell wouldn't be able to find you."

The bamboo rat's two sesame-sized eyes stared sharply at the Black Deer in the dark.

"I'm not afraid… not afraid… Thank you, Brother Qiang… if it weren't for you…" The youth remembered his grandparents, parents, and his whole family that had been killed. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he couldn't hold back the sadness anymore.

"Sigh… you are my only brother, whom else am I going to save if not you?" The bamboo rat sighed. "The Black Deer Tribe dominates the Autumn Moon County, and few dare to cross them. The only other power they fear are the three major sects, but they wouldn't take you in for no reason."

"I know…" The youth wiped away his tears. "I plan to go to the Prefectural Capital. The Black Deer Tribe might control everything here, but it will be different in the Prefectural Capital! They can't reach there!" A determined expression appeared on his face.

"You made up your mind already?" the bamboo rat asked solemnly.

"Yes. Please help me, Brother Qiang!" The youth nodded seriously. "Also, please hide that thing well."

"Keep it yourself." The bamboo rat shook its head. "That's the treasure that caused this massacre in the first place. If you don't mind, you can use it as a bargaining chip to trade for revenge against the Black Deer Tribe."

"I… I will consider it!" The youth nodded.

"Alright, let's go. This place isn't safe. There are some capable people among the Black Deer Tribe that could somehow catch your Brother Qiang's leg hairs. You truly can't underestimate anyone!" The bamboo rat sighed.

"Brother Qiang…" The youth seemed to have something to say, but stopped.

"Stop talking! I know what you want to say!" The bamboo rat raised one of his claws and turned his head. "I, Zhu Wenqiang, promised to get you out of the county, and I will do it."

"Brother Qiang…" Tears once again wetted the youth's eyes.

He was born with the special ability to communicate with animals, and frequently played with all kinds of animals in the forest. He even met a bamboo rat by chance and became his sworn brother. They frequently roamed the forest freely.

But tragedy took place. By chance, his family found a treasure that spelt the end of the entire Wang Family.

Had it not been for Zhu Wenqiang's warning, he probably would have died already.

"I heard something there." Suddenly, a Black Deer slowly walked toward where they were hiding. 

"I'll check."

A couple of men with knives in hands slowly approached.

Staring at the Black Deer that were approaching, hatred filled the youth's eyes. "Just you wait… One day… I, Wang Yuhui, will avenge my family! My hatred will never cease!"

"Bam!"

Suddenly, the Black Deer fell with a low thud. No screams, no shouts, yet the Black Deers lay silently on the ground as if they were dead.

"This is the spot?" The low and calm voice of a man came from behind the youth.

"Yes, Sect Master, it is," another male voice answered respectfully.

"Then go. Spare no one," the first man spoke again. 

"Yes, Sir," many other voices answered at the same time. 

Before the youth Wang Yuhui could react, he saw one after another blurry shapes shoot out toward the Black Deer searching party.

"Who is it!?"

"Agghhh!"

A wave of screams came from the dark forest, but was cut short. Then, more screams came. It was obvious the Black Deer Tribe was being massacred by this gang of strangers.

"Leave, someone worse is here!" Zhu Wenqiang trembled, and immediately wanted to escape with Wang Yuhui.

"No! Brother Qiang, I want to see how the Black Deer Tribe dies!" Wang Yuhui was shocked, but then became ecstatic. Deep hatred flashed in his eyes.

"You…" Zhu Wenqiang sighed. "So be it. I will follow you."

***

"Rip."

Heads flew everywhere and blood sprayed out like fountains across the grass.

"The Thousand Sun Sect!? Are you mad!!"

In front of the Valley of the Deer King, the heavy gate made of black rocks blocked the path of the Thousand Sun Sect. The Golden Eagle Guard, the elite force of the Black Deer Tribe, stood guard in front of the gate.

Chief Zheng Xian was livid as he stared coldly at the young man surrounded by his tribe. A few masters from the Thousand Sun Sect slowly sheathed their knives after wiping them clean with their clothes.

"Sect Master Lu, what is the meaning of this? I planned to receive you grandly seeing that you visited so late in the night, yet you murdered members of my tribe for no reason, and even forced your way to the entrance of the Valley of the Deer King!

"Even if you are from the Prefectural Capital, you must give our tribe an explanation!"

"Explanation?" Lu Sheng played with a delicate crystal orb with a bored expression on his face. He turned toward Elder Stone and smiled. "Did you hear that? He wants an explanation." 

"Then I will give him an explanation." Elder Stone was very cooperative, and cracked a savage smile. "The Black Deer Tribe harbored spies from the Devil World, bribed the generals of the County Capital, and planned a rebellion! Such crimes should be met with death, as decreed by law!" He loudly declared their motives.

"Load of crap!" Zheng Xian was trembling from anger. He had nothing to do with those bastards from the Devil World, let alone bribing the generals of the County Capital and planning a rebellion.

They at most only had certain unspoken agreements, but never made any deals. Why would he randomly start a rebellion?

"And where's the evidence?! This is a severe accusation! You are trying to smear the reputation of our Black Deer Tribe!" Zheng Xiang shouted in rage.

"You mean I have the wrong person?" Lu Sheng raised an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Zheng Xian was about to shout again, but a middle-aged woman standing beside him stopped him. She had two delicate and thin antlers on her head, and was dressed in fine clothes.

"Sect Master Lu, please consider the consequences of your actions. We of the Black Deer Tribe have always obeyed the imperial law and kept the peace between the demons within the mountain and forest for the imperial court. Aren't you being a little harsh?"

Lu Sheng smiled. "I am not an unreasonable person. I just received information that the Divine Weapon of your Black Deer Tribe, Xuan Mist, was secretly plotting with the enemy and harboring a Devil General.

"If you are willing to give up Xuan Mist, our Thousand Sun Sect could report this incident to the imperial court and speak in your favor."

What was that excuse…

Even Elder Stone and King of Shadows on the side wanted to turn away as their mouths twitched. Their own sect master was lying so shamelessly.

Not all Divine Weapons could become Rogue Divine Weapons. Those that couldn't didn't possess much intellect to begin with, let alone enough to plot against the empire and harbor a Devil General...

If you wanted their Divine Weapon, just say it, or at least find a better excuse. If you did it like this, then even if the Black Deer Tribe wanted to surrender…

"YOU CROSSED THE LINE!!!" Chief Zheng Xian finally exploded. "Lu Sheng! Thousand Sun Sect!! You!! You!!"

The youth Wang Yuhui, hidden in the distance, was so happy his body was trembling.

"Ha! Didn't expect the same thing to happen to yourself, did you!?" The happiness on his face twisted into a strange expression hard to describe.

"Sigh…" The bamboo rat Zhu Wenqiang let out a long sigh on the side. He understood how Wang Yuhui felt, but he was curious as to why the always conservative Thousand Sun Sect suddenly thought to attack the Black Deer Tribe… Something big was brewing in the forests and mountains. 

Meanwhile, the situation changed again in the distance.

The Thousand Sun Sect didn't bring many people, but everyone present was an elite in the sect. They had just surrounded the entrance of the Valley of the Deer King. 

Elder Stone was holding a sinister blood-stained head with antlers in his hand.

"This is the Devil General we slew in the Valley of the Deer God a little while back!" he declared in a clear, cold voice.

"Slander!! It's the Valley of the Deer King!! Not even my own tribe members entered the Valley during its last opening!" Zheng Xian's veins popped from anger, and his eyes looked like they were about to shoot fire. They didn't even know the name of the valley, yet had the courage to slander him in front of his face. How…

"Alright, too much nonsense." Lu Sheng was impatient. It was only an excuse to start the fight anyway, no point in arguing so much. "Attack!"

"Understood." Elder Stone and King of Shadows responded at the same time.

The elites from the Thousand Sun Sect also cracked bright smiles. Lu Sheng promised them a substantial reward, and he would bear the brunt of it, anyway. They were only following orders. Besides, he made it clear they could grab as much as they could when the fight started.

"Kill them!" Seeing that the situation had gotten out of head, the Black Deer Tribe finally lost all hope and charged to meet the intruders.