Peerless Courage

The 'rocky islet' swiftly moved toward the shore.

The approach of this unknown yao beast brought an invisible pressure; apart from a handful like Lan Wangji, Jin Zixuan, Jiang Cheng, and Wen Zhuliu, everyone else kept retreating. Just when all believed the thing beneath the water would erupt, it halted.

Since jumping onto its back had awoken the slumbering yao beast, Wei Wuxian now refrained from any rash movement, kept still, and watched silently for any change.

On the pitch-dark water around the 'rocky islet', a few unusually vivid crimson maple leaves floated gracefully by.

Beneath these few maple leaves, deep down in the Black Pond, there gleamed a pair of objects like brass mirrors.

That pair of brass mirrors grew larger and nearer; Wei Wuxian inwardly cursed, dragged Wen Chao back two steps, the ground beneath his feet suddenly heaved, and the 'rocky islet' abruptly rose, suspended in air. A massive, jet-black beast head, lifting those few maple leaves, burst through the water!

Amid a chorus of startled cries at varying pitches, the yao beast slowly turned its neck and fixed its two huge eye-balls on the two figures standing on its back.

This round beast head was very peculiar, resembling both a turtle and a snake. Looking at the head alone, it seemed more like a giant serpent; but judging by the large part of its body already out of the water, it looked more like...

Wei Wuxian said, '...Such a huge... tortoise...'

This was no ordinary tortoise.

If this tortoise were dropped onto the Training Grounds of Lotus Pier, its shell alone would likely fill the entire drill field. Three burly men, arms outstretched, couldn't encircle its dark turtle head. A common tortoise wouldn't thrust from its shell an extraordinarily long, coiled-dragon serpent's head, covered with a mouthful of protruding, crisscrossed yellow fangs, nor would it have four beast-like feet armed with sharp claws and looking remarkably agile.

Wei Wuxian stared unblinking into those huge golden eyes. Its pupils were vertical slits, contracting and dilating irregularly, as if its gaze sometimes focused and sometimes scattered, unable to make out the two things on its back.

It seemed this yao beast's vision was like a snake's, not very good. If they didn't move, perhaps it couldn't detect them.

Abruptly, two jets of vapour shot out from the beast's two pitch-black nostrils.

The few maple leaves that had been floating on the water were now stuck near its nose; perhaps the tiny things tickled it, so it snorted. Wei Wuxian still held his position, standing like a statue, but this little reaction scared Wen Chao out of his wits.

Wen Chao knew this yao beast was ferocious by nature; seeing it suddenly snort, he assumed it was about to strike, and forgetting the sword at his neck, thrashed wildly, shrieking toward Wen Zhuliu at the bank, 'Save me! Hurry and save me! What are you standing there for!'

Jiang Cheng ground his teeth and cursed, 'Fool!'

Of the two strange things right in front of it, one suddenly squirmed like a worm and emitted a piercing noise, immediately provoking the yao beast. Its snake-like head jerked back, then lunged, yellow and black fangs gaping wide, biting toward its own back!

Wei Wuxian flung out his hand, hurling Wen Chao's sword like an arrow at the beast's head's seven-inch point.

However, the black scales covering the beast head were as hard as iron armour; the blade struck as if hitting a steel plate with a clang, scraping out a spark, and the sword fell into the water. The beast seemed momentarily startled, its enormous eyeballs swiveling down to look at the long, thin thing still glowing as it sank. Seizing the chance, Wei Wuxian lifted Wen Chao, pushed off with his toes, soared through the air, and landed on another rocky islet, thinking, 'Please don't tell me this one is also a giant tortoise!'

Suddenly he heard Jiang Cheng shout, 'Watch your back! The Core-Melting Hand is coming!'

Wei Wuxian spun around; a pair of large hands had attacked silently. Instinctively he struck out with a palm, clashing with Wen Zhuliu, and felt an exceptionally fierce yet sinister force, as if something was about to be sucked out of his arm. Wei Wuxian withdrew instinctively; Wen Zhuliu took the chance to snatch Wen Chao and land on the bank. Wei Wuxian cursed under his breath and jumped ashore right after. All the Wen disciples had taken down their bows, retreating while aiming at the yao beast; arrows flew like rain, clanging against the beast's black scales and shell, sparks everywhere. The battle looked fierce but was utterly useless — not a single arrow hit a vital spot; it was just scratching an itch for the beast. Its huge head swayed left and right; skin beyond the scales was like black boulders, pitted and scarred, arrows striking but unable to penetrate.

Wei Wuxian saw a Wen disciple beside him gasping and clumsily nocking an arrow, drawing the bow only halfway. He couldn't stand it anymore; he snatched the bow and kicked the disciple aside. Only three feathered arrows remained in the quiver; he nocked all three at once, drew to the fullest, steadied his aim. The bowstring creaked by his ear; just as he was about to release, a scream came from behind.

That scream was full of terror; Wei Wuxian turned his eyes and saw Wang Lingjiao directing three household servants. Two were roughly holding Mianmian, forcing her face up, while the third raised a branding iron, aiming straight at her face!

The tip of the branding iron was already glowing red and sizzling. Wei Wuxian was far away; seeing this, he instantly shifted his aim and let the bowstring fly.

Three arrows shot out simultaneously, hitting all three, who flipped over soundlessly. But who knew, the bowstring still vibrating, Wang Lingjiao suddenly snatched up the fallen branding iron, grabbed Mianmian by the hair, and pressed it toward her face again!

Wang Lingjiao's cultivation was extremely poor, yet this move was swift and venomous. If it struck, even if Mianmian didn't lose an eye, she would be disfigured for life. Even in this critical moment when everyone needed to flee, this woman still obsessively harboured the thought of harming others!

The other clan disciples were all picking up arrows and stringing bows, wholly focused on dealing with the yao beast; no one else was near the two of them. Wei Wuxian had no arrows left; no time to snatch another's. In desperation, he charged over, struck Wang Lingjiao's hand holding the hair, and slapped her heavily in the chest.

Wang Lingjiao took his palm straight on, spat a mouthful of blood, and flew backward.

However, the tip of that branding iron had already pressed onto Wei Wuxian's chest.

Wei Wuxian smelled the charred stench of burning cloth and skin, and the horrible odour of cooked flesh; below his collarbone near the heart, unbearable pain surged.

He ground his teeth fiercely but still couldn't imprison that agonized roar inside his jaw; it burst from his throat.

That palm strike was not light; it sent Wang Lingjiao flying, blood spurting, and she wailed loudly upon hitting the ground. Jiang Cheng raised his hand to strike her crown, but Wen Chao screamed, 'Jiaojiao! Jiaojiao! Save Jiaojiao, quick!'

Wen Zhuliu frowned slightly, said nothing, and indeed flew forward, repelling Jiang Cheng, lifted Wang Lingjiao back, and tossed her at Wen Chao's feet. Wang Lingjiao threw herself into his arms, weeping loudly while coughing blood. Jiang Cheng pursued and clashed with Wen Zhuliu. Wen Chao saw Jiang Cheng's bloodshot eyes and terrifying expression, and the other disciples' indignant fury, plus that giant yao beast in the pool whose left front claw had already climbed onto the bank; finally afraid, he shouted, 'Retreat, retreat! Withdraw at once!'

His men had been barely holding on; they'd long been waiting for his order to retreat, and upon hearing it, immediately mounted their swords and flew. Wen Chao's sword had been tossed into the water by Wei Wuxian, so he seized someone else's, hugged Wang Lingjiao as he jumped onto it, and whoosh — he vanished without a trace. His followers scrambled after him. Jin Zixuan yelled, 'Stop fighting! Go!'

The disciples had no heart to continue this fight against the yao beast that resembled a stone mountain. Yet after running all the way back to the cave opening, they found the vine they had climbed down lying coiled on the ground like dead snakes.

Jin Zixuan flew into a rage: 'Shameless curs! They've cut the vine!'

Without that vine, they could never scale this steep earthen wall. The cave mouth was over thirty zhang above, the white light blinding. Before long, that white light, like a heavenly dog devouring the moon, was extinguished by half.

Someone else cried out in alarm: 'They're blocking the cave entrance!'

As soon as those words fell, the remaining half of white light was also blocked.

Deep underground, only a few burning torches remained, illuminating a number of bewildered young faces, speechless.

After a long silence, Jin Zixuan's curse shattered the dead stillness: 'That pair of wretched dogs really went and did it!'

A youth murmured, 'It doesn't matter if we can't get up... My father and mother will come looking for me. Once they hear of this, they'll surely find their way here.'

A few agreed faintly, but someone immediately said shakily, 'They think we're in Qishan receiving indoctrination; how would they come looking for us... Besides, after the Wen people escape, they definitely won't tell the truth, they'll surely concoct some excuse... And we can only stay down here...'

'We can only stay in this cave... with no food... together with a yao beast...'

At that moment, Jiang Cheng, supporting Wei Wuxian, slowly walked over. Just catching the phrase 'no food', Wei Wuxian said, 'Jiang Cheng, there's a piece of cooked meat here, want some?'

Jiang Cheng said, 'Get lost! That branding iron didn't kill you? What a time for this, I really want to sew your mouth shut.'

Lan Wangji's light-coloured eyes fell on them, then shifted to Mianmian, who was helplessly trailing behind them. Her face was smeared with tears, sobbing, wringing her skirt, repeating 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry' over and over. Wei Wuxian covered his ears and said, 'Ah, could you stop crying, please? I'm the one who got burned, not you. Do I need to comfort you? How about you comfort me, alright? Enough, Jiang Cheng, let go. I'm not a broken leg.'

Several young women gathered around Mianmian, and they all joined in weeping.

Lan Wangji withdrew his gaze and turned back.

Jiang Cheng said, 'Young Master Lan Er, where are you going? That yao beast is still guarding the Black Pond.'

Lan Wangji said, 'Return to the pool. There's a way out.'

Hearing there was a way out, even the crying stopped abruptly. Wei Wuxian asked, 'What way?'

Lan Wangji said, 'The pool has maple leaves.'

That sounded absurd at first, but Wei Wuxian caught on immediately.

In the Black Pond where the yao beast lurked, there indeed floated a few maple leaves. But there were no maple trees in the cave, nor any human traces; near the cave entrance there were only banyan trees. Yet these maple leaves were fresh, vivid as fire. When they went up the mountain, they had also seen maple leaves drifting along a stream.

Jiang Cheng also understood: 'At the bottom of the Black Pond, there's very likely a hole connecting to an outside water source, which carried these maple leaves in from the mountain streams.'

Someone said timidly, 'But... how do we know that hole is big enough for a person to squeeze through? What if it's tiny, just a crack?'

Jin Zixuan frowned: 'And that yao beast is still in the Black Pond, refusing to leave.'

Wei Wuxian pulled up his clothing, fanning the wound beneath, and said, 'Any glimmer of hope is better than sitting around waiting for parents to rescue us. So what if it's guarding the pond? Just lure it out.'

After discussion, half a shichen later, the group of disciples retraced their steps.

They hid in a hollow, secretly spying on the yao beast.

Most of its body still soaked in the Black Pond. From within the turtle shell, the long serpentine neck extended, reached the shore, and its fangs gently grasped a corpse, then retracted its neck, dragging it into the dark, fortress-like shell, as if to savour it inside.

Wei Wuxian threw a torch, which struck a corner of the cave floor.

This noise was especially exaggerated in the deathly silent underground; the beast's head immediately shot out from the shell again. Its pupils narrowed, reflecting the leaping, burning torch; drawn instinctively to things that gave light and heat, it slowly stretched its neck toward it.

Behind it, Jiang Cheng silently slipped into the water.

The Yunmeng Jiang Clan lived by the water, and its disciples were all exceptional swimmers. Jiang Cheng entered so quietly that the ripples vanished immediately, barely a few waves could be seen. Everyone fixed their eyes on the water, occasionally glancing at the yao beast. They saw that huge black serpentine head hovering hesitantly around the torch, as if undecided whether to get closer, making their nerves stretch tighter.

Suddenly, as if making up its mind to investigate the thing, it pressed its nose close — only to be lightly burned by the scorching flame.

The beast's neck immediately snapped back, and two jets of furious vapour shot from its nostrils, extinguishing the torch.

At that exact moment, Jiang Cheng surfaced and took a deep breath. The yao beast sensed its territory invaded; threw its head and twisted its body to reach for Jiang Cheng.

Wei Wuxian saw it was bad; he bit his finger, hastily drew a few strokes on his palm, then dashed out and slammed his palm to the ground. Palm lifted from the earth, a pillar of flame higher than a man erupted!

The yao beast startled, turned its head to look. Jiang Cheng seized the chance to leap ashore, shouting, 'There's a hole at the bottom of the pond, not small!'

Wei Wuxian asked, 'Not small — how small?'

Jiang Cheng said, 'Five or six can pass through at once!'

Wei Wuxian bellowed, 'Everyone listen up! Follow Jiang Cheng closely, enter the water and out through the hole. Uninjured help the wounded, those who can swim help those who can't. Five or six at a time, no one rush! Now, go!'

After finishing, that soaring flame gradually died down. He retreated over ten steps in another direction, slapped the ground again, and burst out another gush of earth-fire. The yao beast's golden eyes were reddened by the blaze, driven wild; it churned its four claws, dragging its mountain-heavy body toward him.

Jiang Cheng shouted angrily, 'What are you doing?!'

Wei Wuxian retorted, 'What are you doing?! Take them into the water!'

He had successfully lured the beast out of the water onto the bank; now was the time to go! Jiang Cheng ground his teeth and said, 'Everyone come here! Those who can swim on the left, those who can't on the right!'

Wei Wuxian was observing the terrain while retreating in fire. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his arm; he looked down: he had been hit by an arrow. It turned out that the Lan disciple whom Lan Wangji had earlier glared at had picked up a bow abandoned by the Wen people and shot at the yao beast. But perhaps seeing its ferocious, ghastly form and its agile movements, his hand trembled in panic, the arrow missed its mark and struck Wei Wuxian instead. Wei Wuxian had no time to remove it; he slapped the ground again, conjuring another flame, then cursed, 'Get back! Don't make trouble for me!'

That disciple had wanted to hit the beast's vital point and redeem his earlier shame, but instead ended up like this; his face turned even paler, and he fled into the water. Jiang Cheng urged, 'Hurry up, come over here!'

Wei Wuxian said, 'Coming right away!'

Jiang Cheng still had three non-swimming disciples with him, nearly the last batch; he couldn't delay, so he went into the water first. Wei Wuxian yanked the arrow out, and immediately thought, 'Not good!'

The smell of fresh blood greatly agitated the yao beast; its neck suddenly shot forward, fangs gaping wide!

Before Wei Wuxian could devise a counter, his body was thrust aside by a palm strike.

Lan Wangji pushed him away.

The beast's upper and lower jaws snapped shut, clamping onto his right leg.

Just watching made Wei Wuxian's own right leg ache; yet Lan Wangji still showed no expression, only a faint frown. Then, he was immediately dragged back!

Given the beast's size and the bite force of its fangs, biting a person in half at the waist would take no effort at all. Fortunately, it seemed to dislike eating its prey in pieces; once it bit someone, dead or alive, it would retract into its shell and savour them slowly. Otherwise, with just a little more bite force, Lan Wangji's leg would have been severed. That turtle shell was as tough as diamond, impervious to blade or sword; once it dragged Lan Wangji inside, there would be no getting him back out!

Wei Wuxian sprinted forward, and before the beast's head could retract, lunged and caught hold of one of its upper fangs.

Originally, his strength couldn't have matched this monster, but driven by life-or-death danger, a horrifying, almost inhuman power burst forth. He braced his feet against the turtle shell, clung desperately to that fang with both hands, like a stubborn spike wedged there, refusing to let it retract, refusing to give it a chance to enjoy this meal.

Lan Wangji never imagined he could still pursue under these circumstances; he was utterly astounded.

Wei Wuxian feared the beast might go berserk and either eat them alive or bite off Lan Wangji's leg. His right hand gripped the upper fangs, left hand the lower fangs, exerting force in opposite directions with all his might, giving his all; the veins on his forehead bulged as if about to burst, his face blood-red.

Those two rows of sharp teeth had sunk deep into Lan Wangji's flesh, but under this force, they were actually forced to slowly open!

The jaws couldn't keep hold of the prey; Lan Wangji fell into the pool water. Seeing him safe, the godlike strength seemed to drain from Wei Wuxian; he could no longer hold the jaws apart, abruptly let go, and the two rows of jagged fangs crashed shut with a metallic, earth-shattering boom!

Wei Wuxian also plunged into the water, falling beside Lan Wangji. He flipped over to right himself, scooped up Lan Wangji with one arm, swam several zhang in an instant, carving a long, beautiful arc across the pool, scrambled onto the bank, threw Lan Wangji onto his back, and bolted.

Lan Wangji blurted, 'You?'

Wei Wuxian said, 'It's me! Surprised?'

Lan Wangji, draped over his back, said in a tone uncharacteristically tinged with emotion: 'What's there to be happy about?! Put me down!'

Even while fleeing for his life, Wei Wuxian's mouth was not idle; he said, 'Just because you say put down, I do? Wouldn't that make me lose face?'

The roars of the beast behind them shook their eardrums and chests with pain; both felt blood rush to their throats and noses; Wei Wuxian shut up and focused on running. To prevent the enraged beast from chasing them, he deliberately picked narrow passages where the turtle shell couldn't squeeze in. Without pausing, he ran for who knows how long, until he could hear nothing at all, then slowed down.

Once his tension eased and his pace slowed, Wei Wuxian smelled a strong scent of blood. He reached back and felt a wet, sticky crimson on his right hand.

Wei Wuxian thought, 'This is bad. Lan Zhan's injury has worsened again, maybe doubled.'