"The flesh of this two-legged king smells sweetest of all. On no account may I let it go."
The wolf half-closed its eyes and watched the far-off two-legged creatures gather in flustered haste, pointing the bright brands of fire at it, and the cold mirth rose within its breast.
"Let them spend their strength first. Once those two-legged ones scatter each to its own way, then shall I feast upon the king of them."
It set off at a wary, dawdling pace through the snow-laden wood, and was content beyond measure to see the two-legged ones grow ever more bewildered, their ranks ever looser and more ragged.
Ever since it had devoured that wounded white deer its mind had grown clearer and clearer, and by that keen and clearer wit it had slipped through the patterned two-legged one's siege time and again, until at last it cast off its own pack and came stumbling, battered, to this place.
It had dealt with many such two-legged ones, and knew well that their king was wont to breathe out black mist and fling deep-green swords of bone; pressed too hard, they would only wound it. One must goad them gently, darting in now and again, wearing down their tricks little by little — only then could they be devoured.
"These two-legged ones bear no patterns upon them. I cannot tell what breed they be."
It skipped carelessly over the long stave that came sweeping at it, stooped its head beneath the arrow that flew past, and sank its jaws into the arm of one two-legged creature, crushing the limb to pulp, while it thought with venom in its breast:
"Were it not that my whelps were all slain by that two-legged one, why should I sully my own claws!"
At the memory of being hounded across seven great mountains by that patterned two-legged beast, its vital force and mana not yet fully recovered, a keener edge of cold crept into its blue-green eyes.
These two-leggers lacking all pattern seemed far feebler. The golden light they cast was weak, yet it came on ever and again and never ceased, and the beast found it most vexatious.
In the mountains, the winter night was stiller than any other. Great snows lay piled in the woods, and where a man brushed past, one could hear the flakes come sifting down, soft and endless, with now and then a crisp crack as the weight of snow snapped a treetop.
*Hssst!*
Li Xiangping loosed an arrow all a-gleam with golden light, watched the wolf duck its head and crush a villager's arm in its jaws, then without so much as a change of face nocked another shaft and drew it home, driving the great wolf back as it made to lunge upon the next of his men.
As that villager sprayed forth blood and toppled to the earth with a shriek, painting a burning blossom of crimson upon the clean white snow, the watchmen could not but shudder; the staves in their hands swung feebly. Chen Erniu, his face set hard, gathered up the fallen man, bound his wounds in a hasty wrapping of cloth, and slung him over his shoulder to catch up with the column.
"How far have we yet to Lijing Mountain!"
Li Xiangping barked the words, treading through the snow with a heavy, uneven gait, and bellowed the question to Chen Erniu.
"A quarter of an hour more!"
Chen Erniu caught his meaning at once, passed the man on his back into other hands, and glancing afar, answered in a loud voice.
Hearing that they drew nigh to Lijing Mountain, the villagers steadied a good deal within themselves; yet even so they gritted their teeth and stared balefully upon the demon, each praying in his heart that it would not be he who was struck down next.
"Lure this demon into the mountain and slay it in ambush! If we fail to end it this day, then let it lay us low and go back — and you, and you, and you, the wives and little ones in your homes will all become blood and meat in the demon's maw!"
Li Xiangping wiped the blood from his face — the mana in his dantian all but spent — and eyed the terror-struck villagers about him, then shouted in a low, deep voice.
At these words the villagers exchanged glances, and their faces hardened not a little; one and all they raised their arms, which hung heavy as though weighted with lead, and leveled their brands and staves against the demon.
*Howl!*
The demon licked the blood from its silvery-grey paw, looked upon the brands and staves leveled at it, and seemed to grow vexed; it stamped the ground, quickened the fury of its spring, and bit down whole handfuls of villagers in quick succession.
*Crack!*
A vine-thong of glowing jade-green hurtled straight at it from the empty air, and the demon, caught off guard, felt its flank split open and gape — a streak of blood laid bare where the lash had fallen.
The demon gave a high howl and fell back several paces, glaring with sovereign hatred upon the silken-robed man who held the long whip.
"Family Head!"
At the sight of that vine-thong, Wan Tiancang let out a long breath, a great stone lifting from his heart, and joy crept into his face.
Wan Xiaohua's blow had landed, yet he did not press his advantage. His face went pale; he stood where he was, regulating his breath for several spells, and only by slow degrees did the color creep back into his cheeks.
Summoned by Wan Tiancang's letter, he had worked the Spirit-Walking Art three times in haste to reach Lichuan Pass from the Wan compound, and then driven back the demon with that artifact besides; yet for all his peak Jade Capital Wheel cultivation, his breath came short, and he needed several spells of regulation before he could summon it again.
"A right hard demon."
Wan Xiaohua looked upon the shallow wound upon the demon's back and drew in a sharp breath of cold air, his face turning ugly as he spoke:
"Let the mortals go first."
This vine-thong of his was an artifact of the Qi-Refining stage; driven by his peak Jade Capital Wheel cultivation it drained him sorely, yet could cleave a tablet of stone. That on the demon's back it left but a single streak of blood — though the stroke had been hasty — showed well enough how hard was the demon's hide.
Li Xiangping waved a hand, and Chen Erniu made haste to call the villagers together, bearing the wounded through the snow, westward to Lijing Village.
Watching the one man and one beast stand face to face amid the snow, Li Xiangping called out in a high voice:
"Family Head Wan, if this demon proves too hard for you, then make for the southwest! There is a formation sheltering our Lijing Mountain, and even should you not overcome the demon, you may yet save your life!"
Wan Xiaohua dropped a low look at Li Xiangping and answered quietly:
"I have it."
He flourished the long whip once, and it went screaming through the air to lash at the demon's flank.
The demon stamped once upon the ground and flung itself afresh at Wan Xiaohua; but his eyes lit up, and he thought to himself:
"A fine chance!"
The vine-thong in his hand blazed forth white light as he swept it at the wolf's loins. The demon, however, neither dodged nor flinched; a glint of cunning passed through its eyes, it opened wide its wolfish maw, and a veil of black breath, thick and billowing, drove straight for Wan Xiaohua's face.
"Damn it — a crafty beast!"
Wan Xiaohua cursed under his breath, was forced to let slip the vine-thong from his grip, and fell back step by step.
The demon, having fairly eaten Wan Xiaohua's lash, gave a low growl as well; it pawed at the vine-thong upon the ground, then trod upon it and stared at Wan Xiaohua, its blue-green eyes fixed cold and flat upon him.
"A crafty demon indeed…"
Wan Xiaohua looked upon this great silvery-grey wolf, and a bitter smile crooked the corner of his mouth. His Wan family did not border the Greater Li Mountain, and had but little experience in battle against such things — much less against a demon of the Jade Capital Wheel.
The demon scraped back one hind paw, burying the vine-thong in the snow, and came trotting through the thin snow straight at Wan Xiaohua. He made haste to cast his art, and the white-jade shield once more rose up before him.
But the demon poured black smoke from beneath its four paws and sprang aloft, shattering the white-jade shield to pieces at one blow, and its wolfish jaws drove straight at Wan Xiaohua's throat.