Chapter Eleven: Watching the Wild Dogs

“Just you wait!” I grabbed the axe and dashed up the mountain, determined to confront that Great Immortal.

I initially remembered the way to the Mountain God’s Temple, but once I was up there, I lost all sense of direction. No matter which way I went, I kept circling around an old elm tree.

The more anxious I became, the more lost I felt. After wandering around several times, I finally noticed an arrow painted on the old elm tree.

The arrow pointed to a path I had never taken before.

That way led to a ditch; every time I passed by, I had to detour around it.

Back then, I thought the Great Immortal was tricking me. When I reached the edge of the ditch, I was about to go around it again, but unexpectedly, someone pushed me from behind, and I fell right into the ditch.

I thought this was the end. Falling into that ditch meant either dying from the fall or breaking my limbs.

I closed my eyes, awaiting death. But to my surprise, when I opened them, I was already on the other side of the ditch.

I didn’t have time to think much and quickly scrambled up, running further up the mountain.

After rounding nearly half the mountain, I still couldn’t spot the Great Immortal’s temple.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I saw an old man resting on a rock not far from me.

Without questioning why there would be an old man resting on the mountain so late at night, I walked straight up and asked, “Sir, I need directions. Do you know where the Great Immortal’s temple is?”

The old man pointed ahead and said, “Bring me back my shoe, and I’ll tell you.”

At that moment, I was nearly frantic. Without hesitation, I rushed toward a single cotton shoe lying by a cliff.

The cliff was icy, and the slope was steep. My feet slipped as I tried to inch closer to the shoe, supporting myself with one hand on the ground. I was almost about to touch it when the old man chuckled, “Don’t you know? You can’t just pick up shoes.”

A chill ran through me.

In the Northeast, it was common to see worn-out shoes abandoned by the roadside or beneath trees, left untouched.

This was because “shoe” sounded like “evil” in the local dialect. Picking up shoes found on the roadside was believed to bring evil spirits into your home.

The old man asking me to fetch the shoe—it was a death trap.

I crouched on the ice, too afraid to stand up.

In desperation, I flipped over and clawed at the ice with both hands, struggling to pull myself back.

I hadn’t gotten far before I felt my shoe disappear. Then, suddenly, my foot tightened as if someone had slipped a cotton shoe onto it.

When I tried to move forward, my foot felt frozen to the ice, impossible to pull free.

The old man sneered, “Go down! And be smarter when you get there.”

My foot was dragged toward the bottom of the cliff when suddenly a rope flew through the air and wrapped around my wrist.

The old man shouted, “Who’s there?”

Then a sickle flew past, its gleaming blade narrowly missing the old man’s neck. Black smoke billowed from his body as he collapsed.

The rope tightened, yanking me back from the cliff’s edge.

I froze when I saw who had saved me—it was Old Bachelor from our village.

Before I could speak, the old man got up. His neck was slashed, his head tilted unnaturally, but he still managed to say, “You’re bold! Meddling in everyone’s business.”

Old Bachelor sneered, “Qin Qing is under my protection. His affairs are mine to manage.”

“Then you’d better not leave!” The old man’s words barely finished before he fell to the ground.

Old Bachelor picked up the sickle and handed it to me. “There’s more than one Great Immortal around here. I can’t handle them alone. Take my sickle and find help. You must return within seven days—I’ll hold them off for that long.”

“Uncle…” I didn’t know how to thank Old Bachelor.

He shoved me forward. “No time for nonsense. The sooner you come back, the safer your sister and I will be.”

Gripping Old Bachelor’s sickle, I ran desperately home. When I returned, my sister was nowhere to be found, and the house was in chaos.

I had no choice but to head to the provincial city to seek help.

Qin Qing looked at me pleadingly: “Third Young Master, please save me!”

I asked thoughtfully, “How long have you been out?”

“Today is the second day,” Qin Qing replied.

The elder thief said, “This isn’t an easy matter. You should rest first while my grandson and I figure out a plan.”

“But remember,” he added, “there’s no such thing as a free rescue in this world. We’ll charge a fee. If you can’t pay now, you will have to pay later.”

“Go rest for now.”

Qin Qing was reluctant but was coaxed away by the elder thief.

The elder thief returned and said, “When Qin Qing came to Fengshui Street looking for people, I got a general idea of his problem.”

“I believe Old Bachelor is likely a mountain dog.”

“In the Northeast, the most common sorcerers you’ll encounter are mountain dogs. They’re skilled at guarding mountains and usually station themselves near haunted mountains, disguising as mountain wardens or forest rangers.”

“Mountain dogs stay off the mountain when nothing’s wrong. They have their own territories apart from the mountain spirits and ghosts. But if anything descends from the mountain, they instantly transform into vicious beasts that tear their enemies to shreds.”

The elder thief placed a sickle on the table. “Look at this sickle. It looks ordinary, but it’s made of meteorite iron. The blade rivals any divine weapon. The handle is crafted from ancient white wax wood, used by old spear makers. These aren’t things just anyone can wield.”

“That Old Bachelor also abides by the mountain dog’s rules: five taels of gold or intervention for close friends and family.”

“Everything about him screams mountain dog!”

“This job is one we absolutely must take.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m taking this job to save Qin Qing’s sister. It has nothing to do with Old Bachelor.”

The elder thief shook his head. “You’re wrong. Taking this job means saving not just Qin Qing’s sister but also Old Bachelor. Mountain dogs have dog-like tempers. If you treat them well, they’d give their lives for you.”

“If you can’t save him, you might at least uncover the mountain dogs’ secrets.”

“Mountain dogs belong to a loosely organized sect. Once you expose their secrets, you can find their leader.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’ll set out tomorrow.”

“No!” The elder thief waved his hand. “Delay a day. A little kindness can turn to resentment. If Qin Qing thinks you agreed too easily, he might not appreciate it.”

“Qin Qing might still be useful in the future.”