Chapter 13: A Narrow Escape from Despair

As Li Xuan ran, he summoned his source power and drew forth the Crimson Shadow Emperor Blade. With a sweeping slash, a cold gleam arced through the air, slicing ancient pines and cypresses at waist level.

With a swift sweep of his leg, Li Xuan gathered the felled trees together with a surge of source power, binding them tightly with straps to fashion a sturdy raft.

He leapt forward with all his might and kicked the raft toward the raging storm.

The raft surged forward like a meteor, a fierce projectile. Li Xuan sprinted after it, hiding behind the raft as he pressed against the fierce headwind.

“Ah, you brat! Don’t take me with you!” roared a burly man with a braided beard, crying out in pain as the wind blades cut into his flesh.

The hurricane swallowed the man’s screams whole. Li Xuan pushed forward against the tremendous resistance; the wind carved deep hollows in the muscles of his face.

He knew he must not give up. No matter where they fled, there was no chance of survival except by entering the vast clearing beneath the Golden Feathered Eagle King.

Boom!

As the raft tore through the eye of the hurricane, it shattered with a thunderous crash, splinters flying. The straps threatened to snap.

Li Xuan roared, hurling the bearded man onto the raft. With both palms, he braced the rear of the raft firmly and shouted, “Can you still move? Use your body to steady the raft! We’re breaking through!”

The bearded man’s eyes glowed red with feral fury. “I’m not dead yet, of course I can move!” he bellowed.

He spread his limbs wide, clinging tightly to the raft as the hurricane’s knife-like gusts lashed past.

Li Xuan summoned his source power to shield the raft, then drove forward like a plow, feet pounding fiercely.

Crack! Crack!

The ancient pine and cypress wood could not withstand the hurricane’s fury and began to crumble into powder.

“You brat, the raft won’t hold—it's turning to dust under the storm!” the bearded man cried out in alarm, but the hurricane’s roar drowned his words.

Li Xuan gripped the raft with all his might, fully aware of the peril. If they failed to break through, death was certain.

But death had not yet come. To give up now was not in Li Xuan’s nature.

“Wind clashes with thunder, water blends with fire... Indeed, the ‘Green Pouch Chronicles’ meticulously record the principles of the Five Elements’ generation and overcoming. Naturally, one can use wood to forge thunder and carve a path to life!” he muttered.

Enduring the agony of his reversed meridians, Li Xuan condensed a vast thunderous energy in his arms. Just as he prepared to unleash it, the bearded man spat a mouthful of blood onto him.

Noticing the man’s pale complexion, Li Xuan realized he might not survive. Seizing his companion’s hot blood, he rapidly traced two source runes with his fingers.

One rune shielded the bearded man, the other, like a shooting star, collided with the hurricane.

Clenching his jaw, Li Xuan shouted, “Hold on! We’re breaking through!”

At that moment, thunder surged from his arms, cleaving a breach in the storm. Beyond, swirling yellow sand filled the air, the sky a murky ochre.

Above, the vast Golden Feathered Eagle King spread its immense wings, blotting out the sun entirely.

Li Xuan and the bearded man had danced on the edge of life and death. The trials ahead promised to be even more severe. Li Xuan was gravely wounded; the bearded man had fainted outright.

Once safe for the moment, Li Xuan channeled his source power into the man’s body, patching his wounds.

The bearded man, a seasoned hunter of wild beasts with a sturdy physique and considerable cultivation, soon awoke groggily.

“Brother, where is this place?” he asked.

Li Xuan sat slouched on the shattered raft, irritated. “Look for yourself.”

The bearded man glanced around and cried out, “Old Liu, Old Zhu, Old Kong... what happened to you?” Overwhelmed by the scene, tears welled in his eyes.

“Enough. The dead cannot return. Mourn, but then prepare—there’s much to do!” Li Xuan said firmly.

That ordeal taught Li Xuan the true meaning of insignificance: human life was but a trivial breath before the vastness of nature.

“You brat, what did you say?” the bearded man grabbed Li Xuan’s collar fiercely, his eyes wild, as if he longed to devour him.

His voice trembled with grief. “Do you know? Our entire tribe’s able-bodied men came out here. The old, young, sick, and crippled wait for them to return, for the warm bread I baked. I brought them out—I must bring them back!”

Li Xuan stood his ground. As the man’s anguish ebbed, he said, “Let go. I saved you not to be your enemy. If I hadn’t pitied you then, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in this mess.”

The man’s resolute heart finally shattered. He broke down, pounding his fists on a tree trunk until his hands bled, pouring out his sorrow while muttering, “I must bring them back!”

Li Xuan turned away, shouting, “Old fool, can’t you see where you are? Look up!”

The bearded man looked skyward. The colossal Golden Feathered Eagle King loomed like an island against the horizon. Its wings trembled slightly; the hurricane howled, its piercing cries shattering stone.

Wherever it flew, corpses lay strewn and the land was ravaged.

“Am I directly beneath the Golden Feathered Eagle King?” he asked, turning to Li Xuan.

Li Xuan nodded gravely, pointing ahead. “If we break through that way, you’ll be safe. You have to survive and report back to your people. You look strong and manly, but crying like a woman isn’t going to help.”

“You...” the bearded man was enraged, swinging a fist like a sandbag, seizing Li Xuan like a wild beast. “I’ll kill you!”

Li Xuan remained calm, voice cold. “I saved you not to be killed by you. It’s not just you who won’t make it out alive—just the two of us, it’s nine deaths to one life. If you want to live and give your tribe hope, listen to me.”

Reason triumphed over rage. The man released Li Xuan, lowering his voice. “What do we do?”

Li Xuan surveyed their surroundings, calculating the eagle king’s speed. “If we try to break through that zone, we both die. For now, this area is safe. We’ll build a carriage, ride the wind, and survive within the storm the Golden Feathered Eagle King creates.”

Faced with death, the man looked helpless but had no choice but to follow. His chest wound tore open, and even the burly man howled in pain.

Li Xuan gathered herbs to bandage him.

Within a day, they had constructed a sturdy carriage, tightly bound with tree trunks and the clothes of the fallen.

“Brother, Old Hei’s rough around the edges; don’t take his words to heart,” Li Xuan said.

The bearded man finally relented, exhaling. “I can’t let my brothers lie here in Mist Shadow Mountain. Help me bury them.”

Li Xuan didn’t respond but pulled a pocket space bag from his bosom and tossed it to the man. “Use this to carry them. If you live to return, let them rest properly. Also, bring some three-leaf grass from over there—it will keep the bodies from decaying.”

Old Hei knelt, overwhelmed. “On behalf of the fallen, thank you! You’re a great benefactor to our tribe!”

Li Xuan’s tone was cold. “Go quickly. The hurricane is coming!”

Frowning deeply, Li Xuan’s mind raced. “The Eagle King, huh? I don’t believe you can keep flying forever.”

At midnight, swirling yellow sand filled the air as the hurricane raged.

Old Hei finished preparations and dashed into the carriage, chest heaving.

Li Xuan remained vigilant, waiting for the hurricane’s arrival. Old Hei’s face was tense—he had experienced the storm’s might firsthand.

“Watch out!” Li Xuan shouted, releasing his source power to shield the carriage. A mighty gust surged as the carriage shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. Fortunately, Li Xuan had prepared heavy stones; without them, the carriage would have been instantly torn away.

The carriage bounced violently, but Li Xuan quickly adapted, mastering the reins and speeding onward. On flat ground, they even outpaced the hurricane.

Over time, Li Xuan’s source power waned, but his skill at driving the carriage kept them steady.

Old Hei noticed Li Xuan’s fatigue and suggested, “Brother Li, let me try driving this automatic carriage.”

Li Xuan smiled knowingly. “Good idea. Your source power is stronger; you’ll handle it better than I do.”

Still concerned about Old Hei’s injuries, especially the chest wound, Li Xuan was too weary to go for food himself. Besides, the carriage held no provisions.

He guided Old Hei until dawn, when the man finally learned to handle the carriage.

Through the tattered clothing, the endless yellow sand and murky sky were visible outside.

“Brother, keep driving. I’ll go fetch some food.”

Li Xuan had already planned for a battle of endurance with the Golden Feathered Eagle King and had thought ahead about supplies.

“Brother Li, I’m tougher, not afraid of wind and sand. Let me go,” Old Hei offered.

Li Xuan waved him off. “Your wounds aren’t healed yet. Leave this to me. Just drive the carriage well.”

Li Xuan pulled out a skateboard-like board, crouched low, and stepped onto it. With a palm thrust against the hurricane, he used the recoil to shoot forward like a meteor, sand swirling all over him.

He reached a clearing and scavenged for food amidst the devastation. Within half an hour, he gathered two large packs of provisions and some herbs. Time was right, so he stepped back onto the board, waiting for the hurricane.

Riding with the wind was easy; pushing against it was hard.

Drawing the Crimson Shadow Emperor Blade, Li Xuan focused, readying himself.

He saw the carriage speeding toward him, tightened his backpack straps, and launched himself forward, feet chasing swiftly.

Swordlight clashed with wind blades, sparks flying.

Using the “Divine Step Burning Shadow Technique,” Li Xuan made several bounding leaps forward, seizing the moment to repeat the maneuver.

Closing in on the carriage, Old Hei sensed him and summoned source power, riding the wind to meet him.

Coordinated, Li Xuan grabbed the carriage’s frame as his backpack dropped into it.

Grinning broadly, Li Xuan said, “Mission accomplished. Now we can finally have a good drink!”

He pulled out food and wine from his pack and handed them to Old Hei. “Driving’s tough. You first.”

Old Hei eagerly devoured the food and wine, while Li Xuan wolfed down his share without hesitation.