yasinovel Chapter 26 Tomb Tiger
Chapter 26 Tomb Tiger
As the sun set, the clouds along the border swept in, bringing with them a sudden plunge into darkness.
Fang Hongxuan led the horse, but the pace slowed down more and more. The people ahead quickened their pace, and even the old man was carried on someone's back.
The large group of people soon disappeared from Fang Hongxuan's sight. The menacing crowd from before no longer cared about Fang Hongxuan; they wished they had two more legs.
If it were when he still had the Yin Pill, Fang Hongxuan would have dared to venture into the village even if it were a den of dragons and tigers.
But now, Fang Hongxuan is weak and exhausted, and he dares not entrust his life and fortune to others.
"If there truly are demons, my black steed is quite fast."
"roar"
A deep tiger's roar echoed through the mountains and forests, and wisps of fishy stench permeated the surroundings.
Two blood moons hung in the sky, and wisps of heat blew out from behind Fang Hongxuan.
Fang Hongxuan's face immediately darkened. Before he could crack the whip, the black horse galloped off on its own.
A massive, dark-furred tiger with mottled patterns suddenly appeared out of nowhere; its size was enough to blot out the sky.
Its tiger-like eyes, as large as millstones, were fixed on Fang Hongxuan, its gaping maw stretched to its limit. If the black horse were to slow down even a fraction of an inch, it would be swallowed whole by the tiger.
"What a monstrous creature! It's so solidly built!"
A black wind, carrying a foul stench, hurtled straight toward Fang Hongxuan.
"If I had known this would happen, I should have left behind a magic talisman."
"puff"
Steaming hot dog blood wine gushed from Fang Hongxuan's mouth, which resembled a spray bottle, and the fan-shaped area perfectly covered the direction from which the tomb tiger was about to attack.
The shimmering red light instantly entwined with the tiger's claws, and the little-known dog blood wine completely subdued the ferocious tomb tiger.
All that could be seen was mist sizzling from the tiger's claws, the thick bone claws corroded so deeply that the bone was visible!
The tormented tiger grew increasingly agitated. It leaped up, attempting to overtake Fang Hongxuan and stop him. However, the black horse was even faster.
He rushed out in just a few steps, then took a few more, and finally stepped out of the area of Gejia Village.
The tiger roared unwillingly along the edge of the boundary marker, but it was unable to cross the boundary to pursue the enemy.
"Phew...that was incredibly dangerous..."
Continuing along the village road, in the distance, bonfires, like stars, were embedded in the night sky. Getting closer, Fang Hongxuan realized that rows upon rows of wooden fences completely surrounded the village.
Every few steps, you could see the emaciated villagers of Gejia Village patrolling with torches; they were quite alert. In the distance, you could hear the rapid sound of horses' hooves.
"Who goes there!"
Upon recognizing Fang Hongxuan, the leader looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"A ghost! A ghost!"
This man's loud voice attracted everyone in the village. The old man also looked surprised, but he still ordered the door to be opened.
"Did this righteous man escape from the demon's pursuit and barely escape with his life?"
"It's just a big worm, what's so difficult for me? If I weren't starving, I would have shown you what kind of hero deserves to be called a tiger-slaying hero."
"It is indeed a large insect. I spotted it from afar before it migrated. There's no mistake..."
"I recognize it too! That big worm even ate my third uncle right in front of me!"
The crowd erupted into chaos, shouts of hatred rising and falling. Their expressions suggested they wanted to devour his flesh and sleep on his skin.
The sound of the cane tapping the ground brought people back to Qingming Festival, and only then did the old man put away his cane with satisfaction.
"The villagers have offended us in the past, and we hope that you, righteous man, will forgive us."
Ge Xiong and Ge Han were pushed out. They were forced to the ground and kneel down before Fang Hongxuan, forced to perform a deep kowtow.
"We desperately hope that righteous people will save the sixty-three members of our Gejia Village from this dire situation!"
Fang Hongxuan gave a half-smile, but his gaze remained fixed on the old man's face.
"Old man, this isn't quite right."
Upon hearing this, everyone knelt down, tears streaming down their faces, and salt water overflowed, creating a lively scene.
Fang Hongxuan sighed a few times but did not agree. However, he looked troubled, as if he had some unspeakable secret.
The old man reacted quickly, grabbing Fang Hongxuan's sleeve and pleading with great emotion.
"As long as you rid Gejia Village of this scourge and restore peace, whatever your request, as long as it's within our capabilities, Gejia Village will not shirk our responsibility!"
"When you see injustice on the road, you should draw your sword to help. If I could help, I certainly would, but I am currently exhausted and my stomach is growling with hunger."
Even though I desperately want to get rid of that tiger, I'm powerless to do so.
"It's alright, it's alright. If the righteous man doesn't mind, there are still a few ounces of flour and some wild vegetables in the village..."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir..."
The old man's polite demeanor froze on the spot. He chuckled awkwardly a few times, then ordered the women in the village to prepare food for Fang Hongxuan.
To everyone's surprise, the women in twos and threes did not get up, but instead covered their faces and wept bitterly.
"Village chief, those two ounces of wheat flour are the last of the village's stored grain... If... if..." The leading woman stammered for a long time before finally managing to utter a few words.
"But without rice cereal... what will happen to those... babies...?"
Fang Hongxuan ignored him, either scratching his ear or rubbing his belly.
"Go quickly!"
The old man shouted a few more words at her, and the woman reluctantly disappeared into the night. The men in the crowd were all filled with sorrow, but no one stepped forward to stop her.
Stepping over the fence
Leaning tile-roofed houses are everywhere, and some are even using green and leafy branches to prop up houses that are about to collapse.
In the center of the tiled houses, there was a courtyard surrounded by a low wall. Smoke was rising from the chimney, and the aroma of rice wafted through the cracks in the door.
The emaciated villagers swallowed hard, their faces revealing a longing for food.
Fang Hongxuan stirred the already thin white porridge with a spoon, and then picked up some wild vegetables that had been boiling in water with his chopsticks.
He did not eat, and his expression became even more distressed.
"Righteous man, do not despise the thin rice porridge. All the wheat flour here is in the bowl, and even the wild vegetables we dug up this afternoon are here."
"I'm used to fine wine and meat, but this meal has neither wine nor meat, so it's really hard for me to swallow."
The old man forced a smile: "If the righteous man truly needs wine and meat to fill his stomach, then I will have to cut a piece of flesh from my body and draw out a bowl of blood to serve as a side dish for the righteous man."
Fang Hongxuan stared at the old man for a while before bursting into unrestrained laughter. Even with his hand covering his stomach, Fang Hongxuan only felt some unbearable pain.
"How could I be such a domineering and tyrannical person? It was merely a sentiment in my heart; how could you possibly take it seriously, sir?"
"Give this bowl of rice porridge to the baby in swaddling clothes, and the wild vegetables can be shared among the villagers."
If we wish to eliminate the Tomb Tiger, we must not be greedy for quick results and act rashly; we must carefully consider our options. How about I inspect the area for a few days before making a decision?
The old man readily agreed, but then a look of worry appeared on his face.
"If our righteous warriors are hungry and unable to fight that tomb tiger, wouldn't we be throwing our lives away in vain?"
"It's alright, I have a way, please don't worry..."