Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 86 - 10: Becoming a Tiger's Accomplice, Slaughtering the Village

It was noon.

The early spring sun carried a trace of warmth, dispelling the lingering cold of many days.

Sunlight dappled its way through the dense forest of Shicheng Mountain.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, a sense of forbidding silence lingered.

"Creak..."

A faint sound of breaking branches emerged from deep within the forest, followed by the slow appearance of a massive, white-eyed tiger.

Its fur showed a profound yellow, interspersed with black stripes, and its eyes gleamed with a lively sparkle.

Wherever it passed, the wind howled.

"Master, this way."

A ghostly voice resonated beside the white-eyed tiger.

It slightly turned its head, speaking in a human tongue: "How far is it to your village?"

As the tiger finished speaking, a figure quietly appeared behind it.

It was a thin, pallid Ghost.

Clad in a hunter's attire, his empty eyes glowed with an eerie red light.

The Ghost bowed his head and respectfully replied, "Master, just beyond this dense forest is ahead."

"Good, as long as you bring me a hundred people, I'll let you go."

The tiger demon's eyes gleamed with a fierce brilliance, its voice deep and commanding.

"All at your command, Master," the gaunt Ghost replied expressionlessly.

The tiger demon nodded slightly, then took a sturdy step forward.

Its tail swayed gently, stirring up a gust of wind, rustling the leaves.

The Ghost followed closely, his ethereal form sticking tightly behind the tiger demon, occasionally raising his head to glance at the tiger demon's commanding back, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Hongshan Village.

The white-eyed tiger's mouth curved upward in a human-like smile.

"You truly didn't deceive me, haha… Just the place for me to have a feast and enhance my cultivation. I hadn't expected that human flesh and blood could benefit me so much."

The Ghost spoke with an expression devoid of joy or sorrow, "If it helps you, Master, then better."

"Good, follow me into your village for a stroll. If suitable, I might stay here for a while."

A glint of cruelty flashed in the tiger demon's eyes as it quickened its pace toward Hongshan Village.

It stopped briefly before the village gate, took a few steps back, then charged forward.

The not-so-tall village gate was no obstacle for the bull-sized white-eyed tiger; with a light leap, it agilely jumped inside.

The white-eyed tiger, with the Ghost, entered Hongshan Village.

It opened its blood-red mouth, letting out an earth-shaking roar, while in this roar, the Ghost's form became increasingly ethereal, as if it might dissipate into the wind at any moment.

"Roar!"

...

Shen Qing had some history with the Chen Family, but did not trouble the remaining members and even showed them some care.

However, Chen Jinzhong and the others were not appreciative of Shen Qing's kindness.

After all, their surname was Chen, and they shared the same bloodline.

It was impossible for them to remain indifferent when their kin were killed.

Moreover, they did not trust Shen Qing's words, even blaming him for being too impulsive.

Whatever the tax officials asked for should have been given.

If the money was sufficient, these troubles would not have ensued.

In their eyes, it was all Shen Qing's problem, unrelated to them.

Thus, paths that diverged should not converge.

When Shen Qing suggested going to the county with the village folks, they refused to go, not wanting to seek discomfort.

They preferred to live separately, without interference.

Apart from their Chen family, four other households with few members remained.

After sending the villagers accompanying Shen Qing away, Chen Jinzhong and others gathered the remaining folks to discuss upcoming trivial matters.

Such as whether to repair the village walls, if the mountain fields needed more clearing, or whether to share cooking equipment...

These matters were crucial to their future welfare and required cautious attention.

Just as they gathered and were about to speak, a tiger's roar echoed.

"What's going on?"

The faces of Chen Jinzhong and everyone turned pale with panic.

"Grab your weapons and take a look outside."

"Okay."

Led by Chen Jinzhong, who picked up a hunting knife, they went out.

Each person took some kind of weapon, following behind.

They pushed open the door cautiously, a group of men who lived off the mountain, scanning the surroundings.

With most of the Hongshan Village hunters gone, the village seemed cold and desolate, making everyone feel more uneasy.

The earlier roar seemed to come from the village entrance, but whatever it was, there were enough of us to take it down, even a mountain tiger.

Chen Jinzhong's call encouraged everyone's spirits.

However, after walking only a few steps, they saw something ahead that made them feel plunged into an ice cellar, immobilized as if under a spell, unable to move another step.

A cow-sized tiger strolled leisurely through the village, followed by a Ghost, walking step by step towards them.

"Chen... Dacong..."

"Tiger..."

The white-eyed tiger halted, watching them curiously, "Didn't you say your village had over ninety people, why so few?"

"I... I don't know either." Chen Dacong, now a Ghost, looked even paler.

The white-eyed tiger showed displeasure, "Hmph, then you stay inside."

With one swift motion, it swallowed the terrified Ghost Chen Dacong, turning its eyes toward Chen Jinzhong and the others, "Slightly fewer, but enough to get by."

"Don't be afraid…"

Before Chen Jinzhong could finish, he was swept up by a demon wind, caught by the white-eyed tiger, and had his spine snapped in one bite.

Witnessing this, the others were terrified, fleeing in all directions in panic.

Unfortunately, against this dreadful demon, all their efforts were in vain.

The white-eyed tiger leaped forward, easily biting into one's shoulder and ripping it apart.

A living person was torn into two.

His intestines and organs spilled forth.

One hunter came to his senses, rushed into a house to grab a hunting bow, and shot an arrow.

But the usually reliable arrow was impeded by the demonic wind, landing on the white-eyed tiger, causing no harm.

"Roar!"

With a roar, the white-eyed tiger unleashed a scarlet wind, sweeping the hunter forward.

One flick of its tail sent his head flying.

The rest, facing such a tiger demon, lost all will to fight, turning the scene into a one-sided massacre.

They wielded farm tools, trying to resist the terrifying demon, but their efforts were futile.

The tiger demon's power was beyond their imagination.

Even sturdy houses could be easily demolished.

In that moment, they regretted not leaving with Shen Qing at noon, avoiding such a disaster.

But regrets led nowhere.

With a final scream, the last remaining villager in Hongshan Village perished in the tiger's jaws.

All villagers were dead.

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