"I know where the Spirit Spring is."
The moment these words left Jian Long's mouth—
Bai Xiang's fist stopped.
It halted…
a mere hair's breadth away from his head.
The distance was so small it was terrifying.
Jian Long could even feel the gust of air stirred by the punch, like a cold blade brushing past his face.
A sudden stillness fell.
But it did not last.
In the next instant—
Bai Xiang's hand shot out.
He grabbed Jian Long by the throat with one hand.
Then lifted him off the ground effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing at all.
His body slammed against the stone wall.
Pinned there.
Suspended.
His feet no longer touched the ground.
Just one grip—
yet it was enough to choke off his breath.
Jian Long could feel the overwhelming strength in Bai Xiang's hand.
A crushing force…
enough to snap his neck in an instant, like a dry twig.
There was no doubt about it.
Then—
Bai Xiang spoke.
His voice was low.
Cold.
Filled with deadly certainty.
"You're lying."
Jian Long's breath hitched for a moment.
But—
he did not dare hesitate.
At a moment like this…
any delay, any stutter…
could mean death.
He forced himself to stay composed.
Then spoke—
calmly.
With every bit of steadiness he could muster.
"I'm not lying…"
He paused for a fraction of a second, then continued in a measured tone:
"If you don't believe me… look at the leather pouch beside me."
"There are more than a hundred primeval stones inside."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked straight at Bai Xiang.
"Think about it…"
"How could someone like me possess such wealth…"
"if I hadn't found a Spirit Spring?"
In that moment—
Jian Long was staking everything he had.
Every word.
Every tone.
Every breath.
He knew all too well—
that a single mistake…
would be enough to end his life.
When Bai Xiang's gaze fell upon the leather pouch—
something in his expression changed.
In the next moment, he loosened his grip.
Jian Long dropped to the ground heavily, gasping for air, his lungs burning as if they had been deprived for far too long.
But Bai Xiang gave him no time to recover.
He bent down slightly—
and grabbed the end of Jian Long's severed arm.
In the next instant, lightning flashed.
Threads of blue light flowed from his palm, cauterizing the bleeding wound.
A faint sizzling sound echoed.
The smell of burnt flesh spread through the air.
The bleeding stopped.
But the pain—
was scorching.
Even so, Jian Long did not scream.
At this moment, pain was the least of his concerns.
Then—
Bai Xiang spoke.
His voice was calm.
Steady.
As if he were speaking to a fellow clansman, not someone he had nearly killed moments ago.
"Alright… if what you say is true."
He paused briefly, his eyes fixed on Jian Long.
"And if you lead me to the location of this Spirit Spring…"
"then, by my honor as a righteous-path Gu Master, I swear—"
"I will guarantee your safety."
A short silence.
Then he continued:
"More than that…"
"I will even bring you into my clan… the Bai Clan."
He leaned in slightly, his gaze sharp:
"So… boy."
"Where is this Spirit Spring?"
Calm words.
Tempting promises.
But—
all of it was a lie.
And Jian Long…
knew that very well.
Bai Xiang was no fool.
On the contrary—
he was a seasoned Gu Master, one who had survived countless battles and far harsher situations than this.
He understood clearly—
that if Jian Long believed his death was certain…
he would never speak.
No matter the torture.
So—
he chose another approach.
He loosened the leash.
Gave him hope.
False hope.
So that he would speak.
So that he would walk into the trap himself.
And once he learned the location of the Spirit Spring—
only then…
there would be no need to rush.
He could take his time.
Torturing him.
Before killing him.
As for the "honor" he swore by—
it was nothing but an empty word.
Bai Xiang's honor—
belonged only to his clan.
To the members of the Bai Clan.
Not to an outsider.
Someone…
who was nothing more than a stray dog.
A mere lucky fool—
who had stumbled upon a Spirit Spring…
and become a Gu Master.
"It's… in a distant place within the mountain. I can't describe it precisely."
He paused for a brief moment, then continued in a steady tone:
"I'll need… to take you there myself."
The moment he finished speaking—
silence fell.
A heavy silence.
Suffocating.
Bai Xiang's eyes were fixed on him, piercing through his expression without mercy, searching for the slightest trace of a lie.
And in return—
Jian Long looked straight back at him.
He did not dare look away.
Not even by a hair's breadth.
Seconds passed…
longer than they should have.
Then—
Bai Xiang finally spoke:
"Boy… what is your name?"
"Jian Long."
"Very well, Jian Long…"
He paused briefly, then said calmly:
"Lead the way."
Jian Long rose slowly.
Then turned.
And walked.
Bai Xiang followed without a word.
They stepped out of the cave—
and were met by the cold winds of autumn.
Stronger now than they had been in the morning.
They slipped through the trees, carrying a biting chill, sweeping red and yellow leaves into the air before scattering them across the ground.
Their clothes fluttered in the wind.
Their footsteps blended with the soft crunch of fallen leaves beneath them.
Silence—
returned once more.
Neither of them spoke.
As for Jian Long—
his face was rigid.
Empty of all expression.
As if everything within him… had frozen.
One might wonder—
what was he thinking in this moment?
Was he planning?
Searching for a way out?
Did some brilliant idea cross his mind?
But—
the truth was far simpler… and far harsher.
He wasn't thinking at all.
At that moment—
he was nothing more than a walking body.
Without a soul.
Without hope.
What could he even do?
He couldn't fight.
He couldn't run.
Both choices… meant death.
As for why he continued walking—
perhaps…
it was a faint, fragile hope.
For a miracle that would never come.
Or perhaps—
he desired nothing more than this.
To delay his end…
even if only by a single second.
Time passed…
Their footsteps continued over the forest floor, covered in fallen leaves. The faint rustling sound was the only rhythm breaking the heavy silence.
Gradually—
Jian Long's awareness began to return.
As if his soul, once submerged in darkness, was slowly rising back to the surface.
But at the same time…
Bai Xiang's patience was wearing thin.
The aura around him grew heavier, colder, as if it were pressing down on the very air itself.
Jian Long felt it.
And along with it—
He felt despair.
Pain.
And the slow approach… of his end.
---
At that moment—
His thoughts began to flow.
His mind drifted back.
To the beginning.
A child…
Born into a poor hunter's family.
A harsh life, barely enough to survive.
Contempt.
Humiliation.
The gazes of Gu Masters… that had never once seen him as anything more than something disposable.
Then—
The beast tide.
Blood.
Screams.
Death.
His family… vanished.
While those who stood at the top—
Survived.
People like Bai Xiang.
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"Why…?"
A question with no answer.
Why did they live… while the weak died?
Was it because the heavens chose so?
Was this "justice"?
---
He had thought…
That everything had changed when he found the Spirit Spring.
That he had finally—
Escaped that abyss.
That he would never be humiliated again.
But reality—
Was far crueler.
Here he was now…
Being led to his death.
Like livestock.
---
For a moment—
Everything inside him went silent.
Then—
It ignited.
Anger.
Burning.
Savage.
"No…"
He muttered inwardly.
"I won't die like this."
His fist trembled.
But his eyes—
Steadied.
"I will cling to hope…"
"Even if it's faint."
"I will live…"
"No matter the cost."
---
At that moment—
The world returned.
As if a veil had been lifted from his eyes.
The path ahead became clear.
Everything—
Sharper.
Slower.
More vivid.
Then—
His gaze landed on something.
At the side of the path…
A burrow.
A large burrow.
And in an instant—
A memory resurfaced.
The mountain.
His first climb.
The Hundred Beast bear.
And then—
That saying.
The one hunters used to repeat:
"A bear does not attack one who throws himself into its den."
---
Jian Long's eyes widened.
A plan.
Mad.
Dangerous.
But—
This was his only chance.
---
In a moment no one expected—
He moved.
With every bit of strength he had left.
He suddenly dashed forward—
Then threw himself straight into the burrow!
At the same time—
He shouted, his voice piercing the silence:
"I am immortal!"
And vanished into the darkness.
---
Bai Xiang paused for a fraction of a second.
A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
But—
It disappeared just as quickly.
Replaced by cold indifference.
He raised his hand.
Lightning gathered within it—
But this time, it was controlled with precision.
A charge…
Enough to injure.
Not to kill.
Then—
He released it into the burrow.
---
In the next moment—
The ground trembled.
A savage roar erupted from the depths.
Then—
It emerged.
A monstrous bear.
The size of an elephant.
Its eyes filled with fury.
Its body radiating terrifying, primal power.
Without hesitation—
It lunged at Bai Xiang.