Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

It was noon.

The early spring sun carried threads of warmth, dispelling the chill that had lingered for many days.

Sunlight dappled through the dense forest of Shicheng Mountain.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, an undercurrent of a threatening aura quietly emerged.

"Creak…"

Deep in the dense forest, a faint sound of breaking branches arose, followed by a large tiger with bulging eyes stepping out slowly.

Its fur was a deep yellow interspersed with black stripes, its eyes twinkling with an intelligent light.

Wherever it passed, the wind howled.

"My lord, this way,"

a faint voice rose beside the tiger with bulging eyes.

It slightly turned its head and spoke in human tongue, "How far is it from your village?"

As soon as the tiger with bulging eyes had spoken, a figure quietly emerged behind it.

It was a lean and pale Ghost.

Dressed as a hunter, his eyes were hollow and lifeless, yet they emitted a strange red glow.

The Ghost lowered his head and respectfully responded, "My lord, it's just past this dense forest ahead."

"Good, as long as you bring me a hundred people, I will let you go,"

the tiger demon's eyes sparkled sharply, and his voice was deep and commanding.

"I am entirely at your disposal, my lord," the lean Ghost said expressionlessly.

The tiger demon slightly nodded, then paced forward with firm tiger steps.

Its tail swayed gently, creating a gust of wind that made the leaves rustle loudly.

The Ghost closely followed the tiger demon, his ethereal figure tightly keeping up, occasionally lifting his head to look at the imposing figure of the tiger demon, his eyes flickering with an indescribable emotion.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance to Hongshan Village.

The tiger with bulging eyes slightly parted its lips, revealing a humanized smile.

"You didn't deceive me after all, ha-ha… It's just nice I can have a hearty meal here and enhance my cultivation. I never thought the flesh and blood of you humans could be so beneficial to me,"

the tiger demon said.

With an indifferent face, the Ghost responded, "If it serves you well, my lord."

"Good, come with me into your village for a visit, if it's suitable, I might stay here for a while,"

the tiger demon's eyes flashed with cruelty as it quickened its pace towards the heart of Hongshan Village.

It stood in front of the village gate, paused briefly, stepped back a couple of steps, and then surged forward.

The low village gate, in front of the large tiger, was virtually irrelevant; with just a light leap, it elegantly jumped in.

The tiger with bulging eyes entered Hongshan Village with the Ghost.

It opened its huge jaws and let out a thunderous roar, and within this roar, the figure of the Ghost became increasingly ethereal, as if at any moment it might dissipate into the wind.

"Roar!"

…

The Chen family had some disputes with Shen Qing, but Shen Qing didn't trouble the rest of the Chen family members; in fact, he even took care of them somewhat.

However, Chen Jinzhong and others did not appreciate Shen Qing's kindness.

After all, they were also surnamed Chen, coming from the same clan lineage.

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

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

The tax officials had said to just give whatever was demanded.

If the money had been enough, there wouldn't have been these troubles later on.

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

So, as their paths diverged, they did not plan together.

When Shen Qing suggested that the village people go to the county town together, they were certainly not going, as it would only bring them displeasure.

Instead, it was best for each to mind their own business, without interfering with each other.

Aside from the few Chen family members, there were also four households of people who were short-staffed that had stayed behind.

After sending away Shen Qing and the other villagers, Chen Jinzhong and his group had made a round around the village, gathering these people to discuss the trivial matters that would come next.

Whether to repair some of the village walls, whether to continue clearing the land in the mountains, whether to share a cooking fire...

All these were issues concerning their future livelihood, and they could not help but pay close attention to them.

Just as they had gathered and before the first word had been spoken, they heard a tiger's roar.

"What's going on?"

All of Chen Jinzhong's faces showed a moment of panic.

"Grab your weapons and go out to have a look."

"Okay."

Leading the pack, Chen Jinzhong grabbed a hunting knife and walked out.

The others, each carrying weapons of some kind, followed behind him.

Pushing the door open, a group of men, who made their living in the mountains, cautiously stepped out and looked around carefully.

After most of the hunters from Hongshan Village had moved away, the village seemed somewhat desolate.

It made everyone momentarily uncomfortable, feeling even more shiveringly uneasy.

"The roar just now seemed to have come from the entrance of the village; no matter what it is, with seven or eight of us together, even a mountain tiger could be killed," said Chen Jinzhong, as a call to boost morale.

However, they had only walked a few steps when they saw the scene ahead, and each of them froze as if they had been struck by an immobilization spell, unable to move a step further.

A tiger as large as a bull casually strolled through the village with a ghost trailing behind it, slowly approaching them.

"Chen Dacong..."

"Tiger..."

The large tiger with protruding eyes halted, looking at them oddly, "Didn't you say there were more than ninety people in your village? Why are there so few?"

"I... I don't know," replied the ghost-like Chen Dacong, his already pale face turning even paler.

The large tiger with protruding eyes frowned in displeasure, "Humph, then just stay inside."

It opened its large mouth and swallowed the fear-stricken ghost, Chen Dacong, staring menacingly at Chen Jinzhong and the others, "It's fewer than expected, but I'll make do."

"Don't be afraid..."

Chen Jinzhong hadn't finished speaking when he was swept up by a demon wind and, before he could understand what was happening, he was caught under the claw of the white tiger with protruding eyes, which bit off his spine in one bite.

Seeing this, the others panicked, their souls terrified, and they began running in all directions in a frenzy.

Regrettably, in the face of this terrifying demon, all their actions proved futile.

The large tiger with protruding eyes lunged forward, easily biting one person's shoulder and tearing it off.

The living person was ripped in two.

Their viscera and intestines spilled out.

One of the hunters regained his composure, rushed into a house in a panic, and grabbed a hunting bow to shoot an arrow.

Arrows that had never failed in the past were now like child's play, obstructed by a demon wind and hitting the large tiger with protruding eyes harmlessly.

"Roar!"

The large tiger with protruding eyes roared, expelling a bloody wind that swept the hunter to the front of it.

With a flick of its tail, it snapped off his head.

The remaining people, facing such a fearsome tiger demon, were utterly demoralized, and the scene turned into a one-sided massacre.

They held their farming tools, trying to resist this terrifying demon, but no matter how they tried to flee or defend themselves, it was all in vain.

The power of the tiger demon was far beyond their imagination.

Even the robust houses were easily knocked down by it.

At that moment, they deeply regretted not having left with Shen Qing at noontime, as they now faced such a calamity.

But there were no ifs.

Accompanied by the final scream, the last villager remaining in Hongshan Village died at the tiger's hands.

All the villagers were dead.