Outside the unknown cave, a faint fire had already been lit up. The King of Hell inserted a tree branch on both sides of the fire that was not burning too brightly. Then, he plucked the feathers of the pheasants that he had just caught from outside and cut them open. He strung them up with tree branches and placed them on the tree branches to roast them. He was used to wandering in Jianghu and had camped in the wild many times. He never forgot to bring a bag of salt and a bag of wine. He flipped the chicken on the tree branch and sprinkled salt on it. From time to time, he would take a wine bag from his waist and take a sip of wine.
Although the fire wasn't big, it was just right for grilling. Not long after, the chicken skin gradually became crispy, and the chicken meat gradually turned golden. The fragrance of the roast chicken spread everywhere, and the demon's dark face showed a trace of pleasure. He picked up the wine bag, poured the wine into his mouth, and then sprayed it on the charred chicken meat with a "pop" sound. The original small fire suddenly became vigorous, dancing fiercely under the quiet night sky. The smell of the wine chicken became stronger. It also entered the nose of the little boy in the cave. The little boy swallowed a mouthful of saliva. His stomach was almost empty, but his hands and feet were sore and numb from being pressed on his acupoints. He could only suffer painfully under the stimulation of the fragrance. That feeling was very fatal.
The demon took the branch with the chicken skewer from the shelf and sniffed it. His black face relaxed immediately. Looking at the tempting roast chicken, he was about to take a bite when he suddenly looked back at the cave behind him and remembered the child in the cave. He stood up and entered the cave with the roast chicken skewer in his left hand. The cave was a little dark. Under the moonlight, Slayer Yama saw a small figure trembling slightly in the corner, as if it was sobbing softly. The demon's heart softened in the end. He walked in front of the child and unsealed his acupoints. He did not forget to deliberately curse with a straight face,"Why are you crying? You spoiled brat!"
Han Ye rubbed his sore hands and feet and stood up from the ground. He didn't say a word, but his eyes never left the roast chicken. Seeing the child's expression, the King of Hell seemed to have recalled something. He looked back for a while and then gave the skewer of roast chicken to Han Ye."Take it!"
The little boy hadn't eaten for a day, and he had been holding it in for so long. He was already starving. Seeing that the King of Hell was willing to give him the roast chicken, he immediately pounced over and wolfed it down. The roast chicken was really crispy and delicious, and there was even a mellow smell of alcohol on it. The little boy ate it until he was carried away. Seeing the little boy eat without any scruples, the King of Hell felt a little gratified, but he said,"Brat, don't think that I want to help you. It's just that if you starve to death, I won't have anyone to take revenge on, understand?”Although Slayer Yama knew that the little boy was enjoying his meal and would not listen to him, this murderous demon still wanted to make his position clear.
" Oh…" Suddenly, a dull groan was heard. The King of Hell who had already turned his head turned back to look at Han Ye, only to see the child holding the half-eaten roast chicken in his right hand and pressing his throat with his left hand. His face was blue and his expression was painful. It turned out that this little guy was choking on the chicken.
Such a scene made even the fierce-looking Reaper King of Hell laugh. A smile flashed across his mouth, and his dark face relaxed. He took out the wine bag from his waist, opened the lid, and handed it to Han Ye, who was almost choked to death. He smiled contemptuously and said,"Little brat, there's water."
Han Ye thought that it was really water. Without saying anything, he snatched the wine bag with his right hand and poured the wine into his mouth. Finally, he swallowed the chicken that was stuck in his throat. However, at the same time, Han Ye also felt as if his throat was about to burst into flames. The spicy alcohol rushed straight to his head, causing the little boy to choke and spit out a mouthful of wine. He touched his chest and coughed non-stop.
"Hahaha!" When the demon saw Han Ye's pathetic and adorable appearance, he finally could not help but laugh heartily.
The little boy had not drunk a drop of wine since he was born. Suddenly, half a mouthful of wine entered his stomach, and his face and neck quickly turned red. However, he choked until his face was full of tears and his nose was running. He frowned and closed his eyes as he cursed at the demon,"You, you bastard! What did you give me to drink!"
In fact, what the demon gave him to drink was the so-called " Liaodong's best liquor ", Burning Knife. The first time he tasted it, he felt as if his throat was being burned and cut by a knife, so it was called Burning Knife. The demon was an old drunkard. He usually drank the burning knife like it was a small wine. Who knew that Han Ye was so weak and couldn't take half a sip? However, the demon would not tell Han Ye about this. He suddenly wanted to tease this child, so he smiled and said,""What else can I give you to drink? Poison, of course! Hahaha!"
"You!" Han Ye was angry and anxious. His flushed face was filled with resentment and despair, but after thinking about it carefully, he slightly relaxed his eyebrows and said,"You said it was poison, but you drank it too!”
The demon smiled calmly." I have a way to detoxify the poison. Of course, it's fine to drink it. Otherwise, why would a little fool like you fall for my trick?"”
After Han Ye heard the demon's words, he no longer had any hope in his heart. His delicate little face was filled with hatred. He pointed his right hand at the demon angrily and said through gritted teeth,""You, you're so hateful! First, you separated me from my family, and now you're poisoning me! Me! I won't let you off even if I become a ghost!"
The demon turned his gaze to the side and put on an indifferent expression, saying,""Hmph, I'm called the King of Hell. Since I'm the King of Hell, I'm the ancestor of ghosts. Even if you become a ghost, what can you do to me?”
Han Ye really couldn't do anything about this demon. When he thought about how he was going to die outside and never be able to go back to see the people he met, his heart ached. He pressed his lower lip and sobbed. Seeing this, the demon felt both amused and sympathetic. He reached out to grab the roast chicken in Han Ye's hand and pretended to be angry."You're not eating chicken anymore? Then bring it over for me to eat!"
"I won't let you eat!" The little boy quickly dodged the demon's hand and held the roast chicken in his arms. With his back facing the demon, he gnawed on the chicken and said with tears in his eyes,"Even if I choke to death, I won't give it to a bad guy like you!”
Being with this innocent child, Slayer Yama felt as if he had never felt so close to him in his entire life. Looking at Han Ye's weak back, the former murderous demon suddenly felt a lot of emotions."What's the difference between him and me now? Sigh!"
The moon outside the cave gradually rose. When it reached the top, it was already midnight. The King of Hell drank some hard liquor and leaned against the cave wall to fall asleep. The little boy was looking at the moonlight outside the cave, tossing and turning. How could a young child accept so many things happening in one day?
Han Ye looked at the forest outside the cave. Although there was faint moonlight, there were many dark corners, like demons lurking in the dark, or like black hands waiting to harm people in the dark. It made the little boy Han Ye feel a little scared. However, no amount of fear could cover his eagerness to go home. Han Ye got up from the ground and carefully looked at the sleeping demon. He mustered up his courage and tiptoed out of the cave.
The little boy had just taken a few steps when he suddenly heard a cold voice beside him ask,"Where are we going?" The little boy turned around and saw the King of Hell staring at him coldly. So this guy had been pretending to be asleep! The little boy's heart skipped a beat. He didn't expect the demon to be so cunning. He could only pretend to be sad and said,"I, I want to pee."
The demon glanced at the little boy from head to toe, and his cold gaze immediately shifted away. He said indifferently,"Go ahead." When the little boy heard this, he felt as if he had been pardoned. He didn't care what the demon thought and ran out of the cave. At this time, he heard the demon behind him coldly add,"I forgot to tell you that only I can cure the poison in your body. Don't run far away. When the poison takes effect, no one will save you.”
When Han Ye heard that, he felt as if he had been electrocuted. He froze and thought,""That's right! He gave me poison. If I stay far away from him, can I still live?”With this thought, Han Ye's face turned ashen as he walked back with his head drooping.
Slayer Yama glanced at the dejected little boy and snorted. He deliberately said,"You don't want to pee anymore? Then rest well. We still have to travel tomorrow morning.”
How could Han Ye still be in the mood to reply to the demon? He just lay quietly on the cold ground, thinking of his family and friends who had left him, thinking of the inhuman life in the future, and cried softly. Tears poured out like spring water. However, a child was still a child. After a while, he finally could not resist the sleepiness and fell asleep...
"Get up!" Accompanied by a shout, Han Ye suddenly felt a pain in his butt, as if someone had kicked him. He touched his butt, sat up, and rubbed his sleepy eyes. He looked up and saw the devil standing in front of him with a solemn face. The devil crossed his arms in front of his chest and said,"Brat, do you think this is your house? Hurry up and get up. I have to hurry!"
When Han Ye saw the demon's scarred black face, he was particularly unhappy. He just wanted to go against him, so he simply sat on the ground and did not get up. He crossed his arms and turned his head to the side, ignoring him.
The demon glanced at Han Ye, then turned around and walked out of the cave. He smiled contemptuously and said,""Ha! He even threw a tantrum? I'll leave first. If you die from the poison, go find the real King of Hell for the antidote! Haha!"
Han Ye panicked. He couldn't die in the wilderness. He still had to find a way to go home! Han Ye, who was both angry and afraid, had no choice but to stand up and chase after the King of Hell.
The demon didn't travel too fast, but Han Ye quickly followed him. After only half a mile, he was already panting from exhaustion. The demon looked back at the little boy behind him with a trace of disdain on his black face. Then, he slowed down his pace and looked at the endless green mountains and forests in front of him as he mocked,"Brat, you're crawling like a turtle. I'd better slow down.”
The little boy still had his dignity. Seeing the demon looking down on him, he couldn't help but clench his fists and said angrily,""No need! I definitely won't lose to a bad guy like you!”After saying that, the little boy frowned and gritted his teeth before running toward the demon.
The demon had always thought that Han Ye was just a pampered young master, but he did not expect him to have some pride in his bones. He was first stunned, then laughed out loud,"Hahaha! Very good! Then run with me!" As the demon spoke, he quickened his pace. Although he only used 20% of his body movement, it was still comparable to the running speed of an ordinary adult. Even if Han Ye used all his strength, he almost couldn't keep up several times. Moreover, his endurance was always limited. If the demon didn't slow down from time to time to wait for him, he would have been left behind.
Slayer Yama turned around and looked at the little boy behind him. He saw that the boy's face was pale and his body was trembling. It seemed that he could not hold on any longer. The demon had originally wanted to vent his anger on this little boy, but after spending some time with him last night, he couldn't bear to do so. So, he pretended to be very tired and sat down on a nearby rock. He waved at Han Ye and said,""Hmph, you're amazing. I'm tired. I'll rest first.”
It was as if he had defeated a powerful enemy, but also as if he had won a difficult battle. Han Ye panted heavily, but his pale little face was filled with the joy of victory. He finally stopped, but his mind was filled with a roar. His legs went numb, and his body almost fell to the ground.
Seeing that Han Ye was about to fall, Slayer Yama moved and almost went to help him up, but he immediately sat back down and said coldly,""Why are you running around? You reckless brat."
The little boy couldn't answer him. He only panted heavily and looked at the dark-faced man he hated very much. His face was full of pride. Seeing that the child was so happy, the King of Hell was also a little happy. It was hard to imagine that this murderous demon whose hands were stained with countless blood would actually care about the child of an enemy. Perhaps he hoped to get something from Han Ye that he had never had before. In short, the King of Hell only wanted to keep this child by his side, so the demon sat down and said to Han Ye,""Listen up, brat. If you want to go home, you can, but you have to follow me obediently. When I'm happy, I'll naturally remove the poison in your body and send you home.”
Han Ye couldn't help but be stunned. He didn't know if the demon was telling the truth, but he just nodded. Although he hated the demon in his heart, he had no other choice but to listen to the demon.
After resting for a while and seeing that the little boy's complexion had recovered, Slayer Yama stood up, patted the dust off his body, and said," Let's go." Then, he used ten percent of his movement technique to move into the distance. The little boy quickly followed behind the demon. For some reason, he didn't feel so tired this time. He didn't know why the demon slowed down. No matter what, the pressure was reduced a lot, so he kept following closely.
In summer, the mountain forest was verdant and lush. Birds jumped and sang happily on the treetops. Summer cicadas chirped like thunder in the green forest. The morning sun passed through the lush leaves and hit the mountain like spots. Suddenly, a slightly cold mountain wind blew across the green forest, causing the leaves to rustle and the spots of light on the ground to flicker. In the long hills, on the forest path, a dark-skinned man was leading a young boy with delicate features as they hurried along. The dark-skinned man would occasionally take down the wine bag on his waist and take a sip of strong wine, shaking his head slightly wantonly. The young boy, on the other hand, stared at the dark-skinned man in front of him without blinking, following closely behind him without slacking.
By the time the sun was high up in the sky, the summer had become hot. The sunlight penetrated the forest, and the spots of light on the ground were much brighter. Although the demon and the child were in the shade of the trees, they could feel the heat of the sunlight, so they tried their best to walk in the shade. As they walked, they suddenly heard a rough and high-pitched voice coming from not far ahead."I opened this mountain and planted this tree. If you want to cross this path, leave behind money to buy it!”
Wasn't this the slogan that the mountain bandits often used? From what Han Ye had heard and imagined, mountain bandits were all terrifying people who killed and robbed people. How could a twelve-year-old not be afraid? He knew that at least Reaper Yama would not kill him, so he subconsciously approached Reaper Yama. When the demon heard the voice, he stopped where he was. He wasn't afraid, but he was 30% surprised and 70% amused. A cold smile flashed across his black face."The mountain bandits nowadays don't know what's good for them. They don't even look at people when they rob.”
The bandits didn't know who they had offended. They only knew that two fat sheep had been delivered to their mouths, so they emerged from the forest one after another. The King of Hell looked at the people around them. There were two in front, one on each side, and one behind them. There were five people in total. These people were all wearing tattered clothes and holding rusty spears and old knives. It seemed that they were a group of poor bandits.
Among the two people in front, one of the bandits with shifty eyes and a sharp mouth pointed at the King of Hell and said to the bandit beside him,"B-Boss, h-one of them is wearing the clothes of the disciples of the Howling Sword Hall…ah clothes, I recognize them.”
"Ah pui!" The unkempt and bearded bandit leader spat on the ground and said disdainfully,"What Howling Sword Hall, Bird Sword Hall? I have the advantage in numbers. If I kill the adults here and kidnap and sell the children without anyone knowing, what can they do to me?”
The stuttering bandit stared at Slayer Yama for a while with his eyes that were almost narrowed into slits. Then, he laughed foolishly and gave the bandit leader a thumbs up."Heh, heh heh! Boss, you are indeed wise!"
The bandit leader's face lit up after being praised. He tidied his messy hair and cleared his throat pretentiously. He shook his head and smiled at the demon."Brother Black Face, if you know what's good for you, take out all your valuables. I will consider leaving your corpse intact.”
The King of Hell had not said anything earlier, but he had only watched the stupid bandits play around. Now that the bandit leader was talking to him, he no longer remained silent. Instead, he raised his head and laughed wildly."Interesting, interesting! Hahaha!"
The bandit leader was startled when he saw the demon smile. He asked,""What are you laughing at?"
"Yes, yes!" the stuttering bandit added. What are you laughing at?"
The demon glanced disdainfully at the bandit leader and smiled.""You guys still want to be bandits in this state? I'm more like a beggar."
The bandit leader asked in surprise, How did you know we were beggars?”
The stuttering bandit beside him tugged at the corner of his leader's clothes and whispered,""B-Boss, no, no, he's scolding you!”
"Hey! How dare you scold me!" The bandit leader turned from shock to anger. He rolled up his tattered sleeves and spat on the ground. He pointed at Reaper Yama and said to his subordinates,"Little ones, chop him into meat paste!”
After saying that, the mountain bandits proudly surrounded the King of Hell. They thought that the black-faced man in front of them was a fish on the chopping board for them to slaughter. Who knew that he had provoked a killer star? Seeing the bandits surrounding him, Slayer Yama snorted coldly and subconsciously used his left hand to protect Han Ye. His right hand flipped out and suddenly hit the most arrogant bandit on his right like a gust of wind. Before the bandit could react, he spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying. He crashed into a tree that a person could not even hold and tumbled down. Then, the tree fell with a loud creak and smashed into the bandit who was already lying on the ground. The bandit could not even make a sound before he died!
The demon's expression was still cold and indifferent, but the bandits were shocked. They shouted in fear as if they had seen a ghost, threw away the broken weapons in their hands, and fled in all directions. It seemed that it was a bit too late to realize the power of his opponent. The demon had just killed one with his palm and his killing intent rose. He didn't want to let any of them go. However, he jumped up. With a flash of white light, the Dragon Spring Sword in his hand had already been unsheathed. He also turned into a shadow and flew out. How could the bandits be faster than this murderous demon? As long as the demon's shadow passed by a bandit, it would be accompanied by a sword shadow. With a " cha " sound, blood would splatter everywhere, and that unlucky bandit would be beheaded immediately. It was as terrifying as the King of Hell seeking his life.
The demon swept past the stuttering bandit and the other two minions, cleanly taking their lives with his fast sword. Then, he flew in front of the bandit leader and kicked him so hard that he rolled twice on the ground. He rushed up and stepped on his stomach with his left foot, and stabbed his chest with his right hand. Just as the demon was about to take the life of the bandit leader, he suddenly heard a shout from behind him."Stop killing!" The demon turned around and saw that it was the little boy standing several meters behind him. The boy seemed to be afraid of this bloody scene. He stood there with his legs trembling, and his fair face was filled with horror.
"They provoked me first, so why didn't you kill them? Humph!" The demon coldly glanced at Han Ye, then turned his head and raised his right hand to stab at the bandit leader. The bandit leader quickly stretched out his hands, his face ashen as he subconsciously tried to block.
"They are just poor bandits. Do you have to kill them to be happy?”Han Ye closed his eyes tightly and cursed loudly while trembling,""You bad guy, killing here and there won't end well!”
" There won't be a good result in the end…" The demon thought about these words and thought of someone. It was a purple-robed woman with beautiful eyes, bright red lips, and a frosty face. She looked about thirty years old, and her head was tied up with a purple jade hairpin. Only half of her long black hair went in, and the rest fell over her shoulders like a waterfall. In his memory, the woman held a purple-sheathed sword in her hand. Her hair and purple robe swayed in the wind. Gong Huamei raised her head and widened her eyes."Zhang Kuo, you've already gone down the evil path. I shouldn't have left you alive, but my senior brother didn't allow it. Before he died, he asked me to tell you that a selfish person will never have a good ending…You're his only disciple, so I can't kill you.”
……
The demon thought of the heart-wrenching scene in the past and was very sad and regretful. The hand holding the Dragon Spring Sword trembled slightly and finally slowly dropped. His dark face was filled with deep sorrow and apology. He closed his eyes and muttered in his heart,"Master, Master's wife…It's not that I don't want to turn back. It's just that in the martial world, one wrong step will lead to no turning back. I've done many evil things, and I deserve to die. But compared to those who drive me but hate me, what am I? I'm just a chess piece in their scheme…"
Note:
"Burning Knife" was mainly popular in the ancient Liaodong area (today's eastern Liaodong, southeast of JiLin). Its history could be traced back to the Sushen era. After the wine was made in Dukang of the Central Plains, it was introduced to the southern part of the ancient Sushen area. From then on, Sushen began to make good wine... Today's famous Burning Knife wine in Liaodong originated from the wine-making technology of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. It was said that Burning Knife kept the essence of the ancient Sushen wine-making technique. It was known as the king of strong wine and was the most famous wine in Northeast China.
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