Tree Branches
Village Chief Bu bolted with Mu Yu in tow. They didn’t climb the mountain path as the bear would outrun an old man and a kid. Hence, they dashed into the forest. Still, the wounded bear was too fast for them, gradually closing the gap after pinpointing the duo.
Village Chief Bu didn’t have actual combat experience against wild beasts, but he did join the seniors on hunts, thereby equipping him with experience and numerous strategies for handling bears. His stamina was commendable, but his pace quickly dropped off due to old age.
Mu Yu knew they couldn’t outrun the encroaching bear. To make matters worse, a wounded bear would run wild, especially when it judged its prey to be worth the effort. Playing possum wouldn’t save them.
Panting, Village Chief Bu fumed, “He might as well have not fired the arrow. The bear doesn’t even appear hurt. M-Mu Yu, run, run, don’t, don’t worry about me. Run back, back to the town.”
“I won’t abandon you”
Ordinary children would be scared, but Mu Yu hid a secret that was his source of confidence. He was more worried about explaining the secret to Village Chief Bu than he was about the supposed danger because he didn’t know how to explain it. His worry led to his hesitance to address the threat.
“Just do as I say and run. I’ll lure it away. Let’s not both die in vain. Make sure to become an immortal and not let us down.”
Village Chief Bu stopped, pivoted and raced back to the bear. Mu Yu continued for a brief moment before stopping upon realising Village Chief Bu had turned back. By the time he spun around, the bear’s claw was already poised and ready to strike.
“Grandpa! Don’t you hurt my grandpa!”
Mu Yu threw out the tactics for tackling the bear. He decided no regret would be worse than losing his grandpa due to his own hesitance.
Leaves rustled. A boom sent tremors through the ground. Birds took flight. Leaves scattered. By the time the dust settled, an additional two brown tree branches thick as arms were lodged into the chest of the floored bear.
Blood and mud trickled from the two ordinary stumps to Mu Yu’s feet. Two tree branches sprouted from the ground out of nowhere when wilted leaves were all that was supposed to be on the ground. He plopped himself onto the ground and gasped for air, extending his arms as though they could usher more air toward him. The tree branches coiled around his arms as though they grew from his arms.
Village Chief Bu opened his heavy eyelids and frantically crawled to his feet. He knew better than anyone what the consequences of a bear smacking him would be. He, in fact, imagined the aftermath. After he snapped out of it, he discovered a tree branch wrapped around him. Mu Yu pulled him back whilst firing another two past his head in the opposite direction. The next thing he saw was the bear drop and wheeze until it was dead.
Village Chief Bu turned around to see Mu Yu holding the bizarre pose. It wasn’t hard to comprehend what transpired. He stammered, “You, you…” as he staggered back in disbelief. Fear flitted across his ghastly pale face instead of joy after surviving the brush with death. The sight of the tree branches wreathing around Mu Yu’s arm was akin to espying an omen of death.
Mu Yu pursed his lips, unsure where to start. He was always fearless in the mountains precisely because he could restrain any of the wild beasts he came across. He never revealed the ability for fear of being ostracised as abnormal.
“Y-you can control trees? H-how are you related to elemental demons?”
Village Chief Bu quivered, but rage and resentment surfaced in his eyes. Judging from his reaction, bandits must’ve been benevolent compared to elemental demons.
Mu Yu lowered his head. He didn’t have the foggiest idea what the answer was. The extent of his knowledge on them was limited to when Village Chief Bu mentioned the race powerful enough to give many immortals a run for their money so that kids would stop throwing tantrums.
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