Chapter Sixty-Four: The Proper Way to Open a Military Satchel

When Fang Xiao caught up, the blue-faced boar demon lying on the ground had only a single breath left. The wound on its shoulder had stopped bleeding, and the upturned flesh was ghastly pale. Beneath the hulking demon, a pool of blood had soaked into the green grass, seeping silently into the earth. The air was thick with the stench of blood.

Fang Xiao’s arrival startled the dying monster into sudden awareness. It forced its eyes open, and its dim pupils fixed desperately on him. With blood bubbling from its snout, it gasped out a final, sputtering curse: “You… just wait, our… our king will avenge this old boar…”

But before the words were finished, its massive head sagged lifelessly, and all breath left its body.

[Experience +85]

Just as Fang Xiao was about to deliver a finishing blow, he let out a long sigh of relief. Priest Pang had warned him—many demons were adept at feigning death, and their dying counterattacks were the most ferocious. Never let your guard down while slaying demons; many had suffered disaster from carelessness! Yet the system message appearing in his vision reassured him completely—no demon could ever fake death before him.

Still, the boar’s parting threat stirred a new sense of caution within him. Zhu Ganglie? That must be a fearsome monster indeed. Fang Xiao felt he still needed to work harder, to further improve his martial prowess. The stronger his combat power, the better!

His gaze fell again on the demon’s corpse. Fang Xiao was troubled. The blue-faced boar demon was monstrously fat, lying on the earth like a small mountain of flesh—easily a thousand or two thousand pounds, bones and all. Back when he was in the countryside, Fang Xiao had seen hunters in his village bring down wild boar, but even the largest catch then was nothing compared to this demon.

Such a huge boar could feed an entire village a lavish, greasy feast for the New Year.

“Boar liver, heart, lungs, intestines, ears—best braised as a savory dish to accompany wine. Render the fat for oil, puff the skin, make chilled pork belly, stew ribs with lotus root…” In his mind, Fang Xiao recalled the words of the little girl under the locust tree relaying Priest Pang’s advice. He couldn’t help but swallow. This was no withered, foul old wolf. The demon’s belly sprawled on the ground, bulging with unknown quantities of fat—one hoof alone would keep him chewing for days!

But the problem remained: how could he bring back such an enormous beast? Skin it and cut it up? Fang Xiao glanced down at the military satchel he carried on his back.

He remembered Priest Pang had said this military satchel was actually a magical storage artifact. If he could fit the whole boar inside, that would be perfect!

No sooner had the thought arisen than a sudden flash of insight lit his mind. In that instant, he sensed the satchel reaching out to him with a mental signal. Though intangible and mysterious, it sparked a clear inspiration within Fang Xiao.

His eyes brightened. Without hesitation, he thrust his spear at the corpse on the ground. At the very moment the tip touched the boar’s body, he silently intoned, “Collect!”

In the next instant, the enormous blue-faced boar demon vanished without a trace, and his satchel grew noticeably heavier, as if something substantial had been added. Yet when he opened the satchel to look, he couldn’t find so much as a bristle. Still, Fang Xiao could sense the demon’s presence within the satchel, and with but a thought, he could summon it forth again.

So this was the true way to use the military satchel. Fang Xiao was enlightened. Previously, he’d thought its capacity was limited, so much so that he’d left his three aluminum lunch boxes back at the temple to make room for spare clothes. But now he sensed clearly that, aside from the newly stored demon, there was still space for more.

Why hadn’t he noticed before? Suddenly, he recalled the two spirit stones he suspected the satchel had swallowed the night before. He realized he might have discovered the crucial secret!

“Little Daoist Fang!” Just then, an urgent voice called from the village, breaking Fang Xiao’s train of thought. He hurriedly stowed his spear and turned back toward Gao Village.

Gao Liangping, accompanied by a dozen sturdy villagers brandishing sticks and pitchforks, came rushing up to meet him. “L-little Daoist Fang, did… did you drive off the boar demon?” the village head asked, panting, hope shining in his eyes. He’d heard the commotion from the village, then saw someone spot the demon crashing through the wall and Fang Xiao in pursuit. Mustering his courage, Gao Liangping had gathered the villagers to investigate—only to find Fang Xiao alone, with no sign of the demon.

Fang Xiao smiled, “It’s been dealt with. It will never return.”

“Wonderful!” Gao Liangping exclaimed, tears streaming down his weathered cheeks. The other villagers cheered in unison. For half a month, the boar demon had tormented them mercilessly, even costing them a few lives. Despair had hung heavy over the village—if Gao Village fell, none of them would have a future. Now, at last, the cloud over their lives had lifted and sunlight shone through once more.

“Benefactor!” Gao Liangping wiped his tears and gave Fang Xiao a deep, formal bow. “Little Daoist Fang, you’ve saved Gao Village and all of us—please accept my gratitude!”

Fang Xiao quickly helped him up. “No need for that—it’s my duty.”

After all, he’d already taken a deposit of two spirit stones, which made demon-slaying his responsibility.

Gao Liangping straightened and produced a jade box from his sleeve. “Little Daoist Fang, here are the remaining three spirit stones—please accept them!”

This time, Fang Xiao did not refuse. “Thank you.”

“You are too kind,” Gao Liangping replied, wiping sweat from his brow. “Come rest in the village; I’ll have the cook prepare a banquet. Please stay for lunch before you leave.”

“No need,” Fang Xiao replied with a wry smile. “I still have to get back to school.”

He’d left for Gao Village early in the morning and dispatching the blue-faced boar demon hadn’t taken much time—he had no patience to wait for lunch, and Gao Liangping’s hospitality was, if anything, a little overwhelming.

He firmly declined any further invitation, summoned his sturdy blue donkey, and swiftly set off toward Liuhe Academy.

On the way, Fang Xiao opened the jade box Gao Liangping had given him—inside were three spirit stones, just as promised. He tried placing one into his satchel. Sure enough, it vanished instantly! At the same time, he sensed the inner space of the satchel grow slightly larger. His earlier guess had been right!

Without hesitation, Fang Xiao placed the other two stones inside as well.

Bigger, bigger, bigger! The satchel must grow larger still!