Chapter 7: The Man in Black

Chapter 7: The Figure in Black

After fleeing for a full half-hour, Ye Tian was gradually reaching his limit. After all, he was carrying someone, and the drain on his inner energy was far more than just double. Leaping down from a tree branch, he gently laid the figure in black against a large tree, then slumped beside it, gasping for breath. Recalling the recent dangers, he realized that had he been a moment slower, this person would have been nothing but a mangled heap—after all, a human life hung in the balance.

After a brief rest, he checked on the figure in black, who was still unconscious, a vicious gash scarring their chest. Ye Tian hastily retrieved a wound-healing powder and a length of white cloth from his belongings—essentials he’d grown accustomed to carrying during his years with the old man, who had always dragged him into one scrape or another.

He gently loosened the figure’s clothing, revealing blood-clotted scabs. These had to be removed before the powder could be applied, or healing would be hindered. As he peeled the dried blood away, the figure shuddered involuntarily, but Ye Tian paid it no mind and continued. With the scabs gone, the clothing came away more easily.

To his surprise, the entire upper body was wrapped in many bands of cloth. He paid this no heed, carefully unwinding them—until two snowy-white mounds caught his eye. Ye Tian froze, his gaze drawn inexorably to the sight. Then, with a start, he raised his right hand and slapped himself hard across the face. The sting brought him back to his senses. Hastily, he wiped the blood from the deep wound between the pale mounds with a clean cloth, then uncorked the golden powder and sprinkled it lightly. After a moment’s hesitation, he gently spread it with his fingers, watching as the raw flesh slowly began to knit.

Ye Tian smiled, pleased that the skills he’d learned from the Ghost Doctor were not in vain. He carefully propped the figure in black against himself and bound the wound with the white cloth. Once finished, he laid out a blanket and placed her upon it, covering her with his own garment for warmth. Only then did he have time to finally remove the black hood from her head.

Two pointed ears sprang into view. For a moment, Ye Tian thought he’d stumbled upon some kind of demon, but closer inspection confirmed it—those were indeed a pair of sharp, delicate ears. Her fair face, high-bridged nose, and cherry lips marked her as a true beauty; yet the brown hair and those elven ears reminded him that she was certainly not human. Scratching his head, Ye Tian dismissed the thought and sat cross-legged to meditate, exhausted.

Several hours later, Ye Tian let out a long breath—when suddenly he felt a cold touch at his throat. Opening his eyes, he found a jet-black dagger pressed against his neck. He didn’t need to turn his head to know it was the figure in black, now awake. With a wry smile, he said, “You’re awake.”

A delicate face appeared before him, though her eyes blazed with murderous intent. Ye Tian was puzzled—he had only glimpsed her body, and given the urgency of the situation, anyone would have acted as he had. Surely she wouldn’t be so furious, especially since he had just saved her life! With this in mind, he spoke gently, “Um, well... I admit I was at fault, but the situation was dire. I had no choice—please forgive me. Besides, your internal injuries are not healed yet. You’d best not move, lest you reopen the wound—”

He hadn’t finished before a heavy blow struck the back of his head, and Ye Tian fell into darkness.

He had no idea how much time passed before he awoke. Just as he was rejoicing at having survived, he realized he was unable to move. Looking down, he saw with despair that he had been tied to a tree—by the very bandages he’d used to dress the figure in black! In this terrifying forest, the injustice of being punished for a good deed was almost too much to bear.

Yet there was no time for self-pity. He had to free himself. Ye Tian struggled briefly, but the knots were too tight. This woman’s skill at binding was formidable. Still, such a small problem would not defeat Ye Tian. Quietly, he gathered all his inner strength into his arms, which swelled with energy. Releasing the power in an instant, he twisted his right wrist, slipped his arm free as if it were boneless, and flicked his wrist upward. A faint silver sword-light flashed from his fingertips, and the bandages fell away in two neat pieces. He gathered them up, folded them, and tucked them back into his treasure pouch—one never knew when such things might come in handy.

He checked his belongings—most of them remained, but many items were missing. The sword! He started, remembering the object that had brought him into this world, but it was gone. The woman in black must have taken it. “This is trouble,” Ye Tian muttered, scratching his head. “Then again, I never liked that cursedly heavy blade. Let her keep it.” He glanced at the sun—it was nearly noon. Time to cook.

He quickly built a fire and roasted some meat, finishing everything within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. Years of looking after himself had made such tasks second nature. Soon, the air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat. Ye Tian rubbed his hands together and reached for his meal, when suddenly a petite, dark figure flashed past, snatching the meat from the fire. Enraged, Ye Tian sprang to his feet and gave chase, but the shadow vanished with a few nimble leaps. He could have wept—what kind of luck was this? With no choice, he cooked another meal for lunch.

After eating his fill, Ye Tian lay beneath a tree, swirling a large gourd in his hand. He was puzzled by this gourd. Barely a foot long, it should have held no more than four or five jin of wine, yet it was never full—always half, never more. He shook it gently, a wave of melancholy rising in his heart. “Old man, where have you gone? Without this gourd, would you be frantic?” For a long time, he lay there, lost in thought. Then, gathering himself, he stood and dusted off his clothes. “No matter. First, find a place where people live. At least figure out where I am—and maybe find a way home.” With this resolution, a smile returned to his face. Onward!

Thus, Ye Tian followed his map for over half a month. The journey was mostly uneventful. Occasionally, a wild beast would attack, but it always ended up as his next meal. He encountered many strange monsters, each with their own bizarre methods of attack. The creatures here wielded not only claws and fangs, but hurled strange orbs of light—red, black, purple, green, fireballs, ice orbs, and even spheres crackling with lightning. At first, Ye Tian was startled, but in time, he grew used to it.

While cleaning the beasts, he discovered that the more formidable ones all had a translucent stone inside them—various sizes and colors, some warm, some cool to the touch. It piqued Ye Tian’s curiosity. Moreover, he found many rare herbs along the way, which he gathered without hesitation. One could never have too many medicines.

Thus, Ye Tian pressed on, marveling at the wonders of this world. Unknowingly, another half month slipped by. As night fell, he found a cave, lit a fire, and rummaged through his pack—only to discover he had no food left. He sighed. Tonight, he would have to hunt again.

Leaving the cave, he listened carefully. From the west came the sound of running water—a likely source of food. Ye Tian smiled; dinner was assured. He hurried toward the sound, and soon a small river appeared before him. Breaking off a tree branch, he stripped it of twigs and sharpened the tip to fashion a simple spear.

Rolling up his pant legs, he stood motionless at the water’s edge. Soon, fish began circling his legs, perhaps mistaking them for playthings. Ye Tian closed his eyes, as still as a statue. After a while, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and his hands shot out, spearing fish one after another. He quickly cleaned them, strung them, and returned to his cave to roast them.

Before long, the cave was filled with the scent of grilled fish. “Old man, it’s ready,” Ye Tian called out instinctively, only to remember he was alone. The old man’s fate was unknown—what if he was cold, or hungry, or craving wine? The bitterness welled up inside him. Setting the fish aside, Ye Tian spread his blanket by the fire and lay down, lost in his thoughts.