Battle of Wits

"Agreed," Bai Yu said thoughtfully. "Splitting up will only increase casualties. We stick together. Remember this place. We will bury our fallen later, but there's no time now." The Village Chief barked out a command, his voice hoarse but firm.

For two hours, they searched the dense forest, following tracks and hushed whispers of wind through the trees. Finally, they stumbled upon the beast's lair - a cavern reeking of blood and decay. Relief washed over them, quickly followed by a fresh wave of trepidation."It's out hunting," someone observed, their voice barely a whisper."Excellent," Bai Yu said, a cold smirk twisting his lips. "This presents an opportunity.

"The Village Chief eyed Bai Yu with suspicion. "You have a plan, then?"Bai Yu met his gaze unflinchingly. "Precisely. You and your men stay here. When the Flame-Winged Tiger returns, you must hold it back for a few minutes. That's all I ask." With that, he vanished into the distance, leaving the others bewildered.

An hour crawled by, tension thickening the air. Then, a deafening roar shattered the silence. The Flame-Winged Tiger emerged from the forest, a magnificent yet terrifying creature. Five times the size of a normal tiger, its wings blazed with an infernal fire. Its crimson eyes scanned the clearing, locking onto the group of villagers."Charge!" the Village Chief roared, leading the charge with his massive battle axe. A bone-forging expert, the last of his kind in the village, followed suit, his spear glinting in the dim light.The clash was as brutal as expected. Metal screamed against hide as the Chief's axe connected with the beast's shoulder. The Tiger roared in fury, flames erupting from its wings. The Chief, a veteran of countless battles, dodged with practiced ease."Everyone! Watch the wings!" he bellowed, his voice hoarse. "I'll try to keep its attention!"

But the chaos masked a critical detail – Bai Yu, perched silently on a large rock fifty meters away. He nocked an arrow onto the string of a longbow, his breath shallow and fast. Focus. Just a bit longer, he thought, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment to steady his aim. Now!The arrow flew with a sharp whistle, burying itself deep into the Flame-Winged Tiger's lower left paw. The creature roared in surprise. But it created an opening. Bai Yu didn't waste a second. Another arrow, and another, each one finding its mark on a different paw.Confusion rippled through the villagers. Even the Chief, locked in a desperate struggle, couldn't help but glance at the seemingly pointless attack.

Five minutes crawled by like an eternity. Then, with a deafening thud, the Flame-Winged Tiger collapsed, its confusion overwhelming. Seizing the opportunity, the Chief and the spear using bone forging expert charged. The Tiger, its gaze falling on Bai Yu standing tall on the rock, a cold glint in his eyes, let out a mournful cry before the battle axe found its mark.The death cries of the Flame-Winged Tiger echoed through the clearing, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.

The villagers, battered and exhausted, stared at the fallen beast with a mix of awe and disbelief."What did you do?" rasped the bone-forging expert, his voice hoarse. "Those arrows... they weren't normal."A knowing smile crept onto Bai Yu's face. "Don't tell me..." the Village Chief began, a flicker of dawning comprehension in his eye."Indeed," confirmed Bai Yu coolly. "Each arrow was laced with a potent narcotic poison, designed to cripple its mobility."