10 Aftermath
""I don't want to die..."" The same thought passed through both of the boys.
Yao Tian's world grew dark and his mind became more focused.
Adrenaline flowed through his veins as he picked up a branch from the ground and jammed it under a large tree log on the ground.
Pressing down with all his weight and might, he kept trying to move the log down the cliff again and again with little progress.
He cursed his small stature and his lack of strength, but he had no other choice but to keep trying.
Down below with Song Shou and the now evolving tiger snake. The former was rooted in his spot, he couldn't move even if he tried. Was it fear, or was it something else that made him unable to run away?
He couldn't answer that question since he could barely think in the first place.
The tiger snake transformation rate grew faster and the beast kept growing bigger.
A bone-cracking sound could be heard along with a low growl coming from the beast.
The tiger snake lifted up its neck and looked down at the now practically paralyzed Song Shou with disdain and anger. Such a weak human wanted to kill him? Well, he will become a good food source for completing his transformation.
But before that...
* Whip! *
The tiger snake flickered its tail at Song Shou and flung him at the nearby cliff.
"Aargh!" The single attack heavily injured Song Shou's back and front torso to the point that blood nearly covered all of his clothes.
Breathing became harder with each breath. And his mind slowly slipped into unconsciousness with his last vision being of the snake approaching with the intent to devour him.
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Seeing its prey already incapacitated, the tiger snake grew pleased with itself and opened its large maw prepared to swallow the human.
As its mouth was but a few inches from Song Shou, a sudden rumbling stopped the snake in its spot.
'What is it no-' Again the snake was caught off-guard with a rather large tree log rolling down the cliff and hitting it full force in the head!
* Crash! *
The log broke into pieces with the impact against the beast!
This proved to be the last straw for the tiger snake as it crashed on the ground with its forked tongue out and its eyes all white. It had finally been knocked out unconscious.
A few minutes later Yao Tian climbed down the cliff with shaking legs, he carefully came to Song Shou's side.
Carefully remembering the contents of the medical books he read before, Yao Tian examined every nook and cranny of Song Shou's body for any major injuries.
They needed to leave the place quick!
"I can't lift him up with these injuries, I might worsen them and cause permanent damage." With his quick examination, Yao Tian knew that he had to find a way to apply first aid on Song Shou before moving him.
He also kept exchanging glances between his friends and the snake. He was terrified that the no longer glowing beast might wake up at any moment.
So he quickly came up with a plan.
By opening his small medical bag that he always kept on him just in case, he retrieved a homemade herb paste with a vial of alcohol. And used them to apply onto the heavy wounds to stop the bleeding as well as avoid any kind of infection.
Yao Tian, then collected the many scraps of wood lying around from the earlier fight and made a makeshift wooden board to place Song Shou, and pull him out of the cliff without any risk of additional injuries.
With that done, Yao Tian, now pulling a wooden board where Song Shou was laid, made his way up the cliff using the long way around.
The process was long and exhausting, he could feel his body growing weak and his mind becoming heavy. The adrenaline that gave him strength earlier was slowly leaving his system. He was starting to experience nausea and dizziness, and he finally started to realize how deadly his previous predicament was. But he knew that he could not stop here, he had to reach the carriage at least, the tiger snake may wake up and try to chase them at any moment.
"Stupid Shou... F*cking snake... Useless immortal techniques... Ugly bastards... Heavy piece of trash... Long a*s road..." All along the road, Yao Tian kept cursing everything and everyone that was involved with the recent event.
He never felt this level of frustration and anger all of the time in the village.
After a painstaking large amount of time, he finally saw the familiar horses in the distance with Yao Bao running towards him with tears running down his face.
"You came back! Are you okay? What happened to Song Shou!? What was that scary noise? Is that blood!? " An endless stream of questions flew out of his mouth, but Yao Tian didn't have the energy to answer them all.
Using his last remaining embers of his strength, he loaded Song Shou on the carriage and told his brother. "Take the carriage far away from here and don't stop no matter what. Okay? "
With those words passed on, he also plopped down by the side of his friend and fell into a deep sleep.
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Redwood Town
Two men were sitting down in a pub with both of their faces flushed due to the alcoholic beverage that littered their table.
"Hey, have you heard the Lin clan's little princess will be participating in this year's awakening event?" Told a man in his late middle ages.
"Ha! Why do they even attend such public events in the first place? They are a powerful family, surely they can do it privately." Replied an old drunken man.
"You don't get it, man, they do this to inflate their ego and show off their young miss's talent to the world."
"Humph! Just a bunch of arrogant geezers trying to create so much commotion for a little girl."
"Hey, don't be like that. At least there is some good news from this. I have heard that the clan would take in and sponsor any newbie who has shown significant potential during the assessment."
"You're pulling my leg! Truly!? What the heck am I doing here wasting my time with you! I got to go train! Ha-ha, I'll be set for life if I can get the support of the Lin clan" Without wasting any more words, the man immediately stood and hastily ran away from the pub.
"Hey, come back! You're already an old geezer who are ya fooling trying to participate alongside 6-year-old toddlers!? " Now both of the drunken men ran out of the building.
Not too far away from where the two previous drunkards were talking, there was another group of 3 people each wearing white robes with a sigil of a floating island on their left chest. This signified them being outer disciples of the Floating Sea Sect.
"Damn these wastrels! They are treating the generosity of our clan like a game. They don't deserve to live! " Said a redheaded youth who appeared to be the youngest in the group.
"Calm your nerves, Yao Mo, you know why our clan had to put this offer out to the public this year. We have to regain the populace's trust after what happened last time." Spoke to the only female with shortcut black hair that reached her neck.
The last to speak was an older-looking boy who already had short stubbles on his chin. "Besides, we don't lose much in this offer, after all, does any of you really think that there is someone talented enough, outside the big clans, who will appear during the assessment?" Taking a sip of his tea, he continued on. "Even if there was someone with the smallest amount of talent, they would at least be given the same amount of resources as an outer clan member. To any country bumpkin that is already a huge fortune."
The redhead had a grin appear on his face. "Oh, you're right on that one. And I am sure that the chosen person would be willing to 'Share' some of his or her pills with us, don't you think? " He turned towards the girl to know her thoughts.
The girl let out a sigh and said. "You truly are a troublesome piece of sh*t aren't you Mo?"
"Um? Hey! Why are you upset with me, Li Hua? It's just a weak nobody we are talking about here, so why are you against it? " She did not answer him. He looked incredulously towards the girl and turned towards the older-looking youth seeking his backing. "What about you, brother Lao?"
Only to be ignored.
"Hey, why are ya both ignoring me!?"
"..."
* Sip *
"Haaa~"
"Guys!?"
