Chapter no.38 The Gruesome Bait: Escaping the Beast's Wrath

The desperate cry for help echoed through the forest, a haunting sound that sent chills down the spines of Ye Mo and his goons. They chuckled, relishing in the fear they had instilled in their prey.

" Oh, you're a screamer, ehhh!" Ye Mo laughed alongside his cohorts, but their mirth was short-lived as they heard the rustling of bushes. Suddenly, an androgynous figure appeared, holding a spear as he stared them down.

"X, Xie Dongyi," stuttered GuangJin Ye, taking a step back. "Boss, what do we do?" his subordinates asked, fear evident in their voices.

Ye Mo glanced around at his men before turning to face the newcomer. Even with their numerical advantage, he wasn't confident in their ability to take someone like him, who exuded a sense of danger that made Ye Mo's skin crawl.

Lü Bu, raised his spear and demanded, "Hey, what are you doing to that woman?"

"We, we were just helping her," stammered Ye Mo, feeling the weight of Lü Bu's gaze bearing down on him.

Ye Mo gulped and raised his hand, "We don't want any trouble." Ye Mo said as he kicked GuangJin Ye's leg causing the group to retreat.

Lü Bu snorted and looked at Lee Min who could only smile. "What a bunch of cowards," Lü Bu muttered to himself as he walked over to the woman hanging from the tree. "Can you get me down?" she asked.

"Do I have to?" Lü Bu asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Yes," the woman replied, her voice shaky with fear.

"Say please?" Lü Bu smirked, enjoying the power he had over her.

"What?" the woman asked, confused.

"You want to be free, right? Say please," Lü Bu repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lee Min rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious."

Lü Bu's smirk grew wider. "And what if I am?" he teased.

"Can you get me down; please?" Lee Min asked, frustration clear in her voice.

Lü Bu paused for a moment, pretending to consider her request. "Hmm, I am thinking about it," he said, his tone playful.

Lee Min let out an exasperated sigh. "No, you aren't. You're just looking at my boobs," she said.

Lü Bu's eyes widened in surprise before he burst out laughing. "You're goddamn right," he admitted.

"Well, are you going to help me down or not?"

Lü Bu nodded, his laughter dying down. "Of course, anything for a pair of beautiful... I mean, for a damsel in distress." He raised his spear, expertly cutting through the ropes that bound Lee Min.

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As Ye Mo and his cohorts retreated, they were met with a litany of complaints from his subordinates.

"Boss, we could have taken him."

"Yeah, boss, let's go back."

"Boss..."

"Shut up!" Ye Mo bellowed, his voice ringing out through the forest. "Don't you know when to retreat when you're outmatched?"

GuangJin Ye sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of frustration at Ye Mo's lack of leadership. He had been following Ye Mo for years, but lately, he had started to question his abilities as a leader.

"But..." one of the subordinates protested.

"I know, I know," Ye Mo snapped. "I want to go back and kill that bastard, but..." He gritted his teeth, feeling the frustration and powerlessness of his position.

GuangJin Ye rolled his eyes, mentally berating Ye Mo for his incompetence. He knew that Ye Mo lacked the strategic mind and tactical skills to lead a group of men like theirs. GuangJin Ye was the real brains behind their operation, and he was growing tired of taking orders from someone who had no idea what he was doing.

"Boss, how about we ambush him at night?" GuangJin Ye suggested, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ye Mo looked at him sardonically, his eyes narrowing. "You're joking, right?"

"Wh-why don't we recruit others and then ambush that pretty boy?" GuangJin Ye suggested, sweat beading on his forehead.

Ye Mo said nothing, simply staring at his subordinates. GuangJin Ye knew that Ye Mo was too prideful to admit his shortcomings, but it was clear to him that they needed a change in leadership if they were going to be successful in their endeavors.

Perhaps it was time for him to take matters into his own hands and take over as the leader of their group. After all, he had the skills and knowledge to lead them to victory. Ye Mo may have been their boss, but GuangJin Ye knew that he wasn't fit to lead them.

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[ Skull Island - North Eastern Side ]

In the forest, the stream flowed serenely, surrounded by twisted branches that resembled gnarled fingers reaching up towards the sky. The sound of water trickling over rocks mixed with the rustling of leaves and the songs of birds to create an idyllic atmosphere. The twisted branches, with their eerie shapes, added an element of otherworldly beauty to the already stunning landscape.

A group of children had gathered on the banks of the stream, led by the trio of Hu Chenxi, Xiao Khan, and Lu Wendong. They chattered excitedly, eager to catch some fish and fill their bellies. Chun Jiao lagged behind, silently observing the group with a mixture of envy and annoyance.

As the children prepared their fishing gear, whispers could be heard among them. "Isn't leader Hu better than Chun Jiao?" asked one child.

"Of course, he is. She's such an arrogant wench," said another.

Though the whispers were quiet, Chun Jiao heard every word, and her gaze turned icy as she regarded the children. She longed to prove them wrong, to show that she was just as capable as Hu Chenxi, if not more so.

A school of silvery fish swam past, their scales glinting in the sunlight. Some darted back and forth, while others meandered lazily downstream. The children eagerly cast their lines into the water, hoping to catch a big one.

Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered the peaceful scene. The children turned to see a massive creature standing on its hind legs, fur thick and luxurious. Its eyes gleamed with a mystical light, and crystals glittered from its body, casting a kaleidoscope of colors.

The beast's front paws were armed with enormous crystal claws, while its back was studded with spines of the same material. The children froze in terror as the creature charged towards them, its massive paws pounding the ground.

"Run!" cried Hu Chenxi, turning to flee. But the creature was too fast, and it swiped at the children with its huge claws, sending them flying through the air. Screams of pain and terror rent the air as the children pushed and shoved each other, trying to escape.

.....

The demon beast was a formidable creature, with a thick, oily pelt and blood-red eyes that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Its massive jaws hung open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that were dripping with the blood of its previous victims. The deafening roar echoed through the forest as the beast thundered forward, crushing everything in its path. Trees were uprooted and tossed aside, and boulders were reduced to dust as the demon beast rampaged through the forest.

Chun Jiao lay still, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the beast pass by. She could feel the warm blood of the other children on her skin, and the stench of death filled her nostrils. She dared not move a muscle, for fear of attracting the beast's attention.

Suddenly, a sound caught her attention. She turned her head to see another survivor, Hu Chenxi, crouched behind a boulder, trying to remain hidden. Without thinking, Chun Jiao grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it in the direction of Hu Chenxi, hoping to divert the beast's attention away from her.

The rock struck the boulder with a resounding thud, and Hu Chenxi let out a gasp of fear. The demon beast turned its head, its red eyes locking onto the survivor. Chun Jiao watched in horror as the beast charged towards Hu Chenxi, its jaws open wide.

With the demon beast distracted, Chun Jiao seized the opportunity to flee. She scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could through the forest, the sound of the demon beast's roar echoing in her ears.

As she ran, Chun Jiao could hear the sound of Hu Chenxi's screams, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to help. She had to focus on her own survival, for she was the only one left alive.

Chun Jiao stumbled into a narrow cave, panting and sweating from her flight. As she looked up, she saw two other survivors, Lü Wending and Xiao Khan, who were also seeking refuge.

"What are you two doing here?" Chun Jiao asked, her voice trembling with fear.

"We were trying to find a safe place," Lü Wending replied, "but it looks like we all ended up here."

"We have to work together if we want to survive," Xiao Khan added, his voice firm and determined.

Chun Jiao looked at the two survivors, then at the entrance of the cave, where the demon beast could be heard rampaging outside. She knew she had to take control of the situation.

"Listen to me," Chun Jiao said, her voice taking on a commanding tone. "I have a plan. We'll throw something out of the cave to distract the beast, then we'll make a run for it."

"What do you suggest we throw?" Lü Wending asked, scanning the dimly lit cave for something that might serve their purpose. The tension in the air was palpable, and every second felt like an eternity as they tried to devise a plan.

"A dismembered limb will do," Chun Jiao replied, her voice calm and steady, her eyes cold and calculating. She knew they had little time, and desperate times called for desperate measures.

"And where do we find a dismembered limb?" Xiao Khan inquired, his voice trembling with fear. As he turned to face Chun Jiao, he caught her gaze fixed on his arm. A chill ran down his spine as he realized her intention.

"You can't be serious..." Xiao Khan stammered, his eyes wide with terror. He looked towards Lü Wendong, who had the same cold, predatory glint in his eyes.

Before Xiao Khan could even react, Chun Jiao swiftly drew her sword, a flash of silver in the dim light. With an almost inhuman speed, she slashed Xiao Khan's neck, her blade slicing through flesh and sinew. Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering across Lü Wendong's face, who stared in horror as he finally understood Chun Jiao's true nature.

"We have our dismembered limb," Chun Jiao announced coldly, her voice devoid of any emotion. She grabbed Xiao Khan's head and roughly yanked it from his body, the crunch of his spine snapping echoing in the cave. With a twisted smile, she tossed the head towards Lü Wendong.

Overwhelmed by the shock and terror, Lü Wendong was unable to react as Chun Jiao closed the distance between them. Her sword flashed again, and Lü Wendong felt a searing pain across his neck. He fell to the ground, grasping his neck as blood spurted out from the gaping wound, pooling around him. As his vision blurred, he looked up at Chun Jiao, who stared down at him with the same cold, emotionless expression, as if he were nothing more than a nuisance to be dealt with.

With the gruesome task completed, Chun Jiao carefully placed the severed heads of Xiao Khan and Lü Wendong near the narrow passageway of the cave. With a forceful kick, she sent them hurtling into the dark forest, the sound of their bodies crashing through the undergrowth echoing in the night.

Chun Jiao knew that the beast would be drawn to the noise and scent of blood. She slipped out of the cave, her heart pounding in her chest, and sprinted in the opposite direction as the night swallowed her.

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[ Author Note : Demon Beasts ]

In the Xuanjie Realm, home to the Wuji Continent and the Murim world, there exists a breed of creature known as the demon beasts. These creatures are said to be the progeny of the universe itself, born from the primordial chaos and imbued with innate spiritual power. They possess an otherworldly nature that is both terrifying and awe-inspiring, and are revered as powerful beings by those who seek to understand the workings of the universe.

Some times demon beasts escape the Xuanjie Realm into the human realm before being killed by a cultivator causing them to be viewed as mythical creatures of folklore, such as phoenixes, and unicorns.

Demon Beasts posses a formidable array of abilities that are supernatural in nature and man has found a way to harness those abilities through a special grade martial skeleton.

Despite their ferocious reputation, the demon beasts are not inherently evil. They seek only to cultivate their spiritual power and advance to higher levels of existence, much like the human cultivators who seek to harness the power of the universe through meditation and practice. However, as instinctual creatures, they often rely on their strength and ferocity to survive in the world.

Unlike human cultivators, who must consciously cultivate their spiritual power through rigorous training and spiritual enlightenment, the demon beasts cultivate instinctively. They absorb the spiritual energy of the world around them, using it to strengthen their physical bodies and abilities. As they advance in cultivation, they gain new abilities and become more powerful, growing ever closer to the ultimate goal of achieving a state of spiritual enlightenment.

For human cultivators, the demon beasts are often seen as a valuable resource and a means to test their own strength. However, they also represent a significant threat, as their power can be difficult to control and they are often fiercely territorial. To encounter a demon beast is to risk one's life, for these creatures are fierce and unyielding in their determination to protect their territory and their spiritual power.

Majority of the sects in the Murim, raise Demon Beasts to be used as weapons and companions that are trained from birth.

Skull Island is the Black Lotus Cult's vault for raising Demon Beast pups and children.