The young girl ran as fast as she could. Clutching the spiritual herb in her hands that she needs to heal her younger brother. Even as it burns her hands as it is something not meant to be held with mortal hands. She doesn’t remember the name of the herb, only its description from the cultivator that promises to help cure her younger brother. A five petaled red lotus, glowing hot as if it is a molten metal. The wolves howled behind her. The smell of brimstone reaches her sooner before the growls and the sound of the metallic claws on rocky grounds. The sun setting behind her, casting eerie long shadows across the forest. She yelps in fear as the shadow of the wolves chasing her comes even closer even as she runs. One, then two, then three, and four. The shadows grow even longer as if it wants to devour her sooner than the real wolves did. The girl in fear tries to look back. Only to trip on tree roots. But fortune has it that the ashen wolf bites at empty air. Almost biting the girl’s head off. The girl sits up, only to see the four wolves already have her surrounded. Fire and brimstone erupting from the wolves’ mouths as it barks. Holding back her tears as she grips the herb in her burnt hands, unwilling to let go.

  But then a loud sound of a hoof stomps, then the earth erupts. Smashing the wolves and throwing them away before the raised earth returns to the ground. Pained whines and threatening growls and barks directed at the interloper. It stood twice the size of man, a majestic white deer, its antlers like crown, its eyes shining with golden hue, cloven hooves calmly steps, unthreatened by lesser wolves. Another stomp and the earth shook, sending the wolves back running to whence it came. The deer snorts at the departing wolves. Then it moves closer to the child. It inspects her hands and shares its Qi to heal her hands, also protecting it from the burning from the herb. The girl, still shocked and has not processed her near death experience, is surprised as the deer pushed her to stand with its head. Egging her to continue.

  The girl, still in a daze, continued her run. Before suddenly stopping and turning back. Bowing in thanks at the white deer. Not only has she seen the venerable white deer, guardian of the mountain, but also a nice story for her brother when he wakes up.

  —

  “Hmmmm.” The young cultivator in grey robe inspects the lotus in his fingers. The crescent moon, covered by clouds, is hovering past its zenith.

  Spinning the fire lotus back and forth using his thumb and index finger before sighing in disappointment. The five petaled red lotus is not yet ripe, only having four petals in place of five. He is excited when the villagers explain that the boy got sick after seeing the lotus in a cold pool in a cool cave he found. But oh well, he can supplement what he needs now that he knows that a pack of ashen wolves are also present. He just needs the heart of the ashen wolf’s alpha. Besides, he already obtained something else to cover his loss.

  He stands up from sitting on a white fur. The corpse of the venerable white deer, still warm and bleeding. The flesh on its head burnt clean revealing the skull and a huge hole in its chest. Its heart in his hand. The heart infused with Earth Qi, even from a distant descendant of the nine colored deer should be enough to fuel his ascension to Golden Core stage. Just needs Fire and Metal Qi left out of five elements. His head leans to the side as if listening to the side.

  “Brother system, I don’t like venison. Pork is so much better.” He speaks to himself

  “Hey, it's called being careful.” He justifies himself

  The young man can heal the boy’s illness easily but there’s nothing free in this kind of world. Then there’s a possibility that the cool cave the boy found has some protection from other cultivators. Fortunately it’s not, so the young girl lived and he doesn’t need to lie. Besides, because he sends the girl, the White Deer shows itself and now he can track the Ashen Wolves back to their pack. Truly the heavens have blessed him today.

  “Yes, let the corpse rot here. Who knows, it might help someone or something.” The man speaks to himself again.

  Not entertaining the idea of burying the mountain guardian’s corpse. Then he departs, tracking the ashen wolves. Besides, if he took more than just the heart, it will be known that he is the one that killed the mountain guardian. Not exactly a problem but killing a virtuous spirit animal is considered an evil thing and he enjoys his reputation sterling clear.

  —

  Here, over here

  What here?

  Parts

  Parts?

  More comfy place

  Boop

  The red sludge slowly but surely seeps in at the corpse of the white deer. Through the hole the cultivator made to take its heart. The deer’s corpse jerks. The majestic white fur slowly turned to black. The eyes, mostly burnt now glow in an eerie purple glow. Jerking and struggling to stand as if it is a newborn.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  What’s this? Not comfy

  Not yet

  What?

  See that light?

  Which one?

  The not deer awkwardly moves its skull head. In its eye, everything is dark but a vague outline of things near him can be seen. Then it sees the glowing thing, moving quickly across the void. Seeing the glow, the not deer felt a hunger that is both familiar and new. Without being asked by the voice, it tries to follow the glow. With slow shaky steps, charred eyes trying to make a clear grasp on the vague outline. Slowly like an infant learning to walk, the movement becomes smoother, only slowed by its attempt to make sure he is stepping correctly. Through its charred eyes, it recognizes a line in front of it, which could be uphill or downhill. It braves its first step through the line. It is downhill, but unfortunately it cannot grasp distance and so the not deer falls off a cliff.

  —

  Hurry up

  The not deer gallops blindly following the glow that is now much farther than before. Crashing through something again but it powers through. After falling off the cliff the deer emerges unscathed, its body much sturdier than it expected. It tries to be careful for hours but the voice keep telling him to hurry up so he drops all caution and gallops blindly in a straight line following the glow.

  It crashed into another thin and tall thing based on the outline it saw. More things getting caught in its antlers. It swings its head wildly to remove the nagging stuck sensation. Throwing off huge branches, torn wood, and other debris. Why is it doing this, the not deer can’t exactly remember. But the voice said that there’s a comfy place so it must be true. So it gallops blindly, crashing into so many thin and tall things that he can’t count. Not that it remembers how to count yet. This continues on for who knows how long until it crashes into a square like thing that is very hard. Crushing through the square but not accounting the momentum, the deer stumbles, skull planted to the ground and hind legs thrown up from the sudden halt. Spinning and dropped with a loud thud. Dizzily, it tries to stand. Then it hears a loud shriek and multiple sounds.

  “My lady, get behind me!”

  “It's a demon!”

  “Kill!”

  Such is the word the not deer hears. Sounds familiar and it felt like it was supposed to know what it means. Then a hot flaring pain suddenly stabs the side of its right forelegs. The not dear screams. Scream, not a surprised snort or a bellow of pain. But a scream impossibly high pitched scream through its deer skull. It reacts the only way it knows since being a deer. Thrashing all around with its antler swinging wildly. Shouts and screams of pain filled its ear. But it's not from him so it must be doing something correctly. Then it perceives a new color in its charred eyes. Gasseus red, floating around that it recognizes where the sound of pain is coming from before the sound stops.

  What’s red?

  Parts, not the good one

  Okay

  “Insolent demon! I, Huáiyuǎn will end your miserable existance today!”

  The not deer located the shouting one, observing the small gaseous red floating. Then it disappears from its sight. The not deer immediately stumbles down, screaming again in pain as one of its forelegs almost cut off.

  “Too shallow!” The man shouts again but he have brought the demon low

  He prepares to cut down the skull clean from its body. However, the not deer thrashes away wildly and violently while screaming. The antler that has gorged most of his soldiers waving wildly that he cannot get close. The neck moved with such forces that the cracking sound of bones can be heard popping from the demon.

  Go to the red one

  The not deer follows the voice and it limps up before blindly jumping to the red things. Following instincts it doesn’t know have, it stomped the hoof that almost cut off to the red thing and it can immediately feel the pain slowly gone. But the pain in one hoof gone is renewed with another one. This time, it is its left hind leg. The not deer thrash around again, trying to keep the painful thing away before jumping to another red thing to ease the new pain away. It moves its head, trying to keep up with the thing that hurts him but it is too fast for it to follow. The not deer registered new sensations, frustration and fear. Frustrated that it cannot follow the thing that hurt it and fear of getting hurt.

  Huáiyuǎn looks in horror at the demon as it perform its blasphemous sorcery, stomping at corpse of his soldier to heal itself. He grits his teeth in frustration. One careless act has left his left arm useless, still bleeding. If this continues, the demon will win. If only he wears his armor. He looks back at his fiancee, in a safe distance away from the fight behind cover. His heart was both gladdened and filled with fear. If he didn’t kill this demon here, who knows what it would do. His title as the West General of Jin felt like a mockery now, but Jin is just a small mortal kingdom.

  Without much choice, he pulls out a mystic net and throws it over the demon. The net like a blanket covers its back and immediately the blanket feels impossibly heavy. Weighing and forcing it down. It gives the chance he needs, he pushes as much Qi a ninth level Qi Refining cultivator can muster into its sword and he lunges at the demon’s. Then a sound of metal breaking rings. His sword breaks. The demonic deer screams again but there’s little damage on the exposed neck bone. With most Qi focused on his sword, his eardrum ruptured from the sheer volume of the scream. Deaf, he throws the broken sword and pulls out his second one that he usually uses in his left hand in dual wield. If cutting its neck is impossible, then he will destroy its heart. Unfortunately, the damage in his ear made him unable to hear the ripping sound of his net.

  The not deer stood tall, the sword missing its chest by a few centimeters. The not deer thrashes mightily. Skull swaying, jumping up and down, trampling, screaming.

  Stop

  The faint red thing turns into much purple in its vision and the voice tells it to stop but still it tramples over, venting all its frustration and fear.

  STOP!

  The voice sounded again. Much louder than before. The not deer looked around with its charred eyes, not hearing more sound.

  Purple is good parts

  Parts?

  The not deer looked down, the red thing splattered everywhere. No longer gaseous like before. It wonder what the difference means.

  Its turned red now

  Not good?

  No

  Sorry

  Hurry up and follow the glow. It's much farther now.

  The not deer simply moves its skull head, finding the glow that is now much further and harder to be seen and gallops again.