— The Emperor’s Imperial Record, Entry 13 —

  My head was starting to ache from the rage.

  With all the time and space I’d had here in this forest to think, I’d managed to make myself more angry. My knuckles were squeezed tight around a branch so hard I was sure I could’ve crushed it.

  I had half a mind to march back and break Azul’s jaw with the butt end of my knife, but that wouldn’t put beavers in my traps. I had to calm down.

  My rage was getting the better of me.

  Out here, anger would only make me careless. I’d be more likely to get caught off guard and killed or worse—go back empty-handed.

  Slowly, I took a deep breath. I had been able to take a short look at the map Azul had given me, but that didn’t tell me anything worth a damn. The bastard had given me the wrong one.

  Thinking about it now, he barely even checked the map when I got it. ‘Fine, I’ll just rely on my instincts and experience.’

  Beavers stuck close to water, and water meant lowland. I scanned the trees, searching for a drop in the terrain, a line of willows—anything that hinted at a river or pond.

  I’d done this before, when I was younger, I’d gotten lost in the forest and had to look for water. It wasn’t as hard as I thought, especially when I learnt the trick to doing it. The trick was to find a deer. They always knew where to find water.

  It didn’t take long before I spotted one, a fat, skittish creature, with its ears twitching at every sound. I followed it, careful to keep my distance.

  The deer meandered and ate grass for what felt like over an hour before moving because of thirst. In only a few minutes after that, it led me to water.

  I chuckled quietly, ‘Good, now I just have to check this place out for beavers.’ Hopefully I would be able to find some here.

  I rose up to my feet, spooking the deer I had been trailing and it immediately ran off. ‘Maybe I should have shot it?’ It was fat, so it would last for a while.

  I shook the thought away. I had bigger priorities, so I started trailing the banks of the pond, not long after, I noticed them. Beavers. Lots of them.

  My lips curled into a grin.

  The place was silent so I gently started to prepare myself, careful not to make any loud noises. I hadn’t brought any traps. Bad thinking on my part. Would this happen everytime I got angry? I couldn’t let my emotions control me like that.

  All of a sudden a chill ran down my spine.

  The beavers… stopped.

  There was no more casual splashing, the sounds of gnawing wood vanished and they huddled together near the bank of the river, their bodies tense.

  Something was wrong.

  I crouched, scanning for cover. A tree. I climbed quickly, making sure there were no snakes hidden in the branches. A nasty surprise in a hiding spot was the last thing I needed.

  The leaves were thick enough to conceal me, so I settled in. I notched an arrow, prepared to shoot at the sound of anything I didn't know.

  Below, the beavers still acted the same way. Spooked.

  They huddled together, barely tapping their tails against the water. The young ones hidden in the middle. Something they sometimes did when predators were around.

  Then, it emerged.

  A shadow slid beneath the water—fast, precise. A massive shape broke the surface, sleek and sinuous, like an otter the size of a large dog.

  A shrill, high-pitched cry cut through the air. “CRRRRRRRRR”

  The sun hit its fur, and for a moment, it shimmered like liquid metal.

  Long-bodied, with slick, oily fur and stubby but powerful legs, its claws curved into wicked edges. But the eyes—they were the most striking. Almost glowing. Its face was framed with gill-like slits, opening and closing as it breathed.

  I could feel its presence as it moved. The thing moved like a big cat, almost gracefully.

  The beavers shrieked in response to the beast. Huddling closer together. The beast didn’t care. One of the adult beavers, seeing everything that was going on, gained the courage, and decided to try and nip at the beast as it came down on them.

  It broke away from the huddled group, and lunged, chittering aggressively while baring its teeth.

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  The spirit beast paused.

  It focused on him, almost amused at the defiance.

  In a blur, it pounced.

  The beaver didn’t stand a chance. The moment the beast’s fangs touched its neck, it was dead.

  With barely a splash, the creature carried the beaver in its fangs and vanished beneath the water, swimming towards the other side of the pond.

  I held my breath.

  Seconds later, it emerged on the far bank, trotting toward the forest.

  Then, it stopped.

  It turned its neck to the side. Looking at my exact direction, then sniffed the air. Looking for something.

  Then it locked eyes with me.

  I froze.

  I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

  The beast was too fast. I knew I wouldn’t be able to shoot it before it reached me.

  It kept staring.

  Two seconds. Three.

  Then, it shook itself, water spraying from its coat in little glistening droplets and turned away, disappearing into the trees.

  I didn’t move for minutes.

  A spirit beast.

  I had finally seen one.

  Was that what cultivation could do?

  A strong pang of jealousy hit me. After fear, that was my first emotion. Then boiling hot rationale. The beavers were scared, huddled together and I had a bow and arrow.

  Not only that, but I was still angry, and the appearance of a spirit beast–a being that had done nothing to gain so much power only increased my rage.

  My fingers started to move before I could think, *Twang*,*Twang*,*Twang*. All I knew was that the arrow left my bow as I stretched my arm to retrieve another one from my quiver. I didn’t hear the squealing of the beasts still huddled together for fear of the now gone spirit beast.

  The only sound I paid attention to was the comforting hum of my bowstring as it let loose another arrow.

  It was only a few moments of unruliness, but so much had happened. ‘What was I doing?’

  It was a massacre. I had killed too much. I breathed in hard and the air tasted like blood and sap.

  By the time I came back to my senses, I had shot down 13 of the beavers. Far more than I could carry. If I built a sled I could take maybe five or six.

  I would have to put the rest somewhere that no one but me would be able to get it. But first…I set out making a sled. I had to hurry before anything else caught the scent of blood and found me standing here like an idiot.

  Yanking out my dagger, I got to work.

  The first swing sent a satisfying *crack* through the air. A few more, and the saplings I had chosen to make the sled, groaned, tilting before finally giving way. I stripped the branches quickly, tossing the scraps aside.

  I found a shorter branch, about as thick as my wrist, and hacked it to size, when I was done building the sled, I gave it a few tugs—solid.

  Finally, I hefted the beavers onto the sled, their bodies limp and heavy. five of them. Far more than I could carry on my back. I tied them down, looping the bark strips over their bodies, pulling them tight so they wouldn’t spill out.

  I kept the rest of the beavers hidden wherever I could put them. The rest of the beavers still alive did not dare to come close to me.

  Gripping the sled’s frame, I leaned forward and pulled. The poles flexed, and the sled groaned, but it moved. Slow at first, but steady.

  Now I just had to get back before it got really dark. Before anything else decided I looked easier to catch than those beavers.

  The forest floor was uneven, roots and rocks jutting out like nature’s obstacles.

  It was an ordeal getting the sled across the forest floor, especially with trying to avoid predators. I even took the shortest route, but by the time I got to the outskirts of the city, the gates were minutes away from closing.

  I hurried forward. If they closed, I'd be stuck outside all night with a pile of fresh beavers and blood in the air.

  Not an option.

  I was the only one there except for a few guards. The same ones I had met when I first came to Lunis.

  One of them stepped forward, squinting at me. It was Jie Rui.

  “What do we have here, kid?” He gestured for the other guard—Mu Ke—to come over.

  “Beavers. I have a contract with the blacksmith, Big Randy and Azul.”

  Jie Rui let out a low whistle. “Oh? Someone’s coming up in life.” His eyes flicked to the pile of carcasses.

  “Yeah. Did you give up on cultivation? I hear that beavers are expensive. Especially this time of year”

  I shrugged, keeping my face neutral. “I just know I have to get them to Azul and Big Randy. Azul said they were for some nobles.” I let the last part out intentionally to make sure they didn’t push me any further.

  Both guards shared a glance. I sighed gratefully, they had gotten the message.

  ??“Hmph.” Jie Rui rubbed his chin, taking the lead. “Well, I’ve been hearing rumors. Some young man’s been throwing barbecues over in the Mudfoot district. And from the way folks describe him…” He raised an eyebrow. “Sounds an awful lot like you. You know anything about that?”

  “Just something I do to pass the time.”

  Mu Ke grinned. “If it’s just something you do to pass the time, you wouldn’t mind bringing us some, eh?”

  Jie Rui nodded his head enthusiastically, agreeing with his fellow guard. He was already picturing himself with a plate of roasted meat.

  I held back another sigh, before realising they could lock me out. They had me. If I refused outright, they would make my life difficult. And I had better things to do than argue with gate guards.

  I also wanted to hurry up and get to Azul so I could shove the beavers in his face. I did not have time for this.

  “I won’t be able to bring anything myself,” I said, keeping my voice even. “Hunting and filling Azul’s orders takes up too much time. But if you come by, I’ll talk to the supervisor. Make sure you get through.”

  They exchanged looks, “Alright,” Jie Rui finally said, stepping aside. “You’re lucky you made it before we locked up.”

  Mu Ke smirked. “We’ll be coming over soon. Make sure there’s something for us.”

  I gave a half-nod and pulled my sled through.

  As I walked away, I heard them talking behind me.

  “Hah! Told you he’d come up. Glad he owes me a favor.”

  “Lying bastard! You were betting on how long it’d take for him to get rejected and find a real job…”

  The gates shut behind me and Azul’s smug face waited ahead, I couldn’t wait to wipe it off with the bloody proof behind me.