The next morning, as dawn was just breaking, the group continued their ascent towards the mountain peak.
During the trek, a burly man distributed two rounds of coarse grain biscuits to everyone. Xiao Fei, as before, did not eat them, casually handing his share to Shi Da Zhuang.
He was not lacking in food; he had a large supply in his spatial storage and usually carried some dried rations for convenience. He had secretly eaten some the previous night and was not hungry now. He was wary of the biscuits distributed by the burly man. To this day, he still didn't know the purpose behind Young Master Zhu summoning them.
All along the way, Xiao Fei kept his ears attuned to the conversations between Zhu Yu and his men. From snippets of their talk, he gathered that they were searching for a spiritual medicine that would be of great use to an immortal master.
Perhaps due to the sheer number of people, their journey to the summit of Black Stone Mountain was uneventful. The few rock wolves they encountered along the path fled from a distance upon seeing them.
Beyond the summit of Black Stone Mountain lay a steep, towering cliff face, its peak shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see clearly. Once they climbed this cliff, they would enter the Qi Yun Mountain Range, a place rumored to be teeming with demonic beasts. The few beasts on Black Stone Mountain were said to have originated from Qi Yun Mountain.
At this point, Zhu Yu and his group had stopped, their gazes fixed on the cliff, pointing and discussing. Xiao Fei's eyesight had greatly improved. Following the direction of their pointing, he saw a dark cave entrance on the cliff face. A small tree grew by the cave, bearing four fruits: three red and one green.
"Everyone, rest here."
A burly man shouted, instructing everyone to sit down. He then produced a large bag of biscuits and began distributing them. Xiao Fei took a biscuit and sniffed it. Although these biscuits still carried a medicinal scent, it was different from those distributed the previous night. He merely pretended to take a few bites before secretly discarding them into his spatial storage.
Simultaneously, he stole glances around. This time, Zhu Yu and his subordinates did not eat. Instead, they silently spread out, encircling the twenty-odd refugees in their midst. Xiao Fei realized something was amiss. He continued to pretend to eat, his eyes scanning the surrounding terrain for the most advantageous escape route.
Black Stone Mountain was covered in various large rocks, and the terrain was treacherous. The paths available for passage were few, and they were now blocked by several burly men. Only the path leading towards the cliff was relatively flat and easy to traverse. There were only two burly men guarding that direction, suggesting a higher chance of escape that way.
Having made his decision, he subtly shifted his position, moving slowly towards the cliff. He only moved a little each time. By the time everyone had finished their allocated biscuits, Xiao Fei had finally reached the area closer to the cliff.
"I feel so dizzy!"
Shi Da Zhuang, who was strong and had eaten the most, stood up and immediately swayed as if drunk, unable to stand steady.
"I'm dizzy too!"
"Perhaps we're not used to eating grains after so long."
"A drink of blood should help when we get back."
As Shi Da Zhuang sat down, one after another, more people began to feel dizzy, stumbling and losing their balance. Xiao Fei, feeling no ill effects, pretended to lose his footing and sat down on the ground.
"It seems we've been poisoned!"
By this time, all the refugees were feeling dizzy and unsteady. Even the most foolish among them realized they had likely been poisoned.
"Please, Young Master Zhu, save us!"
"I will gladly go through fire and water for Young Master Zhu, without question."
"I am willing to be Young Master Zhu's dog."
These villains, who normally had no regard for human life and had committed countless evil deeds, now knelt in a large group, their heads banging on the ground like pounding garlic, terrified. Though they suspected Young Master Zhu was behind this, they lacked the courage to question him.
Zhu Yu continued to gaze at the cliff opposite, ignoring their pleas. Only Zhu Chang stepped forward, surveying the kneeling refugees with a smile.
"Now is the time for you to serve Young Master Zhu."
"We have mixed two medicinal herbs into the biscuits you ate. One is Butterfly Flower, a very expensive herb. You are fortunate."
"After consuming this herb, your blood will emit a special scent that is highly attractive to demonic beasts."
"As for the biscuits you just ate, we added a bit of Drunken Immortal Grass. Consuming it will make you feel as if you've been drinking, causing dizziness, weakness, drowsiness, and an inability to stand steady."
"Neither of these herbs is poisonous; in fact, they have beneficial effects on strengthening the body. If you survive this ordeal, you will undoubtedly become Young Master Zhu's capable assistants."
Zhu Chang finished speaking and glanced at the burly men surrounding them, nodding.
"Begin!"
The burly men had already drawn their swords and sabers, slashing into the crowd.
"Ah!"
The first scream was sudden and loud. Surprisingly, it came from one of the burly men holding a saber. Xiao Fei had already moved to the burly man's feet, quietly gripping his black saber, waiting for the opportune moment. As the burly man raised his saber to strike, he felt a chill in his abdomen and let out the scream. Looking down, he saw Xiao Fei slicing open his belly with a black saber. With a "slashing" sound, his intestines spilled out onto the ground.
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh..."
The sight of his own exposed entrails terrified the burly man, making his limbs tremble and rendering him speechless. Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Fei suddenly leaped up, darting past the burly man and successfully breaking free from the encirclement. Ma Hou Zi and Xie Yan San also seized the chance to slip away with Xiao Fei. However, they walked unsteadily, as if drunk, stumbling over their own feet and rocks. They didn't get far before a burly man caught up and slashed them each on the back. Fresh blood immediately flowed from their wounds. The burly man intended to pursue further but found Xiao Fei running like the wind, already a hundred paces away in moments.
Meanwhile, over a dozen burly men wielded their swords and sabers, inflicting wounds on the refugees. Blood gushed out, staining the ground a large area red. However, these burly men struck with restraint; none of their blows were fatal, their sole purpose being to draw blood.
"The demonic beast has appeared, retreat quickly!"
With Zhu Yu's shout, the twenty-odd burly men sheathed their weapons and retreated the way they came, leaving behind only a group of unsteady refugees. At this moment, Xiao Fei had already escaped to the base of the cliff and was contemplating how to find a way out.
"Roar!"
Just then, a roar echoed from above the cliff, and a dark silhouette rushed down like the wind. Startled, Xiao Fei quickly hid behind a large rock.
"Could this be the legendary demonic beast?"
Curiosity got the better of him, and Xiao Fei peeked out from behind the rock. He could now clearly see the beast: it was about ten feet long, covered in black scales, with sharp claws on its four feet and teeth like a saw. The beast seemed uninterested in Xiao Fei, heading directly towards the injured and struggling Ma Hou Zi. Upon reaching Ma Hou Zi, it opened its massive maw, and before Xiao Fei could even comprehend what was happening, Ma Hou Zi was already in the beast's mouth. Then, the beast tilted its head, and Ma Hou Zi was swallowed whole, without even needing to chew. Next was Xie Yan San, whose fate was the same; a gaping mouth, a tilted head, and Xie Yan San became another meal.
The beast, seemingly pleased with its meal, turned towards the remaining refugees. These injured refugees had already begun to flee, but their legs were shaky, causing them to fall every few steps. The beast, however, moved with the speed of the wind. From a distance, Xiao Fei could only see a blur of black. Its speed was at least ten meters per second, easily allowing it to turn and change direction with agility. In a mere few breaths, all twenty-odd strong refugees, except for Xiao Fei, were consumed by the beast. Its belly had visibly distended by several sizes.
It turned out that Zhu Yu had brought them to Black Stone Mountain specifically to feed this demonic beast. Compared to pigs, horses, cattle, and sheep, these refugees cost him nothing and willingly walked to the mountaintop, making them both cheap and hassle-free. During this time, Xiao Fei remained hidden behind the rock, not daring to breathe, let alone escape, fearing he would attract the beast's attention. However, fate had other plans, and what he feared most came to pass. The beast began to approach his hiding spot. As the beast drew nearer, with its speed, he knew he couldn't outrun it. Xiao Fei gripped his black saber tightly, gritting his teeth, his breathing involuntarily ceasing. Sweat beaded on his forehead and cheeks, and his hand, clutching the black saber, trembled slightly. Time seemed to slow down, each second an agony. All he could do was hold his saber, wondering if he could still cause trouble inside the beast's belly like Sun Wukong.
Finally, the beast reached Xiao Fei and began to sniff him up and down with its nose. At its closest, the beast's nose was right against his face, its warm, fetid breath making Xiao Fei gag. Yet, he dared not move. Some sticky, mucus-like fluid dripped onto the corner of his mouth, and he still didn't dare to wipe it away. Just then, the beast opened its mouth, and Xiao Fei could clearly see the bloodstains between its teeth. He knew his turn was coming.
"Burp..."
The beast's belly contracted, and it let out a long, satisfied burp, a wave of fetid heat washing over him. Then, the beast sniffed at Xiao Fei a few more times, shook its head, and turned away. Whether it was because it was full, or because Xiao Fei lacked seasoning, the beast was somewhat picky and found him unappetizing. In any case, it did not eat him.
Thank heavens! He was grateful for the sacrifices of Ma Hou Zi, Xie Yan San, and the others. He was grateful for the beast's pickiness; pickiness was a good habit, and he would strive to emulate it in the future... In short, Xiao Fei escaped the jaws of death, surviving by sheer chance.