Chương 28: Avenge the Father

Giant Willow Village, Li Tie's grave. Even though he had already held Song Que in extremely high regard, Zhong Kui realized today that he had still underestimated this youth. Capturing a five-hundred-catty tiger alive and bringing it back? You've got to be kidding me! One must understand: this wasn't killing it, this was capturing it alive! The difficulty levels of the two acts were completely different weight classes.

If it were merely hunting and killing a tiger, Zhong Kui and his hunting team had done that before. But if you told them to go catch a live tiger to bring back and play with? Give him ten hunting teams, and it still wouldn't be enough! People would die! Yet today, a mere youth had accomplished it right before his eyes. How could his jaw not drop to the floor? Old Zhong clicked his tongue in amazement, circling the giant tiger to appraise it.

Seeing it glaring at him with wide, hateful eyes, he wasn't afraid, only puzzled:"A Jade-Eyed Tiger? Song Que, where did you find this massive beast?"

"Uncle Zhong, is there a problem? This beast lived on the northern slopes of the Great Ridge Mountains," Song Que asked doubtfully. Hearing this, Old Zhong smiled bitterly:"Fate is fate. Ultimately, it's hard to escape. Little Song, this is likely the exact culprit responsible for your father's death all those years ago." These words shocked Song Que:"How is that possible, Uncle Zhong? My father's accident was nearly ten years ago! Could it really live that long?

Besides, there are plenty of giant tigers in the deep mountains; it can't just be this one."

"It's true, eight or nine times out of ten."

"Kid, look at its eyes. This is a Jade-Eyed Tiger. They are incredibly rare. I highly doubt there would be a second one in the same territory."

"When your father met with the accident, I rushed over just in time to save Li Tie. In that brief moment, I caught a glimpse of those eyes. Even now, the memory is burned deeply into my mind."

"Moreover, this species is much more robust than normal tigers, and their temperament is far more sinister. Living for twenty or thirty years is no problem for them." He let out a mournful sigh:"Li Tie managed to escape it once, but he couldn't hide forever. In the end, he still lost his life to it. Perhaps this is simply fate." Hearing this, Song Que was deeply moved, sighing at the impermanence of life. He smiled bitterly:"It seems I conveniently avenged my father on this trip as well.

I hope the two brothers can reunite in the netherworld." The old man and the youth fell silent, only the sounds of muffled weeping echoing in their ears. A short while later, the mother and her children finally stopped crying. Aunt Li stepped forward, looked at Song Que, and said through her tears:"A'niu, Auntie doesn't blame you. You shouldn't do things like this. If something happened to you..." She couldn't hold back her sobs, her voice breaking. Her husband had just passed away, leaving her with two children.

Now, the only pillar of support the three of them had left was Song Que. If something unexpected happened to him, she truly wouldn't know how to go on living. Song Que hurriedly comforted her:"Auntie, it's fine. This beast couldn't hurt me. But I promise you, I won't do anything reckless in the future." Only then did Aunt Li nod through her tears. Gou'dan also stepped forward to comfort his mother and sister. After a long while, he walked over to Song Que.

His eyes were completely bloodshot, staring at the Jade-Eyed Tiger with intense hatred. He asked in a hoarse voice:"Brother A'niu, is this the beast that killed my father?"

"Yes," Song Que replied in a deep voice.

"Brother A'niu, I want to kill it with my own hands." Looking at the kid trembling all over while facing the Jade-Eyed Tiger, yet with eyes burning with resolute hatred, Song Que figured that letting him vent might help ease his psychological burden. He nodded, drew his dagger, and handed it to him: This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"You can. Take this and finish it. Avenge your father." Perhaps sensing the approaching danger, the Jade-Eyed Tiger struggled violently. With its jaws bound shut, it couldn't roar, but it continuously emitted furious, muffled growls. Its emerald eyes glared viciously at the trembling Gou'dan holding the dagger. Seeing the boy's state, Song Que stepped forward and pinned the giant tiger's head down. Exposing its chest, he yelled to Gou'dan:"Use your strength! Stab it right here!" Gou'dan's face twisted.

With a feral roar, he repeatedly plunged the dagger into the Jade-Eyed Tiger's chest, muttering incoherent phrases with every strike. Song Que watched silently as he vented, waiting until the boy was utterly exhausted before stopping him. By now, the giant tiger's chest was a mangled mess. It was dead as a doornail, its eyes wide open, its massive body soaking in a pool of blood. Nearby, Aunt Li and Er'ya embraced each other and began to cry once again.... In the distance.

Today, it could be said that every capable person from the upper and lower hamlets of Giant Willow Village had gathered here. They formed multiple rings, watching the cemetery from afar. Witnessing this family tragedy and the youth's grueling revenge, everyone harbored different thoughts. Naturally, the Zhao father and son were also present. At this moment, both their hearts were filled with terror. They immediately turned to lock eyes with each other, frantically exchanging signals.

After reaching a consensus, they smiled at each other with satisfaction. Indeed, great minds think alike! The ancients taught that a gentleman taking revenge, ten years is not too late! The ancients also taught that those who recognize the times are the true heroes, and a true man knows when to yield and when to stand tall! Today, we, the men of the Zhao family, want to be heroes! We want to be gentlemen! We will temporarily forget this grudge.

As men of vast ambition and broad chests, we shouldn't hold onto such petty things! In a rare moment of telepathic understanding, the father and son quietly slipped back into the crowd and stealthily retreated to their manor.... With the great vengeance fulfilled and the pain in their hearts vented, the gloom surrounding the Li family's mother and children dissipated significantly. At this time, Gou'dan, with red eyes, looked expectantly at Song Que and asked:"Brother A'niu, can you teach me martial arts?"

"I don't really know martial arts, just some crude kicks and punches."

"Whatever you practice, Brother, I'll practice too. Anything is fine." Having experienced such a tragedy, Gou'dan was exceptionally resolute right now. Looking at the kid in front of him, Song Que felt deeply emotional. About a year ago, wasn't he just like this youth, begging Old Li to teach him? Now it was his turn to teach the son of the man who had taught him. It truly felt like the cycle of reincarnation.

"Alright. Gou'dan, come to Mirror Lake every morning to find me. We will train together." Seeing Song Que nod, a trace of light returned to Gou'dan's face. He replied in a deep voice:"Brother, don't worry. I can endure hardship." Nodding happily, Song Que asked:"Gou'dan, why do you want to practice martial arts?"

"Brother, I want to become strong. I want to protect my old mother and sister, and never let my family suffer." With me here, your family will never suffer. Naturally, Song Que didn't say that out loud. Seeing Gou'dan shoulder the weight of responsibility and step onto the path of maturity, he was very pleased.

"Uhm, Little Song, where exactly is Mirror Lake?" Right at that moment, an interrupting voice chimed in. Old Zhong, hearing these two brats talk about practicing martial arts, was salivating with envy and pricking up his ears. Who knows, if he learned a thing or two, he might be able to hunt tigers in the forest too! Even if he couldn't, strengthening his bones and muscles wasn't a bad deal. But listening to them, these brats were planning to secretly turn on cheats without bringing this old man along!

How could he endure that? He hurriedly asked for clarification. Looking at the old man's expectant face, Song Que burst out laughing:"Uncle Zhong, it's what everyone calls Ghost Lake. I'm living there now." Hearing this, Comrade Old Zhong was horrified:"Don't! Don't! There really is a ghost there! I've personally seen many people get dragged down into the water!" Unexpectedly, Gou'dan looked at him with disdain:"Uncle Zhong, Brother A'niu chopped that ghost to death a long time ago. Your guts are way too small."

You little brat! Is that any way to speak?! Am I, Zhong Kui, afraid of ghosts?! Well, yes... but that ghost was way too terrifying! I saw it drag two people into the lake and chew them up loudly, not even spitting out the bones! That scene had traumatized him for a very long time. After running back that day, he fell severely ill and had nightmares every night. Besides, the whole village was scared of it! Even the fierce beasts were scared! It wasn't just him, Old Zhong, who was afraid!

A wet-behind-the-ears brat is truly a newborn calf that doesn't fear the tiger! Grandmaster Zhong decided to pity him and not bicker with a little kid. Wait a minute... did I miss something? Nani?! Did this brat just say the Ghost was chopped to death?! Old Zhong jumped as if he had seen a ghost, his eyes bulging as he stared at Song Que, asking in a trembling voice:"Really?"

Nodding, and deciding to play the role of a peerless master for once, Song Que waved his hand dismissively and said indifferently:"It was just a stinking ghost that looked like a pile of moss and mud. It tried to crawl up and eat me, so I casually chopped it down with a single slash of my saber." Old Zhong's eyes sparkled with stars of reverence, looking at him as if looking at a deity. He believed Song Que's words without a shadow of a doubt.

Not to mention the description of the ghost perfectly matched his memory, the fact that Little Song was living by the lake right now proved the ghost was dead! A literal god among men! His worldview shattered and rebuilt once again, Old Zhong had no words left to express the sheer shock Song Que had brought him today. Subduing a fierce tiger with his bare hands, trampling ghosts and demons underfoot! If someone told him right now that Song Que could fly, Old Zhong would absolutely believe it!

For this youth, perhaps there was truly nothing he couldn't do. Right now, if Song Que just raised his arm and shouted, "The Azure Sky is dead, the Yellow Sky shall rise; in the year of Jiazi, there will be prosperity under heaven!" Zhong Kui would probably raise his hand in support without hesitation, bravely charging forward with righteous fervor to overthrow the outdated, backward feudal system! Believe in Half-Immortal Song, gain eternal life!