After the night passed, before dawn had fully broken the next morning, Wu Tian was already impatiently rushing out of the house.
He squatted at the doorway, staring at the two exorcism talismans hanging on the door.
On the left was a red-haired child holding a blade.On the right, a blue-haired child wielding a steel fork.
These exorcism talismans were common throughout the village. Wu Tian had seen them countless times while running around before, yet he had never paid them much attention, assuming they were nothing more than ordinary charms meant to bring peace of mind.
But after witnessing what had happened the night before, he knew—These talismans were anything but ordinary.
Wu Tian stared at them carefully for a long while, yet no matter how he looked, he couldn't discern anything special.
He then ran to the center of the village, wanting to see what exactly had emitted that flame-like red glow which protected the entire settlement.
When he arrived, all he saw was an ancient bronze cauldron.
The cauldron was weathered with age, standing over six feet tall. It was normally used during bonfire gatherings to cook food.
Intricate patterns were engraved upon its surface as well, yet the designs were obscure and incomprehensible.
"There must be secrets in this village that I don't know," Wu Tian thought as he studied the cauldron. "The highest authority here is the clan chief. Other than him, there's the hunting team."
"The hunting team suffered heavy losses a few days ago—many people and white dogs died. That's why they haven't gone out hunting lately. But this situation won't last long."
Wu Tian was certain."Sooner or later, the hunting team will recruit new members and white dogs."
"If I can join the hunting team, venturing into the mountains will be much safer. More importantly, I might learn more about the village's hidden secrets."
Having thought it through, Wu Tian wasted no more time.
Now that he knew sinister entities and yin ghosts truly existed—and that the village possessed means to resist them—there was no way he would give up.
If he were to remain just an ordinary white dog, living for twenty or thirty years before dying in a hunt, that would be utterly meaningless.
He… wanted to become a demon.
With his resolve clear, Wu Tian slipped out once again to train his Hunting and Wind Listening skills. Devouring poisonous creatures would also help temper his innate talent.
Whether it was due to his human soul from a past life or the system panel, he could clearly feel that his two skills were improving rapidly.
After leaving the village, he did not take risks. Instead, he roamed the nearby forest, hunting only poisonous insects, snakes, and ants within his capability.
A full day of hunting yielded plentiful gains. At one point, he even spotted a wild rabbit.
Unfortunately, rabbits that lived in the wild were extremely alert. Before Wu Tian could get close, it noticed him and darted deep into the forest. He did not pursue.
As night approached, Wu Tian returned to the village once more.
After seeing him repeatedly run in and out of the village, the adult white dogs—who had initially feared something might happen to him—stopped barking warnings at him.
Five days passed like this in the blink of an eye, and Wu Tian's attribute panel underwent noticeable changes.
Name: Wu TianAge: 2Bloodline: Southern Border White DogTalent: Poison Devouring 5% (Beginner)Skills: Hunting 20%, Wind Listening 18%
Once his Hunting skill reached twenty percent, Wu Tian could clearly feel that his killing ability had stepped up significantly. His physical strength had also improved noticeably.
"Right… Improving hunting skills also tempers the body itself."
At the moment, Wu Tian was comfortably lying in a wooden tub, enjoying Chi Li Mu's gentle hands as she washed him. Some moments were admittedly a bit awkward—after all, even as a puppy, he was still male.
But after several days, he had grown used to being pulled into the tub for baths. It was as if the warm water washed away the exhaustion and bloodshed of the day.
After the bath, he would curl up in Chi Li Mu's arms and fall into a deep sleep.
At night, eerie winds howled, yet they were unable to invade the village or harm its ordinary residents. Everything seemed calm and peaceful.
However, when Wu Tian awoke the next morning, he sensed that the village atmosphere had grown heavy.
Nearly every household was up early, gathering at the village center.
At some point, a massive pile of firewood had been erected. Carefully prepared corpses, wrapped in white cloth, were placed atop it—seven bodies in total.
All the villagers surrounded the pyre, their expressions solemn and grief-stricken. The clan chief stood at the center, holding a wooden staff, murmuring incantations filled with obscure meaning.
The villagers began chanting an ancient requiem together.
"Past dust forgotten, the next life uncertain.""This life has ended—do not look back.""Seven spirits, three souls, return with the wind to Miao lands…"
The ancient soul-soothing chant echoed between heaven and earth, carrying an indescribable rhythm that pressed heavily upon the heart.
The entire village was filled with nothing but the sound of the requiem.
Even Wu Tian lay low on the ground, watching quietly.
Whoosh!
Amid the chanting, the clan chief raised his wooden staff. A red beam of light shot forth and landed on the firewood pile. Flames instantly erupted, soon engulfing the entire pyre.
Chi Li Mu was held in her grandfather's arms. Having not seen her father for several days, she had already vaguely understood what had happened.
She knew she would never see her father again.
She was mature beyond her years and didn't want to trouble the adults, shedding not a single tear—But now, gazing at the roaring flames and listening to the requiem in her ears…
Her tears finally fell. She covered her mouth as soft sobs escaped.
Many others were crying as well. The sound of weeping blended with the chant, making the atmosphere even more oppressive.
As the seven bodies were completely consumed by the fire, everything returned to dust. Nothing remained.
This seemed to be a special custom of the village. Corpses were not allowed to remain, and even cremation was performed during the day rather than at night.
Once the funeral ritual ended, life gradually returned to its routine.
Just as Wu Tian had predicted, the hunting team began reorganizing—recruiting people and white dogs to enter the mountains once more.
For the Miao people living deep in the mountains, hunting was a vital source of food.
The reason for the long delay was the sudden loss of seven hunters.
Wu Tian pieced this together through various clues. Anxious, he rushed to the clan chief's door, letting out low, continuous growls.
Inside, the clan chief was discussing the upcoming hunt with the hunting leader, Gu Xiong Mu. Hearing the white dog's growls outside, he felt puzzled.
The guards outside recognized Wu Tian as a puppy and feared he might disturb those inside. They quickly scolded him, trying to chase him away.
But Wu Tian refused to leave, lingering outside the door.
Though the clan chief never stepped out, it was as if he could see Wu Tian. Stroking his graying beard, he chuckled softly.
"What a spiritually aware Bai Long'er."
"Gu Xiong Mu, bring this Bai Long'er along on your next hunt. He's a fine seed—perhaps he may become a dog king someday."
Gu Xiong Mu nodded solemnly. Not only was this the clan chief's order, but white dogs were also the hunting team's most loyal companions.
Without them, hunting in the mountains would be impossible—survival itself unthinkable.
"Yin Shuang," Gu Xiong Mu called out.
At his feet, an adult white dog slowly rose to its feet and calmly walked toward the door.
(End of Chapter)