Chapter 20: Rescuing the Chief

A small white snake, over a meter long and covered in scales, crawled out.

The moment it emerged, it exhaled a chilly mist. Without waiting for my grandmother to speak, it cried out, "Third Aunt, save me! All my younger kin have been captured by them."

"What!?" My grandfather exploded with rage at these words. "Those bastards! They’ll stoop to any heartless atrocity. Where are they? Let me have a look."

"They are all sealed beneath those iron towers," the snake replied.

My grandfather’s face flushed red. Gripping his cloth-wrapped bundle tightly, he strode toward the iron towers.

As he reached the base, a sturdy young man stepped out from the shadows behind the tower and barked, "Old man, get out of here! This isn't a place for you!"

"Get lost. Who do you think you are?" my grandfather retorted sharply.

"Old man, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. I am Wu Qiang of the Wu family!" the young man threatened.

"You bastards of the Wu family—to actually use the Five-Child Immortal-Trapping Array! You mean to exterminate them completely!" My grandfather glared at the seals beneath the tower and lashed out.

"Seventh Uncle, don't get excited. We were forced into this; it was a last resort," Li Changfeng said, running over to explain.

My grandfather pointed at Li Changfeng and cursed, "You little punk! Not only are you following the Wu family in their evil deeds, but you even tricked me into coming here to clean up your mess!"

Wu Qiang’s face darkened with fury. "You old geezer, don't spout your filth and insult the Wu family! You're courting death!"

"Go to hell!" My grandfather, incensed by Wu Qiang’s words, didn't hesitate; he spun around and kicked out.

I had been trailing behind my grandfather, and the suddenness of his action caught me off guard.

Wu Qiang was a burly man with bulging, well-defined muscles visible under his short sleeves. At first glance, I had mistaken him for a gym coach; it was clear he was trained in combat.

Although my grandfather’s move shocked me, I immediately rushed forward, fearing he might be injured by the younger man.

Seeing my grandfather lift his leg, a sinister sneer curled on Wu Qiang’s lips. "Old man, you're looking for a grave!"

With that, Wu Qiang delivered a kick of his own—sharp and vicious. I knew then that he was definitely a martial artist.

*Snap!* A crisp sound of bone breaking echoed between them.

I screamed, "Grandfather!"

I had been worried for him; he was elderly, and even with his strength, he was no match for a young, fit man like Wu Qiang.

"Mother of God!" A miserable shriek followed as Wu Qiang fell backward. I saw his leg twisted at a horrifying, unnatural angle.

I was completely stunned, unable to process what had just happened.

My grandfather was a legend! I had watched their kicks collide, but I never imagined he could possess such devastating power.

This was my first time meeting the Wu family and my first time seeing my grandfather in action. The ferocity of his strike showed he held no mercy for the Wus.

"My leg! My leg is broken!" Wu Qiang wailed, rolling on the ground clutching his limb. Li Changfeng stood frozen in shock.

At that moment, several of Li Changfeng’s henchmen rushed over, intending to help Wu Qiang. I immediately stepped to my grandfather's side, and together we blocked the path. If they wanted to reach Wu Qiang, they would have to go through us.

My grandfather pointed his great blade at Li Changfeng and roared, "You little punk, you’re complicit in the Wu family’s evil deeds—aren't you afraid of retribution?"

The cold, gleaming edge of the blade stopped the men in their tracks; none dared to approach.

Li Changfeng, standing seven or eight meters away, looked pale and wretched. "Seventh Uncle, it’s not my fault! It was Wu Yong’s idea. I had no choice!"

"Just you wait, you little brat. I’ll make sure your father flays you alive!" My grandfather finished, then turned to a concrete slab covered in yellow paper talismans.

He ripped the cloth off his bundle, revealing a thick-backed, two-foot-long broadsword with an iron ring attached.

He gripped the hilt with both hands and brought the blade down with a thunderous crash.

*Thud!* A hole was carved into the concrete, and the sparks from the blade ignited the talismans.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!* My grandfather circled the tower, hacking holes into all five concrete slabs. Flames licked at the spots where the talismans had burned.

I watched, mesmerized. His blade was formidable! The thick concrete might as well have been tofu; one strike per slab, and they were all shattered.

Li Changfeng was struck dumb, staring at my grandfather as if petrified. His henchmen, though gathered around, stood at a distance in stunned silence.

"Sigh, what a tragic cycle of debt," my grandmother sighed. She turned to Li Changfeng. "You little bastard, how do you intend to resolve this?"

Li Changfeng stood like a wooden puppet. Suddenly, Yang Guangcai ran over, dropped to his knees before my grandmother, and pleaded, "Third Aunt, please save us! We were just afraid of their endless entanglement; that’s why we resorted to this."

"Sigh! You have gone too far," my grandmother said, shaking her head before walking toward the nearest slab.

I leaned over to look into the pit. It was a concrete trench filled with many snakes, all lying motionless. A pungent, stinging smell of pesticide wafted up.

My grandmother looked back at Yang Guangcai. "Go get water. As much as you can."

"Quick! Get water for Third Aunt! As much as possible!" Yang Guangcai barked at his men.

They quickly moved boxes of bottled water and drinks from the trunks of their cars. My grandfather grabbed a case, placed it by the pit, and with a swift sweep of his blade, cleanly sliced open the bottle caps.

He poured the water into the pit, making sure it washed over the snakes.

My grandmother sat in the center of the five pits and began to beat a drum, chanting under her breath. Her voice rose and fell in rhythm.

Five minutes later, the snakes began to stir, crawling out and gathering in the central pit. I realized my grandmother’s energy was flowing into the ground, animating the pits, and bringing more and more of the snakes back to life.

My grandmother opened her eyes, her presence noticeably weaker. She looked at the small snake in the pit and said, "Sigh, when will this cycle of vengeance end? I think it’s time to stop."

"Third Aunt!" the small snake cried, stretching its neck. "Is that all?"

"I am here. If he tries to hurt you, I won't allow it. But if you try to hurt him, I cannot stand by either. What would you have me do?" my grandmother said helplessly.

"Look, don't be stubborn," my grandfather said, looking at the snake. "I have an idea. Let’s see if it works for you."

"Seventh Uncle, speak. You are the most righteous; I will listen to you!" the snake replied.

My grandfather looked at me. "Little Fangyuan, go down and bring up the ones that didn't make it out or have died."

I went into the pit and recovered over thirty dead snakes. My grandfather gathered them together, and my grandmother began her rites, chanting to lead their souls to rest.

"Watch closely, Little Fangyuan," my grandmother said as she worked. "No matter the technique, it must come from the heart. It is all supported by a single breath, and that breath comes from the practitioner's intent."

I knew she was giving me her final lesson. I was now a shaman in my own right; my path would be different from hers, but the principles remained the same.

I knew that from tomorrow on, I would have to rewrite my own life.