Beware Of Chicken-Novel

Nezan watched on idly as once more food and drink was brought out. He had a small smile plastered on his face as he watched Yun Ren entertain the rest of their kin with colours and swirling lights.

It was a scene of levity, compared to the oppressive atmosphere that Nezan had created.

He had never been alone. At first, he had followed the stronger foxes, mad on Da Ji’s hate. They demanded that everyone must fight, declaring that this war was their solemn duty.

So they did. There was no such thing as a non-combatant fox for the first part of the war—when they gathered in their hundreds to challenge the Shrouded Mountain Sect.

Indeed, Nezan still remembered the impassioned plea of his cousins during the conclave that had convinced the majority of their kin to stay instead of fleeing the province when the tide of the war became obvious.

Oh, some likely had left; but the bulk of the foxes had stayed.

This was their home, and it was their duty to fight to their last breaths to defend it.

Even as their numbers dwindled, Nezan fought. His survival was what saw him get, to use a human term, promoted; he fought and he fought and he fought until one day he found himself as one of the strongest foxes left alive, with everybody following his lead.

And then it had been her that had given her life for them in that final, fateful battle. Her amongst some of the last foxes who had strength left. A rear-guard action, to protect their last real village and buy time for their evacuation.

They had turned the valley into a burial mound. Three Elders of the Shrouded Mountain Sect had gone to their doom along with nearly a thousand cultivators when his dearest had turned herself into an avatar of living lightning.

Nezan, too, had nearly perished in that battle. He had been grievously injured, his cultivation nearly shattered.

But his people had still needed his help.

The technical leader of their race, by seniority if nothing else. The leaders of the clans swore they would wait for his word and for his return, and that their children would forever honour him.

With that, Nezan could finally rest. He staggered back to Wen’s grave and he slept.

He slept for ages; a human cultivator surely would have perished by old age, but the foxes of the mountain were known for their longevity.

But it took him entirely too long to recover. Each time he awoke, it was almost like a dream. He would work on Wen’s Tomb or he would sneak out to a village to make sure they were still there.

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And then, one day, he found an intruder in his den who, with his words and actions, had made the world swim back into focus.

All of a sudden, he was back in the war. Back in the never-ending battle to retake his homeland… no matter the cost.

He had tried to distance himself from the dark feelings, for Nezuhua’s plea against restarting the war had moved him. The reality of the situation was plain, yet even this had not really succeeded.

At first, the force that had been assembled had been a contingency plan. A “just in case” if Shen Yu was serious about only Bi De receiving his protection as his student. Of course, he needed not really worry… but he had anyway. Yuanlin was a specialist in rescue operations. In the few cases the Inquisition managed to catch a fox these days, it was Yuanlin who went to try and intercept them before they made it back to the mountain.

The news of what had happened had completely broken the dam on his emotions, however. All of a sudden, for the first time in as long as Nezan could remember, they had a true chance of retaking their home… and it had gripped his soul.

Even though his heart had been wavering, he had to have one last, defiant gasp.

Thankfully, his boy once again succeeded magnificently.

A perfect victory, where the only blood spilled was that of his enemies.

“Uncle? Are you well?”

Nezuhua’s voice broke into Nezan’s thoughts and he blinked. The hall had been opened again and the rest of the children were there. Yun Ren had Summer’s Sky out, using the blade to create spiraling fractals in the air. Bi De was deep in conversation with Xue Ji, the officious-looking woman writing something down for him. Ri Zu was speaking with Nezuhao, the old woman chuckling at whatever the girl had said.

In addition to them… were the former members of the Shrouded Mountain Sect. Yushang was expertly losing a game to the few children who were here. Han was once more speaking with Da Jin, listening seriously. And finally, Yuanlin was speaking with Shao Heng, the stoic man nodding along to whatever she was saying.

“I’m fine, dear,” he said, giving Nezuhua a small smile.

He sighed again and closed his eyes, pushing and shoving the snarling animal in his soul down so it was a bit quieter.

Yes. That was a fine idea.

Wen would have approved.ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelenglish.net . Fire(.)nᴇt

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But alas, they had duties to attend to. They were needed to the north, to ensure the Shrouded Mountain Sect had truly been attacking the demons as they claimed and clearing them out properly.

Their party was comprised of himself, Ri Zu, Yun Ren, Yushang, Han, Shao Heng, and Nezan; the rest of the foxes would instead be dispersing back to their own homes… and in Nezuhua’s case, they would be making preparations to travel to the Azure Hills, so that they could travel there as soon as Bi De and his party returned.

Bi De had also given a letter to one of the foxes, who swore she would deliver it beforehand. Bi De had been out of communication for a while and his Master needed to be informed, just in case this took longer than expected.

There was little in the way of goodbyes. Nezan and Yun Ren—whom Nezan had taken pity on and taught how to hide his ears and tail, much to Yushang’s disappointment—merely bid their kin farewell and declared that they would see them again soon.

And thus off they went, heading north.

The mood was optimistic as Yushang bugged Yun Ren to take out his tail again, much to the other man’s annoyance.

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There was a ringing in his ears. His entire body felt like it was burning and freezing at the same time as the wind howled and his body rocked side to side. It was incredibly uncomfortable.

He suddenly dropped slightly, as whatever he was on rocked more.

He was being carried, he realised. And the person carrying him had just stumbled.

“Stay with me. Come on, Yingwen! Stay with me!” Fenxian demanded over the wind, his voice tight with pain. “We’re gonna make it!”

Zhou Yingwen of the Shrouded Mountain Sect opened his eyes… and then immediately wished he hadn’t.

It was dark and the air was filled with snow, but it did nothing to hide the state his companion was in.

He could see Fenxian’s skull. The blackned bone was visible in the ruin that was his face. His clothes had been burned off, and his leg had a bone sticking out of it, his own bone. His brother disciple was barely standing, and Yingwen would not burden him anymore.

“I am awake. Put me down. I can walk,” Yingwen said, trying to lessen the burden on his fellow.

Fenxian laughed. The sound was pained.

“No, you can’t,” Fenxian replied.

Yingwen blinked and then looked down.

Oh… it appeared Fenxian was correct, for the first time in forever. Yingwen could not walk.

He had no legs.

He let out a rattling breath and turned away again. He fell silent as Fenxian trudged along, Yingwen’s eyes roving around and trying to make out anything through the blizzard around them.

And then he saw it, the briefest of flashes before it melted back into the snow.

“Fenxian.”

“I know,” his brother disciple tersely replied.

The rattling breath that sounded like laughter.

Fenxian started moving faster, no matter how much the movement pained him.

The rattling laugh was joined by a second, and then a third.

Yingwen felt despair start to creep up on him. The same despair he felt when Elder Shenhe had fallen.