A Niu was simple-minded. His arm had been shattered by a massive force, but he didn’t cry out. Instead, he raised his other fist and swung it toward the demon.
The result was predictable—his other arm was broken too.
Click.
A Niu remained unfazed
. Even when the demon’s sharp claws tore through his abdon, spilling his intestines onto the ground and leaving him drenched in blood, he only smiled foolishly.
The demon, intrigued by how long A Niu could endure, continued to destroy his body.
Tear.
A Niu was stubborn. The demon had promised him a life of luxury if he surrendered—a life filled with unimaginable riches, food, and comfort. But A Niu refused.
He gritted his teeth, blood pooling in his mouth. Finally, he spat it all out—right onto the demon’s face.
“So, you’re just a fool who doesn’t know when to adapt,” the demon sneered, its curiosity turning to disdain.
The demon stopped toying with him. It swung its massive, dragon-scaled claws, the air roaring as they cut through the space between them.
Suddenly, the world seed to slow down for A Niu.
Through his blood-soaked eyes, he saw the claws move sluggishly, inching closer. Everything felt suspended, as if ti had paused.
So slow…
In that mont of stillness, his usually dull mind beca unexpectedly sharp, flooding with thoughts.
Had the others made it out of the mountains?
Was Brother Xu finally getting so rest?
Would there be plenty of food in the afterlife?
A Niu’s head buzzed with questions—more than he’d ever had in his simple life. The sun shone in his eyes, making them sparkle with a clarity that had always eluded him.
Everything hurt. His stomach, his hands, his entire body. But amidst the pain, A Niu smiled—a tragic, bittersweet smile.
It hurt so much, but he was happy.
He had succeeded. He had stalled the demon and given Brother Xu and the others a better chance to survive.
Ah… so this is what happiness feels like…
As the dragon claws lood overhead, they blocked out the sun, leaving A Niu in complete darkness.
The darkness reminded him of that night he had spoken to Xu Xi. He rembered Xu Xi telling him that the aning of life was to be happy.
“Brother Xu… I’m so happy… really happy…”
The overwhelming exhaustion hit him like a tide, pulling him under. His eyelids drooped, and despite his struggle to stay awake, they eventually closed.
Even now, A Niu thought of himself as foolish—a man destined to spend his life farming. But for the first ti, he had truly lived, and that one mont of happiness was worth more than all the als he’d ever eaten.
“The masters in the city have probably never felt this happy,” he thought, utterly content.
His joy gave way to sleep, and as his eyes closed, he saw sothing strange—a hazy light.
The light grew clearer until it beca a familiar scene.
It was Qingniu Town, the place where he had grown up. The town had been burned to the ground by demons long ago, but now it stood as it once had, full of life.
He saw Brother Xu, Mr. Wu Xiao, and the other townsfolk who had perished.
“It’s wonderful…”
In a daze, A Niu walked toward the light, hearing his mother’s voice echo in his ears.
“A Niu, co ho for dinner.”
“Okay, Mom!”
He broke into a run, a pure, childlike smile lighting up his face as he hurried toward his ho in Qingniu Town.
Bang!
A deafening roar shattered the mont.
The dragon’s claws struck the ground with imnse force, destroying half the mountain. The impact left only a dark, bottomless void where A Niu had stood.
Shreds of leaves, stained with bright red blood, floated in the wind, fluttering like butterflies into the endless blue sky.
…
“Sir, aren’t you sad?”
“Yes, I’m sad.”
“Sir, aren’t you angry?”
“Yes, I’m angry.”
The sky was a serene blue, with not a cloud in sight.
The joy of nearing the edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains was quickly replaced by sorrow when they realized A Niu was gone.
Xu Xi stood still, staring at the sky. He had asked everyone—Wu Yingxue and the Qiuhuo Army included—but no one had seen A Niu.
There was no need to ask further. The truth was already clear.
Everything made sense now—the details he had overlooked during the chaos of battle.
“That fool… he actually went off on his own to stop the human immortal,” Xu Xi muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. “So stupid…”
Wu Yingxue, unable to contain her rage, grabbed her spear and prepared to charge back, determined to avenge A Niu.
Even though she hadn’t seen it happen, she knew there could only be one outco for A Niu against such an opponent—death.
But just as she was about to act, she noticed Xu Xi standing motionless.
“Sir, aren’t you going to do anything? Don’t you care about A Niu?” she asked, confused by his calm deanor.
“I care,” Xu Xi said quietly. His tone carried a deep sadness and anger.
“Then why—”
“Because A Niu wouldn’t want us to do this,” Xu Xi interrupted, his voice steady.
He looked away from the sky and began walking forward, continuing to lead the way for everyone.
“That fool gave his life so we could escape the mountains. If we turn back now, everything he sacrificed will have been for nothing.”
His words were calm and logical, but the girl noticed his clenched fists trembling ever so slightly.
Xu Xi’s steps were heavy, each one leaving a deep imprint in the ground, as if he was forcing himself to move forward.
“Let’s go. We can’t let A Niu’s efforts be in vain,” he said, supporting his weary body and offering the girl a strained smile.
“Sir… you…”
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