Chapter 35: Beasts at Blackstone

The first beast reached Blackstone before breakfast.

Lin Yuan was in the kitchen when an Ironhoof Beast screamed outside.

The sound cut through the tavern.

Chairs scraped against the floor.

Lin Yuan put down the knife in his hand and headed outside.

By the time he stepped through the door, Su Mei was already behind him.

The stable was in chaos.

Six Ironhoof Beasts pulled against their ropes. One kicked the wooden divider while another pressed itself into the far corner.

Even the stable’s Calming effect wasn’t enough to keep them completely settled.

Lin Yuan followed their attention.

A gray-brown shape stood beyond the courtyard wall.

For a moment, he thought it was a wolf.

Then it moved into clearer view.

Long ears.

Narrow body.

Fur covered in dirt and scratches.

The creature stopped beside the road, breathing heavily.

Su Mei stared at it.

"Windstep Hare."

Lin Yuan looked at her.

"You know it?"

"I’ve seen them sold in Green River City."

The hare was much larger than an ordinary rabbit, almost reaching Lin Yuan’s knee.

A merchant staying at the tavern came outside and recognized it as well.

"What’s one doing here?"

No one answered.

The hare suddenly turned its head toward the west.

Its body stiffened.

A moment later, it ran.

It crossed the road in a blur and continued east without looking back.

Lin Yuan watched until it disappeared into the wasteland.

Behind him, the Ironhoof Beasts gradually settled.

The merchant rubbed his chin.

"Fast little thing."

Lin Yuan’s attention remained on the empty road.

Over the next two hours, three more beasts crossed the wasteland east of Blackstone.

None approached the buildings.

None stayed.

All came from the west.

By then, people had started paying attention.

Duan He stood outside his shop.

Qiao had left his counter as well.

Room Three’s cultivator came outside, watched a small horned beast disappear into the distance, then looked at Lin Yuan.

"More?"

"Fourth this morning."

The man stared west for a few breaths.

"I’m going back inside."

Duan He looked at him.

"That’s your solution?"

"I came back to Blackstone specifically because I didn’t want to deal with this."

He turned around and entered the tavern.

Qiao watched him leave.

"Reasonable."

Duan He ignored him.

His eyes remained on the road.

"They’re not stopping."

Lin Yuan nodded.

That was what bothered him.

The beasts weren’t approaching Blackstone because of its Faint spiritual environment.

They weren’t coming for the Spirit-Touched Well either.

They were passing through.

Heading east.

Just like the hunters had reported.

For a while, the road became quiet again.

Lin Yuan returned to the kitchen.

Travelers still needed breakfast.

A merchant argued with Qiao over the price of rope.

Two hunters inspected a bundle of claws outside Duan He’s shop.

Xiao Lan came downstairs carrying an empty bowl someone had left in one of the guest rooms.

The morning continued.

Then Duan He’s voice came from outside.

"Owner Lin!"

Lin Yuan stepped out.

Duan He stood near the road, staring west.

"That one’s different."

A dark shape was moving toward Blackstone.

Not running.

Stumbling.

As it came closer, Lin Yuan saw a thick body covered in coarse black-brown hair.

Two curved tusks extended from its mouth.

Blood stained one side.

Duan He’s expression changed.

"Ironback Boar."

"Strong?"

"Strong enough that I wouldn’t stand there."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

Duan He took several steps backward.

"Helpful."

"You’re welcome."

People near the road began moving away.

Qiao retreated toward his shop.

The two hunters outside Duan He’s building drew their weapons.

The boar continued forward.

Its steps were uneven.

Several long wounds crossed its side.

Some were deep enough that blood dripped onto the road.

Whatever had injured it hadn’t been weak.

The boar reached Blackstone’s warning sign.

It stopped.

Its head lifted.

For several breaths, nothing moved.

Then a wooden bucket fell somewhere behind Lin Yuan.

It struck the ground with a sharp crack.

The boar jerked toward the sound.

Its eyes fixed on the people near the tavern.

"Inside," Lin Yuan said.

Su Mei immediately pulled Xiao Lan back through the doorway.

Qiao disappeared into his shop.

Several customers moved away from the windows.

The two hunters remained outside, weapons ready.

The boar lowered its head.

Duan He swore quietly.

Then it charged.

Lin Yuan drew his sword.

Qi surged through his meridians.

He moved away from the tavern entrance.

If the beast continued straight, there were too many people and buildings behind him.

The boar closed the distance quickly.

Ten steps.

Five.

Its tusks lowered.

At the last moment, Lin Yuan shifted aside.

His sword struck the side of its head.

The impact jarred his arm.

The blade cut through coarse hair but failed to bite deeply.

The boar rushed past.

Its hooves tore through the dirt as it turned.

Fast.

Lin Yuan adjusted his grip.

One of the hunters moved forward.

"We can help."

"Keep it away from the buildings."

The two hunters separated, positioning themselves farther along the road.

The boar charged again.

This time Lin Yuan moved toward it.

He stepped diagonally past the tusks.

His sword came down across its wounded shoulder.

The beast roared.

Blood sprayed across the dirt.

It twisted toward him.

Lin Yuan was already moving.

He slipped outside the sweep of its tusks, and his previous step carried naturally into another strike.

The blade cut across the wounded side.

The boar staggered.

Lin Yuan followed.

It tried to turn again.

Too slow.

His sword entered the side of its neck.

The boar lurched forward.

Lin Yuan pulled the blade free and stepped away.

The beast managed another two steps before its front legs collapsed.

Its heavy body struck the ground.

Dust rose around it.

Lin Yuan kept his sword ready.

The boar didn’t rise.

One of the hunters approached from the side and watched it for a moment.

"Dead."

"I noticed."

The hunter looked at the corpse.

Then at Lin Yuan.

"You run this tavern?"

"Yes."

The man looked toward the tavern and then back at Lin Yuan.

"Right."

Duan He approached next.

His attention immediately moved to the boar.

He crouched near the carcass.

"Try not to damage the hide this much next time."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"It was trying to hit me with its tusks."

"I’m just saying."

"Next one is yours."

Duan He considered that.

"The hide is fine."

Once the danger passed, people began coming outside again.

The Ironback Boar quickly drew a small crowd.

Duan He ignored the wounds Lin Yuan had made and inspected the older injuries along the beast’s side.

One of the hunters crouched beside him.

"Claws?"

"Looks like it."

"Big."

Duan He nodded.

Lin Yuan wiped the blood from his sword.

"Can you tell what made them?"

"No."

The hunter examined another wound.

"Whatever it was, it got through an Ironback Boar’s hide."

Duan He stood.

"Could be several things."

That didn’t narrow it down much.

Lin Yuan looked at the wounds again.

Whether they had anything to do with the unusual beast movement, he couldn’t know.

Duan He turned toward him.

"Are you selling it?"

Lin Yuan looked at the corpse.

"You want to buy it?"

"It’s an Ironback Boar."

"It nearly ran through my tavern."

"That doesn’t reduce the value."

"Apparently."

Duan He smiled.

"Twenty."

"Thirty."

"The hide was already damaged."

"Twenty-eight."

"Twenty-two."

"Twenty-six."

Duan He looked at the boar again.

"Twenty-four."

Lin Yuan held out his hand.

"Done."

Duan He paid him twenty-four low-grade spirit stones.

The two hunters helped drag the carcass toward Duan He’s inspection area.

Within minutes, his shop had turned the attack into business.

Lin Yuan stored the spirit stones and returned to the tavern.

There was still lunch to prepare.

The road stayed quiet through the afternoon.

No more beasts appeared.

That didn’t mean the problem was over.

Near sunset, Lin Yuan walked outside and stopped beside the warning board.

WESTERN ROAD NOTICE

Increased Spirit Beast Activity

Main Road Passable

Avoid Leaving the Road

He took it down.

Su Mei noticed from the tavern entrance.

"Changing it?"

"Yes."

She walked closer while Lin Yuan brought out the brush.

He added a new line and changed another.

When he placed the board back, it read:

WESTERN ROAD NOTICE

Increased Spirit Beast Activity

Beasts Have Reached the Blackstone Area

Travel in Groups

Avoid Leaving the Main Road

Su Mei read it.

"That’s a lot more serious than yesterday."

"It is."

She looked toward the western road.

"Do you think more will come?"

Lin Yuan followed her gaze.

"I don’t know."

An injured Ironback Boar was manageable. Warning travelers was simple.

The unknown cause behind all of this was another matter.

Yesterday, the reports had still come from somewhere west of Blackstone.

Today, one of those fleeing beasts had reached his front door.