That huge monstrous buffalo was running towards them. The distance between them was quickly lessening.
Min was too stunned to move. But suddenly he felt someone grabbing his right arm and pulling him towards them.
"Come run you idiot!" These were spoken with Ling Yin's voice. Before Min could comprehend anything, he was running on the dirt path along with two other pairs of footsteps beside him. They took the turn and headed towards the old earth god shrine. The roar and heavy breathing of the monster was about a few feet away from them. They arrived at the foot of the stairs and quickly climbed up and passed the gate and head towards the yard. Suddenly Xiao Nan and Ling Yin stopped. Min looked behind.
"We can't go inside the shrine it's obvious the buffalo is tailing behind us and it can easily break inside the shrine." Ling Yin.
Min looked around the yard. Suddenly it hit him. He grabbed Ling Yin and Xiao Nan's arms and headed towards the well.
"I've been here before to sleep and I know this well has ladder on the inside of it." Min shouted.
He quickly leapt over the stone well and placed his foot on the iron ladder.
"Follow me, but be careful." He added. He started climbing down.
Yin and Nan looked at each other and Yin leapt over the well and started climbing down too. At last when Xiao Nan leapt over the well he heard a crash behind him and aggressive growls. He looked behind and saw that the bull has entered the yard but since it's body was so big it broke the old wooden gate. The gate was stuck to it's horns and the buffalo looked in distress.
"Hey why did you do that for you fat-ass buffalo. This shrine was our—"
"Are you coming?!"
"Oh yes." He started climbing down too.
The more he went down the darker it got.
The old rusty iron ladder was creaking and screeching with every steps.
"Slow down, last steps are really rusty. It can—"
But it was too late. Rust breaking sound was heard and the ladder was broken in half and was falling down. All of them screamed and was expecting god knows what. But then the other half of the ladder got stuck on the other side and Nan was left hanging there holding onto his dear life , like a monkey holding on a branch.
Luckily he wasn't too high above the ground and Ling Yin grabbed his dangling legs and pulled him down. But he couldn't balance and Xiao Nan's body slipped from his arm and both of them tumbled and landed on their butts.
Ouch!
"Look what you have done! I'm all covered in dirt!" Nan yelled.
"It's not my fault the ladder can't hold your weight! How will we get out of here now?" Yin shouted back.
"Guys calm down. Please don't fight here. Your yells can attract the buffalo." Min intervened.
He helped the two to their feet. "This well has been dry for a long time now and with slippery wet soil and moss here and there, it's easy for anyone to lose their balance."
"Thanks but now we will be stuck here forever because he wasn't careful enough and broke the damn ladder and completely blocked the hole."
Xiao Nan was about return some words but Fengmin stopped him and gestured a 'Shush' sign and pointed upwards.
The buffalo was looking down the well but it's wasn't obvious if it saw them or not. It stayed there for some time and then left grunting loudly. It's heavy hooves-steps slowly becoming distant.
"We should keep quite and wait till it feels safe. Then we will get out of here." Min whispered to the other two.
"But how will we leave? There is no way out." Yin whispered while glaring at Nan.
Nan made a tsk sound but didn't say anything.
"We will do something." Min said. He moved closer to the walls. The inside of the well was wide enough for six people to fit. The walls were made of square stone tiles. There were a bit of space between every stone. Moss and ferns were sticking out of them. Suddenly he had an idea.
He looked for something in his sleeves and took out a dagger still in a sheath and long copper spoon. Then dug the blade and the end of the spoon handle between the gaps pushed his body of the ground. It was perfect. All they had to do was dig them a bit deeper.
"That will do!" He heard Nan's cheerful voice from back. He already realised what min was trying to do.
"Yes, but we should wait a bit longer. Just to be safe." Ling Yin said.
They waited for about an hour. When they heard nothing and it sounded completely safe, Min slowly went and stabbed the gap between some stones with the dagger. He made sure it was deep to be completely stuck. Then he used his other hand to poke the spoon handle on a higher gap. And then slowly and carefully used the dagger holding hand to push and spoon holding body to pull his body upwards.
He took out the dagger from the gap and stabbed it on a higher gap than the spoon. Then he repeated that on the spoon holding one. After doing this for six times, he looked up and saw only about 9 stones were left to climb.
He pushed forward with much excitement now and in a short while, he arrived at the peak of the well. He grabbed the edge of the stone well and climbed over it to the safe ground toppled down on a sitting position.
He was breathing heavily from all those exercise and muscles were feeling numb. But he can't rest for too long. He stood up and looked down the well.
"Move aside! I'll throw the dagger and spoon. You two, just do as I did." Then he threw the spoon and dagger into the well.
He was feeling anxious. They can't stay here much longer. For some reason he felt that the buffalo would come back again. It will take some time for the other two to climb up. Now he was feeling guilty too. He knew something would happen to him every now and then and he always carried bad luck, yet he still spend time with these nice brothers and put them in trouble.
When he was thinking about these, he heard a keeech! He looked down. Someone was making climbing their way up. He waited.
Sounds of dagger stabbing and spoon poking was making their way up. After two or three stabs Min finally saw the silhouette of a dusty Ling Yin. He didn't see how bad his condition was down there because of the darkness but now Min could see Ling Yin's nice clothes were covered in dust, mud and moss and sweat.
When Ling Yin climbed near the top Min stretched a hand towards him.Yin grabbed his hand and soon landed on dry ground.
Grasping for air, he handed the things to Min which the later then shoved down the well.
Min waited for some sound and pretty soon he heard the same sound of someone climbing up.
It was all good and it seemed everyone will go safely back home but then a monstrous growl was heard behind the shrine and moments later that black, curve horned monstrosity was in front of them.
"Don't come up!!" Ling Yin shouted down the well. Then he grabbed Min's hand and they both started galloping like race horse down the forest trail. Behind them, they heard the very questionable growls coming from the buffalo that sounded like some mid-class demon.
They ran like their life depended on it and honestly, it really did. Dashing through paths and bushes, branches cut through their skin but they had no time to care. That creature was tailing them close by.
Suddenly something caught on Min's right foot and he fell on his face and let out a cry of despair. Ling Yin had almost missed him if he didn't look back. He hurried to the poor kid on the ground and helped him to sit. The approaching sounds of heavy hooves and wild grunts was making him anxious. He looked around desperately for a place to hide.
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Moments later that beast passed by the small opening on the banyan tree's root, where the two boys were hiding.
Ling Yin and Fengmin breathed a sigh of relief.
"It almost got us there— hey your nose." Stopped Yin in middle.
Min touched his nose and looking at his hand he gasped. It was a bloody mess. They realised before due to the chaos but now Min was really feeling the pain. He must've hit his nose on something really hard when he fell. Something..
Oh what was the thing that I tripped on? He thought to himself. He swung his head at the direction of the place where he fell.
There on the ground something silver and shiny about the size of a sparrow lay on the ground. It must've been heavy since he tripped on it. He was going to tell Yin about it so he opened his mouth but a handkerchief was suddenly put on his nose. He looked back and was met with the gaze of a worried Yin looking back at him. Yin gently rubbed his nose with the handkerchief and wiped away the blood. Min looked at the blood soaked handkerchief. It was made of silk and looked quite expensive and beautiful.
"Thanks Yin gege but you didn't have to—
He felt a gush of warm blood coming out of his nose. But this time Yin wiped Min's nose with his sleeve. Fengmin was taken aback.
Yin quickly said, "Handkerchief was already bloodied so it wouldn't helped and I'll wash my clothes anyway." He smiled sweetly.
Fengmin felt a very strange warm feeling. He was never treated this way before. He couldn't say anything.
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After sitting there for some time they cautiously stepped out of the hole. After standing up Yin found himself stretching. They were squeezing close together in that hole so it was quite uncomfortable there. He threw the handkerchief to a side and motioned Min to follow him. Min looked at the blood soaked handkerchief on the ground and said, "Are you going to just throw that away?"
"I have many of these, don't worry."Ling Yin replied walking slowly ahead, his back at Min.
Min looked at Yin and then at the handkerchief. Then he quickly bent down and picked up the handkerchief and put it in his pocket. He stepped a few steps forward and bent down once more and picked up the silver shiny thing. He was surprised to find out it was a miniature trunk. He put that in his pocket too then started skipping towards Yin.
"I think it's finally over . So, where are we going now?" Min exclaimed cheerfully.
"Obviously, back to village." Yin replied, untouched.
This made Min feel very sad. Because he again thought how it was his fault why they got into all this trouble but until now he was treated so nicely by him. He fell silent and kept his head low as if to display how guilty he felt.
They walked for quite some time until Yin noticed something was off and asked Min, "Are you okay? Are you feeling sick or something little Min?"
"I'm sorry."
"Huh."
"I'm sorry. Because of me you two got into trouble. I always make everything worse for everyone. You two gege were so nice to me yet I repaid you this way. Please forgive me."
Ling Yin was too stunned to speak. He didn't think Min would feel this way. But he didn't have the courage to bring up what Xiao Nan said to him back down the well when Min was climbing up.
"I've always heard how much bad luck he carried. But never knew it was that dangerous. We literally met him today but look at us now, trying our best to stay alive."
Back there Ling Yin almost agreed to this statement but now here looking at Min's sincere little face and heart touching apology, he doesn't feel the same anymore.
What if this boy doesn't carry any bad luck but just happen to stumble into every dangerous and fatal situations at coincidental manner? What if his backstory and people getting into trouble after meeting him is just their own luck but a very funny timing? What if Xiao Nan's statement is very wrong? Speaking of Xiao Nan, where the hell is ——
"Ahhhhh" both Yin and Min jumped.
"We left Xiao Nan in the well!" Ling Yin yelled.
"I think I forgot feeling up the water barr——
They blinked at each other.
Min went all red. " I'm sorry again." He whispered.
Though Yin felt a bit mad but he couldn't argue now. At least little Min is a obedient student.
"No time to talk. We have to get to him."
Min nodded. They both went back to where they came from.
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"Xiao Nannnnn, can you hear meeeee" Yin bellowed.
"Hmmmmmm." A voice replied.
Ling Yin sighed relieved.
"Then come up the coast is clear."
Saying so he sat on the stone and then spoke to Min, "Little Min, I've something to tell you."
Min came back from daze and looked at him.
" What you said before and apologised for really made me thinking. After some really deep and thorough thinking, I've come to the conclusion that you are completely wrong."
Min blinked. Obviously didn't get it.
"I mean you are not unlucky. Everything has a meaning and purpose. One thing may happen to someone for other person's doing. For instance, you go to an inn but the food is bad it's not your luck that made the food bad it's the chef who did it. So what I really mean is that little Min you aren't unlucky but has a bad timing that's all." Saying all this Ling Yin looked at Min's face and got startled to see streams of tears oozing from Min's eyes.
Did i move him that much or did I offend him in some way. Yin thought to himself.
"Little Min are you alright?"
" Yes I am . It's just you are too kind." Min said wiping his eyes with his sleeves.
Just then Nan arrived at the top.
"Damn i feel like a mere mole. Can't see straight. I was so worried. Are you sure we are totally safe. Where is that thing. And—— he stopped right there after realising Min was tearing down and Yin had a hand on his shoulder —— guys, what did I miss?"
"It's nothing just — he was cut short when a thunderous growl was bellowed behind them. That buffalo came back!
Right when the monster came, Xiao Nan quickly started climbing down.
Yin tugged on Min's sleeves. "Come on let's go down the well again."
"We can't."
"Why?!"
"Because Nan gege has the spoon and the dagger."
"..——"
"There is nothing we can do except me trying to force the buffalo away from here or at least distract it while you flee."
"What? No we can run."
"No I can't I'm too tired for that and that monster is too close now. This is my chance to see what I can do. RUN AWAY GEGE!!!"
"NO DONT!!"
But Min can't stop now. Now that his master's words were ringing in his ears. "Cross your limits and challenge your self and discover new powers within you."
He leapt forward in a curved position, both arms in a weird flowing motion on his right and legs running straight towards the buffalo like there is no tomorrow.
The buffalo too started grunting and growling and ran towards Min. Both of them getting closer about to collide. Ling Yin ready to close his eyes and scream on the top of his lungs when suddenly a gush of lightning then some golden light filled Min's right side and his arms sprang at
The buffalo and Bamm!! A loud boom noise and a gush of light. Yin had to close his eyes. When he opened them it was a surprising scene before him. Min was laying on the yard arms spread in hugging pose meanwhile the buffalo on the other side a few feet away laying motionless. It all happened so fast to even see anything. But Yin knew what he just saw. He saw the work of Qi. This is the super ability the most talented and gifted cultivators achieve.
He quickly went to check on Min. He wasn't moving.
He checked his pulse and heartbeat. It was alright and he was breathing. Luckily.
Yin took Min in his arms and was about to take him away when beside him the buffalo slowly stood up on his hooves. That thing didn't die it just passed out for awhile.
Yin gulped. He firmly grabbed onto Min's waist and spun back ran towards the stairs.
The buffalo too went behind him. Then suddenly over his head, Yin felt something big and black jump over at the direction of the buffalo and moments later he hard the beast cry.
He stopped on his tracks and spun around to see.
The buffalo had a bloody scar on his forehead. And before him stood a tall woman officer clad in black attire with an unsheathed sword in right hand ready for another strike.
"Easy there Lieutenant Najifa. These possessed creatures are mere puppets of the dark force. The only way to stop them is to break their curse." A speedy woman's voice was heard.
Yin's head swung at the voice's direction.
There slowly climbing up the stairs was a broad woman in white dress and long black hair and she was wearing a very special vermilion long robe.