Last time, Yi had just taken down Ya Yu. After he returned to Yao, he heard that Emperor Zhi had once again ordered Yao to deal with Fengxi and the Xiu Snake.
The moment Yi heard that, he snapped, "What is this now? Are we some kind of monster-hunting squad? It's just a wild boar and a snake—Emperor Zhi can't even handle that? Seriously?"At that point, Yao's advisor Wu Chengzi stepped in. "General Yi, don't underestimate these two beasts. Fengxi isn't just any boar—it's a spirit beast that's been cultivating for years. It has two heads, and it's incredibly fast—fast enough to rival Ya Yu. As for the Xiu Snake, also known as the Ba Snake... it's enormous. They say it can swallow an elephant whole. And more importantly... the poison it breathes—one whiff, and you're dead. You must be extremely careful, or this could go very badly."
Hearing that, Yao asked worriedly, "Then how are we supposed to deal with them?"
Wu Chengzi replied, "Since General Yi was able to defeat Ya Yu, I believe Fengxi won't be too difficult—as long as he's cautious. The real problem is the Xiu Snake. Its venom is too deadly—no one can even get close. Unless... we first obtain a mineral called realgar from the western mountains. But I've heard there's a demon named Jiu Yin causing trouble there. If we don't deal with Jiu Yin first, we won't be able to get the realgar. So here's my suggestion: send General Yi to the mulberry forest in the central region to take care of Fengxi first. Meanwhile, we report back to Emperor Zhi that dealing with the Xiu Snake requires realgar from the west. But since Jiu Yin is currently causing chaos, we'll need to handle that first before heading south to face the snake. Then we'll see how Emperor Zhi responds."
Before Wu Chengzi even finished, Yi let out a cold laugh. "How's he going to respond? He'll just shrug and tell us to handle it. Don't count on him."
Truth be told, Yao already had a pretty good idea how Emperor Zhi would respond. So he said to Yi, "If that's the case... I may have to rely on you again."
Yi waved it off. "Don't worry. It's just a snake—and a few kids. What could possibly go wrong?"
Wu Chengzi was about to explain further, but Yi had already turned and left, heading off to prepare for Fengxi. Meanwhile, Yao followed the plan and reported back to Emperor Zhi.
Not long after, Yi, Feng Meng, and their group arrived at the mulberry forest. Feng Meng said, "Master, honestly, we got a bit lucky catching Ya Yu last time. Look at this place—trees everywhere. If we try to use bows here, hitting a fast-moving boar is going to be tough. How about this—we cut down the entire forest. Without cover, the boar won't have anywhere to hide, and we can shoot it easily. We could also set traps—safer for everyone."
Yi nodded, then shook his head. "That's not a bad idea. But this forest is how the villagers make a living. If we cut it all down, what are they supposed to survive on? Let's think of a better solution—one that works for everyone."
Hearing that, Feng Meng bristled inside. Oh really? You care about the locals—what about us? If that boar charges out and people get killed, what then? did you think about our lives at all?
Of course Yi had thought about it. But solving both problems at once… wasn't easy. He spent the whole night thinking of a strategy, but couldn't come up with anything.
Early the next morning, Yi went out for a walk, hoping the fresh air would clear his mind. But he got so lost in thought that he didn't realize he had wandered into the forest. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past him, snapping him back to reality.
He looked around. "Damn... I was so distracted, I walked right into the forest without noticing. That shadow—could that be Fengxi? This is bad... I'm alone. What do I do?"
Sensing danger, Yi focused, raised his bow, and stayed alert. Suddenly, a massive boar burst out, lunging straight at him with its jaws wide open. Startled, Yi stepped back—but slipped into a muddy pit behind him. Losing his footing, he fell backward.
Fengxi was about to swallow him whole.
But even as he fell, Yi kept his composure. Seizing the moment, he drew and fired—one arrow shot straight into Fengxi's open mouth.
A perfect hit.
Fengxi let out a deafening scream, so loud Yi had to cover his ears. But that scream also woke up the nearby soldiers. Realizing Yi was missing, they rushed toward the sound.
When they reached the forest, they found Yi covered in mud but otherwise unharmed. Relieved, they asked, "General, what happened?"
Yi replied, "I wounded Fengxi with an arrow. Now that you're here—let's go finish it."
Following the trail of blood, they arrived at the entrance of a massive cave. Yi thought, This must be its lair.
He ordered the soldiers to set up a large net outside the cave. Then he called Feng Meng over, and together they fired multiple arrows into the cave. Soon, more agonized screams echoed from within—Fengxi had been hit again.
Knowing it couldn't stay inside, the beast charged toward the exit. As it burst out, Yi and Feng Meng stepped aside, and Fengxi ran straight into the net the soldiers had prepared.
Got it?
Not yet.
Even badly wounded and trapped, Fengxi was still incredibly strong. Dozens of soldiers struggled to hold it down. If this kept up, it would break free.
At that moment, Yi raised his bow once more and fired a final arrow straight into its vital spot.
With one last roar, Fengxi collapsed.
After killing the giant beast, Yi cut off most of its meat and distributed it to the local villagers as compensation for the damage it had caused. The rest he kept as spoils—some for the soldiers who fought alongside him, and some to bring back to Yao and the court.
Everyone celebrated Yi's victory.
Everyone... except Feng Meng.
Off to the side, his eyes flickered with resentment. So that's it. You didn't let me set traps because you wanted all the credit for yourself. And here I thought you were some kind of hero.
Though the look vanished quickly, Yao caught it.
No way... Feng Meng is Yi's most trusted student. Is he jealous of his own master? If that's true... Yi needs to be careful.
Should Yao say something?
He knew Yi's personality—and how much he valued Feng Meng. Without any real evidence, even if he spoke up, Yi probably wouldn't believe him. So Yao kept it to himself, deciding to watch Feng Meng more closely.
Still, he hoped he was wrong.
So... will Yi face the danger Yao fears?
And how will this story unfold?
You'll have to wait until next time to find out.
