Chapter 563: “Mount Shiwan, Wuzhou, The Wolf Demon’s Wedding! A Young Man Blocks the Way! The Wind Breath Art!”

Wuzhou was the border of Donglin Prefecture, near Mount Shiwan[1].

The forests were dense, so thick that they blocked out the sun.

At Gu'ao Peak[2], a towering wolf demon, standing over twelve zhang tall, dressed in a bright red groom’s outfit, walked proudly at the front.

Around him was a procession of litter bearers and musicians, happily playing suona horns and drums. The one leading the group had a rat-like face, two whiskers like a mouse, and compact features squeezed together, giving him a strangely awkward appearance.

From the litter occasionally came the sound of a woman crying.

Whoosh!

Just then, a sharp slicing sound cut through the air. A feathered arrow shot straight through the chest of the rat-faced steward at the front.

With that, chaos erupted in the procession. The twelve-zhang-tall wolf demon, half-man, half-beast, turned his head in annoyance.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Then, three more piercing arrows streaked toward the wolf demon. The wolf demon frowned but casually waved a hand, and the powerful white-feathered arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.

Suddenly, a young boy, holding a sturdy wooden bow, appeared on the path. The steward he had just pierced revealed his true form.

No wonder he looked rat-faced; the man was actually a rat spirit! But this rat spirit’s cultivation was weak, and he had not fully transformed. However, the demon race’s vitality was immense, and though the rat spirit’s body convulsed violently, it still did not die.

“How impudent! Who dares block Lord Shi’s path?!” a tall, ugly man roared in anger, horns jutting from his head.

He was an ox demon. The “Lord Shi” he referred to was the twelve-zhang-tall wolf demon. This wolf demon had cultivated for over a century, his magic formidable, and he held considerable influence on Gu'ao Peak.

He called himself Shi Qingping[3]. He could shapeshift into human form, though he preferred his half-man, half-beast appearance, which combined human handsomeness with demonic might, making him look more imposing. This was especially important today, on his wedding day.

Of course, demonic aesthetics were... hard to describe. The young archer was slight and not particularly muscular, but his fingers were long and steady, and his gaze unwavering.

When the ox demon shouted at him, the boy did not flinch. Facing this group of demons, he calmly asked, “Is today the day Lord Shi, the mountain god of Gu'ao Peak, is getting married?”

“Of course it is! Can’t you see?!” the ox demon barked.

The wolf demon, Shi Qingping, had bestowed the title of Mountain God upon himself. In this era where the great roads were cut off and myths had vanished, no new mountain gods were being appointed.

Shi Qingping, the wolf demon, had taken the name simply because it sounded prestigious.

In truth, there were two other demons on Gu'ao Peak of comparable cultivation, but the pair of wood spirits were peaceful, didn’t eat humans, and never descended the mountain. So Shi Qingping declared himself the mountain god, and no one dared to challenge him.

Hearing the ox demon’s crude words, the black-clad boy with the wooden bow instead smiled, “Truly my apologies, I was not paying attention earlier and offended the great Mountain God.”

The boy’s swift change in demeanor left even the arrogant ox demon slightly dumbfounded.

Shi Qingping was in high spirits today. He had just kidnapped a young, beautiful bride from Huangshi Village; she was only fifteen years old, in the prime of her youth.

Though her parents had been terrified and she was magically bound to the litter, almost crying herself hoarse, Shi Qingping still considered this a match made by heaven.

High spirits made him overconfident. Seeing the boy’s sudden courtesy, he laughed arrogantly and said, “What an insolent child! Get lost and stop disturbing my wedding!”

The wolf demon was ruthless. The fact that his rat spirit subordinate had nearly been killed by an arrow barely registered; he was eager to complete his wedding. To him, this human boy seemed just a hunter who posed no threat at all, not worth bothering with.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“Thank you, Lord Shi, for not holding my offense against me. I humbly offer my blessings for your happiness and the early birth of a noble child,” the black-clad boy said with a smile.

“Enough chatter! Now scram!” the towering wolf demon Stone Qingping growled impatiently.

“Since fate has brought us together, I’ve prepared a gift for Lord Shi, wishing you a bride as beautiful as a flower.”

Faced with this horde of demons, the boy was calm and spoke fluently. His respectful attitude made Shi Qingping pause, curious about this “gift.”

Normally, the boy would have been captured and beaten, considering the fact that he had already shot one of Shi Qingping’s subordinates!

Yet today, the wolf demon was in a good mood and even chatted with the boy.

“What gift? Speak.” Shi Qingping’s tone softened slightly.

“A gift? What gift?”

The black-clad boy glanced subtly behind him, then fixed his gaze on the wolf demon, asking with apparent seriousness.

Hearing this, Shi Qingping froze.

The other minor demons drew a sharp breath, their eyes darkening. Was this boy insane? How dare he mock the mountain god?!

“You stole someone’s daughter, and now you ask for a gift?! You bastard!” the boy cursed angrily and fired three arrows in quick succession.

But this time, he didn’t aim at the wolf demon; he shot at the ugly ox demon instead. The wolf demon’s power was far beyond the ordinary arrows, but the ox demon was weaker.

The ox demon’s eyes turned cold as he threw a punch, but it had no effect. After all, he was just a minor demon. Though he liked to curse and show off, the boy’s archery carried immense force and vitality.

Thunk!

Two arrows pierced the ox demon’s eyes, killing him instantly.

“Damn you!” Shi Qingping roared and vanished into a blur.

The boy quickly pulled out two pellets and threw them to the ground.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The pellets exploded into smoke. Ordinary smoke bombs couldn’t touch the wolf demon or obscure his vision, but this smoke was unusual, as if infused with a special toxin. Even a wolf demon cultivated for a century felt stinging pain in his mouth and nose.

The next moment, the boy had vanished.

The transformed litter bearers suddenly shouted, “Alert! The bride is missing!”

Then, Shi Qingping blew out a sharp breath, and the smoke vanished instantly. He approached the litter, now empty, and his gaze turned icy.

“How dare you trick me!”

With hand signs forming a spell, he sniffed the air, and a subtle wind swept around him. Hidden within it was a concealed aura.

It was a demonic technique, Wind Breath Arts, which allowed the user to detect traces of enemies in the wind.

Beasts were usually quick to sense enemies’ movements. Shi Qingping, even among demons, was exceptional at this.

1. 十万 Shiwan literally means “hundred thousand.” ☜

2. The name 古鳌峰 carries a sense of grandeur and antiquity. Literally, it can be broken down as “古” (ancient), “鳌” (a mythical giant turtle often associated with strength and longevity), and “峰” (peak or summit). Together, it evokes the image of an ancient, towering mountain shaped like or symbolically tied to the legendary “Ao” turtle, suggesting both enduring stability and immense natural power. ☜

3. Shi “石” (stone) conveys solidity, endurance, and unyielding strength, suggesting a figure that is steadfast or difficult to overcome. “庆平” (celebrate peace or auspicious calm) adds a layer of contrast, implying harmony or a benign nature that sharply contrasts with the inherently wild, predatory essence of a wolf demon.

In my opinion, this juxtaposition can serve multiple narrative purposes: it might hint at the demon’s cunningness, masking ferocity behind an innocuous or respectable-sounding name, or it could underscore the ironic tension between name and nature. ☜