Zhang Yu stood atop a large rock, wearing primitive clothing, looking like a young chieftain of a barbarian tribe.
His mind was adrift as he gazed into the forest below.
"This body... are my techniques—the ones I once knew—truly incompatible with it, even after I established the Lower Blood Foundation?"
"The Lower Heart Technique should produce an energy core representing a second heart for the body, the Lower Void Technique should create one in the marrow, and the Upper Void in the head… yet none of them suit this body."
"Is it because of its miraculous regeneration? That would make sense. A body with healing ability beyond comprehension and a peerless cultivation talent—what are the odds of such a being existing?"
"At this rate, I won't be able to train at the same pace as in my life as the Demonic Sage. But who cares? Whether it takes ten years or a thousand, I will reclaim my rightful title!"
"There is another method, actually... but can this body endure it? Let us see, hahaha!"
Zhang Yu smiled, and a strange gleam flashed in his eyes.
He crouched down and descended, walking a few steps before saying, "Shall we begin searching, then?"
With a swift motion, Zhang Yu vanished among the plants, beneath the falling leaves.
---
Days passed like a fleeting breeze; a week had gone by since Zhang Yu's departure.
He had searched relentlessly for three days, and on the fourth, he found a lively nearby village.
It was of medium size, its buildings decent enough for a village.
There were no walls surrounding it; rather, it was an open area with boundaries marked on the ground.
But what occupied Zhang Yu's thoughts these past few days was something else entirely.
"The children here are full of life—that's good—but where will I take them? I have no place right now, and I can't dig underground."
"But it shouldn't be that difficult. We'll see," Zhang Yu thought as he stared at the village.
He watched for a while, then turned and left.
---
The sun woke early, remembering its duty to rise.
It hurried and shone, piercing through the clouds and lighting up the humble village houses.
Its rays reflected on a small pond, which a boy splashed with his foot, scattering droplets and disturbing the sun's reflection within.
The boy ran excitedly, carrying a basket on his back.
He looked behind and shouted, "Father! Mother! Your son will go quickly and return quickly!"
His face shone with a bright smile full of life. His parents waved back, smiling warmly.
The boy rushed out of the village toward the forest—apparently searching for herbs or food.
When he stepped into the forest, he slowed down, becoming cautious and walking carefully.
He set down the basket and began cutting some herbs.
"Ahhh!"
The boy jumped in fright and trembled; a sharp cry of pain echoed through the forest.
"W-what's happening? Did someone encounter a beast? I should go get help… No! Why should I?" The boy panicked, sweat forming on his forehead.
"Ahh! Please! Help! I beg anyone!" The voice cried again, louder this time.
The boy's brows furrowed; he bit his nails, torn between fear and worry.
"I must save him—yes, I have to! I'm no demon. I'll go quickly and help!" he decided, wiping the fear from his face.
He left the basket, grabbed a small sickle and a rope, and ran toward the sound.
He pushed through grass, plants, and tree trunks until he froze in place.
He was shocked—stunned by what he saw.
A young man, drenched in his own blood, lay on the ground, while a small pack of wolves crept closer to devour him.
The young man's body was covered in wounds—deep and shallow alike.
"T-this…? What should I do?" the boy tried to think of a solution.
"If I move now, I can lure the wolves toward the village and they'll be hunted. But it's risky… Should I do it?" He hesitated for a moment.
"What am I thinking?! I'll kill two birds with one stone! Save this man and bring food to the village! Yes!" The boy steadied himself, took a deep breath, and clenched his fist.
With a wide step forward, he shouted, "You idiots! If you want to eat something, then eat me—if you can!"
Outside, Zhang Yu lay motionless, feigning unconsciousness, as he heard the boy's shout.
Inside, however, a grin stretched from ear to ear. "The fish has taken the bait, hahaha!"
The boy ran as if his life depended on it, yet no matter how fast he was, the wolves drew nearer.
He didn't care; the village was very close. If he screamed, they would come to help no matter what.
That's exactly what he did—he screamed at the top of his lungs, calling for help.
And indeed, when those in the village heard the voice, they recognized it and ran toward it in haste.
By the time the boy emerged from the forest, he was nearly dead from exhaustion and fear.
Just before exiting, one wolf had scratched his back deeply, causing heavy bleeding.
A few men caught him and pulled him back, while the rest fought the wolves ahead.
One man shouted, "Everyone who can fight—come out! We have a feast today!" His voice burned with passion and battle-hunger.
In response, many young men, adults, even elders and some women, joined the fight.
It was a rare sight of unity among humans—showing love, camaraderie, and strength.
Several men shouted, "We answer your call, village chief!"
They fought until noon.
The battle ended with some injuries, but only one fatality.
That was considered a good outcome for the number of wolves slain. The dead man's family would receive a larger share of food for some time.
Meanwhile, the boy was resting at home, his wounds bandaged.
He had informed the elders about the man he saw in the forest, and they promised to bring him.
At that same time, Zhang Yu was still pretending to be wounded and unconscious.
"This body truly is a gift. Who would've thought I could control which wounds heal and which don't? I can even fake internal injuries!"
"But it's bothersome… to fake an injury, I must actually inflict one." Zhang Yu mused.
After a short while, he heard footsteps approaching.
Two men and a woman sent from the village.
They looked at Zhang Yu with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
They examined the area and checked his body—perhaps to ensure he wasn't hiding a weapon or something harmful, or maybe to rob him.
Regardless of their motives, the burly, hairy man among them said, "Bring him. He doesn't look dangerous. He must've lost his way and been attacked by wolves. Can't you see the situation?"
Another man, slightly younger and fairer-skinned, replied, "But brother, shouldn't we wake him and question him before letting him into the village? What if he's an assassin?"
The woman, with slightly dark skin, intervened, "Be quiet, both of you! Can't you see he's suffering? The longer we wait, the worse he'll get! Besides, the chief ordered only to bring him—no further instructions. Now hurry up and carry him!"
The two men sighed; her tone left no room for argument.
The hairy man bent down, but the younger one stopped him. "Brother Gu, let me carry him. I still don't feel right about this man. I'll keep an eye on him—that's not against the chief's orders, right?" he said, glancing at the woman.
She frowned and shook her head.
"Fine then, we'll do as you say, younger brother Xikong," the elder agreed.
Xikong bent down, lifting Zhang Yu while inspecting his body.
He found him indeed gravely wounded—but that only made him more cautious. His eyes narrowed.
"A man lost near our village, attacked by wolves right when a boy was out there? What are the odds?" he thought, his suspicion deepening.
"No matter. I won't believe a word he says. Hmph!" Xikong exhaled and continued walking with the others.
---
Inside a dilapidated house, dust floated lazily in the air.
The walls were old and worn, yet a group of men entered, carrying a young man's body.
At their head was an old man, still strong-bodied—not bulky like the others, but sturdy for his age.
More importantly, he was wearing a wolf's pelt as a coat.
"Elder, we brought the young man as you said, but why here? No one's entered this house for ages and—"
"Do not question me on this. I don't know either; the village chief told me to handle this and to bring him here personally," the elder interrupted.
"But it seems the chief intends to give him this house. Is he… testing him?"
The elder's words caught everyone's attention. They froze, old memories flashing in their minds.
"Elder… if that's true, won't that boy die?"
"No one lives here, in Wolf Village, without doing something first, as you know. "
" And look—he was hunted by wolves for quite some time, all the way here. We sent a team to track him—they said his trail ended a few miles away! "
" Not because the wolves started there, but because the ground turned rocky."
"Considering all this, isn't it safe to assume this young man belongs to a powerful sect, or a noble lineage? Or perhaps he's a hidden expert?"
Everyone fell silent, stunned by the elder's reasoning. They turned to look at the youth.
His body was strong, and he'd survived pursuit by wolves for miles—still able to shout afterward?
Some felt envy, others fear; a few wanted him gone, while others thought of recruiting him.
Yet none dared to speak—the elder's status was too high, his respect deeply rooted among them.
Then, the elder waved his hand. "Lay him on the bed and let's leave. Someone will come daily to watch over him, treat him, and see if he wakes."
---
Time passed since they left Zhang Yu there. No one had come yet.
Inside the room, Zhang Yu lay on the bed.
He couldn't move outwardly—doing so would ruin his plan completely.
But inside, he was laughing fiercely.
"You wish to uncover my identity? To analyze me? Hahaha! You're playing with your ancestor, children!"
"Observation? Testing? Those who do nothing get cast out?"
"Do they truly think such tricks will work on me?"
Suddenly, he heard footsteps entering the room.
He halted his thoughts and focused.
The steps were light—whoever it was, must be small or light-weighted.
The rhythm between steps showed nervousness, maybe fear.
Most importantly, the cadence itself told Zhang Yu with high certainty—it was either a girl or a young boy.
The person pulled up an old chair and table near Zhang Yu's bed.
When they sat, their breathing was clearly audible.
At that moment, Zhang Yu confirmed it.
"A young girl? They send little girls at this hour to tend the wounded? More importantly, she's terrified. Regardless of my treatment, how will she watch me properly?"
But in the next moment, Zhang Yu's thoughts stopped.
"I know you're pretending to be unconscious. Wake up."
The girl's voice was soft, yet carried an unshakable confidence.
But would Zhang Yu fall for such tricks?
"Do they expect me to be startled? To react? Fools… such naivety!"
The girl extended her hand and placed it on his forehead.
"You plan to pretend till the end, huh?" she said.
Zhang Yu analyzed her instantly. "So that's why she was afraid? Your acting is terrible, girl! You have potential—but you must learn to control your body first!"
Zhang Yu remained completely still, outwardly perfect in his disguise.
There was not a single mistake—he knew she was only testing him.
Still, he stayed cautious.
The girl continued examining him, pressing his wounds, trying to draw any unnatural reaction.
But Zhang Yu was the Demonic Sage.
If he fell into the traps of amateurs, he would never call himself that title again.
The girl stayed silent, but the sound of sweat dripping from her betrayed her nerves.
After a long while, she wanted to sigh but held it in, then left.
---
Two days passed since her first visit. She had returned periodically to treat and test Zhang Yu, failing every time.
During this, Zhang Yu built a rough idea of her.
Based on his assessment, she must be of distinguished lineage, raised with refined teachings from youth.
Despite her age, she possessed keen insight and a sharp, strategic mind.
Most likely, her true identity was hidden from most villagers.
Perhaps this was her first real trial—for she had been very nervous and frightened at first, but grew calmer with each visit.
Now, it was noon, and Zhang Yu was calculating when he should awaken.
"According to my plan, night—when the girl returns—will be the best time. But I feel there are many variables in this game."
"If anything happens before nightfall, I'll adjust the plan."
At the same time, a group of men led by an elder approached the room, with a small girl beside him, cloaked completely.
They entered shortly after.
The men waited outside; only the elder, the girl, and one man entered.
The elder spoke, "Luo Mei, are you certain he'll wake soon?"
"Elder, I'm sure. I studied his wounds carefully and analyzed them thoroughly—I can't be mistaken."
The elder glanced at her, then at the youth. "Will he wake now, or must we wait longer?"
She hesitated. "Elder, I can only tell the approximate period he'll awaken, not the exact time."
"Very well… we'll wait. But go and try waking him again—he'll surely wake soon, according to you, right?"
Cold sweat ran down her back; she froze briefly, then gathered herself. "V-very well… as you say, Elder."
She moved toward Zhang Yu, reached out, and tried to wake him.
She attempted physical stimulation, pain, and other methods—nothing worked.
She sighed, just like before, embarrassed to look at the elder.
His gaze never left her, making her even more nervous.
"This time… I must succeed!" Luo Mei resolved.
"If physical stimuli don't work, then it's time for mental ones," she thought.
She leaned close to Zhang Yu's ear, her breath brushing his head.
She tried many guesses—his wife? His father or mother? His friends? His sect?—mixing words of joy, grief, separation, death… all sorts of emotions.
Of course, Zhang Yu didn't react to any of them.
But suddenly, Luo Mei said something that made his eyes snap open involuntarily.
His eyes widened completely, and he thought in that instant: "Damn it! This cursed body!"
---