Daomu Biji: The Mystic Nine
Book 2: Chapter 9

Zhang Qishan stared at the dark shadow which looked like a tree.

The baby’s eyes seemed to be different from others since he could see things that were difficult to distinguish under complicated lighting. But the baby staring at the black shadow wasn’t the only reason why Zhang Qishan had discovered that it wasn’t a tree. At the same time, he had found that the appearance of the tree formed by dark shadows was very similar to the Chinese giant salamander he had just killed.

It appeared to be a Chinese giant salamander that was standing up, but because it was covered in so many leaves, it looked just like a big tree.

It would have been absolutely impossible for ordinary people to discover this kind of thing so easily in the dark. Even a trained person had to have someone else point in that direction for them to see it.

Zhang Qishan motioned first, and everyone looked over there. But Qi Tiezui couldn’t see what was wrong at all, so he kept trying to look around.

“Are you the mountain god?” Zhang Qishan asked.

That “Chinese giant salamander” didn’t move at all. Zhang Qishan pointed his flashlight directly at it, but it was blocked by too many tree canopies. He was just about to order everyone to shoot it when he heard Zhang Xiaoyu’s voice from that “tree”.

“Fo Ye, no. Don’t…don’t shoot,” Zhang Xiaoyu said.

Zhang Qishan searched for Zhang Xiaoyu with his flashlight, and saw that the "tree" was slowly retreating into the darkness where the flashlight couldn’t reach it.

Zhang Xiaoyu’s voice also sounded more distant as the "tree" retreated. “This really… really is the mountain god. You can’t shoot it.”

The voice was getting farther and farther away until they gradually couldn’t hear it anymore. Zhang Qishan’s subordinates immediately wanted to give chase, but Zhang Qishan stopped them.

“Fo Ye!” The soldiers were all very anxious.

“It’s trying to lure us in,” Zhang Qishan said

“But Lieutenant Xiaoyu….”

“She can still remain calm even though we’ve killed her child. That isn’t a monster. We mustn’t underestimate the enemy.” Zhang Qishan looked at the baby, who was looking in the direction the mountain god had disappeared to. “Something isn’t quite right here.”