Chapter Nine: The Little Fairy Descends from Heaven

The power of the unfamiliar saber was terrifying, and all the restless hunters reined in their horses.
"You—how could you be so quick? You killed my brother’s most loyal companion," Yana Li cried out, her back bumping into Lu Hu before she burst into sobs.
"Idiots! Damn it, damn it, all of you—shoot your arrows, let them die, die!" Kameda Rice Tub Taro shrieked in hysteria.
"Draw—your—bows, nock—your—arrows, pre—pare—!" Yakexi raised his right hand high and shouted out the order.
"Enough! Drop your bows, all of you! Are you trying to rebel?" King Dawo slapped Yakexi across the face.
"Daughter, go. Just pretend you never had a father like me. Never come back, ever again." King Dawo choked out his words, then suddenly broke into loud, wrenching sobs as he turned his horse away.
The hunters turned their horses too, following after him one by one.
Yakexi pointed at his sister, his lips trembling for a long while, but in the end, he said nothing. He, too, turned his horse and rode after them.
Kameda Rice Tub Taro was left utterly alone, all his bluster from before vanished; he slunk away, following after Yakexi, tail between his legs.
Lu Hu held Yana Li tightly in his arms. She was weeping bitterly, her sobs so violent she was on the verge of fainting.
For the sake of that saber, for her own future, this young woman had nearly abandoned everything.
His heart ached, sharp as needles, and hot tears streamed down Lu Hu’s face.
Whoever said men do not shed tears had simply never reached the moment when emotion overwhelmed.
They wept, lost in their sorrow, while the horses, of their own accord, slowly carried them forward, following the trail of King Dawo and the others.
Suddenly, Lu Hu’s horse stopped; after carrying two people for so long, it was exhausted and could go no further.
Lu Hu slid down from the saddle, then gently lifted Yana Li down as well. She was still wracked with sobs, unable to stop.
"Let’s not go anywhere else. Let’s settle down here and build a little home—just you and me. You’ll give me a brood of children, boys and girls, and we’ll live a lively, bustling life together," Lu Hu took her hand and tried his best to comfort her.
Yana Li nodded, then shook her head. "But there’s no water source here. How can we live?"
"What do we need water for? We’ll just drink the wind. I grew up drinking nothing but wind—give me a breeze and I’ll thrive. Everyone calls me the Wind Child."
Lu Hu spoke with such seriousness that Yana Li couldn’t help but laugh through her tears.
"You can stay here and drink wind by yourself, and raise all those children on your own. I want to go home, I want to go back," she cried anew at the mention of home.
Lu Hu’s nose stung with suppressed tears. He quickly controlled himself, then leaned in to kiss away the tears on her cheeks. "Sweetheart, be good now, don’t sob and whimper anymore. If you keep crying, your face will get all chapped and you’ll turn into a wildcat—just imagine how awful that would look."
At heart, girls always care about their looks; at the threat of ugliness, she immediately stopped crying.
"Come with me. From now on, I’ll be your only family. My heart is yours, my life is yours. Let’s never part, let’s love each other for the rest of our lives. Will you?"
Yana Li closed her eyes and nodded deeply.
...
...
At the entrance to Tiger’s Mouth Fortress.

The sentries spotted a group of riders in the distance and grew tense at once, nocking arrows to their bows.
The bugler sounded his horn, and the soldiers inside the camp dropped what they were doing, scrambled into their heavy armor, grabbed their weapons, and rushed over.
As the horsemen approached, their identities became clear.
"Looks like Lu the Catcher."
"Looks like? With those beady little eyes of yours, you can’t see a damn thing. ‘Short-sighted’ was invented for you. Look harder—that’s Lu the Catcher, all right."
"General Lu is back! General Lu is back—and he’s brought back the unfamiliar saber!"
"And there’s a beauty by his side—good heavens, that girl is stunning. Could she be a fairy come down to earth?"
"Holy hell, he’s brought back a whole herd of horses! General Lu is incredible. I’m impressed!"
"Look, there’s cargo strapped to the horses, too. Must be something valuable. General Lu is hitting it big!"
The whole fortress was in an uproar. Soldiers shouted and jostled for a look at the gates.
Inside the command tent—
"Ouch, ouch, damn it, be gentle! Why the hell are you kneading my backside so hard? If you piss me off, I’ll fart you to death," Pei Erbi snapped, sprawled face-down on his bed, scolding Captain Zhang.
Captain Zhang, who was massaging him, looked utterly aggrieved, eyes brimming with tears, forcing a smile as he spoke cautiously, "Young master, your noble backside is just too delicate—I barely used any force at all. If you want, I could lick it for you instead!"
"Now you’re talking. Be gentle though—if you lick it raw, I’ll wring your neck. Hey, what’s that horn sound?"
At once, Pei Erbi forgot about his pain and scrambled off the bed.
The two cowards listened anxiously to the commotion outside.
"You’re such a coward—how do you expect to follow me? Get out there and see what’s going on!" Pei Erbi gave Captain Zhang a swift kick.
"You’re even more of a coward than I am! If your father weren’t a minister, I’d beat the crap out of you—if I didn’t, it’d mean you were constipated; if I couldn’t, it’d mean you just peed yourself…" Captain Zhang cursed inwardly as he went out.
Moments later, he called back, "Young master, young master, Lu the Catcher has returned!"
Pei Erbi relaxed at once, flung aside the curtain, and strode out, putting on airs as he stood atop the command platform, surveying the scene. He was struck dumb by what he saw.
That condemned prisoner—amazing! In the blink of an eye, he’d stirred up such a spectacle.
One trip out and he’d achieved great renown; from now on, he’d never be able to suppress him.
If he couldn’t keep him down, he’d have to befriend him. Why not make friends with someone so capable?
Pei Erbi forgot his rear still ached and limped over, beaming with a huge grin, calling out from afar, "Brother, my dear brother, you’re back at last! I’ve missed you so much!"
He hurried to Lu Hu’s horse, took the reins, and asked with concern, "You’ve been through so much—aren’t you hungry?"
Then he turned and shouted at the soldiers, "What are you gawking at? Go help Old Mute light the fire and prepare a meal! Let my good brother bathe, change, eat his fill, and rest!"
He put on a stern face and issued orders: "You there, take the horses to the stable, feed them the best hay, groom them, look after them well. If anything happens to them, you’d better watch your own backsides."
He rubbed his own sore backside as he spoke.
Then, switching to a warm smile, he put his arm around Lu Hu’s shoulders. "I always knew you were destined for greatness, never meant for an ordinary life. When you make it big, don’t forget about your brother!"

Suddenly, his eyes lit up: "Ah, this must be your wife? Such grace and beauty—my dear brother, you are truly blessed!"
"This is Yana Li," Lu Hu said, shaking off Pei Erbi’s arm and slipping his own around Yana Li’s slender waist, drawing her close.
Pei Erbi felt as if struck by lightning.
The beauty he’d longed for but couldn’t attain had fallen easily into someone else’s hands. It was so unfair!
He forced a smile onto his face, though it looked more like a grimace, and his voice quivered with tears. "An honor, truly an honor. Her reputation is well deserved—she’s as beautiful as a goddess."
He took two steps, then added sourly, "You two go and rest, have a bath. I have urgent matters to attend to and must excuse myself."
With a perfunctory bow, he sniffed, eyes downcast, and walked away in dejection.
Once, Pei Erbi had been dashing and full of youth—he was not about to play third wheel for anyone!

Inside the tent, the old servant was busy stewing meat and baking bread. Several soldiers had already brought in two enormous wooden tubs, taller than a man, and started filling them with steaming hot water fetched from the nearby tents.
As the tent flap lifted and the old servant saw Lu Hu, he was overjoyed and hurried forward, about to kneel in greeting. But when he caught sight of Yana Li, he froze.
He stared at her, his face flickering with many emotions, his lips trembling as if he wanted to speak but could not.
His expression grew stranger and stranger.
Yana Li assumed her beauty had stunned the old servant; feeling secretly delighted, she placed her left fist to her chest, her right fist atop the left, and bowed gracefully.
But the old servant didn’t even see her greeting. He had already collapsed to the floor, prostrating himself, his thin frame trembling as if he were weeping silently.
Lu Hu quickly bent to help him up. When the old servant rose, he swiftly wiped his eyes with his sleeve, his expression returning to normal.
The soldiers inside the tent greeted them respectfully and withdrew.
After so many trials, they hadn’t eaten a proper hot meal in ages. Now, with steaming food before them, the young couple realized how truly famished they were and sat down to eat their fill.
The old servant waited on them throughout.
When the meal was finished, he left to tidy up the dishes, returning soon after to clear the table.
The soldiers filed in to add more hot water to the tubs, bringing them to the perfect temperature for bathing.
The old servant tested the water and nodded in satisfaction. Then, gesturing animatedly, he reassured Lu Hu and Yana Li that they could bathe in peace—he would stand guard at the door.
With a bow, he left the tent.
The two helped each other apply healing ointment to their wounds. Lu Hu quickly stripped off his clothes, his naked form on full display: broad shoulders, a wide back, wasp-thin waist, ape-like arms, eight-pack abs, and three sturdy legs—all revealed at a glance.
He paraded his physique with exaggerated swagger, whistling mischievously, then leapt into one of the tubs in a single bound, splashing water everywhere and grimacing at the heat.
Mugging comically at Yana Li, he called out, "Oh yeah! This feels amazing! Hey, little wildcat, what are you standing there for? Strip down and get in here! Or do you want me to help you undress…?"