Before she could think further, the man on the bird’s back swiftly shifted his posture again, returning to his initial riding position before leaning down at an incredible speed once more.
The cold, lean man moved with startling agility. Though he appeared slender, his body was remarkably resilient, and his wiry frame was precisely what made him so quick.
In that brief moment, he reached for her a third time.
This time, the close distance and his overwhelming height advantage allowed his long, slender fingers to nearly brush her neck. The icy touch was even colder than the surrounding air, sending chills down her spine and raising goosebumps all over her skin.
Yet, unexpectedly, the stranger’s near-successful grab faltered at the last moment—Sha Yi’s second arrow followed swiftly, striking with such force and precision that the man lost his balance, his hand now marked by a deep, bleeding gash.
At this point, the man abandoned his pursuit of her entirely, turning his gaze toward Sha Yi, who still held his bow. Though his expression remained impassive, it was clear he was furious.
Sha Yi realized that arrow had completely provoked the stranger’s temper.
The man must have also realized that unless he dealt with Sha Yi, he would always be hindered in capturing her—not just hindered, but potentially subjected to further attacks.
Thus, in that instant, he made another choice: to abandon her and focus on Sha Yi.
The decision took mere seconds, and soon the stranger urged his bird forward again.
In the midst of the charge, Sha Yi quickly bent to retrieve another arrow, nocking it swiftly, but the wiry man narrowly dodged it.
For the first time, Sha Yi found the giant-toothed eagles utterly detestable. Untamed and undiscerning, they allowed anyone to ride them, regardless of purpose.
Now, Sha Yi’s struggle with this man mirrored his earlier battle with Xi Yi—severely injured, he had no advantage whatsoever.
And this stranger was nothing like Xi Yi.
Anxious but unable to think of a solution, Sha Yi watched the two exchange blows for several rounds before an impulse struck her: she should go back and call for help.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she turned on her heel, ready to flee.
But fate had other plans.
Even while locked in combat with Sha Yi, the wiry, cold-eyed man seized an opportunity to hurl a bone knife at her.
Had it not been for Sha Yi’s warning and her quick reflexes, she had no doubt the blade would have embedded itself in her chest.
Her attempt to flee only provoked the man further, and he turned his full fury on Sha Yi. After several exchanges, Sha Yi was battered and bruised, but he managed to drag the stranger off the giant-toothed eagle.
Now, one deprived of his aerial advantage and the other of his bow, the two engaged in raw, brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Within moments, blood splattered everywhere. Sha Yi’s wounds seemed to worsen, yet he fought on recklessly, even shouting at her mid-struggle: “Sha Yi, run!”
The sight of so much blood startled her, and she abandoned all thought of escape.
Now, she had to help Sha Yi in some way. Though she held no particular fondness for him, he had risked everything to save her. If she left now, he might very well die here.
But what could she do?
They were too far from the settlement where the women were building houses. The bamboo tubes storing tree resin had already been transported earlier that morning, and the women who had been moving salt crystals were likely far off gathering wild fruits by now.
Otherwise, how could they have missed the arrival of this cold-eyed man on such a massive bird?
Then again, perhaps they hadn’t gone far—perhaps they had already fallen victim to him.
The more she thought, the more terrified she became. Unable to hold back, she finally shouted.
She called Xi Gu’s name, yelling at the top of her lungs several times, but as she had feared—no response. Not even an echo.
Instead, the cold-faced man, still locked in combat with Sha Yi, turned his head and cast her a chilling, mocking glance.
Sha Yi fell silent.
Though the two were locked in a fierce struggle, Sha Yi was clearly at a disadvantage.
The stranger fought ruthlessly. Even if Sha Yi had been uninjured, it would have been a tough battle—let alone now, with his wounds piling up.
If she didn’t stop this fight soon, Sha Yi would likely bleed to death!
Glancing at the giant-toothed eagle standing dumbly nearby, an idea flashed in her mind. She lunged toward it.
The bird was slow-witted, only turning its head when startled by her sudden movement. Upon seeing a human, it simply retreated, making no further reaction.
Seizing the opportunity, Sha Yi climbed onto the bird’s back.
By the time the cold-eyed man noticed, it was too late—she had already grabbed the bird’s neck, steering it straight toward the two fighters.
The man was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. Worse, he used Sha Yi’s body as leverage, pushing off to evade the charging bird.
Sha Yi cursed the man’s cruelty under her breath but was relieved she had anticipated his move. However, Sha Yi lay panting heavily on the ground, eyelids drooping, making no effort to dodge.
He must have exhausted all his strength.
Frustrated but understanding his resignation, she refused to let him come to harm.
With a sharp tug, she yanked the bird’s feathers and wrapped her arm around its neck.
This maneuver—pulling the feathers first, then gripping the neck—was something she had seen Jia Luo’s people demonstrate during their aerial displays. It forced the bird to stop, though without tail feathers, it had no ability to hover and would plummet.
Now, doing the same, she hoped the bird would at least halt—after all, its charge hadn’t been particularly fast.
As expected, the bird let out a choked screech and came to a stop. Unfortunately, its landing was anything but steady. After wobbling back and forth several times, it finally collapsed onto its rear.
Problem solved—for now.
Sha Yi exhaled in relief, but Sha Yi, still lying on the ground, remained tense. As she prepared to dismount, he suddenly mustered his strength and kicked the bird’s belly hard.
Startled, Sha Yi only realized his intent when she heard his shout: “Jump off from the left!”
Reacting instantly, she nearly tumbled off the bird but managed to grab a handful of wing feathers at the last second, avoiding a face-first crash.
The bird, however, fared worse. Already unsteady from its awkward landing, the kick sent it toppling backward, its massive weight flattening the grass and kicking up a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled, Sha Yi saw the cold-eyed man half-pinned beneath the bird’s body. It seemed he had been about to attack her when Sha Yi, still on the ground, noticed. The bird’s fall had caught him off guard, trapping him.
Now, though partially free, he was still stuck—able to move but unable to escape, rendering him harmless.
Relieved, Sha Yi turned to help the bloodied man on the ground—only for the earth beneath the bird to suddenly give way, collapsing into a massive pit before she could react.
With a low cry, the giant-toothed eagle plummeted downward.
Sha Yi, lying too close, couldn’t avoid the fall. She grabbed his arm, but his weight was too much.
Her grip only slowed his descent for a second before she, too, was dragged down.
…
When she opened her eyes again, the world was dark, and a foul stench filled the air.
It took Sha Yi a moment to regain her bearings.
As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized they were in an underground cavern.
The collapse above had sent them tumbling down from above, and looking up now, she could see nothing but darkness.
The landing spot was covered in vegetation, allowing little light to penetrate. The depth was considerable—at least ten meters.
She now lay on the giant-toothed eagle’s belly. The bird, either dead or unconscious, hadn’t moved.
Beside her, the bloodied Sha Yi lay half-conscious, seemingly knocked out by the fall.
On the other side, the stranger was sprawled across the bird’s wing, his legs seemingly sunk into dark, muddy soil.
He wasn’t unconscious—in fact, he was struggling—but he couldn’t free himself from the strange predicament.
Clutching the bird’s golden talons, Sha Yi dared not move. The foul odor grew stronger, and the man’s struggles intensified, shaking the ground beneath her.
Soft earth? Movement affecting stability? A putrid smell?
Her mind blanked for a few seconds before realization struck.
Was this a crude oil pit?
Before she could ponder further, the stranger suddenly broke free from beneath the bird’s wing and sprang to his feet.
Startled, Sha Yi instinctively shoved the unconscious Sha Yi beside her.
But the man gave her no time. The moment she pushed Sha Yi, he turned and advanced toward the bird’s belly.
He was unharmed, his mind sharp. Even now, trapped here, his hostility toward her hadn’t waned.
She couldn’t see his eyes, but his intent to kill was unmistakable.
Panicked, she clenched the lighter in her pocket.
Truthfully, she was afraid to use it. If this was indeed a crude oil pit, the air might be saturated with flammable gases. She couldn’t be sure what might happen, but igniting the lighter now was a risk she wasn’t sure she could take.
Yet, without it, how could she fend off this threat?
The stranger was too dangerous.
As she hesitated, he closed the distance in a few strides, his hand closing around her ankle.
His long fingers were icy, sending a shudder through her.
Without hesitation, he yanked hard, dragging her down.
Clutching the bird’s talon, she ignored the pain, resisting with all her might.
But her strength was no match for his.
Growing impatient, he pulled harder, and in an instant, she was nearly off the bird.
Desperate and furious, she let go of the talon, snatched the lighter from her pocket, and flicked it toward the man’s face.
Caught off guard, he recoiled but quickly seized her wrist.
Undeterred, Sha Yi pressed the lighter.
A soft click, and a small blue flame erupted from the tiny box. In an instant, the flame burst outward as if doused in oil, flaring into a large ring of fire that forced the man to release her.
Free, Sha Yi released the lighter and scrambled back onto the bird’s belly.
The man, however, seemed stunned. Even after the flame died, he stood frozen, no longer advancing.
The air now carried not just the stench of crude oil but also the acrid smell of singed hair.
It seemed the man had been frightened!
Still, she was relieved—her reckless act hadn’t led to disaster.
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