Chapter Nineteen: An Arrow Pierces the Heavens (Not Really), The Chief's Might

Thunder rumbled, echoing across the mountainside like the muffled roar of a summer storm. Flocks of startled birds took to the sky in spiraling flight, their wings weaving a dance amidst the commotion. In that moment, the tallest peak for a hundred miles around was shorn by a fraction of its height.

Clouds of dust billowed thousands of feet into the air, coiling upwards like a celestial dragon clawing its way to the heavens. With a piercing cry, dozens of great eagles shot out from the churning dust, beating their wings furiously in a desperate bid to escape the catastrophe below.

But as they fled, torrents of flaming oil rained down from above, drenching their feathers and igniting into brilliant flames along their wings. At that same instant, stone spears hurtled from the smoke, followed by a ragged shower of arrows. Over a dozen eagles were skewered by the spears, set ablaze by the oil, and with a final, mournful wail, plummeted to the ground.

Five eagles soared higher, wings slicing the thinning air. Just then, a golden arrow whistled through the sky, striking one of the fleeing eagles with flawless precision. It shrieked in agony, only to be engulfed by radiant light, bursting into a rain of blood and feathers that scattered across the sky.

Another arrow flashed, felling yet another eagle. The survivors, gripped by terror, forgot all thought of vengeance or resistance and fled for their lives. But the golden arrows pursued them relentlessly, heedless of height or distance, tracking each one down and tearing them into bloody fragments that rained upon the mountain slopes.

At last, the final eagle fell, its life extinguished.

"Boss, you're incredible!"

"Boss, you're amazing!"

"Long live the boss!"

Cheers erupted from the mountainside. Standing atop the canopy, facing the mountain winds, Luo Zu surveyed his handiwork with a satisfied smile. After meticulous planning and careful calculation, his group had finally eradicated the eagle demons.

As for the cry of "long live the boss," Luo Zu found it less than appropriate—whoever had shouted it must have been courting disaster. Such words were hardly suitable for the primordial wilderness; surely it would have been better to wish the ancestors eternal life.

Now came the time to scour the battlefield. The eagles’ nest had been smashed by the boulder from the mountain’s summit, so it was unlikely that much loot remained.

The eagle demons, as Luo Zu called them, possessed little true intelligence—more beast than fiend—and could fairly be called monstrous beasts. Still, for the sake of his studies, Luo Zu collected flesh and blood from the eagles and other such creatures, storing them in his gourd’s inner world, where he could manipulate and analyze their essence.

Sadly, every attempt at deduction produced only ordinary beasts. When Luo Zu examined the minute structure of the flesh, he discovered a mysterious power, but it lingered only briefly before fading away. Though frustrated and eager to unravel the mystery, he knew this was not a problem he could solve with his current abilities. For now, he set the matter aside, but continued to gather what samples he could.

Under Luo Zu’s direction, the “Cave Dwellers” clambered over the rocks with the agility of monkeys. A mere crevice was enough for them to find a grip and haul themselves upward. The most skilled among them could move faster than a galloping beast, skimming over the terrain as if flying, barely touching the rock face.

Luo Zu moved faster still. With a light leap, he soared a thousand feet into the air.

They were already close to the summit, scarcely a hundred feet below the eagles’ nest—otherwise their arrows and spears could never have reached the soaring eagles.

By now the dust had settled. All that remained was a massive boulder, split in two, pinning the outcrop and crushing the remnants of the nest beneath it. The only traces left of the eagles’ lair were splatters of droppings and the indigestible remains of their prey—most of which had been pushed out of the nest and scattered down the cliff.

“How tragic,” Luo Zu said with mock sorrow.

While he lamented, the others scrambled up to the high ledge.

“Boss, boss… wow…”

“Whoa…”

The “Cave Dwellers” stared wide-eyed in shock, their mouths agape. Had a single eagle egg survived, surely someone would have tried to stuff it in, just to see if one could truly be amazed to such a degree.

“How are we supposed to search now?”

The boulder was enormous—five hundred feet across, the size of a small mountain even in this vast wilderness, though only a fraction of the peak’s true height. Day after day, they saw mountains and thought little of them, but to see such a stone crush so many eagle demons left them awestruck. These eagles had always been nearly impossible to kill, soaring thousands—even tens of thousands—of feet above, well beyond the reach of their spears and arrows.

Yet today, under Luo Zu’s leadership, they had achieved a feat to be proud of, slaughtering the once-invincible eagles.

“Bring the rest of the oil,” Luo Zu said to Fire Boy.

“Alright,” Fire Boy replied without hesitation, obedient as always.

Luo Zu ordered the group to spread the remaining oil around the cliff’s edge, then set it alight.

With a roar, the flames leapt skyward, fanned by the wind, engulfing the entire cliff in a blazing inferno. The “Cave Dwellers” retreated to a safe distance, wary of being caught by the fire.

Before igniting the blaze, Luo Zu had them sever the only connection between the cliff and the rest of the mountain, ensuring the fire could not spread and threaten the entire peak.

He took every precaution—lest any eagle demon survived, he wanted no vengeful “prince of eagles” seeking retribution against the “Cave Dwellers.” Who knew if these eagles had some ancient ancestor, a Demon King of the North, ready to teach them the arts of sorcery?

Caution was best—leave no roots behind, and add fire to the ashes.

When the flames had burned themselves out and the oil was spent, Luo Zu led his people down the mountain, seeking out the eagles that had fallen in their escape or been shot from the sky. If they could, they finished them off; if not, they hauled the carcasses back to their cave.

After their labors, dusk fell. Excitement still ran high, and the “Cave Dwellers” held a grand feast, roasting their spoils over the fire.

At the gathering, Fire Boy spoke up first: “I think Boss Luo Zu is amazing! He keeps us fed and warm, and has taught us so many useful skills. From now on, shouldn’t we always listen to him? Shouldn’t we?!”

He waved his arms, his voice ringing out.

“Yes, yes!” Iron Head echoed.

The others followed suit, one after another. Even the youngest children squealed with laughter, as if voicing their agreement.

Seeing this, Luo Zu knew the time had come. There was no need for subtlety; he spoke his mind plainly: “I am willing to become the chief of the tribe.”

Fire Boy immediately followed his lead.

“Chief is incredible!”

“Chief is amazing!”

The crowd took up the chant, voices rising in unison.

For a time, the entire cave was filled with joyous clamor and lively celebration.