Faraway Wanderers Novel (English Translation)

Puppet

Chapter 47.

The python was even taller than Zhou Zishu when it rose to full height. Opening its maw, it swooped in to bite Zhou Zishu’s throat. Flinging Zhang Chengling into a corner, Zhou Zishu bent and ducked, unsheathed the Baiyi sword in the same instant, and brought it down onto the back of this beast’s neck.

When Baiyi’s blade collided with that great snake’s skin, sparks of friction seemed to fly; the skin on the python’s neck was not broken in the slightest. Its tail flicked, and barely missed Zhou Zishu’s shoulder as it passed. Had Zhou Zishu not dodged quickly enough, this one move could have broken his neck. With a thump, the snake’s tail landed on the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust and debris.

Zhou Zishu retreated three steps in succession, his heart growing cold. He knew that if it had not been Baiyi, but any ordinary sword in his hand, it would have been snapped by this single strike.

Instantly, he sensed that something was amiss, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind--when that python had opened its maw and struck out at him, he had not smelled the stench of blood! These animals ate their prey raw, with fur and blood whole, all year round. How could it not have the stench of blood in its mouth?

Curled up in a ball but with his neck outstretched, Zhang Chengling observed it closely for a while, before he suddenly exclaimed, "Shifu, this looks like an artificial snake!"

It would have been alright if he had only spoken; that great snake jerked with vigour, arched its neck, and turned towards him, hissing. But Zhang Chengling did not seem as scared as he had been earlier, and dumbly jumped from the ground to his feet. Not forgetting to dust his pants off as he pointed at that python, which was staring predatorily at him and ready to take a bite out of him, he said, "Shifu, look, this snake looks so real…"

Before he could finish his sentence, the python had already struck out at him.

Earlier, Zhang Chengling was terrified, but upon taking a look and realising it was fake now, he started to become negligent, as if he felt that since an artificial snake did not have to eat people, there was no danger. Zhou Zishu did not know what to tell him--was there actually any difference between the snake turning him into a sack, and swallowing him after he had been turned into a sack?

But Zhou Zishu could not simply stand aside and watch, as Zhang Chengling was about to lose his puny life. He jumped from the flat ground, leaping at the side of the snake's head with his arms outstretched on either side of him like wings, and knocked the snake’s head askew with a single kick. That snake, made of some unknown material, was astonishingly sturdy beyond all comparison.

Upon landing, Zhou Zishu felt his calf start to vaguely hurt.

This time round, Zhang Chengling did not dare to say anything.  

In the instant that Zhou Zishu had landed, he had glimpsed a dark passageway behind the python's body. An idea had formed in his mind. Now, he instructed Zhang Chengling in a quiet voice, "A while later, I'll distract it. You'll run towards the cave over there, but don't enter it. Wait for me by the entrance, do you hear?"

Zhang Chengling nodded his head obediently.

The great snake shook its head, as if it had gotten its bearings back. Zhou Zishu shoved Zhang Chengling hard. "Go!"

Closing his eyes, Zhang Chengling charged forwards like a headless housefly. Almost like he was demonstrating how mice scuttled, he nearly bumped right into the python. Heart palpitating, Zhou Zishu hastily thrust his sword. It struck the python in those eyes made of some unknown material and gouged one out. Unable to concern itself with Zhang Chengling for the moment, the great python sprung forward to battle Zhou Zishu to the death--of course, since it was not alive in the first place, it was difficult for it to die another time.