Chapter 14: The Origins of Dabao
“Village Chief, what do you need from me?” Chu Danqing approached the village chief, who was finishing up work in a low-lying field, and asked.
The village chief quickly led Chu Danqing to a secluded spot before speaking. “Brother Chu, you’ve been here in Xianghua Village for three days now, haven’t you?”
“Yes, it’s been three days,” Chu Danqing replied, puzzled by the sudden remark.
“You risked your life to rid us of the White Dragon Fish. On behalf of everyone in Xianghua Village, I offer our deepest gratitude,” the chief said.
“But for what comes next, Brother Chu, you must not get involved anymore.”
“I’ll prepare things for you tonight. At dawn tomorrow, you should leave the village.”
“Here, as a token of thanks.” With that, the chief handed Chu Danqing a necklace.
The necklace was strung together with wolf teeth—clearly from the two wolves Chu Danqing had slain earlier.
Chu Danqing pushed it back, refusing to accept. “Village Chief, I can’t leave.”
He understood what the chief meant: the Cave Spirit of Falling Flower Cave demanded him as a sacrifice. The chief didn’t want that and urged him to flee.
As long as he stayed beyond the boundaries of Xianghua Village, the Cave Spirit couldn’t touch him.
But counting today, he had only survived four days—three more before the seven-day deadline.
Once he left Xianghua, he’d lose every advantage.
He had benefited greatly from the village’s support; he couldn’t just abandon them now.
If he ran away, it would be the death of ten young girls in their prime.
“The Cave Spirit is a malignant, untrustworthy entity,” Chu Danqing said firmly.
“If we yield today, it will only demand more tomorrow.”
“We have to make the Cave Spirit back down now, or else there will be no future,” he continued, his tone serious. He no longer treated this as someone else’s problem.
The chief, visibly upset by Chu Danqing’s words, said, “You don’t understand how terrifying the Cave Spirit is.”
“When does it demand a sacrifice?” Chu Danqing asked directly.
“This time, the fifth day,” the chief sighed heavily. “It was originally the third day, but it was merciful enough to extend it.”
“Fifth day?” Chu Danqing’s eyes flickered. “Then I’ll go as the sacrifice three days from now, and I decide the exact time to go!”
“What? No, no, Brother Chu, you don’t know—once you go, there’s no coming back.”
“Those who tried to escape from the White Dragon Fish’s mouth to ascend all died without exception.”
Compared to the Cave Spirit, the White Dragon Fish was merely a minor threat.
“What if I collapse Falling Flower Cave?” Chu Danqing proposed.
At that moment, an even better solution came to mind—gunpowder.
---
As for why he hadn’t thought of making it before, naturally... he had simply forgotten.
Besides, it wasn’t certain he could gather the required materials.
Reputation was crucial.
Before the White Dragon Fish died, Chu Danqing was merely a benefactor to the village chief’s family. It would have been impossible to gather enough gunpowder materials and rally the entire village to help manufacture it.
Now it was different. His prestige and fame were sufficient.
Having acted as bait to kill the White Dragon Fish, his contribution was undeniably among the top three.
Volunteering to be the Cave Spirit’s sacrifice to the back mountain, with the village chief mediating, meant all favorable conditions—heaven, earth, and man—were in his hands. The odds were in his favor.
The chief fell silent, tempted far more by Chu Danqing’s words than from the initial killing of the White Dragon Fish.
“Xianghua Village owes you an apology, Brother Chu,” the chief finally agreed. “What do you need us to do?”
“I need saltpeter, charcoal, sulfur, and iron sand. Saltpeter must be ninety percent, charcoal and sulfur combined ten percent, iron sand is optional,” Chu Danqing stated his demands plainly.
“And I need everyone in the village, young and old, men and women, to cooperate with me,” he added.
Chu Danqing didn’t know if gunpowder existed in this world, but he intended to try first.
Without hesitation, the chief said, “Alright, Brother Chu, I’ll gather everything for you tomorrow.”
“This is just a token of our gratitude—please accept it,” the chief said, handing over the necklace again.
This time, Chu Danqing accepted it.
It was another piece of equipment, though of ordinary quality rather than exceptional.
[Wolf Tooth Necklace]
[Type: Equipment - Necklace]
[Quality: Common]
[Durability: 100/100]
[Attributes:]
[None]
[Effect:]
[Wolf’s Howl (Active): Consumes 1 energy point to summon a wolf spirit’s howl, causing enemies within 1 meter to be stunned for 1 second. Cooldown: 30 minutes]
[Equipment Requirement: 5 Spirit points]
(Note: Actual duration may vary depending on enemy attributes, equipment, and status.)
No attribute bonuses, but it came with a skill.
---
“Alright, I’ll keep it.” Having gained recognition from the Dimensional Paradise, Chu Danqing naturally accepted it, then asked, “Village Chief, how was this made?”
“My daughter-in-law begged her father-in-law to make it,” the chief replied.
“Could you teach me?” Chu Danqing couldn’t help but inquire.
“This is a family heirloom skill of my in-laws... I’m afraid not,” the chief said helplessly.
Seeing this, Chu Danqing did not press further.
Cherishing heirlooms was common in ancient times.
It just showed that Xianghua Village harbored many talented individuals.
From Jiang Tu, who cooked food that permanently increased attributes, to now the village chief’s in-laws who could craft equipment.
Had Chu Danqing not followed the village chief’s path but instead mingled with villagers like these, he might have acquired such skills.
But he did not regret it—regret was futile.
“Village Chief, I still have some questions. I hope you can answer them,” Chu Danqing shifted the topic.
“Brother Chu, just ask. We’re all on the same side; there’s no need to be so reserved,” the chief said. When Chu Danqing volunteered to be the sacrifice, he had already been accepted as one of them.
“What’s the situation with Da Bao?” Chu Danqing asked bluntly. “He gets stronger when angry, and the injuries from the White Dragon Fish healed overnight...”
A series of abnormal traits clearly marked him as different.
But the chief didn’t answer immediately. He glanced around cautiously before whispering, “He carries half the bloodline of the Cave Spirit.”
Chu Danqing gasped in shock.
He had considered extraordinary talents and rare treasures, but never imagined this.
“The Cave Spirit devours humans. How could it be interested in a person?” Chu Danqing pointed out the paradox, as one wouldn’t expect a person to develop inappropriate feelings for a piece of fried chicken.
“It doesn’t. That’s why Da Bao’s mother went mad,” the chief said nonchalantly.
At that moment, Chu Danqing understood something fundamental: everyone has two sides.
The people of Xianghua Village were no different.
He couldn’t know what had happened during that time, but he knew the outcome.
Xianghua Village had gained a guardian.
No wonder the whole village raised Da Bao together—they were all beneficiaries.
Before Chu Danqing could speak again, a villager rushed over urgently. “Village Chief, something’s wrong—Da Bao suddenly passed out.”