Chapter 80: Deceived

Even when crawling on all fours, the black bear stood as tall as two grown men; if it were to rise upright, it could easily match the height of four. Such a massive beast filled the villagers with overwhelming dread, washing away the last vestiges of sleep from their minds like a bucket of cold water.

Though they had seen this black bear once before, its reappearance still struck fear into their hearts. After all, who would not be afraid of such a monstrous creature?

“I’ll handle the black bear demon; you all keep those lesser monsters at bay,” Chen Jin said in a low voice to Zheng Chang. Having caught sight of the bear, Chen Jin felt more confident. Its aura was only at the Settled Breath stage—nowhere near the Settled Spirit realm—so he need not fear it yet.

A streak of light flashed across the field, zigzagging before driving straight for the bear’s belly. Chen Jin was no fool; he did not aim his flying sword at the bear’s skull—who knew how thick it might be, or whether his sword could even pierce it? Failing in front of the villagers would be embarrassing, but worse would be crushing their morale. Thus, he guided his flying sword toward the crescent-shaped patch on the bear’s chest and abdomen.

Usually, bears with crescent marks on their chests are called moon bears, but this one, being so sturdy and black, could just as well be called a black bear.

Sensing danger, the bear let out a furious roar, twisted its body with a few heavy thuds, and dodged the flying sword. It then swiped at the blade, hoping to knock it aside. Yet the sword was too swift; the massive paw struck only empty air, slamming into the ground and leaving a deep crater with a thunderous crash.

The flying sword circled back to Chen Jin’s side. No longer among the villagers, Chen Jin moved along the village wall, intent on drawing the bear away.

Enraged, the black bear reared up with a roar and, in a single bound, leaped thirty yards after Chen Jin.

The battle had truly begun.

This was a real skirmish. After all, the villagers’ crude weapons could still be called arms, more or less.

Chen Jin had no time to concern himself with others; he had to handle the black bear first. Though the creature was only at the Settled Breath level, its sheer size and vigor far surpassed his own. The amount of primal energy it could command surely exceeded his as well.

So, even though confidence filled his heart, Chen Jin dared not relax. This creature was a true minor boss—it could not be taken lightly.

As the bear lunged for him, Chen Jin quickly dodged—he had no desire to take that brute force head-on. Who knew if a single swipe might shatter every bone in his body? Who would he complain to then?

Though he avoided the bear’s charge, Chen Jin hurled a fireball the size of a human head at its head. The bear, caught mid-pounce, could not evade; the fireball struck true, instantly singeing clumps of black fur. Flames raced along its body, a sudden and unexpected boon. In a heartbeat, the entire bear was ablaze, a towering torch that outshone every villager’s own.

Yet this brilliance lasted but a moment. A surge of black smoke erupted from the bear’s body, snuffing out the flames in an instant.

Chen Jin, however, had no intention of pausing to watch. He immediately unleashed his signature flying sword technique, guiding the blade with his primal energy to stab at the bear’s eyes.

The bear hastily raised a paw to block.

With a sickening sound, a severed paw hit the ground, and the sword returned to Chen Jin’s side.

The bear howled in agony and charged at Chen Jin in a frenzy.

Chen Jin had already formed the necessary seals for his spell, chanting the incantation in a flash.

With a dull crash, the ground beneath the bear caved in, and a massive pit swallowed it whole. Chen Jin clapped his hands together, and the earth and stones at the pit’s edge surged inward, burying the bear beneath.

He had lured the bear here precisely because he had prepared a trap in advance, having asked the villagers about the beast’s size to ensure the pit would fit.

Trapped in the closing pit, the bear roared and thrashed, trying in vain to claw its way free. Though it managed to displace some earth and stone, the weight and volume were too great, even for its formidable strength.

“Damn you, Daoist! I’ll swallow you alive!” At last, the bear spoke in human tongue, abandoning its bestial howls.

Chen Jin had no interest in conversing and instead concentrated on compressing the earth around it.

Amidst the bear’s furious roars and curses, he buried it completely, not even leaving its head exposed—curious to see if he could suffocate the beast.

As for the lesser monsters, seeing their leader caught, they scattered like frightened souls, desperate to escape. The villagers could not stop them, so the creatures fled into the night. Chen Jin did not pursue; having captured the black bear kingpin, the main threat was gone.

Suddenly, the earth of the pit parted, and a massive bear paw burst through.

A streak of light flashed.

The paw flew off, blood spraying.

To be so brainless, even as a bear, was almost impressive, Chen Jin thought.

A howl of pain echoed from beneath the earth and stone.

If only there were cement, Chen Jin mused, he could have sealed the bear up and delivered it to the sect—or better yet, to the grill for a barbecue.

“That’s not a bear’s paw!” the Earth Deity suddenly whispered in his ear.

“It’s not the Bear King?” Chen Jin saw the severed paw transforming, morphing into a hairy human hand.

“Where’s the Bear King then?”

“In my temple!” the Earth Deity exclaimed, his form flickering as he hastened back to his shrine.

Now Chen Jin understood—they had been deceived.

Just then, a beast’s roar echoed from within Qianan Village, mingled with the sound of collapsing buildings.

The Bear King’s true target had always been the Earth Deity’s temple. The frontal assault by the monsters was a distraction, while the Bear King concealed its presence and slipped away to destroy the shrine.

Chen Jin now sensed the aura of the “black bear” he had buried fading rapidly. It did not possess the might of the Settled Breath realm—it was merely at the Contemplation stage.

No wonder the fireball had ignited it so easily, and its paw had been severed with so little effort. Chen Jin had barely broken a sweat.

Such weak strength could never have injured an Earth Deity.

His mind raced as he pieced everything together, then he hurried toward the heart of the village.

There, the great bear’s roars showed no sign of stopping…