Samuel Bennett hurriedly shouted, “Senior brother, try your throwing knives—see if you can pierce its skull or heart!”

Robert Clark snorted, “Why bother killing it? Wouldn’t that just benefit those riffraff from Zixiao Heavenly Palace!”

“Aren’t we supposed to hand over thirty big beasts every year?”

“As long as we give them foxes and wolves, that’s enough. The meat is gamey and tough anyway, and they always ruin the pelts.”

Samuel Bennett was truly helpless—his senior brother was in a mood.

Speaking of wolves and foxes, Robert Clark suddenly thought of something. His eyes darted around, and he called to Samuel Bennett, “Stay up in the tree. I’m taking Brother Bear to pay a visit to the neighbors. I’ll be back soon.”

“Senior brother, you can’t outrun the black bear!” Samuel Bennett shouted anxiously.

“Don’t worry! I can’t outrun it in the wild, but in the rocky thickets, I’ll be fine. I know what I’m doing.”

Robert Clark leapt down from the tree, gave the bear a hard kick to the back of its head, then did a backflip to land on the ground, and dashed into the small grove. The grove was full of rocks, big and small—some as tall as a man, others up to the knee. This rocky stretch ran for several miles.

The black bear never expected to be toyed with like this. It swiped at empty air, roared in fury, and gave chase. Don’t be fooled by Robert Clark’s chubby appearance—without Samuel Bennett slowing him down, he ran like the wind, full of experience, never in a straight line, always weaving in an S-shape.

The black bear was constantly blocked by rocks and trees, unable to pick up speed, and for a while, really couldn’t catch up. The two chubby figures—man and bear—gradually disappeared into the distance.

Samuel Bennett jumped down from the tree, packed up his basket and tools, then climbed back up to the treetop to look out into the distance. He waited for a full hour, his stomach growling with hunger, before finally spotting the big, proud Robert Clark returning, dragging something in both hands.

“Senior brother, are you alright?”

“Little junior, I owe you for today’s luck. Look what I’ve got!”

Samuel Bennett was startled—Robert Clark was holding two bloody, scrawny wolves, both small in size, dragging them by the tails.

“Senior brother, what happened?”

“I lured Brother Bear to the wolves’ den. The mother wolf was tending her pups, and it sparked a battle between wolves and bear. Yours truly reaped the benefits—seven or eight wolves ganged up on the bear, two were slapped to death, the rest ran off, and the bear left injured. These two dead wolves were left for me.”

Samuel Bennett was speechless for a long time. He truly admired his cunning and daring senior brother—who else would think to lure a bear into a wolf den? Probably no one else in the world would dare such a thing.

Seeing that it was getting late, Robert Clark laughed and said, “That’s enough for today. Let’s head back!”

……

Chapter 0009: The Mystery of Identity

When they returned to the Daoist temple, it was nearly dark. Only the fourth brother, Ethan Clark, was in the courtyard, absentmindedly chopping firewood while constantly peering toward the southern hillside.

Suddenly, there was a rustling of branches, and the burly second brother, Robert Clark, poked his head out, struggling up the slope with two bloody animal carcasses. Right behind him was Samuel Bennett, carrying two large bamboo baskets on his back.

“You’re back!”

Ethan Clark tossed aside the hatchet and hurried over. He squatted down to inspect the two scrawny wolves, gave a thumbs up, and praised, “I knew with senior brother on the job, we’d have a big haul today.”

“Nonsense! When am I not on the job? Ugh, today nearly killed me.”

He dropped the two wolf carcasses, rubbed his lower back, and headed for the kitchen.

Ethan Clark quickly took Samuel Bennett’s bamboo baskets, glanced back at Robert Clark, and whispered, “So? Did third brother give you any trouble today?”

Samuel Bennett smiled, “If it weren’t for senior brother, I would’ve almost been…”

Before he could finish, Robert Clark suddenly poked his head out and glared at him, “You promised me!”

Samuel Bennett had agreed not to mention the black bear, and almost let it slip. He quickly changed his words, “Almost got taken out by two wolves.”

Ethan Clark looked back in confusion, “Third brother, didn’t you go to the back mountain today? How did you run into wolves?”

Robert Clark chuckled, “How should I know? Maybe they just wanted to say hi to little junior. Anyway, tomorrow you’re in charge of delivering the two wolves to those riffraff at Wutai.”

“Third brother!”

Edward Wood appeared at the doorway, glaring fiercely at Robert Clark, “This is my last warning—if you call them riffraff again, I’ll pluck every last hair off your head!”

Robert Clark scratched his head, bowing and scraping, “Master, I didn’t mean you. I meant… Alright, alright! I promise I won’t say it again.”

He slipped into the kitchen. Edward Wood then said to Samuel Bennett, “Go eat first, then come see me!”

“Yes, Master.”

Samuel Bennett and Ethan Clark dragged the wolves and baskets into the kitchen. Eldest brother Charles Clark took the baskets to tidy up, and Samuel Bennett filled a big bowl with bracken porridge, wolfing it down.

Edward Wood was not harsh with his disciples—they ate three meals a day. Breakfast and dinner were at the temple, while lunch was up to the disciples to figure out.

If not for that black bear at noon, Samuel Bennett would have enjoyed a nice rabbit stew. Pity that fat rabbit went to that black brute.

“Huh! Eldest brother, who’s the medicine for?” Third brother Robert Clark suddenly noticed a pot of thick medicine simmering, and his eyes lit up.