Tashkurgan, bordering Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan,
Tashkurgan, meaning "Stone City" in Uyghur, is named after an ancient stone fortress north of the city.
Kuer brought Heli back to his home in Tashkurgan, enthusiastically telling Heli about his hometown, filled with pride. Not only was he a demon hunter for the Spiritual Management Association, but he also had a lifelong profession: a border guard.
Kuer's family was a three-generation household. Kuer explained that the Tajik people lived in patriarchal extended families; as long as the parents were alive, sons generally did not split off to live separately.
Kuer parked the car in the backyard. Then, he got out and walked to the front of the yard. It was a single-story rural house with a large yard. Two iron racks were already set up in the yard, with a whole sheep roasting on each. Kuer's entire family, young and old, stood at the entrance: his parents, his wife, and his son.
Tajik people favored wheat-based foods, and their beverages were primarily dairy products or meat broth with noodles and dried milk, among other things.
Kuer's family was very hospitable. His son was particularly fond of Xiao Lan, standing behind his mother's legs, shyly gazing at Xiao Lan, his eyes unable to hide his longing to pet the dog.
Heli gave Xiao Lan a wink. "Xiao Lan, your master is here eating and drinking. What's wrong with selling some charm? Consider it payment!"
Xiao Lan cast a wronged glance at Heli, lowered its head, and nudged the young boy's arm.
Kuer invited Heli to eat, offering roasted lamb, stewed yak meat, and broth, but no alcohol was pushed.
While eating, Heli noticed that Kuer was a man who deeply respected his wife. Beneath his tall, rugged exterior, he was very attentive to his wife.
Of course, this might also be related to Tajik customs, as the Tajik people held women in high regard.
Finally, Heli witnessed Kuer's true appetite: one and a half roasted whole sheep, more than half a pot of yak stew, a metal plate of pilaf, and a pound of alcohol.
Truly worthy of you, the Heavenly Mountain Snow Lotus!
After the meal, they chatted for a while. Kuer's wife cleaned the west room, sweeping the kang and bringing out new bedding.
Heli felt rather embarrassed.
The west room was originally where Kuer's family of three lived. It had been specially cleared out for Heli, and the couple took their child to the small room in the yard.
Heli was reluctant, but the family's warmth made it difficult to refuse. Kuer took Heli's hand, and his wife had already finished preparing the room.
Heli sat in the room, stroking Xiao Lan's head. He was starting to enjoy petting Xiao Lan's head; it was fluffy, smooth, and somewhat stress-relieving. Others petted cats; he petted dogs. It was all petting, after all. What difference did it make what he petted?
"Xiao Lan, let's go to a hotel tomorrow. Staying here is too much of a bother."
Xiao Lan looked up at Heli. "My god, it's you who's causing trouble, not them. I've been selling charm the whole time. Kuer's son has almost plucked my ear fur bald."
Heli played with his phone for a while, sent a few messages in the Spiritual Management Association group chat, and then went to sleep on the kang. On these traditional kangs, one usually slept with their head facing outwards and feet towards the window. Heli didn't close the curtains; after all, he was staying at someone else's house, so he tried to touch as little as possible.
Soon, Heli fell asleep. Xiao Lan lay down on the rug in front of the sofa.
In the middle of the night,
Heli woke up groggily. He rubbed his eyes and raised his hand to check the time. It was two in the morning. He smacked his lips and was about to roll over and go back to sleep when he saw Xiao Lan standing on the ground, head held high, looking out the window.
"Xiao Lan, why aren't you sleeping?"
Heli mumbled, and following Xiao Lan's gaze, he glanced out the window.
There were several large trees in front of Kuer's house. The moonlight cast shadows, and with the occasional breeze, the tree shadows swayed.
However, amidst those shadows, there were two faint points of light, the size of washbasins, like two lanterns hanging high, and they were... green.
Heli squinted sleepily, glancing at them vaguely. He turned back to Xiao Lan and said, "What's so great about lanterns? Maybe it's their custom to hang... green lanterns."
After speaking, Heli closed his eyes. Then, he suddenly opened them, sat up, and stared intently out the window.
They weren't lanterns!
On the crown of the large tree in front of the yard stood an eagle, entirely black and gray.
Those two green lights were the eagle's... eyes!
Heli frowned. "Is this eagle here to deliver my Hogwarts acceptance letter?"
At that very moment,
The eagle perched on the treetop suddenly spread its wings, preparing to fly.
Heli estimated... no need to estimate. Just the eagle itself, without even spreading its wings, was taller than Kuer.
Beep beep beep...
At this moment, Heli's watch alarm also sounded.
Bang!
Heli pulled open the window and leaped out. The moment Heli leaped out, Li Qin's figure appeared, standing on the roof of the single-story house. Simultaneously, a gravity halberd appeared in Heli's hand.
Heli landed in the yard, then stomped his right foot hard on the ground, leaping high again, charging towards the giant eagle.
Heli's heavy stomping sound startled Kuer's family. With a bang and a crash, Kuer, carrying two back-mounted sabers, burst out of the house, shattering the glass. He first looked at Xiao Lan, who had also leaped out the window, and then looked up towards the large tree.
At this time,
Heli had already stepped on the gate, used it for a second jump, and reached the treetop. He swung the gravity halberd in his hand and brought it down heavily towards the giant eagle.
"Screech!!!"
An eagle's cry, piercing the sky and shaking the clouds, echoed. The giant eagle raised its head, its hooked beak meeting Heli's gravity halberd.
Clang!
The gravity halberd and the eagle's beak collided with a crisp metallic clang.
The man and the eagle did not hold their position for a second. The next moment, the giant eagle flapped its wings violently and retreated backward instantly.
Heli's strength, having lost the eagle as a fulcrum, poured downwards. The immense force, along with gravity, struck the large tree heavily.
Boom! Boom!
The large tree shattered into pieces, kicking up dust.
Heli used the recoil force to flip backward, landing on the treetop. He squinted, watching the giant eagle flapping its wings in the air, its sharp talons extended.
The man and the eagle confronted each other for a moment like this.
Heli gripped the gravity halberd tightly. At the same time, the giant eagle screeched in mid-air and charged forward, its sharp talons fiercely clawing at Heli.
Heli blocked with his halberd, but the branches beneath his feet could not withstand the force of the collision and instantly snapped. Heli was sent flying by the giant eagle,
However, Heli did not let the giant eagle escape. Instead, he held the halberd in his right hand and tightly grasped the eagle's talons with his left, falling towards the ground together.
Woof!
Xiao Lan barked and was about to pounce, but Kuer was faster. He lunged forward, not attacking the giant eagle, but rushing towards the spot beneath Heli. He bent over with his back to Heli, facing away from Heli, to absorb the impact as much as possible.
Bang!
Kuer was hit by the man and the eagle, his feet sinking deep into the earth. A muffled groan escaped his lips, his face flushed. He gritted his teeth, his waist trembled, and he pushed the man and the eagle on his back upwards again.
Heli was stunned. He had expected to be injured but didn't expect Kuer to be so fierce, taking the impact head-on.
Under Kuer's strength, Heli and the giant eagle flipped over. The giant eagle flapped its wings violently, but Heli held on tightly to its talons.
Bang!
Heli pinned the giant eagle to the ground, the gravity halberd pressing down on its talons, and one hand tightly gripping one of the eagle's talons.
"Screech!!!"
The giant eagle's beak lunged towards Heli's head. Heli had no doubt that if it pecked him, his brains would splatter five meters.
Heli shifted his body, dodging the eagle's attack, stepped on the gravity halberd, raised his right hand high, and punched the giant eagle's neck fiercely.
Boom!
The punch did not land on the giant eagle but struck the ground, sending sand and stones flying, cracking the earth.
The giant eagle disintegrated like fragments, splitting into several dark shadows. It reformed into the giant eagle in the air, flapping its wings and looking down at Heli.
Heli, holding the gravity halberd, straightened his body and gazed at the giant eagle in the air.
The giant eagle flapped its wings, soared into the sky, and flew away into the distance.
Kuer came to Heli's side, tilted his head, and spat a mouthful of blood to the side. He said coldly, "Chase it. Kill it."