Chapter 3: Huo Bao (Part 2)

After dinner, the town chief called over a teenage boy. Smiling, he said to Chen Chunzhai, “Master Chen, hehe, this kid of mine… come here and pay respects to Master Chen! Kneel!”
The boy was very robust. Though not yet fully grown, he resembled a leopard—stealthy and fierce. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Huo Bao pays his respects to Grandpa Chen!”
Chen Chunzhai’s expression turned serious. “Old Huo, Town Chief Huo, what do you mean? Kid, get up!”
The town chief smiled politely, “Master Chen, you promised me last time!” In truth, he was uneasy and spoke cautiously, “Huo Bao is already twelve years old. Hehe, I know… the children you keep around all have potential for magic talismans. I… I want Huo Bao to follow you.”
Chen Chunzhai laughed and scolded, “You old fox, you’re really good at scheming.”
The town chief smiled awkwardly. “Huo Bao is getting older. He’s an excellent hunter. This spring, he hunted down a Di Bao bear—a terrifying one. You know… how fierce Di Bao bears can be in spring.”
Chen Chunzhai asked calmly, “Was it an adult bear?”
The town chief replied with a smile, “Of course not… it was a one-year-old Di Bao bear. Sigh, it’s already remarkable that Huo Bao, at just twelve, could kill one.”
Chen Chunzhai said, “It’s indeed not easy. Well, twelve… do you want him to follow you?”
The town chief immediately grew nervous. Even Chen Chunzhai couldn’t decide who could have followers. Guo Shier asked with a smile, “Grandpa Chen, what does it mean to have a follower?”
Chen Chunzhai replied, “Shier, you have potential for magic talismans. It’s no problem for you to become a Talisman Master. Every Talisman Master has followers, as do Spell Masters. You must understand that though Talisman Masters are powerful, they still need Martial Talisman Warriors to protect them in the wild. Every Talisman Master relies on the help of Martial Talisman Warriors.”
“What Town Chief Huo means is that he wants his son, Huo Bao, to become your follower. In the future, he’ll protect your safety and collect materials—those are all the duties of a Martial Talisman Warrior.”
Guo Shier pondered for a moment before saying, “If there are duties, there are also rights. What do I need to give in return?”
Town Chief Huo couldn’t help but widen his eyes. It was the first time he’d seen a child so clear-headed and calm as an adult. His only thought was: This child has a bright future ahead.

Appreciation flashed in Chen Chunzhai’s eyes once again as he said, “Of course, from now on, everything related to his food, shelter, and transportation will depend on you. Especially, all the most important body-training talismans for martial artists need to be created by you—his improvement in strength depends on you!”
Guo Shier asked, “What are body-training talismans?”
Chen Chunzhai smiled and replied, “They’re what people commonly call tattoo talismans.”
Guo Shier remembered the patterns on Uncle Puo Er’s body. So those weren’t just patterns—they were talismans. He said, “Can I learn those tattoo talismans in the future?”
Chen Chunzhai nodded. “The place I’ll take you to will enable you to become a talisman master.”
Guo Shier replied decisively, “Okay! I need a year to assess things. If it works out, I’ll take him on.” He didn’t believe in instant friendship. Huo Bao following him wasn’t something temporary—it was for life. If their temperaments didn’t match, it would be troublesome.
Mayor Huo was overjoyed. He didn’t mind the year-long assessment. Few talisman masters would suddenly decide to take on a follower. The martial artists who suited talisman masters best were usually trained from a young age, often by the talisman masters themselves. Their relationship wasn’t one of employer and employee; once they matched, it became even closer than that between brothers.
Chen Chunzhai said, “Congratulations, Mayor Huo. You’re really lucky this time! Do you remember the child I brought last time? Shier is a hundred times better than him!”
Mayor Huo was thrilled. “Master Chen, really? Haha, great! Great!”
Huo Bao’s attention was entirely on Guo Shier. This child was half a head shorter than him, with delicate features and no trace of murderous intent. He appeared gentle and harmless. But when Huo Bao’s gaze met his, his heart suddenly raced, giving him a creepy feeling—just like when he encountered that Di Bao bear in spring.
Guo Shier was also observing Huo Bao. This boy had an excellent physique, with a shaved head, very faint eyebrows that were barely visible, small eyes that he often squinted. His head was uniquely shaped, almost triangular, with a pointed skull, wide nostrils, a large chin, and a thick neck, giving him a sturdy and fierce appearance. An ordinary child might not like his looks, but Guo Shier knew this boy was born to be a warrior.
Both were satisfied. Though it wasn’t love at first sight, they recognized each other’s worth.
Guo Shier stood up and said, “I’m Guo Shier. Nice to meet you.”

Huo Bao was taken aback and quickly stood up, saying, “Huo Bao, my nickname is Baozi. I hope we can get along well, hehe.” His smiling face softened his fierce appearance, giving off a cheerful vibe.
Mayor Huo laughed heartily and said, “Little Baozi, go pack your things. You’ll follow Shi Er tomorrow. Remember, Shi Er is young—you need to protect him!”
…
Early in the morning, everyone boarded dog-sleds. The dogs here were very sturdy, with long fur that made them look like floating clouds as they ran. These were local specialty dogs—snow dogs.
One dog-sled could carry eight people and was pulled by twenty-one snow dogs.
Guo Shi Er sat on one of the sleds. On that sled were a dog handler, three martial artists, Chen Chunzhai, Guo Shi Er, and Huo Bao, plus Aunt Lan, who was in charge of Guo Shi Er’s daily needs.
Their group numbered over two hundred people. Including luggage and supplies, there were more than forty sleds, forming a long queue.
Guo Shi Er asked, “Grandpa Chen, where are we going?”
Chen Chunzhai replied, “Into the mountains!”
Guo Shi Er had no choice and didn’t know if Chen Chunzhai was teasing him on purpose. The man just wouldn’t say where they were going. He quickly glanced at Huo Bao and whispered, “Baozi, do you know where we’re going?”
Huo Bao was surprised, “You don’t know?”
Guo Shi Er replied irritably, “If I did, I wouldn’t ask you!”
Huo Bao adjusted his large fur hat and said, “We’re going to… the North Talisman Gate.”
“The North Talisman Gate?”
Chen Chunzhai glanced at Guo Shi Er with a half-smile and said, “The North Talisman Gate was originally called the North Talisman Alliance. Later, a major sect was established, and now it’s called the North Talisman Gate. From now on, you’ll be a disciple of the North Talisman Gate, and you’ll definitely be an inner disciple.”
Guo Shi Er asked curiously, “What’s the relationship between the Guo family and the North Talisman Gate?”
Chen Chunzhai replied, “The Guo family is one of the outer families affiliated with the North Talisman Gate.”
Guo Shi Er gasped in shock, “Just an outer family?”
Chen Chunzhai nodded. “Among the outer families, the Guo family is only considered second-rate.”
Guo Shi Er shook his head in disbelief. How powerful must the North Talisman Gate be? It must be even stronger than a country. He asked again, “Why is the North Talisman Gate located in the mountains? Wouldn’t it be better on the plains?”
Chen Chunzhai replied, “There’s no choice but to locate the North Talisman Gate in the mountains, because only it… can prevent the invasion of wild beasts and savages from the far north. The North Talisman Gate must be stationed in this mountainous area.”

The sled moved at great speed, racing down the snow trail. The bitter cold wind blowing against them was intense, and even with a thick fur coat, Guo Shier didn’t dare stop shivering. Aunt Lan said, “Shier still isn’t used to it.” She pulled Guo Shier into her arms, took another fur coat to shield him, and said, “This way, you won’t be cold.”

Guo Shier awkwardly twisted his body. In his past life, no one had cared for him like this, so he felt a bit uncomfortable. But Aunt Lan’s actions made him feel warmth for the first time.

Huo Bao’s fur coat wasn’t very thick, far inferior to Guo Shier’s, but he didn’t care at all. He completely ignored the cold wind, as he was already accustomed to the cold.

Guo Shier finally managed to stick his head out of Aunt Lan’s arms and asked, “How many days will it take to get there?”

Huo Bao saw Guo Shier’s head sticking out and couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Chen Chunzhai turned around and also smiled.

Guo Shier’s appearance was ruined—he looked like a matchstick sticking out of a cotton ball. Aunt Lan had covered him with layers of fur coats out of concern for his cold.

Guo Shier lamented inwardly. He really didn’t like being a child. In his past life, he had awakened at the age of seventeen, so he hadn’t experienced being a child.

Chen Chunzhai held back his laughter and said, “It will take seven or eight days. The roads in the mountains are very difficult. Just sit comfortably on the sled and don’t worry.”

Guo Shier simply pulled his head back into the fur coat, amusing Huo Bao, who kept laughing. It wasn’t out of mockery, but because he found it funny.

Chen Chunzhai said, “Bao, Shier is only eight years old. This is his first time in the cold mountains. There’s nothing funny about it.”

Huo Bao quickly stopped laughing, but his face turned red from trying so hard.

There were many settlements along the way, which also served as supply stations for the North Talisman Gate. Those entering the mountains had to rest here. Due to the large size of the sled team, no wild beasts dared to bother them, so the journey went smoothly.

With only one day left, as they approached the last supply station, they finally encountered a herd of beasts—blood ice wolves. The sled team immediately formed a circular defense formation. All the snow dogs had their leash ropes removed so they could protect the people on the sleds.

Chen Chunzhai commanded with ease. He asked, “Has the distress signal been sent?”

One talisman warrior replied, “The signal has been sent!”

Chen Chunzhai said, “Good. Changfeng, you take care of the children’s safety. I’ll lead the others to kill these blood ice wolves!” His words carried great confidence.

Guo Shier and fourteen other children were placed in the innermost layer, with another twenty-six children beside them. A group of snow dogs, under the control of their handlers, surrounded the children tightly. Behind them were sleds, positioned sideways to form a small enclosure. On the outermost side stood the Fu warriors, facing the Blood Ice Wolves directly.

Guo Shier said, “Aunt Lan, hold me steady.” He was wearing too many layers, making it difficult for him to move, and he tried hard to stay balanced on the luggage. Aunt Lan supported him, saying, “Be careful not to fall!” Over time, Guo Shier had become quite close to her. He could tell clearly whether she meant well or not, and he knew Aunt Lan truly cared for him.

“Finally, I can see clearly!”

Standing on the luggage, Guo Shier was even taller than Aunt Lan by a head, so he could easily see what was around.

Blood Ice Wolves usually traveled in packs of a hundred, but the pack before them was much larger—over four hundred wolves—led by a wolf king.

Huo Bao stood beside Guo Shier, holding a steel knife. His task was to protect him. He said, “These Blood Ice Wolves are no ordinary ones. It’s rare to see so many of them gathered together in the mountains. There must be a wolf king among them.”

The Blood Ice Wolves looked similar to ordinary wolves but were larger in size. Guo Shier had seen them during the beast trials and knew they weren’t particularly strong, but fighting them in a pack was a real headache.

He felt very lucky to be able to witness the battle between the Fu warriors and the sorcerers before reaching the North Fu Gate. It was an excellent opportunity for him to learn more about this world.

The Fu warriors stood loosely, some holding weapons and others with empty hands. Chen Chunzhai’s voice rang out, “Get ready! The Blood Ice Wolves are about to attack! Their skins are pretty good. After this battle, leave me a few fine skins! Kill those damned wolves!”

The Fu warriors burst into laughter and shouted in unison, “Kill those damned… wolves!”

Even Guo Shier and Huo Bao were filled with excitement.