第 1 章

The year my mother passed away, she turned into a big elm tree.

She said she would always watch over me.

In this place, such things do happen.

She accompanied me like that, all the way until I was fourteen years old.

I thought life would continue like this forever.

But that year, everything changed.

That year, Annan County had not rained for a long time.

An old Taoist priest with white hair and beard came to the village.

He said the big elm tree at the village entrance was a monster.

He said it was this tree that prevented the sky from raining.

Only by cutting down this tree will the sky rain.

Everyone in the village knows that in the past when people had no food to eat, the leaves and bark of this big elm tree saved many lives.

How could it be a monster?

However, the county officials believed the old Taoist priest's words.

Over ten soldiers, holding large iron saws, surrounded the big elm tree.

They prepared to cut down the tree.

The villagers were all very sad in their hearts, but no one dared to step forward.

Only me, I was only thirteen or fourteen years old at that time.

I opened my hands, leaned back against the big tree, and wanted to use my own body to block them.

The leader of the soldiers loudly scolded me: "You child, do you want to die?"

If you don't get out of the way, I'll saw you together.

My voice trembled, but my eyes were very serious: You cannot cut it.

It saved our whole village, it is not a monster.

Whether it is a monster or not is not for you to decide.

A very cold voice said.

The old Taoist priest wearing brown clothes walked forward.

Today is the great sacrificial day that occurs once every ten years.

On this day, the monster's power will become smaller.

This is the best time to get rid of the monster.

If you wait any longer, once the time passes and the monster's power returns, you will all die.

This made the officers very afraid.

The leader did not want to saw the child, so he shouted to the villagers: you.

Pull this child away for me.

Otherwise, I will arrest you all together.

A man I call Third Uncle hurriedly ran over: Xiao Xian, what are you doing.

Come over quickly, don't block the adults.

I anxiously shouted: Third Uncle, the big elm tree is not a monster.

It has saved us before.

I tightly hugged the big tree with both hands.

But Third Uncle was very strong, he pulled me down from the tree and dragged me away from the crowd.

I struggled desperately and shouted loudly: Third Uncle, let me go.

Zhang Old Pig, you let me go.

Third Uncle was both angry and anxious: You child, the immortal elder and the official lord both said it is a demon, what else are you saying.

Quickly come with me.

Hmm.

You dare call me by my nickname.

He pulled me, and my shouts and his curses grew farther and farther away.

The official soldiers' leader saw the child leave and coldly waved a hand: saw.

Sixteen official soldiers had long been prepared, divided into two groups, each holding a very long large iron saw.

Sizzle—sizzle—a very unpleasant sound suddenly rang out.

That sound was so sharp it made people's ears hurt.

The villagers watching all covered their ears, fearfully retreating backward.

Even those soldiers turned pale and stopped their movements.

This sound was too strange.

Evil creature.

Dare to resist.

The old Taoist in the distance had a cold glint in his eyes, instantly flying to the front of the tree.

It is indeed a demon.

He said coldly, "Today your power has diminished, yet you still dare to act like this."

Today is the time for you to die.

Seal.

The old Taoist priest chanted words in his mouth and raised his hand to press towards the tree trunk.

A bronze mirror was pressed by him onto the tree body.

The bronze mirror seemed to have power, with a flash of light, the entire big elm tree shook violently once, and then became quiet, as if pressed down by something.

The sixteen soldiers looked at each other and picked up the iron saw again.

Crunch—this time, the sound of sawing wood finally came.

However, as soon as the saw cut entered the tree trunk, a strange thing happened.

The big elm tree began to shake violently, and from the place that was sawed open, red water actually flowed out—that was blood.

The villagers were so scared that they screamed and retreated repeatedly.

It really was a monster.

Saw quickly.

Saw it to death quickly.

The old Taoist's voice rang out sharply.

Although the soldiers were also afraid in their hearts, under the command, they pulled the iron saw even more forcefully.