THE HUNTER OF DARKNESS

A one-armed man walked upright along the path that led out of the forest. His muscular right hand carried a large bundle of firewood slung over his shoulder. Despite having only one arm, he showed no sign of struggling with the task. As for his left arm—whether it had been missing since birth or lost through some misfortune—there was no indication that he possessed one at all. The empty left sleeve of his shirt flapped in the wind, clearly revealing nothing solid within.

Like most villagers, he wore a bamboo hat to shield his face from the burning rays of the sun. A tuneless whistle escaped his lips, reflecting the lightness in his heart.

As he reached the edge of the forest, his steps suddenly halted. The whistle died in his throat. His gaze grew sharp as he noticed an old man stumbling toward him in a panic.

“Fang Yun...!” the old man shouted.

“What is it, Grandpa?” Fang Yun frowned, trying to guess what had happened. “Judging from your face, it’s like you’ve just seen a ghost in broad daylight. Or wait—maybe a ghost is chasing you because it caught you peeping at them doing naughty things?”

The old man slapped his forehead lightly and tried to catch his breath. “This isn’t the time for jokes, Fang Yun! Hurry home—your wife is about to give birth!”

Fang Yun raised an eyebrow. He paused for a moment, then chuckled. “You tell me not to joke, but now you’re the one joking. How could my wife be about to give birth? She’s only seven months along.”

“I’m not joking, Fang Yun! Your wife’s having contractions. The midwife says your child is coming.”

Fang Yun stared deeply at the old man’s face. There was no hint of deceit in his eyes. Without another word, the thirty-year-old man dropped the bundle of firewood from his shoulder.

“This is for you, Grandpa!” he said before sprinting as fast as he could toward his home.

The old man was left speechless, watching Fang Yun disappear down the road.

Upon reaching his house, Fang Yun rushed into the bedroom to check on his wife. The midwife was gently massaging Mei Hwa’s stomach as she lay weakly on the bed, struggling to endure the pain.

“How is my wife, Madam? Grandpa Darman told me she’s about to give birth. Is it true?”

“It’s true, Fang Yun. But…” The midwife’s voice trailed off. Her eyes reflected worry as she looked at the distressed husband.

“But what, Madam? Please don’t keep me in suspense,” Fang Yun said anxiously. He could sense that something was terribly wrong.

“You must both stay strong. There’s a high chance your child will not survive the birth.”

Like a bolt of lightning, Fang Yun collapsed into a chair, his legs suddenly weak. He had never imagined this would happen. After waiting seven years for a child with Mei Hwa, he couldn’t accept that this might all end in heartbreak.

“Is there no way to save my child, Madam?” he asked softly, his eyes pleading. “I’ll give anything—anything—to save my child’s life. Even if it costs my own.”

The midwife shook her head slowly. “In all my years, I’ve never seen a case like this end happily. All you can do now is pray and hope the gods will help.”

But Fang Yun, the last Flame God warrior, wasn’t satisfied with that answer. His jaw clenched, and his fist tightened. He refused to accept this fate—after all he had sacrificed to bring peace to the world and defeat the Dark King who had defied the gods.

“Please watch over my wife for a moment, Madam. I need to go out.”

The midwife nodded without question. She didn’t ask where the one-armed man was headed.

Fang Yun entered a separate room and sat cross-legged, his eyes closed. His mind focused on his adoptive mother—perhaps she could help him.

“Mother Queen, please come!”

In an instant, Qian Hui appeared before her adopted son. The beautiful woman, queen of the jinn realm atop Mount Xuebaoding, looked at Fang Yun with calm affection. “What is it, my son? You seem troubled.”

“You’re right, Mother. It’s about your future grandchild—he may not survive the birth.”

Qian Hui sat beside him. “Tell me everything in detail. Perhaps I can help.”

Fang Yun took a deep breath and began to explain. Tears rolled down his scarred face as he spoke.

“I see,” Qian Hui said when he finished. “Wait here. Don’t go anywhere.”

She vanished. A short time later, she returned with a troubled expression.

“There’s only one solution, Fang Yun. But it requires a great sacrifice from you,” she said.

“Tell me what it is, Mother! I’ll do anything to save my child’s life. Even give my own if needed!”

“It’s not about death, my son. If you want your child to be born safely, you must give up all your powers and your immortality.” Qian Hui paused to let him think.

“But within this misfortune lies a blessing. One day, your child will find his own path—and when he does, he will be truly exceptional.”

“For the sake of my child’s life, I’m willing to give up my powers and immortality. Mei Hwa will raise him to become a great warrior,” Fang Yun replied firmly, without hesitation.

“Very well. But the midwife must not see me. Ask her to leave the room.”

Fang Yun nodded. He walked into his wife’s room.

“Please forgive me. I think you should rest for now and return later in the evening. I’ll watch over my wife while you take a break.”

“That’s fine. I also need to retrieve some of my tools from home. I’ll return this evening.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

The midwife gathered her things and left the room.

Moments after she departed, Qian Hui reappeared beside Fang Yun. She watched Mei Hwa sleep deeply, her body weak and pale.

“Your son bears a curse, my child. But fortunately, it won’t affect his abilities—only his physical appearance may be a little different.”

“That’s alright, Mother. What matters is that they both survive,” Fang Yun replied.

“Now, sit beside your wife and place your hand on her belly.”

Fang Yun moved to the edge of the bed and gently laid his right hand on Mei Hwa’s swollen stomach.

“Brace yourself. Don’t resist, so the process can finish quickly.”

Fang Yun nodded.

Qian Hui placed her hand on his shoulder and began to channel her power into his body.

Slowly, Fang Yun felt a strong force pushing from within him—his strength being drawn out.

Mei Hwa stirred as Fang Yun’s power entered her body. Her once-pale face began to regain color.

Without realizing it, Fang Yun’s strength flowed through Mei Hwa and into the child within her womb. A radiant light burst forth from her belly, so bright that Fang Yun had to shut his eyes.

“It is done, my son. You are now just an ordinary man—mortal and vulnerable. All your power has been absorbed by your unborn child. But do not despair. I will continue to protect you both and let no one harm your family,” said Qian Hui.

“I won’t be sad, Mother. For my child, I’m willing to give everything I have,” Fang Yun answered, a smile forming on his lips.

Evening approached. The midwife returned and stood ready beside Mei Hwa.

As night fell, Mei Hwa cried out once more as a wave of intense contractions returned. The midwife recognized the moment had come and turned to Fang Yun for permission.

“Do it,” Fang Yun said firmly.

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Twenty-one years later...

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If you want to learn about Fang An's father's exploits, you can read it in the book titled SWORD OF FLAME. Thanks