ENG
"A master archer, none can compare,
Timid when danger fills the air.
Never brave when faced with fear,
Escape his choice, he stays clear."
The Black Wind King hosted a banquet in the temple to celebrate his birthday, and all the yaoguais attended. During the feast, the King hung a lucky ornament on a tree branch, declaring that anyone who could shoot it would receive a rare fortifying golden pill as the reward. The yaoguais were eager to try, but the fierce wind hampered all their attempts.
Among the guests was an old wolf known for his remarkable archery skills. He was cautious, unassuming, and kept to himself in a corner, nursing his drink. A few eager yaoguais asked him to try, and though he declined, they persisted with their teasing until he reluctantly agreed.
Slowly, the wizened old wolf stood up and moved to the position. Some youngsters laughed at him, deeming him incapable. unperturbed, he calmly strung his bow, let loose an arrow, and struck the target dead center, causing a commotion among the crowd.
The old wolf received the reward, and admiration followed suit as others toasted him. among them was a youngster, who commented on the bolus intoxicated. "How generous our King is,' he remarked, "Far better than the Lingxuzi, who was good at making pills but never shared them with his underlings. What a tightwad!" The youngster's words cast a shadow across the old wolf's face, and he silently took his leave. "He had roamed the mountain with Lingxuzi long before our King's reign. Yet, you judged his deceased former master in front of him. Loyal as he is, you are in trouble now!" warned an elder guai. However, the young guai shrugged off his warning.
The next day, the old wolf returned the golden pill to the King, citing its value too high to possess by an archer. Hearing the news, the other yaoguais urged the young on to apologize and seek forgiveness, but he remained defiant. Within a few days, while venturing outside, the youngster was killed by several arrows, each piercing his heart. Many said that even the golden pill couldn't save the youngster from his fate.
The short poem at the start describes someone who is unmatched with a bow but cowardly when danger appears — expert in skill but careful and avoidance-minded in life. That sets the tone for the old wolf in the story: a legendary archer who is modest, cautious, and prefers to keep to himself rather than seek glory.
The setup is a birthday banquet thrown by the Black Wind King at a temple. The King hangs a lucky ornament on a branch and offers a rare, fortifying golden pill as a prize to whoever can shoot it down. The wind is strong and makes shooting difficult, so the assembled yaoguais fail to reach it easily.
An old wolf attends, sitting quietly in a corner. After being teased and pressured by younger guests, he reluctantly agrees to try. He slowly stands, strings his bow, and despite the fierce wind he shoots the ornament dead center. He wins the pill and the crowd’s admiration. During the celebration a young yaoguai praises the King and insults Lingxuzi, a famous pill-maker who is now dead and was the old wolf’s former companion.
The insult visibly upsets the old wolf because he had roamed the mountain with Lingxuzi before the King's reign and clearly owed loyalty to him. The wolf leaves silently. The next day he returns the golden pill to the King, saying it is too valuable for an archer to keep. Others tell the young yaoguai to apologize, but he refuses and stays defiant.
A few days later the young yaoguai is found dead, killed by several arrows that pierced his heart. People remark that even the golden pill could not save him. The story leaves readers with clear facts: the wolf is a humble, master archer loyal to his old companion; the young man insulted that companion and would not apologize; and the young man later died from multiple arrow wounds, leading others to connect the insult, the wolf’s reaction, and the fatal outcome without spelling out who fired the fatal arrows.