Chapter 384 - Peers

Su Lianyue was stunned but swiftly recovered with a sweet smile. “Surely you jest, Young Master. How will I fare when even a powerful person of you is injured? I’d have to hope for you have mercy and lend me a hand then…”

Xiao Chen ended their conversation and walked up to the front of the forest. The two of them walked shoulder-to-shoulder, passing by many secluded places like deep valleys and brooks along the way. Birdsong filled their ears. In the south where the Ghost-wailing Hill was located, all they could see was fog. It seemed that they were close and yet try as they might, they couldn’t reach their destination. Like chasing the sun, no matter how far one walked, the sun always seemed to be moving westward at the same time.

Before long, rain began falling again. Su Lianyue held up her oil-paper umbrella and stood to Xiao Chen’s right. The umbrella was small but enough to partially shield them from the rain. He turned his head to look at her and she did the same with a bright smile.

He ignored her smile but slowed down nonetheless. They strolled under the rain, listening to the pitter-pattering of raindrops on the umbrella. Even the rain seemed to have become gentle. He took a deep breath and a wave of sadness enveloped him. If only Weiyang was here to share his feelings and scenery.

They walked for a while longer before Su Lianyue started kneading her left shoulder, tired from holding up the umbrella. She looked at Xiao Chen. “Young Master, aren’t you going to help hold the umbrella?”

Xiao Chen replied indifferently, “Pure-heart Greenish-blue Umbrella, created by an eccentric Devil’s sect member called Grandma Zu a thousand years ago. Capable of blocking the attack of any Orthodox weapon. A high-ranking weapon even among Devil sects’ magic treasures. Aren’t you worried that I’d steal it?”

Su Lianyue giggled behind her hand. “If you want it, I don’t mind giving it to you,” she said, her charming eyes looking as soft as silk. She looked at him tenderly as if she was gazing into the eyes of her lover.

Xiao Chen was stunned, having not expected such a reply. He snorted and continued walking. Su Lianyue smiled sweetly and added, “All I hope for is that you won’t forget my act of friendship in gifting you the umbrella when you reach the Immortal King realm one day.”

“All I hope for is that you don’t forget me when you reach the Immortal King realm one day, Senior Brother…”

The rain ceased all of a sudden. Xiao Chen stopped walking. The cold wind flitted across his shirt, causing ripples through his sea of memories. Su Lianyue turned around. “What’s wrong, Young Master?”

“I just thought of an old friend, that’s all,” Xiao Chen replied indifferently and began walking again. “That person must be in the Immortal King realm now.” He clenched his fingers so hard that it was as if he wanted to drive his nails into his palms.

Su Lianyue chortled, laughing so hard that her body shuddered. “You really know how to joke, Young Master. If your old friend is in the Immortal King realm, then doesn’t that make you…”

“Someone from thousands of years ago?” Su Lianyue’s smile gradually vanished as she stared hard at Xiao Chen’s face like she was trying to find any change in emotion. Xiao Chen’s face remained unchanged as he looked at her.

They held each other’s gaze. For a split second, it was as if a strange mood had enveloped them both. However, the mood swiftly dissipated. Su Lianyue’s quiet voice shattered the silence. “Young Master, the rain has stopped.”

The ceasing of the rain brought on red clouds in the sky. It was almost dusk. Su Lianyue gently put away her umbrella and flashed him a smile. Xiao Chen frowned. This woman was really meticulous, he thought. He must be careful with his words and actions in the future.

The two of them traveled for another five miles or so until they arrived in front of a creek with clear waters and heard the sudden croaking of frogs. When they went close, a loud and incessant thumping resounded. What they saw were numerous frogs larger than the size of their palms leaping into the water.

Xiao Chen walked up to the upper reaches of the creek, found a spot without frogs, and squatted down on the shore. He cupped some water and began washing his face. He also drank several mouthfuls of the cool and refreshing water. Though he wanted to jump into the water for a bath, he decided against it as Su Lianyue was behind him. It would be rather graceless, after all. He drank some more water before walking back to her.

“Young Master, aren’t you afraid of someone poisoning the water?”

“When it comes to poison, who’s a match for Fort Raksasa’s Ice Jade Fairy? With a wave of your hand, I fear not even a blade of grass within ten miles will survive.”

Su Lianyue chuckled and walked to the shore. She, too, cupped some water and drank it with a graceful and gentle movement. Several droplets of water left on the corner of her mouth and chin glistened. She turned around and caught Xiao Chen staring at her. She smiled. “What’s wrong, Young Master?”

Xiao Chen scoffed and looked away. Su Lianyue chuckled. “Twilight is upon us. There’s a cave on the other shore. Why don’t we rest there for the night before continuing?”

Xiao Chen didn’t reply. He jumped and flew across the creek. When they entered the cave, they found that it was several tens of feet square wide. It was neither spacious nor narrow. Thanks to the foliage outside, it was hard for people to detect them here. Xiao Chen sat cross-legged at the cave entrance and began ushering his energy in meditation. After a while, the rumbling of a stomach shattered the silence. It wasn’t clear from whom the sound came from.

Xiao Chen kept his eyes closed and continued to meditate. It had been a few days since he last ate. Though he was peckish, he could still stand his hunger. Su Lianyue paced back and forth inside the cave, her beautiful brows furrowed. Soon, she walked out of the cave and returned with a pair of large, skinned frogs skewered on twigs.

“Here. Help me roast them.”

Xiao Chen opened his eyes and cast her a sidelong glance. His attention then fell on the frogs. These frogs were much larger than ordinary ones and looked plump and tasty. He stood up and took the skewered frogs from Su Lianyue’s hands. He looked at them before tossing them outside.

“Wh-What are you doing?”

“Feel free to eat them if you want to die.”

Su Lianyue was stunned. “What do you mean?” Xiao Chen replied, “These frogs are harmless but the moment they die, they’ll produce a potent toxin that is colorless and tasteless. Whoever eats it will have their six organs wrecked before dying a madman. Fairy, you’re a master of poisons. Don’t tell me you can’t tell.” He looked at her.

A look of astonishment crossed her face. The sky began to darken 30 minutes later. Xiao Chen continued to sit cross-legged at the cave entrance while Su Lianyue sat on a slab of stone, staring at him with her hands propping her cheeks. Her gaze seemed rather resentful.

Xiao Chen opened his eyes and turned his head to glance at her. “Why are you staring at me? Is it my fault that the frogs are poisonous?”

Su Lianyue scoffed loudly and turned her head away as if she was saying, “I don’t care. It’s all your fault.”

Moments later, the cry of a goose reverberated through the air. Su Lianyue looked overjoyed. She ran to the cave entrance, picked up a stone, and flicked it at the sky. Swish! The goose fell to the ground.

It was nighttime by the time she finished cleaning the goose. She carried the goose to the cave entrance and saw only pitch-black darkness inside. “Why didn’t you start a fire?” she asked.

“I’ve gotten used to the dark. I don’t see the need to make fire.”

Su Lianyue said nothing. She flicked her sleeve and summoned the nearby twigs to form a pile of firewood. Xiao Chen said emotionlessly, “Fairy, your telekinesis is surprisingly decent.” He concentrated his True Energy on his palm and a blue flame appeared on his fingertips. Swish! He flicked it at the twigs and started a fire. The fire instantly lent the cave some warmth.

“Your Pure Yang True Fire is also a rare treasure.” Su Lianyue chuckled. “Do you really not need my firestarter?”

“Toss it,” Xiao Chen said flatly.

Su Lianyue’s look of alarm swiftly dissipated. She said with a laugh, “You jest, Young Master.” She handed him the goose. “Here. Not poisonous this time, is it?”

Xiao Chen glanced at the well-cleansed goose. “Why are you giving it to me?” he asked. Even so, he took the goose from her hands, skewered it, and began roasting it over the fire.

Soon, Su Lianyue was sitting in front of the bonfire with her hands resting against her cheeks. She stared at the undercooked goose in Xiao Chen’s hands with a dejected expression. She shook her head and sighed before shooting him a helpless look.

Xiao Chen looked at the goose that was scorched in some parts and undercooked in others and then at her. “What are you looking at? You’re probably no better than me at roasting.”

Su Lianyue shook her head with a sigh. “The so-called God of Murder who had shaken heaven and earth in Tianyuan City doesn’t even know how to roast a goose.”

Xiao Chen looked at her, stunned. He then self-righteously retorted, “Who says a killer has to know how to roast a goose?”

He thought he made a lot of sense, so he spoke with righteousness. It was still logical upon second thought. He was born in one of the four influential families in this life and had always been well taken care of. He even left his hair-binding for Lil Ruo to do. How would he know how to roast a goose? In his past life, he once roasted half a pheasant under Mystic Cyan Mountain in a moment of childhood mischief. But that was thousands of years ago and that “skill” had been long forgotten.

He finally managed to finish roasting the goose. Though it was scorched on the outside and “tender” on the inside, it was nonetheless edible. Su Lianyue took over the roasted goose and gently blew on the wings. She tore off a piece of meat, put it in her mouth, and chewed. She nodded in praise. “Not bad. Oh, but it’s too bad we don’t have salt and pepper.”

“Nonsense.” Xiao Chen turned his head and stared at the flickering flames. He never thought that he would… roast a goose for a member of the Devil’s sects?

The bonfire seemed to have intensified under his gaze. The flames appeared to reflect a familiar face and a pair of glistening eyes. He wondered if that person still remembered.

Xiao Chen gradually became spellbound. He reached for the flames until his finger was scalded. He hissed and retrieved his hand.

“Young Master?” Su Lianyue was confused at his sudden and strange action.

“Nothing.” Xiao Chen shook his head and continued staring at the flames. In that pile of nearly burned wood, there was no sign of Weiyang anywhere. The image had never existed.

“Aren’t you hungry, Young Master?” Su Lianyue handed him the roasted goose with one wing torn-off. He glanced at it and coldly said, “I don’t share a goose with a Devil’s Practice follower.”

Su Lianyue was dumbfounded. She then burst into hearty laughter. She laughed so hard that she began shaking, unable to stop. Xiao Chen glanced at her. “What’s so funny?”

“No-Nothing…” Su Lianyue was still laughing like a maniac. Even tears were threatening to flow. She mimicked his words, “I, I don’t share a goose with a Devil’s Practice follower…” For some reason, she found it absolutely hilarious whenever Xiao Chen spoke with deadly earnestness.

“You’re as sick as that leopard cat spirit.” Her laughter made Xiao Chen feel awkward. With a flick of his sleeves, he got up and walked to the cave entrance. He looked up at the sky full of glittering stars.

Su Lianyue finally stopped laughing and asked, “Young Master, you keep calling me a Devil’s Practice follower. I’m untalented, so I’d like to ask you a question. In such times of chaos, what do you think is the Orthodox Path?”

Xiao Chen didn’t reply. In fact, he couldn’t come up with a reply. Those Immortal’s League folks claimed to guard the Great Path of the world, yet the so-called Orthodox Path that they protect was no better than the Devil’s Path.

Su Lianyue smiled. “If you can’t reply, then allow me to tell you.”

Xiao Chen turned around, curious about her answer. What reasonable explanation could come from a Devil’s Practice follower? Even if she could come up with something, it would surely be founded on twisted logic.