"Oii, big bro. Hey can you hear me?" said Gayatri shaking the sleepy Anik.

"Broo!"

"Alive! I am alive, lemme me catch a breath, Gayatri."

"She was asking how long it'll take you..."

Anik raised his head from his knees and looked at the lady.

"Miss, are you feeling well enough to get moving?" He asked the lady sitting near the crushed flower, her red dress would have worked well for a camouflage for the blood but thanks to the sheer cold, her dress was frozen hard wherever it was wet with blood.

"Yea, how long do you need?"

"We can get going then," Anik stood up slowly supporting himself with the wall. He took a deep breath bringing his mana circulation to normal after circulating most of his available mana to his heart, brain, and most importantly core, for the last few minutes.

"Yes," Lady stood up, looked at the petal in her hands for a second, and moved towards the entrance leaving the petal behind. Gayatri followed her after the guy and Anik was moving with light steps.

"Hey, are you sure you can walk?" Anik asked the guy with Pipa.

"I have reached my end, I'll give up on this life after meeting my friend for the last time."

"Ohh."

Except for Gayatri, all of them were roughed up in their ways. But none of them proved to be a hindrance as each one had their own goals to move forward to.

After walking for about an hour, they were almost at the foot of the mountain.

"Then, I'll go on my way from here." Said the gay guy bowing lightly to all of them. Anik greeted him back with a tiny head bow with closed eyes.

"Pay my respects to Master Ling." Lady bowed.

"Mhmm" The guy turned around and started walking towards the small town at the foot of the mountain.

"Where is he going though?" Asked Gayatri looking innocently at his back walking farther and farther away.

"Cemetery"

"... Ohh"

"That's what he meant by friend."

"His best friend died a few years ago, he has been working hard for the vengeance. Finally, it's time that he can rest." She started walking faster, making the other two do the same. In a few seconds, she started running, almost flying towards the other side of the mountain.

I can't run this fast, I need to be faster to catch up. Anik was thinking about it when suddenly he felt someone holding him by his shoulders. It was a strong grip but the owner of the hands seemed small since the hands barely covered his entire shoulder socket.

"I can fly bro." It was Gayatri who held him and began flying catching up with the lady in no time.

"What is your name miss?" Asked Gayatri flying right above the lady who was running like a flash. I barely managed not to kick her when Gayatri suddenly slowed down her speed to chit-chat with her. It was already hard enough to keep my body aligned but the inertia almost made me hit her.

"Zhang Fei"

"I am Gayatri and this is-"

"Anik, I heard you calling him already."

There were no further discussions the entire way until they reached a nearby port. I was about thirty kilometers from where the mountain foot and they covered this distance in about fifteen minutes on foot... umm in the air as well. Two kilometers per minute, that was pretty fascinating for Anik.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Mister, we'd like to go to Pyongyang."

"Young lady, it's about twelve copper taels for three of you." the boat master looked pretty old and it was unsure whether he can handle all of them given that this boat looked deprived of any motor or something like that.

"Okay." Fei waved at both of them to join her as she walked into the small cabin of the boat, the boat itself was pretty small, barely capable of holding more than five adults at a time.

"Then we'll set off if you are ready."

"Mhmm"

The boat master took the oars from beneath a seat and gestured for both Gayatri and Anik to sit with a smile.

The boat started moving in the water as he rowed slowly.

Fei came out of the cabin and sat beside Gayatri.

"What technique did you use to fly?"

Technique? So this place is different from the system? They didn't know about mana but I thought it was because of language difference. Gayatri did a good job with that one though maybe she was a fan of dramas as well.

"It's from the northern part."

"Who's your teacher?"

"It was a master of the Win- Winyang area."

"Winyang? it's unheard of"

"Yeah, very few people know him."

"I'd like to learn this technique."

"Yep, after we treat your lover."

"...Mhmm"

"Don't worry miss as long as you provide me with enough Qi I can do that."

"Thanks a lot."

"No worries."

Master of win- it feels like she was going to say wind. Given her strength and hiding skills, she might be close to the masters of the elements. I was doubtful of my deduction until now. the way she puts her guard down when Ashleen aka demon is not here shows how unaware she thinks I am. Of course, it's natural right after entering here how can someone know about her? In the comic Vanshika got to meet the master of water after her partner killed Ashleen... it was in about the 86th chapter, First time she heard about masters was in the 70th chapter. This means masters appear rarely, so there is no way one would think of her like that.

She said something about getting her memories back... memories back. She made the demon suffer by making him unable to move forward. That was all mentioned in the comic. Unable to move forward... move forward to where? and how did she stop him? and she dies later on.

That's confusing but for now, all I can do is move with the flow.

Given the circumstances, one-day Ashleen and Gayatri might be standing on opposite sides. I need to think about that too... Siding with Ashleen... I need to find her weak points. Gayatri sis, you gotta show me your vulnerabilities.

...

"Here we are young lady, we've reached Pyoyang Port."

"Thanks, Grandpa" "C'mon guys he is near that mountain," she said pointing towards a distant mountain. It should be about a few minutes away from here if we continued at the same speed.

"Let's find a cart" continued Fei "We can't attract attention with our moves, be careful."

"Are you in danger?" asked Anik.

"Don't worry I'll make sure to protect you."

"That's not what I meant..."

She looked at him and turned around to look for a cart. After a few minutes of wandering around, we reached a tea stall. Gayatri sat down and looked at the cart owner Fei was talking to. After a few minutes, Fei came back to us,

"Cart is ready we can move now."

"Okay," I said as I walked towards the cart.

In a matter of a few seconds, all three of us were on a cart pulled by a mare. This was an inevitable fact from the beginning that a cart ride can never be comfortable. but only after a few minutes, I realized how tormenting it can be. If not for this nice physique I got due to the system I can't imagine what it would have felt like if I had my previous body.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, I'll make sure to have you the best rest and entertainment when you came to our forty-eight strongholds."

"Forty-eight strongholds?"

"It's my home. I hope it would be alright. We might be under attack after all."

"Then you can't ensure the rest and entertainment I suppose."

She flinched at the statement and bowed her head. After a few seconds, she raised her head and looked at me.

"I'll do everything in my reach if you can cure him."

"Don't say such words recklessly, I can ask for a lot."

"..."

"Let's concentrate on what's in the hand at the moment." I looked at her as she wiped a rolling tear down her cheek. To think she's the same woman who killed the humanoid thing at the cave entrance is hard to believe. Right now she looks like a regular lady who can't protect her heart from the pain tearing it apart. 'Love' why do these four words feel so cruel right now? Heh... what a joke on me. Why am I thinking this way? Anik... Anik are you trying to suppress your feelings??

"We'll get off here" Said Fei to the cart master, her normal stern expressions were back as she was paying the cart master. The cart master left as soon as he was paid, leaving us in the middle of nowhere. There was brazen land on both sides of the unpaved path. Fei looked at us and started moving towards her location, the foot of the mountain.

"There's a cave here, it's his master's house in this cave. His master is taking care of him. And he is also the one who suggested I should get the flower."

"A'Fei! You are back..."

"What the hell are you doing outside? Are you so eager to die Xie Mei Mei?!" She said in an almost roaring voice.

"Ahh, miss water grass, I am not a kid, don't worry milady. By the way, these guests are-"

"Doctor. He is a doctor and this small girl might be his sister."

"Doctor?"

This guy how is he even alive?? It's a miracle for him to be able to speak leave alone walking by himself. If my ability serves right, his heart is half frozen while the oxygen entering his lungs is barely a gas anymore. His internal temperature is so low that he should certainly be dead by now.

Wait what is that-