Travelling down the mountain range, Xing Yi expended little effort to keep up with the other three. While they used qigong, he used the pure strength of his own body.

At one point, He Yazhu voiced sarcastic concern.

“Junior Brother Xing, if you find it difficult to catch up with us, then when it comes time to fight demonic beasts, you might become a burden for the rest of us-”

But when he noticed Xing Yi’s smooth gait, that he was still breathing through his nose, and his complexion a gentle calm, he stopped speaking.

His long-red hair fluttering in the wind, he pursed his lips and he harrumphed.

“It seems you do have some skill. Make sure to keep up if you don’t want to get crushed underneath the hoof of a demonic beast,” He Yazhu smirked.

Just then, Ye Hai spoke up, “Brother He Yazhu, your words are just like your spells–hot fire! This is a team expedition. Hold your tongue or it would spell disaster for all of us.”

Suddenly, He Yazhu was enraged.

“What do you mean! I was merely offering advice to a Junior. What; are you just trying to find a way to trade blows?”

Stopping upon the branch of a treetop, Ye Hai came to a stop atop a treetop with one leg. He stood steady as he peered down towards He Yazhu.

“You really are an oaf! I don’t have energy to waste on someone like you, not to mention we are already treading into the Western Forest. We can fight when we get back!” Ye Hai crossed his arms before continuing onwards.

“No, fight me now!”

“Shut up!” Lou Zhou interjected with a hiss, blood-red eyes staring back at He Yazhu.

He Yazhu’s breath ceased, his fiery temperament melting in an instant.

For a moment he stilled. But then he snapped himself out of it with a turn of his head, avoiding the snake-like eyes of Lou Zhou. He didn’t offer a word of apology and spat to the side.

Then, they continued running through the forest, continuing to travel into lands that as they moved away from the groomed plains of the Bloody Path Sect’s border, they ran into wild, unkempt jungle with gigantic treetops and small beasts and birds that spied on them as they passed.

However, their tightly-knit formation soon fell apart, conflicting parties finding their presence displeasurable.

They each drifted apart from each other, Xing Yi included, and it was only after a harsh shout from Lou Zhou that they were put back into formation.

None dared test his ire, nor his sword.

Behind the backs of everyone, Ye Hai studied the elusive back of Lou Zhou.

He then sighed, forgetting about the matter as he continued running. Ye Hai merely hoped that everyone would make it out alive, but with Lou Zhou like this…

As for Xing Yi, he circulated his inner qi in silence, allowing his mind to drift away to other subjects. This loud-mouthed Senior Brother was causing him trouble, but he would tolerate it for now. In the future, he would gain redemption from all who had wronged him.

And for an instant, a red flash sparked within the centre of his eye.

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Soon, it was the end of the day and the sun had set over even the most distant of hills. Only a vague purple hue remained as the four dusted off their feet and unbound the cloth from their feet.

Somewhere along the way, Lou Zhou had cut down a red-furred boar with green eyes. With a single swing of his blade, the beast was felled and they acquired dinner.

Fire kindling from a campfire and the beast being turned upon a metal rod over it, Ye Hai salivated.

Far from he group, He Yazhu sat in the darkness with a frown. His arms crossed, he tapped his finger against his forearm as he stared at a smiling Ye Hai.

‘Ye Hai…you are one pretentious bastard. Right underneath Lou Zhou’s nose?’

Ignorant of He Yazhu’s inner turmoil, Ye Hai laughed away as he told a story to Lou Zhou and Xing Yi.

“And then my master said,” His back suddenly keeled over and he seemingly transformed into a shrivelling old man with dark wrinkles, “‘Ye, Become one with the brush, and you shall be one under the heavens’.”

Xing Yi laughed, slapping his hand on his thigh. Lou Zhou did too, eliciting a small chuckle.

He Yazhu snorted.

It hadn’t even been a full day, yet they were already buddy-buddy with each other!

A vibrant and boisterous atmosphere surrounded the flame, warding against the darkness and enticing the stubborn He Yazhu who sat in the dark, his back against the wood of a tall oak tree as he circulated his qi.

An hour passed, their laughter and words beguiling and disturbing his tranquil meditation.

His previously tranquil lotus-position became animated as his leg became restless, bouncing up and down in a constant, agitated rhythm.

The conversation reached a high and He Yazhu was shaken out of it, now shooting sharp glares towards the group.

Why did he have to speak with these people? He should’ve just told his master that he wasn’t going to go. His time would be better spent training his pill refining techniques and learning to better control his fire.

Soon, He Yazhu reached a breaking point, his head trembling like a volcano that was ready to erupt.

Just then, Ye Hai looked over to He Yazhu and asked with a smile, “Hey, you wanna–”

“Ok!” Yazhu interrupted him with a loud grumble, proceeding to stomp over with loud steps and take a spot next to Lou Zhou. He dropped to the ground with a loud thump. He held his breath as he peeked at Lou Zhou out the corner of his eye. Seeing Lou Zhou’s tranquil eyes, he relaxed and breathed out.

“I get it alright! How about we eat now? That thing looks cooked by now.” He Yazhu’s arms were still crossed as he gestured at the boar with an upward bob of his head.

At this point, the red tender meat had turned a gentle brown with spots of crusty black.

Sitting away from Xing Yi and Ye Hai on the opposite side of the campfire, he looked around, seemingly disinterested in the food before him.

Agreeing with He Yazhu’s judgement, Ye Hai pulled the boar off the campfire and brought it onto a large wooden board he had summoned from his storage pouch. He cut its meat into portioned pieces, preparing its meat with smooth dexterity.

“Do any of you guys want the organs?” He Yazhu asked, lifting his head up from his work.

Lou Zhou stroked his neck, flashing a quick look at the eager chef.

“I’ll take the heart,” he replied.

Ye Hai nodded, immediately grabbing the heart and dicing it up.

Xing Yi thought about it before also speaking up, “Can I take the liver?”

“Of course Junior Brother Xing Yi.”

Then Ye Hai astutely mentioned, “As for myself, I will take some of the sweet bone marrow.”

In just a few minutes, he served their plates with fully seasoned meat and their accompanying organs.

“Eat up!”

Everyone was eager to dig into their meal, all except for He Yazhu. He eyed the large tongue at the centre of his plate before he suddenly broke out into a crazed, staggered laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Ye Hai asked, raising an eyebrow with a mouth stuffed full of meat.

He Yazhu returned a massive grin, “It’s nothing.”

Ye Hai stopped chewing when he noticed a break in the porcelain plate in his hands.

“What’s wrong with the tongue? Do you not like it?” He asked, looking between He Yazhu and his meal with furrowed eyebrows. For an instant, Xing Yi swore he saw the black-haired youth’s mouth curl upwards.

He Yazhu clenched his fists, squeezing a piece of meat between his hands. Ramming it into his mouth, he scoffed the whole steak in one single gulp. In less than a minute, his plate was clean.

But still sitting on his plate was a fat brown tongue.

He Yazhu stood up and dusted off his robes. “I’m off to bed now.”

“Hmm? Does Martial Brother not want his tongue?” Shamelessly, Ye Hai crawled over on all fours and picked up the tongue by its end, tilting his head to the side.

He Yazhu turned around and his jaw dropped.

“Could I have it?” Ye Hai asked innocently.

He Yazhu was speechless, perplexed by Ye Hai’s boldness.

“You… Heh, yeah. You can have it. I was going to tell you but eating tongue makes me sick.”

He Yazhu placed his hands behind his back.

“Really? This little chef did not mean to try and poison Martial Brother. This one was only thinking that if he ate the tongue, maybe his very own would have the strength to hold back his words.”

“Martial Brother is truly virtuous! Alas, this one is hopeless. However, he hopes that fellow Martial Brother and an ever wiser friend, would care to give him a few pointers in the near future. Would that be asking too much?”

“No, no. Of course not! Martial Brother is truly precious to me. All you would have to do is ask.”

“Thank you. Martial Brother’s kindness has given this one much to reflect upon. But for now, this one will return to bed.”

The two were all smiles as they bowed to each other.

He Yazhu then retreated into the darkness.