CHAPTER 80: A MEETING WITH A FAMILIAR FACE

Zen and Cong walked into the town of Dhamic. It was a small town next to the forest of the Horn Trees, the very forest they would search for the Snow Ram. The town and forest were only a few hours away from Goixi Academy by foot, meaning they did not need to travel for long.

Goixi Academy was in a holiday period, with most of its students gone home to enjoy the holidays with their families, leaving campus hauntingly empty. So it was nothing new that two more students had left. They would see what supplies they could get in town before setting out for the forest in the

“We should probably get some more rations,” Jao Cong said. “The rations provided by the Academy won’t last as long, as they limit how much food we get from them for free.”

“No problem,” Zen said. As they walked, Zen looked around, both keeping an eye on Shibi who was leaping from one building to another, sometimes creating small avalanches of the snow on the roofs while experiencing the atmosphere of the town. He noticed a lot of people glancing to one direction and followed their sight. His breath caught in his throat when he looked at one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen.

She wore a white and thick tunic that reached her knees and under, she wore a bright blue pants. Her raven hair was like a flag behind her and it offset her very fair skin and pink lips.

“Wow, she’s beautiful.” Zen said.

Cong looked around and saw who Zen was talking about. “Oh, Xue Shaonu .” Cong said.

“Y-You know her?” Zen said.

“Yes, she’s very famous. She goes to our school.”

Zen thought of the name, that now seemed very familiar. Then he thought back to the first time he had heard that name uttered and he frowned because it was not such a pleasant memory:

“If you want to thank someone for saving you, then you should look at Xue Shaonu .” Chen said.

“She saved me,” Zen said.

“She did?”

Zen nodded, touching his nose and remembering the day he got the nose. “I was going to thank her but… I’ve been very busy lately.”

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“Well, you could thank her now.” Jao Cong suggested, almost quietly.

“I… I don’t know.” Zen said, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. He became very aware of the state of his clothes, dirtied from his travels. His messy hair ruffled by the wind. His crooked nose which he felt made him ugly. His weak Intermediary level, Rank 4 cultivation. Suddenly, he was not good enough to speak to the very beautiful girl who had saved his life. “I… I think I won’t.”

“Oh, okay. Well, we have some shopping to do so it doesn’t matter.” Cong said, about to take another street.

“Wait!” Zen said before he gulped. “I think I’m going to talk to her. Come on, let’s go!”

“With me?”

That was all Zen needed, for him to start pulling Cong along. If he was going to do this, he needed someone by his side to support him.

“Wang Zen, she didn’t save my life, so do you not think I should just stay behind?”

“No!” Zen said sternly. He felt stupid for needing another person to support him. He had fought Xaun Bao, he had faced down a powerful member of the Red Dragon Sect and had survived the wrath of the City Lord’s daughter. How hard could talking to a girl be?

Zen stopped beside the girl as she was picking out fruit.

“He-Hello,” Zen said.

The girl looked up from the fruit merchants product to smile at Zen. “Afternoon.”

“It’s me, Wang Zen.”

The girl frowned. “I am sorry, do I know you?”

Zen was broken.

“Oh, your from the Academy.” She said, looking at the badge on his breast. “Sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen you around, or your friend.”

Cong shrunk from her the gaze of her steely blue eyes.

“This is my cousin, Jao Cong.” Zen said. “You probably don’t remember because it happened some time ago. I was hurt from a battle… a hunting trip… and well, Chen Jian told me that you saved me.”

She frowned as she thought and then smiled in realisation. “Oh, I remember! You were the boy who was badly hurt.”

“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t do this earlier but I’d just like to thank you for saving me.” Zen bowed.

“There is no need.” She waved her hands. “I really did not do much.”

“You did,” Zen said, keeping his head low for a few seconds more before bringing it up. “So… uhm… what are you doing here? Are you on your way home?”

“Home?” she smiled sadly. “No. Home is very far from here. I’m on my way to the Horn Trees forest.”

“That’s where we’re going too!” Zen said, before looking around. When he was sure that the people around weren’t listening he said. “We’re hoping to spot a Snow Ram.”

“Really? That is why I am going there too!” she said.

The next words out of Zen’s mouth rolled out before he could think about them. “Maybe we should all go together!”

“Together. I would not be intruding, would I?” she looked at Jao Cong, who looked away. “Well, you can talk it out. If you wish, I will be at the west edge of the Horned Trees Forest at dawn. If you two meet me there, we can travel together, of not, then maybe we will cross paths in the forest.” She then left, waving as she walked away.

Zen was unsure of what to do and so, just stared at her, his arms stiff at his sides. When she was out of sight, he breathed out a breath he had not known he was holding in and a strange ache in his heart began to slowly vanish.