CHAPTER 86: BANDITS

“So, why exactly are you in the Horned Tree Forest, Geyi Kun?” Zen asked.

“Still don’t trust me, huh?” Geyi Kun dug a roll of a paper from her person and straightened it. “I’m looking for a few herbs but I’m hoping to get one in particular.” Kun pointed at the herb at the tp of the list.

“A… Crowned Cabbage.” Zen read.

“A Crowned Cabbage.” Jao Cong said. “Crowned Cabbages can be eaten raw and are known to open up acupuncture points for better cultivation. But if they are refined, their properties are multiplied.”

“Ah, so you know about them.” Kun said.

“Yes, but… they mostly grow well in summer with a few surviving to autumn.” Jao Cong said. “In fact, most of the herbs in your list do not survive in winter.”

“I know but Horned Tree plants seem to survive longer, s I hoped I could get one or two. They could be sold for a really high price since they are so scarce in winter.”

“I don’t know much about herbs,” Xue Shaonu said, “but you are right about the plants of this forest.” She looked up at the multi-coloured leaves in the trees above. “At this time, most of the trees should have lost their leaves.”

“See, Xue Shaonu gets it!” Kun said. “What about you? What are you guys doing in the forest?”

“We’re looking for the Snow Ram,” Xue Shaonu said.

Kun gasped, “You’re not planning on fighting it are you?”

“No, no. Its just such a rare beast that we want to be counted as one of the few who’ve seen it.”

“Oh! Well, looking for herbs means I don’t have any specific place to go, so can I tag along with your group?”

“No!” Zen said at the same time as Xue Shaonu said, “Yes!”

“I don’t see why not,” Xue Shaonu said. “An extra pair of hands would be helpful.”

“Thanks, Xue Shaonu. I will join you.” Kun smiled at her before turning to Zen and sticking out her tongue at him.

The group continued t walk through the forest, avoiding battles with any powerful looking beasts while Kun disappointedly picked out some common herbs along the way. Somehow, in the course of their journey, she was walking up ahead with Zen while Xue Shaonu and Jao Cong were behind.

“So, Wang Zen, why are you on this trip?”

“Didn’t you hear Xue Shaonu?” Zen said in annoyance. “I’m here to see the Snow Ram.”

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“Oh no, that’s Xue Shaonu’s goal. I believe that because she is innocent and pure but you…” Geyi Kun smiled slyly. “I don’t believe that’s your goal. So why are you doing this? Do you want to try and kill the Snow Ram and sell it off at a high price? Or maybe you want to somehow steal the pearly liquid it produces that is said can boosts a cultivators base. No, I doubt your stupid enough to try that. You probably just want to impress Xue Shaonu and be her hero, while helping her to achieve her dream. Well, you should stop. You’re out of her league.”

“And who are you to tell me who’s out of my league?” Zen hissed.

“Well, you’re in Class C, which means you are either not strong or smart enough or a combination of the two to be in Class A or B.” she said. “And, of all the guys that are interested in her, you have some stiff competition and I’m not even mentioning the guy everyone suspects she likes.”

Zen was about to come back with a stinging reply but then his curiosity got stoked. “Which guy is this?”

“Jian Chen.”

The name bit deep into Zen. He felt his hate and anger well up as he clenched his fists in an attempt to hold it back. He did not know why he was so surprised. The first time he technically had met Xue Shaonu, she and his rival were together.

Geyi Kun took a sharp breath through her teeth, making a hissing sound. “Killing Intent,” she said.

Zen was confused by this statement, until he caught the residual killing intent he was emitting as it was smothered by his confusion. He quickly looked back at Jao and Xue Shaonu, they were idly chatting. Zen sighed in relief, realising that the killing intent he was emitting was so little that only someone in close proximity, like Geyi Kun, could sense it. She did not look disturbed, which caused Zen to think that she was used to it somehow.

“I understand why you hate him,” she said. “You are a stepping stone to his greatness. The noble he defeated in 3 seconds.”

“Greatness? He is not great. He is just a commoner.”

“Yes, the fact that he is a commoner only lends to his greatness.” She said. “Nobles are born to greatness but commoners have to work towards it, which makes them viewed ina more favourable light in history. And, let’s not forget that he is powerful, talented and handsome.”

“Hmpf, maybe you should marry him,” Zen said. “You two would be perfect for each other, two annoying commoners.”

“Oh I would but sadly, he doesn’t even notice me.” She drooped sadly.

“You are annoying,” Zen said.

“Aww, don’t be mad because I’m telling you the truth.” She said. “If you want, I could make you a beauty potion. It won’t make you handsome enough to get a girl like Xue Shaonu. To be honest, on your face, not even the greatest potion could do that. But it could help you get a girl as tenth as good as Xue Shaonu, someone right in your league.”

“Genyi Kun, you shouldn’t talk about girls of your calibre that way,” Zen said in a tone of mocking concern.

“I’m trying to give you the beauty you’re missing and you insult me for it, Crooked Nose?”

“I guess beauty is to my face what self-control is to you, Chubby.”

“How dare you?!”

This started off a string of arguments and insults from the two.

Meanwhile, Xue Shaonu was shaking her head disapprovingly. “It is strange. These two barely know each other and here they are bickering like an old married couple.”

Jao Cong giggled at this comment.

Zen looked around, seeing signs of footprints around. It seems someone had been there. He looked around but he could not see anything. He decided to follow the signs and soon enough, there was a big bodied man, hiding in the multi-coloured shrubbery ahead.

Zen raised his hand, stopping their company from moving on.

“Huh, the kid has sharp eyes.” A voice said before someone appeared from behind a tree at the side of the group.

“Or maybe Yan is as good at hiding as he is at maths.” A feminine voice said on the other side of the group.

“Ah, it’s not my fault.” A slow voice said, as a big man, arms abound in muscles, grew from the bush up ahead.

The group of academy students turned to face the three adults. They were surrounded.