(47) Pity
1039 Words
Elders are not allowed to watch over the candidates and with the rules gone stricter, the winner of this month's competition will receive double the reward than the last one. With such tempting offer from Jin Clan, they are no longer exempted but the prize for them will be halved. Two silhouettes moved across the tall trees from branches to branches. Zi Yan Yue reluctantly followed Zi Yingjun's steps. She looked back to see more spirit beasts scattered. It made her worry for their safety. They had gone deeper into the Spirit Beast Valley and the farther they go, the more ferocious spirit beasts appeared.
"Yingjun, we're getting closer to the core zone. The spirit beasts there are in the Foundation Building Stage." Zi Yan Yue voiced out her thoughts and stopped on a branch. Zi Yingjun halted before turning towards her. He unexpectedly took out the Hundred Frost Bow and aimed at Zi Yan Yue. Her eyes widened but she was not given a time to react. The arrow of condensed qi was shot towards her.
Bam!
Out of her expectation, the arrow passed through her and struck a large python to death. It fell down which caused the loud sound with frosts covering it. Zi Yingjun wordlessly went down. His eyes brimmed when the python dispersed and a pearly object formed on the ground. He picked it up with satisfaction.
"Oh? A common fire python." he observed the red spirit lingering inside the pearl. It was lucky he got a soul core but it's the common spirit beast that is easy to counter. "No, not right. Fire python's as large as this is the main body and has another twin."
"Yingjun!" Zi Yan Yue's distressed call made his thoughts scatter. Like he expected, a smaller red snake has coiled around Zi Yan Yue's ankle and was biting her stubbornly. This made his calm expression distorted.
He immediately went to her spot and took out the Bleak Night Sword. Zi Yingjun made a swift cut. The snake bursted into a bloody pulp but the fangs are still attached to Zi Yan Yue.
"Do you even know we are inside a dangerous place?" he asked in dismay. How can they win this competition when his own teammate is not sober? Zi Yingjun sighed and removed the fangs from her. Fortunately, he is always careful. He started cleaning the bleeding wound and wrapped a gauze around it. Zi Yingjun took out a vial from his space ring. He is about to hand it to Zi Yan Yue when he heard her sniff.
"Sorry..." she lowly muttered.
"Get up. Why are you here in the first place when you cant even stay alert? You can die here anytime." Zi Yingjun tossed the vial as Zi Yan Yue clumsily caught it. He secretly used his divine sense and to his dismay, there are more spirit beasts coming their way because of her shout previously. "Hurry and take that medicine. It will remove the poison from that snake. We have to move now."
"Mn." Zi Yan Yue hastily wiped her threatening tears and opened the vial. She hurriedly drank the tasteless medicine. The pain from her ankle became numb. This made her wonder where Zi Yingjun got the medicine from. Must be from the caravan?
"Zi Yan Yue, I said hurry." he reminded. Zi Yan Yue snapped out of her own world. Zi Yingjun is already far from her. She quickly caught up with him. For some reason, she felt like she was the one who needs to be protected by someone weaker than her. It made her feel ashamed and inferior. Zi Yingjun may be a second-rate talent but his awareness is far mature than hers.
"Yingjun, you talk like an old man." Zi Yan Yue said after cheering up. It was true though. Back then, they never got to see each other after they finished studying martial arts in the village school. It only took a month or two when they last met but the way he speak is very different from the Zi Yingjun she remembers. Can a person change that quick? It's true that Zi Yingjun is a silent boy in the village school. He rarely talks about himself and will only speak if they asked him questions. Now, he even have the courage to disrespect people with authority through words.
"Even if you complain, it wont change a thing." Zi Yingjun glanced at her. "Which do you find better. The past me that is always silent and vulnerable or the one with you who is capable and matured?"
Zi Yan Yue fell into a deep thought. It took them a long silence when Zi Yingjun made a stop in a dense forest. The trees are far taller than any tree they had seen. Its dark green leaves covered the place with its shadow and the branches are even wider.
"We'll stay here. Follow me to the top." he easily leaped upwards until the highest branch. This forest seems less inhabitated and spirit beasts that can fly will just get obstructed by the thick leaves and branches. Walking spirit beasts cant reach them too. It is an ideal place for them to rest.
"Yingjun." Zi Yan Yue finally spoke after reaching the top branch next to his. she sat down on the edge, waving her feet in a carefree way though her gaze never left his busy figure. "I like the old Yingjun."
Zi Yingjun made a stop and faced her. His brow was raised in criticism for her answer. "I didn't know you fancy foolish guys." he grinned before preparing their camp once more.
"Yeah. As foolish as someone criticizing his own self." she felt his words were too obscure to understand. How come he can insult himself? "You're less approachable now. Sometimes I think you see everything as worthless as dust and that includes me and Brother Wen."
Zi Yingjun used his divine sense and gave the objects he took out some consciousness. They moved on their own to build a simple house.
"Pity." he suddenly appeared next to her and sat cross-legged. "You're very pitiful Zi Yan Yue. You seemed afraid of the outside world, right?"
- Writer
