Chương 10: Jiangshi (Final)

"Even the Grand Cultivator said I am your servant, so why make such a fuss when I call you Young Master?" Bai Xiaomeng said with a laugh.

"Little Meng, I have known you since I was born. Having you call me Brother Wang is only right," Wang Chen gave a wry smile.

"Are you calling me old? Is that it? Should I be the one calling you Little Wang?"

"That…" The two continued bickering as they walked through the Azure Magpie Forest. Bai Xiaomeng traveled lightly, having changed into cleaner clothes and used some of the water they salvaged to wash herself. Sunlight filtered through the canopy and fell across her face, returning a hint of color to her skin. Meanwhile, Wang Chen walked shirtless, no other garment fitting him as his clothes were either tainted by blood or burned.

His pale skin was fully exposed, and thick ropes were wrapped around his arms, chest, and belly as he pulled two halved logs hollowed to store hundreds of items, along with the sealed silver box. They had obeyed Lucian's instructions the previous night and arranged all the goods, and after a sleepless rest, they followed his orders again and were surprised by three things. The first was Wang Chen's newfound strength. Though not a cultivator, he could now pull as much weight as one horse without breaking a sweat.

Lucian had warned him not to overexert himself, though, since broken bones would take longer to heal. The second surprise was Lucian's insistence on traveling inside the silver box. He had specifically instructed them not to open it during daylight unless they encountered something dangerous. The third surprise came just before Lucian entered the box, when he gave further instructions.

They realized he had no idea where or what the Azure Magpie Forest was, because he wanted them to choose a village in it as their destination! It had taken time to explain that no one dared camp here for more than a week, much less establish a settlement the size of a village. Thus, Lucian ordered them to head toward the nearest settlement instead, a journey that would take at least three days at their current pace.

"But, Young Master Wang, tell me honestly," Bai Xiaomeng said at last, ending her teasing tone and lowering her voice.

"How are you?" She gently touched Wang Chen's hand, blushing slightly and lowering her gaze. The large Wang Chen forced a laugh.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." He considered taking her hand in his, but lacked the courage, so instead, he asked softly, Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"And… you?" Until now, they had spoken only of trivial matters, deliberately avoiding their true concern. Both had lost most of their family members, burying their mummified and burnt carcasses, most of the time unable to recognize who was who. They were the closest people remaining to each other, and so they avoided speaking of their grief, fearing it would reopen wounds.

"I'm… fine," she said, nodding slowly, eyes fixed on the ground.

"… I heard you having nightmares, Little Meng," he murmured, clenching his fists. She was silent for a moment before sighing.

"For you to hear me, you were not sleeping either, were you? You should worry more about yourself, Young Master Wang." Wang Chen understood that it was her way of ending the conversation. But he did not want it to end like that.

"The heavens must have a reason for letting us survive this tribulation with so many scars, Little Meng," he said, his eyes lifting toward the azure canopy above.

"Father told me that cultivators pass through tribulations and calamities to grow stronger. That the heavens strike them down to test their strength and their right to exist." Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage and held Bai Xiaomeng's hand, startling her. She did not pull away, looking at him with tearful eyes.

"Most cultivators do not survive their tribulations," he continued, locking eyes with her.

"But we did. And I know we grew stronger, even if we lost much." As they gazed at one another, a booming sound echoed from the sealed box. Blushing, Bai Xiaomeng let go of his hand and hurried toward the box, while Wang Chen stopped walking, his gray eyes following her.

"Yes, Grand Cultivator?" Bai Xiaomeng asked as the lid opened slightly.

"Store these and bring me the next batch," Lucian ordered, and only his black eyes, faintly shining red in the darkness inside, were visible. During his command, dozens of scrolls, parchments, and other texts were tossed out of the box. Bai Xiaomeng quickly gathered them and secured them atop one of the log sleds Wang Chen was pulling, then picked up another bundle and carefully passed it through the narrow opening. The lid shut again shortly after.

Bai Xiaomeng hurried back to Wang Chen's side, and they resumed walking. After a moment, she changed the subject.

"What do you think the Grand Cultivator is doing in there?"

"What do you mean? He must be reading."

"But it's so cramped and dark inside, isn't it?"

"Does it matter?" Wang Chen shrugged, shaking his head.

"If he can turn me into this, he can certainly read in there." They both chuckled.

"But why do you think he is reading such trivial stories?" she continued.

"There are some complex scrolls, yes, but most of them are children's tales."

"Yeah," Wang Chen nodded thoughtfully.

"Father once told me children's stories sell the fastest, because children are usually the ones reading new material. Most adults are too busy working or are illiterate. So children's tales are a simple gift for the rich to help their children practice reading, and for the poor to daydream over the pictures." When he finished, he heard Bai Xiaomeng laughing softly behind her hand, making him blink in confusion.

"Why are you laughing, Little Meng?"

"I'm sorry, Young Master Wang," she said, trying to compose herself, shaking her head.

"I just thought that, by your logic, the Grand Cultivator is either daydreaming or practicing the common language." Wang Chen pictured Lucian slowly sounding out each sentence, and a grin crept onto his face. Then a louder boom echoed from the sealed box. This time, Wang Chen did not stop walking before the lid flew open and Lucian stepped out, fully cloaked in his robe, not a single inch of skin exposed.

"Ah," Bai Xiaomeng said quickly, bowing slightly.

"We were just joking—""Silence," Lucian said, raising a hand.

"That foul creature is nearby." After exchanging a glance with Bai Xiaomeng, he found the courage to ask, "Which creature, Benefactor?"

"That blue boar." The moment he said it, both Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng trembled and cried out simultaneously.

"An azure boar?!"