Team
When one likes another, they will pay attention to their target of affection’s every movement, gaze and words. Their affection leads to them fearing they will lose their loved one.
Qing Mei departed with her mind racing with questions. Regardless of how hard it was to maintain their relationship, the seemingly tragic fate wasn’t enough to break her. If it was inevitably a tragic ending, she’d rather someone besides Cheng Yan who pulled the trigger. She had to stop herself from jumping to conclusions. She peered at him from afar, hoping he’d reassure her with his gaze to no avail.
Cheng Yan smiled warmly while engaged in conversation with Hong Yan, who was talkative owing to her extrovert personality. Qing Mei couldn’t resist worrying Cheng Yan’s target of affection was changing or had changed. The only reason she hadn’t reached either of conclusions was that she knew Cheng Yan wasn’t the type to fall for every girl he came across.
“Those sects are too proud for us,” informed Hong Yan.
Though Gu Yitian placed third, that was his placing it had yet to change his sect’s standing. Plus, they were irate with their defeat. They all wanted to join Green Pine Sect for their own safety.
A shifty, chubby fellow pulled a girl over to Mu Yu’s group. He ran his narrowed eyes up and down Hong Yan. The maiden with him appeared to be forced against her will and wanted to gnaw the chubby male’s head off. Smiling lecherously, he said, “What a coincidence, Hong Yan. You are short team members, right? We are, too.”
Hong Yan wore on a straight face and gestured with her hand as she replied, “We’re not short a Hao Yingjun. Shoo.”
Hao Yingjun scratched his head. “Hehe, don’t praise me. Just call me Yingjun.”
Hong Yan placed her hands on her hips. “Praised you? Who? Have some shame.”
“Didn’t you call me handsome?”
Mu Yu: “Pffthaha.”
Since the “Hao” character was a homophone for the adjective “very” and his first name was Yingjun, meaning handsome, whether deliberate of not, Hao Yingjun managed to crack Mu Yu up. Handsome, he said, speaking with small eyes and elephant ears… Maybe his father was hoping the name would rework his son’s face and make him popular with the ladies. Unfortunately…
“Mu Yu is laughing at your poor memory, Hong Yan,” proclaimed Hao Yingjun, trying to ingratiate himself with Hong Yan.
Let us add one more trait to Hao Yingjun’s appearance: skin as thick as a wall.
Mu Yu took in a big breath then inquired, “Brother Yingjun, which sect are you from?”
Hao Yingjun smacked himself on the head. “I forgot to introduce myself. I am from Textless Sect. My shifu is Daoist Wu Yan. My name is Hao Yingjun, but you can just call me Yingjun or Hao Yingjun, you know, the way Hong Yan likes to call me.”
“Hey, you vat, stop stalking me, will you?” brayed Hong Yan.
“Your shifu was Daoist Wu Yan, did you say? I suggest you team up with somebody else, then. Your shifu claims we’re an unorthodox sect. If finds out you were with us, he’d fly off the handle.”
“He won’t. He won’t. Daoist Wu Yuan is my old man. Don’t worry about it, Mu Yu. My father is the straight forward type. He meant no ill will. We’re struggling to find teammates, so how ab-?”
“Brother, you turned the other sects down,” muttered the maiden next to Hao Yingjun.
Hao Yingjun covered his sister’s mouth. “Sorry, my kid sister, Hao Xue’er is twenty and relatively careless when she speaks.”
Xue’er pushed her brother’s hand away and kicked his shin. “What did you tell them my age for?”
“Go easy, will you? You’re twenty. You should be looking for a marriage partner!” exclaimed Hao Yingjun, rubbing his shin.
“Mind your own business!”
Appearance wise, Hao Xue’er was the total opposite of her brother, slender and attractive.
“All right, let’s team up, then,” Mu Yu suggested.
Hao Yingjun was at Foundation Establishment’s Ninth Layer, while his sister was at Foundation Establishment Realm’s Third Layer.
“Hehe, Hong Yan, not even Mu Yu is against us being tog-, I meant in a team. See? Our fates are interlinked.”
“Stop ogling me, will you?” Hong Yan demanded.
Hao Yingjun followed Hong Yan around all the time when they bumped into each other at the academy, much to her frustration.
“I won’t. I won’t.”
Hao Yingjun glanced over to Gu Yitian. Gu Yitian gave him a frigid look, frightening him. Hao Yingjun turned back to Mu Yu but would steal glances at Hong Yan.
“Brother Gu Yitian, we meet again. Thank you for holding back at the tournament,” Hao Xue’er expressed.
Xue’er was sent to fight Gu Yitian in the tournament before he gained fame.
“I don’t hit women,” replied Gu Yitian.
Xue’er’s thoughts set her face ablaze. “Still, I owe you a thank you.”
“Xue’er, you should befriend Dustfallen Sect’s talented senior disciple, not that block of wood. By the way, I forgot to ask what your honoured name was.”
“I am Cheng Yan.” Cheng Yan accompanied his reply with a palm-fist salute.
Cheng Yan was younger than Hao Yingjun but appeared considerably more reliable. Hao Yingjun couldn’t read Cheng Yan’s cultivation precisely, but he was no fool. If he had to choose between Cheng Yan and Gu Yitian for his sister, he’d choose the former in a heartbeat.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Brother Cheng Yan.” Xue’er bowed her head before looking straight back at Gu Yitian, frustrating her brother.
Bai Lang inspected every team’s combat abilities after teams were formed. He balanced out the combat powers, then explained, “This is a firework signal my sect created. If you encounter any danger or spot the elemental demons, remember to fire the signal into the sky to notify others. Everyone will have one. Be careful and stick with your team.”
Bai Lang waved a hand, flinging red sheets of paper to everyone. His impeccable control of his spiritual energy allowed him to stop the sheets right in front of everyone. The sheets were the fireworks he mentioned.
After storing the sheets away, they focused their attention back on Bai Lang.
“Stay on your toes. If you find their nest, retreat to safety before you notify others. It’s safer for us to tackle them together. Let me stress again that this is of utmost importance. Please set aside your differences and work together. I had you form your own teams to avoid the problem. If you are dissatisfied with your team, you can speak out now. Else, we will now commence the operation.”
There were no complaints after being granted that much freedom.
“According to the hunter’s report, the elemental demons should be in the deeper section of the forest. Enter from different directions to ensnare them. I shall now assign each team’s direction. I’ve said it before, but I can’t stress it enough: be careful. The search will be limited to ten days. We have prepared fifteen days’ worth of rations for everyone. If we don’t find anything after ten days, I will fire the signal to retreat before we decide on our next course of action.”
Bai Lang had grasped the mountain’s terrain before they set out. Teams set out to their designated starting points. In reality, seven teams was a small team based on the size of the mountains. If they had more teams, however, the teams would be too small, thus increasing their risks.
“Take your team in via the south. Brother Hao Yingjun, your sect is well informed on elemental demons, so I will not repeat what you know. Take care.”
Bai Lang felt reassured with the two dark horses on a team. He didn’t recall Dustfallen Sect having a Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer cultivator among their ranks. That was due to Cheng Yan staying off the radar.
“Don’t worry, Brother Bai Lang. I know how to search for them according to the terrain,” reassured Hao Yingjun, comically serious.
Qing Mei had her gaze trained on Cheng Yan, who wouldn’t make eye contact. Bai Lang, therefore, asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” answered Qing Mei, still solemnly gazing in the direction Cheng Yan went.
Previous Chapter l Next Chapter
