Yang Qing's announcement seemed to have lit up a fuse, as the participants who were comfortable taking their time immediately sprung into action.
They plunged into the waterfall by the dozens, with the remaining legacies being the first of the bunch.
Zou Yi's target the elderly man Bu Fui disappeared in the midst of that chaos which made Zou Yi halt his steps as he moved back to where his sister was.
"What do we do? Do we rush in just the two of us?"
"No, I guess improvising is the only thing we can do," Zou Yi said as he made his way to the 9-year-old young boy with lacerations over his body and garbed in animal hides.
He immediately became weary when Zou Yi made his way as he grabbed the short axe on his left waist. He also had a bow and arrows that were crudely made. The axe was rusty and had blood-dried marks on it and looked to be held together by a vine.
"What do you two want? I may be at the iron stage, but if you think you can push me around be prepared, you will both pay a price for it," said the 9-year-old boy as murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
"We did not come with evil intentions, we hope to form an alliance with you," Zou Yi said as he paused a safe distance away from the 9-year-old boy.
He tried to offer a genial smile but that only made the boy more wary of him.
"I don't want to," the 9-year-old crudely replied as he tightened his grip on his axe in preparation for an attack.
Zou Yi stared at the high-strung 9-year-old for a few seconds before he removed the smile on his face with a slightly serious expression. The nine-year-old tightly clenched his axe that the whites of his knuckles started showing.
"You must have your reason for being here, and so do we.." Zou Yi gently said as he removed his robes from his shoulders to his torso.
The nine-year-old who was just about ready to attack, halted his steps with a surprised look.
What he saw was a slender frame just like his except it didn't have as much muscle as his, however, what stood out to him were the numerous scars that filled that body. Some even seemed to have grown on top of each other.
The nine-year-old boy couldn't help but trace his own injuries.
"We both have something we are chasing towards at the top of that mountain. I'm not asking we be friends or sworn brothers, what I'm asking for is a partnership.
Think of it as a trade. I think you're already aware the mountain may not be as simple as it seems, which is why you haven't stepped in yet.
Are you confident of climbing it alone?" asked Zou Yi.
The nine-year-old boy was silent; however, he wasn't on guard as before as he stared deeply at the injuries on Zou Yi.
Zou Liqin at the side had a saddened look as she saw Zou Yi's torso. When they were with Yang Qing, he offered to heal them completely. Zou Liqin took him up on the offer, Zou Yi did too but he wanted the scars on his body to remain as a reminder lest he get arrogant in the future.
"We all can help each other. My sister and I are skilled with formation arrays, and while I may not be an exceptional fighter, my reaction isn't bad. Having an extra pair of hands and eyes wouldn't hurt.
What say you, friend, do you want to form a partnership with me and my sister?" Zou Yi asked extending the olive branch.
The nine-year-old remained silent with his gaze never leaving the two and his hand still holding to the axe.
"I will not hesitate to leave you behind in case a dangerous situation appears that I deem impossible to overcome. I will not warn you, help you or stay with you should that moment arrive," the nine-year-old boy finally said.
"But I will not stab you in the back to ensure my survival," he added after a couple of seconds when he felt his statement sounded wrong.
Zou Yi finally smiled when he heard his response. This was basically an agreement from the nine-year-old youth.
"As I said, it's a partnership, just that. It's a pleasure to be working with you..."
"My name is He Shan," answered the nine-year-old boy.
"I'm Zou Yi and this is my sister Zou Liqin," Zou Yi said as he pointed to his sister.
"Nice to meet you," said Zou Liqin with a polite smile.
He Shan flinched a little at her smile and clenched his axe in a fluster before he regained his calmness and awkwardly nodded back.
The siblings lightly laughed which helped defuse the earlier tension.
"So what are your skills, we will need to share a bit if we are to make an effective partnership. As I said earlier, we have skilled in formation arrays. We are a bit all-rounded when it comes to it, that's not to say we are geniuses or anything, we just know bits here and there on a wide range," said Zou Yi which drew an incredulous look from He Shan.
How could the nine-year-old know they were taught by one of the best talents of the Zou Clan, a rank 2 clan famed for their reputation in formation arrays, and their father was one of the youngest blue grade array masters of the clan?
He had hammered the basics into them since they were young. While they he died before he completely laid the foundation in the subject, they were confident they knew enough to compete with the other participants since they had the personal tutelage of a gifted blue-grade formation master.
"My skills lie in hunting and surviving as a hunter," said He Shan.
Both Zou siblings had dumbfounded expressions when they heard He Shan's reply.
They could already tell he was a hunter, but couldn't He Shan expound on it a little bit more?
"I'm skilled in long-range and close-quarter combat. Have good control over my senses such as sight, smell, and hearing. I know a bit about herbs, well which are edible and which you shouldn't touch, though that's not to say I know their names.
And I can roughly gauge a beast's attack patterns and preferences after the first couple of clashes. Grandpa said I'm a natural at it," He Shan said with pride, showing a rare smile ever since their interaction, before he hurriedly closed his mouth and resumed his wary appearance once he remembered which setting, he was in.
"That's pretty useful He Shan," said Zou Yi in amazement. He had no doubt there were likely to be spirit beasts in the mountain, and He Shan's skills would definitely come in handy.
"Should we set off?" Zou Yi suggested.
Both Zou Liqin and He Shan nodded in agreement and they soon made their way to the waterfall. However, just as they were about to go through it, Zou Liqin paused as her eyes fell in a particular direction.
"Not again," Zou Yi said with a facepalm.
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