Chapter 921: Chapter 41 Awkward Moments_5
Yan Shi gave a slight smile and said, "Don’t worry, it’s okay. As long as we clear a small area and build a fire in the center, we won’t have to be afraid. Moreover, it’s September, and the air in the mountains is moist, so it won’t catch fire easily."
Ah Dai replied, "Then let’s start a fire. I’ll take care of making it."
In a short while, the three of them gathered a decent amount of firewood and piled it up on a cleared spot on a small hillside. Ah Dai used a common Flame Spell to first dry the firewood, then lit it. The fire brought warmth and light to everyone, as the four sat around it, their faces glowing red from the flames, feeling warmth in body and spirit. They toasted the steamed buns Xuan Yue had brought over the fire to stave off hunger. The hot steamed buns were much better than cold ones, and aside from Xuan Yue, the three ate with great relish.
"Who is so bold as to light a fire in the mountains?" a booming voice suddenly rang out from the woods.
The four of them were startled. Each grabbed their weapons, their senses sharp following their trials with the Elf Clan and the A Lan Clan. Xuan Yue was ready to bestow support magic with the glowing Angel Wand in hand to assist Ah Dai and the others.
A dark figure whooshed out and landed not far in front of them. He was a man in his early twenties, about six feet tall, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a straight nose, and square mouth, exuding a sense of vigor. A broad-bladed longsword was strapped to his back as he glared at the four. "Where are you from that you dare to light a fire in the mountains? Don’t you know how dangerous that is?"
Recognizing the man’s garb as that of the Tian Gang Sword Sect, Yan Shi felt a surge of relief and said, "Brother, you must be a member of the Tian Gang Sword Sect. We are on our way to Tian Gang Mountain to pay a visit to Master Xi Wen. After entering the mountains, we got lost, and it got too cold at night, so we had to resort to this. As you can see, we’ve cleared the surrounding vegetation, so it won’t cause a wildfire."
At hearing Yan Shi call Xi Wen "master," the young man’s expression changed, and his anger vanished, replaced by confusion. "You want to see the Sect Leader Master? What is your business?" It turned out that this man was a disciple of Xi Wen.
"I am Yan Shi from the Pu Yan Clan. When I was a child, I received guidance from Master Xi Wen. We are heading to the Empire of Sunset City, and since we are passing through the Tian Gang mountains, we wanted to pay him a visit. It has been many years since we last saw each other. How is Master Xi Wen? From your earlier words, has Master Xi Wen already become the Sect Leader? Could it be, could it be that the Sword Saint, the Great Ancestor Master..."
The young man smiled and said, "You need not speculate so wildly. Great Ancestor Master is very healthy. He has just retired to focus on cultivation within the sect due to his age, thus passing the position of Sect Leader to Master. Since you know Master, come with me. I am Liao Yi, a fourth-generation disciple; I’ll take you to him. We mustn’t start fires in the mountains! The mountain winds can be strong at night, and if a spark were to be blown into the woods, it could start a severe wildfire."
The group quickly extinguished the fire. Ah Dai said, "I’m really sorry, it’s just that the weather was so cold, that’s why we had to do it. Is Tian Gang Mountain still far from here?"
Liao Yi smiled and replied, "Not much farther. I am out patrolling the mountain, always cautious of people who dare to light fires here. From this point, it’s just two more mountains before we reach the Main Peak of the Tian Gang, but the peak is very high, and it might take us until dawn to reach the top."
Fearing for Xuan Yue’s strength, even though he didn’t need to climb the mountain himself, the cold night weather was still a concern for Ah Dai. He hurriedly said, "Big Brother, we’ve been traveling all day and are quite tired. Let’s rest for the night and continue in the morning! The nighttime dew is bitterly cold, and I’m afraid we won’t withstand it."
Upon hearing Ah Dai’s words, Liao Yi couldn’t help but look down on him somewhat, and said arrogantly, "We are martial artists; such cold is nothing. If we hurry, we might reach the peak even before dawn and then we can rest."
Xuan Yue, astute as ever, readily perceived Liao Yi’s thoughts. She snorted and said to Ah Dai, "Let’s go now. What’s there to rest for? We’re not bothered by climbing, are we?" Since the fire had been extinguished, dimming their surroundings, Liao Yi had not seen Xuan Yue’s face clearly. He realized his own inward grudge when he heard her remark aimed at him. Ashamed, he feared the rebuke he would have received from his master had he known, yet he offered no rebuttal and simply waited with a smile for Ah Dai’s response.
Ah Dai moved closer to Xuan Yue and whispered, "Yue Yue, it will be cold if we travel at night."
