As they passed through the safety to danger threshold, they slowed their speed and silenced their movements.
Zhi Rui kept her guard up at every moment. Even though she was in the safe part of the formation. Guan Jing has a grudge against her and probably received some message from the sect leader.
Guan Jing raised his hand to everybody and stopped in place
He turned towards the group. "This is a good place."
The others looked around at his words. It was a small clearing between heavy foliage. "If we go further there's no guarantee we'll reach a place more suitable than this. So we pass the night here today, when the sun rises we'll continue without pause, take this chance to rest well."
There was still daylight they had around two hours before the sky starts to darken. thinking about that Zhi Rui turned her eyes to Guan jing's back. He was going around the clearing lighting incenses in the edges of the camp.
With the last one, he sat down and gestured with his hands. a dome-shaped barrier covered the camp and turned transparent.
"This barrier will block our sound from leaking. If you go out of the barrier don't go beyond 10 meters. If something happens within that range I can help immediately." Guan Jing spoke sternly and got up.
the people had wide eyes at the statement.
"Woah, as expected of older brother Guan Jing."
the short haired twin spoke.
Guan Jing had a stern look "Han Feng, you'll be the first to guard."
"Ugh, I should've kept my mouth shut." Hanf Feng grumbled.
He looked ferociously at his brother holding back a laugh
"And What are you so happy about Han Fei!? You'll be nest one after me!"
The long-haired twin; Han Fei, paled "T-then I'll only have two hours of sleep then I have to wake up? Are you even my brother!?" raging they both went to a corner to set a tent.
As they fought and played around Zhao Lin and Zhung Chunhua were setting their own tent and giggling. Zhi Rui's cold eyes observed each one of them. until her eyes rest on Guan Jing as if feeling it, he opened his eyes.
their eyes met and Guan jing. After a few seconds, he turned around and entered his tent. showing no trace of cordiality.
An understanding gleam passed Zhi rui's eyes. She yawned and prepared her own tent. after she finished the twins and the girls were cooking a slice of breast meat in a bonfire. somehow Guan Jing made something to cover the smoke.
"Sister Zhi Rui, would you lie to eat with us?" Zhao lin asked politely.
the twin's brothers frowned at first then laughed out loud.
"Yes! join us, we're a team after all!"
Zhi Rui smiled and refused to say she needed to sleep. with a Yawn, Zhi Rui entered the tent.
"Ugh, she's so uptight, Fanatic freaks are really a weird bunch." Zhung Chunhue with a sneer. the twins laughed it off, and Zhao lin did no show any reaction.
Blackie entered the tent after Zhi Rui. seeing her master seated in a meditative stance. She stood outside in the entrance of the tent.
Zhi Rui closed her eyes.
'We're stopped too early. it's weird regardless of reason. The instruction to go out in the ten-meter radius, do not fit the reputation of strictness and diligence of Guang Jing. It's common sense to not distance yourself from the group, yet he clearly gave permission. We have everything in the storage pouch, they don't need to go out for basic needs as even at level one, your body transform and the wastage is minimal and controllable.
there's no reason for going out.'
Zhi Rui's eyes shone thoughtfully.
---------
As Zhi Rui entered her tent, Guang Jing got out of his. he looked steady at Zhi Rui's direction. 'She did not relax not even a minute during the travel.'
He remembered how she wantonly hurt his sister in the tournament, completely slapping his face, and dirting his reputation. Even when he tried to punish her and recuperate his image, she answered so promptly, that it left no way for him to retaliate. With a grin, he gripped his own token inside the robe. He wanted to teach her a lesson, but he couldn't. Yet on the night before a message from the sect leader came in with no exact meaning, but that was enough for him to understand that he received permission.
Guang Jing put on a gentle expression. And starting by the girls he asked if they had everything in order, then he walked to the twin brothers. Lastly, He snorted in front of them and walked to Zhi Rui's tent.
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Zhi Rui felt blackie snarl. But before she could do anything; Guan Jing's voice came in, "Zhi Rui If you lack anything to talk to the girls. I'll be busy. Also, you'll be the third to guard."
He did not wait for an answer and walked away. as if he only said so because of obligation.
The girls frowned but as he was a level free inner disciple they did not say anything. While the twins were eating like pigs.
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Zhi Rui squinted her eyes. She was thinking of everything but the fatigue was weighing down on her. In fact, Guang jing's voice woke her of a small stupor.
In that small moment of lucidity, Zhi Rui's eyes shone brightly.
She thought about the day in the arena how Guang jing, talked and acted.
What everybody saw was an enraged but steady elder brother protecting his sister. His eyes showed anger. And so did his actions. In fact, it was too showy. Zhi Rui thought. It could be said that if you imagined someone enduring his anger that would be his image.
Her memories of someone angry did not match him. He was too composed, his movements had a clear thought behind them. Nothing like the usual inconsequential rage.
Thinking about all the people in the arena and he standing indignant in the middle. Zhi Rui reached a simple conclusion. 'He's a cold and calculative man. Someone like him does not fit with his reputation.'
Zhi Rui sighed she wanted to stop there and sleep. But her gut did not let her relax she irritatedly scratched her scalp. She meditated again.
She kept herself awake until ten in the night. Finally, Zhi Rui decided it was the time. She used the sensory spell and examined the whole camp.
The short-haired Han brother; Han Feng, went to do guard the camp outside the barrier.
Zhao Lin and Chunhue were breathing steady and unperturbed. they just fell asleep. The other twin, Han Fei was lying awake. his breathing was rapid. At first Zhi Rui thought he was relieving himself. but his hands were free.
'He's anxious' She concluded.
She noticed another steady breathing, it came from Guan Jin. Zhi Rui could see through the spell. He was sitting in meditation.
Zhi Rui stopped her circulating her energy and narrowed her eyes. she lightly bit her thumb's nail.
'The Han twin is anxious. Guan Jing is meditating as if to be ready.
the weird early rest...' Zhi Rui froze
'There's something in this location.' She thought.
Her eyes narrowed to a slit. She circulated her inner energy furiously.
warming up her muscles and senses, trying to shake off the fatigue.
But even if something is happening she can't know how or from where.
With a though, her mace came out of the pouch and stood right beside her.
She remained alert as time passed. soon one hour had gone up and it was eleven in the evening.
She thought that maybe, the Han brother was anxious for sleeping in the middle of the deeper part of the forest and that Guan jing was merely meditating for his own cultivation, suddenly things had their reasons.
Zhi Rui smiled contenting herself with the fitting reason. But as she tried to lay down, but her gut did not calm down. Frustrated Zhi Rui clenched her teeth and bit her lips, as the blood flowed down Zhi Rui toyed with the small cut with her tongue. A measure to keep her eyes open.
The time passed. When it was almost midnight. when Zhi Rui 's eyes were trying to close up and sleep. Zhi Rui gave up there was no sound no alarm everything seemed normal. She sent a mental message to blackie, for them to sleep. Suddenly her eyes went wide.
As she sent the message, she could feel blackie was sleeping. Yet she couldn't hear her usual snore. Zhi Rui focused but even so, couldn't hear anything. Not even normal breathing.
Guan Jing warning just outside the tent passed in her mind. His sound barrier around the camp.
Zhi Rui focused on her tent. There was a thin almost imperceptible of the energy, transparent barrier around her tent. except this one is blocking eery sound from outside.
Immediately, Zhi Rui used her sensory spell to see the real situation.
Her senses spread, She saw Han Feit in front of Zhao Lin and Chunhue. They were far away from her tent. but they were looking at her direction. Zhao Lin and Chunhua were terrified and Han Fei opened his mouth repeatedly. Zhi Rui's blood went cold and she regretted not going out of her tent right when she discovered the sound barrier.
the spell caught an enormous snake that had at least ten meters in size. it was biting at Han Feng who was just above her own tent jumping through it. bringing the beast right at Zhi Rui.
The beast's body was thick emanating strength. Zhi Rui sent a command to Blackie. Before she could do anything else She heard a crack and the sound barrier broke. Her face lost color.
The beast smashed Zhi Rui and the tent away.