"Good day, I apologize for disrupting your cultivation!" A bright, strong voice stabbed through the air.
Gray was jerked out of his meditation and looked up with great annoyance.
A young man stood at the entrance of the carriage, carrying a sword and scabbard. His sleek black hair was in an elegant top knot that signified class, unlike Gray's wild and unkempt mane. His clothes were clean and well-fitting, with many layers that signified wealth, unlike Gray's ragged outfit that hadn't been changed for months. His complexion was fair, like someone who did not have to work under the sun. All in all, he was quite handsome by average standards and this made Gray instantly dislike him.
"What you want?" Gray asked.
"My name is Tang, a swordsman traveling the land to hone myself and gain experiences. I bought a seat in this caravan to head to Jade Hill Town. They told me to come here, may I?"
He gestured to the empty space opposite where Gray sat.
Gray didn't know quite what to say. Tang was polite, well dressed, and perfectly normal. Gray wasn't an unreasonable person and Tang didn't seem like a pushover either. His body contained a strong spiritual aura that was tinged with sharpness and airiness.
"Fine…"
Gray stopped blocking the doorway and Tang climbed on. The two men didn't speak and merely sat in silence, glancing at each other occasionally.
The caravan eventually finished conducted business with the last village. Amin Baba wrapped up his endless bartering and the carts were filled to bursting, laden with all kinds of things that could be sold for profit in town.
There was a jerk as the carriage started to move.
"What's your name?" Tang asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"Gray."
"Where are you from?"
"A few villages back."
"Where are you going?"
"Jade Hill Town."
"…" Tang laughed lightly, "You don't talk much. Is this your first trip out of the King's Mountains?"
Gray scowled and didn't answer. He was used to being alone and treated strangers with suspicion. He felt there was no point chatting it up with a man, even a friendly one. If it was a beautiful woman, he might have reconsidered.
He ignored Tang's attempts at conversation and watched the scenery outside gradually change. The caravan no longer traveled along the mountain range and had taken a sharp turn south. The landscape of forested hills gradually changed. As they constantly descended downhill, the forest got sparser and the trees became shorter.
Tang gave up trying to talk but Gray remained frustrated. With another person close by, he couldn't cultivate the Tome of Glorious Fortune. It was too dangerous to show it off in front of a random cultivator, one whose strength he could not gauge.
He could do nothing but let his thoughts wander in boredom. He fell asleep to the steady noise of the carriage. He woke up for an uneventful lunch. He then took another nap afterward, straight until dinner.
After dusk fell and the caravan had made camp, Gray emerged from the carriage onto a surprising scene. There were several large bonfires as well as multiple cooking pits. Excited voices and laughter drifted over along with the smell of delicious cooking.
"What is going on?" He muttered.
"Gray!" Tang appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his arm.
"Hey, let go!"
Gray tried to jerk free but Tang was surprisingly strong. He held on and dragged Gray to the nearest cooking pit. Instead of the normal hard bread or gruel, there was roast meat, fish, as well as fresh vegetables. There were even jugs of alcohol that burned Gray's throat when he tried to drink it. It tasted like piss but the others seemed to like it and downed it like water.
It was a feast and they could have as much food as they wanted. It was a reward for a successful trip so far. It was also to raise moral and prepare everyone for the difficult trip back to Jade Hill Town, through the Dangerous Region.
It was a three-week journey directly southward. The path would take them through a vast grassland that had very few human settlements or resources. Carts might break down from the difficult terrain. Horses and oxen might get injured and die. There were roaming deadly beasts and bandits that could attack at any time. There was no guarantee that those working for Amin Baba would all survive long enough to return to town and get paid.
Tonight was their one last peaceful meal for a long time.
"It's quite festive, isn't it?" Tang commented, "I'm surprised that miserly merchant is willing to spend this much on a party…"
He nudged Gray, "What do you think? Perhaps this trading trip was particularly profitable? It's rare to see Amin Baba so jovial."
Gray didn't answer and kept chomping at his roast meat. He wasn't about to pass on food. He ignored Tang's weird questions and went back to seconds and thirds.
The party lasted into the night. The men ate, drank, and laughed with each other. The two servant girls walked among them, refilling their bowls with food and drink. Yara eventually found her way over and sat down next to him.
"Sir Gray, are you having a good time?" She asked, leaning into his shoulder.
"Uhh… yeah." He answered awkwardly after swallowing a mouthful.
"Hehe, you're so strong and handsome."
"…"
"Have you thought about what you are going to do with all that gold when we reach Jade Hill Town?"
She stared up at him with an adoring expression. He was quite uncomfortable and tried to ignore her. Both of them failed to catch Tang's sharp expression before it disappeared behind a blank stare.
Yara pouted and hugged Gray's arm, forcing him to put his plate of food down, "I'm so disappointed that you did not come find me even once! Soon we will enter the dangerous region and we won't have another chance for a long time. Hehe, do you like me? Do you think I'm pretty?"
Gray looked over at Tang but the man was expressionless. Helpless, Gray looked back at Yara, finding her more and more unattractive with each passing moment.
"Uhh… can I help you with anything?" He asked dumbly.
She giggled and hugged his arm tighter, squeezing herself up against him. "Sir Gray, once we arrive at Jade Hill Town, do you need someone to show you around? I was born and raised there; my family is there. I can take you to meet my parents!"
Gray's thoughts were sluggish and he couldn't fully grasp her implications. He didn't know what to say so Yara continued bravely.
"I may be a servant girl for Amin Baba but I am not his woman. But for someone noble as Sir Gray, I am willing… that is, if you like me!"
Gray shrank away from her in surprise. He finally realized her intentions. The only problem was that he was totally uninterested. Xueling's beautiful smile appeared in his mind and he involuntarily pushed Yara away.
"Not interested." He answered flatly.
He quickly stood up with his plate of food and escaped to the other side of Tang, away from Yara.
Yara's open-mouthed expression of shock changed into one of indignation and then anger.
"Fine, asshole!" She hissed.
She stood up and stomped away. She found a few guards and sat down beside them. The group livened up due to her arrival and the men were soon competing with each other for her attention. Shouts and roars of laughter combined with giggles, which only caused Gray's bad mood to worsen.
He was frustrated, not really because of Yara but because of Xueling. He thought about her often but the run-in with Yara brought feelings of loss and longing to the forefront. If they had never met, he would have surely taken Yara up on her offer.
More than six months had passed since his fairy sister left and he missed her. They were now separated by an unimaginable distance and unknown dangers. There was no guarantee they would ever meet again. He wasn't sure what he would do if he failed. He couldn't dream about her forever and never find another wife. He was a man, not an idiot. But since he was a man, he was certainly going to keep his promise and see her again!
Gray shook his head to clear away the gloomy, contradicting thoughts.
He threw away the empty plate. There was no more food to occupy his mind so he gave up on the party. He went back to his carriage and went to sleep over the noise and boisterousness.