The tree fell with a last screech, finally all four of them sighed as they watched. They also had to slaughter any beasts that wondered far too close to the clearing that was attracted to the tree's screech, and they also had to destroy the body when they did so. In fear of the tree enslaving the corpse.
Throughout the entire fight, they have noticed that Zhi Ruo wasn't particularly strong, it's just that Zhi Ruo seemed to have an uncanny ability to know when the next attack was gonna go through.
They could not have particularly know that Zhi Ruo relied heavily on her stingy discharge of energy and her experience to win most fights. The three mistakenly thought that Zhi Ruo had an innate talent relating to foresight.
The girl shuddered when she remembered that she insisted that Zhi Ruo was atleast only a rank lower than that tree. If Zhi Ruo wasn't as strong as she was now, then they really have made a grave mistake on insisting on staying and fighting the tree of dead slaving.
Zhi Ruo was right on the first place when she said that she wasn't going to stick around and fight the tree of dead slaving. And of the fact that they should've really went back as fast as they could and inform the people back at the Sighted Valley.
But they were far to narrow minded and arrogant to back down. Having thought about their strength in number.
Thankfully, although the tree was strong, it wasn't hard to deal with since they have made the necessary preparations. And all of them could never truly die, as they surely had some artifacts with them. Except for Zhi Ruo, who had relied mostly to herself.
Zhi Ruo swung the sword, getting rid of the orange blood on it. She exchanged glances with the owner of the sword, before she reluctantly gave it back. It was good sword, one that she wouldn't mind staying with in a few years.
The man snorted when Zhi Ruo handed the sword back with a look of reluctance. But he did not do anything but receive the sword.
"I am Huo Feng." The man with the sword took the initiative to introduce himself. Huo Feng turned to the his sides where the girl and the other guy was, regardless of what Zhi Ruo was feeling right now. "This is Wai Ling, and Wai Bing. They are brothers and sisters." He continued.
Zhi Ruo paused, before sighing. "Im Zhi Ruo." She cupped her fist demurely.
"Sister Zhi Ruo, are you perhaps new to the Ye clan? I have never seen you around before." Wai Ling, approached the other girl as she inquired. "We have been on the hunting grounds for almost a month now, and who knows how long we have been knocked out. Are their any new brothers and sisters accepted to the clan?" The she asked.
"Has the tournament started yet? Or was it already over?" Wai Bing piped in from the sides. "We're actually going to enter the tournament, hopefully we didn't miss it."
Zhi Ruo blinked at the information. "The tournament will not start until next week. And yes, I am new here, and no their aren't any new brothers and sisters that entered the Ye clan with me." Zhi Ruo's voiced dipped mischievously. "I'm a bit of a special case you see."
Huo Feng raised a brow at her tone, he crossed his arms and looked at the bright orange blood on the corner of his shoe.
"Are you perhaps.... Someone who was demoted?" Wai Ling asked as she was colluding with a important secret.
"Or are you some special genius that was taken in?" Wai Bing also leaned in like his sister. The two looked at Zhi Ruo seriously, but the girl could only laugh.
"If you go now and ask around you would know." Zhi Ruo said, the mischievous tilt of her voice was still there. "But is the Sighted Valley really a place where a demoted deciple should reside?"
"Who knows, I've never been demoted before." Wai Ling shrugged offhandedly. Wai Bing felt embarrassed at his sister Wai Ling's insensitive comment.
"Are you going back?" Huo Feng asked, with his arms still crossed he faced Zhi Ruo. He ignored the banter between Wai Ling and Wai Bing in the background. Seemingly used to such situations.
"No, I would use the week to train first." Zhi Ruo may have her face covered but it could not conceal the fact that she was looking Huo Feng up and down. "You on the other hand...." She trailed off looking at the man's unkept clothing and face.
Feeling Zhi Ruo's judgemental gaze, Huo Feng could not help but feel bitter in his heart. He had never knew he had such a large amount of tolerance to people like Zhi Ruo until now. He merely glared at the girl. For everything that is good for him, he could not underestimate Zhi Ruo even if he wanted too.
Call it survival instincts, but he was never wrong when he listened to his guts.
He had one problem though, and that is the mouth of Wai Ling and Wai Bing. He unconsciously looked at the direction of the bickering siblings, he tapped his fingers on his biceps nervously.
He was assured that he could watch his actions, and Zhi Ruo did not seem like she put his words of provocation into heart. But he knows about the Wai sibling's mouth. He's afraid that Wai Ling and Wai Bing's mouth would be much more worst that his.
Who knows if Zhi Ruo would put their words on the same platform as his.
"Can you really improve over that amount of time?" Huo Feng copied Zhi Ruo's actions and he looked at Zhi Ruo up and down. "An unprepared person like you, who resorted on stealing the weapon's of others in the middle of battle would never improve on a short notice." He said with a neutral face.
"That's right, it would be better if Sister Zhi Ruo stays in a field cultivating silently. Who knows maybe Sister Zhi Ruo would achieve a moment of enlightenment— ow!" Wai Bing almost bit his tongue when Huo Feng elbowed him.
He looked at Huo Feng angrily, 'What! You can say words to her that aren't nice but I can't?! I was just joking! I don't even think you were joking when you said words of provocation to sister Zhi Ruo!'
But one look from Hua Feng made him clamp up his tongue at the roof of his mouth. He broke out in a cold sweat when he saw Hua Feng's no nonsense expression.
Wai Ling puckered out her lips in contemplation when she saw the look that her brother Wai Bing and Huo Feng shared.
'could my brother and brother Feng have a secret attraction with each other that even I don't know about?' Wai Ling observed the expression of Wai Bing and Huo Feng even more closely when the thought crossed her mind.
'No it can't be!' Wai Ling suddenly felt indignant and left out, she hit her brother on the arm and ignored how his brother yelped in surprise. She crossed her arms, harrumphed, and faced the other way.
Wai Bing looked wronged when he was hit for the second time without ryhme or reason. He furrowed his brows, hurt, because apparently even his sister thought he did something bad when her mouth was even worst than him.
Feeling amused Zhi Ruo looked at the interaction with keen eyes. She had a feeling that Wai Ling and Wai Bing would be great friends with Yu Zhúlín if they ever happen to meet.
And Hua Feng and Tiān Dì would also get along. Zhi Ruo could only imagine both sitting down on a table, silently talking with their eyes for hours.
"I will be going then." Zhi pipped in. Huo Feng, and the Wai sibling looked at Zhi Ruo silently.
"Will you be participating on the tournament?" Hua Feng could not help but ask. He looked at Zhi Ruo curiously.
"Was I too vague?" Zhi Ruo let's the sarcasm roll from her tongue. Even Huo Feng could hear it. "Yes, assuming that you three would go back. I hope you don't die so we can meet again soon."
"Woah that sounds so ominous— ack!" Wai Ling said when he was elbowed by his brother, who was currently looking at Huo Feng's reaction to see if he has noticed his sister's blunder.
Following her brother's gaze, iut was let to Huo Feng's back show as looking at Zhi Ruo. She could not help but sigh in her heart. Her brother was truly pitiful if her brother Feng has some attraction to sister Zhi Ruo in front of them.
"We're going to continue." Huo Feng suddenly interjected.
Zhi turned back to look at the three. "Alright, don't let me hold you now, I'll be going this way. You go to the other way." Zhi Ruo said, ignoring Huo Feng's clear indication that they will be following her if she stays silent.
Without waiting for Huo Feng's response and or reaction. Zhi Ruo bolted to the direction that she said she would go. Ultimately flickering out of Hua Feng and Wai sibling's sights.
"I don't think she wanted us to go with her brother Feng." Wai Bing looked at the distance where Zhi Ruo ran off to. Keenly aware as to what Huo Feng's intentions were.
"I think she didn't like you brother Feng." Wai Ling echoes beside her brother as she also looked at the distance where Zhi Ruo went.
Huo Feng sighed ignoring the piercing observation that Wai Ling and Wai Bing said. He smiled bitterly, he was about to offer Zhi Ruo a polite offer of them accompanying her since she was new to the Ye clan, and ultimately the hunting grounds.
Who knew that his good intentions were seen as him trying to get close to Zhi Ruo. He then recalled Zhi Ruo's hasty retreat, as if she was being chased by an ex that would not leave her alone.
It was no wonder Wai Ling and Wai Bing thought that he was trying to cozy up with Zhi Ruo.
Huo Feng flicked his hands that was coated wuth orange blood, and he turned to his companions. "It's seems like Sister Zhi Ruo doesn't want our help, well take a rest first and then we'll head out back to Sighted Valley."
"Don't go calling her sister Zhi Ruo now." Wai Bing said with a sing song voice.
"Don't get your hopes up brother Feng, although you act tough you're actually cute on the inside. I'm sure you'll find someone who will understand you." Wai Ling said with a sigh.
"My sister is right brother Feng! Sister Zhi Ruo is too good for you."
Huo Feng sighed tiredly, not even bothering on acknowledging the two yapping siblings that left him behind to sit on some tree branch. He often wonder's why his luck is so godamn bad all of the time.
"You guys better shut up." Huo Feng said as he followed his companions, who only laughed in response.
Meanwhile with Zhi Ruo.
Zhi stopped for the third time to take a look at some odd grass or some misplaced vine here and there. She plucked some, sniffed some, ate some of the variety of things she had to stop for.
But mostly the things on her hand disappeared to the ring on her finger.
"This ancient forest is like a goldmine! Look how many overlooked herbs in here growing in the wild. I doubt any of these people knew what these could do." Zhi Ruo happily picked the herbs. Overly thankful that she remembered to use the dimension ring and not her lotus mark this time.
All the way, she giggled like a person who's mentally unstable. But her hands didn't stop picking random rocks and grass.