With the Huang family guards escorting us, I didn't need to fight or do much. We managed to leave the Crimson Forest and swiftly return to Azure Cloud City. Apparently Huang Qian Jin and several people from his family was visiting for a few months.
"We're here for the auction at the Silver River Pavilion," Huang Qian Jin explained. He grinned. "Meet us at the Silver River Tower tomorrow night! I'll give you the money I owe you then, and then we can join the auction!"
I really didn't want to participate in the auction, but I decided to attend simply to hang out with my newfound friends. It wasn't as if I had anything else to do. There was no Internet in this cultivation world, no animation to keep up with. And I wasn't going to train 24/7. That wasn't physically possible.
"All right. It's a promise then."
"I'll see you there!"
With a wave, Huang Qian Jin left, accompanied by his guards and Hui Ying. I then returned to the Lan manor, with almost nobody noticing that I had been gone for a couple of days.
Almost.
"Where did you go?" Lan Bei Er asked, catching up to me when I walked toward my room. I raised both my hands, feeling cold perspiration pour down my face.
"To the Crimson Forest. I just thought it would be a good idea to try obtaining the True Fire. I didn't succeed, though. Sorry."
"It's nothing to apologize for," Lan Bei Er said dismissively. "Besides, the True Fire is just a rumor. That's why many of the other disciples from the major sects couldn't be bothered to look for it."
I decided not to tell her that the rumor was true. It didn't matter because I didn't acquire it anyway.
"Anyway, I'm glad that you're finally back. I need your help tomorrow morning, so make sure you're in the manor!"
"Okay." Scratching my head, I shrugged. "What's happening tomorrow morning?"
"Um, you'll see." Lan Bei Er offered a smile, but didn't say anything else. "Sorry, but I'm a little busy at the moment, so I've to go make some preparations. I'll talk to you again later!"
I watched Lan Bei Er leave, feeling a little disappointed that she didn't show more concern for me. Then I sensed Hong Yao Yao dropping down behind me.
"Don't worry, I told her that you went to explore the ruin in the Crimson Forest. I don't think she has very high expectations that you'll come back with anything, but she was very confident that you'll be able to return in one piece. I believe she even joked that the spirit beasts in the Crimson Forest will be afraid of you."
Lan Bei Er actually wasn't joking, but I didn't tell Hong Yao Yao that. Instead, I nodded.
"Thanks for helping me clear up the incident with those two servants."
"I was simply telling the truth. Also, I owe you one. You saved my life, after all."
"You're exaggerating. I didn't do much."
"And you're too humble." Hong Yao Yao paused and smiled. "Well, good luck tomorrow."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I frowned at that. That sounded ominous. I wondered if there was something major happening the next morning. Both Lan Bei Er and Hong Yao Yao were acting all mysterious about it. "What's happening tomorrow?"
"You'll see," Hong Yao Yao replied with a yawn. "If Bei Er doesn't want to tell you, then I have no right to do so."
She then jumped back onto the rooftop and lounged about lazily. I stared at her, reminded of a cat, but the pink hair and clothes were just too flashy. Shaking my head, I returned to my room for a much needed rest.
The next morning, after I woke up, I had breakfast. The servants of the Lan family brought the food to my room, a simple meal that tasted delicious compared to the rations I had to eat when out in the Crimson Forest. So I didn't complain. Then again, they gave me a sumptuous meal last night, but breakfast didn't have to be as heavy.
"You got us worried!" The maid told me with a giggle. "Fortunately, Madam Hong told us that you were embarking on a quest in the Crimson Forest, otherwise the Lan family would have dispatched all their forces to search for you!"
Surely they wouldn't go that far…
"Sorry for leaving without a word," I muttered.
"It's all right. Glad to see you're back."
After breakfast, I then went to the courtyard to resume training. While I mustered my qi and practiced the physical stances and other stuff that came with my techniques, Hui Ying's words lingered in my mind and refused to leave.
Sighing, I paused for a moment and glanced to the side. By the wall was a long rack filled with weapons. Swords, spears, staffs, bows and other weapons. If I was really desperate, I could probably just take a sword from the rack and the Lan family wouldn't mind.
"Let's try this out."
I took up a bow and a quiver of arrows. Taking a deep breath, I then aimed at the targets by the far end of the wall and let loose them. The first few arrows missed, but the more I practiced, the better my accuracy got. On the eighth try, I was finally able to hit the outer rim of the target.
Adjusting my grip and my glasses, I tried again. On the twelfth try, I was able to hit the inner rings of the target. I found myself rapidly getting the hang of it.
"This does feel more comfortable than wielding a sword," I murmured to myself thoughtfully. I was about to notch another arrow when scornful laughter abruptly cut into my practice.
"Ha ha ha! Look at the trash! He realized how hopeless he is at wielding a sword, and now he has resorted to using a bow!"
I frowned when I caught sight of Jian Shen swaggering into the courtyard of the Lan manor. I wasn't surprised at the derisive tone. Most people looked down on archers…actually, they looked down on every weapon except the sword. If you weren't wielding a sword, you were considered trash, or something like that.
Don't ask me. Maybe there was something romantic about the sword, and it was certainly the coolest weapon. But it didn't explain why swordsmen were so arrogant and why they looked down on all the other weapons.
"I'm surprised you have the face to be a guest here," Bai Ning Shuang said coldly, appearing beside Jian Shen. They were joined by the other cultivators from various sects. I recognized them as the same team who explored the Verdant Forest together, hunting the Yi Mu and feral wolves. They were a party, so to speak.
"I didn't know you have the qualifications to decide who deserves and doesn't deserve to be a guest in someone else's house," I responded dryly. Bai Ning Shuang narrowed her eyes, but she didn't reply. Too cool to rise to my provocation, huh.
"That's enough." Lan Bei Er hurried into the courtyard. She glared at Bai Ning Shuang and Jian Shen. "I will not allow you to insult Hei Ye. He is my family's benefactor. He was the one who brought the Red Python's blood back to cure my father."
"What? This trash?" Jian Shen snorted and burst out in laughter. "Junior Bei Er, I know that you're trying to use him as a shield, but at least make up a better lie than that. This trash wouldn't last even a minute in the Crimson Forest. How would he be able to draw blood from a Red Python?"
"Oh? I know for sure that Sir Hei Ye has entered the Crimson Forest twice – each expedition taking a few days." Hong Yao Yao was sitting on top of the roof, her legs hanging over the edge and swinging freely. All of the younger cultivators blanched and lowered their heads, cupping their hands respectfully.
"Lady Hong."
"I didn't realize Lady Hong was present. Forgive my rudeness."
"It's fine." Hong Yao Yao waved their greetings away and stifled a yawn. "I'm sleepy. I'll see you guys later."
She then vanished over the other side of the roof. Jian Shen then turned toward Lan Bei Er.
"Junior Bei Er, I am…"
"Sorry." Lan Bei Er latched onto my hand. "I already have a fiancé. I'll have to refuse your kind intentions, senior Jian."
"You can't seriously be choosing that trash over me!" Jian Shen spluttered, outraged. He jabbed a finger at me. "You'll regret marrying such a useless loser!"
"Trash? Useless?" Lan Bei Er glared at him. "I told you, Hei Ye was the one who brought the blood of the Red Python back, and thanks to that, my father was saved. What have you done? All of you? When I begged you to help me enter the Crimson Forest and hunt a Red Python, you refused. Or you said you'll do it after this mission or that mission. Even though I helped you complete those missions, you would find an excuse not to go into the Crimson Forest and search for a Red Python."
"That's…" Jian Shen trailed off.
"I'm just repaying my benefactor. Unlike you, who are all talk, claiming that you love me, but never actually doing a single thing to help my father, Hei Ye proved his love with his actions. He risked his life and ventured into the Crimson Forest alone just to save my father. Compared to you, who is always finding excuses, who is the trash? Who is useless?"
"It wasn't that much of a risk," I muttered under my breath.
"He…he just got lucky!" Jian Shen blurted out. He glowered at me. "How did you get the blood of the Red Python? You must have paid someone off, didn't you? You bought it from someone who obtained it, right?"
"Even if that's the case, that would mean I actually have the money and resources to do so," I pointed out dryly. "Unlike you."
"Wealth isn't something you should take pride in," Bai Ning Shuang said icily. "All the money in the world is useless if you're weak and your cultivation level is low."
"T…that's right!" Jian Shen agreed wholeheartedly. "I can just kill you and take your money for myself!"
"Are you threatening my guest in my own home, Senior Jian?" Lan Bei Er asked frostily. Jian Shen blanched. While he stammered incoherently, Bai Ning Shuang sighed and diplomatically changed the topic.
"Enough about this. We're not here to argue. Junior Bei Er, you know why we're here in Azure Cloud City today, don't you?"
"Yes." Lan Bei Er nodded and let go of my arm. "I've already made the preparations, so you guys can make yourselves at home. When it's evening, we'll go to the Silver River Pavilion."
"Eh? You guys are also going to the Silver River Pavilion?" I asked before I realized what I was doing.
"Also? Are you going too, Hei Ye?" Lan Bei Er answered with a question of her own. I felt like kicking myself.
"Uh, well…I have a friend who was interested in going. So I was thinking how coincidental it is…"
"That explains it," Jian Shen said nastily. "Trash like you will never be allowed into the Silver River Pavilion."
There was something wrong with his head. I would have smacked him to the ground and pulverize his body under my foot if I wasn't so conscientious of Lan Bei Er's image. So I simply ignored him for now.
"Sorry about this," Lan Bei Er told me, hanging her head. "I'm tasked with hosting my friends from the major sects and bringing them around. You can follow, but it might be better if you stay in your room today. Especially given their insulting behavior toward you."
"Oh, don't worry about it." I suppressed a grin. These brats had no idea. "I have my own plans for the day, so I won't get in your way."