"Darling, what did you say to him for him to be so grateful to you?"
"It's a secret to becoming a successful man." Fang Jiuyi smiled slightly.
"Successful man?" Han Shuang was a bit confused.
"A child doesn't need to know."
"Who's child? You are only several hundred years older than me." Han Shuang pouted.
"Just ignore him, Little Shuang!" Shen Meng Yao said, "It was not anything good."
"Do you know what he means?" Han Shuang looked at Shen Meng Yao expectantly.
"He just taught Kui Yan how to get a wife, or maybe a harem." Shen Meng Yao answered.
"So, darling, what did you teach him?"
"Nothing special; I just taught him a trick or two."
"Let me guess." Shen Meng Yao said, "You must teach him how to morally kidnap or blackmail the women of the Kui clan."
"What blackmail? What is moral kidnapping? I just taught him to use the low population to get him a wife or two." Fang Jiuyi retorted immediately.
"Or three, four, five-"
"Stop! I taught him the maximum number is five; otherwise, he would be in trouble." Fang Jiuyi cut Shen Meng Yao.
"Why not three? Do you still want to add two more?" Shen Meng Yao asked teasingly.
"No!" Fang Jiuyi shook his head. "Three was enough for me; don't make trouble!"
Luckily, Su Xin Yo was in the kitchen; otherwise, he would receive some serious interrogation.
"So, darling, why is five the maximal number?" Han Shuang asked.
"Because if it were more, the women would know that they were chea- ahm because it would bring him trouble." He stopped himself. "Look at me; just the three of you are giving me so much trouble."
"You obviously said something different at first." Han Shuang muttered.
"So, the three of us are trouble in your eyes?" Shen Meng Yao asked with narrowed eyes.
Fang Jiuyi is sweating badly. He didn't know when Shen Meng Yao was joking or not. If he gives the wrong answer, he will likely be in trouble.
"Husband, what do you want to eat?" Su Xin Yi's voice suddenly trailed from the kitchen.
"Oh dear, let me help you make the food." Thank you, my angle; your voice brought me redemption.
****
Back to the present.
Wei Fang woke up in the evening with a headache. His mental state was in disarray. He can still remember vividly the day before; he was still talking and laughing with Wang Ren about many things, and that very Wang Ren became a cold corpse in front of his eyes; he even went so far as to use the corpse to disguise himself.
And Wang Ren was also the one who caused the tragedy that happened to the convoy. His heart and mind still couldn't accept it.
For his whole life, he lived in a remote village where everyone was honest and kind. Even though there were still one or two bullies, like in every village, he still thought that it was a normal thing. It was also why he thought he was just bullied before when the three people beat him up.
But last night was different; it was at the point of killing, and his heart was still not prepared to take it.
Betrayal and killing.
He remembered that many seniors of the sect told them about it, but story was story and reality was reality.
Even a battle-hardened cultivator could crumble in front of betrayal, let alone him.
He just hugged his knees and placed his head on top of them.
Is this the reality of the cultivation world?
He remembered that after he entered the sect, he never really went out of the sect, and all of his experience was just from his village.
Can I come back to my village and be an ordinary person like before?
He really considered doing it, going back to the peaceful village full of honest and kind people.
But is the peacefulness in the village real?
He began to think about it. He remembered that sometimes children would be ordered to never come out of the house while the adults were gone.
He didn't know what happened as he was still a child; all he knew was that the adults would come back with injuries, while some didn't come back at all.
So, is that peacefulness just illusory?
Is everything peaceful because of the adults sacrifice?
He also remembered that his parents were gone after one of these circumstances. So, my parents were killed.
He became sad and scared at the same time.
He felt the life he lived until now was just an illusion and a dream, and now he was forced to wake up from it.
Am I also going to fight in the village if I don't go to the sect? Most likely. He thought.
"Haaaaah!"
He let out a long sight. His mind became a bit clearer after thinking it through.
Even though he already knew it, his heart was still not prepared to accept it.
But he knew that sooner or later he would be forced to accept it, just like last night.
Let's take it slow. He thought.
Suddenly, he heard the tent opening being flapped.
"Oh, you're up?"
He saw the foundation establishment guard in front of his tent.
"Are you alright?" He asked Wei Fang with concern.
"I am okay, just a bit unnerved." Wei Fang answered after calming down.
"I knew how you feel; every cultivator would experience it; you just need to get used to it." He said, "Can I come in?"
"Please." Wei Fang, make space for him to come in.
"I am Zhao Wu; what should I call you?" Zhao Wu asked after he sat down.
"You can call me Wei Fang." Wei Fang answered.
"Wei Fang, can you tell me what happened last night? You're the one who shouted 'enemy attack' right?" He inquired.
"Yes, I am." Wei Fang answered.
Then he proceeded to explain what happened last night. From how he heard an odd bird sound to how he found a whistle on Wang Ren's body,.
"So, he is a traitor?"
"Yes." Wei Fang nodded.
Zhao Wu seems to be in deep thought.
There was a lot of discrepancy in the story. If Wang Ren was a spy, there was no need to get rid of him that early. After all, if he were still alive, it would give more advantage to the enemy, as they could know where the other guard was or where the important thing was placed.
Then Zhao Wu seemed to think of something.
He stood up and walked out of the tent, making Wei Fang confused. "Don't worry, I will report your contribution to the sect." He said before walking away.
Wei Fang just watched calmly; he also thought there was something off about what happened last night, but he didn't have the power to do anything.
It was different for Zhao Wu, though; he had the power and authority to investigate what really happened last night.
Not long after, he heard the shout of the guard team as they departed from the camp, led by Zhao Wu.
The team returned just in time it was for dinner. Wei Fang could hear the commotion all the way from his tent.
Even though it was time for dinner, he didn't want to come out. Remembering the bloody scenes from last night deprived him of all of his appetite.
"Junior Wei Fang, can I come in?" He heard the voice of Zhao Wu from outside his tent.
"Please!" He stood up and opened his tent to someone who was stronger; he must display basic courtesy.
"Is something the matter, senior?" Wei Fang asked.
"You still haven't had dinner, haven't you? I brought your portion." He said as he put down the food in his hand, "Also, I want to inform you about the results of our investigation."
Wei Fang looked at Zhao Wu with interest. He was also curious about it.
"It seems there was not only one group that targeted our convoy." Zhao Wu said.
"Do you mean Wang Ren is part of another group?" Wei Fang opened his eyes wide.
"Yes, the one who attacked our group was the second group. While the first group that Wang Ren was part of was massacred inside the forest, From the trace we found, it seems they were ambushed.
"Okay, that's it; I didn't want to bother your rest time." Zhao Wu said as he came out. Actually, he didn't need to bring food to Wei Fang, nor did he need to report the results of the investigation, but he felt that this junior brother was someone extraordinary.
After all, who could remain clam after seeing one of his friends suddenly dead in front of his eyes? For him to be able to still be rational and even pretend to be dead, it just showed his calmness in the face of danger.
Wei Fang looked at the food that Zhao Wu delivered and thought about what Zhao Wu said.
It seems this world is more dangerous than he thought.