The three of them made their way into the depths of the forest. Walking along dozens of meters, they were greeted with a stream resembling a silver-colored band meandering down the rocky mountain.
On either side of it, clumps of weeds and blocks of rock hugged the graceful creek. It was so clear, with its bottom discernible.
All sorts of birds were cooing in the midst of the forest. The place seemed like an untouched piece of land.
Le Xaan's group crossed the river and saw a delicate wooden hut resting at the foot of the mountain.
It was constructed from wooden beams, its appearance simple and unadorned, lacking in decoration or carving.
In front of it was a small patch of garden.
"Alright. I will stop right here."
Zein Sanki said in a low voice.
He brought two guards along with him, who were raised by the Zein family from a young age and could be considered definitely loyal to the family. Therefore, total silence about Le Xaan and Qiki could be ensured.
"I really appreciate your helping hand. Now go back to your work; I know you are busy handling your family's businesses."
Le Xaan nodded.
Zein Sanki and his guards left hastily.
Le Xaan and Qiki went into the house. And the two of them soon began to tidy the room.
There was a substantial amount of dry rations and jerky, along with some freshly plucked fruits and vegetables in the room. Apparently, they were placed there not long ago.
"Young Master Xaan, are we staying here instead of setting off for Mountainside City?"
Qiki was bewildered.
"We will, but some days later. For now, remain here first."
Le Xaan replied in a casual manner.
They straightened up the house until the nightfall descended.
Qiki lit up a kerosene lamp.
Its yellowish light flickered in the wooden residence, making for a dim illumination.
Le Xaan stood in the yard, lifting his head and gazing into the sky.
The moon and stars were blotted out by gloomy clouds, allowing for no slivers of light.
The lamp inside the hut cast a shred of glow into the yard, making it the most illuminated spot amidst the shadowy trees.
Le Xaan gazed outside the yard.
The forest was now pitch-black, from which unknown disturbances sounded out. Some creatures seemed to be darting through the wooded area at high speed.
Le Xaan placed his hand on the handle of his blade.
Zein Sanki originally offered to arrange some guards for him, but Le Xaan declined.
The fact that he stayed here should be known by as few people as possible.
After glancing at the darkness-enveloped forest, Le Xaan went into the wooden house and closed the door, then the windows.
The windows had two layers. The inner layer was a frame plastered with paper, while the outer layer was a robust wooden plank for security purposes.
Le Xaan drew the outer layer down. Now, only seams along the windows' periphery let through a glimmer of amber light.
Then he turned around and found Qiki making the bed.
There was a bed in the room, some grain straw piled atop it. Qiki laid a straw mat on the straw heap, then a soft cotton pad, and supplemented these with additional bedding items for comfort.
"Young Master..."
Qiki muttered with a pair of watery eyes and rosy cheeks.
"If you want to have a rest now, let me warm the bed for you."
"..." Le Xaan was rendered speechless for moments.
"Don't bother. Isn't there a miniature bed behind? You can go to sleep on it now. "
Qiki looked like a preteen girl aged between twelve or thirteen. The mere thought of hitting on her made him feel like he was committing a crime.
"Alright." Qiki's tone betrayed her shyness.
They were now alone in the wilderness, and the hut offered limited space.
Whether changing clothes or taking a bath, they had to do it before one another.
If something romantic were to happen, that was hardly surprising.
Too bad that her Young Master seemed to entertain no interest in that for the time being.
After their fresh-ups, Qiki urged Le Xaan to sleep.
The miniature bed was placed in the room's inner sanctum across a finger-thick wooden board from the larger bed. A door was cut out on the panel and screened by a hanging flap.
If Le Xaan wanted to, he could do anything with no restrictions.
Yet, he was not in the mindset to make any sexual advances.
He sat on the bed and practiced 'Dark Shadow' for a while with a focused mind.
On the next morning, Qiki went for the food boxes before the yard.
After their breakfast, Le Xaan practiced Crashing Heart Palm for some time and then turned to Dark Shadow.
After lunch, Le Xaan began to train in Black Tiger Blade Style.
At dusk, as Le Xaan checked the slip of paper in the food boxes, he found no noteworthy information. Then, he practiced Dark Shadow for four hours before turning in for the night.
His life settled into this daily routine for the following half a month deep in the forest.
And he still could not feel the inner body Qi of Dark Shadow.
By common sense regarding martial arts, if one was unable to feel the Qi with half a month of effort, giving up might be a more sensible choice.
If a set of martial arts was truly suitable for a person, he would be able to sense the flow of Qi within a few days.
However, Le Xaan believed that this was due to the manual's lack of a meditation chart, a point Deumu had also brought up with him.
This belief galvanized Le Xaan into persisting in his practice of Dark Shadow for a long span of time.
By the time Le Xaan was on the verge of quitting, a strand of Qi emerged within his body while he was practicing the set of Qi cultivation methods.
The sky bore a grim hue.
Even at noon, the air was suffused with a slight chill.
In the shadowy grove, the usually noisy birds now sang no melodious songs, only emitting occasional chirps.