The rogue cultivators trailed with cautious steps behind Bai Cheng, keeping their faces tight with suspicion. Bai Cheng was on the other hand trying his best to continue playing out the part of self-confidence while inside him was going wild with excitement, even more than when he had tricked the entire group of them into believing he was the greatest expert in beasts and herbs.
"I know a place," Bai Cheng said, his voice so tranquil and soft, as if he spoke of an afternoon walk. "It's not far from here—a maze of holiness. And they say the Flame Beast lives within it."
"Labyrinth?" Jia Ling raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not just making this up, kid? I've never heard of any labyrinth around here."
Oh, it's real, Bai said, smiling with sureness. It's ancient, too. Do you really think I would take you into danger? He played his wink at them.
"Kid, I wouldn't trust you to take a dog to its food," growled Da Ru from behind.
Don't worry. It's not very far, Bai Cheng said, brushing aside their skepticism with a casual wave of his hand. Trust me. I know how to get there.
Fang strolled along beside him, carefree and unaware of the building tension around them.
The rogue cultivators did not believe him but were desperate enough to keep going.
Bai Cheng looked back repeatedly to see if they were still following him and turned his attention back to the road.
Hours had barely gone by when the trees were few and far between as the ground became rockier with the deeper progression into the forest. Bai Cheng took them on a curving track designed to confuse them, and the sounds of the forest faded away into an eerie silence.
So, how much farther? Jiao sounded annoyed and impatient. It had been hours, kid. Are we there yet, or are you just tricking us?
Bai Cheng smiled, turning around to them, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ah, we're almost there, aren't we? You have been walking for hours now, but patience is important, right? You wouldn't want to hurry and miss the Flame Beast, would you?
"Patience, huh?" Jia Ling said quietly to herself. "I don't like this. How much longer, kid?"
Bai Cheng could practically hear the skepticism spreading. Soon enough, they would discover that he was the exact opposite of the clueless ignoramus he had been pretending to be. He should get moving while they still had enough patience not to get tired of chasing him.
Then, that way, he saw it between two giant boulders a cave of partway under hanging vines Bai Cheng smiled: perfect.
"Ah, we are here!" Bai Cheng exclaimed with a wide grin, pointing at the cave. "Right through here. The entrance to the labyrinth. This is it, everyone! You are about to see something that very few people—even cultivators—get to see."
Boss Wu stared at the cave entrance. Inside the cave, shadows were dark and terrifying. He didn't believe in Bai Cheng's excitement. "Are you sure that is the place?"
Of course! Bai Cheng nodded his head sharply. That's the Labyrinth of Eternal Flame. There, in it, you would find the thing you called a precious Flame Beast.
"But it seems—"
Before Jia Ling could finish, Bai Cheng raised his hands to signal a step back. "Do you think I would tell you a lie? I'm an honest man! What am I, a liar?
You wanted to find the beast, and here it is!
He quickly scampered up a tree beside them before they had any answer. Sitting high above, his heart pounding fast, he could be sure he would get an unobstructed view of the entrance and the cultivators when the time came.
The rogue cultivators looked at each other and then stopped for a moment.
Boss glanced at his group and then nodded. "Okay. Let's go. We've made it this far."
They moved, one by one, to the cave entrance, arms ready for whatever may meet them. Bai Cheng observed the crowd with much delight as it started filing in; Fang sat beside him, tail wagging contentedly.
Bai Cheng did not have to wait too long after they entered. He jumped down from his spot and landed softly behind the cave's entrance. He had prepared a trap before which he could turn on was smartly hidden and would activate once the cultivators were far enough into the cave.
A loud crunching noise filled the air as the ground under the rogue cultivators changed suddenly, and before they could respond, all of them were pulled into a muddy swamp that had been cleverly hidden by thick trees.
Their scared shouts filled the air as they tried to pull themselves out of the thick, sticky mud that grabbed their feet and made them sink deeper with every move.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Who is the fool now!!" Bai Cheng laughed from behind the trees, loud and glad.
"WHAT THE HELL!!!", shouted Jia Ling as she tried to pull back, but the swamp seemed to have some sort of power.
The more she pulled back, the quicker it pulled her down.
"NO!" shouted Da Ru, his eyes blazing. He launched himself forward with his sword, slashing at the vine tangles of the swamp. It was like trying to cut through thick oil.
Boss Wu was yelling furiously; his face was twisted by wrath. "YOU LITTLE—
Bai Cheng sprang out from above on the level of a tree branch and beamed down at his two plummeting cultivators.
"Do you really believe you're going to win? Forgotten that you're taking on a genius?"
Shen Yue's voice came from out of the noise, full of anguished incredulity. "Kid. you played us.".
Bai Cheng bent down with a great grin. "What? I am just an ordinary person, remember? You all wanted it that way! Do not start judging me!
"You're dead, kid!" Boss yelled in anger with his voice. "I'm going to make you really regret this!"
Bai Cheng raised his hands as if to prove his innocence. "Me? I am but a simple traveler. I did mention the Flame Beast, didn't I? Who would have thought the maze would be so? Muddy?
"Swampy?!''
Jia Ling shouted angrily. "You did this! You will pay for it, do you understand?! All of you—you're dead when we get out of here!'
Bai Cheng nodded sagely from his perch above them. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. You've got big plans for me. But you're going to have to get out of this swamp first. Good luck with that!"
With one last happy laugh, Bai Cheng disappeared into the trees as the rogue cultivators struggled and swore below him.
As Bai Cheng leaped through the trees, his heart still racing with excitement, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Who knew life could be this fun?
But in his head, a small voice went on telling him: Don't get too confident, Bai Cheng. They are not done with you yet.
But for now, he allowed himself a small victory.