Since the others had almost expended all their strength to make it this far, Mei Chao Bing let them take a rest. After a while, he got up himself though and motioned in the direction of the territory of the demonic practitioners.

“I would suggest that we keep a close eye on the situation around us. While we rest, it might be good for one of us to scout the area around us and give a warning if they see something suspicious. Maybe those who rested on the way could take up that part. Since some of them are of a lower cultivation realm though, I think it would be safer to do this in a group. For now, I can take charge of the matter since you all seem pretty tired.”

While the others nodded, one of the junior martial brothers straightened up at that. “Is it really good to let you go alone?”

Mei Chao Bing turned to look at him and he didn’t need to think twice to understand what this person meant. Obviously, he wasn’t worried about it. Instead, he was worried that he as a traitor of the Teng Yong Sect would go and inform the demonic practitioners of something that he shouldn’t.

Thinking of that, Mei Chao Bing gave a faint smile. “Well, you’re right that I have also expended quite a bit of energy. Maybe you would like to accompany me?”

The disciple froze up, unable to react for a moment. This wasn’t what he had meant all! He did think that Mei Chao Bing was planning something nefarious but especially if he was right with that, he wouldn’t follow him to become a part of it. If he wasn’t careful, he might end up with a dagger in his back! Why would he take such a risk? “That … I think two people are still too little. We … we should go for maximal safety.”

Mei Chao Bing continued to smile faintly. Maybe he would never be able to convince these two that he was not the traitor that they made him out to be. But at the same time, he should continue trying. Since it had worked with several other people so far, he had already gotten some hope back that there might be a possibility.

Seeing that this person hadn’t rejected outright but was only putting up some resistance with a flimsy excuse, he looked at the others. “I don’t want to force anybody today since you do seem very tired. If somebody would volunteer though …”

Song Mu wanted to speak up but Mei Chao Bing already shook his head. “Junior martial brother Song, your cultivation base is the next highest after mine. I think that for the time being, if I’m not here, it would be best if you stayed with the group. That way, you will be able to protect the others should the situation become dire. And should something happen to me and I do not return, then you could take charge of the group and make sure that they would be brought to safety. Thus, I don’t think it would be wise for you to accompany us.”

Song Mu nodded immediately at that explanation. What Mei Chao Bing said was sensible after all.

With that out of the way, Yuan Lei piped up. “How about me? Junior martial sister Liu and I have more or less the same cultivation level. With one of us accompanying you, it would be safer without compromising the safety of the group.”

Mei Chao Bing nodded. “That sounds good to me.” He turned to look at the junior martial brother who reluctantly nodded as well.

In fact, he had the fleeting thought that this Yuan Lei person was also on Mei Chao Bing’s side considering that they had been in the same group before and that he had somehow been bewitched by him. But … What kind of excuse could he give this time? He couldn’t think of anything so he could only swallow the words down and hope that he would survive.

Mei Chao Bing nodded with satisfaction and the three of them left.

Yun Bei Fen followed the three of them with his gaze and then sighed. He knew that Mei Chao Bing couldn’t always be directly at his side but he still would’ve preferred it if they didn’t have to separate. Maybe he should have volunteered to go with them as well?

Song Mu had been watching his expression and shook his head to himself before explaining to him. “It is safest if they take somebody with them who has a higher cultivation base. I don’t think you are very suitable for that, junior martial brother Yun. Please don’t take offense at that but your cultivation base just isn’t high enough yet.”

Yun Bei Fen looked over and didn’t quite know what to say. This was that martial brother who had warned them yesterday. It did make him feel a little good about him but then he remembered how Mei Chao Bing obviously didn’t like this person. Anyway, Mei Chao Bing even seemed to dislike this person more than he disliked that senior martial brother Yang. So … He had to be a really bad person.

He pondered for a while and then just nodded, and lowered his head. Anyway, talking with bad people wasn’t a good idea. Mei Chao Bing had already warned him about Yang Wu Huang. With this person, he hadn’t said anything like that but Yun Bei Fen still understood that it likely wouldn’t be good to talk too much.

Instead, he rubbed Xiao Hui’s head and then put the little spiritual beast on the ground, letting it scuttle around him.

Yi Ju watched him and then sidled closer, pulling her legs up to her chest. “Your spiritual beast is really very cute. How are you going to feed it while we’re out here?”

Yun Bei Fen turned to look at her and blinked his eyes in surprise. How was he going to feed it? Actually, that was a very good question. Why hadn’t he thought about that before?

« ToC »