Chapter 3, Forest

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The two escaped servants-

The two main characters of this story were standing in front of the hidden gate.

They had a weird comfortable feeling inside of them as they breath in the fresh air.

It has been almost forever since they last seen the outside view.

Though both of them never expected that the day they escaped, was when the sect gets overran by ruffians.

Before one of them talked, Zhou Huan made a short thankful remark towards the black clothed individuals. he then suggested, "It's best that we visit the nearest town first and we can think afterwards. Staying here any longer would be detrimental."

Tengfei thought, 'Anywhere is better than here.'

He took one last look and recalled some memories.

Tengfei then nodded before they left towards a town called 'Taesu'. Heading straight north, down the long stony stairs and through the paved pathway.

Taesu was not part of any kingdom’s domain but instead it stayed neutral on the borders. They managed to have that position by an agreement of trading with the countries that surrounded them.

West of the town contained a forest which is where they get their materials and food from.

Though only the poor relied on chopping wood and hunting beasts for lunch or dinner.

Meanwhile the rich get their income by being merchants or even owning companies.

While in the middle of their journey, Zhou Huan asked, "Is she heavy brother? If so, I could drag- I mean carry her instead."

Tengfei shook his head, "She's quite light and by judging her breathing, I think she has been sleeping comfortably till now. Though I still couldn't understand how the hell could anyone sleep while being carried in this way."

He then decided to switch the position he was carrying her to that of a normal princess carry. The girl was soundly asleep with her small mouth slightly opened.

'Spoiled personality, bitch like attitude and the only thing going for her is that cute face. What the heck am I saying...'

He then noticed tears falling from her eyes and wondered what she was dreaming. 'Missing her mother already, I guess. I kind of envy that feeling.'

In the dream of Lihua, her age was back to when she was nine years old.

She asked a young woman, "Big sister, Big sister Ling! play with me!" Lihua was so eager as she showed her bright smile, while pulling the hem of her sister's clothing.

Her playful mood was really pleasant incomparable to her present personality.

But the reply she gotten was, "Sorry Little Lihua, I'm busy teaching Tengfei... maybe later."

Her expression showed slight sadness but she didn't give up on asking.

Day and day, she kept on asking.

No matter how many weeks have past, Lihua never even forgotten of asking once.

Though all the replies she gotten from her sister was the same answer. She was too busy spending her time with Tengfei.

Lihua continued repeating the same question until at one point, her sister finally left.

Not a single farewell was given to her even. Not to mention that a very close friend of hers also left before.

The dream ended there, and the first thing she saw when she woke up was the boy who took her place in her sister's heart.

She looked at her surroundings and found out that she was in some sort of inn.

Before Lihua could react, her body was dropped down on the wooden floor which pained her.

"What was that for?!"

Tengfei snorted, "You expect me to carry you the entire time? You better keep on dreaming then."

She tried getting up but her feet hurtled too much. Though she felt perplexed that it felt way better than earlier. Lihua then noticed her leg having a stain of blood on them; shape of a hand.

"Are you really trying to increase the amount of time for me to carry you? Please for the love of King Wan Jian, stop trying." Tengfei annoyingly spouted out.

Lihua made a 'tch' noise before replying, "It's none of your goddamn business!"

Tengfei was going to rebuke back, but he decided that there was no point arguing.

He instead sat beside her and waited for Zhou Huan. The young black-haired boy was trying to get a room in this inn by convincing the owner.

Lihua's eyebrows creased from seeing Tengfei's silence. So, she was going to yell something awful to him until Tengfei's arms caught her intention. It looked numb and colored in red.

Though she can't admit it... but she felt bad and decided to not bash on him, "How long have you been carrying me?"

"3 hours... and you're quite heavy for someone of your age." He showed a grin.

When Lihua heard that she had been carried for 3 hours, her heart clenched.

Though her expression turned cold when she heard that her weight was heavy.

"You bastard! Calling a beautiful girl heavy is utmost humiliation!" Lihua said in a flustered way as she stares daggers at him.

"You beautiful? Heh, don't make me laugh." Tengfei replied while sneering.

They continued arguing while even physically hurting each other.

Zhou Huan showed a sad expression as he approached both Lihua and Tengfei, "We don't have any money and the owner will not let us stay in any room. I tried requesting that we could work in the inn for privileges but it was futile."

Inside Huan's head, 'We should have taken some money...'

Tengfei patted his shoulder, "If we can't have a room then we can just sleep outside then."

Lihua thought to herself, 'Wait... sleeping outside? Are they serious!?'

Tengfei then again carried the dumbfounded Lihua. He was already used to the pain but the fatigue did a number on him.

The group went out of the wooden inn, before entering the nearby forest in search for a good place to sleep.

Moonlight is the only reason why they could navigate through the darkness.

While walking towards there, Lihua was shouting inside her 'No, no, no NO!!!!! Do they really expect me to sleep in the open grassy air! Why would they not think of my thoughts!' (Author: "wut???")

She tried asking Tengfei to turn back, while even begging, but the only thing she gotten was a smile paired with his vengeful eyes.

The ghost girl popped out of nowhere again, and this time she made a happy teasing giggle at Lihua. (She sure appears every time something entertaining happens.)

After a while of searching in the forest, Tengfei found a good grassy place near an oak tree. He then placed down Lihua before sitting, and Zhou Huan did the same.

Lihua was the first one who talked and asked, "You don't expect me to sleep in the open and especially on the grass, do you?"

She looked towards Tengfei with watery eyes.

"Stop whining or else you can go find a proper place to sleep!" Shouted Zhou Huan as he felt irritation do to the whining of the pampered princess.

The princess wanted to use her Wind cultivation but she forgotten that her dantian has been blocked. So, she did nothing but glare at him as she grits her teeth.

"You guys can start a fight but I'm going to sleep." Said Tengfei. He then yawned to show how sleepy he was.

Lihua and Zhou Huan couldn't help but observe the calm Tengfei who laid down. Tengfei noticed their puzzlement, "This place at least got a relaxing scent unlike the barn I was in, so stop complaining and sleep already." His words were particularly directed towards Lihua.

"..." Lihua was speechless as she felt a bit guilty.

Shortly afterwards, Zhou Huan also started sleeping by using the tree to support his back.

Lihua couldn't understand as to how could they sleep that easily, and so she decided to try. But sadly, she can't help but feel uncomfortable. There was no soft pillow nor her fluffy bed.

Sometime later, the princess was still unable to sleep as she struggles to find a good comfortabel position. She also felt scared due the sounds of wolves. Well, to be exact, the sound of a lone wolf.

The moonlight slowly was blocked by clouds, this made Lihua whimper from the pure pitch-black darkness.

Her thoughts were nothing but envy to the boys who were sleeping peacefully. Though it all vanished when she thought to herself, 'So, this is how that trash felt every day in the barn... while I slept nicely, he must have been suffering for so long till he got used to it...'

Thinking about her past caused her consciousness to eventually drift away.

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A dream occurred when Lihua was sleeping. A dream that brought her back to when she was young, playing with her best friend.

They were having a match of tag.

Lihua was having a happy smile as she chases after her friend.

After catching her, she finally won.

They laid down on the grass while puffing out breaths of air. They were very happy.

Lihua's friend turned around to face her before saying, "When I grow up, hopefully, I would marry a man who would complement every different dress I wore."

The dream ended there.

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Next Morning

Tengfei's eyes slowly opened and the first thing he noticed was someone breathing really close to him.

He paid attention to the orange sky before looking to his left to find out that Lihua was hugging him; Sleeping peacefully with her drooling open mouth.

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Don't forget that she was only fifteen years old with a little bit of advanced knowledge due to studies from her mother.

Unlike usual, the ghost young lady was already there floating while having a mixture of anger, jealousy and envy expression while puffing her cheeks while crossing her arms.

'What?, why is she beside me...' Was what ponders inside Tengfei's head.

He then poked on her cheeks constantly until her eyes fully awakened which then he flicked with his finger upon her forehead.

This sudden pain caused Lihua to shriek a little and back away before wondering why he did that as she watches the puzzled with furrowed eyebrowed Tengfei.

"Why the hell were you sleeping beside me and not to mention the hugging?" Said Tengfei as he gets up his body.

Lihua thought about what he said then looked at him silently for a while before her face turns red.

One of her nightgown straps was loose downwards her shoulder showing a seductive look which didn't at all affected him.

Seeing the embarrassed Lihua with her messed bed hair as she rubs away the drool on her mouth with her arm, caused some sort of feeling towards Tengfei's heart which was.... pity.

"Wah... I-I didn't know... and it is your fault for making me sleep on the grasses and stop looking at me you-you trash..." Lihua said in a quiet flustered voice as she looks downcast.

She then thought to herself '...I'm not used to having no pillow when sleeping... so maybe my body act instinctively and went for that servant's body as a pillow. Not to mention the fragrance he had was quite soothing... oh what am I thinking about that... trash.'

Tengfei didn't mind or heed with her klutzy looks and flustered words and instead decided to wake up Zhou Huan, but he found out that he was not there and thought that he had already awoken a while ago already.

Before he could think about finding him, the voice of Huan's was heard as he asks Tengfei "Can you help me here! As I just caught us our breakfast, lunch and definitely also dinner!"

Tengfei's eyes widened as he finds out that Zhou Huan is dragging a two headed purple goat (sized about three meters wide and two meters tall) by its leg.

Xiao Lihua covered her mouth with her hands as she looks upon the beast his dragging while thinking 'No way I'm eating that. I can put up with the sleeping but for food... no way in hell!'

As Tengfei helps drag the beast, he then asked his brother Huan "How in the world did you managed to kill this creature?"

Zhou Huan puffed out his chest and stood straight before saying "Well it was quite easy as when I was looking for water, I found this beast rearing upon the grass nearby the lake and so I approached it with my spear.

Then afterwards I hurled it on to the beast creating an amazing FWOOSH sound! Which then it got pierced by it and died instantly!"

He then made a mighty laugh as if he was truly proud even though the true concept was quite boring than what he said as the goat beast was already injured and all he had to do was put it out of its misery.

Though the beast actually put up a fight which humiliated Huan by making him fall every time until the goat monster lost enough blood to just collapse.

It was quite the embarrassing fight for Zhou Huan and as usual, he would make it seem like instead it was simple for his sake.

Even both Tengfei and Lihua noticed that there isn't any spear wound on the creature... but they felt pity on him.

As both of them drag it along and then place it on top a rock with smooth surface, Tengfei then asked Lihua "I hear that this beast contains beast cores but where to find it in them, wretch?"

"You're expecting me to tell you? Even calling me wretch at the same time?" Said Lihua arrogantly as she tries massaging her feet.

"You don't get a lot choices to make or else you want to be the next victim of my spear like this beast, don't you?" Zhou Huan said angrily with cold eyes towards her.

Tengfei raised one of his eyebrows before thinking that his brother Zhou Huan was a bit harsh... not really.

This caused her to tremble helplessly due to having no ways to fight back before saying with a defeated tone "The cores of beasts reside differently depending on what species, as for this beginner realm beast... it resides on the brain area..."

When she said that, the two boys made a surprised expression before thinking of a way to get into the brain of the beast... but the only obstacle was the skull.

Of course, they could always just bash the beast's heads with a rock until the brain is shown but won't that traumatize them for life? and even worser gives Lihua nightmare fuels eternally?

As Tengfei thinks thoroughly, an idea popped up... but it requires large clothing and a water source.

His plan was to chop away the heads and wrap it around a clothing before drying it out.

Though Tengfei actually had an alternative to his plan which is supposed to be a decoy for the actual...

Tengfei decided to share his idea with Zhou Huan who was struck dumb from that amazing idea though Lihua's was keeping her poker face as she thinks inside '...am I surrounded by idiots? I should have expected for uneducated trashes.'

Even though she has a better plan to remove the cores easily but she decided to not share her ideas.

"Unless anyone of you can spare their clothing for this plan then unfortunately, we have to halt it until we have money to buy cloths." Zhou Huan said as he skins the beast goat in front of both of them.

Tengfei was looking with sparkling eyes as he watches his brother Huan skills in skinning the fur of the beast but as for Lihua... her eyes were closed by her hands as she recites in her head 'Please be quick... and poor beast...'

After the skinning, gutting, cleaning and then preparation of fire, Tengfei started cooking the meat by sticking it in with a stick and cooking it upon the fire.

For the cleaning, they had to wash the meat on the nearby flowing river which took some time to go back and forth.

The stick is from a strong wooden oak tree which is hard to get engulfed in flame and so perfect for cooking.

By now everyone is already hungry as the last time they all ate was yesterday afternoon.

The food was distributed to everyone except Lihua as she watches both of them eat while waiting for the chance for them to give her a piece of meat. Even if she said before that the she won't eat at all.

Tengfei was wondering as to why she's sitting without eating and so he asked Zhou Huan "How come that wretch isn’t getting food, brother Huan? Even if she treated us horribly. it doesn't mean we should make her starve to death, right?"

"Well, she's our slave and so she can wait till lunch, I guess. That way we can save more meat." Said Zhou Huan after gulping down the meat he chewed.

Xiao Lihua stopped looking at them and decided to just look downcast and stare at the grass.

Thought the beast had enough meat to feed a family for a week.

She knows very well as to why they're treating her like this and didn't complain... but her stomach was really empty...

Tengfei decided to take a glance upon her and felt that he shouldn't feel pity but then he recalled a memory with his big sister Ling as she says 'Take care of my little sister, Tengfei.' This changed his expression to an annoyed look before cutting of pieces of meat from the beast again.

He then decided to cook another batch which Zhou Huan thought that he was hungry and so continued munching down. Placing some crushed dried herbs on it as it cooks.

After cooking, he walked towards Lihua with the food on one hand and told her "Your food is here, your highness." Said Tengfei with a teasing voice.

Lihua raised her head to find Tengfei trying to hand over a stick with cooked meat to her.

She was surprised as to why would he still care about giving food as his not in the household nor is, she a princess anymore and to top it with her being his most hated person.

Her eyes stared upon the food silently before hearing Tengfei say again "There isn’t no poison if that's what you're thinking, your highness."

She grabbed upon the food and before she eats it, Lihua told Tengfei "...Teasing is quite amateurish, but I thank... I appreciate your kindness for the food."

Lihua then stared at the stick with a nicely cooked meat on it before forcefully making herself take a bite.

A smile could be seen on her as she enjoys the flavor of the meat which made Tengfei twitch a little.

Zhou Huan was puzzled as to why did Tengfei gave her food as he watches him return walking back.

As Tengfei sat beside Zhou Huan once again, he was asked by him "Brother Tengfei, perhaps... you have fallen for her and was having that hate/love thingy that people feel? "

This caused Tengfei to look at his brother with cold eyes and serious expression before saying "Was that supposed to be a joke?"

Zhou Huan couldn't speak but instead forced to nod towards Tengfei as he felt fear due to the killing intent releasing out of him.

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Thanks for reading.