Chapter 35, Prelude to a storm

~/`````````````````````````````/~

Inside Zhou Huan's room

Huan was laying on his bed as he asks the woman beside him, "So, does my strength corolate with the trees grown next to my mana pond?"

The woman, Li Meixiu, replied back, "Yes, each tree increases your overall physical capabilities by 1%."

"To summarise, my strength increased by 20% and my mana pond became deeper."

Li Meixiu nodded in response.

She then said, "If that's all you wanted to ask today, I have to bid you farewell." Li Meixiu then exited his room and made her way out the inn.

Zhou Huan didn't stop her but instead was lost in reminensing some old memories.

He thought that he sealed it away but somehow it emerged again right now.

The memory of a man teaching him the way of the spear.

He kept on recalling what that man was saying.

'For every mistake, a nail from her would be removed.'

'That marks the ninth mistake, just one more till its symetrical.'

'Wrong again and so another tooth from hers.'

'I think you forgot, Forcedius, if you could kill me... Then your mother wouldn't suffer anymore.'

'Remember... Our hope-'

Before he could recall what that man said fully, his mind blanked before his heart ached.

He gritted his teeth as tears fell from his eyes.

Zhou Huan fell to ground.

Sobbing noises could then be heard afterwards inside his room.

~/`````````````````````````````/~

In the market

"Fine day isn't it, Tengfei?" Said a middle aged man wearing a butcher's outfit. He then continued, "What may I help you with?"

"Nothing much today, Zhu Wan. I'm just checking if other fishermen captured anything worth noting." Said Tengfei.

Zhu Wan smiled before saying energetically, "Oho, I think I have just the kind."

The middle aged man then dragged a crate and placed it in front Tengfei.

He then used a plyer before cracking the crate open. Revealing lots of ice and inscription papers around the edge.

The inscription papers is used to keep the temperature inside the crate to be low enough so that the ice wouldn't melt.

Moving away a pile of ice before a fish was seen.

Havving red shiny scale, yellow eyes, sharp fin, and the most eye catching one is that it had a weird shaped chin. The chin seemed to be sharp and pointing out.

"This right here is what people call 'Poacher Arowana'. A very rare catch which could only be found deep in the valleys of song to the east."

Tengfei rubbed his chin before asking, "Why does it have 'Poacher' integrated to it name?"

"Well you see, this fish right here... Feasts on the guts of larger predators." The man then opened the fish's mouth which revealed a larged set of razor sharp teeth. "As you can see, after this fish slashes up its prey with its sickle jaw, it then would enter the wounded area before feasting inside it."

"That's gruesome." Tengfei said before nodding.

"At least it's tasty. Especially if you properly clean it, break off its jaw and season it with salt. Wrap it inside some Meroil leaves before steaming it."

Tengfei thought of something before asking, "How do you normally catch this thing? And what's the purpose for catching them aside food?"

"Normally they would drop a live predator into the pond which is attached to a strong metal string. I don't know the further details but you have to wait until the Poacher arrowana is inside the body of the bait." He then breathed in before continuing, "Their use were quite useful for softening tier three and above beast cores. Which would be in turn be used for creating inscription techniques."

Tengfei nodded before asking, "Softening? What do you mean by that?"

"I don't have much information when it came to that. Though I heard inscription masters use certain fish blood to their aide. Depending on the tier of the beast core, they would need a specific fish blood to soften them."

Tengfei again nodded before saying, "Thanks again for the info."

"Nowadays, fishing started dying out. It's always good to help out someone whos intrigue in it. So, don't be shy and come back anytime if you have any questions. While you at it, also bring along some good sized fishes which I'll be happy to buy."

Tengfei afterwards gave his farewell to the middle aged man before walking towards the forest. As he was walking there, the pink snake slithered out from his cloth before coiling around his neck. It then hssed happily.

He went far into the woods in searcch for a spot to test out something.

With hard work, he finally managed to remove the attacked snake and placed her on the ground along with his bag.

After removing the needed things from the bag, he then started doing tests.

The first test was to see if the pet would accomplish the things he asked.

It was not working until he did the act himself. Like for example going around in a circle.

The snake called 'Mini' would do the same thing as her benefactor. Cutely following her tail.

Tengfei then concluded that the lil snake would follow his act after snapping his fingers.

He then recalled the fighting prowes the snake has and thought about something ridiculous. He decided to spit at a rock after snapping his fingers.

The second test was partially succesful as the snake threw out black goop towards the rock. Though it fell to the ground mid-way... Which then followed up by the snake firing a small ball.

In fear, Tengfei dived to the opposite side before hearing a loud explosion from behind. His heart was raising before blaming himself as to how foolish he was. 'Shit, I almost got myself killed...'

The snake then slithered towards Tengfei before coughing out black smoke. It then looked at Tengfei as if pleading for something.

Tengfei thought it was asking for food but he had a feeling that it needs water more.

He brought out a leather sac and removed the tap before giving it to the snake. The snake happily gulped down the water which could be seen on her body.

The snake then looked towards Tengfei as if its asking for food.

Tengfei knew something like this was going to happen, so it brought out the drake fish drom his bag and took it out from the cover.

He then fed the hungry snake while thinking as to how frightening this little thing is.

Tengfei now understood that the distance covereved by the goop is quite small. The aim doesn't matter as the coverage it gives compensates it.

The only issue is that he doesn't know how many she can fire.

~/`````````````````````````````/~

When Tengfei returned to the Inn, what he saw inside was a female sneaking glances towards something.

That female was none other than the lovable body snugling Lihua.

She had a flustered look which piqued Tengfei's interest.

He went beside her before asking, "What's going on?"

His sudden question startled her before slowly gesturing with her head to look forward.

What Tengfei witnessed was an enviable couple flirting with eachother while exposing their passionate kisses.

He then turned towards the princess before asking, "So... Is this your first time seeing a kiss?"

Lihua became silent for a while before replying, "Yeah..."

As tengfei was looking at her, he thought out, 'I forgot that she passed out and couldn't witness her step mom being molested.'

Lihua looked at tengfei before this time asking, "What does a kiss do? Does it convey each other feelings?"

"How should I know!? I'm not love saint Bai!" He then dragged the girl upstairs as he continues saying, "Anyhow lets go upstairs before that couple thinks your a perverted voyeur."

Lihua stepped on his feet. She then yelled back, "You and your scar fetish is more worthy to be labeled as a pervert!"

"Yeah, yeah." He said lazily before forcibly dragging her up the stairs.

~/`````````````````````````````/~

In a dark room

Farenngoth and Lou Jun were sitting chairs opposite to each other with a table between them.

Lou Jun was busy stuffing herself with food as she never ate for a long time now. As for the Knight, he was busy with cleaning his blade.

After she was done, Lou Jun cleaned her mouth gracefully before sternly saying, "I demand tea."

Farengoth looked at her with a lazy look before replying, "...There are no tea here."

The female cursed in Kian language in front of him.

The knight raised one of his eyebrow, "I can understand, you know?"

"Then what did I say?" Lou Jun asked sternly.

Farengoth took a pause before saying, "Bitch."

"Precisely. You're a bitch to a wuss King. Spreading your ass when ever he snaps his finger." Lou Jun said with a mocking tone.

"Better than scums who makes individuals forcibily rape the weak. Scums that assassinate people without considering their relatives. Scums that kill poor people if a small delay were to occur in repaying their debt. Just for money." Farengoth said before looking at her.

Lou Jun rebuked angrily, "Shut up!!" As she stood and slammed the table. Causing some of the plates to fall off.

"You're angry because you know I'm right." The knight said calmly.

The lady gritted her teeth and glared at him with daggers.

Farengoth was done wiping his sword and so he asked, "Anyhow, do you know where we're going?"

"To your damned home country." She replied coldly.

"No. We're going to be bystanders who observe the contest that will be held."

Lou Jun tried to figure out the reason but couldn't. So, she was left with asking, "...What for?"

"You'll know when we get there."

~/`````````````````````````````/~

"Tengfei, the contest thingy is about to start after a few days." Lihua said as she tries out the black flower brooch and look through a mirror. She then continued after seeing that she was proud with her looks, "I heard, after you finished with that... We'll be moving out?"

"Yeah we are. We're going east. Through the valley of song before heading to Xianjing." The young gray haired replied back.

"Xianjing? Ah, my grand father's sect!" She then looked at him before continuing, "How did you know that the main sect resides there?"

Tengfei closed one of his eyes before replying, "I overheard your step mother speaking about it. Obviously."

"That'll be a long journey you know? Maybe 3 to 4 months." Lihua told before sitting beside him.

"We should prepare now for the journey ahead."

Lihua surveyed Tengfei silently for a while.

She then welled her courage before asking, "What will you do after meeting my sister? I felt like I asked something similar to this quetion so many times now..."

"Well..." He then continued after a long stop, "I already made up my mind."

"And what is it?" Asked the curious princess.

Tengfei replied back, "I'll... look for my parents and my origin."

Lihua gripped her hands. She then proclaimed out loud, "Don't forgot that I'll be with you."

Tengfei thought about what she said before revealing to her a smile.

"Anyhow, we'll be needing rations and lots of camping supplies." He said.

Lihua thought of something before saying, "This would be easier if we get our hands on those storage rings. Like the one Li Meixiu is wearing which can store countless stuff inside it."

This piqued Tengfei's interest as he asks, "How much does one normally cost?"

Lihua frowned before replying, "Around 9 gold for the cheapest."

"...That's quite a lot." He remained shocked.

The princess nodded before saying, "I know... Just forget about it. Though unless..."

As if predicting what she was about to say, Tengfei immediately answered, "I'm not going to steal."

Lihua stood up and faced him with an angry look, "Useless bread thief! Who asked you to steal!? At the first place, it isn't possible to remove the ring even if the person is dead! Do you still harbor feelings that I'm some henous evil adorable princess!?" She scolded him

"Calm down, calm down..." Tengfei tried.

Lihua replied furiously, "I am calm!"

"..."

After thinking it over, Lihua with a flushed look, appologeticlaly said, "...Eh, sorry for yelling."

Tengfei also appologized before asking, "You were saying, 'Unless' what?"

"Unless you win the contest that will be held soon." Lihua replied before taking a sit.

"How am I going to win? You clearly know that I'm practically useless." The pink snake hssed before sleeping on the floor.

Lihua hearing the word 'Useless' invoked some past memories which gave her some head ache. Tengfei held her in fear that she was about to fell down. Lihua assured him by saying, "Don't worry about me, I just remembered something."

"You should really ease up with your training. I feel like it is taking a toll on you."

"Tengfei..." She looked at him with eyes filled with worry.

"Yes?"

Lihua was about to say something but decided to keep it in, "Never mind..."

~/`````````````````````````````/~