2 Into the Woods

Having left the merchant's stall, the bright youth named Xu Jiyu, sighs as he stares at the pathetic amount of coins remaining in his pouch. Only two whole coins remain! He surely cannot buy any more food for later...

Dejectedly, Xu Jiyu seals his pouch and pockets it, already planning to eat grilled fish in the forest for the days to come. If he can catch his own food, then delectables like steamed buns are unnecessary!

He steels himself, attempting to suppress his incessant cravings for steamed buns.

… Luckily, he had saved one bun in case of an emergency. This situation can be considered as an emergency, right? If his stomach rumbles later out of hunger, of course it is an emergency! If he doesn't eat, he'll definitely die!

In this way, he happily convinces himself that it would be alright to consume the steamed bun he was saving later in the evening.

"Alright! I'll go and search the woods for this 'Lang Jing.' As low as the odds may be, I must take my chances!"

Xu Jiyu enthuses, attempting to make himself feel more energetic about the situation. Traveling alone is definitely lonely, but his determination to make a name for himself easily tramples the solitude he feels. A few years of wandering by one's lonesome from village to village in hopes of finding the King of Spirits has successfully thickened his skin.

It wasn't as if he's never spoken with another human being before during his journey; but truthfully, if given the choice, he would definitely much rather have a traveling companion by his side.

Lost in wistful thoughts, he seamlessly weaves his way through the bustling crowd, taking care not to bump into anyone on the way.

When he reaches the outskirts of the village, he finds himself facing the expansive woodland in front of him. Being the only forest near the village, this must be the place Lang Jing was banished to!

Despite knowing the dangers of entering the forest, as it is a location that evil spirits frequently gather due to the lack of humans residing within it, Xu Jiyu did not hesitate to step into the woods. Placing one foot in front of the other, he courageously strides deeper into the unknown.

The familiar scent of nature immediately invades his senses, filling his lungs with fresh air. Plants, animals, and soil—the smells all mingle together into a scent he can only describe as 'earthly'.

The crunch of dead leaves breaks the otherwise gloomy silence with every step he takes. As he travels deeper, the darkness of the forest makes it difficult for him to see—only with the faint, ethereal glow from will-o-wisps residing within does he manage to stumble through without any dangers.

Before he knows it, two hours of unsuccessful searching for Lang Jing have passed.

Large oak branches that were hanging above him prevented the sun from beating down upon him, enshrouding him in the darkness of the shadows. Xu Jiyu pauses and stares up at them with a sigh of exasperation, a bead of sweat runs down his jawline. The youth resigns himself to finding a place to recuperate his energy.

Finally, the boy shifts his attention to the boundless nature surrounding him. His gaze locks onto a fallen log; the perfect place to rest for a few moments. Without thinking much, Xu Jiyu saunters over to it, sits down, and begins to ease the dull throb in his legs.

In the process of massaging his aching muscles, he hears a twig snap nearby and whips his head towards the source of the noise, his expression filled with alarm.

"Who's there?"

His voice is cautious as he narrows his eyes in order to see what had approached. However, when he sees a tall, elegant, and handsome male with raven black hair and superb form, he can't help but feel insecure about his own looks. From afar, Xu Jiyu can see that the handsome man is wearing a sophisticated white and silver robe.

At the current moment, Jiyu's hands are holding onto his own leg, making him look like a fool. His face is riddled with dirt and dust after walking for two long hours within the forest, and his clothes and hair are completely disheveled after being poked and tangled by numerous branches.

Comparing himself to the man who, in his eyes, has no imperfections whatsoever, deals a heavy blow to his own self-esteem. Xu Jiyu quickly lowers his gaze, looking elsewhere—anywhere but at that striking man.

"...Is it not common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking for another's name, commoner?"

The man's deep, soothing voice does not have any hints of malice or killing intent—it only drips with dry amusement. This person currently means no harm—this much, Jiyu understands.

He relaxes himself, having unknowingly tensed the moment he sensed someone was nearby. 'Calm down, Xu Jiyu,' he thinks to himself, willing his heartbeat to calm down. 'It isn't someone dangerous.'

A smile reflexively appears upon his lips due to his usual friendly demeanor, before he removes his hands from his leg and stands up, cups his hands together, and bows.

"Sincerest apologies, this young one truly believed it was someone dangerous. You surprised me!" Xu Jiyu explains in a fluster, purposely omitting the fact that sneaking up on others from afar is surely a lot more rude—even more so by calling them a 'commoner'. Is this handsome man a noble, or someone with a high position?

Good thing making enemies is definitely not his hobby.

He straightens up after a second, before properly giving his greetings. "This one's name is Xu Jiyu, a traveling cultivator. May I ask your name, elder brother?"

The handsome man leisurely treads over to the youth, expression giving off a calm and cool vibe.

"My name is..."

The handsome man seems to be thinking about his own name—did you hit your head on the way here, dear brother, ah? Why do you need to think about your own name?

It can't be that this man is Lang Jing, the man who had turned mad—mad to the point where he cannot remember his own identity?

Just as Xu Jiyu's suspicions are beginning to rise—.

"...You may address me as Liu Jian," the man says after a moment, his eyebrows knit together.

Disappointment is clearly evident in Jiyu's voice as he sighs. "Greetings, Liu Jian. What brings you into the woods? It's dangerous around these areas."

...Not that he himself should be the one to reprimand the stranger about that.

Xu Jiyu is not powerful at all himself, especially with his weak spiritual roots. He has cultivated for nine years, and is still in the early stages of the Qi Condensation level. Truly, a pitiful situation to be in. Facing the mockery of his senior and junior brothers, claims that someone like himself would never rise up among the cultivators—that he's better off accepting his fate as a mere, powerless mortal.

"I was searching for a young man," Liu Jian muses, stopping in front of Xu Jiyu, as if sizing him up. Their height difference is quite clear—Liu Jian is at least 9cm taller than him!

Although Xu Jiyu doesn't mind at all, peering curiously up at the handsome man, eyes full of wonder. "Oh, could it be that you were looking for Lang Jing as well?"

A possible traveling companion! That's the single thought running through Xu Jiyu's head right now—could it be he can finally travel with someone?!

Liu Jian's piercing eyes are observing his every move, "Who? ...Oh, Lang Jing. Yes, yes—that's certainly the man I was searching for."

Although he confirms that he's also looking for Lang Jing, his eyes hold a mixture of confusion and realization.

But the oblivious Xu Jiyu didn't notice this due to his excitement, and continues with a flourish: "...In that case, would you like to travel together? If we both have the same goal, then isn't it best to work as a team?"

The youth doesn't bother to hide his eagerness. Really, it has been too long since he's been able to travel with someone else. Stranger or not, humans often need companionship to truly thrive in the world.

"...Me, with a mere commoner like you?" Liu Jian tuts, breaking out of his previous trance and clicking his tongue in distaste.

Xu Jiyu's enthusiasm dies down a bit and he frowns, scrunching his brows together. "Are you a noble? A person of high rank? If not, what right do you have to call me a commoner? Are we both not commoners?"

Liu Jian: "...."

Xu Jiyu: "...."

A crow caws in the distance.

Liu Jian awkwardly coughs into his fist, breaking eye contact. "Ahem, you are correct. I am a… 'commoner'. A commoner like you."

"Right…" Xu Jiyu drawls, clearly not convinced. Though he doesn't have a good impression of the man besides his excellent appearance, Jiyu still continues because of his yearning for company. "Are you willing to accompany me?"

"...En." A nod.

With that, Xu Jiyu is quite satisfied. "Then, I'll be in your care from now on, Liu Jian."

Liu Jian makes a strange expression that even Xu Jiyu can't pinpoint.

"...I'll be in your care as well." The handsome man manages to say after a pause, as if answering greatly pains him.

Although Xu Jiyu finally has a traveling companion, something feels quite off about him. "Is something wrong?"

"...No, it's nothing."

Hey, hey, hey!! No matter how much you look at it, there's clearly something wrong!

"Well, alright…" Xu Jiyu hesitantly agrees, dropping the subject. Sooner or later, he'll definitely find out what's going on with Liu Jian—it doesn't have to be now. They're still practically strangers, after all. "Since we are now partners, let's sit down and have a chat! Have you eaten yet?"

Only the Heavens above know how long he's been eating his meals alone everyday. Eating with another person always makes the meal tastier!

Liu Jian pauses once again, before slowly shaking his head 'no'.

"Okay, that's fine! I haven't eaten yet, either! Come, sit down here," he settles himself onto the log before patting the spot next to him. "I'll share a steamed bun with you!"

Reluctantly, Liu Jian sits down, but not before quickly dusting off the dirt off of the log.

Xu Jiyu stares, a bit bewildered. He couldn't help but think this person—Liu Jian—is very strange. But he disregards his thoughts, and instead pulls out his last steamed bun—it is his last delicacy for the days to come. The youth was planning to savor it until the last bite, but instead, unwraps it and rips it in half.

"Here's your share. Sorry, I only have one left, so I had to split it in two," Xu Jiyu says apologetically, a small chuckle leaving his lips as he hands one half to Liu Jian.

Amid the exchange, Liu Jian's expression portrays his confusion and a child-like curiosity. Slowly, he reaches out and takes the steamed bun in his hand, eyeing it with mild suspicion.

While Xu Jiyu takes a large bite of his snack, Liu Jian continues to intently stare at his own.

"Why aren't you eating?" Xu Jiyu questions after swallowing. "Do you not like steamed buns?"

"....It's not that," Liu Jian states, before glancing over at Jiyu. He watches as the youth takes another bite out of it, and simultaneously copies his movement.

Suddenly, his expression full of curiosity changes to one of delight. With his emotions so easy to read, Xu Jiyu thinks that Liu Jian is truly like a small child, ready to be doted on.

"With that big smile on your face, it's like it's your first time eating a steamed bun," Jiyu says jokingly. But when he says that, Liu Jian freezes on the spot, smile turning into a straight line.

"...Um, Liu Jian?"

"No, nothing," he says.

"...Are you sure it's nothing? Don't tell me this is actually your first time eati—"

"It's nothing," he quickly repeats, turning his head to the side to hide his expression from Xu Jiyu.

It's nothing? Your mother is nothing, ah! Why is everything 'nothing' to you?!

….Xu Jiyu feels as if his journey just became a lot longer than it should've been.