Oh so you were here all along

Xian Wu somehow managed to pull Lai Yiteng from the lake with one bad arm.

It required letting Lai Yiteng's slender body rest into his chest in a way that was rather inappropriate. He glanced down at his taunt lips that were taking on a shade of blue and hurried to lay him flat on the shore on top of a layer of filthy clothing, but it was still better than cold rocks and dirt.

Two fingers went over to check his pulse, Lai Yiteng's internal force was in entire disarray again. Xian Wu wasn't too surprised after he over-exerted himself and missed a dosage of medicine. Still, it was odd, as though the poison conflicted with the energy he used to draw his martial arts.

Xian Wu rubbed his temple, water droplets falling off his straight features.

How was he gonna treat him in the middle of nowhere? He didn't even have another set of clean clothes for either of them to wear, nor a good way to warm Lai Yiteng's body. Well, besides…hugging him. But still, that wouldn't allow Lai Yiteng to magically dry off from the icy lake water!

Xian Wu sneezed and held in a groan of exasperation. "Ugh, I should have brought more clothes…"

Just then, a voice said, "Pssst."

Xian Wu's eyes snapped open. He clenched his sword hilt.

"Pssst it's me," the voice repeated.

Understanding dawned on Xian Wu's face, and he rolled his eyes before calling, "Bo Penglai! Don't keep hiding like a rat, show yourself!"

"Yes, Sect Master."

A lad dropped halfway out of a pine tree nearby, hanging upside down over a branch. He had messy red-brown hair that was in a small braid and looked somewhat nonchalant with a scarf tied around his neck. In his hands were several dumplings. He took another bite of one and seemed to savor it.

"Want a dumpling?" the lad asked.

Xian Wu narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Lai Yiteng before throwing on his inner layer of robe, the only article of clothing he had that was remotely clean.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I'm so famished." He went over to the tree and took one from Bo Penglai's open hand, tucking it into his mouth within a minute."Hey, you got any spare clothes on you?"

Bo Penglai nodded. "Uhh yeah, like three sets."

Don't ask why, don't ask how.

"Give them to me."

"Yes, Sect Master."

Now Xian Wu had three sets of robes, too, one for himself and one for Lai Yiteng, then a spare. He changed after eating a second dumpling then went to Lai Yiteng, doing the honors for him as well.

"Say, were you following us all along?" Xian Wu asked, coming back over Bo Penglai. "Song Zhenxi sent you, I assume?"

"Yup!" Bo Penglai dropped onto the grass and leaned against a tree. "I was following her as backup, and when she went back to the Sect she told me to keep an eye on you two. I dunno, just in case you tried to elope or something. Anywho, I asked some folk if they'd seen two martial artists, one charming and the other beauty, and it was pretty easy to find you two!"

Xian Wu dryly said, "Huh…should have figured as much."

"But I must say," Bo Penglai cocked an eyebrow, leaning around Xian Wu to take a look at Lai Yiteng. "Song Zhenxi didn't exaggerate, this one is really a beauty, Sect Master. Are you going to add them to the harem?"

"What harem?! Don't spout nonsense!" Xian Wu snapped.

If Song Zhenxi was the best shadow assassin in Graceful Dragon Sect, then Bo Penglai was a close second. It was only that his personality was less driven than Song Zhenxi's. He usually slacked off and didn't know how to carry himself like the coolest shadow guards, and thus fell short.

Xian Wu gave a scowl and then bristled. "If you were here all along, why not help out on Deathly Howling Mountain?! You let your Sect Master face all those evils alone, and with an unruly teenager, at that!"

Bo Penglai shrugged. "Nah, that mountain seemed like a death-trap, so I didn't go. I just waited for you guys to leave it. Besides, Sect Master is so powerful, this loyal follower believes that it would bring you no real trouble at all."

"…" Xian Wu was irked. See, Bo Penglai is a serious slacker. Even with his Sect Leader in mortal peril he'd sit back until the last minute as though it were none of his business.

At Xian Wu's displeasure, Bo Penglai gave a flimsy smile.

"Heh...I mean, it's only a slightly neglected mountain, there would only be a few wandering ghouls at most?"

Please, there had been a whole horde of ghouls and a weird monster to boot. Moreover, the salamander creature or something had been the cause of the recent 'wild animal attacks' and disappearances. And yet, Lai Yiteng stubbornly took a fancy to the place!

Xian Wu needed to vent his lingering annoyance and knew what he'd do to get back at this Bo Penglai. He asked, "Besides clothes and dumplings, did you bring anything else with you?"

"Er, some medical supplies, dried jerky, a sweet potato, rope…I forgot the rest."

"Great," continued Xian Wu, "so I'd like you to build a one-room house for Lai Yiteng and I to live in for a while. It doesn't need to be luxurious."

Bo Penglai froze a moment before his lazy eyes went wide.

"Uh…what?"

Xian Wu was internally satisfied to make this slacker anxious. He figured that a place near this lake would be good, and it saved the work of finding an unoccupied house in the middle of nowhere. He might as well make Bo Penglai do it!

He added, "Make sure to build it fast, within two days. I don't know when Yi'er will awaken and he can't find out about you. The house also has to be constructed as though with minor wear, like it's at least several years old."

"But I…Sect Master Xian…" complained Bo Penglai dejectedly.

"Let's see, it needs a simple stove, two beds, a table and two chairs…do not forget anything important. I don't want to live in a useless shed."

Bo Penglai looked like he wanted to die.

Xian Wu grinned. "Hmm, our Sect has been getting a lot wealthier lately thanks to me, so it's not like you won't be rewarded for your efforts..."

"Ohhh!" Bo Penglai said, as though envigored and enlightened. He clapped his hands and said, "Your orders shall be followed, Sect Master!"

"Yes, sally forth!" Xian Wu also was more excited now. He really would save himself work by having Bo Penglai do everything.

Bo Penglai had bent his knees, about to catapult and disappear within the trees, but suddenly paused. He pointed at Lai Yiteng.

"I think your beauty is dying. Maybe want to check on that."

Xian Wu swivelled around and his mouth gaped in horror. While his back was turned for but a few minutes the shallow rise and fall of Lai Yiteng's chest had stilled, he looked as good as a pale and cold corpse. No, he might actually be on the border of death!

"Yi'er!" he shouted, rushing over as fast as he could. "D-Don't die out of nowhere. Aren't you supposed to be really resilient and stubborn?!"

But this matter was not of concern to Bo Penglai who was soon going to build a house. He disappeared in the next second, leaving Xian Wu to tend to the mortally ill.

Xian Wu placed two fingers softly under Lai Yiteng's neck, there was a faint pulse that was next to nothing and slowing by the moment. Panic settled in his chest upon confirming this. Xian Wu chewed his lip with frustration as he laced his fingers together and pressed them atop the younger's chest, over his heart.