140 Fortune Favors the Unwavering

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"Huff! Finally!"

Ja Sun dispersed his clones as everyone except Ah Yin fell on the ground. Ja Sun barely had the time to wait as they had exited through the Crystal Lake successfully. Helping Ah Yin down, Ja Sun disappeared into the woods silently, used his skull bone's ability to hide himself before setting up a tent and quickly claiming his rewards. Aside from the shoes as the lowest rank award, the Northern Pride was actually an essence tool. In particular, it was a carriage that eased the movement in snowy and icy locations with the expenditure of spirit energy. Aside from the two snowy white wheels, the carriage was entirely light blue with a beautiful and wavy carving on its surface.

Ja Sun fully intended to study yet another Essence tool. Finally, the Snow Tear was a drop-shaped freezing gem of ice that might be somehow useful to spirit masters of the related attributes but Ja Sun currently had no use for it.

"What was that about? I thought I became hotter," Hu Lana pouted as she stood up, rubbing her butt when Ja Sun returned.

"I had to pee," Ja Sun remarked, "And that burned hotter."

Closing her eyes, Hu Lana counted till ten. Sometimes, she had to since Ja Sun's words could be really disastrous.

"Are we out of range?" Bibi Dong inquired, cutting off the rising argument as she patted her robes clean of snow and ice.

"We're sufficiently away... I don't think that the Heavenly Snow Women would leave the Extreme North but if possible, we should just travel without stop until we get closer to the Sunset Forest," Ja Sun replied. Icebound Forest would still be considered the turf of Heavenly Snow Women.

Nodding, everyone began traveling and as fate would have it, Ja Sun's worry turned out to be true. As they reached the edges of the Icebound Forest, they suddenly heard a large blast echoed through the entire northern region of the continent as a large snowstorm swept the borders of the Extreme North. Worry flickered in the eyes of a few members as they felt the temperature decreasing sharply. If it was this chilling here, how dangerous would it have been in the center of the snowy apocalypse?

---

"To completing our training!" Bibi Dong smiled. The jug in her hands raised high as the group set a campfire under a clear starry night. Everyone raised their jugs simultaneously, drinking the serpent's wine with huge gulps. Even Yuehua felt excited. She had become stronger and resilient than her past self and found herself losing her bearings, too.

Despite their natural charm and handsomeness, the group looked rightfully disheveled and in need of the warmth of civilization but they still didn't mind enjoying their time now.

Although Bibi Dong had failed to reach her goals, she had been on this path long enough to know that failure is the mother of success. Burping, not holding the slightest semblance of maturity but still managing to charm the group once again, Hu Lana snickered, "Hey, Ka-ul. Do you have any good idea or a game to end our training as it deserves?"

Ja Sun fell silent. He did have some reputation as the fun guy of the group and he pondered the question seriously. The Value of Life would be too dark and edgy to end the party but he didn't know any better team games. Maybe he could create one, he thought.

Unknowingly, Ja Sun glanced at Ah Yin and suddenly realized something.

'That is useless... and could act as a fun game... and even if it should be extremely costly, it's not like just anybody could use it.'

Ja Sun looked thoughtful and took out an Immortal Herb. This immortal flower was the very definition of a 'skank' according to Ah Yin and this didn't exclude her own bias against it. Seeing Ja Sun take out a simple white flower with its stalk embedded in a pitch-black rock, the group gazed at him curiously.

"It's quite a cliche, really, but campfires like this usually have a lot of factors that test one's relationship. This flower is an immortal herb, Yearning Heartbroken Red. Anybody knows about the origin of this flower?"

Ah Yin strangely scoffed as Ja Sun chuckled at her reaction. Slightly drunk, Liu Erlong eyed the flower, demanding an answer, "Just speak!"

"Well, honestly, the origin is boring and tragic. A couple... blah, blah, blah, they are broken off, the wife turns into a flower and the husband dies later," Ah Yin spoke up, not letting Ja Sun shed light on its origin properly. Seeing Ah Yin so snappy, Bibi Dong smiled and spoke up, "What's the use of this plant? And how can it be a game?"

"The effects of this plant to the body vary from person to person," Ja Sun smiled, "But it is always beneficial. However, if you refine this flower without its will then you won't get any benefit at all. Now, how to get the acceptance of this flower is the real game.

Due to its origin, this species of flower tests every Spirit Master's 'love.'"

"Love?"

Jun'er perked up.

"Yep. Ah Yin wouldn't let me try it—"

"Because this flower is a scum!" Ah Yin snorted.

Ja Sun soldiered through with the roll of his eyes, "You drip your blood on its petal and think about the person you love. Because of the origins, this emotion of love can only be towards those... well put crudely, you want to sleep with. If your impure love is pure enough for the flower, it would accept you and you will be able to refine it. Now, this flower is really expensive so whoever refines it will owe me a large sum of resources."

"Where did you get this stuff?" Hu Lana inquired and Bibi Dong instantly grew curious.

"I always had this," Ja Sun lied, "Anyway, who wants to go first?"

Ja Sun looked at everyone as Liu Erlong shrugged, "I'm single so—"

"That doesn't matter. Even if you're single, you can have feelings for someone else," Ja Sun passed the flower to Liu Erlong, "Try it."

"I don't have feelings for anyone. I did love my mother, but that's about it," Liu Erlong tilted her head.

"Aw, so cute!" Hu Lana instantly hugged Liu Erlong as the woman blushed.

"I don't like this stuff either. Although it might be useful if successful, seeing Jun'er chow on my stuff is good enough of a proof that I love her," Oscar smiled, holding Jun'er's hand as her cheeks turned rosy and her nostrils started twitching uncontrollably.

"By stuff, you mean your tofu, right?" Xie Xan joked and Oscar looked at the man seriously, replying, "Stuff."

"If Oscar feels that way, then I don't want to take this test either," Jun'er smiled happily, leaning against Oscar.

"Ugh, just give it to me. I'll try it," Bibi Dong groaned and took the flower from Liu Erlong.

Poking a needle against the tip of her finger, Bibi Dong dripped her blood on the petal of the flower and closed her eyes. Constant images seemed to be unconsciously pulled from her mind as they resurfaced in her thoughts. Everyone she had met, those that had a lasting effect on her personality, and whom she felt unconventionally attracted to.

'My piss burns hotter...'

'I covet Bibi Dong who is strong...'

Images of her contact with Ja Sun emerged one by one. Outside, she smiled silently, startling the group as a whole because the ordinary white flower began to give a beautiful crimson glow and a strange but attractive scent. Ah Yin only got gloomier at the acts of the flower.

But soon, the images of Ja Sun with Ah Yin emerged from the corner of Bibi Dong's mind. Seeing them holding hands, leaning against each other, happily joking and...

'I'm the worst...' Bibi Dong sighed and opened her eyes as the wonderful sensation coursing through her body had already escaped. The flower in her hand had returned to normal and seeing everyone look at her curiously, Bibi Dong shook her head, for a moment, unable to help but look at Ja Sun, "It's just... love is hard. That's all."

She passed the flower back to Liu Erlong who looked at Ja Sun curiously.

"Um, anyone else?" Ja Sun inquired, "Yuehua, you've got someone you like, right? Why don't you give it a shot?"

"What? I don't like anybody," Yuehua quickly shook her head but her response had already given her out.

"Hehe, even you? And I thought you're innocent, too, tsk tsk," Hu Lana shook her head.

"So? Tell us about him!" Jun'er grinned.

"I..." Tang Yuehua felt her throat run dry as she quickly sipped on her wine but it did not make her feel better.

"Alright, I will try it if you don't ask me about it," Yuehua scowled and the rest nodded. Before dropping her blood on the flower, the woman looked at Ja Sun indignantly who only winked in return.

Closing her eyes, Yuehua began visualizing the person she had admired her whole life almost instantly. The flower reacted quickly, too. It began to float in front of Yuehua and the glow it let out turned sharper. However, stunning the group was the fact that the flower reverted to its plain state once again. Unlike Bibi Dong, a tear escaped Yuehua's closed eyes and she soon opened them, rubbing her eyes and sniveling softly, "I'm sorry... it's just not the right person."

"Oh, hey, it's alright," Jun'er, close to Yuehua, was quick to comfort her. For a moment, Bibi Dong, too, empathized with Yuehua. Whoever she liked, it must simply be hard not receiving the same response.

"My turn..." Hu Lana exhaled and dripped her blood on the flower.

'Slut! Already trying so many people!' Ah Yin rolled her eyes as she looked at the plant.

For Hu Lana, the response was even quicker. Xie Xan had won her heart and body. The two couldn't be happier. They would laugh and fight, but at least, they always had each other. However, as she took the trip down memory lane, Hu Lana once again recalled the terrible day where her innocence was almost forcefully taken by Xie Xan's father and he had to kill the man. Aside from love, guilt riddled her heart, too.

Much more than Yuehua, Hu Lana opened her eyes, tear stricken, she hugged Xie Xan.

"Too much for a game," Liu Erlong glared at Ja Sun as he shrugged. He was having a blast.

"Hey, it's alright..." Xie Xan consoled, whispering.

"But, what you did because of me... it's so—"

Before Hu Lana could complete her sentence, Xie Xan laughed.

"You're still thinking about that? Fuck that man. Here, let me prove it that you got nothing to worry about."

While hugging Hu Lana with one arm, Xie Xan picked the flower and just forcefully but on his index, letting his blood flow on the flower.

Closing his eyes, Xie Xan recalled everything about their relationship. From the happy childhood days to the death of Hu Lana's parents and then her living with him. Their adventures into the Icebound Forest and the day where they killed his father and their life further ahead. At every single moment, Xie Xan felt no hint of regret.

'As long as it meant being with you,' his heart was brimming with affection and he suddenly felt a strange connection.

Opening his eyes, Xie Xan looked in front of him and found that the white flower had turned completely red and looked otherworldly.

But breaking out of his daze, he looked down, "Hu Lana, for me, you never were the wrong person. And it never was hard for me to love you."

Hu Lana cried even more as Xie Xan smiled and continued to stroke her head.

"Sniff," Liu Erlong rubbed her eyes and Ja Sun looked at her strangely. No, in fact, aside from him and Xie Xan, everyone was feeling emotional.

As Hu Lana slowly grew calm, she looked up, her face covered by tears and snot, "Xan... I'm sorry for feeling guilty about it."

"Don't worry, it just means you get to do more stuff for me," Xie Xan winked and whispered, no longer showing any hint of gentleness but only debauchery as Hu Lana leaned up, kissing him.

"Ew! You got snot!" Next to them, Liu Erlong scowled deeply.

"Hmm, anyway," Ja Sun coughed, "You owe me another Immortal Herb."

Xie Xan looked at Ja Sun, nodding, "Yeah, and I won't forget it."

The group quickly recovered, once again filling their jugs as Hu Lana returned to her carefree nature, "Anyway, this flower did tell me what to work on in our relationship."

The Yearning Heartbroken Red had disappeared into Xie Xan's body, more specifically, it rested within his heart. Xie Xan now instinctively knew the use of this flower and thus truly felt in debt to Ja Sun.

"What do you mean?" Yuehua inquired.

"The Yearning Heartbroken Red showed me that I still feel guilty about some things in our relationship. Knowing this, I can work on it and improve our relationship."

She held Xie Xan's arm, pecking his cheek once again.

"I don't understand..." Bibi Dong frowned.

"I mean, we're alive, aren't we? Just because things don't work now doesn't mean it won't work in the future," Hu Lana shrugged, "So, I guess the flower showed me something important. My weakness. When we know our weakness, we gain the capital to get strong, that's what you taught us, Teacher."

Bibi Dong nodded. The glow in her and Yuehua's eyes returning. Just because the flower only felt their emotions low doesn't mean it wasn't anything. They weren't just as one-minded as Xie Xan.

"Hehe, and you all better buckle up. I'm going to leave you behind in cultivation!"

Xie Xan smiled, excited about this fortune and Hu Lana remained excited for him. Now the couple had one Spirit Bone and one Immortal Herb.

"Everyone, since the training is over, I'm no longer your teacher. From now on, call me Bibi Dong, or Sister Dong," Bibi Dong smiled.

"Or Dong'er," Ja Sun added.

"Or Bibi Dong'er," Ah Yin smiled.

Glaring at the couple, Bibi Dong snorted and everyone continued to drink to their heart's content.

---

"Taking that flower out was Ka-ul's worst decision ever," Bibi Dong's eyes were bloodshot. It was barely past midnight and everyone who could get drunk physically got drunk. Bibi Dong couldn't since her body naturally resisted any form of poison and digested it at a breakneck pace.

Liu Erlong and Tang Yuehua could.

"Nnngh."

A soft moan once again entered the small tent as the two women began giggling, "Another one! They just don't stop!" Liu Erlong slurred, clapping her hands while Yuehua laughed and kicked her legs.

"Hey, hey, Sister Dong, why are the three of us only left? Let's find someone else? Oh! Let's crash into their tents!" Liu Erlong jumped up and Bibi Dong pulled her down.

With their training finished, and feeling quite emotional after Hu Lana's and Xie Xan's relationship, Bibi Dong couldn't stop the couple this time to get their private moments. So, in the fourth tent, the singles stayed which were none other than Liu Erlong, Tang Yuehua, and Bibi Dong.

"Hahaha! I cannot! I'm in love!" Tang Yuehua gasped, "And I have to wait till I get married!"

"Who does that?!" Liu Erlong scoffed and Bibi Dong groaned, "Both of you, sleep already."

However, the two refused to accept any requests. They continued to cause havoc, proving themselves to be mean drunks. Finally, Bibi Dong had to force the two into unconsciousness as their unruliness grew more and more unbearable.

"O-oscar! Faster!"

Jun'er's gasp rang loudly and Bibi Dong mumbled, "Wow... she really is a bitch."

Thoroughly frustrated, the woman, too, lied down, unable to find any focus for cultivating.

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