31. You Want To Fight?

…

"Sorry I'm late!" Tanji says while panting.

After completing the payment at Bi Bin shop, he had gone to his residence with Mia and Yi'er, who followed to know where he stays in school. He kept his things, got a few things he needed and rushed over to the beast mountain. There was no need to see Yi'er off as she left as soon as she saw the place.

"It's alright," Shin says nonchalantly as the breeze softly blew his white hair. He was seated on a boulder with a spear in his hand. "Let's go. To the second layer, right?"

"Huh? No, it's just at the edge of the first layer," Tanji says as he looks up. In front of them was a forest at the foot of a mountain.

"Okay, then it's most likely a newly promoted, this would be easy,"

"I'll take your word for it. What realm are you at?"

Shin looks at him for a while before replying. "I'm at the eighth stage,"

"Same as me. I recently broke through though. You hide your realm well,"

"I have my reasons,"

"Okay, let's go," Tanji rushes forward and Shin follows after him into the forest. "Right, recently the beasts have been ganging up together so let's avoid them and fight only when necessary,"

"It seems you've been here recently,"

"Yeah, I almost died yesterday," Tanji announce as he continues to run.

"I think a higher level beast is responsible for this,"

"Yeah, probably a peak third level beast or a fourth level one. Well, I hope someone takes care of it quickly," Tanji smiles.

"Are you girl or a guy?" Shin asks with a frown. "You sound like a guy but somehow look like a girl,"

"I get that a lot." Tanji looks away and thought, "it's also part of the reason I was suspended from the family I guess,"

"Hold up," Shin calls out and Tanji comes to an halt. "Over there,"

Tanji follows the direction Shin points, only to find two six feet tall tortoises crawling away in a clearing up ahead.

"Second level horned tortoise beasts, how come they are here?"

"I don't know, let's avoid them they may have low offense but their defense is a pain in the neck,"

"Yeah, we'll be wasting our time if we engaged. This way!"

Tanji leaps eastward and Shin follows after him quickly. He didn't know where Tanji was leading him to but as long as there was a chance to treat him, he was prepared to do anything.

Day and night, he had suffered because of the poison in his body. What was annoying about the whole thing was, he didn't know how he got it. He had just woken up one morning with it. Luckily, he was at home when he got it so he had gone to the family doctor, who wasn't of much help as she was unable to get rid of it. She only told his family what the poison was and how to suppress it.

"Could he really cure me? After all he is just a kid like me,"

The whole situation looked dubious. Shin felt Tanji wanted to use him, but he wanted to see how things went.

"We are almost there," Tanji announces pulling Shin back to reality. Shin looks up and found a narrow valley between two small mountains. "The beast's lair is within the valley,"

"I see, are you sure it's only one beast?" Shin asks. "That valley looks long enough to house two to three beasts,"

"I'm sure. Third level beasts don't pair up in the first layer, as they are the strongest here,"

"That's right, but still be cautious, there's a possibility of mates living together,"

"You have a point Shin,"

"I'll take the lead from here," Shin announces and charges past Tanji, who nods and follows behind quickly.

Entering the valley, the duo were as alert as ever. Ready, and prepared for anything that came their way.

"I didn't ask, what kind of beast is it?" Shin turns to Tanji.

"It's a Verine beast,"

"Okay that's good. You said you just broke through, right?"

"Yeah,"

"A third level beast isn't something you can face so stay away when it shows up and protect yourself,"

"Alright. You should be careful, a third level beast is still equivalent to ninth stage,"

"Don't worry, as long as it hasn't started forming a core, consider it dead, o…"

~Rar!~

A roar echoes in the valley, interrupting Shin. The duo took a stance while they tried to locate the direction the roar came from. Shin held his spear and Tanji held a sword.

"Behind us," Shin says and Tanji turns around. Behind them stood a four-legged creature. It looked like a tiger with two horns on its head and thick white furs on its body. "Stay behind me,"

Shin held his spear pointed at the beast that glared and growled at them. A smile appears on his face as he plunges against it.

"Something isn't right?" Tanji mutters. Shin had covered the distance between the beast and himself, thrusting his spear at the beast. "Why is it white? It was a black wounded beast last time,"

Tanji watches with a frown as the beasts dodges Shin's attack. Afterwards, it increased the distance between them.

"Shin be careful, that's not the beast I had intended to kill,"

At Tanji's words, Shin nods. "Then I'll make it quick, watch our back and alert me if another shows up,"

With those words he launches forward at the beast. As he engages it, Tanji turns around to watch their back. He sincerely wished another beast wouldn't appear but if one did, he hoped it wasn't a third level beast.

"Shin!" Tanji calls out without turning back.

"Give me a moment,"

As he replies Tanji, Shin sidesteps the beast's claw. Evading it's attack and lunging his spear into its body.

~Grr!!!~

The beast growls and strikes at him with its other claw. Shin retreats, pulling the spear out while barely dodging its claw. He smirks at the beast as he plunges forward.

"Why am I feeling uneasy?" Tanji on the other hand held his sword tightly. "Should I just forget about the immortal liquid and head back with Shin? Luckily, I had filled two jade bottles the last time,"

~Rar!~

"Ah!"

"But that's not enough for what is to come. I need to get more of it before it disappears like last time,"

~Weeh!~

"Finally," Shin's voice snaps him back to reality. He turns and finds Shin standing in front of the wailing beast. It laid in a growing pool of blood, at Shin's feet. Shin plants his spear in the ground and took deep breaths and looks up. Tanji could tell he was having trouble breathing.

"The poison is acting up?" Tanji asks.

"I'm fine. I circulated my Yuan qi too much because I wanted to end the fight quickly,"

"Can you continue?"

"Yes,"

"Here you go!" Tanji tosses a pill at him. "Swallow it,"

"I have a level four pill, so thanks I don't need it,"

"Stop being stubborn and swallow it. That's not an ordinary level three pill," Shin frowns at him. "If you want me to help you with your poison then take the pill,"

"What's wrong with you? Why is your body shaking?"

"Huh?" Tanji looks down and squirts his eyes. Shin was right, his body was shivering involuntarily and it was as obvious as the sun on a clear day. "We need to leave,"

"Huh?"

"Take that pill now, we need to leave,"

"Why the hell are we leaving? You said this wasn't the beast you were after, so…"

"Listen to me! Shove that pill in your mouth now and let's go!" Tanji's voice echoes in the valley as he yells at the top of his voice.

"Geez! Fine, you still have to treat me," Shin reluctantly swallows the pill and his eyes widened. Tanji, who had walked over grabs his arm.

"Let's go,"

"This pill… what is it? How is a level three this…"

~RAR!~

Interrupting Shin, was a loud roar followed by a wave of strong pressure from the depths of the valley. Shin's mouth open as his hands grabs his spear tightly.

"Stay behind me," He grabs Tanji and pulls him behind. "When you get the chance, run!"

~RAR~

Another roar echoes loudly and Tanji holds his sword tightly. "Don't make me laugh, how am I going to out run a peak third petal? Besides, you heard that just now, right? Two different roars, so there are two of them,"

"You want to fight?"

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