To Develop An Impromptu Team, An artificial Camaraderie

We did not return to the village. The villagers, despite Granpa Ling's Family disappearing into thin, remained tranquil and unafraid. However, as they had treated me extremely well in the past few days, I must repay in some aspect.

I dragged along enthusiastic Chen Mo and Xiao Hei, instructing them in the profound art of arrays, setting up a protective barrier that defends the villagers against any ill-intentioned cultivators.

They eagerly soaked up the information Although Arrays was time and labour consuming, meeting an expert in the field was difficult due to the complexity. My master was extremely strict about my education, setting foundations in every field. To Chen Mo and Xiao Hei, I was distributing free candies-Most master refused to share their expertise.

My master was different, teaching every layman. My senior uncle once scolded him for his lack of secrecy but my master retorted, "Theory and practice is different. Unless you are a disgusting genius like my foolish apprentice, putting information into use without practice is difficult. Besides, the spread of knowledge stops stagnation and promotes development in any field."

Although, I was miffed at my master calling me a 'disgusting genius', I had to admit my master's excellence as a teacher. He was attentive and did his best to catalyse my improvement. My master was the biggest cheat in my life.

So I did not hesitate to spread what he taught to Chen Mo. Xiao was in my control anyway, and couldn't cause trouble.

Chen Mo image in my heart as disintegrated completely. He was an Idiot who pestered Xiao Hei every day with love-struck eyes. Xiao Hei, on the other hand, surprised me greatly. With her temper, I thought she would be difficult to control, but she was actually very obedient.

"You are a slave?" I seated myself beside her, watching the campfire flicker.

"This is my personal matter." She repelled my question, voice.

"What If I order you to answer?" I pressed, calmly, looking at her in the eye.

"What if I ask why do you loathe us?" She reflected, her red orbs brimming with clarity only found in children, "You are hypocritical, but your hypocrisy is different. You don't look at us with disgust and contempt. Its hate. Pure, unadulterated hate."

"…Think what you will." I gave up the topic, "Chen Mo may be charmed, but he has a good heart. Don't step out of boundaries."

I stood up and turned. A distance away, her barely audible response echoed in my ear, vulnerable, "I know."

The secret place was not going to be an easy place to survive, consequently, I trained Chen Mo and, reluctantly, Xiao Hei. Chen Mo was a bit slow but hardworking. He accomplished everything with grit, admirable. Xiao Hei was the complete contrast, she was sly and calculating in her every move, extremely slippery and agile.

When they were sweaty and exhausted, I surveyed the landscape and remarked, "It's strange."

"W-What?" Chen Mo exhaled, his face pale, "L-Leader some mercy next time please?"

"Master told me a law." I divulged, "What can go wrong, will go wrong. So when difficulties are expected to but don't arrive, worse difficulties have arrived."

"L-Leader, speak my language." Chen Mo helplessly requested.

"Smooth. Isn't it too smooth?" I speculated, "If Xiao Hei had been sent by someone, then surely the news about the secret land has been leaked. Then why haven't there been any other?"

Chen Mo's expression twisted, "It really is strange."

"This village has been standing here for ages…" Xiao Hei opined, "Its weirder that people only noticed it now…"

"Someone has secretly been protecting this place." I concluded, "Xiao Hei, who sent you here?"

"TearLess City lord's brother in Law Sun Jian." Xiao Hei informed, "I am his best slave. Unless this was a high-class mission, I wouldn't have been sent."

"Sun Jian?" I iterated, "He's terrible. How could an Excellent Person Like Fei Ran have such a husband?"

Xiao Hei glanced at me, "Do you know the city Lord's sister well?"

"Mhmm…" I answered, "My Master is close to the city lord…"

The inside gossip, source: me, was that the city Lord had a major crush on my Master and pestered him incessantly. My master had a wife before he came to Tranquil mountain and refused to marry anyone else.

"Then it's fine." I ended the topic, "If he knows about it, the city lord must know to, consequently my master", It was no secret, that I depended greatly on my master, so tossing this troublesome matter to him did not make me the slightest bit guilty, "Tomorrow, the mist curtain will fall. Are you prepared?"

"Prepared or not," Chen Mo grinned, "Don't we have you?"

"I am just a fool." I rolled my eyes, "Master simply taught me well. Don't trust me to help you in unexpected situations."

"Didn't you encounter the otherworld mushroom?" Xiao Hei pointed out, "Such a fool. You should have followed her then. Now you have to risk it."

The mushroom flashed in my mind. I had tried to go against the flow of life and argued with her, ultimately, the tide pushed me into the same path. Would It have been better to go with her before?

"Either way, We'll meet again." A seed of happiness sowed in my heart. I still remember the faint silhouette of the mushroom as a girl. Undeniably, she was beautiful.

"What confidence." Xiao Hei snarled, "Nobody has returned from the mist!"

"Isn't it just that their status is unknown?" Chen Mo piped in, "It could be either everyone is dead or everyone refuses to return from a utopia."

Xiao Hei snorted, "You think so beautifully!"

"Find out tomorrow." I interjected, "Good or bad, dead or alive, whatever happens, will happen, and whatever won't, will not happen."