Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Evil Sword of the Nether King
A Dai thought to himself that he was about to head to the Death Mountains, where he had no idea what kind of monsters awaited. In order to survive and return to see Teacher Glis, he decided he might as well learn. Uncle Owen was right: a tool used for good becomes good. He would only draw the Nether King’s Sword when facing evil monsters; that would be using evil to counter evil. With this in mind, A Dai unbuttoned his tunic at the chest, revealing the leather pouch within.
The black gem set in the hilt of the Nether King’s Sword emitted a faint chill. Gritting his teeth, A Dai drew the sword, sheath and all. Fearing the escape of its malevolent energy, he urged the Sheng-Sheng true qi within his body to completely envelop the drawn blade. Amidst flickering white light, the room instantly brightened. A layer of pale black mist emanated from the sword’s ancient, unadorned scabbard, forming a stark contrast with the white Sheng-Sheng battle aura.
Even while enveloped by the Sheng-Sheng battle aura, the Nether King’s Sword, once removed from its leather pouch, caused the temperature in the room to drop significantly. Waves of chilling cold made A Dai shiver involuntarily.
Holding the Nether King’s Sword in one hand, A Dai carefully extracted from the leather pouch the parchment recording the cultivation methods of the Nine Decisions of the Nether.
Plunging the Hades Sword back into its place, the evil aura vanished, and only then did A Dai breathe a sigh of relief. His hand holding the parchment trembled slightly; even now, he couldn’t be certain what changes would occur after learning the Nine Decisions of the Nether. “Uncle Owen wouldn’t harm me,” A Dai thought. “Since he told me to learn it, there probably isn’t any problem.” With that, he hesitated no longer and unfurled the parchment.
Originally, Adai feared the parchment would be filled with arduous and incomprehensible text. Yet the moment he unfurled it, he was utterly captivated by the illustrations within. Not a single word appeared on the parchment; instead, there lay an extraordinarily intricate design, adorned with numerous patterns and all manner of bizarre symbols. At the center of the design seemed to be two strange, large eyes, staring directly at him.
In his consciousness, it seemed someone was speaking to him. A-Dai’s gaze could not tear away from the patterns on the parchment as the voice gradually grew clearer.
“The Nether King Sword, the most evil blade under heaven, was originally the supreme divine artifact of the Nether Realm. For reasons unknown, it found its way into the mortal world. I am Feng Yuan, an alchemist who inadvertently came into possession of this sword and acquired the Nine Nether Mantras required to unleash its power. The Nether King Sword radiates overwhelming malevolent energy—a pervasive force of utmost evil that fills heaven and earth. Those with weak resolve or insufficient cultivation must never wield this sword, lest they invite catastrophic disaster upon themselves. The Nine Nether Mantras consist of nine incantations, which correspond to nine sword techniques. After obtaining the sword, I recorded only the method of cultivation but never employed it; thus, I remain unaware of its true power. However, the final three moves of the Nether King Sword appear to transcend mortal capabilities. Do not attempt them lightly, or you will surely be consumed by backlash and perish. Even those with profound cultivation risk being controlled by the evil sword, becoming a demon lord in the mortal realm. Once unsheathed, the Nether King Sword must claim a soul before it can be returned to its scabbard; if it fails to slay an enemy, it will inevitably turn against its wielder. When invoking the Nine Nether Mantras, one must envelop oneself with vital life force, allowing the malevolent energy to overflow entirely outward, thereby striking enemies without harming oneself. Cultivate the Nine Nether Mantras according to your capacity: the techniques may be learned, but must not be used recklessly. Once the evil power within the sword is unleashed, the consequences may become uncontrollable. Remember this well, remember this well.”
The sound ceased. A Dai was already drenched in cold sweat. Although he did not know who this alchemist, Feng Yuan, was, he vaguely suspected that Feng Yuan must have been a figure from at least a thousand years ago. Techniques can be learned but must not be used lightly. Yet where were the techniques? The moment the thought arose, the illustrations on the parchment suddenly came to life. A faint, elusive technique manifested within A Dai’s consciousness. The techniques continuously transformed, appearing one after another. There was no need to deliberately memorize them; nine figures became firmly imprinted in A Dai’s mind.
After the ninth figure vanished, A Dai’s vision suddenly brightened. The parchment illustration returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened. Yet those nine figures were now indelibly etched into A Dai’s memory. A Dai panted heavily. Although only a brief moment had passed, his clothes were completely soaked with sweat. Waves of exhaustion kept surging through him; the spiritual energy within his body had been entirely depleted. Outside, the sky was beginning to lighten, suggesting it was dawn. It felt as though everything that had just occurred happened in an instant, yet also as if an eternity had passed.
The nine figures in his mind grew progressively fainter. The techniques appeared exceedingly simple. Each technique came with a verbal formula. For instance, the first form merely involved shifting the body sideways, drawing a short sword from the chest, and thrusting the blade’s tip toward the brow of a shadowy figure ahead, causing the two shadows to pass each other in crossing motion. This technique was named Nether Flash. Its formula consisted of only seven characters: “Nether King flashes once, heaven and earth tremble.”
A Dai stood up, went to the washroom to rinse off the cold sweat, and changed into clean clothes. Only then did he feel much more comfortable. Although his spiritual energy had not yet recovered, he no longer felt exhausted. Nether Flash? “Nether King flashes once, heaven and earth tremble”? Did he simply need to recite this formula while thrusting his sword at the opponent? He mimed the motion with empty hands and murmured, “Nether King flashes once, heaven and earth tremble.”
As he recited the mantra, he felt the Nether King Sword at his chest tremble slightly. A frigid current surged from his chest, instantly flooding his entire body. Guided by his will, his figure suddenly flashed forward a short distance. The Nether King Sword began to hum loudly, as if striving to break free from its scabbard.
A-Dai turned pale with shock. If the Nether King Sword were unsheathed, it would inevitably release vast amounts of evil energy—far beyond his control. Once that malevolent force escaped, no one within a hundred meters could possibly evade its power. Thinking this, A-Dai leapt onto the bed, drew a deep breath, and fully mobilized the liquid Sheng-Sheng true energy stored in his dantian, concentrating it at his chest. Instantly, intense white light radiated from his chest, faintly tinged with a silvery glow, barely suppressing the sword’s violent vibrations.
Only when the Nether King Sword completely returned to stillness did A-Dai finally exhale in relief. Panting heavily, he pressed his right hand firmly against his chest. “Too terrifying… truly too terrifying,” he thought. “Even unsheathed, that icy, utmost evil power remains so horrifying. No wonder Uncle Owen became the continent’s number-one assassin wielding it.”
After a long while, A-Dai’s emotions finally settled, but he discovered with astonishment that half of his Sheng-Sheng true energy had vanished. It must have been consumed while suppressing the evil energy earlier.
The sky was gradually brightening. A Dai had no time left to cultivate and recover; he could only pack his belongings and wait for Xuan Yue to rise. His first attempt at learning the Nine Decisions of the Nether had drained all his spiritual energy and half of his Shengsheng battle qi, leaving him so shaken that he dared not casually recite that mantra again. He tentatively mimicked two hand gestures from the Nether Flash technique, but they produced none of the desired effect, feeling no different from ordinary sword forms. Better to practice again once his power had recovered; this Nether King Sword was far too dangerous. Carrying it was like harboring a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Walking to the window, he pushed it open. The morning air carried a slight chill. The sun had already risen, hanging in the eastern sky like a colossal ruby set against the azure firmament. The morning sun’s light was not glaring; it appeared exceedingly gentle, yet it imparted a profound sense of vitality.
Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, A Dai felt his spirits lift. A new day was dawning. What awaited him in the distant Mountain Range of Death?
“A Dai, A Dai!” Xuan Yue’s call came from outside the door. She certainly had risen early!
Opening the door, Adai saw that Xuan Yue looked unwell; she was still wearing her white mage robe, her large eyes slightly reddened, as if she hadn’t slept well the night before.
Adai said, “Miss Xuan Yue, it seems you didn’t sleep well yesterday.”
Xuan Yue snorted and said, “It’s all your fault. I tossed and turned for ages before finally falling asleep, only to be woken up freezing in the middle of the night.” Her sleep last night had been far worse than the night before. She couldn’t help but miss A Dai’s warm embrace.
A Dai was startled, fearing that Xuan Yue had discovered him cultivating the Nine Decisions of the Nether Script. He quickly apologized, saying, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Xuan Yue pursed her lips and replied, “Good, at least you know you were wrong. Do you think a girl’s body is something you can just touch whenever you like? We’re about to set out on our journey, and you must follow my orders along the way. Otherwise, I won’t share that piece of top-grade magic crystal with you.”
A Dai nodded and said, “I am your attendant, Miss, so naturally I will follow your instructions.”
Under A-Dai’s humble demeanor, Xuan Yue felt a surge of displeasure and sneered, “You truly were born to be a slave; in just two days, you’ve already become so adept at serving.”
A-Dai’s body trembled; grievance and anger instantly flooded his entire being. Gritting his teeth, he shook as he looked at Xuan Yue, his eyes nearly spitting fire.
After speaking, Xuan Yue stood there stunned. She herself did not understand why she had uttered such hurtful words; that had never been her intention!
The two simply stood there in silence, for a long while neither speaking a word.
“I’m hungry; let’s eat first, then head out directly.” Xuan Yue was the first to break the silence, her voice flat and devoid of any emotion. She turned and walked toward the dining hall. A Dai remained motionless, standing there until Xuan Yue’s figure disappeared. Only then did he let out a soft sigh, don his red mage robe, fully conceal himself within his cloak, shoulder his Tiangang Sword and bundle, and make his way to the dining hall.
Amidst the unusual atmosphere, both A Dai and Xuan Yue ate very little; throughout the entire breakfast, neither spoke a single word.
After leaving the restaurant, the two arrived at the west city gate, where Yue Hen and Yue Ji had already been waiting. However, of the dozen or so mercenaries from yesterday, only two remained now; including the siblings Yue Hen and Yue Ji, there were merely four of them in total.
As soon as he saw Adai and Xuan Yue, Yue Hen hurried forward to greet them, saying somewhat awkwardly, “Miss Mage, you’ve arrived.”
Xuan Yue glanced at Yue Hen and the others, then asked, “Why are there only four of you? Where are the other members of your Moon Scar Mercenary Group? Don’t tell me they’ve decided not to participate.”
Yue Hen smiled bitterly and replied, “I couldn’t force them. After all, we’re all close brothers, and this mission is extremely dangerous. I couldn’t ask them to risk their lives against their will. Besides, many of them have families to worry about. In the end, only my younger sister, these two brothers, and I remained. These two are orphans with no family ties, and they were also very eager to join this expedition.”
Xuan Yue retorted sharply, “Hmph! I just hope you won’t chicken out once we reach the Death Mountains. Otherwise, it would be better to disband right now.”
Yue Hen said firmly, “You can rest assured on this point. Once my brother and I make a decision, we never change it. Let me introduce you: this brother is Wan Li, skilled in the heavy sword; and this one is Miao Fei, adept at the swift sword and agile movement.” Wan Li was tall, nearly as tall as A Dai, with a heavy sword strapped to his back that was even wider than A Dai’s Tiangang Sword, though slightly shorter. His hair was somewhat disheveled, giving him a rugged appearance; he looked to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Miao Fei, by contrast, was much slimmer and shorter, about half a head below Yue Ji. His arms were unusually long, reaching almost to his knees. His eyes darted about灵活 ly, and he hunched his shoulders with a somewhat lecherous air as he sized up Xuan Yue and A Dai. Xuan Yue couldn’t see his sword, but seeing his monkey-like figure, she couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
A hint of delight flashed in Miao Fei’s eyes. Smiling, he said, “Hello, Miss. I am Miao Fei, eighteen years old, handsome and dashing, charming and elegant. I still don’t have a girlfriend yet. What do you think…?”
Yue Hen cleared his throat and addressed Xuan Yue, “Miss Mage, perhaps you could also introduce yourselves? We still don’t know your names.”
Xuan Yue shot Miao Fei a sideways glance and said, “My name is Xuan Yue. This is my friend, A Dai. He specializes in fire-element magic.”
Friend?” A-Dai was stunned. He had never expected Xuan Yue to introduce him this way. Stepping forward, he said, “Hello.
Upon hearing A-Dai’s name, Yue Ji pressed her lips together in a smile and remarked, “What a strange name you have! A-Dai, is it?” Yue Hen glanced at the sword hilt protruding from A-Dai’s shoulder, a flicker of unusual light passing through his eyes.
A-Dai nodded slightly. Not daring to meet Yue Ji’s piercing gaze, he lowered his head and looked toward Xuan Yue.
Xuan Yue cast a dissatisfied glance at Yue Ji and said, “Let’s get on our way.” With that, she tugged at A-Dai’s sleeve and led the way out of the city.
After leaving the city, Yuehen pulled a map from his robes, glanced at it, and said, “The Death Mountain Range lies to the southwest. To reach it, we must pass through the territories of the Puyan and Tianyuan clans. If we move quickly, we should arrive in about half a month. Miss Xuanyue, do you have any suggestions?”
Xuan Yue was taken aback and said, “Can’t we just go directly? What advice do we need?”
Yue Hen replied, “I’ve never been to the Tianyuan Tribe, so I’m not very clear about it. However, the Puyan Tribe is a very strange race; even within the Federation, they rarely interact with other races, preferring to live solely within their own territory. Moreover, they don’t seem to welcome people from other races either. The Puyan people are quite cold-hearted. I once visited that place—ah, what a painful memory! Over there, you couldn’t even buy anything; no one would sell to you.”
Yue Hen’s words sparked Xuan Yue’s interest. “In that case, the Puyan Tribe must be hiding some secrets; otherwise, they wouldn’t be so unapproachable.”
Yue Hen nodded and said, “That’s probably true. We only need to pass through. As long as we try our best to avoid conflicts with them, nothing serious should happen. The situation over in the Tianyuan Tribe is far more complicated. Many different races live there, each with its own customs. Our journey ahead may not be so smooth! It’s best to remain cautious about everything.”
Xuan Yue said dismissively, “What’s there to fear? When the cart reaches the mountain, a path will appear. Let’s deal with it when we get there. We’re not looking to provoke them, so what could they possibly do to us? Walking like this is too slow; shouldn’t we hire a horse-drawn carriage? That would be faster and less tiring.”
Yue Hen chuckled and said, “What? Hire a carriage? I’ve never heard of mercenaries riding in carriages. Mercenaries rarely even ride horses, unless they belong to a major mercenary group like Red Hurricane, which has its own cavalry unit. A carriage is unnecessary. If it’s really needed, we can buy a few horses once we reach the next city.”
Xuan Yue murmured, “Mercenaries have so many restrictions! Why can’t we take a carriage? Hmph, I insist on riding in one.”
While Xuan Yue and Yue Hen were talking, Yue Ji approached Ah Dai. Glancing up at him, since he was more than half a head taller than herself, she gave a charming smile and said, “Hello, Ah Dai. I’m Yue Ji.”
A Dai froze for a moment, feeling somewhat at a loss. Yue Ji was only the second girl he had met since arriving on this continent, and she appeared far more mature than Xuan Yue. “Ah, h-hello, Miss Yue Ji.”
Yue Ji thought to herself, No wonder he’s called A Dai; he really does seem rather dull. “A Dai, why are you carrying such a huge sword? It must be over five chi long.”
Just as A Dai was about to answer, Xuan Yue cut in, “That sword of his is just for decoration, or maybe for clearing a path; it’s merely ornamental. How could it compare to the weapons wielded by your mercenary warriors?”
Wan Li said, “I think so too. However, Brother A Dai’s sword is even longer than mine, and it doesn’t look light at all! Brother A Dai, among mages, your physical strength must be considered quite good, right?”
Ah Dai glanced at Xuan Yue, puzzled. Since both sides were cooperating, why hide her martial skills? Yet he said nothing more, merely nodding slightly to Wan Li.
Due to Xuan Yue’s poor stamina, she kept demanding rest breaks every so often. After walking for an entire day, the group still hadn’t reached the next city. As night gradually fell, the pearl-like moon replaced the setting sun, and the light dimmed considerably.
Yue Hen checked the sky and said to Xuan Yue, “Miss Xuan Yue, it seems we’ll have to camp outdoors tonight. We’re still within the territory of our Red Hurricane Clan. Our current pace is too slow; by tomorrow, when we reach the next city, we’ll truly need to buy a few horses.”
Upon hearing about camping outdoors, Xuan Yue’s large eyes immediately lit up. She lifted the hood of her cloak and smiled, “Great! Let’s set up camp then. Where shall we camp?”
Seeing Xuan Yue’s dreamlike, ethereal smile, Yue Hen was visibly stunned for a moment. To mask his embarrassment, he quickly said, “For camping, we just need to find a sheltered spot away from the wind and clear an open area.”
Yue Ji pointed to a patch of forest beside the road and said, “Big brother, let’s set up there. There shouldn’t be much wind tonight.”
Yue Hen nodded and led everyone into the woods. Under the bright moonlight, the forest was filled with uneven, dancing tree shadows. Occasionally, a gentle breeze stirred, rustling the leaves with a soft shalala sound, adding a touch of mystery to the tranquil woods. Yue Hen, his sister, Wan Li, and Miao Fei skillfully removed the bundles from their backs, taking out tents made of soft cowhide. Within moments, four small tents were erected. Somehow, Yue Hen found stones and secured the tent corners with stakes. The four tents formed a circle, leaving an open space of over ten square meters in the center.
A Dai intended to step forward and help, but Xuan Yue held him back, saying, “You don’t know how to do anything; why are you trying to join in?”
After setting up the tents, Yuehen approached with a smile and said, “Miss Xuanyue, I’m afraid you’ll have to endure some discomfort tonight. You can share a tent with my younger sister. Though it may be a bit cramped, at least it will shelter us from wind and rain. Brother Adai, you can share one with me. Although we’re both rather large, we should manage to squeeze in.”
Xuanyue pouted and replied, “No way. I don’t want to share a tent with her. I’m used to sleeping alone. Just clear one out for me.” As she mentioned being accustomed to sleeping alone, she stole a glance at Adai, unable to help recalling the comfort she had felt sleeping in his arms that day. A faint blush rose to her pretty face.
Yuehen was taken aback and said hesitantly, “But we only have four tents. How can we divide them?”
Xuanyue responded, “That’s simple enough. You can sleep with Wanli, that big fellow, and give your tent to me. Adai can then sleep with your sister. Problem solved.” She said this deliberately to humiliate Yueji. She still harbored some resentment over Yueji challenging her yesterday. Moreover, Yueji was quite beautiful, with an impressive figure… Being women themselves, it was inevitable that some jealousy would arise.
Yue Hen exclaimed in shock, “What? That won’t do! My sister is a girl!”
A Dai was also startled and said, “No, no! I… I can just sleep outside; there’s no need for a tent.”
Xuan Yue pouted and retorted, “Look how timid you are! That day, didn’t you even…” She had meant to say, “Didn’t you even sleep with me that day?” but realizing her mistake, she quickly stopped herself. Her face flushed crimson, her heart pounding faster. Glancing at A Dai, she murmured, “Suit yourself then. Anyway, I don’t care; I’ll sleep by myself.”
At this moment, Yue Ji walked over. To everyone’s surprise, she merely shot Xuan Yue a glance before smiling warmly as she approached A Dai. “Am I really that frightening?” she asked. “What’s so bad about sleeping together with me?”
A-Dai was instantly stunned with fear and hesitantly said, “No, no! Archmage Jige said that men and women should not share intimate contact; we cannot sleep together.”
Upon hearing A-Dai’s words, Yue Ji immediately burst into laughter, her voice as melodious and enchanting as silver bells. “What’s this, little brother? Have you just stepped into society? It seems I’ll have to give you some lessons from now on.”
Yue Hen frowned and said, “Yue Ji, stop teasing Brother A-Dai. Tonight, Brother A-Dai and I will share one tent, while Brother Wan Li and Miao Fei will share another. That will suffice.”
Ignoring her brother’s reprimand, Yue Ji leaned close to A-Dai’s ear and whispered softly, “Do you truly not wish to sleep with me at all?”
The orchid-like scent of Yue Ji drifted onto A Dai’s mage robe; he could clearly feel the warm, sweet fragrance. His body seemed to have gone completely stiff. Shying away to one side, he stammered, “No, no, I… I need to relieve myself.” With that, he turned and dashed off toward the nearby woods.
Watching A Dai flee in fright, Yue Ji burst into laughter. She had teased him not out of any special affection for him. Originally, she had assumed there must be some special relationship between A Dai and Xuan Yue. Since Xuan Yue’s terrifying magic was far beyond her ability to challenge, she had decided to provoke A Dai instead, just to annoy Xuan Yue. Yet, after teasing A Dai for quite some time, Xuan Yue showed not the slightest reaction, merely watching Yue Hen’s tent with keen interest. Yue Ji wondered silently, What exactly is their relationship? Could it truly be just ordinary friendship?
Yue Hen cast a disapproving glance at his sister and said, “Rein yourself in. Brother A Dai is so honest; don’t bully him.”
Feigning grievance, Yue Ji replied, “How am I bullying him? Seeing he’s just a young boy, isn’t it alright for me to teach him a thing or two?”
Yuehen sighed helplessly, “You there, try not to cause me any more trouble. I’ll start a fire to warm up our dried rations; once we’ve eaten, we can rest. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow morning.”
It took A-Dai half the day before he finally returned from the bushes. In the center of the four tents, a considerable pile of firewood had already been gathered, obviously collected by everyone just moments ago. Yuehen and Miao Fei were crouched there, striking flint in an attempt to ignite the wood, but perhaps due to the humid air, they had yet to succeed. Wanli sat nearby polishing his heavy sword, while Yueji fiddled with her bowstring; the only one missing was Xuan Yue.
Seeing no sign of Xuan Yue, A-Dai grew anxious. He quickly stepped over to Yuehen and asked, “Brother Yuehen, where is Xuan Yue?”
Before Yuehen could answer, Xuan Yue’s voice drifted over, “So you finally remember to look for me! I’ve been preparing food for all of you. Don’t you want some steamed buns? Come over here. I have something to tell you.”
Adai followed the sound and saw Xuan Yue poking her head out from Yue Hen’s tent, holding a steamed bun and gesturing with it. Upon seeing Xuan Yue, Adai finally breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly walked over to the tent, crouched down, and said, “Miss Xuan Yue, is there something you need?”
Xuan Yue glared at him discontentedly and said, “I say a couple of words to you and you turn ice-cold. Here, have this bun; that should be enough, right?” For Xuan Yue, this already counted as an indirect apology.
A Dai took the steamed bun and said, “I’m just a simple person; there’s nothing cold about me. I only worry that talking too much might annoy you. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now.”
Xuan Yue snorted. “You really are quite simple. By the way, don’t tell them anything about my Phoenix Blood; that’s my secret. Look.” Saying this, she lifted the tent flap and pulled out over a dozen steamed buns wrapped in cloth from inside. “This is tonight’s dinner.”
A Dai took the steamed buns and said, “Since we’re cooperating with them, why can’t we treat each other sincerely? Keeping everything hidden isn’t right, is it?”
Xuan Yue rolled her eyes at him and whispered, “What do you know? Father taught me: never harbor intentions to harm others, but never be without caution toward them either. It’s better to be careful. Especially that Moon Princess—I can tell at a glance she’s no good. You’re not allowed to have too much contact with her, understand?”
Ah Dai nodded and said, “I understand.” He thought to himself: Why do I feel that others are so much better than you? At the very least, they have a better temper.
Xuan Yue crawled out of the tent and ran over to Yue Hen’s side. “Why hasn’t the fire been lit after all this time?”
Yue Hen replied, “It’s summer now; the air is quite humid. Although the temperature is relatively high, it’s too damp here. The firewood we gathered isn’t dry enough. I’m afraid we’ll have to eat cold rations today.”
Xuan Yue giggled and said, “You guys are so silly! Have you forgotten? We still have a Fire Mage among us! Ah Dai, come quickly and light the fire for everyone.”
Ah Dai responded with a grunt and walked over to the woodpile. Just as he was about to chant his spell, Miao Fei said, “Brother Ah Dai, this isn’t right of you. With such an excellent fire magic at your disposal, why didn’t you come help sooner? You’ve just been watching us toil away here for nothing.”
Ah Dai was about to explain when Xuan Yue cut in, “Our Ah Dai is just a bit slow; it’s not your place to criticize him.”
Miao Fei’s expression shifted slightly, but upon seeing Xuan Yue’s delicate face, his anger instantly vanished.
Yue Hen stepped in to smooth things over, saying, “Alright, alright, Brother Ah Dai, let us witness your magic.”
A Dai’s heart stirred upon hearing Xuan Yue speak up for him. He responded with an affirmation and began to chant: “Oh, fire elements that permeate heaven and earth! Grant me the power of burning. In my name, I borrow your strength. Appear now, scorching flames!” With a hissing sound, a deep blue flame instantly materialized in A Dai’s palm. For mercenaries like Yue Hen and the others, who had never witnessed the might of magic before, this sudden appearance of fire startled them greatly. The surrounding temperature surged abruptly, causing everyone except Xuan Yue to instinctively step backward.
“Wow, what beautiful blue flames! Brother A Dai, you’re amazing!” It was Yue Ji who spoke. Upon seeing this fire spell, she immediately forgot all about her bow, leaped over, and landed beside A Dai. A Dai brought his palm forward, circulated the Shengsheng true energy within his body, and gently blew toward the flame. Instantly, a small blue ember flew out and landed atop the pile of firewood.
The temperature of the blue flame was extremely high; this single action not only dispelled the dampness from the firewood but also ignited the pile. Amidst the crackling sounds of burning wood, the surroundings immediately brightened as a bonfire rose up. Illuminated by the red glow of the flames, Xuan Yue’s lovely face appeared even more enchanting. Miao Fei’s eyes were fixed on her, utterly mesmerized, while even Yue Hen found himself momentarily stunned.
Warmed by the fire, everyone ate the steamed buns that A Dai had taken out, without anyone growing suspicious; they all assumed the buns had been carried in A Dai’s bundle.
After the meal, Xuan Yue called A-Dai into her tent. Just as A-Dai was about to ask what she wanted, Xuan Yue suddenly produced something in her hand: the sauced meat they had bought in town the day before.
“Here, eat it quickly.”
A-Dai stared in bewilderment. “Why didn’t you bring this out earlier?”
Xuan Yue shot him a glare. “Who’s as foolish as you? This is our food; why should we give it to them? Letting them have steamed buns is already generous enough. They mean nothing to me, but you are my attendant. If you don’t keep yourself in good health, how can you protect me? Now eat up, finish it, and go back to sleep.”
Though A-Dai was still somewhat puzzled, he ate the braised meat anyway. Its flavor was far superior to that of steamed buns, especially since the three buns he’d just eaten hadn’t even filled his stomach.
“Miss, I’ll be heading back now.”
“Hmph! I’ve already given you braised meat to eat; why do you still call me ‘Miss’? Can’t you change how you address me? I order you: call me Yueyue.”
A-Dai hesitated for a moment before saying, “But I’m your attendant now! It’s still better to call you ‘Miss’.”
Xuan Yue pouted and said, “Miss, Miss, hmph. Just get out, I hate you.”