Chapter 64 - Just Some Voice

''I thought Feng Yi had already told you,'' I said to my little sister.

''No, big brother.''

We were on the path that led up on the other side of the red canyon, talking about how I had ranked up so fast. Chunu was worried that I had taken a harmful pill that boosted one's cultivation by taking up the practitioner's life force.

''Silly girl, do you think your brother is an idiot?'' I reprimanded her. Actually, she should also get acupuncture therapy. It would boost her cultivation by two, maybe three ranks with no side effects.

''How about it? Want to get therapy as well?'' I asked and she immediately said no. She seemed to know what it was.

An hour ago, me and Hu Shuo had gone to the inn and met up with the girls. We then packed our belongings and left the inn at the same time with the merchants.

Du Gering, despite being old, was fast at her work. She quickly gave out orders to bring the horses and the camels, and also had the scouts check up on the way ahead. About half an hour passed and the merchants were already ready to head off.

Lou Gaeli came to say his goodbyes with the other villagers. After us, another merchant group would probably come only after two to three months when the demon beasts became less active again. Even then, there was a risk of running into sandstorms.

Hanai company provided the villagers with lots of fabric that they couldn't sell at Pinchu town due to their premature departure. Ule had told me that their chief didn't like getting entangled in a mess.

And after another half an hour, we were finally on our way. During this time, Feng Yi and I talked with Chunu and Ling'er, while waiting for Lou Shila. She should have already slipped away from the cave after I left.

Sometime later we reached up on the other side and found the ground more rocky than sandy. It was still dusty though. Oh, I knew we would curse the wind for even moving during the coming days.

''Did she decide not to go instead?'' Feng Yi whispered to me but I shook my head.

''Look ahead, who do you think is that in the yellow clothes?'' I asked.

''Isn't that Ule's wife?'' Feng went a little ahead of our group to confirm. What she saw was not an oblong face, but round and half covered.

Ule's wife had tanned skin, this woman looked pale in comparison. Feng Yi immediately recognized who this woman was.

''Who is she talking to?'' asked Ling'er.

She was sitting on the beast which was also carrying our four bags. Chunu was walking beside me, listening to her big brother and sister Lingling. My sister had lost some weight and her belly was no longer puffed now.

Just like Ling'er, she was wearing a long white top and loose full pants. Wearing a robe while traveling would only make the journey difficult. She had a scarf over her red hair and a paper fan on her hand. Although she walked fast enough to match us, her steps were still graceful thanks to 108 Droplets technique. 

Feng Yi came back to us with Lou Shila. Side by side, Feng Yi was still a little taller. I told Ling'er about Shila and made her backstory seem more tragic while the woman herself agreed on every word I spouted. Soon, the females went to have a 'serious' chat with each other so I excused myself and went to see why people were gathered around Du Qingsan.

There were footsteps ahead. It seemed the air in this area was too lazy to move around, that was good news. We followed the footsteps, of course. One must always follow the footsteps in a desert. The dry forest was only two days away from here. Past that forest, which would take us about 12 days to cross, was the capital of Rong Sat.

''Mister Fan, help us choose which one is better.''

When I reached beside the merchants surrounding Du Qingsan, I saw that they were inspecting a pair of daggers. The person who spoke was Du Aini's daughter. I didn't know her name and couldn't remember talking with her before this.

''I think the curved one is better,'' I casually said. I preferred curved daggers over the straight ones. I got against Du Qingsan by saying this but I didn't care, others were on my side. Another bout of debate followed and I was also a part of this time. Just something to pass time while we traveled.

…

Two days quickly passed by and we finally entered the dry forest.

''Does it have a name?'' asked Du Miao, Aini's daughter. She and I grew to become acquaintances in these two days. Though I didn't like her at all, she always brought those friends of hers and requested me to play the flute. What was I, an entertainer?

''I don't know. Ask your mother, maybe she knows,'' I said, stepping on some fallen leaves. The temperature was still very high around here.

"This area is called Ghost forest because it is haunted,'' Ule suddenly came, coming beside us. We both rolled our eyes hearing him.

''Don't be like uncle San.'' Miao was talking about Du Qingsan, of course. He had told us that people disappeared near the red canyon, but did anything happen? I strongly suspected Ule was also recounting some false rumor or a nonsense folklore.

I got bored. It was a clear midday. Walking for so long, I was getting tired so I went to ride the beast. Du Miao fiercely looked at Ule and went to ask her mother about this dry forest.

Chunu was riding the craoca this time. Seeing me, she silently gave her one hand. I didn't need her support to climb on the beast's back but I still took her hand and sat behind her.

''Tired?'' she asked and I simply replied with a ''yes.''

We lazily conversed sitting on the beast while taking in the sights of naked trees around us. They seemed creepy to my sister and she told me that these trees looked dead without any water.

After a while, Ling'er joined us. Feng Yi and Lou Shila were laughing without any restraint while talking. I didn't see Feng Yi laugh that often, she had found a friend for herself who was nearly ten years older than her.

However, could age even matter in friendship?

When I asked that question to myself, we all heard a distinct cry for help coming from ahead.. The voice seemed ethereal, it was in no way loud but reached the ears of everyone present.