Wen Yan suddenly stopped and sharply turned towards the direction of the camp.
"What's wrong?" Jing Xu asked when they saw Wen Yan's alert and grim expression.
"Enemy?" Qian Jue asked.
"… no." Wen Yan answered through his gnashed teeth before he resumed walking.
"… your expression says otherwise…" Jing De muttered and cried when Jing Xu hit him.
"Shut up if you only have nonsense to say!" Jing Xu told him.
Jing De rubbed his head, feeling wronged.
"T – the camp wasn't attacked, right?" Qian Meng nervously asked.
"No." Wen Yan answered, but he pursed his lips. The camp wasn't attacked, but his brother might be (attacked) soon by Fei Yinzi! His brows knitted. He feels frustrated.
Jing Xu, Qian Jue and Qian Meng. "…" but your face says otherwise! they thought.
Jing De. "…" right? He thought and rolled his eyes, showing that he was right.
Zhu Xi helplessly sighed. He was just silently listening to them and he can see that something is bothering Wen Yan's mind. He guess that it should be about Wen Wen. But, Wen Wen's condition should have been fine. Xiao Bao and xiao Ling wouldn't leave if not, and Cui Xiang also has verified that Wen Wen is alright, likewise Fei Yinzi.
So, what is bothering Wen Yan? Zhu Xi curiously thought as he looked at Wen Yan from the corner of his eyes. He recalled that xiao Ling hinted at him that what is bothering Wen Yan is something that Wen Yan can't tell him. But, now that he and Wen Yan has finally pierced the window paper, that is, laid everything bare… their ambiguous relationship… en. This matter about feelings, he and Wen Yan had never talked about before. Because they were pure youths, and they also have never found any possible romantic partner or cultivation partner.
They never find anyone, since they had already found since long ago, and it was each other. Thinking this, Zhu Xi's cheeks flushed red and he lowered his head to hide his blushing face. After he asked Wen Yan what was bothering him earlier, he answered that he realized something. So, Wen Yan had realized his feelings for him…
"Zhu Xi-ge, is something the matter?" Jing De asked when he noticed that Zhu Xi has been silent since earlier.
"Ehem." Zhu Xi coughed to clear his throat. "I was just thinking… if the other sects have also realized that the demons left were stronger than the ones we faced before." He answered.
Wen Yan's brows raised when he heard his answer. His expression saying, 'so you actually can find a logical excuse?' as he looked at him in surprise. Zhu Xi side-eyed him. jing Xu and Qian Jue who are sharp looked at each of them, as if sensing something.
But the dense Jing De and Qian Meng who is a worrywart didn't notice something at Wen Yan's and Zhu Xi's meaningful exchange of glances.
"That's right… the demons left now are stronger than before…" Qian Meng said as he nervously bit his lip. "The others would be fine, right?" he asked.
"En. They should be. They are also smart people." Jing De spoke. "Unlike me. Hehe." He sheepishly grinned. "Ow!" he cried when Jing Xu hit him again.
"That's because you aren't always using your brain!" Jing Xu told him.
"No! It is because you always hit me in the head that is why I have become stupid!" Jing De pouted, looking aggrieved.
A vein popped in Jing Xu's forehead and he balled his fist, itching to hit the dumbass Jing De again. But, because of what Jing De said, he can't hit him right now. I will save it for later! Jing Xu thought as he glared at Jing De who subconsciously shivered in fright. Jing De hid behind Qian Meng, but he felt a chill on his spine since someone is eyeing him dangerously, so his instinct told him to hide behind a tree because when he tried to get closer to Zhu Xi to hide, he felt that chilling gaze again.
If he is just half-smart of Jing Xu, Jing De would notice that Qian Jue and Wen Yan are glaring at him for getting closer to Qian Meng and Zhu Xi, respectively. Meanwhile, Jing Xu who noticed Wen Yan's glare at Jing De was surprised. Jing Xu can understand Qian Jue glaring at Qian Meng since Qian Jue has always been protective of Qian Meng.
But, Wen Yan to Zhu Xi… is what he thinking right, or is he just overthinking it? Jing Xu has no time to analyze more since they suddenly heard Jing De's scream after Jing De hid behind a tree. "Jing De!" he called and immediately went to where Jing De is, only to see him standing there perfectly fine. "What happened?" he asked.
Qian Jue, Qian Meng, Wen Yan and Zhu Xi followed. "Hey… isn't this… Xi He?!" Zhu Xi exclaimed when he saw Xi He lying on the ground and is covered in wounds.
Xi He weakly opened his eyes when he heard voices. "R… run…" he spoke in a weak voice.
"'run'?" they looked at each other. What does he mean 'run'? They thought.
"De… mons!" Xi He said as he gnashed his teeth while he coughed out blood.
Their eyes widened in shock. Then, they suddenly felt the ground shaking. Their mouths fell open. It must be a large number of demons!
"RUN!" Wen Yan spoke as he and Qian Jue picked up Xi He while Qian Meng, Zhu Xi, Jing De and Jing Xu laid down traps to delay the demons as they escape!
…
"Er Zi and Wen Wen should be fine now, right?" Tang Li asked as he looked at Su Yi and Su Mi.
"Since Cui Xiang said so, then they must be." Su Mi said.
Su Yi nodded in agreement. "Xiao Bao and xiao Ling are Fei-shibo's and Cheng-shishu's sword spirits, respectively, and Er Zi is Cheng-shishu's disciple. They won't leave Er Zi unwell." He said.
"That is true." Li Yan agreed. "They can't be sloppy with their work. Even though they are testing us as a part of competition, they aren't that malicious." He said.
"En… not malicious…" He Shun muttered and grimaced.
Everyone. "…" well, only one is malicious, xiao Bao since the other one, xiao Ling, is extremely malicious. They thought when they remembered how xiao Ling chased them. It really haunted them in their dreams every night!
Qi Lan didn't say anything. Even if they aren't excluding him since they have already regarded him as one of their own, he still remained taciturn. They don't mind this, since they know that rogue cultivators have always been lone wolves, and that Qi Lan is really a good person since he has saved He Shun many times without asking anything in return.
"Wait." Qi Lan finally spoke today.
They all stopped and turned to him. "What is it?" they asked.
Qi Lan didn't answer and turned to a direction. They all followed where he is looking and saw the head of the canyon afar.
"What is it?" He Shun asked.
Qi Lan looked at him. He opened his mouth to speak, as if he wanted to say something to him. But, in the end, he dropped it and changed his mind. "Smell of blood." He answered.
"The smell of blood?" Tang Li's eyes narrowed.
Su Yi looked at the canyon. "Canyons are good ambush places. Could it be that a sect ambushed the demons?" he asked.
"Our sect only has one person." Tang Li answered.
"Same here." Li Yan shrugged.
"The Zunjingde Sect and Qianxu Sect also have only two people." He Shun said. "And Wu Tie, even if he has Jin Yu with him, they are also only two people. They can't have plan an ambush since they lack people." He explained.
Qi Lan nodded in agreement. "None of you earlier has said to make an ambush in the canyon." He said as he looked at them.
"That's right." Su Yi confirmed. "The only sect that has a large number of disciples other than ours, the Xinfaxian Sect, and the Youxiwang Sect, is – " he said.
"The Shanliangde Sect." Su Mi said. "But, it is strange…" she said.
"What is?" Tang Li asked.
Su Mi stared at her Cleansing Stone. "The Shanliangde Sect set up an ambush, so they must have earned a lot of points. But…" she frowned as she showed them the leaderboard. "Their points only rose by a few." She told them.
Their eyes widened in surprise when they saw that the Shanliangde Sect's rank didn't rise much. "You are right!" they exclaimed. Even Xi He, who is a loner, didn't rise, too.
"Could it be that it wasn't the Shanliangde Sect who set up an ambush, but – " He Shun said as he looked at them.
Qi Lan's eyes narrowed as he gripped the hilt of his sword. "It was them who was ambushed instead.." He said.