Bai Chen walked up, gasping for breath, and snatched the wine bowl from Xiao Man's hand. He gulped down the wine in one go, still feeling thirsty. He poured another bowl for himself and drank it all.
"What exactly do you want?" Bai Chen sat down and grabbed a piece of meat, stuffing it into his mouth. He ate meat and drank wine with great ease. "Did my master give you a hard time?"
Xiao Man picked up a pair of chopsticks and smacked Bai Chen's hand as he reached for the meat. "Use chopsticks."
"I find you truly inscrutable." Bai Chen wiped his hands clean, took the chopsticks, and ate almost ravenously. He had never felt hunger so acutely before.
"Eat slowly, no one is snatching it from you." Xiao Man poured him another bowl of wine and said calmly, "We will stay here tonight to resupply. Tomorrow, we enter the East Peak Forest. After we go in this time, we won't come out until September."
"I've been to the East Peak Forest before with my fellow disciples."
"Elder Zong Yi was leading the team, wasn't he?" Xiao Man said casually. Given Elder Zong Yi's care for him, he would surely follow wherever he went. Even in Wuji City, Elder Zong Yi was afraid of anything happening to him. Only after confirming that only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage could enter the secret realm did he let Bai Chen, who was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, lead the team.
"How did you know?" Bai Chen asked in surprise. Then, as if remembering something, he continued, "Master has always doted on me and never let me go out alone."
Xiao Man smiled. "Then why are you letting him go out alone now?"
"Because you are here." Bai Chen swallowed the meat in his mouth. "My master trusts you very much."
"My cultivation is lower than yours, so what good is his trust?" Xiao Man teased. After all, in the Cang Xuan Continent, power was paramount, and she was too weak.
"Your cultivation is lower than mine, but you are more capable." Although Bai Chen was straightforward, he was not stupid. "Back in the secret realm, your cultivation was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, yet you saved all our lives."
"Did I really save all our lives?" Xiao Man asked faintly. She used to think she was powerful and omnipotent. But after experiencing the destruction of her family, the murder of her father, and the separation of her kin, she finally understood that she was not omnipotent. She was just an ordinary person, and there were things she could not do.
"Yes, you are very capable."
"You are mistaken, I am just an ordinary person." Xiao Man said calmly. "Although I saved you, I couldn't save my family. I watched my family being slaughtered, and the murderer is still at large."
Bai Chen was shocked. "Your family was murdered?"
Xiao Man nodded slowly. "And the person who killed them was someone I was close to."
Bai Chen gasped. "Who was the murderer of your family?"
"My master," Xiao Man said word by word. "That's why I say people's hearts are hidden, and you never know who will hurt you next."
"My master would never hurt me."
"Your master wouldn't, then would your fellow disciples? Would I?"
"You wouldn't either."
"No, if you endanger my interests, I will also strike at you without hesitation." Xiao Man said with a smile, as if joking. "The bonds between people are nothing more than interests." Sudannovel.com
"I don't believe it," Bai Chen said without hesitation. "Between people, it's sincerity that matters, not some interests. My master loves me simply because I am his disciple."
"Is that so?" Xiao Man said slowly. "But I'm only bringing you along because I received many benefits from Elder Zong Yi. Otherwise, I would never have brought you."
As night fell, the two lodged in an inn in the small town.
Bai Chen was somewhat discouraged. He thought that he and Xiao Man had shared life-and-death experiences and had formed a certain bond. But he never expected Xiao Man to speak so callously.
"Xiao Qin, if, hypothetically, I were in danger, and my master hadn't offered you a hefty reward, would you save me?" Bai Chen asked with anticipation.
Xiao Man glanced at him and pushed open the door to go inside. "There is no hypothetical. I have already received your master's payment."
"In that case, I don't need your protection anymore. I'll go to the East Peak Forest to train myself."
Xiao Man glanced back at Bai Chen. "If you can survive tonight safely, I will allow it."
"Really?" Bai Chen's eyes seemed to flash with starlight. "If I get through tonight safely, you'll let me enter the East Peak Forest alone for training. You can't go back on your word."
"I won't go back on my word."
"It's a deal."
Xiao Man closed the door and listened to Bai Chen enter his room. A helpless smile curved her lips. Many people go to the East Peak Forest to train, but not everyone can successfully enter it. This town before entering the forest eliminates quite a few people.
Deep in the night, the inn was very quiet, and the guests were all fast asleep. The inn's waiter suddenly seemed to come alive, quickly heading towards the guest rooms and blowing a specially prepared anesthetic smoke into each room.
This inn was a den of thieves, constantly robbing its guests. They were particular about their targets: they wouldn't attack people traveling in groups, as such groups usually had backing and a master cultivator. They generally targeted individuals or groups of fewer than three.
Xiao Man and Bai Chen were the perfect prey.
The anesthetic smoke was blown into the room. Xiao Man opened her eyes, glanced around, and rolled over, continuing to sleep.
In the adjacent room, Bai Chen had been waiting, holding his sword. Xiao Man's words had stayed with him. He guessed that someone would attack them tonight. When he saw a bamboo tube being inserted and smoke coming out, Bai Chen used a wet cloth to block the tube.
Moments later, several bamboo tubes were inserted, and the anesthetic smoke quickly filled the entire room. Bai Chen was startled and, covering his mouth, was about to rush out. However, the smoke was too potent. He collapsed as soon as he reached the door.
The waiter used a knife to open the door bolt. Seeing Bai Chen lying on the ground, he pulled off the Qiankun bag from his waist, opened it, and burst into laughter.
"Boss, we've hit the jackpot this time. He's a rich young master."
"Let me see." The innkeeper took it and, after looking at it, his face showed a satisfied smile. "What about the one next door?"
"Should be knocked out by now."
"Tie this one up and lock him in the cellar. Let's go check the next room."
The innkeeper led his men and opened Xiao Man's room. Seeing Xiao Man lying on the bed without any movement, he couldn't help but sneer. He walked to the bedside and reached out to take Xiao Man's Qiankun bag, but suddenly a sword shot out from the side and was directly placed on the innkeeper's neck.