Chapter 65: Separated
Over here, just as Feng Shi finished admiring Shen Songhe’s rare pampered-wife expression, Xiao Yuhui, who had been keeping an eye on him, could no longer sit still.
He stood up, came over to the two of them, and handed the water flask in his hand to Feng Shi: “Shidi should drink mine instead.”
Saying so, he also shot a glance at the person beside Feng Shi who was simultaneously sizing him up.
A disciple in the mid-Zhuji stage whose appearance wasn’t outstanding either. Xiao Yuhui inexplicably felt a bit relieved, turning his head to smile at Feng Shi.
Feng Shi was somewhat embarrassed and wanted to wave it off, but felt that would be far too obvious. He could only bear the weight of both their gazes and accept the water flask from Xiao Yuhui’s hand.
The moment he took it in his hand, Feng Shi felt an intense gaze shoot over from Shen Songhe’s direction behind him, piercing him until he felt like he had needles in his back.
“Ahaha, thank you Shixiong.” Feng Shi forced a smile, hastily hanging the water flask on his waist, and said to Xiao Yuhui, “Then I’ll drink some later.”
Xiao Yuhui nodded, affectionately patting the top of Feng Shi’s head.
The moment his hand rested there, Feng Shi instantly felt the stare from behind grow even more intense, as if trying to glare a hole right through him.
At the same time, Xiao Yuhui also sensed the unkind gaze from that unfamiliar disciple. The corners of his lips hooked up in a mocking smile, and he fearlessly glared right back.
Shen Songhe narrowed his eyes. After a long while, he let out a light chuckle.
And when Feng Shi heard this chuckle, the skin on the back of his neck tightened. When he looked at Xiao Yuhui again, his gaze carried a few hints of pity.
After resting for nearly a quarter of an hour, the team set out again.
The beginning was fairly smooth, but once they reached the depths of the mountain range, the vegetation grew denser, and the demonic beasts became more numerous and stronger.
Feng Shi followed Shen Songhe, while Xiao Yuhui and Cao Ni followed Feng Shi. The four of them stayed together the entire time, their coordination fairly decent.
However, after passing through a tangled forest, the four of them were separated.
Feng Shi sat on the protruding roots of an old tree, catching his breath while looking sideways at the five remaining unfamiliar disciples beside him.
Including Feng Shi, there were five men and one woman.
And that woman was exactly one of the team leaders, Zhou Shijie, whose real name was Zhou Rurong.
At this moment, besides her and Feng Shi, the other few had more or less suffered injuries; one of them even had a broken arm.
This wasn’t the Demon-Slaying Tower; the injuries inflicted here were irreversible.
But unless it was a matter of life and death, no one wanted to use that life-saving talisman. Firstly, to preserve their face, and secondly, outside this competition, there were multiple pairs of eyes from various sects watching them simultaneously. If they used them now, it would be highly detrimental to the entire Chongshan Zong.
Feng Shi silently lowered his head to look at the bloodstained broken sword in his hand.
The blade was pitted and dented, already exceedingly dull. He didn’t know how much longer it could be used.
But what he thought about more was, where is Shizun right now? Is he in any danger?
If he had known, he shouldn’t have agreed to let him cover the rear when they encountered that demonic beast just now.
The more Feng Shi thought about it, the more annoyed he became, even wanting to turn back right now to look for him.
Right at this moment, Zhou Rurong, who had originally been resting not far away, suddenly walked over and sat down next to Feng Shi.
“Feng Shidi.”
Hearing the sound, Feng Shi turned his head.
Zhou Rurong was born with delicate and pretty features. Her personality wasn’t flamboyant and fiery like Xue Mei’s, but plain as water, giving people a feeling of being difficult to approach yet gentle.
After the previous incident, Feng Shi often avoided these two Shijies. He also hadn’t expected that given the other party’s temperament, she would actually take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.
Perhaps because she was exhausted from dealing with the demonic beasts just now, Zhou Rurong’s fair face carried a hint of pink. Looking at Feng Shi, her eyes were filled with gratitude and some unknown emotion as she said softly, “Feng Shidi, thank you for rescuing me just now.”
Feng Shi was confused.
Rescuing?
He didn’t recall when he had ever saved her.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Zhou Rurong’s face paled slightly, and she pursed her lips.
Feng Shi thought back for a moment. Not long ago, because he was anxious about the demonic beast suddenly attacking behind Shen Songhe, he seemed to have indeed pushed aside an in-the-way female cultivator nearby.
“Oh, so that was Zhou Shijie. It was just lifting a finger, merely lifting a finger.” How could Feng Shi dare tell the truth? At the time, his head was entirely filled with saving Shizun; he hadn’t paid any attention to the people around him at all.
Hearing this, Zhou Rurong’s face turned even paler. She stood up, managed a forced smile at Feng Shi, and then hurriedly left.
Looking at Zhou Rurong’s inexplicably rising and then inexplicably falling favorability rating on the interface, the straight man Feng Shi, ignorant of his own excessive bluntness, scratched his head in confusion.
He felt that what he said had already been very sincere, not understanding why Zhou Shijie was still angry.
However, he didn’t think too much about it.
When they stood up again, the other four male cultivators followed tightly behind Zhou Rurong. Only Feng Shi lazily hung in the back, maintaining a distance that was neither far nor near from the rest.
During this time, Zhou Rurong looked back at him quite a few times, to which Feng Shi always responded with a smile.
But in reality, he wanted to slip away.
He had grown used to being alone in the Demon-Slaying Tower before. Whether hiding or running away, it was much easier for a single person. Since he was still thinking about finding Shizun, he naturally wasn’t willing to continue wandering aimlessly with this group of people.
So when Zhou Rurong turned back once again, Feng Shi behind her had long vanished without a trace.
[Host, do you need the system to plan a route for you to reasonably avoid risks?]
Feng Shi leaped across the treetops, simultaneously dodging the sights of demonic beasts and scanning for Shen Songhe’s figure. Hearing this, he asked absentmindedly, “Is it free?”
Qingqing silently rolled its eyes and continued in an agreeable tone: [Aiya, it’s still 50 points. Host, you can’t be duped, you can’t be cheated with this purchase. Moreover, what if you accidentally run into Yan Ze?]
Speaking of this Yan Ze, Feng Shi did have some reservations. A 30% win rate; if he really bumped into him, he’d either end up dead or injured.
“Alright then, buy, buy, buy. However, don’t help me avoid any places where Shizun is.”
Qingqing gleefully placed the order: [Okay dokey, the primary route has been planned out for you. Also, we currently have a special discount on navigation voice packs. What do you say?]
Feng Shi: “… It’s truly a waste that you aren’t in sales.”
Qingqing: [Ying ying~]
[Alright, Qingqing will just navigate personally.]
[Suspected chaotic battle ahead. Please selectively evade, Host. Heading towards the front-right has the lowest danger coefficient.]
Feng Shi changed direction and veered right.
He hadn’t gone very far.
[Chaotic battle occurring ahead. Turn around, then cross the lake in the forest, and go left to evade.]
Feng Shi: “…Damn it.”
[Chaotic battle occurring ahead…]
Feng Shi interrupted it: “Stop! Why is it always chaotic battle this, chaotic battle that? You’re not scamming me, are you?”
He stopped in his tracks, standing firm on a thick tree branch.
Qingqing was aggrieved: [There really is. If you don’t believe me, Host, you can see for yourself.]
Feng Shi furrowed his brows. He hadn’t traveled far along the way, yet so many battles had occurred. It was indeed a bit abnormal.
Then he might as well go take a look.
Feng Shi walked straight ahead. Sure enough, in a small clearing not far away, a dozen or so disciples were exchanging blows.
Feng Shi concealed his aura, slowed his speed, carefully hid his figure, and squatted on a treetop with an excellent field of vision.
From this position, he could see extremely clearly.
At first glance, Feng Shi recognized his own people, followed by a few female cultivators from another sect. The remaining side, however, was clearly the people of Qingyun Zong.
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