Heavenly Soul

At the center of the clearing, a group of white-robed young disciples chatted and poked around, trying to see if they could harvest a few extra spiritual herbs while they had the chance and before they had to return to their respective sects.

The sounds of low chatter mixed with the rustling of the leaves and the distant roar of a waterfall, creating a soothing background noise.

Sitting on one of the rocks scattered at the edge of the clearing, Feng Qinghe sighed contently while surveying the pleasant scenery.

"Stop dazing around, this is not a picnic!" an annoyed voice started lecturing from beside Qinghe. "Our sects sent us to this hidden realm to gather valuable resources. Now that we're done, why aren't we leaving already?"

Qinghe looked at his fellow martial brother Jing Shui with pity. Wearing his habitual smile that projected warmth and sincerity, Qinghe replied in a relaxed voice, "Brother Jing, we are not here to just gather materials but also to gain experience. We still have a few days left before this realm closes, so wouldn't it be better to take advantage of this time and experience as much as possible?"

Jing Shui looked at that earnest expression and wanted to slap the smile off his face. He turned away with a huff filled with disdain.

Jing Shui was hot-blooded and easily annoyed, and having to spend a month with this man who seemed to constantly smile even while sleeping irritated the h.e.l.l out of him.

Feng Qinghe never reacted to any of the barbs or insults Jing Shui threw at him, always deflecting or ignoring them just like this. Jing Shui hated that pedantic smiling expression and hated even more how he couldn't get a read on him. How was he supposed to know whether Feng Qinghe was trustworthy or not if Jing Shui couldn't even get a glimpse of his true character? Having to spend a month with this uncertainty was enough to almost drive him mad.

Feng Qinghe easily read each of these thoughts from the slight changes in Jing Shui's expression and smirked to himself. Qinghe felt like praising the other man for realizing that the pleasant and trustworthy persona he always projected was not his true self. That was why toying with Jing Shui these past few weeks had made for such a fun pastime.

Though he was laughing to himself on the inside, outwardly Qinghe's expression showed only the utmost sincerity.

The low hum of chatter that came from the younger disciples suddenly grew louder and was tinged with excitement.

Feng Qinghe and Jing Shui looked towards the juniors they were in charge of to see what the matter was.

A few of the disciples had started poking at a demonic plant that had been hidden amongst the spiritual herbs at the border of the clearing. Soon, more disciples from both sects started joining in on the fun.

Jing Shui's expression grew furious. He stood up from the rock he was using as a seat and made to go towards the source of the commotion, presumably to yell at them to stay away from suspicious looking plants like that. But Qinghe stopped him with a raised hand. "Now, now, Brother Jing. Don't look so angry, you'll line your beautiful face with wrinkles. Think how anguished your admirers will be then."

Jing Shui had a beautiful, almost feminine face and an androgynous figure. A pair of thick gold hoops adorned his earlobes, making his face look more delicate in comparison. Every move of his exuded grace and n.o.bility. His usual tempestuousness only added to his overall charm. Needless to say, he had many admirers, both male and female.

His frown etching deeper, Jing Shui slapped away the hand that was blocking him. "Stop your blathering! Who knows if that thing is dangerous! Just look at it, it's obviously demonic in origin. I need

Qinghe refused to let him go so easily and blocked his path again. "Brother Jing, let them play. Even if anything happens, we are still here. We can save them in time."

Looking at the disciples who had grown bolder and were now pulling bravely at the thick crimson vines, Jing Shui only got angrier. "What 'let them play'? Stop indulging those brats. They need to learn to be wary of these kinds of suspicious things. You're being way too lenient. If you don't want to discipline them, then I will!"

Qinghe laughed, the pleasant sound sending a chill down Jing Shui's spine. "Brother Jing, you've got this backward. I am not the one being too indulgent or lenient, you are. As I said before, we are here to learn from experience. So let our junior martial brothers and sisters learn from experience why they must not poke and pull at random things. Please rest a.s.sured that I won't let them come to harm."

Not giving him a chance to refuse, Qinghe pulled Jing Shui downwards so that he had no choice but to sit back down.

Jing Shui remained quiet and thoughtful as he digested Qinghe's words. They were not entirely wrong. He just hadn't expected him to put that much thought into the matter. It seemed he had underestimated this man.

So there they sat, the two senior disciples watching silently as their junior martial brothers and sisters went about hara.s.sing the demonic plant. Excited squeals and shouts interrupted the peace now and then.

Looking over the boisterous group of teenagers with unhidden exasperation and affection, Qinghe sighed in contentment once more.

A few minutes later, the shouts of excitement turned to screams of fear and pleas for help.

The ground around the plant had erupted as bigger and st.u.r.dier vines forced their way out. They swiftly wrapped around the disciples nearby and tried to pull them down into a wide gaping maw that was lined with poisonous thorns. Shredded people were after all easier to digest.

But even though this was the first time these newly minted disciples faced danger, they were still cultivators. They used their elemental attributes and threw a constant barrage of attacks in a variety of shapes and colors as they continued frantically yelling and screaming for help.

Qinghe just watched on serenely with a soft and loving smile still curving the edges of his lips.

Looking at his unmoving companion, Jing Shui was about to rise and go help when he was stopped once again.

"There is no need to be in such a rush to rescue them. Let us wait until this lesson is etched firmly into their minds."

Seeing his unconcerned smile, Jing Shui gulped and sat down. Though they were shrieking as if they were dying, he knew that the situation was not as dire yet. But still…

He needed to remember to be careful around this particular martial brother in the future. If he carelessly got into trouble in front of him, he might also get taught a 'lesson' with a similar smile. Thankfully, Feng Qinghe was from the Heavenly Peak Sect and not from the Golden Sun Sect like Jing Shui, so they would not see each other often.

Feng Qinghe's way of educating juniors was so scary.

The chorus of screams reached their peak when one of the boys was almost pulled into the fetid smelling mouth, his toes almost having entered the wide opening.

Seeing that it was about time for him to step in, Qinghe finally stood up and pushed off from the ground, leaping towards the chaotic scene. The disciples who had been looking in their direction for aid were ecstatic when they saw help finally arrive. With his long ink black hair trailing behind in an elegant arc and his unblemished white robe fluttering gracefully in the wind, Qinghe cut a heroic figure as he landed near the demonic flower.

He raised his hand and several disc-shaped wind blades formed around him instantly. With a flick of his wrist, he sent them spinning towards the blood-red vines. The wind blades coated with spiritual power quickly cut through the vines like a heated knife slicing through b.u.t.ter.

Several thumps sounded as the distressed disciples fell to the ground along with the vines wrapped around them. As they hurriedly disentangled themselves, the wounded plant issued an anguished wail. It burrowed back into the ground, taking along the vine stumps, and quickly disappeared from sight. All that remained was a patch of disturbed earth, a bunch of severed vines, and a group of terrified juniors.

Qinghe steadily walked towards the boy who had almost become plant fertilizer and pulled him into his arms. Though Qinghe was averse to touch, he stiffened his spine and carried on. Patting the teen's back in a soothing motion, he looked at the other disciples and admonished softly, "Though hidden realms are not dangerous by themselves, they still contain unknown and hidden threats. What did I tell you before we came in?"

The disciples from Heavenly Peak Sect recalled the instruction their senior martial brother had given and dutifully repeated in unison, "Prioritize your safety over curiosity and don't go around prodding at unfamiliar things." Chagrin and embarra.s.sment tinged their voices.

Jing Shui's juniors from the Golden Sun Sect also looked at their senior martial brother apologetically, sure that they had disappointed him.

Qinghe spoke sadly, "Yes, and now look what happened when you didn't listen. Who knows what could have happened if we had not been here. What if you had damaged your cultivation? What if you had died? Or worse, what if you had your souls sucked? I would never have been able to forgive myself if I let any of you come to harm. That is why I asked you to be careful. I could have lost you all today…"

His face was filled with distress, his voice heavy with remorse. He truly looked like someone who had almost lost his most beloved treasures and was blaming himself.

The junior disciples were moved. Such a warm and kind senior martial brother, and they had caused him such pain. They unconsciously crowded around him much to his discomfort, but Qinghe still took the time to pat each of them on their back or offer words of comfort, easing all their worries and creating a poignant and touching scene.

Jing Shui was shocked speechless at Qinghe's brilliant acting that had almost made even him forget how Qinghe had looked at the shrieking disciples with an unconcerned smile.

How terrifying.

Outside the clearing and hidden in the thick shadows cast by the trees, a pair of figures watched this scene with amus.e.m.e.nt. They had witnessed and heard everything, from Qinghe and Jing Shui's argument to Qinghe's heroic rescue, up to the current situation where the newly 'educated' disciples were seeking comfort unknowingly from the very man who had extended their torment.

One of the shadows seemed especially interested as he squinted at Qinghe. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't clearly see his soul. It seemed obscured by some strong spell. What was he hiding?

Unknown to them, in a place further away, birds and beasts fled hurriedly in waves, running away from the path of a colossal monster.