TM CH11

Chapter 11 A Storm Was Approaching

A few more days passed, and Rong Qi’s health had improved significantly.

“I’m almost fully recovered from my illness. It’s so boring staying here. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the forest!”

Gu Yunxing: “Alright, we’ll set off together then.”

Rong Qi’s gaze fell on Gu Yunxing’s injured leg. “You’ve been walking for days. Are you not going to rest that leg?”

Gu Yunxing: “Thank you for your concern, Right Protector. As long as I use a crutch and take it slow, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Who’s concerned about you?” Rong Qi said with disdain. “I’m just worried you’ll stop halfway and make me carry you.” He leaned against a rock. “Just so we’re clear, I’ve only just recovered from a serious illness. I can’t carry you.”

Gu Yunxing sincerely asked, “Is that how you really see this humble Gu in your heart?”

Rong Qi responded with a forced, insincere smile. What do you think?

Sect Master Gu, who had indeed done such a thing before, fell silent.

After a long pause, he sighed. “Tomorrow, we’ll split up.” He picked up a stick and began drawing on the ground. “My legs are still not in good shape, so I’ve only been moving around the edge of the forest these past few days, checking for any suitable places to hide. Tomorrow, you head east into the forest, and I’ll go south. Let’s search thoroughly, and try to find somewhere that can shelter us before the nex storm hits.”

Rong Qi furrowed his brows. “You’d better not get your hopes up too high.” They had already discussed this topic before, and the facts were clear. “Anyway, there definitely aren’t any caves nearby, nor deep in the forest.”

Gu Yunxing knew that Rong Qi had no reason to hide the truth in this matter, but he wasn’t about to give up on the search. “It doesn’t have to be a cave.” He drew a simple diagram on the ground. “If we find a cliff like this, it might work.”

Rong Qi squinted, examining the drawing carefully. He realized that Gu Yunxing had drawn the side of a cliff, sloping at an angle, with the bottom curving inward to form a narrow, sharp corner. If a person curled up in there, it could indeed shield them somewhat from the rain.

“This spot.” Rong Qi pointed to the sharp corner. “It would keep the rain off, but it’s too narrow.” The deepest part likely wouldn’t even be high enough to sit up in, and with no shelter on three sides, the cold wind at night would likely freeze them.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. “You don’t really intend to build a house yourself, do you?”

“It’s not exactly a house,” Gu Yunxing replied, adding a few more strokes to his drawing. “Just extending a bit from the sharp corner… about here. We can use wood and mud to make walls and enclose a small area. Above that, the slanted cliff face will reduce the rain. We could even add some wooden planks and cover them with a canvas as makeshift roof. This way, the rain won’t get in as easily. If a storm hits, we’d be much better off inside than in the cabin.”

Rong Qi thought for a long moment before asking, “How confident are you?”

Gu Yunxing answered honestly, “This humble Gu is just theorizing here.” His gaze moved past Rong Qi and toward the vast ocean behind him. “The Right Protector might have also noticed the rising tide.”

Rong Qi’s pupils contracted. He had been recovering by the sea for the past few days, and had clearly felt the changes in the tide. As time passed, the shoreline had shifted inward by about three feet. In a few more days, the tide might flood the cabin.

“And if I’m not mistaken, the storm will arrive in no more than three days,” Gu Yunxing continued calmly, though his tone carried a weight of quiet concern. “Birds and beasts are flying low, the moon and stars are hidden. The climate on this island is far more extreme than we imagined.”

Rong Qi: “Three days?”

It was too soon.

The memory of the last storm was still vivid. It hadn’t been long since it passed, but the next heavy rain had already quietly gathered momentum and would strike soon.

He glanced at the torn blankets scattered at his feet, the ever-growing pile of hot stones, and the strange assortment of things around them… Without realizing it, Gu Yunxing had managed to gather so many items to stave off the cold. This person had clearly been preparing for the coming storm all along.

Rong Qi turned his gaze away. “We don’t need to search tomorrow.”

Gu Yunxing furrowed his brow, about to speak.

“If it’s a cliff like that, I know where it is,” Rong Qi said nonchalantly. “The inner part is even more spacious than what you’ve drawn.” But with three sides exposed to the wind, it wasn’t an ideal place to rest. That’s why, even though Rong Qi had seen it before, he hadn’t considered it a potential refuge.

Rong Qi’s gaze shifted once more to Gu Yunxing’s injured leg. “It’s pretty far from here. It’ll take about an hour to get there. With your current pace… you probably won’t even make it in half a day.” His distaste was evident, though he didn’t outright say, “Your limp is such a burden.”

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Rong Qi was awakened by a noise.

Gu Yunxing was quietly pulling him, trying to move him to the side.

Rong Qi, still groggy, yawned and half-opened his eyes, looking at him with a confused expression.

Gu Yunxing moved closer and spoke softly, “This humble Gu is going out for a bit. I’ll trouble the Right Protector to move over.”

It turned out that in his sleep, he had been blocking the entrance to the cabin. Rong Qi, still groggy, didn’t ask any more questions. He simply rolled over to another corner and curled up again, not forgetting to drape the tattered rabbit fur blanket over his stomach.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the scent of food drifted in from outside the cabin.

Rong Qi opened his eyes, fully awake now. He sat up, staring blankly at the rabbit fur blanket for a moment. Once his mind cleared, he slowly crawled out of the cabin and looked up to see Gu Yunxing.

Gu Yunxing had already boiled hot water and prepared some food. He had even picked a small bunch of berries, washed them, and set them aside. When he saw Rong Qi come out, he waved a greeting.

Rong Qi kept his expression neutral, but a warning bell went off in his mind. There was always something suspicious about someone being overly kind without reason.

However, Gu Yunxing didn’t say much. After handing Rong Qi half of a perfectly roasted rabbit, he quietly ate his own portion. His attitude was neither warm nor cold, and not much different from usual.

Rong Qi thought that he was just being overly suspicious.

If someone had told him a month ago that Gu Yunxing, the leader of Tianji Sect, would be so attentive in taking care of him one day, he would have sneered. But during these past few days of illness, Gu Yunxing’s care had been nothing short of ‘meticulous.’

He should have gotten used to it by now.

But there was always something oddly unsettling about it.

Gu Yunxing: “There are also some berries. Although they’re a bit sour, they’re crisp and fragrant.”

Rong Qi: “……”

And so, with a mix of complex emotions, he finished his breakfast, even accidentally overeating in the process.

Gu Yunxing: “How’s the rest?”

Rong Qi considered for a moment, then replied, “Not bad.”

Gu Yunxing smiled, his tone gentle. “Then let’s head out.”

Rong Qi’s eyelid twitched, and an inexplicable ominous premonition arose.

Gu Yunxing: “This humble Gu will trouble Right Protector Rong to lead the way. I’ll do my best to keep up. If I get too tired, I’ll need you to carry me for a bit.”

Rong Qi was suddenly enlightened. In the end, Gu Yunxing still wanted him to carry him! He wasn’t polite about it. “How dare you ask someone who’s just recovered from a fever to carry you across mountains?”

Gu Yunxing looked surprised. “Mountains? Are we going beyond the mountains?”

He was really good at playing dumb. Rong Qi gave a cold smile, said nothing, stuffed the berries into his pocket, stood up, and headed toward the forest on his own.

Gu Yunxing quickly grabbed his crutch and followed behind.

No one knew how long they had been walking.

Rong Qi, clearly annoyed, asked, “When exactly is your leg going to heal?”

Gu Yunxing: “It will take some time.”

Sect Master Gu, who needed ‘some time’ before he could bounce around again, was now struggling to keep up with Rong Qi’s pace.

After walking in silence for a while, Rong Qi finally stopped. His exasperated gaze fell on the staggering figure behind him. His expression shifted several times before he turned around with a grimace and snapped, “Fine, this venerable one will carry you!”

At the rate Gu Yunxing was hobbling, there was no way they could make it back before dark.

If not for the incoming storm, Rong Qi would’ve left him behind halfway.

Gu Yunxing did seem to be struggling. When he leaned onto Rong Qi’s back, his breathing was noticeably labored.

“Keep your distance.” Warm breaths brushed against the back of his neck, making Rong Qi uncomfortable. He shifted his shoulders irritably.

Gu Yunxing turned his head slightly, but with the awkward position, he couldn’t quite meet Rong Qi’s demand.

“Although this place is desolate, it has a unique charm, very different from Jiangnan,” Gu Yunxing remarked as he took in the scenery. “This humble Gu has heard that Lihuo Palace is nestled deep within the mountains, surrounded by greenery year-round, like a paradise. Is that true?”

Rong Qi didn’t respond and simply pressed on in silence.

Gu Yunxing spoke to himself, “It’s a pity that Tianji Sect is based in Lincang City. We rarely get to see such vast, natural beauty. The Right Protector and I have at least shared hardship together. If we are lucky enough to leave the island, perhaps we can visit each other someday?”

Rong Qi’s brows knitted tightly, and his reply was laced with gritted teeth. “Who wants to visit you?”

He was the one doing all the hard work, yet Gu Yunxing had the leisure to enjoy the scenery?

“Anyone who trespasses in my Lihuo Palace ends up as food for wild dogs!” Rong Qi said as he clambered over a pile of loose stones. “And your Tianji Sect is part of the righteous path. Aren’t you afraid that associating with a demon like me will ruin your reputation?”

Gu Yunxing: “Righteous path? So that’s how Right Protector Rong sees the Tianji Sect.”

Rong Qi was momentarily stunned. “Am I wrong?”

Gu Yunxing shook his head, then remembered Rong Qi couldn’t see and added, “Tianji Sect doesn’t concern itself with the disputes of the jianghu. How can the righteous and the evil in this world be so clearly distinguished?”

Rong Qi looked slightly surprised and couldn’t help glancing back to gauge his expression, but he only saw a hand resting on his shoulder. He let out a sneer. “Say that again in front of Alliance Leader Fang. He might just be heartbroken.”

Gu Yunxing replied mildly, “Fang Lian is a friend. I chased you all the way to the East Sea to save a friend, not to save the Wulin Alliance Leader.”

Rong Qi fell silent for a long time after hearing that.

Gu Yunxing didn’t seem to be lying, and he had no reason to deliberately distance himself from the righteous path just to impress him.

Thinking it over, the Tianji Sect truly wasn’t like most other martial arts schools. Although based in the city, its members mostly lived in seclusion and rarely involved themselves with any faction in the martial arts society. It was only after Gu Yunxing and Fang Lian became close that the jianghu gradually began to associate Tianji Sect with the righteous path.

In fact, if he hadn’t kidnapped Fang Lian, he and Gu Yunxing might never have crossed paths.

Not to mention that Tianji Sect and Lihuo Palace were far apart, the former had never shown the slightest interest in ‘exterminating demons and defending the righteous path.’ As for Lihuo Palace, they certainly wouldn’t provoke such a strong enemy for no reason.

So the two sides had rarely clashed. The worst conflict between them was probably the infamous incident of the ‘Lihuo Palace’s Right Protector abducting the Tianji Sect Master’s friend.’

Rong Qi pulled his thoughts back. Thinking too much wouldn’t help now. At this point, he and Gu Yunxing were stuck in the same boat. Discussing the distinction between righteous and evil was rather pointless.

“I’m done walking. I need a break!”

Carrying a grown man was no easy feat. Rong Qi was still recovering and hadn’t regained his full strength. No matter how pressed for time they were, he wasn’t about to push himself past his limit.

Gu Yunxing had no objections. Once he was set down, he pulled out a water flask and offered it to Rong Qi.

Rong Qi waved it off without taking it, choosing instead to sit quietly and recover his strength.

Despite the low temperature in the island, a thin sheen of sweat clung to his skin. His pale complexion was tinged with faint red, the weariness plain on his face. He was still wearing the same loose black robe from the day they fell into the sea. The wide sleeves fluttered in the wind, adding an air of untamed elegance to the ruthless right protector of the demon palace, setting him apart from the rest of the martial arts society.

But thinking again, Gu Yunxing realized that the wide sleeves and long robe were likely meant to conceal his stash of poisoned hidden weapons.

Rong Qi still felt overheated. He glanced at Gu Yunxing. Remembering how his condition had deteriorated after his illness, he no longer bothered to keep up appearances. Right in front of Gu Yunxing, he shook the hidden weapons out from his sleeves and tucked them into the front of his robe. Then he rolled up the loose sleeves, revealing both pale forearms, trying to cool down.

Not long after, one hand slipped back into his robe and pulled out the leftover berries from that morning.

“……” Gu Yunxing silently turned his gaze away.