Chapter Twelve: An Unexpected Encounter with Xiao Mo

Chapter Twelve: An Unexpected Encounter with Xiao Mo

Swept along by the rushing current, the silhouette of a man kept surfacing in the middle of the torrent.

When Ye Bai regained consciousness, he found himself lying on the bank of a river, entirely uncertain of his location. The surroundings remained much the same as before, save for the addition of the river. After sitting by the water’s edge for a while to clear his head, he realized that this time, he truly had no idea where he was. Dusk was already falling; he couldn’t even determine which way was north. His magnetic blade and pistol had long since been swept away by the river. Groping through his pockets, he was relieved to find that the wormwood he always carried and a flash grenade were still on him.

Ye Bai dared not linger by the riverbank, fearing that something—or some mutant beast—might come to the water to drink. He’d been passed out here for quite some time; to have survived was sheer luck, but fortune’s favor is never guaranteed.

He found a sturdy stick along the shore and leaned on it as he ventured into the mountains. With no sense of direction, he simply picked a path at random.

It was much the same as before: a verdant world, the spongy earth beneath his feet, and no clear trail in sight. Alone, aimless, Ye Bai felt keenly the frailty of life. Had he not been lucky, he would have died several times already. For the first time, he realized how lacking his own strength was—any random Wood Guardian Beast, a few Face-Stealing Wasps, and his life was hanging by a thread. And this was only the edge and middle reaches of the Ghostwood Mountains; what would it be like deeper within?

“Will I survive?” For the first time, Ye Bai yearned for power. He wished these mountains would never stand in his way; wished to bask in the sun on the beach with his mother and sister; wished for a world where any place was safe. That people needn’t huddle in the three main cities or the nine subordinate towns, but could roam wherever their hearts desired.

Ye Bai knew he couldn’t possibly make it back to the guard post before nightfall. His most pressing task was to find a place to survive the mutant beasts’ nocturnal rampage, to get through the night safely and search for a way back come morning. But after searching for so long, all he found were towering trees—nothing else.

He couldn’t possibly spend the night up in a tree. That was a joke; with trees this large, how could there not be mutant beasts? He’d never believe it. Dig a deep pit and hide in it? This was the middle reaches, a haunt of supernatural beasts—no matter how deep he dug, they’d sniff him out.

Neither option seemed feasible. Ye Bai was at a loss. If he couldn’t find a hiding place, once darkness fell and the mutant beasts grew active, surviving the night would be near impossible.

Just as Ye Bai was wracking his brains for a hiding spot, a surge of green light suddenly shimmered through the dense forest.

He parted the undergrowth and peered toward the source of the emerald glow. A supernatural beast? Ye Bai’s first instinct, upon seeing the giant creature ahead, was to run. But in the next instant, a graceful figure charged straight at the mutant beast.

He was too far away to tell for sure if the monster ahead was a supernatural beast, but at this point, he had little choice. Night was almost upon him, and he had yet to find shelter. He could only hope that this striking figure would defeat the beast and perhaps help him find a way out—however slim the chance.

As he drew closer, Ye Bai confirmed that the creature before him was indeed a supernatural beast. Its skin was not like that of any human or animal, but rather resembled fibrous plant tissue. Upon a closer look, Ye Bai recognized it at once.

Its rough skin was devoid of eyes, features, or even a face—only a gaping, pitch-black maw (which Ye Bai assumed was its mouth). He couldn’t imagine how it perceived its enemies. Two thick legs, constantly shedding bits of grass, supported its hulking form. One arm was like a tree growing from its shoulder, while the other was shaped like a normal human limb, swinging to parry the girl’s attacks.

Ye Bai concealed himself not far from the battlefield. To fight a supernatural beast hand-to-hand and wound it so badly—at the very least, this girl had to be an entry-level Starcore Warrior. Who could know what kind of temper she had or what taboos she observed?

Before long, their struggle neared its end. The supernatural beast collapsed, its green crystalline core dissolving into the earth. The woman, her back to Ye Bai, reached out but failed to seize the crystal.

Suddenly, Ye Bai’s vision blurred, and a voice like tinkling silver bells sounded in his ear.

“Don’t you know it’s improper to sneak about while others are fighting?” A long, jade-green sword appeared at Ye Bai’s throat.

He was still lying prone, head turned towards the spot where the green crystal had vanished. He’d felt a rush of wind, and then the sword was at his neck, a faint fragrance wafting to his nose—whether of forest blooms or the girl herself, he couldn’t tell.

“Xiao… Xiao Mo?” Ye Bai dared not move. He had heard Xiao Mo’s voice before, as clear and crystalline as silver bells. He couldn’t be sure, but with the blade at his throat, he decided to take a chance.

“Who are you?” Xiao Mo moved her sword slightly away from Ye Bai’s neck, but should he attempt anything, she could kill him in an instant.

Feeling the blade draw back from his throat, Ye Bai’s heart eased somewhat. He was now certain the person behind him was Xiao Mo, and continued, “Xiao Mo, it’s me, Ye Bai. I accidentally wandered into the middle of Ghostwood Mountain and got lost. I was hoping to find someone to lead me out—never expected to run into you here. Do you think you could…?” Of course, Ye Bai wouldn’t admit to Xiao Mo that he’d been driven here while fleeing for his life—his pride wouldn’t allow it.

At this, Xiao Mo finally lowered her sword. She had heard of Ye Bai, though she rarely attended class herself. Still, she remembered him—the boy who always wore a confident smile, whose looks weren’t striking, but whose grin was nonetheless charming.

“Get up. What are you doing here? You’re only at the Body Tempering stage, aren’t you?” Xiao Mo sheathed her sword.

Ye Bai turned around and stood up, his face flushing with embarrassment. This was the first time he’d seen Xiao Mo so close. Her black hair was tied loosely behind her with a yellow ribbon, wisps drifting across her brow in the breeze. After battling the mutant beast, her cheeks were flushed and rosy. A touch of eyeshadow highlighted her double-lidded eyes, which now reflected his own image, as though imprinting him in her gaze. Tiny beads of sweat dotted her delicate nose; her lips, pink and dewy as cherries, adorned her blossom-shaped face, lightly made up with blush on her cheeks. She wore a red gown cinched with a cream-colored belt, accentuating her graceful figure, and her exquisite, fair feet peeked out from beneath her skirt.

Though she stood right before Ye Bai, Xiao Mo radiated a pure, ethereal aura—untouched by the world’s filth, a beauty to be admired but never defiled.

“I…” Ye Bai began, but before he could finish, Xiao Mo’s cheeks deepened in color, a hint of annoyance flickering in her eyes. Her cheeks puffed slightly, adding to her charm.

“Forget it, I won’t ask. I should be able to finish off that supernatural beast by tomorrow—once I do, I’ll take you out of here.” With that, Xiao Mo quickly turned away, as though unable to bear the intensity of Ye Bai’s gaze, or perhaps out of a maiden’s shyness.

As night slowly descended, Xiao Mo walked ahead, Ye Bai following close behind. He noticed a faint aura of elemental power radiating from Xiao Mo, repelling all around her—perhaps as a precaution against him, for who could truly know another’s heart?