Chapter 49: A Chance Encounter

  The sun sets in the west, and a ray of twilight falls between the mountains.

  The beast's howl was faintly audible, two young men walked shoulder to shoulder, their feet exerting force, running swiftly like flying.

  Before long, night falls, the air is damp, and dew condenses on the leaves of grass.

  Zhang Tianhe reached out to touch the dew on the leaves and said, "It seems that the heat is heavy, and the dew is condensed from the cold air. The spiritual energy and evil energy in this Qingyun mountain range are intertwined, and it's not suitable for us to continue on our journey. Why don't we find a place to start a fire and rest for the night, and then head deeper into the mountains tomorrow?"

  Ye Yang also felt a bit tired, so he nodded and said, "Okay!"

  Zhang Tianhe pointed forward: "Zi Yu, look, there's a firelight at the foot of the mountain ahead. It seems like someone is camping there. Let's go take a look, shall we?"

  "Hmm!"

  ……

  Two figures sped away, and in the air, two silhouettes with a faint blue aura flew by like lightning.

  As they approached, they found that a bonfire had been lit in the mountain valley, and more than ten people were gathered around it. Among these people, seven or eight of them looked like guards, with strength at around level 6 of the Great Earth Realm. There were also several people dressed in luxurious clothes, but their cultivation was average, and they didn't seem to be here for training.

  On the spit was a fourth-order magical beast, Qing Ling, a creature with extremely strong agility that was very difficult to capture. However, its meat was tender and had a chewy texture, making it a rare delicacy on the imperial nobles' dining tables. Ordinary people's homes didn't even get to see such game.

  After all, the strength of a fourth-order demon beast in any human town is an explosive existence! Although Qing Ling doesn't hurt people, once it goes crazy, it's hard to guarantee that it won't do something.

  Two people stood on top of a hill, Ye Yang hugged his arms in front of his chest, gazing faintly at the line of people in the valley below.

  Zhang Tianhe knocked for a while and smiled: "It seems that we have met a noble person!"

  "What did you say?"

  "There were several people wearing sable fur, and the jade at their waist was a rare treasure in the world. They must be nobles from some country!"

  Ye Yang smiled: "Do we need to go take a look?"

  Zhang Tianhe nodded: "Mmm, I've never had the meat of a green antelope before. Now that I smell this fragrance, my stomach has been churning and can't wait!"

  "Haha, let's go!"

  Ye Yang sprang up with the Broken Flame Sword, leaped down from the high mountain ridge, and his agile figure appeared in the woods a few times before arriving on flat ground.

  "Shasha..."

  Stepping on the withered branches on the ground, he deliberately made some noise. Originally, his cultivation was absolutely quiet and could sneak up behind this group of people without making a sound, even kill them in an instant. However, he didn't want to do that, but instead wanted to hide his true strength, so he deliberately broke the branches, making himself appear mediocre.

  Zhang Tianhe was different, he pounced like a tiger and landed with a thud that seemed to shake the air, he wasn't pretending, but was originally unskilled in body techniques, relying solely on his brute strength and powerful true energy, as for the skillful use of power, he was far inferior to Ye Yang.

  "Who is it?!"

  By the bonfire, a warrior wearing black armor suddenly drew his wooden sword with a "clang" and turned around to glare angrily. In the Qingyun Mountains, killing and looting were happening all the time, so everyone was on high alert, treating everything as an enemy. After all, sometimes monsters are terrifying, but humans can be even more terrifying than monsters. The ghost swordsman was just such an example.

  Several strong men by the bonfire quickly drew their sharp blades and asked, "Who comes?"

  Ye Yang appeared exceptionally calm, smiling faintly: "I am a good citizen of Liangcheng, my name is Ye Yang. This is my friend Zhang Tianhe. By the order of the Heavenly Master, we are on our way to Qingyun Mountain Range to slay demons. We got lost along the way and ran out of dry rations. May I ask if it's possible for us to borrow some food from you gentlemen?"

  Zhang Tianhe stepped forward, patted his belly and smiled: "I'm starving, can I borrow some food first?"

  Suddenly, a middle-aged man holding a broadsword walked forward, seemingly the leader of this group. He glanced at Ye Yang and Zhang Tianhe, and coldly said: "There's no food here, you two quickly leave, otherwise don't blame me for being ruthless with my sword!"

  Zhang Tianhe was taken aback and couldn't help but say: "Not giving me food is one thing, but how can you be so unreasonable?"

  "Clang!"

  The middle-aged man drew out his sharp sword and shouted: "Still not leaving?"

  Zhang Tianhe was about to charge forward, but Ye Yang grabbed him and held him back. Suddenly, a wave of scorching true energy enveloped Zhang Tianhe's entire body, rendering him immobile.

  Ye Yang signaled with his eyes and said in a low voice: "Tian He, this group of people has no grudges against us, there's no need to make enemies."

  "Hmmph!"

  Zhang Tianhe swung his arm and said, "If you don't give us food, then we won't eat. So what? We'll just go somewhere else!"

  ……

  Just as they were about to leave, a figure wrapped in a cloak suddenly stood up beside the bonfire and said in a sweet voice: "Please stay, young heroes!"

  "Huh?"

  Ye Yang and Zhang Tianhe stopped together, with the light of the bonfire, it was suddenly visible that under this black cloak was actually a beautiful young girl, her slender and delicate body hidden under the cloak had not revealed her beauty.

  A middle-aged man hastily walked over and respectfully said to the woman: "Your Highness, let's not make a fuss about this. These two people are of unknown origin and cannot be allowed to stay overnight!"

  The woman smiled softly: "In the treacherous Qingyun Mountains, we entered with over a hundred people, but now only more than ten are left. Although it's just a fleeting encounter, letting those two have a full meal for one night is merely our effort to lend a helping hand, why not do it?"

  "...". The middle-aged man was still hesitating.

  The woman smiled and said: "General, don't say anything more. I have decided to let the two young heroes stay here for the night."

  "Alright, Your Highness..."

  A middle-aged man coldly looked at Ye Yang and Zhang Tianhe, saying: "Alright, our master has already decided to let the two of you stay. You may sit down for now, and after this qingyang meat is roasted, we'll eat together!"

  Ye Yang nodded and smiled at the woman: "Thank you!"

  The girl smiled and nodded: "You're welcome."

  After finishing speaking, she rolled up her cloak and sat back on the blanket, lowering her head to gaze at the dancing flames, not saying a word.

  Zhang Tianhe stared at the roasted Qingyang meat and swallowed his saliva, while Ye Yang shook his head and whispered: "No future..."

  As he spoke, he picked up the broken flame sword and poked at the branches in the bonfire, causing the flames to dance even more fiercely.

  Glancing at the girl sitting on the ground, Ye Yang coughed and said: "Miss, where are you all going? You don't seem to be a team sent to slay demons. Why would you come to the perilous Qingyun Mountains?"

  The girl looked up at Ye Yang and said softly, "We didn't come to the Qingyun Mountains on purpose, but were forced to take a detour through the Qingyun Mountains to return to our country."

  "Oh? You... what kind of person are you?" Ye Yang was very surprised.

  The girl wanted to speak but hesitated.

  The middle-aged man then coldly said: "Youngster, stop asking so many questions. The more you know, the shorter your life will be. Some things are not for someone with shallow cultivation like you to know!"

  As expected, the middle-aged man had seven golden stars on his chest, indicating that he was at the seventh level of the Earth Realm. However, it was clear that he had only just entered the seventh level of the Earth Realm and couldn't see through Ye Yang and Zhang Tianhe's depths. Perhaps, in his eyes, Ye Yang's performance was merely that of a youth with around fourth-level Earth Realm strength.

  Zhang Tianhe clenched his fists, and a surge of true energy began to circulate, as if he wanted to give the middle-aged man a full-fledged "Heavenly Punishment Three Furies".

  Ye Yang's gaze stopped his good friend, and he smiled slightly: "Since you don't want to say it, I won't ask, but..."

  Ye Yang cast his gaze at the middle-aged man, saying word by word: "When I'm not asking you, it's better for you not to interrupt. You're also a noble, don't you have this basic upbringing?"

  "You!"

  The middle-aged man suddenly stood up, furious, as if he was about to fight to the death at any moment.