Following beside Li Guanqi, Ye Feng was likewise immersed in the lingering sorrow of their recent departure.
After quite some time, the two had already flown past the borders of the Great Xia Sword Sect.
Only then did Ye Feng speak up, sounding somewhat lost. "So... does this mean we've officially left the sect for now?"
Li Guanqi turned to look at him with a smile. "What else did you think? By the way, do you need to inform your family?"
Ye Feng tossed his head, brushing his golden hair back and tying it up as he muttered, "I told my dad long ago. A grown man like him crying his eyes out like a child. Right, Boss, where are we heading? You've looked full of confidence this whole time."
Li Guanqi gazed ahead, facing the rising sun, and murmured, "The Eastern Domain. Facing the sun—living toward the light!"
"Hahaha, who knew you could be so poetic, Boss? All right then! East it is!"
Li Guanqi spread his arms and lowered his protective barrier of origin power, letting the fierce wind buffet his face.
He could feel a vast, magnificent world waiting for him!
Heavenly treasures, the scheming and intrigues between cultivators, all manner of rare secret realms, and blessed grottos—every bit of it filled him with excitement!
Yet right after, Li Guanqi took off his white robe and changed into the gray coarse linen clothes he had worn when he first entered the sect.
Looking down at his cuffs, Li Guanqi couldn't help but chuckle. "Did Grandfather foresee that I'd still be wearing this now? It fits just right."
Then he took off the storage ring on his finger, keeping only a single storage bag tucked in his robes. Inside were merely twenty to thirty low-grade spirit stones alongside various odds and ends.
Seeing him bustling about, Ye Feng frowned in puzzlement. "Boss, what are you doing?"
Li Guanqi shot a sideways glance at the extravagant robe on Ye Feng and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "Take it off."
"Huh? Why, Boss?"
Though Ye Feng asked, his hands were not slow in the least; in a few deft motions, he stripped off his dharma robe.
With a grave expression, Li Guanqi said, "Rule number one for traveling the world: never flaunt your wealth! You're wearing that shimmering dharma robe—are you worried people won't realize you're loaded?"
Ye Feng nodded in complete agreement and changed into the ordinary clothes he usually wore back in his clan. Even so, the brocade robe was still rather eye-catching, though it was far better than the shimmering dharma robe from before. Expecting a pampered young master like Ye Feng to wear coarse hemp was a bit much anyway.
Ye Feng followed suit, taking off the storage ring from his finger as well. Having finished, he looked at Li Guanqi like an obedient student.
Li Guanqi gave an appreciative nod with slight reluctance. "Mm, well done."
Ye Feng grinned. "Haha, see, Boss? I've got a knack for learning, don't I?"
"Right, right, you sure do... Now for the second thing I need to tell you!"
Li Guanqi's expression remained solemn, and the stern atmosphere unconsciously rubbed off on Ye Feng. Ye Feng wiped the grin from his face and listened intently.
Li Guanqi took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Except for me, never trust anyone!"
"Huh?!"
A look of reminiscence flickered in Li Guanqi's eyes as he spoke softly. "Remember: human nature is the ugliest thing of all. Originally, I intended to embark on this journey alone. However, you and I have been through a great deal together in the sect. I view you as a brother of my own, which is why I brought you along. So along the way, you must obey my arrangements in everything! If you can agree to that, we travel together. If not, you go on your own."
Ye Feng hurried to say, "I agree, I agree! Boss, please don't chase me away..."
Seeing how readily he agreed, Li Guanqi couldn't tell whether the boy was just carefree or utterly brainless. Still, Ye Feng had one great virtue: he took advice.
"Since you've agreed, you have to heed my words. This trip is meant as experiential training. We should avoid revealing our sect identity if at all possible, so we don't invite needless trouble. Furthermore... once you strike, you must pull the weeds up by the roots! No matter who they are or what background they hold!"
A cold glint flickered across Ye Feng's eyes as he replied quietly, "Don't worry, Boss. I know what's what."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly and added, "One last thing. The two of us came out here to build our strength. Earn what we should earn, take what we should take. Above all, keep your nose out of other people's business!"
Having said that, he fixed an intense stare upon Ye Feng. He had seen far too many terrible outcomes caused by meddling.
Though Ye Feng didn't understand the full depth of it, he knew Li Guanqi did! So he agreed to everything, shooting forward as a streak of light.
"Boss! Let's race to see who's faster!"
Li Guanqi smiled faintly. As the Core within him hummed, his origin power surged like a roaring dragon, tearing through his meridians!
Boom!
A purple streak instantly left Ye Feng hundreds of zhang behind! As he circulated the Roaming the Clouds movement technique, his figure shot into the distance like a darting fish.
Ye Feng grinned and activated his own movement technique, pursuing in haste!
Just like that, the two young lads embarked on their long journey.
Li Guanqi was still half a year shy of turning sixteen. By the customs of the Great Xia Domain, sixteen marked the age of adulthood.
Three days later.
By now, the two were at least three thousand li away from the Great Xia Sword Sect. Along the way, they had passed mountains and rivers amidst the calls of birds and beasts.
Under the shroud of night, within a nameless mountain range, two figures were busily working around the massive carcass of a boar beast.
Even with the help of his divine sense, it took Li Guanqi considerable effort to skin the boar. Once it was washed, Ye Feng stared eagerly at the boar meat roasting over the fire, swallowing hard.
Sizzle, sizzle.
A rich aroma quickly filled the air. Monster beasts naturally had delicious meat, to say nothing of this second-rank Black Xuan wild boar. The thick layers of fat sizzled as the flames licked them.
Before long, the two began savoring the rare delicacy.
Ye Feng took a huge bite, moved almost to tears. Sleeping rough out in the open over the past few days, they hadn't enjoyed a single decent meal. By rights, having stepped into the Core Formation realm, both of them had already achieved inedia. Yet having eaten food for over a decade, suddenly abstaining altogether felt hard to get used to.
Li Guanqi happily took a bite of roasted meat as well, uncorking the wine gourd at his waist and tilting his head back to take a swig.
"Mmph! Mmmph!!"
Seeing Ye Feng pounding his chest with his eyes rolling back from choking, Li Guanqi tossed the wine gourd over with a wry sigh.
Yet just as he threw it, his ears twitched and he spun his head around sharply!
With a flick of his hand, he snuffed out the campfire, then drew in dead branches and fallen leaves from around them to blanket the ground. He glanced around, his nostrils twitching slightly as his expression shifted.
Just as Ye Feng was still bewildered, rustling sounds suddenly arose in the distance, accompanied by a woman's cry for help!
"Help! Save me!!"
Li Guanqi gave a cold sneer, grabbed Ye Feng, concealed their presence, and darted off in the opposite direction.
Chapter 189