Chapter 676 - Gold and Glitter (IV) (Patreon)

Wan Lan kicked out, her right leg sweeping up diagonally towards Dai Xiu's ribs. The latter pushed forward, ducking underneath rather than retreating, left arm stretching out into an upward hook. Wan Lan raised her left one, elbowing down at the fist and causing a collision that swept out a harsh, biting wind, pushing both of them apart by about twenty yards.

Before either stabilized, Dai Xiu rushed forward yet again, immediately upon her, right fist pushing out. Rather than blocking, Wan Lan shifted her body so that the fist hit her left shoulder, punching out with her right arm towards Dai Xiu's face. The latter frowned, pulling back her punch and shifting backwards.

"Hey, you promised you wouldn't do that!" she yelled out as Wan Lan grinned.

"Sorry. It's instinct."

"Tsk, instinct my ass. You're just jealous I'm ten times prettier than you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, let's rest for a bit," Wan Lan said, walking over toward Light who was reading through some book and sitting down under the shade of a tree.

"You can't ever just play out the deal," Dai Xiu rambled on as she sat down, too. "You always ruin it."

"I already apologized," Wan Lan said. "Don't push for anything more."

"Haah," Dai Xiu sighed. "Wasn't the point to help me figure out better ways of using Endless Qi Ocean? If you just push for trading blows, then there's no point. One punch from you would probably make me unconscious for about a week, and the only way I can deal any damage to that thing you call a body is if I go in with the intent to kill you. Hmm. Maybe I should just go in with the intent to kill you, then?"

"May as well," Wan Lan said, sighing. "Though I'm fairly certain only Brother Tao and Master can actually kill me at this point." she felt a chill run down her spine rather quickly as a pair of apathetic eyes peeked from behind the book. "Er, a-and our little Light, of course."

"Wow. You're really scared of her that much?" Dai Xiu said, shuffling over next to Light and throwing her arm around the little girl. "Light, can you teach me how to make her pee herself like that?"

"Become about a million times stronger than you are right now," Light said.

"Tsk. Only nonsense ever comes out of her," she sighed, pulling away and leaning back into the tree. "Right. Did you two notice anything off with that idiot Zhao?" Wan Lan's ears perked up and even Light twitched a bit, her eyes wandering away from the letters of the book.

"Why do you ask?" Wan Lan said.

"I don't know," Dai Xiu frowned. "The last few weeks, he's been acting... kind of odd. And he's started to avoid me."

"More than usual?"

"Yeah, more than usual!" she exclaimed. "I thought he might have been mad because I took that last piece of chicken, but when I asked him about it, do you know what he said?"

"What?"

"I don't care!"

"... er?"

"It's chicken!" Dai Xiu exclaimed. "He used to literally put his hand on the handle of his sword if I reached for his piece of chicken! I'd feel my neck tense up every time! What is he talking about, I don't care~? Tsk, damn bastard, trying to act cool." Light looked at her quite... pitifully, and even Wan Lan could barely shore herself up.

Most of the group had an ongoing bet of whether them two would become Dao Companions. The bet traced back to quite some time ago, and though the progress between them had been minimal, it made sense as they were quite young. However, just recently, Wan Lan had noticed that Zhao had started looking at this berserk thing... differently. Her, on the other hand, Wan Lan could not read.

Though she was quite possessive of Xi Zhao, and had even admonished him in the past when he showed interest in other girls, it never felt like... jealousy, but rather something far more childish.

"What? Why are the two of you looking at me weirdly, too?" she frowned, immediately becoming aggressive.

"No, nothing. I just find it weird, too," Wan Lan said. "What do you think it is?"

"Hmm. Maybe he's sick?" she said. "Or maybe he's just weird because he's about to break through and understands he'll never be able to catch up to me because I'll keep leaving him in the dust? He he~"

"I think he's developed feelings for some girl," Light!!! Wan Lan nearly shouted as the little girl mumbled out the words that everybody else kept to themselves like the greatest secret.

"E-eh?" Dai Xiu winced, pulling back and staring at Light. "W-what are you talking about?"

"When we were in that auction," Light continued. "I saw him staring at that woman that was traveling with Elder Qin. She was quite pretty, so maybe he developed feelings for her is now feeling sad because she's gone?"

... Wan Lan did want to laugh and she did want to shout, but in the end stayed silent, closely observing Dai Xiu's changing expressions.

"Psh, no, no way," she said. "It's dumb Zhao. That idiot doesn't have anything but the sword on his mind."

"Hm. You're probably right," Light said.

"..."

"..."

"I knew it!!" Dai Xiu exclaimed, shooting up to her feet. "He's a beast, too! They're all beasts! How dare he think about some old hag when there's--when Master needs him to focus on cultivating! Hah, that bastard! Avoid me?! I'll avoid you with my fist! Just you wait... the moment he breaks through, I will beat him down until I knock that woman's face out of his memories! Damn bastard, how dare he?!" she sauntered off, leaving Wan Lan with her jaw hanging slightly.

She shook her head and turned to Light who'd resumed her reading, as if absolutely nothing transpired.

"You're a bit evil, aren't you?" Wan Lan asked.

"She was annoying me so I made her go away."

"... there were easier ways to do that," Wan Lan sighed. "Pushing her might backfire, you know?"

"Really?" Light looked up, meeting her gaze. "I think it's the opposite. Unless we spell it out for her, nothing will ever change."

"Then it wouldn't change," Wan Lan said. "Somethings can't--no, even if they can be forced, they shouldn't."

"... you're annoying, too. Why don't you go and make do with Brother Yimu instead of me, huh?" Wan Lan's eyebrows twitched as the little girl sneered.

"You don't say much, but you do sure hear everything," Wan Lan sighed. "He's... different."

"Different?" Light tilted her head.

"He's just slightly infatuated," Wan Lan said, standing up. "Besides, can you blame him?"

"I very much can."

"Maybe I ought to tell Master that our youngest isn't as nice of a girl as she pretends to be in front of him," that got quite the reaction out of the little one as even twilight-colored Qi materialized around her for a moment.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Keep testing me and see."

"... I'll cultivate with you for an hour."

"All is forgiven."

As Wan Lan stretched, her eyes inadvertently traveled downward where grandma (a word used only inwardly) Shufen was currently instructing Brother Yimu and Little Feng, telling them precisely how to build a terraced pavilion that was to eventually become their Alchemy Tower, where visitors will be able to buy and sell pills and herbs of all kinds.

There was just a small issue: neither of the two knew what they were doing. Wan Lan hoped Master would finally find some builders once they got to Gold City, as everyone was going just a tiny-touch insane over grandma Shufen's insistence and nagging over every last detail.

Just a tiny-bity-touch insane.