Chapter 1512

Long Xi Yue found a clean rock to sit on; just as she sat down, Hu Xiaotian had already come to her side, lifted her feet, and Long Xi Yue blushed, saying, "What are you trying to do?"

Hu Xiaotian said nothing, already removed her shoes and socks, yet saw Long Xi Yue's tender soles covered in countless blisters, many spots rubbed raw and bleeding. Although Long Xi Yue had tried to hide it, her limping gait still gave her away.

Hu Xiaotian pressed his lips together, a surge of pity welling up; he took out Golden Trauma Medicine and carefully treated Long Xi Yue's foot wounds, then wrapped them with clean gauze.

Seeing his distress, Long Xi Yue spoke softly, "It's fine; I've always been like this—walking easily gives me blisters, and I'm used to it, so it hardly hurts." Though her soles were in great pain, she still thought of comforting Hu Xiaotian so he wouldn't feel bad; she always puts others first.

The more she said that, the guiltier Hu Xiaotian felt; he bandaged Long Xi Yue's pair of jade feet, then lowered his head and pressed his cheek against her feet. Long Xi Yue blushed and said, "Hurry up and get up—if anyone sees, I'll die of shame."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I'm not afraid at all—I love your feet to death; why don't I kiss them a couple times?"

Long Xi Yue bit her cherry lips and said, "You're indeed an abnormal fellow."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "I have plenty of other unknown quirks; you can still regret it now."

Long Xi Yue said, "Too late—I'm already beyond saving." Their eyes met, and tender affection entwined endlessly.

From afar came Xia Zhangming's call for him.

Hu Xiaotian released Long Xi Yue's jade feet, smiled, and said, "Rest a moment; I'll be right back."

Long Xi Yue nodded, watched Hu Xiaotian go, and a blush brighter than dawn spread across her pretty face.

Hu Xiaotian came to Xia Zhangming's side and saw the five warriors already exhausted, leaning against tree trunks and dozing off.

Xia Zhangming felt somewhat guilty and said, "My lord, perhaps I was too sensitive, making you all trek all night." He had proposed breaking camp and leaving, marching all night, yet this night they encountered nothing—no one came to attack, and even Xia Zhangming himself began to doubt his judgment.

Hu Xiaotian smiled, "Often we must trust our intuition. Zhangming, answer me this: do you feel we can rest easy? Do you think yesterday's judgment was completely wrong? If so, I can now order a rest."

Xia Zhangming pressed his lips together, hesitating; although he had no evidence, deep down he sensed danger approaching. He whispered, "My lord, have you noticed the surroundings are unusually quiet?"

Hearing Xia Zhangming say that, Hu Xiaotian also began to feel something off; since last night he'd heard that frightening mountain bird cry, now he seemed not to hear any bird calls at all, not even a small animal—had all the birds and beasts gone to roost for the night? Yet many animals are nocturnal!

Xia Zhangming said, "Although I have no evidence, I just feel something's wrong. What exactly has happened on this road to make birds and beasts flee?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Could it be they're afraid I'll eat them all?" He said this only to ease the tense atmosphere; of course he knew it wasn't the answer.

Xia Zhangming lifted his head to gaze at the sky. The Black Kiss Bird he'd released had been flying for half an hour and still hadn't returned; he whispered, "Maybe we should keep marching! Leave Black Cool Mountain before sunset."

Hu Xiaotian nodded. Yet he understood that at their current speed, there was no chance—even if everything went smoothly, the earliest they could leave the mountains would be noon tomorrow.

After a brief rest, the party pressed on; the horses had severely slowed them, so Hu Xiaotian had everyone travel light, turning several exhausted mounts loose in the forest.

Long Xi Yue felt somewhat reluctant and whispered, "Are we really just going to let them fend for themselves here?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Everything has its own fate; we can't worry about all this now." He bent down and said, "Climb on—I'll carry you."

Long Xi Yue shook her head and said, "No need; I can still walk."

Hu Xiaotian didn't give her a choice, insisting on hoisting her onto his back; his inner strength was profound, his physique sturdy, and though bearing a person he remained vigorous, leading the way. Long Xi Yue lay on his back like on a rocking little boat, or like in a cradle—warm and peaceful—and soon fell asleep without realizing it; as long as she was beside Hu Xiaotian she needed neither worry nor fear, and any hardship became a wonderful experience for her.

Xia Zhangming dared not relax in the slightest, lowering his voice to Hu Xiaotian: "My lord, the Black Kiss Bird I released has been gone for a full hour already."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; after they resumed marching, they still found no trace of birds or beasts. Though the weather was fine, a cloud of gloom weighed on their hearts, an invisible pressure constantly pressing upon them.

The Black Kiss Bird Xia Zhangming sent out never returned; day after day, sunrise to sunset, they marched and rested, trying as much as possible to recover their strength. The enemy never showed themselves, yet Hu Xiaotian and Xia Zhangming both realized the foe was using this tactic to wear down their minds, waiting until their bodies and spirits were utterly exhausted to strike.

Before dusk they reached the summit of Black Cool Mountain, found a huge rock, set up camp on its leeward side, cooked meals, and rested there.

After discussion, they decided not to continue marching tonight.

The situation had become extremely strange; wherever they went, they still saw no sign of birds or beasts.

Hu Xiaotian climbed onto the boulder, gazed at the westering sun slowly sinking in the sky, and whispered, "Have you ever encountered such a situation before?"

Xia Zhangming shook his head and said, "No, never."

Hu Xiaotian said, "When a thousand mountains have no flying birds and ten thousand roads lack human traces, could there be something terrifying in Black Cool Mountain that frightens birds and beasts away?" He turned toward the camp, saw Long Xi Yue directing the warriors to pitch the tents, realized he was looking at her, and Long Xi Yue glanced back with a smile, radiant and peerless.

Hu Xiaotian returned the smile, but he did not reveal the true nature of the strange circumstances they faced, not wanting to frighten them too much; however, from their nonstop day-and-night marching, even someone as clever as Long Xi Yue could easily infer that a formidable enemy was pursuing them.

Xia Zhangming pressed his lips together, whispered, "No matter how powerful something is, it couldn't possibly affect such a vast area…" He paused, then said, "Beast Tamer!"

Hu Xiaotian himself was also suspicious; aside from a Beast Tamer, who else could have such ability—someone who could make birds vanish and beasts leave no trace along their path must be at least equal to Xia Zhangming in strength, perhaps there is more than one Beast Tamer. The Black Kiss Bird Xia Zhangming sent to scout never returned; perhaps it fell into enemy hands, or perhaps it was slaughtered, for a Black Kiss Bird never loses its way.

Xia Zhangming looked around and asked, "My lord, do you know why I suggested we camp here to rest?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "This is the highest point of Black Cool Mountain, easy to defend, hard to attack! If any sudden situation arises, we can retreat here."

Xia Zhangming nodded and said, "This battle will happen sooner or later; tomorrow we can leave Black Cool Mountain and enter Xichuan territory, making him miss his best chance to attack—he must strike before we depart Black Cool Mountain."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Since last night he's been deliberately creating tension, making us afraid to camp, wearing us out with constant marching, all to drain our strength and spirit."

Xia Zhangming said, "The enemy lurks in the dark while we are in the light; this battle won't be easy to fight."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Just rest; I'll stand guard!"

Xia Zhangming said, "He's likely not going to attack tonight either, since tomorrow we'll still be moving through Black Cool Mountain's forests."

Hu Xiaotian slapped Xia Zhangming's shoulder and said, "No matter who it is, if they dare come, we won't let them go back—even the Beast Demon Yan Huyao, a top expert of the Hundred Beasts Sect, ended up fleeing before us in the end." He said this more to boost Xia Zhangming's confidence.

Xia Zhangming shook his head and said, "Last time the Beast Demon didn't linger in battle, merely showing his true strength." He looked up at the sky and said, "Not a single bird in sight—although Beast Demon Yan Huyao is very skilled at driving beasts, he is far inferior to me in controlling birds."

Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; the implication of Xia Zhangming's words was that the hidden foe must be a master of bird control, for hardly anyone in the world could surpass Xia Zhangming in that skill—even Luo Qianfu of Python Flood Island, considered a bird‑control expert, had still lost to Xia Zhangming; could it really be true that "there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens"? Hu Xiaotian suddenly thought of a person, the Feather Demon Li Chang'an; perhaps only a Feather Demon could exceed Xia Zhangming, yet Xia Zhangming was precisely the one Li Chang'an recommended to him, and Hu Xiaotian owed Li Chang'an his life, so he shouldn't turn against him. Seeing Xia Zhangming's brows locked tight, his expression grave as never before—Hu Xiaotian had never seen him under such pressure—wondered if Xia Zhangming had arrived at the same thought.

Hu Xiaotian asked offhandedly, "Zhangming, have you been in touch with Mr. Li lately?"

Xia Zhangming was startled by the question; Hu Xiaotian's guess was correct—Xia Zhangming had also thought of Li Chang'an. In the world, outstanding Beast Tamers are few, and those who can surpass him in bird control are rarer still; Xia Zhangming slowly shook his head and said, "I haven't seen him in a long time."

The ticket rankings are urgent; everyone should have seen it—let's unite and overcome the crisis together. No more words, Zhangyu, go type! (To be continued~^~)