After the silence dragged on, broken by the thump of feet on the ground, Li Yao said, “Sorry.”
In the distance, the Elders shifted their attention away, content to leave the matter alone.
“It’s fine. I really do not know why the pixiu said what it did.” Wu Ying scratched his head as embarrassment at his outburst caught up with him.
“No harm done,” Chao Kun said.
The group ran in silence for a time before Tou He spoke up. “He does have a dragon’s temper… owww! Damn it, Wu Ying, you didn’t have to hit… owww!”
The remainder of the journey to the base camp was filled with no surprises. In fact, things became routine and almost boring. As there were no further dangers, Wu Ying was forced to spend hours harvesting what herbs and spirit plants they could find. Even as the expedition decreased the volume of area they harvested in, the lack of civilization ensured the harvesters always had something to pick. When everyone else had time to rest, eat a proper lunch, and sleep a full night, Wu Ying had to scarf down his food then harvest until short hours before the dawn sun rose. Even if the guards accompanied the harvesters, at least they could rotate shifts. By the time they reached the clearing from which they intended to operate, even Ru Ping was feeling the strain of the unending work.
If there was one advantage to all this work, it was how the constant running and fighting had provided Wu Ying further impetus to reinforce his cultivation. As Wu Ying slumped by the beginnings of the cooking fire, he felt his eyelids drift closed, and his breathing deepening. Only to be interrupted by a slap on his back.
“Wake up. No cultivating yet,” Tou He said as he sat by Wu Ying.
“I wasn’t cultivating,” Wu Ying said.
“I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt,” Tou He said.
Wu Ying shook his head, looking around the buzzing encampment. The porters were already at work, one of them tending the burgeoning fire. The other porter was setting up the expeditions’ tents from the backpacks they had borne all this way. As this was intended to be their base camp for the next week, the porters were taking greater pains in the set up.
Even the other members of the expedition were taking part in this activity for once. Liu Tsong was beside Elder Wei, carefully clearing the ground in the spot they deemed worthy of their time. Elder Dong was walking the encampment with his compass, judging the lay of the land as he planned the layout of their defensive and spirit-gathering formations. While Elder Dong was just of the second ring as a formation master, his formations were sufficient to protect and alert the group against most threats if he had sufficient time to set them up. Outside of these groups, a few of the guards were being directed by Elder Po himself as they cleared a few saplings around the base.
The only people who were not doing anything, Wu Ying realized, were himself, Ru Ping, and a couple of guards. When Wu Ying located Ru Ping lounging under a convenient tree, the senior cultivator gestured for Wu Ying to stay seated.
“Should I help out?” Wu Ying muttered.
“No,” Tou He said firmly. “You’ll likely have to do some harvesting soon. But it seems like there is no rush, since we will be here for a while.”
“How about you?” Wu Ying said, curious as to why Tou He was not forced to help.
“Elder Li is concerned the flower might have blossomed already,” Tou He said. “As such, once we’ve rested, a small group will be traveling to view the flower.”
“And you’ve been chosen,” Wu Ying said.
“Along with Senior Ge,” Tou He acknowledged. “We’re taking the majority of the guards.”
Wu Ying frowned, wondering if he would be forced to go, thus Ru Ping’s gesture. Then again, no one had spoken to him about the trip. After a moment, Wu Ying shrugged and left the matter alone. He had no desire to volunteer for more work.
In a short twenty minutes, Ru Ping walked over, glancing at Tou He. “Did your friend speak of what we are doing?”
“Yes,” Wu Ying said. “Am I coming?”
“No. The two of us are sufficient,” Ru Ping said. “We’ll take you there eventually, but it is unlikely you will be needed. Rest for now. Maybe take a shower.”
In short order, the guards and Elder Li assembled and took off, heading farther west. Wu Ying eyed the group, knowing they intended to head not toward the peak but to a clearing just below it. Even as Wu Ying watched, the smaller group disappeared into the undergrowth, the dense vegetation swallowing them with nary a sign of their passing.
Wu Ying sighed and closed his eyes to relax. For the first time in a while, the cultivator could rest without concern. At least until the group returned in a few hours.
Later that day, when Wu Ying woke from his short but restful nap, he found the camp abuzz with activity. A pot hung over the cooking fire before him, the smell of well-cooked porridge wafting to Wu Ying’s nose and waking his rumbling stomach. Around him, groups of cultivators walked, talked, or cultivated, most murmuring softly to one another. As Wu Ying looked up, he was surprised to see it was late in the day, the edges of the sun peeking out from the mountain peak.
“Awake at last?” Liu Tsong said as she came to sit beside him. Wu Ying could not help but notice she automatically took a seat upwind, another reminder he had yet to shower since today’s earlier cultivation-inspired run.
“Yes,” Wu Ying said, then decided washing could wait. He conjured a bowl from his spatial ring and ladled the porridge into his bowl, then he pulled out a spoon and stirred the rice porridge to cool it faster. “I’m surprised no one woke me earlier.”
“There’s no point.” Liu Tsong gestured to where Elder Wei continued to fuss over her pill cauldron. Beside the Elder stood an inner sect member with cleaning pads, an urn of spring water, and infinite patience. Liu Tsong’s movement then shifted, encompassing Elder Dong, who continued to walk the perimeter, marking out locations for formation flags. “No one has work for you to do. Until the formations are complete, we do not want to attract any further attention.”
That made sense. Though he was surprised Elder Li had let him rest this long, even if it was sensible. Turning his head to where her tent was located, he was surprised to see it dark and empty, as was Ru Ping’s. A quick scan showed the encampment was busy but lacking in bodies.
“Are they not back yet?” Wu Ying said.
“No. Elder Li mentioned to Elder Wei she might delay returning in order to spend the time modifying the environment,” Liu Tsong said. “You should be able to sleep well tonight.”
Wu Ying smiled at the truth of the statement. There was little use in harvesting material when it would have to sit and wait for Elder Li’s return to be properly stored. Wu Ying shook aside a flicker of misgivings, focusing instead on the fact he could, at last, rest. The time spent running and cultivating had stretched his dantian, putting him closer than ever to his next breakthrough, but it had also wearied him more than ever.
“Good. How are you doing with this trip? We haven’t had much opportunity to talk,” Wu Ying said.
“It’s interesting,” Liu Tsong said, her voice lowering to keep the conversation between them. “I do not like sleeping outdoors very much. Too many insects. And I still do not understand why we could not have left earlier and used horses.”
“Spirit animals. Demon beasts.”
“Autumn Wind is trained not to run,” Liu Tsong said.
“That’s your horse?” Wu Ying said, surprised.
“Yes. I trained her with my father since I was young,” Liu Tsong said. “She will not run.”
“You know, not everyone can afford a spirit-trained animal,” Wu Ying said.