Chapter 2, Lost (Part 2)

The sword is the ruler of all weapons. For those who practice swordsmanship, it is regarded as the embodiment of their blood, flesh, and soul. Thus, the principle that one lives as long as the sword exists, and perishes when the sword is lost, holds true. You, ignorant boy, have been so reckless along your journey. If you wish to make marks, then go ahead, but to so disgrace this Rainbow Shadow Sword is nothing short of an insult to all sword practitioners in the world

Twenty years ago, Daoist Bai Yunyan of the Kunlun Sect and I, Master Chi Xia, joined forces to battle the thousand-year-old tree demon for three days and nights, ultimately vanquishing its primordial spirit. However, we did not anticipate that the protective maze the old demon had set up would still remain. Fortunately, the tree demon's main body has long perished, and this maze is likely just a remnant. Last night, as I traversed a section, I employed the Avalokiteshvara's Eye of Wisdom to inspect it. Although the entire forest exudes a faint trace of demonic energy, there are no signs of operational fluctuations. We have walked the entire day without encountering any danger. It seems that this remnant of the maze merely traps us, but it poses no harm.

Li Yutang let out a cold snort: "What of the renowned masters? People die for wealth; with such a great benefit at stake, it is inevitable that they will be tempted."

Li Yutang let out a muffled grunt, and finally regained a semblance of the demeanor befitting a hero. He sheathed his sword, turned, and walked to a large tree in the distance, where he sat down and closed his eyes to rest.

Just as Zhu Bajie needed to restrain himself to be named Bajie, the Angry Monk appears to be filled with rage. His thick eyebrows resemble flames, tightly knitted as if they have never been relaxed in a lifetime, and his large, bloodshot eyes are like dark rings. The veins on his forehead throb intermittently, as if he is always on the verge of erupting in fury, ready to tear apart, crush, and reduce the person before him to a pulp. His voice is hoarse, stifled with an unknown amount of resentment. Just by looking at him, one can tell that he is a malevolent spirit who has clawed his way out of the eighteen layers of hell over five hundred years, now standing before his enemy.

"Hungry?" The tall man from Yunzhou was taken aback, as if he had only just been reminded of it, and suddenly exclaimed in realization, "That's right. I am hungry! I am so hungry!"

Xia Xia slightly shook her head, glanced at Hu Qian, then turned to look at the sleeping man from Yunzhou in the distance, shook her head again, and murmured to herself: "Sometimes, being smart is not a good thing"

Looking at the burly man from Yunzhou who had just let out a loud belch, Xia Xia took out a pack of dry rations from her pocket and smiled wryly, "... ... Unfortunately, this is all that is left now"

Li Yutang glared at him and, gritting his teeth, said in a low voice: "Ignorant brat, have you gone mad as well? Nowadays, there isn't even a clue; where are we supposed to go?"

After the fierce battle between the two seniors, Bai Yunyan and Chi Xia, they were both injured and exhausted. They casually destroyed the tree demon's illusion formation without taking the time to examine it closely, which is not surprising. Now, perhaps due to the right timing, or perhaps because we inadvertently triggered a certain point of the formation's restrictions, or it could be for other reasons, it coincidentally caused this remnants of the formation to operate again

The sense of relief is because Master Mie Nu can still find his way back, having only exhaled half a breath, as Master Mie Nu has yet to find his way out

Li Yutang furrowed his brow and couldn't help but say softly: "If you want to leave, then go alone. We will wait here..."

When Xia Xia began to draw a turtle, Li Yutang could no longer bear it and shouted angrily at Xia Xia in a hushed voice

The so-called Demon Extermination Order is issued annually by several major sects, which select the top ten demonic entities that should be eradicated from the ten provinces of the realm. The most illustrious tales of righteousness are inscribed on both sides of a token, which is then presented to Zhang Tianshi, the head of the Daoist sects at Longhu Mountain, for his review and decision. It is thereafter proclaimed as the Demon Extermination Order and widely disseminated throughout the world.

Li Yutang suddenly spoke up, saying: "This maze must have been deliberately created by someone to trap us"

Xiaoxia thought for a moment and said, "If I say it is because he treated me to a meal once before, so I am returning the favor now, would you believe it?"

"What are you looking at? You can't see anything. How can you get out if you don't leave? Hurry up, hurry up!" The man from Yunzhou appeared very anxious, his facial expression was almost indistinguishable due to the constant twitching of his muscles. His large nostrils flared as he gasped for breath, and the blood vessels in his eyes were so numerous that hardly any white could be seen, resembling two dark blood globules swirling in their sockets.

Hu Qian fell silent for a moment, her gaze flickering beneath the helmet's cover. It seemed she pondered deeply before finally speaking: "... it might just be a coincidence."

Moreover, there are benefits greater than two or three thousand taels of gold..." Li Yutang glanced at the girl in white in the distance, his Adam's apple moved slightly, and he slowly spoke with determination: "... This is indeed the merit of our successful capture of that monster this time. With that monster's cultivation level, committing such heinous and inhumane acts, yet being captured alive by us, this must be recorded in this year's demon-slaying decree. As long as our names are listed in the demon-slaying decree, we will be recognized as great heroes and chivalrous figures by the righteous path of the world. This is a benefit that cannot be bought even with ten thousand taels of gold!

The monk Mianru grunted in acknowledgment, nodding angrily: "Indeed, indeed, what the young benefactor Xia has said is very true"

"What are you saying? I don't understand what you are saying." The man laughed, stretched lazily, patted his chest, which made a sound, and some blood seeped out from under the bandages. He was completely unconcerned, still laughing, but there was not a trace of ease or kindness in his expression, as if the twitching muscles had merely assembled his features into a shape that resembled a smile.

No matter how one looks at it, this is no longer a human mouth

Li Yutang's pair of sword-like eyebrows furrowed as if they were about to leap from his forehead and stab outward. At this moment, the monk Mie Nu, who was walking at the front, suddenly raised his hand, stopped, and said: "Alright, it seems we have reached a sufficient point for today."

Oh? Everyone turned to look at him, their expressions varied. Li Yutang was skeptical, Hu Qian was somewhat surprised, while the furious monk remained as angry as ever

"Just in time, I have a piece of jerky here for you to eat," Xiao Xia said as she took out a palm-sized piece wrapped in oiled paper from her pocket and handed it to the man from Yunzhou. The man from Yunzhou grabbed it without even looking and directly tossed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously while nodding repeatedly, saying that meat is indeed good, meat is indeed good

This statement indeed seems reasonable. Li Yutang furrowed his brows deeply, and after a long while, he finally asked in a muffled voice: "What does Master Hu Xiang think this maze is all about?"

Get lost! I didn't ask you!

"In fact, he is not wrong. Since we cannot discern the reality of this maze, it is useless to sit here; it would be better to continue moving forward." At this moment, Xia, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.

Li Yutang scoffed disdainfully and said, "Nowadays, we are trapped in a demon formation, not merely lost in a common sense of direction. What use could such foolish methods, which anyone would employ, possibly have?"

"Don't stop! Keep going!" Yunzhou, a tall man, quickly walked back, his large eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, glaring at the three who had come to a halt.

"Alright, Brother Huang, after walking for half a day, are you not hungry at all?" Xiao Xia suddenly asked

Although the young master could not be rescued, capturing this monster can at least provide a reasonable explanation to the elder master Bai. Even if this monster is killed and its soul and body sold as materials for crafting magical artifacts and mechanisms, it would still be worth several hundred taels of gold. If it is alive and encountered by someone knowledgeable, it could be worth at least two to three thousand taels of gold. And two to three thousand taels of gold... in the Jianghu of Qingzhou, there are at least eight hundred to a thousand people willing to risk their lives to seize it. Regarding the situation in the Jianghu of Qingzhou, Li Yutang, the great hero of Qingzhou, is undoubtedly very aware and is particularly certain of the allure of these two to three thousand taels of gold.

The names of the top ten demons on the front of the token attract attention due to the bounty issued by several major sects, and there are indeed many who are envious of the names on the back, which belong to the top ten legends of the righteous path

I once spent over a month wandering in the grasslands of the northern wasteland of Yongzhou, subsisting on insects, grass roots, and even my shoes... Since then, I have felt uneasy if I do not carry some spare food with me.

Hurry up. You need to walk out quickly, what are you all doing sitting here? It seemed as if he only realized this after being questioned by the furious monk, and he suddenly stood up, glaring at the others. Unbeknownst to him, at some point, the whites of his large, bell-like eyes were already filled with bloodshot veins.

Xia Xia was not angry and continued to speak: "This forest itself is not particularly large, yet we still cannot find our way out. I believe it is likely that the mist within this demon formation not only obscures the tall structures like Wuqishan Lanlin Temple, but also distorts and alters the positions of the sun and moon in the sky, causing us to continuously misjudge the true direction and remain in place. Naturally, this maze is left by the demons, but there may also be other strange changes, such as these trees being able to shift and move, leading us astray. However, Master Mie Nu also mentioned that this demon formation is merely a remnant, with limited changes. As long as we mark our path, it will be quite easy to discern the variations in this formation." Naturally, this maze is left by the demons, but there may also be other strange changes, such as these trees being able to shift and move, leading us astray. However, Master Mie Nu also mentioned that this demon formation is merely a remnant, with limited changes. As long as we mark our path, it will be quite easy to discern the variations in this formation.

Seeing him like this, Xia Xia couldn't help but laugh again: "Hero Li has long been confident and sees through everything clearly. Truly impressive insight"

Hu Qian spoke. Her voice echoed from her somewhat oversized helmet, carrying a slight buzzing resonance, yet it was very clear and calm: "To be able to follow us without being detected, and to lead us into a maze without our knowledge, in the entire Qingzhou martial world, there are only three or four individuals capable of such a feat. And these three or four individuals are all renowned masters of great repute, who would certainly not personally take the risk to engage in such despicable acts."

Although this maze is not dangerous, it is a pity that this humble monk is quite unfamiliar with the art of formations. I have no idea how to break through the maze. I wonder if any of you have any insights? The Buddhist sect also has many methods of formations and barriers, but it seems that Monk Mie Nu is not very proficient in this area, and he does not know how to break this maze either

What I mean is not that they are incapable of being moved, but rather that even if they are, they would not take action themselves. This is not their way of doing things. Just like the owner of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, even if he wants to make money, he does not need to personally solicit customers at the door. Hu Qian smiled, and although her features were not clearly visible under the helmet, one could still sense that her smile was quite sharp

However, no one dared to doubt the cultivation of the Fierce Anger Monk based on his appearance. As one of the Eight Guardian Vajras of the Pure Land Zen Temple, this very appearance is a testament to his attainment of the profound and high-level manifestation of the Great Might Vajra's fierce anger. If it were not for the fact that the Pure Land Zen Temple had just held a grand Dharma assembly in Qingzhou, and the Fierce Anger Monk happened to be passing through Luoshui City, having heard about the emergence of demons in the vicinity, he would not have taken the initiative to intervene. Even if the Luoshui Gang offered more money, they would not have been able to persuade him.

Hu Qian also sat down under another tree. Her sitting down seemed more like she had taken a proper posture and then slumped down, the armor on her body making a dull thud, followed by a long sigh and gasp. This set of armor might not be heavy, but it certainly was not light. Of course, this armor could be removed and carried by a mechanical beast, but Hu Qian did not do so. In fact, since they had met, Xiao Xia had never seen her take off this armor, not even the helmet; it seemed as if this set of Divine Mechanism Hall armor had grown onto her body. This set of armor might not be heavy, but it certainly was not light. Of course, this armor could be removed and carried by a mechanical beast, but Hu Qian did not do so. In fact, since they had met, Xiao Xia had never seen her take off this armor, not even the helmet; it seemed as if this set of Divine Mechanism Hall armor had grown onto her body.

Hu Qian snorted softly, no longer paying attention to him, and buried her head down, seemingly closing her eyes to begin resting

Leaving one's name on that token not only allows one to gain the attention of the leader Zhang Tianshi of the Daoist sect, but also brings fame across the world, making it known to all, and regarded as a role model by countless young heroes... Some may feel indifferent, thinking it is of no significance, that it does not provide food or clothing, nor does it add any flesh to their bodies, but others find it even more exhilarating than anything they could eat or wear. For instance, Li Yutang is one such person. In the eyes of this great hero from Qingzhou, having one's name inscribed on that wooden plaque is the greatest benefit, the most valuable benefit, worth ten times more than two or three thousand taels of gold.

A day ago, when they stood atop the ruins of Lanlin Temple gazing into the distance, the towering Wuqishan Mountain range was still faintly visible, seemingly just a half day's journey away. However, after walking for nearly an entire day, when they sensed something was amiss, they climbed to the treetops to take another look. Both Wuqishan and Lanlin Temple had vanished into the light mist that had gradually enveloped the area without their notice. Through this layer of mist, the afterglow of the setting sun behind them could still be faintly seen, indicating that their direction was not wrong. Yet, the mountains that should have appeared in front of them remained unseen, and all that met their eyes were trees, nothing but trees.

Hu Qian, however, did not take it to heart. After a cold smile, she淡淡 said: "The affairs of the world are far from being as simple and clear-cut as mechanisms. We are not saints or Buddhas, so it is naturally impossible for us to perceive everything with utmost clarity. We can only speculate based on the existing circumstances. Now that there are no leads, what can we analyze? Due to chance, there are indeed many occurrences that seem coincidental. Now that we have encountered this, what is so extraordinary about it?"

Naturally, it is an attempt by those petty individuals who wish to act like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Li Yutang seemed quite confident as he pointed towards the young girl in white lying on the distant rock, saying, "What is meant by this is, of course, that aberration."

In the distance, the girl in white was still lying on the rock just as she had been the night before, her posture unchanged, but her eyes were closed, seemingly asleep. Even so, the few people here were very cautious, unwilling to let her hear their conversation, deliberately keeping a distance from her. However, it seemed they were also uneasy, not daring to stray too far, and their gazes had not completely shifted away from her.

Xia Xia smiled and said, "Coincidentally, I have a silly method here, specifically for when one is at a loss."

I have been waiting for him to eat people all along. Hu Qian's voice was icy, "Can't you tell?"

When dawn broke, the furious monk finally returned. Everyone let out a sigh of relief

Oh? What do you mean by that, Master Li? The furious monk's brows relaxed, and his flame-like eyebrows seemed to flare up with a loud whoosh.

"If we don't feed him, he might just resort to eating people," Xiao Xia sighed and replied

Xia Xia sighed: "But it really is like this"

The benefits that are worth ten times will naturally attract more than ten times the number of people willing to take risks. Therefore, at this point, the expression on the face of this hero from Qingzhou is quite complex; at times it is filled with excitement, at other times with worry, at one moment it reflects longing, and at another it shows impatience

Amitabha. Although what Master Hu Xiang said has its merits, everything is subject to causal conditions. However, our predicament here is the current reality, and we should strive to seek a way out. The monk Mie Nu recited a Buddhist chant, nodded at Hu Xi, and suddenly turned to look at the tall man from Yunzhou, asking: "Does Master Huang have anything to say?"

Li Yutang let out a cold snort, seemingly quite disdainful, yet his body involuntarily shifted to the side. Hu Qian cast a cold glance, while the Angry Monk smiled. He was indeed smiling, but this expression on his face, which was already filled with anger, appeared particularly awkward, as if he were trying to turn a pot of molten iron into syrup.

Thus, the group set off again. The drowsy girl in white was being carried by Hu Qian's mechanical beast, following behind her. Meanwhile, Xiao Xia was responsible for implementing his clumsy method, marking the way along the route.

Throughout this long day, it is certain that it is not only Xia Xia who feels bored; Li Yutang feels equally bored. However, as a hero, he cannot wield his sword recklessly nor engage in activities unbecoming of a hero, so he is left with no choice but to speak. From the time he was twelve, enduring hardships and overcoming numerous obstacles to finally become a disciple of a mysterious master, to the thrilling tales of how, just a few months ago, he bravely ventured into the tiger's den and joined forces with the heroes of the Thirteen Linked Forts to eradicate the water bandits who had terrorized the region of Wuyun for decades, he has long since spoken until his throat is dry and his voice hoarse. If it were not for the fact that this turtle possesses a pair of sword-like eyebrows identical to his own, he would have absolutely no desire to speak.

The abandoned remnants of the unowned formation left thirty years ago have somehow persisted to this day, and it is quite a coincidence that we have encountered them. Not to mention that the two predecessors, Bai Yunyan and Chi Xia, would certainly not leave such an obvious source of disaster. This is not a desolate place devoid of human presence; there are occasionally merchants and people from the martial world passing through. If this maze were to harm people, how could there have been no news of it in the past thirty years

Just now, with that roar, the big mouth of the man from Yunzhou opened wide, almost splitting to the edges of his ears, emitting a foul stench as if he had just chewed up ten people. His set of white teeth stood out prominently in his glaringly red mouth, especially the four canine teeth, which were very thick and sharp, resembling four bullhorn daggers

"Well, I suppose you have finally proven to be of some use," Li Yutang had to nod in acknowledgment, waving his hand and pointing, "Then the markers along this route will be made by you, kid"

Xia Xia flicked her wrist, and the long sword in her hand emitted a buzzing sound, its brilliance shimmering like a rainbow. She looked at the turtle she had just finished with great satisfaction, sighed contentedly, and smiled as she said: "I heard that this Rainbow Shadow was originally prepared by the Hundred Weapons Pavilion as a birthday gift for the Governor. It was acquired by Elder Zeng, the protector, who spent five thousand taels of silver and even offered two courtesans from the Yihong Building to exchange it from Manager Meng of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion. In my life, I have truly never used such an expensive and fine sword; holding it in my hand makes me unable to resist the urge to practice with it."

Hahaha, what a ridiculous situation! This time, it was Li Yutang who burst into laughter, saying, "I have long heard that Shenji Hall specializes in intricate mechanisms, emphasizing precision and meticulousness, leaving no room for ambiguity. Now, this forest clearly exudes an oddity, yet Hu Xiangzhu does not analyze it in detail but simply dismisses it with a casual remark?"

The area around Lanlin Temple was originally inhabited by a thousand-year-old tree demon, which was jointly eliminated by the practitioners of the Daoist and Buddhist sects twenty years ago. This was a well-known tale in the Jianghu of Qingzhou, but no one expected that the tree demon had left behind a maze, and they are undoubtedly trapped in this maze now

Xia Xia fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Without him, we would have long been dead"

Do not believe

Hu Qian stood still, seemingly unperturbed by the loud shout, while the two mechanical beasts that were not far away turned around with a creaking sound

The aroma of cured meat wafting from the mouth of the big man from Yunzhou made Li Yutang feel as if his jaw was cramping. He did not expect that the kid still had such things on him and actually gave them to this monster to eat, but it did manage to calm the monster down for the time being... Unsure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or to scold the kid, the expression on the face of the great hero Li appeared quite strange, and he could only glare at Xia.

Li Yutang glared at him, the veins on his hand throbbing. Although he did not quite understand what this fellow was laughing about, he was very clear that it was definitely not a compliment, and he could sense an unusual odor emanating from it. It was a stench akin to that of excrement

Li Yutang, Hu Qian, a man from Yunzhou with the surname Huang, and Xiao Xia are now gathered around Master Mienu. The young leader Bai was not rescued, and the three great protectors of the Luoshui Gang, along with a number of incense masters who came together, have long since been reduced to scattered fragments. Naturally, everyone implicitly recognizes Master Mienu, who possesses the highest cultivation and the most renowned reputation, as their leader.

Fortunately, no matter how boring or unfortunate the situation, he always manages to find something that is not so boring or unfortunate. At first, he would honestly mark a line on the tree, but then he realized it was better to casually write a word. He then discovered that writing words was not as good as writing poetry. For instance, he would write one character on each of the five trees, which together formed "The bright moonlight before my bed," and then a few dozen steps away, there were another five trees with the phrase "Someone wet their pants." Eventually, he simply started drawing, sometimes sketching a pig's head, and at other times, a fat dog.

Looking at Li Yutang, who was drawing his sword, and the two mechanical beasts that had turned around, the man from Yunzhou smiled. Perhaps it was a smile, or perhaps it was another expression; in any case, his mouth curled up, and his bright red tongue extended out, licking across the bridge of his nose from the left side of his face, almost reaching his eyelid, then sweeping across most of his right cheek, before finally retracting beneath his jaw.

The voice of the Great Han of Yunzhou came, revealing that he had not stopped, but had continued to move forward.

"Indeed, without him, we might have all perished long ago. However, he did not become this way for our sake." Hu Qian's words were logical and clear, much like the mechanisms on her armor, efficient and cold. "You should be a wise person, one who does not engage in futile endeavors."

No, we can only go this far today. The angry monk shook his head and said, "Then I ask Master Huang, Master Hu, Hero Li, and Master Xia to rest here for a while. I will return to check those markers and see if there are any changes in this tree demon's maze."

With a sound like a clang, the hero of Qingzhou, having regained his footing, already had his sword drawn. Yet, despite his face being flushed to the point of almost dripping blood, and the veins on his hands bulging as if he wished to crush the meticulously crafted hilt made of precious agarwood, he remained rooted in place, not daring to charge forward.

It seems that you have prepared quite a lot of provisions, haven't you? Hu Qian suddenly asked

What Master Li said is likely not very possible

It must be admitted that this is indeed a very boring matter. Throughout the entire day's journey, all that could be seen were trees, neither tall nor short, neither thick nor thin. The creaking sounds from the joints of the two mechanical beasts by my side were also monotonous, resonating in the same rhythm for the entire day. To engage in the same unchanging tasks in such a monotonous environment for a whole day, Xia felt that one would either go mad or become a fool.

"Master, we can continue for a while longer." In fact, Li Yutang had long wanted to stop and rest, but as a great hero, he could not express his fatigue unless others did. If others mentioned their tiredness, he felt even more compelled to show that he was not tired.

Although he had been sitting here with Xiaoxia and the others, the tall man from Yunzhou seemed oblivious to the people around him. At times, he stared blankly at the girl in white in the distance, while at other moments, he looked around restlessly, occasionally mumbling to himself. He sometimes appeared as if he wanted to stand up, yet he struggled to remain seated, resembling a hysterical patient completely immersed in his own world

A deafening roar suddenly erupted from the mouth of the man from Yunzhou. The immense sound wave, mixed with spittle, struck Li Yutang's face head-on, leaving him pale and causing him to stagger back several steps, nearly losing his balance

"You can keep it for yourself," Hu Qian snorted coldly, taking out a small vial from her waist and swallowing a pill of military rations. Although this refined little item does not fill one up, it can prevent starvation for a while. Glancing at the large man from Yunzhou who had already lain down in the distance, she suddenly asked: "Why did you give him some of the provisions?"

After taking two bags of dry rations from Xia and tossing them into his mouth to chew and swallow, he then downed a skin of water. The man from Yunzhou appeared somewhat satisfied, patting his belly, sitting down, and stretching lazily. Although the food did not seem abundant, it was all compact dry goods, which, when combined with water, expanded significantly, providing him with a semblance of fullness. As for the hero from Qingzhou and the incense master from the Divine Mechanism Hall beside him, he seemed to have completely forgotten about them, not even casting a glance their way.

"It is indeed a foolish method," Hu Qian's voice was cold, but the expression beneath the helmet seemed to smile slightly, "as long as it is foolish yet useful, that is sufficient"

What are you stopping for? Hurry up! We need to get back quickly

It is actually quite simple; we just need to leave marks wherever we go, indicating our location. Even if we take a wrong turn for a moment, by marking more as we go, we will gradually figure out the direction.

Li Yutang and Hu Qian both remained silent, not even casting a glance at the man from Yunzhou, leaving one to wonder whether they did not wish to look or were simply too afraid to do so. It was Xia Xia who spoke up to explain: "Master Mie Nu instructed us to wait here for a while; he will return to check the markers we have made along the way and see how this maze is constructed..."

"What Sir Li said also makes sense," the Angry Monk nodded. He appeared very angry, and his voice was indeed filled with anger, yet his words were quite polite. "However... if that is truly the case, who exactly would be responsible for it, and what would their intentions be?"

Coincidence

After saying this, the furious monk turned around and walked back the way he came. He did not seem to be walking quickly, yet he disappeared into the woods in just a few blinks of an eye. Although his supernatural ability was still far from the legendary skill of shrinking the earth to an inch, it was much more effective for traveling than ordinary lightness techniques.

When he set out this morning, he walked like everyone else, but now, as he has continued on, his feet have begun to bend slightly, his back has hunched over, and his hands seem to have grown longer than they were in the morning, occasionally propping themselves up on the ground or scraping at it. If one were to judge solely by his appearance, he has increasingly resembled a beast rather than a human. Yet, he is still able to speak and understand others, which is quite commendable.

Carefully opening the last small packet of rations, Xia took half of it and threw it into his mouth, chewing slowly and attentively, as if it were the most delicious thing in the world. After swallowing it slowly, he took another sip of clean water to rinse his mouth, ensuring that not a single bit of residue was wasted. He then gestured with the remaining half to Hu Qian, asking: "Do you want to eat some, Hu Xiang?"

Hu Qian snapped her fingers, and the two mechanical beasts following her came to a halt, tilting their bodies to gently place the unconscious girl in white on the ground. Xiao Xia also stretched lazily, took out her water pouch for a sip, and prepared to rest right there.