A Place of Their Own

By the time they returned to Soto, someone was even there to help Xu Sheng down from the carriage.

Usually, he had to give his name when collecting medicine, but this time the medicine packets were delivered straight to the physician's table. Even the two people resting next door were called over.

Bracing himself against the carriage shaft, Xu Sheng saw Ji Juechen still cleaning his sword with his head bowed and reached out to pull him over.

"See to him first. His shoulder's still bleeding."

The physician looked at the two of them and pointed to a pair of stools nearby.

"Both of you, sit down. You stop fussing too and hold out your arm."

Xu Sheng had no choice but to sit. Only when the cloth strips came off did he realize the wound on his arm was much longer than he had thought.

He managed not to make a sound while the wound was being stitched. But when a hall guard lifted the clothing on his back and the medicine touched the injury, he finally cracked.

"Easy, easy..."

Mo Yifan had been asleep by the door, but he raised his head at the sound.

"Who's yelling?"

"None of your business. Go back to sleep!"

Xu Sheng gritted his teeth as he shot back. Beside him, Lu Song felt like laughing, but the movement made his shoulder and back hurt, so he obediently settled back down.

By the time the ordeal was over, dawn had broken.

Du Wenhe was more badly hurt. His right leg had a fractured bone, and he could not even get out of bed. On the thirty-seventh day, when Xu Sheng went to see him, he was tucking a half-finished awakening record beside his pillow.

"Deacon Du, you've barely rested two days. Why are you writing again?"

"The records from Liuxi Village haven't been sent out yet. You're just in time. Help me check whether I got these children's names right."

Xu Sheng took the paper and dragged a chair over to the bedside.

"Leader Shen has already sent someone else. The children have all been taken home, and the awakenings that weren't finished will be completed. I'll take your record to them and let them fill in the rest."

"That's good. I was afraid it would hold things up." Du Wenhe put down his pen. "How's Tang Heng?"

"He's in the next room. His injuries are lighter than yours, and he's settled in too."

Du Wenhe leaned back against his pillow and asked about Xu Sheng's shoulder and back.

"Your wings-can you still bring them out after they were hurt?"

"I can. The physician said a few days' rest will do." Xu Sheng folded the record and noticed a booklet tucked beside the pillow. His gaze lingered on it for a moment.

It was the Soul Beast catalog Du Wenhe had written himself. It was the one he had been reading all along the way there.

Du Wenhe followed his gaze and pulled out the booklet.

"Take it and have a look. You already know how to recognize the ones for a first ring. There are some older ones farther on."

Xu Sheng said politely, "You use this yourself. If I take it, what will you read?"

Yet he had already accepted the booklet, and his fingers even flipped through a couple of pages.

What a treasure! The illustrated catalogs sold outside had only a few pictures, but this one was packed with notes in the margins, all things Du Wenhe had seen with his own eyes and written down with his own hand.

Du Wenhe was amused.

"I wrote it. Don't you think I remember what's in it?"

"True."

Xu Sheng immediately tucked the booklet into his bag and got up to pour some water. Du Wenhe watched his back for a while before speaking.

"If you hadn't come back that night, I'm afraid this leg of mine would've ended up buried with the rocks."

The water in Xu Sheng's hand sloshed.

"Why bring that up now? That's creepy. Do you want a full bowl or less?"

"Half a bowl."

Xu Sheng poured the water and came back to put it within reach of Du Wenhe's uninjured hand. Du Wenhe took an egg from a paper packet beside him and pressed it into his hand.

"The village sent these for you all. When you leave, take that basket too and share it with the others."

Xu Sheng tapped the egg against the edge of the table, peeled off a small piece of shell, and glanced into the basket.

A packet of dried fruit was tucked underneath. Mo Yifan had wanted to buy some recently, but the place was too far away. He had made two trips without managing to buy any, and now he wouldn't have to.

"Have you eaten?"

"I have. Take those things and share them out, and don't all come crowding in here later."

Xu Sheng picked up the basket, then doubled back to the table before leaving and added half a bowl of water to Du Wenhe's empty bowl.

"If you need anything, call someone outside. I'll come back this afternoon. I'm taking the booklet with me for now!"

Du Wenhe waved him off, and Xu Sheng finally left with the basket.

Things did not end just because Dong Chang had been captured.

Shen Zhaolin first turned the villagers' and deacons' cases over to the local garrison for a joint investigation. Exactly what the noble family behind it had promised and who had taken part in forcibly taking people away all had to be investigated one matter at a time. The hall also assigned new personnel to the awakening circuit, added guards along the Liuxi route, and ordered that reports of missing deacons must no longer be delayed until the parties met up.

Xu Sheng gave Shen Zhaolin the portrait of Ye Xiao that he had recognized and copied out the recruitment messages from the group that day. Once he had handed over the leads, he returned to the guesthouse.

While people were out handling matters, he could not sit idle either.

During the days he spent recovering, Xu Sheng thought over the five of their living arrangements and duty rotations again and again. The more he thought about it, the more he felt they needed a permanent place. Ideally, it would have a courtyard where they could practice swordsmanship, rest, and store their things.

He had his eye on the hall's old training yard in the south of the city.

He had passed it twice, and both times it had been empty. What a waste to leave it unused.

Once his right arm could move, Xu Sheng went to the side courtyard and found the others all there.

Lu Song sat on the steps repairing a cracked bracer, Ren Yu was leafing through the plant Soul Beast booklet Du Wenhe had given her, and Mo Yifan leaned against a pillar, watching Ji Juechen raise his sword with his left hand.

"Practicing already? Doesn't your shoulder hurt anymore?" Xu Sheng asked as he walked over.

"The right side still hurts. I can practice with my left hand, as long as I go slowly."

Ji Juechen drew back his sword and went through the movement again. His left hand was not as deft as his right, after all, and when the sword tip veered off course, he stopped and tried again. Xu Sheng's hands itched as he watched. He touched his sword hilt, then let go.

The physician was sitting at the entrance. Xu Sheng did not want to be called back the moment he picked up his sword.

Mo Yifan made room for him beside the pillar and waited until he sat down before asking, "Xu Sheng, once you're healed, we'll still go on assignments together, right?"

"Of course. What, are you afraid I won't take you along?"

"If you switched teams, where would I find someone else so willing to come back for people?"

After saying it, Mo Yifan felt he had been a little too blunt and lowered his head to pick at a loose thread on his knee.

Xu Sheng was taken aback.

Lu Song was turning his bracer over. Hearing this, he added, "I wasn't planning to leave either. But we need to find a permanent place. We borrowed a courtyard a few days ago, and halfway through practice, we had to clear out for someone else."

Ren Yu looked up from behind her booklet.

"An extra room would be best. I have nowhere to put my booklets and medicine packets. Mo Yifan's fire needs to stay farther away, too."

"I really didn't mean to burn your vines that day," Mo Yifan said hastily.

"I'm talking about next time."

Ji Juechen had already put away his sword. "How wide does it need to be?"

He meant the space for sword practice, but Xu Sheng could barely keep from laughing. Each of them had their own thoughts, yet they had all arrived at the same place.

"What about that old courtyard in the south of the city?"

Lu Song immediately looked up. "Will they give it to us?"

"Do you want it or not?"

They all looked over, and even Ji Juechen stopped reaching for his sword.

Xu Sheng felt a few degrees more confident. He stood and brushed off his clothes.

"Wait here. I'll go ask!"

After listening to Xu Sheng explain the five of their plans, Shen Zhaolin put down his pen.

"You've already been to look at it twice, and you're still asking me if I know anywhere that's empty?"

Xu Sheng's expression did not change in the slightest.

"I looked, but I didn't dare go in. It's a good place, with a courtyard and a room for equipment. Just right for the five of us."

"So you've got your eye on the room too."

"If it's there, give it to us along with the courtyard. You can't lend us the courtyard and leave the room empty."

Shen Zhaolin laughed at that and took a ring of keys from his drawer.

Xu Sheng's gaze followed the keys, but Shen Zhaolin was in no hurry to let go.

"The hall has already reported what you did to save those people. If the five of you are willing to form a permanent team, it saves me from having to reassign people at the last minute every time. We'll lend you the courtyard for field work. Get the place cleaned up, make a list of the broken equipment, and submit it all together."

Xu Sheng's outstretched hand stopped in midair.

"You'll replace the equipment too?"

"We will."

"Then I really will make a list!"

Shen Zhaolin set the keys on the table.

"I said you could have it. Why don't you believe me?"

Xu Sheng hurriedly took them, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Thank you, Leader! I'll take them to see it right away."

As he was about to leave, Xu Sheng noticed the old files on the desk. On top was the Martial Soul record he had left when he first arrived.

"Leader, does my record need to be sent up too?"

"It was reported on the first day. The higher hall told us to train you locally for now and add to the record later with whatever Soul Ring you hunt and how you perform in the field," Shen Zhaolin said. "There have been quite a few otherworlders with rare Martial Souls lately, and there's no matching precedent for yours. Just looking at a pair of wings, we can't determine which branch of the Angel Martial Soul it belongs to."

Xu Sheng glanced at his record. It had been reported on the first day, and it was still being passed up the ranks, so he would let the people above take a few more looks. Once he obtained his Second Soul Ring, another entry would have to be added to the file!

After leaving, he clutched the keys and hurried back to the side courtyard.

The courtyard was larger than he had imagined. Weeds covered much of the ground, two target stands had fallen over, and there was a small shed against the wall for storing equipment.

Lu Song stood in the middle of the courtyard and took a few steps with his shield raised. This time, he no longer had to worry about hitting someone else's door.

Ji Juechen walked a circuit of the courtyard and asked as soon as he returned, "When can we move over here to practice?"

"In such a hurry?" Xu Sheng laughed. "Help clean up first. Once that's done, you can practice."

Ji Juechen put down his sword and went straight to set the fallen target stands upright.

Ren Yu took a liking to the shed by the wall, while Mo Yifan tipped his head back to inspect the roof.

"This place is good. I can take off from up there, and there's room to spread out in the courtyard too."

"Stay off the roof for now." Lu Song pointed to a corner of the eaves. "Those tiles are about to fall. I'll find a ladder and take them down, then check whether the beams are sound."

"All right, I'll hold the ladder for you."

Everyone found a task. Xu Sheng put the training medicine he had collected from the hall in the shed and stocked it with enough everyday medicines and living supplies for the days ahead. He still remembered the medicine bag that had been empty last time, and he did not want that to happen again.

Once the courtyard had been cleaned up, Xu Sheng set a wooden plaque on the table.

"Now that we have a place, it's time our team had a name too."

Mo Yifan immediately came over. "Have you thought of one?"

"Holy Blood Angel. What do you think?"

"Holy Blood Angel..." Mo Yifan repeated it. "It sounds pretty imposing, but why is it named entirely after your Martial Soul?"

"Then you come up with one." Xu Sheng pushed the plaque toward him.

Mo Yifan thought for a long time. "Flame Eagle... doesn't seem any better than yours."

"See?" Xu Sheng quickly took the plaque back. "Then it's settled!"

The others had not managed to respond before Ji Juechen picked up the brush.

"Let's use that. It's easy to remember."

The last character reached the edge of the plaque and nearly ran out of room. Ren Yu took the brush from him.

"Don't move. I'll add a stroke; it'll look a little better that way."

Ji Juechen stepped aside, and once the ink was dry, Lu Song hung the plaque beside the door.

Xu Sheng stood in the courtyard looking at it for a long while.

Holy Blood Angel.

From now on, when they went out, they could give the name of their own team!

That evening, Xu Sheng was the last to leave the courtyard.

He locked the door and walked a few steps, then went back to feel the plaque. Only after making sure Lu Song had nailed it on firmly did he leave, satisfied.

When he had first arrived, he had even needed to borrow a bed from someone. Now they had people, a place, and equipment provided by the hall. The next time there was an assignment, it would be their team called upon!

In the days that followed, there was rarely a quiet moment at the courtyard gate.

Ji Juechen practiced his sword more fiercely than ever. With the other three's vines, shield, and fire arrayed together, there were always positions he had never tried before. Xu Sheng would also thrust a sword in from the side, and the slightest lapse meant starting over.

Lu Song gradually discovered that he did not have to keep his shield raised in front of him at all times. With Xu Sheng there, once he blocked the heaviest attack, someone would naturally follow up.

Ren Yu left several shallow grooves in the courtyard specifically for her vines to hide in. Mo Yifan fell for it often enough that he eventually took to flying up to look, calling down to the others whenever he spotted something amiss.

At first, Xu Sheng complained that he shouted too loudly, but after a couple of practice sessions, he was the first to do it himself.

"Left! Ren Yu, bind him!"

Ji Juechen pivoted and dodged the bundle of vines, while Xu Sheng, in front of him, had already spread his wings and crossed behind the wooden target. The two pursued each other through several changes of position before a scarlet-gold sword light flashed, splitting an old piece of wood beside the target stand.

Lu Song held his shield and shook his head as he watched from the side.

"Who's paying for it this time?"

Xu Sheng and Ji Juechen looked at him at the same time. Neither said a word.

In the end, one more item was added to the equipment list submitted to Shen Zhaolin.

Once Du Wenhe could walk, he came to watch at the courtyard a few times. The first time he reached the gate, he had been about to tell them not to place the targets so close together, but after standing through a round of practice, he did not ask them to move the targets back. The second time, he brought Ren Yu several plant specimens and had her identify them by comparing them with the illustrations in the booklet.

When someone on the team was injured, they took medicine packets from the courtyard. Whenever they lacked something for their next trip, Xu Sheng took a list to Shen Zhaolin. Before long, even the newly arrived hall guards knew that the team in the south of the city was complete and did not need to be assembled at the last minute each time.

By the seventy-fifth day, Xu Sheng had reached level nineteen.

Ji Juechen was level twenty-five, Lu Song was level twelve, and Ren Yu and Mo Yifan had both reached level thirteen.

Xu Sheng had replaced his steel sword once, and his faceplate bore several more old scratches. New field personnel who saw the wooden plaque by the door all knew that a team who regularly went on assignments together stayed there. Outside, people called him White Wings, but back in the courtyard, Mo Yifan still called him Xu Sheng every time.

That night, after practicing his final sword stroke, Xu Sheng sat on the steps and meditated. His Soul Power gradually settled, and he could feel that he was only a little short of level twenty.

Shen Zhaolin came to return a route map and handed it over when Xu Sheng opened his eyes.

"You've made good progress lately. You can start preparing for your Second Soul Ring."

Xu Sheng took the map and hurriedly unfolded it. As he looked over the mountains and forests marked on it, he could not help wondering what his second Soul Skill would do to that pair of wings.

He spread the map on the table and called Mo Yifan over first.

"Don't put your wings away. Come here and tell me about that rocky slope you saw last time."

This time, everyone in the courtyard was waiting to go with him!