"Ji Ruo, I still think..."
Watching Ji Ruo climb one tree to pick a White Spirit Fruit, then another to pluck a Red Heart Chili, Liang Shixian couldn't help speaking up.
Red Heart Chili was a kind of chili pepper, and it counted as a spiritual plant.
Its main effect was just what its name suggested: it made people feel heated. More specifically, its distinctive spiciness stimulated the heart and sped up blood circulation. In other words, it could slightly increase the speed of one's Martial Dao cultivation.
The Spirit Fruits borne by these Tree Demons weren't all the same. They understood the principle that you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket.
Before Liang Shixian could finish, Ji Ruo glanced at him and asked, "What do you think? That we should run?"
"Yeah. We're not really Tree Demons, after all. If we get found out, there are so many Tree Demons here..."
Ji Ruo spread his hands and laid out the facts. "Class monitor, look at it this way: you saw what happened yesterday. This place must have long since fallen outside the Martial Exam Designated Area. There are high-level Monster Beasts everywhere. Even if we go somewhere else, we won't be safe."
"But..."
"Staying with these Tree Demons might be dangerous, but haven't they still not found us?" Ji Ruo said. "In theory, we're safe until they do.
"Avoiding danger is instinctive to the Demon Race. They'll definitely head in a direction that's safe for them. As long as we haven't been exposed, we'll be safe too.
"Tree Demons aren't that strong individually. Even if they find us, we can still get away. And there's all this fruit to eat. Why run? It's not safe anywhere else, either!"
"But..." Liang Shixian was about to say something else, but after a moment of furrowed-browed hesitation, he realized Ji Ruo made a lot of sense. "All right. But we still need to be careful."
Ji Ruo added, "This time, don't go thinking you'll sacrifice your life to cover my escape or anything. You've seen it yourself: the Monster Beasts in this area are extremely high-level. Even if you give your life to cover me, if danger comes, I still might not be able to get away."
Liang Shixian: "..."
After thinking it over, Liang Shixian climbed the trees with Ji Ruo and picked Spirit Fruits to eat.
The two ate quite a few Red Heart Chilies. Their mouths burned, their cheeks flushed, and the blood coursing through their bodies grew faster and faster.
Standing among the Tree Demons, they began slowly practicing the basic Martial Dao techniques taught at school.
As they practiced, the Spirit Fruits they'd eaten earlier were rapidly digested and converted into strength.
Their gains came slowly, but they were noticeable. Their progress was plain to see.
After days of running, with blood rice and all kinds of Spirit Fruits to sustain them, the two naturally made a small breakthrough and became Level Seven Martial Apprentices.
"Whew! So spicy!" Ji Ruo stuck out his tongue. Besides slightly speeding up Martial Dao cultivation, the most notable thing about Red Heart Chili was its unusual heat.
After Ji Ruo broke through to Level Seven Martial Apprentice, he'd nearly used up all the energy stored in his body from the various Spirit Fruits. His physique had improved another notch, but the spicy sensation in his mouth had also become much more intense.
"Class monitor, come on. Let's get some water, then come back and practice." Ji Ruo said.
Liang Shixian was also having a hard time with the heat. For some reason, though, Ji Ruo's words sounded a little like, "Class is over—let's go to the school store." He realized Ji Ruo truly wasn't panicking at all!
Tree Demons were plant-type Demonic Beasts and needed plenty of water, so whenever they set up camp for the day, there was always a water source nearby.
The branches stuck into Ji Ruo's clothes swayed as he walked. His clothes had long since become so dirty they were unrecognizable.
With his mud-caked clothes, the leafy branches stuck to him, and green plant juice smeared over his face and hands, Ji Ruo really did look a little like a Tree Demon at first glance.
The two came to a stream. Its water was clear, and a few finger-length fish swam through it. The Secret Realm wasn't home only to Demonic Beasts and Demonic Beasts; there were ordinary animals too.
Of course, ordinary animals in the Secret Realm were stronger than ordinary animals outside, but not by much.
The fish swimming there showed that the water wasn't poisonous.
"Let's catch a few fish to take back. We can chop down a couple of Tree Demon brothers and roast fish over the fire," Ji Ruo said, leaning over the stream to drink.
Of course, Ji Ruo was only joking. If he really wanted to roast fish, his Iron Sand Palm could do the job...
As for chopping down Tree Demons to make a fire—smoke rising from a campfire wouldn't exactly be safe.
Liang Shixian: "..."
If those Tree Demon brothers of yours knew you were thinking that, they'd kick you out on the spot!
But things had already come to this, and Liang Shixian knew he couldn't talk Ji Ruo around. He sighed, thinking that since they were already here, they might as well make the best of it.
After a moment, Liang Shixian asked curiously, "Ji Ruo, that saber technique you used last night..."
From yesterday until now, he'd been worried that he and Ji Ruo would be exposed. Now that he'd followed Ji Ruo's lead and settled his nerves, he couldn't help recalling that strike.
The blade had gleamed brilliantly and moved incredibly fast. It had been dazzling.
Ji Ruo said casually, "I made it up myself."
Liang Shixian smacked his lips. He'd suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still left him stunned by how absurdly talented Ji Ruo was.
No wonder he was called Dual Mastery of Blade and Sword! Both his saber and sword techniques were self-created, and both were so powerful!
"Are you planning to sell that saber technique? Like Arrow-Breaking Style?" Liang Shixian asked hesitantly.
The technique looked powerful and incredibly cool. Liang Shixian wanted to learn it.
Ji Ruo smiled. "Class monitor, if you want to learn it, just say so! I'll teach you!"
Liang Shixian's face reddened. "Ji Ruo, I've already learned your Arrow-Breaking Style for free. I haven't reached the First Glimpse of the Path level yet, but I know how to train it now.
"If you plan to sell this saber technique, I'll definitely buy it. But if you're going to teach it to me for free, then forget it. I'd feel too awkward."
He knew Ji Ruo's family was struggling financially. He'd planned to pay for Ji Ruo's sword and saber techniques, but worried that doing so might hurt Ji Ruo—maybe Ji Ruo would think he was trying to give him charity.
After all, Liang Shixian could tell that when Ji Ruo said he'd teach him, he genuinely meant it.
"Come on, what's the big deal? It's just a saber technique. You've all looked after me so much over the years. Isn't it only right that I repay you a little?" Ji Ruo said casually. "Class monitor, listen up. This technique is called Thunderclap and Flash. It requires a special breathing method that draws out the body's potential in an instant to achieve incredible speed. Normally, once you reach the First Glimpse of the Path level, using the technique makes your speed surge to six times its normal level in an instant.
"Let me demonstrate."
As Ji Ruo spoke, he suddenly took a deep breath.
"Hsss—"
A faint white stream of air visibly rushed into Ji Ruo's mouth.
For a moment, Liang Shixian seemed to see fine currents of electricity crawling over Ji Ruo's body.
White lightning curled around his fingertips, and he struck in a flash—
"Whoosh!"
Liang Shixian was stunned. Ji Ruo had only stretched out his hand, yet a faint sound of something breaking the air had followed. He'd moved so fast that an afterimage had appeared!
When Ji Ruo drew his hands back, he had two fish from the stream in his grasp!
"Gulp." Liang Shixian swallowed instinctively.
He couldn't have dodged that just now.
Ji Ruo continued, "I stumbled across the breathing method by accident. I named it Total Concentration Breathing. It means focusing your whole mind and body on breathing so your body can absorb oxygen as efficiently as possible, filling your lungs—Huh? What's that black lump?"
Liang Shixian froze, then warily looked in the direction Ji Ruo was staring.
An unidentified black lump was crouched by the stream downstream, seeming to try to catch fish. But every time it swiped, it missed, and the rather clever fish even leapt out of the water to smack the black lump with their tails.
"Meow!"
The black lump was clearly furious. Liang Shixian's expression turned strange.
"Looks like... a cat?"
Thanks to the reader 'gzxz' for the 500 site coins!
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