Eel Thunder Emperor slowly recounted their encounter with the Demon Emperor in detail. He brushed lightly over his own part, but painted the other teammates' deeds in bold, vivid strokes. At the end, he singled out Ao Fen as the bravest and praised Emperor Xiangyi for finally growing a spine.
Fang Yun gazed at his six teammates, warmth welling up in his heart. He cupped his fist and said, "Thank you all for your help! Though I'm determined to defeat the Demon Emperor, my chances would be slim if he joined forces with the Windseer. You've done me an enormous favor."
Eel Thunder Emperor waved a fin and said quite naturally, "What's there to thank us for? We're friends. Of course we should help you."
"You never left the team. We're still teammates!" Ao Fen looked at Fang Yun, his eyes clear.
"Exactly!" Emperor Shui Ku nodded firmly.
Fang Yun took a deep breath to calm the emotions surging inside him, then nodded. "We're teammates."
Emperor Xiangyi immediately sidled up to Fang Yun with a shameless grin. "Fang Yun, you'll have to protect me, then. I'm on the Hunting List now. That bastard Demon Emperor won't let me off."
Yet Fang Yun said, "I've held first place on the Hunting List for so long. What has the Demon Realm ever managed to do to me?"
"Yes, yes, yes! The human race's Void Sage, the greatest of the human race. Of course you're different." Emperor Xiangyi continued to flatter him.
Eel Thunder Emperor said, "During our breaks these past few days, Emperor Xiangyi told us about you. I never imagined your experiences would be so legendary. Compared to you, we all fall a little short."
The other teammates nodded in unison.
"It's nothing. I've just been lucky," Fang Yun said with