Lin Ping walked at the front, his steps as heavy as though he were dragging two mountains.
Four junior brothers followed behind him, and behind those four followed... a bear and a tiger.
Black Mountain ambled along, looking this way and that, occasionally asking:
"Little Lin, there's something this humble scholar doesn't understand."
Lin Ping's steps faltered, and his heart gave a jolt, but he still turned respectfully:
"Please ask, sir."
Black Mountain nodded, very pleased with his attitude. "May I ask... what is this place called?"
Lin Ping fell silent for a moment, then answered truthfully, "Forgotten River."
"Forgotten River?" Black Mountain first froze, then put on an air of profundity:
"Forgotten means something no longer remembered."
"River means a flowing watercourse..."
"...Doesn't sound terribly auspicious."
Black Mountain nodded with a knowing expression. "It seems you people aren't very cultured."
Lin Ping took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to curse.
Red Wind's face darkened. What did any of that have to do with anything? He dragged the conversation straight back on track. "Ignore him. Keep talking."
Lin Ping nodded and obediently explained.
As it turned out, Forgotten River hardly counted as a proper Immortal Domain at all.
It was merely a little place wedged into a gap, with only one main star, and its location was exceedingly awkward.
The buffer zone between the Immortal and Demon-Beast Realms.
Black Mountain stopped short.
"The Demon Realm?"
He looked at Red Wind, and Red Wind looked back.
The two demons exchanged a glance, each seeing the same thing in the other's eyes...
The Demon Realm.
Even the name sounded welcoming.
Black Mountain coughed, feigning composure:
"Ahem... go on."
Lin Ping could only steel himself and continue. "Forgotten River is too small, so the Immortal Realm can't be bothered with it,