Li Ping'an filled their water pouches with hot water.
Then he went into the tent and pressed the warm pouches against their little feet.
He added another handful of firewood to the fire and took a sip of liquor to warm himself.
Then he prepared to enter visualization.
Jing Yu came over and said, "Brother Li, western winds, fierce horses, fine liquor-why don't we compose a poem?
"I'll give the first line, and you give the next.
"Though snow dyes every mountain road, fierce horses and western wind behold the eagle!"
When Li Ping'an said nothing for a long while, Jing Yu added, "Brother Li, your turn."
"I can't write poetry," Li Ping'an said.
"Stop joking, Brother Li."
"I really can't. Those poems have nothing to do with me."
Jing Yu said, "...Then how about a sword match?"
"I can't beat you."
Li Ping'an said it quite casually.
Jing Yu grew a little anxious. "How would you know without trying? I'm easy to beat."
"I'm still not fighting."
Jing Yu gritted his teeth. "Then let's compete on the zither!"
"I can't play the zither."
"You play the erhu, I'll play the zither!"
"Oh."
"Then shall we begin?" Jing Yu brightened.
"No."
Jing Yu was nearly driven mad. "What will it take for you to compete with me?"
Li Ping'an said helplessly, "How about this? Go wait for me in the woods ahead. Don't disturb the children's sleep."
"Sure, no problem!"
Delighted, Jing Yu bounded into the woods, taking three strides in two.
Once he had left, Li Ping'an settled his mind again.
He entered a state of visualization.
Destiny traits: [Diligence Can Make Up for Clumsiness], [Single-Minded Devotion] activated
Two thoughts flashed through his mind and vanished.
Early the next morning.
The southbound group set off again.