"It's solved, Ming Fang... Fellow Daoist Ming Fang?"
"Oh... I'm here."
"I said it's solved."
In the Earth Dao Secret Realm, Xu Zheng and Ming Fang had gone ahead and reached the realm's core before the main group.
Together, they had solved most of its puzzles and killed two Demon Soil cultivators hiding within it.
Now they had found another puzzle linked to the Gold Dao Secret Realm, and Xu Zheng and Ning Jiu had successfully solved it with the Blade-and-Sword Resonance Method.
But when Xu Zheng withdrew his technique and looked at Ming Fang, he found the young monk from Kudhan Temple distracted again.
"Ah, good. It's solved. Sorry for the trouble, Fellow Daoist Xu Zheng."
Ming Fang hurriedly answered as he came back to himself. When he looked up, he saw Xu Zheng watching him with a slight frown.
"Something on your mind? That's the third time you've drifted off today."
Xu Zheng always spoke with an innate coolness, but this time there was unmistakable concern in his voice.
After the Immortal Estate Dao Discourse, the two had begun talking more often, their cultivation and strength being close.
Later, they had entered the Secret Realm and fought their way through its trials together. Battle had given them a measure of unspoken understanding, brought them closer, and forged a genuine friendship.
At that, Ming Fang gave a rueful smile and sighed. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. I just have this feeling... ah, it's hard to say..."
"Then let me hear it."
Xu Zheng had never liked beating around the bush. Seeing Ming Fang hesitate, he simply made the decision for him.
In that respect, the two made quite a complementary pair.
Ming Fang pondered briefly, then looked at Xu Zheng. "Fellow Daoist Xu, have you and Fellow Daoist Bai... been