FID – Chapter 1007

 Chapter 1007 – I Don’t Need It

  Qian Yi held her hands to her chest, completely lost in her own admiration. Her taste was truly exceptional. Just like Bo Le, she had the sharp eyes to recognize a fine steed.

  Absolutely perfect.

  “What do you mean by that? Are you insulting me?” the man’s angry voice suddenly cut through the commotion, abrupt and loud. “A loss is a loss, and a win is a win. We men of the Saintess Tribe aren’t sore losers! I don’t need you to let me win!”

  “Who’s letting you win? I just wanted to know what the third round is about, that’s all. You’re giving yourself far too much credit.” The man spoke bluntly, shattering Qian Liu’s self-indulgent fantasy without the slightest courtesy.

Qian Liu’s face turned blue, then red, a breath of frustration stuck in his chest, unable to go up or down. It nearly choked him to death.

  How did Qian Yi find such an infuriating man?

  And yet, when the man said these things, his expression was perfectly serious, earnest, even, without a hint of joking or mockery. It was as if he genuinely believed every word he said, making people want to hit him but leaving them with no reason to.

  The villagers burst into laughter upon hearing Xue Honglian’s words. Someone even shouted, “This straightforward personality is exactly like the people in our village! No wonder our Qian Yi took a liking to him. He really is something!”

  Qian Yi immediately lifted her chin proudly. “Twenty-Ninth Aunt, well said!”

  The crowd erupted into good-natured laughter again.

  Xue Honglian’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

  This was, without question, the thickest-skinned person he had ever met—surpassing even Qian Wanjin. His luck was truly terrible.

  Since the outcome had already been decided, the competition naturally moved on to the next round. The final round tested courage, and it was the most difficult of the three.

  “Go to the Black Witch Forest.”

  As he watched the crowd move along the shore of Saintess Lake toward the other side of the village, Xue Honglian’s eyes flickered. This time, he followed before Qian Yi could latch onto him again, but he still couldn’t shake off the clinging burden.

  His arm suddenly grew heavier as someone had wrapped an arm around it again. He tried to pull away without hurting her, but it wouldn’t budge. Xue Honglian closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and chose to ignore it.

  He still needed this person. He would endure.

  Walking two more li south along the shore of Saintess Lake, they arrived at the Black Witch Forest.

  Looking at the dense clusters of tall trees ahead, Xue Honglian’s gaze turned deep, emotion unreadable, though the hand hanging at his side curled slightly.

  He was very much looking forward to what he might find inside.

  “When you go in later, you have to be careful. The Black Witch Forest is the most mysterious place in our tribe. Even now, not even our own people have fully explored it. There are many fierce beasts, dangerous birds, and poisonous creatures inside. One careless step, and you might never come out again.” Qian Yi pressed close to his side, lowering her voice as she warned him. At the same time, she slipped a bamboo whistle into his hand. “If you run into anything you can’t handle, don’t worry about losing face. Just blow this whistle, and I’ll come in to rescue you.”

  Xue Honglian lowered his eyes, gave the woman a faint glance, then withdrew his gaze.

  Qian Yi thought he didn’t believe her and hurriedly clarified, “Don’t underestimate me. I really can help you! Your martial arts may be good, but once you enter this forest, you might not be as capable as I am!”

She didn’t notice the slight movement in the man’s pupils as she spoke, nor the flash of contemplation that passed through them.

  Looking around, he saw that the villagers were keeping a considerable distance, as if instinctively wary of the forest. The place where they were standing was still quite far from the forest’s outer boundary.

  On cue, the elder serving as judge spoke again, “The Black Witch Forest is the most dangerous place in our village. Countless fierce beasts roam inside, and there are also poisonous creatures and noxious vapors. Danger hides in every corner. Once you enter, whether you can make it out depends entirely on your own abilities. This has always been the rule of our tribe. Unless your life is in immediate danger, we will not intervene. Otherwise, the trial is considered failed. You two, as the challengers must conduct yourselves well.”

  After a brief pause, the elder began explaining the task for this round of the competition: “In the southeastern part of the forest, there is a cave called the Black Witch Cave. Deep within it grows a type of red medicinal stone. Your task is to enter the cave and retrieve one piece of this red medicinal stone. Whoever completes the task first wins. The competition begins now. You may make some preparations and then enter on your own.”

  “Be extremely careful once you’re inside. If it becomes too dangerous, come out. Don’t lose your life over a competition. Even if you withdraw, none of us will laugh at you. Safety comes first,” the villagers urged the two contestants.

  “That’s right. A contest is just a contest. What matters most is keeping yourselves safe. We’ll be right here waiting for your return.”

  After sweeping his gaze over the crowd, Xue Honglian stepped forward into the forest.

  Qian Liu followed closely behind, unwilling to show weakness.

  Once inside, the difference in atmosphere from the outside was immediately noticeable. Because the trees were so dense, the ground was covered in thorns and thick undergrowth. The entire space felt cramped and oppressive, the air heavy with a dampness that made one uncomfortable.

  The deeper they went, the darker and more eerie it became—and the stronger the sense of danger.

  “Hey, Xue Honglian, wait!”

  Qian Liu’s voice came from behind. Xue Honglian turned and saw the man toss something toward him. He reached out and caught it. It was a small cloth pouch with a faint medicinal scent drifting from it.

  Xue Honglian lifted his eyes to look at the man.

  “That’s a powder that repels insects and snakes. Keep it on you, and it’ll ward off most of them. You’ve never been in the Black Witch Forest before, but I’ve been here several times. I know this place far better than you. I don’t like winning dishonorably,” Qian Liu said.

  Xue Honglian gave the man a slightly surprised glance, then tossed the pouch back. “I don’t need it.”

  “You—!” Qian Liu’s face flushed red. He angrily hooked the pouch back onto his own belt. “You think I’m trying to harm you, is that it? I, Qian Liu, am not that despicable!” With that, he turned and stalked off.

  Behind him came a calm, faint voice, “Thank you, but I simply don’t need it.”

  Qian Liu’s steps faltered for a moment. He snorted and continued walking.

  Though he didn’t respond to the man, the redness on his face faded significantly, and his footsteps grew noticeably lighter.

  Xue Honglian did not follow in Qian Liu’s direction. Though Qian Liu, as a member of the Saintess Tribe, naturally knew where the Black Witch Cave was and following him would lead there quickly, Xue Honglian chose another path instead.

  In the Black Witch Forest, ancient trees towered everywhere, and the deeper one went, the older the trees became, making the forest feel ever more mysterious. Every so often, Xue Honglian would stop to carefully observe his surroundings, identifying every living creature that entered his line of sight.

  This included tree frogs leaping between trunks, insects camouflaged to match the leaves, and the venomous snakes that occasionally poked their heads out from the thorns to flick their tongues at him. He missed none of them.

  Along the way, nearly every creature he saw carried some form of poison. Fortunately, each one retreated on its own when it saw Xue Honglian, not daring to approach. Otherwise, if he were accidentally tainted by any of them, detoxifying the poison would have been extremely troublesome.