Slaying the Divine, Ascending the Path

35

My opening feat of taking on five challengers thrilled my senior brothers and sisters. Xuan Yan even held back a bit, not crushing the other sects as brutally as in previous years.

Eventually, our group, laden with bags of spoils, returned to Penglai.

Qi Mo sat under a tree, leaning against the trunk, lazily propping his arm behind his head. He gestured to our loot and explained to me: "That's why the annual tournament is also known as the 'Penglai Robbers' shopping spree.'"

Me: "..."

Xuan Yan, laughing and scolding nearby, said:

"Enough with your nonsense, don't corrupt our junior brother. Have you got time to chatter? Go gather some firewood!" Qi Mo obediently stood up and, along with the other senior brothers, gathered twigs and branches, piling them near Xuan Yan.

Xuan Yan skillfully started a fire and began roasting the deer meat we had hunted. Once cooked, she sliced it and handed a piece to each person.

Then, with a smack, she hit Qi Mo's hand with the back of her knife as he tried to sneak more, warning, "Today's for celebrating junior brother; the rest of you, don't get greedy!"

Saying that, she stuffed the remaining deer meat to me and, noticing the bleeding wound on my shoulder, frowned and instructed, "Later, let senior brother Wei Min change your dressing; he's got the steadiest hands."

I nodded, lowering my head to chew on the deliciously crispy deer meat.

That year, on our leisurely return journey, we rode fast horses, traversed the rivers and mountains, and virtually explored every corner of the land. I knew I was torn.

I despised this sect.

I hated the ever-present sticky worms behind it. But I... I really liked these fellow disciples.