The forest leaves swayed gently in the night breeze, casting pale shadows beneath the light of a clouded moon. Birds and beasts had long gone to sleep, except for the occasional rustle of wind through leaves and the hoot of a night owl far off in the distance.
Ye Cheng sat cross-legged near a small campfire that he made, flames casting warm light across his robes. His Cloud Stepping Stallion was grazed nearby, tethered loosely to a low hanging branch. Lan Huo was dozing off on a curved stone with his wings tucked under his body.
"You're awfully quiet tonight." Ye Cheng said, using a twig to stir the fire.
Lan Huo opened its eyes lazily: "I've been carrying your baggage for two days straight. Maybe I'm just tired."
Ye Cheng smirked thinking that Lan Huo was just a lazy bird: "You've flown ahead most of the time, barely doing anything. How dare you claim to be tired because of me?"
Lan Huo held its head and sigh: "You are an Ingrate. Do you know how majestic my being is? Unfortunately, I have to stand so low as to serve some brat with nothing but too much mouth. You're even lucky that I carry your baggage most of the way."
Ye Cheng chuckled, leaning back on his hands. "Stop blowing your own horn. You're always out and never resting in your nest like most birds. Isn't it because you loved to fly?"
"Clearly, what bird doesn't like to fly?" Lan Huo preened its wing: "I mostly go out to do missions. As an eye for my master, I have to carry on many important missions."
"Good for you… This is the first time I'm on an adventure." Ye Cheng put his hands behind his head and leaned on the tree.
The two talked on and on in the quiet night until they fell asleep.
🪷🪷🪷
The next morning, Ye Cheng woke up before the sun barely touched the treetops.
The forest around him was foggy, and his small camp fire had long gone out.
He yawned lazily while stretching, and rolled up his blanket. Nearby, Cloud Stepping Stallion stomped its hooves, making some growling sounds.
"All right, all right," Ye Cheng said as he approached: "You act like I haven't fed you last night. I bought you to make my journey easier, not to raise you."
He tugged a cloth-wrapped bundle from his bag and unwrapped a few spirit oats, dropping them into a wooden trough he'd made himself. The horse snorted in approval and began to eat.
From the top of a pine branch came a flutter and a low, grumpy caw.
"Good morning, Lan Huo." Ye Cheng said tossing Lan Huo a dried berry: "How was your night?"
Lan Huo caught the berry in its mouth, and tilted its head: "Why are you so nice this morning?"
"It's a new day, my friend." Ye Cheng opened his arms and said: "Spread your wings and let's move forward with open arms."
Lan Huo snorted and ignored him.
🪷🪷🪷
Ye Cheng resumed his journey on foot, letting the horse rest as he led it along the narrow road.
As he continued forward, he heard noises ahead. People raised voices, frustrated murmurs, and their rustling footsteps on dry leaves.
Ye Cheng paused, and brushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear. He walked slowly toward the source of the voices.
Up ahead, several figures stood in a small clearing. They were clearly cultivators, wearing matching navy blue robes with silver embroidery, and standing beside tethered horses. They surrounded a crumpled scroll on the ground and were in the middle of an argument.
"I'm telling you we already passed that ridge yesterday!"
"No we didn't! That was a different ridge!"
"We were supposed to reach Gujin Town three days ago!"
…
Lan Huo said to him through sound transmission: "They are from the Silver flame sect, a mid-tier sect in Jadewind."
"Do you think they are lost? But there're so many of them, it can't be… right?" Ye Cheng muttered dryly.
Lan Hou smirk: "Do you want to rob them?"
"Nah, if we rob them, it's not certain we'll be able to get away." Ye Cheng slapped the evil bird and took one step forward, crackling a leaf underneath his foot.
All six heads turned instantly.
"Who goes there?!" One of them drew his sword immediately.
Ye Cheng raised both hands while smiling: "Just passing through, no need to draw weapons. I don't eat people…"
"You look very suspicious."
"I can say the same about you. Anyone who's walking in the forest at this time of day, is very suspicious. Now it all comes down to our situation and intentions."
The boy lowered his sword slightly, though the tension didn't ease. Ye Cheng didn't move either.
One of the younger boys, probably fifteen or so, scowled: "Well? You said you were passing through. Then go."
Ye Cheng ignored his rude tone and smiled: "I was passing through… but now I'm curious."
The boy stepped forward, hand tightening on his hilt. "Mind your own business-"
"Lu Wen," a calm voice interrupted.
A tall young man stepped forward from the group, clearly the senior among them. His posture was the most composed. He studied Ye Cheng suspiciously, then bowed lightly.
"Apologies for my junior brother's tone. He is alert because you startled us. There have been many incidents in the region lately."
Ye Cheng returned the greeting: "My bad. I heard noises coming from this direction and thought someone might need help."
The senior brother brows furrowed: "We're disciples of the Silver Flame Sect. We've been traveling for days to Gujin Town to investigate an anomaly… but something seems wrong. The map doesn't match the terrain. We should have arrived two days ago."
Ye Cheng gazed at the map they were holding: "Can I see that?" He reached out his hand.
Lu Wen scoffed: "Why should we show you anything?"
The senior disciple hesitated, then handed it over. Ye Cheng unfolded the map and pulled out his own to compare them. He looked at both a few times then promptly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha" He laughed so hard until tears rolled down his cheeks.
The disciples stared at him in confusion, some were already furious at his undiscipline behavior.
"W-What's wrong with it?" one of them asked, clearly irritated.
Ye Cheng caught his breath, wiping the corner of his eye: "This.., this is the worst forgery I've ever seen. No wonder you're lost. You guys look so high class yet you were so easily cheated.
"What?!"
"No way! Senior He bought this from the sect shop!"
"It must've been tampered with!" Ye Cheng pandered
The senior disciple sighed deeply and looked at Ye Cheng. His eyes weighing him carefully: "You seem to know your way around. Are you familiar with this region?"
Ye Cheng folded the real map and tucked it away. "Let's say I know enough not to walk into dead ends."
"If I offered you our company and protection, would you guide us to Gujin Town?" The senior disciple asked again.
Ye Cheng's lips curved: "I was heading east anyway. I'll take you there, but only if you take me along for the investigation."
The senior disciple hesitated briefly, then nodded: "I am Mo Yifan, a senior disciple of the Silver Flame sect. What about you?"
Ye Cheng smiled: "Just a rogue cultivator, curious by nature. You can call me Ye Cheng."
Mo Yifan nodded: "This case is part of our sect's independent investigation trials. You can come along, but you'll have no authority over the investigation."
"Of course," Ye Cheng waves his hand: "I'm only here to broaden my horizon."
"Senior brother, you can't just allow an unknown person in on the investigation!" One of the disciples said in disapproval.
"If I don't, will we reach our destination? What if the entire town wept out because of our delay?" Mo Yifan sighs and patted the other on the shoulder: "Besides, we'll all be there as well. How can you be worried that he would do any funny business?"
The others looked irritated, but with no way forward and no replacement map, they had no choice.
They resumed their journey under Ye Cheng's direction, with him now leading the way.