"I disagree!" Wang Chao shot to his feet. There was no one else in the breakfast tent. He scanned the area and said in a low voice, "I believe Brother Ling isn't the type to start trouble. There must have been a reason for what happened yesterday. It's true that team members shouldn't go looking for trouble, but I also made it a rule that we never abandon a companion! Wu Liang, do you remember what happened three years ago?"
Wu Liang's expression turned awkward. Three years ago, the group had gone to West Lake to hunt Black Swans. They'd unexpectedly encountered a giant, Tier Two water python that appeared and vanished like a ghost in the swamp. The beast had entangled and severely wounded Wu Liang. If Gaia and Wang Chao hadn't risked their lives to kill it, Wu Liang would surely be dead.
Wu Liang was silent for a long moment before looking up. "Captain, since you insist on conflating these two different matters, I have nothing more to say. If he doesn't go, I will. Otherwise, I'll end up getting dragged down by him one day."
Wang Chao's face stiffened. Regardless of whether Ling Xiao was to blame, Wu Liang's actions today had gone too far.
Ling Xiao's expression remained impassive. "Brother Wang Chao, you don't have to make this difficult for yourself. I'll leave."
"Ling Xiao…" Tang Ming looked at Ling Xiao anxiously. He truly considered Ling Xiao a brother now. Besides, he and Wang Chao both knew about Ling Xiao's connection to Shangguan Yutong. Not only had Tang Ming recognized the Fine Willow Sword, but Wang Chao had as well. Five or six years ago, Shangguan Yutong had adventured and trained alongside Wang Chao and Tang Ming, back before Wu Liang and Gaia had even joined them.
Ling Xiao smiled at Tang Ming. "I cherish our friendship."
Tang Ming started, "I..."
Ling Xiao held up a hand to stop him, then turned to Anya. "If we have the chance in the future, I would be happy to teach you the art of the Golden Needle."
Anya's face fell. "Do you have to go?"
Ling Xiao didn't answer her. He turned to Wang Chao, whose face was ashen. "Brother, with my current strength, being on the team at all is only because of your special consideration. If we ran into danger, I would definitely drag the team down. Not to mention, if we encountered a dangerous Magical Beast, everyone would have to divert their attention to protect me. The entire team can't be in constant danger just because of me."
"But…" Wang Chao was frantic. He could already see the unwavering resolve in Ling Xiao's eyes.
"Brother, trust me," Ling Xiao said with a small smile. "Your injury will be fine now. Also, I'm a student at the Imperial Academy." He raised the Fine Willow Sword in his hand. "Tang Ming will know how to find me. Right, Tang Ming?"
Tang Ming's face was set with determination. "Brother, I'll go with you!"
Ling Xiao laughed and stopped him. "Don't even think about it. The team is the same with or without me, but they can't afford to lose you. You and I are brothers, but aren't you and the captain brothers, too? Heh, don't worry. I'm not that stupid. At worst, I'll just head back to the Imperial Capital and focus on my cultivation."
"In that case…" Wang Chao pondered for a moment. Since Ling Xiao was determined to leave, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him to return to the Imperial Capital and focus on his cultivation. After all, he was still young, and adventuring this early wasn't necessarily for the best. "Younger Brother Ling, you have to promise me you'll go straight back to the Imperial Capital. Even if the Madman Mercenary Corps finds you there, they won't dare to go too far."
Ling Xiao nodded, then gave another nod to the reluctant Tang Ming. He saw Gaia scratching his head in frustration. "Brother Gaia, I hope you're not dozing off the next time I see you."
He turned and took the hand of the girl in black. "Let's go!"
The girl in black had been watching from the side, stunned. She had only wanted to play a little prank on Ling Xiao to get her revenge. She never expected that a single sentence from her would actually force Ling Xiao out of the Adventurer's Guild. She felt so guilty that she didn't even notice him take her small hand.
Watching Ling Xiao's thin but stubborn departing figure, Wang Chao let out a heavy sigh. He felt as if he had lost something important.
Anya was also in a daze. This was the first time she had ever heard Ling Xiao say so much since she'd met him. 'So, he's not completely devoid of human warmth after all.'
Meanwhile, Tang Ming's heart was bleeding. 'Brother, don't you worry. At the end of the day, isn't this all because we're not strong enough? One day, I, Tang Ming, will lead a massive Mercenary Corps. When that day comes, if anyone dares to harm a single hair on my brother's head, I'll hunt them to the ends of the earth and make them pay!'
Wu Liang, on the other hand, finally felt at ease. 'For some reason, I just can't stand the sight of Ling Xiao. I think that kid has no strength, he's always expressionless, and he's just so annoying. What's so great about having some medical skills? I could kill a hundred guys like him!'
'Don't give me that crap about what to do if we run into danger in the wild. Don't we have a Tier Two Alchemist? Wasn't one piece of dead weight enough? Did we really have to pick up another? Does he think everyone is as unlucky as the captain, with his meridians blocked?' From the start, Wu Liang had been completely against Wang Chao's decision to let Ling Xiao join.
...
Ling Xiao led the girl in black a good distance away before suddenly stopping and turning to look back at her impassively.
Only then did the girl in black realize they were in a secluded place with no one else around. The hair on her body stood on end, and she stammered, "L-Ling Xiao, what are you doing? I... I didn't mean to cause trouble for you, I was just trying to play a joke." She had heard his name earlier and was now terrified. Yesterday, she had witnessed his ghostly Swordsmanship firsthand. She was still wondering why that group of people thought he lacked strength. 'If he lacked strength, how could he have subdued me in an instant?'
Ling Xiao shrugged, realizing the girl was letting her imagination run wild. "Don't be afraid. Let's make a deal."
The girl in black looked at Ling Xiao hesitantly and took a step back. "I was really just joking with you! That book… I don't want it anymore, okay? Please… please don't kill me, alright?"
Ling Xiao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He frowned and said, "I'm not interested in little kids!"
This, however, made the girl in black explode. Forgetting her fear, she jumped up and shrieked, "Who are you calling a little kid? I'll have you know, I'm a grown woman!" As she spoke, she puffed out her chest with all her might, revealing two small, fried-egg-like buds.
The corner of Ling Xiao's mouth twitched slightly. He held up his hands. "Alright, my mistake. I apologize."
Ling Xiao's words calmed the girl down. She looked at him suspiciously, wondering what this boy, who looked even younger than her, was up to.
"The deal I'm proposing is, if you're willing to take me to Vendia Snow Mountain…" Before Ling Xiao could finish, the girl in black flatly refused.
"No way! You couldn't pay me to go to a place like that! Are you sure you're not delirious? Vendia Snow Mountain? Oh, Sword God above, why don't you just take this child away? Is that a place for people like us who haven't even reached the level of a Great Sword Master? If you want to get yourself killed, don't drag me along with you, okay?" The girl in black stared at Ling Xiao as if he were an idiot.
Ling Xiao just smiled faintly and continued as if he hadn't heard her, "I'll give you a Lower-tier Celestial-level Sword Skill."
"Er…" The girl swallowed the sarcastic retort that was on the tip of her tongue. A greedy light shone in her eyes. "What did you say? And why should I believe you?"
"Because even though I'm just a Tier Five Sword Attendant, I possess a sword skill that could easily kill you!" Ling Xiao's expression was frank. "You should be well aware of this. Even a typical Great Sword Master might not be my match."
The girl in black furrowed her delicate, crescent-shaped eyebrows, her mind in turmoil. She knew full well the value of a Celestial-level Technique. The temptation was simply too great!
It might seem like a Tier Five Crystal Core is worth about the same as a Middle-tier Earth-level Sword Skill at an auction, but in reality, if a new Middle-tier Earth-level Sword Skill were to appear, it would be common for it to sell for three to five hundred thousand gold coins. Magic Beast Crystal Cores are good and have wide applications, but they are ultimately consumables. A good sword skill, on the other hand, could establish an entire family and be passed down for hundreds of generations!
Anyone with a brain could figure out which was more valuable.
'But, does he really have a Celestial-level Sword Skill? And would he really give it to me?'
"Should I believe you?" the girl in black asked, lightly biting her lower lip as her starry eyes stared at Ling Xiao. Inwardly, however, she was cursing him. 'You big liar, you big scoundrel! You even stole the Earth-level Sword Skill, so how could you possibly give me a Celestial-level one?'
"Of course," Ling Xiao said with a smile. "When the time comes, I can return that Middle-tier Earth-level Sword Skill to you as well. You have to admit, I've suffered quite a bit of injustice because of you."
The girl in black nodded in agreement. It was true. Because of this, he had not only provoked a Mercenary Corps but had also been forced to leave his adventurer's group. It wasn't that solo Adventurers didn't exist, but they were all incredibly powerful individuals. A solo Adventurer who was only a Tier Five Sword Attendant like Ling Xiao was absolutely unprecedented.
"You won't actually be in any danger. You just need to take me to the foot of Vendia Snow Mountain. Then you can find a place to stay and wait for me. When I return, I will naturally give you the sword skill. I always keep my word."
Ling Xiao said this with a calm expression. The main reason he wanted to make a deal with the girl in black was for her cunning and experience. In both his past life and this one, dealing with people had never been his strong suit. Until he had fully adapted to this world, it would be good to have someone to help him handle troublesome matters.
'Since I'm not with Wang Chao and the others anymore, you'll have to do. After all, you're the reason I had to leave the Adventurer's Guild in the first place.'
The girl's eyes darted about as she lightly bit her lower lip. "Really? Just to the foot of Vendia Snow Mountain… and you'll give me a Celestial-level Sword Skill? And you'll return my Earth-level Sword Skill too?"
Ling Xiao nodded.
"Alright, I agree!" 'She didn't actually believe Ling Xiao would give her a Celestial-level Sword Skill. It sounded wonderful, but it was questionable whether he even had one.'
'Even if he did, who would just give something like that away? You rotten scoundrel, trying to trick me? You're still too green! I'll just wait for my chance, steal back my Earth-level Sword Skill, and leave immediately. You want this young lady to be your free maid? Dream on!'