Free Web NovelChapter 35: Chapter 34: Treasure Map
Ling Wei slowly opened her eyes to a world of verdant green. She had just started to reach out when a sharp pain shot through her chest. Looking down, she saw her own clothes had been torn open, and a man’s shirt was draped over her. The fabric on her legs had also disappeared, revealing their fair, slender length.
Ling Wei gently lifted the man’s shirt and found the wound on her torso had been properly bandaged. She couldn’t help but look around, and in the distance, she saw a man who seemed to be asleep, leaning against a tree.
Ling Wei considered calling out to him but felt it would be rude. ’He must have seen my whole body,’ she thought, her face flushing crimson.
An unknown amount of time passed before Wen Qingye gradually woke. He instinctively glanced toward the woman and saw that she was awake. With her hands pressed to the ground and her teeth clenched, she seemed to be trying to stand.
Wen Qingye walked over. "You’re awake," he said. "Don’t move. Your injuries haven’t healed, and you might tear the wound open."
Ling Wei looked at the man before her, her blush spreading to the base of her neck. "Thank you for saving me," she said softly, "but right now I... I need to relieve myself."
As she said this, Ling Wei wished she could find a hole to crawl into and hide.
Wen Qingye nodded and walked over. "Let me help you."
The sudden wave of his masculine scent made Ling Wei’s body go limp, and she fell directly into Wen Qingye’s arms.
Feeling the woman fall against his chest, Wen Qingye quickly reached out and steadied her.
Ling Wei whispered, "Could you please..."
"Of course. I’ll go over there," Wen Qingye said with an understanding nod, then walked off into the distance.
She let out a long breath.
Watching Wen Qingye depart, Ling Wei finally felt a sense of relief.
Wen Qingye walked a short distance away, then leaped into the air to survey his surroundings. The area was lush with trees, but through a gap in the leaves, he could see a flash of white in the distance.
A stream!
Seeing the stream, Wen Qingye’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly took the Treasure Map from within his robes and unfolded it.
’The location on the Treasure Map is near a river,’ Wen Qingye thought to himself. ’I wonder if this is it.’
A little while later, Wen Qingye returned. Ling Wei was leaning against a tree, looking down at her wound. When she saw him coming, she quickly pulled the shirt closed.
Ling Wei smiled. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Ling Wei."
Wen Qingye heard the name and felt a flicker of familiarity, though he couldn’t recall where he’d heard it before.
"My name is Wen Qingye," he replied calmly. freewёbnoνel.com
"Wen Qingye? Your surname is Wen?" Ling Wei asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Wen Qingye was confused. "Yes, I’m Wen Qingye. Is something wrong?"
Ling Wei smiled. "It’s nothing, I was just curious. Did you come to the Hundred Break Mountains alone?"
"Yes, just me," Wen Qingye nodded.
Ling Wei studied Wen Qingye. She could tell his cultivation at a glance—he was merely at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer Heaven. Yet he was able to survive in the middle of the Hundred Break Mountains. She found it utterly incredible.
Wen Qingye pointed ahead. "There’s a stream up there. Let’s go take a look. We might be able to catch some fish. You’re injured, so getting something to eat will help."
At the mention of fish, Ling Wei realized she was indeed hungry. She nodded. "Alright. Help me up, please. I can’t walk on my own just yet."
Wen Qingye nodded and walked to her side. Ling Wei extended her hand, and he supported her as they slowly moved forward.
There was an innate nobility about Ling Wei; she wasn’t delicate or pretentious. Wen Qingye found himself developing a good impression of her.
Though Ling Wei’s expression was calm, she was inwardly nervous. This was the first time she had ever been so close to a man she didn’t know.
After they had walked a few hundred meters, a clear stream appeared before them. The water was so limpid that they could see every stone on the bottom.
Ling Wei studied the stream and deduced, "The water is flowing from south to north. This must be a tributary of the Baihui River."
Hearing Ling Wei’s words, Wen Qingye recalled the markings on his Treasure Map. The location indicated seemed to be on a tributary of the Baihui River.
"You sit here for now. I’ll go catch some fish," Wen Qingye said with a smile.
Ling Wei nodded, a playful glint in her eye. "Alright," she said. "I want to sit by the water’s edge."
Wen Qingye chuckled, helped Ling Wei to the water’s edge, and gently set her down.
Wen Qingye found a suitable branch. Holding Ling Wei’s sword in one hand and the branch in the other, he flicked his wrist a few times. One end of the branch was instantly sharpened, sending neat wood shavings fluttering to the ground.
Ling Wei’s eyes lit up. "I didn’t realize you were an expert in Swordsmanship."
"I’m alright," Wen Qingye said modestly. "I’ve merely dabbled."
’This man is far from simple,’ Ling Wei thought, her assessment of him growing. She had clearly seen the movement of his wrist—it was nimble and swift. The wood shavings on the ground were uniform in thickness and width. This was definitive proof that Wen Qingye was a master of Swordsmanship, and an exceptionally skilled one at that.
Wen Qingye hopped into the stream and began to search for fish.
Suddenly, Ling Wei pointed. "There! Over there!"
Following her finger, Wen Qingye thrust the sharpened branch forward, accurately spearing a fish.
When she saw him spear the fish, a rare smile graced Ling Wei’s lips. She looked genuinely happy, as if this simple, carefree moment was something she had never experienced before.
"Quick, look! Over there!"
"Don’t let it get away! Faster, go faster!"
...
Night gradually fell. Hazy moonlight spilled down, illuminating the surface of the stream.
Smoke from a small fire drifted into the air, carrying with it the fragrant aroma of cooking fish. Wen Qingye handed a roasted fish to Ling Wei, who accepted it without ceremony.
Ling Wei took a small bite, chewed a few times, and nodded. "This is delicious!"
Wen Qingye smiled. "The fish here do taste good. It’s probably because of the water. Good water makes for good fish."
"I think your cooking is pretty good, too," Ling Wei said, smiling at Wen Qingye before turning her attention back to the fish in her hands.
Wen Qingye picked up a fish for himself. They ate and chatted, and before long, both had their fill.
Ling Wei looked at Wen Qingye. "Why did you come to the Hundred Break Mountains?"
"To look for some herbs," Wen Qingye said casually.
"Oh." Ling Wei nodded.
"What about you?" Wen Qingye asked. "Why are you in the Hundred Break Mountains?"
Ling Wei blinked. "I’m here for experience. Only by tempering oneself between life and death can a person truly grow."
Wen Qingye smiled. "You’re not wrong. You seem very familiar with this area. This isn’t your first time here, is it?"
"Yes, I came once a few months ago with my family," Ling Wei nodded, her voice turning wistful. "If you want to become strong, you eventually have to learn to face things alone."
She paused, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before continuing, "Because sooner or later, you’ll understand that to survive in this world, relying on others is never as good as relying on yourself!"
Wen Qingye hadn’t expected a woman like her to possess such a strong will. ’She must have her own story,’ he mused. He just shrugged and said nothing.
After a moment, Wen Qingye took out the Treasure Map. "I have a map here. Could you take a look at it for me?"
