DEVIL'S SWORD

Heading to Mount Gobi

 Ho Chen turned his body to check on Fang Yun. However, the person he was looking for was no longer in his original place.

 A bad thought quickly flashed through Ho Chen’s mind. He suspected that Fang Yun had left while he was still asleep.

 "Damn it! So ungrateful!" he muttered.

 Ho Chen stood up. After brushing off the leaves stuck to his body, he tied back the black-hilted sword that had been given to him by Li Hao.

 Ho Chen did a few light exercises to loosen his muscles. After that, he walked towards the large banyan tree where he had buried the dried scroll.

 But after taking only a few steps, he heard Fang Yun shouting from behind. "Ho Chen, wait!"

 Ho Chen turned his head back. He saw Fang Yun walking towards him at a slightly hurried pace, clutching his right ribs with his left hand while carrying a bundle of cloth in the other.

 Ho Chen scratched his head, feeling embarrassed for having thought poorly of Fang Yun.

 "I thought you had left," Ho Chen said once Fang Yun was close to him.

 "There's no way I would leave just like that after you saved my life." Fang Yun flashed a friendly smile. "But first, I want to apologize for what I did to you."

 "There’s nothing to regret; what’s done is done. The important thing is that you’re no longer in critical condition and have realized your mistakes." Ho Chen squinted at the bundle of cloth in Fang Yun’s hand. "That’s my clothes..."

 Fang Yun chuckled softly. "I washed them in a small river not far from here. Coincidentally, near the river, I saw a banana tree full of ripe fruit. So, I took the liberty of picking some bananas for us to eat."

 "But why did you use my clothes to wrap the bananas?"

 Fang Yun chuckled again, wincing as the pain in his ribs flared up. He unwrapped Ho Chen’s clothes, revealing the bananas. "Come on, let’s eat first."

 Ho Chen nodded. He took a bunch of bananas and peeled one before eating it. "How’s your wound?"

 "Much better. The bleeding has stopped, but the pain is still there," Fang Yun replied. He took off his upper garment and showed his wound to Ho Chen.

 "The outer wound has dried up, but the internal injury is still healing. Usually, with the herbs I used to treat your wound, you’ll recover in two days," Ho Chen responded.

 "How do you know about medicinal plants? Did someone teach you?" Fang Yun asked curiously.

 "My master never taught me; I learned on my own. I try to befriend nature so that I won’t struggle to survive in the outside world," Ho Chen said, taking another banana and eating it heartily.

 "Where are you heading after this?"

 "My master entrusted me with the task of delivering the dried scroll you tried to steal yesterday, along with this sword," Ho Chen answered while chewing his banana.

 "So you don’t even know what’s inside the scroll? And where are you supposed to deliver it?"

 "To the peak of Mount Gobi. I have to deliver it to someone there."

 Fang Yun was stunned and speechless.

 "Why do you look so shocked?" Ho Chen asked.

 "Don’t you know that Mount Gobi is infamous for being haunted? My friends say there's a strange creature there that won’t let anyone reach the peak."

 "I don’t care about anything like that. I made a promise to my master to deliver this scroll and sword, even if it costs me my life."

 Fang Yun was impressed by Ho Chen’s unwavering determination. He then compared it to himself, realizing he had never held any strong principles in life.

 "Where will you go after this, Fang Yun? Are you going back to the sect or to your parents' house?" Ho Chen asked. He was already holding his third banana, ready to devour it.

 "I have no desire to return to the sect. Besides, we don’t even know what happened to it, right? Going home is also not an option. My father will just find another sect for me to train in." Fang Yun’s voice was quiet as he replied. His hands were busy cleaning Ho Chen’s clothes before handing them back to him.

 "How about I just go with you?"

 Ho Chen was taken aback by Fang Yun’s request. He then burst into laughter at what he considered an absurd question.

 "Instead of answering, you’re just laughing," Fang Yun grumbled.

 "It’s not that I don’t want you to come with me, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to survive in the outside world. Your status as a duke’s son will be meaningless if you’re with me, not to mention all the privileges you’ve always had, whether from your parents or at the sect," Ho Chen explained.

 "If you can survive in the outside world, then I should be able to as well. At the very least, I can learn a lot from you." Fang Yun stood up, gazing towards Mount Gobi in the distance. "Let’s go now!"

 Ho Chen looked up at Fang Yun. "Are you sure you want to come with me?"

 "Absolutely. I’ll prove to you that I can live your way!" Fang Yun declared firmly.

 Ho Chen put his clothes back on. Then, he stood beside Fang Yun. "Alright. But first, we need to retrieve the scroll from there!" Ho Chen pointed at the towering banyan tree in the distance.

 The two young men walked side by side. Occasionally, Ho Chen stopped when he found medicinal plants that could help heal Fang Yun’s wounds.

 When they reached the large banyan tree, Ho Chen dug up the ground where he had buried the dried scroll and retrieved it. "Even though I’m curious about its contents, I will never open it. A responsibility is a duty that must be fulfilled."

 Fang Yun nodded. He had already learned an important lesson from Ho Chen. And he was sure he would gain even more life lessons throughout their journey.

 They resumed their journey. The descending terrain made it easier for them to go down the mountain. The strong determination in their hearts fueled them to keep moving forward.

 Based on his calculations, Ho Chen estimated that they would reach the peak of Mount Gobi in four days. He also anticipated various obstacles that might hinder their journey, especially the wild animals lurking in the forest.

 Two days had passed. Now, before them stood the mighty Mount Gobi, covered in tall, dense trees. A mystical aura immediately surrounded them as they arrived at the base of the infamous mountain.

 "It’s getting late. We should camp here for the night. We’ll start climbing in the morning," Ho Chen said.

 "I’ll follow your lead," Fang Yun replied.

 Night fell once again. The full moon slowly ascended, radiating its elegance. However, its golden glow could not penetrate the dense trees growing at the foot of Mount Gobi.

 The howling of wild dogs intensified the eerie atmosphere they had felt since arriving.

 As the two young men slept soundly, a pair of large red eyes watched them from the treetops. Below, six more pairs of eyes were fixated on the exact spot where they rested.