Leaving the Valley

When Huo Ze finished his third set of push-ups and was calculating his next training plan, Ye Hangzhi slowly walked out from the courtyard house. Huo Ze hurriedly washed his face with creek water and pulled himself together.

Ye Hangzhi, carrying Marshal Ji by the neck with one hand, walked up to Huo Ze and tossed it onto the ground like a rag. Huo Ze’s pupils contracted slightly as he asked softly, "Mr. Ye, what happened?"

Ye Hangzhi said seriously, "My apologies to you."

Just as Huo Ze instinctively prepared to say it was fine, Marshal Ji lowered its head aggrievedly and let out three harsh "ak ak ak" cries.

"Last night, it almost devoured you."

Seeing Huo Ze’s dazed expression, Ye Hangzhi clasped his hands behind his back and explained calmly.

Huo Ze: ...

"I accept your apology, Marshal Ji."

Huo Ze didn't know whether he should be on guard or give a bitter smile.

Ye Hangzhi nodded happily. "Very good, everyone must live together in peace."

"... Thank you." Huo Ze’s thanks this time was very sincere.

Today, Ye Hangzhi wore a white outfit, standing in the picturesque Hidden Valley. His black hair fluttered gently in the wind, and his posture was as straight as a bamboo stalk, his aura very elegant. But Huo Ze discovered that he simply couldn't seriously appreciate Ye Hangzhi’s appearance; he didn't even understand why this person would work as a film actor. Because this person was truly very strange.

Of course, aside from raising fierce exotic beasts, liking to intentionally scare him, and having a peculiar way of thinking that made normal communication nearly impossible... there were actually no other flaws. Huo Ze, who had been threatened many times, couldn't help but silently justify Ye Hangzhi’s words and actions in his heart.

***

Over the past two days, Huo Ze had been proactively training his body, cooking meals with plenty of fish and meat every time, and the portions were very large. Not only that, he also quietly stowed away the Fasting Pills Ye Hangzhi gave him, not eating a single one.

Regarding this small challenge that didn't affect the overall situation, Ye Hangzhi appeared completely indifferent. He was in a very good mood and ate even more than Huo Ze. Having eaten well and slept soundly, Huo Ze’s fire-attribute ability appeared earlier than in his previous life. He looked at the flickering flame on his fingertip, both familiar and strange, and a rare hint of warmth appeared in his eyes.

The experience of two lifetimes made Huo Ze extremely proficient with flames. With just a bit of practice, his control over the fire immediately soared. Even lunch became more delicious; Ye Hangzhi finished a plate of braised fish, and the fish bones were snatched up and eaten by the young spirit hounds and Marshal Ji.

After finishing the meal, Huo Ze did not hesitate to proactively find Ye Hangzhi to demonstrate the power of his fire ability. He didn't care about hiding his intention of refusing to eat the Fasting Pills; Huo Ze believed he needed to prove to Ye Hangzhi that he truly had no ill intentions.

However, Ye Hangzhi’s thoughts were entirely different. The Great Master Ye looked at this somewhat weak flame, frowned, and suddenly extended his jade-white palm right in front of Huo Ze.

With a "whoosh," a cyan flame rose from his hand. The color was elegant and refined, like a vivid ink stroke on Xuan paper, yet it made the surrounding air so hot it almost distorted. Huo Ze watched until his pupils shrank. Before he could open his mouth to ask, Ye Hangzhi spoke as if in thought, "Mine is still more obedient and beautiful."

Huo Ze closed his eyes, almost unable to stop himself from gnashing his teeth. "... Yes, you are right."

Ye Hangzhi satisfiedly retracted the cyan flame. His powerful Divine Sense swept across the area outside the Hidden Valley, carefully checking everything once. Then, he looked at Huo Ze and ordered naturally, "The two cars are still there, but many leaves have fallen on them. Wash them clean and drive them back here."

The meaning behind his words was permission for Huo Ze to leave the valley. Ye Hangzhi's profound and unreasonable words and actions had actually caused Huo Ze to gradually become numb; he didn't even know where to start asking questions.

Huo Ze silently withdrew to pack his belongings, putting some necessary items into the backpack Ye Hangzhi had given him. That’s right, Ye Hangzhi had made a backpack—more accurately, he had refined it. The exterior of this backpack looked very ordinary, even somewhat ugly, but it was actually a defensive magical treasure. It could be activated by external force and could withstand a fatal blow from anyone below the Nascent Soul stage.

Huo Ze knew nothing of this, but his mood was still very complex. Not only that, he was forced to carry all sorts of weapons. His left hand held a hoe, his right a hatchet, and a shovel was strapped to his back, looking as if he were about to engage in a massive battle with zombies. Ye Hangzhi didn't seem to care about his own safety, telling Huo Ze to take as much as he liked, as long as he wasn't killed by zombies.

Huo Ze’s mood became even more complicated. It turned out that from the very beginning, he didn't need to sneak around to find weapons... Ye Hangzhi was puzzled by the stare from those dark eyes, completely unaware of what the boy was thinking.

After all, to Ye Hangzhi, this lad was just a tiny, weak ant whose strength wasn't even equal to Marshal Ji’s. He could crush him with a single finger. Even if Huo Ze charged at him with a blade, Ye Hangzhi wouldn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

But Huo Ze didn't think so. He felt he needed to repay the favor somehow, otherwise he would feel guilty. Before leaving, he rolled up his sleeves and made a pot of braised pork for Ye Hangzhi. The seasonings weren't quite complete, but Ye Hangzhi loved the smell. After tasting it, the gaze he directed at Huo Ze became unusually gentle.

Ye Hangzhi even reached out to pat Huo Ze’s head, saying softly, "You will be safe. Remember to bring back a few crystal cores. Oh, and don't forget to bring more sacks."

Huo Ze’s head felt numb from the pat. He silently lowered his head, glancing at Little Jin Wu; both of them saw panic in each other's eyes.