nChapter 81 - Obsession

nIn the silence of the night, the two carriages slowly left Xuelai City one after another.

nXuelai City was last city on the way to the Dead Swamp. Between the Dead Swamp and Xuelai City was a forest of medium sized trees, through which a narrow path had been cleared for use by mercenaries and traders.

nOn the carriage in front, Chu Ping was waving his whip in a relaxed manner.

nZhu Shi and Wu Yunlian’s soft giggles could be heard from the carriage every now and then. They seemed to be happily chatting all the way.

nIn the carriage behind them, Han Feng and Ku Long were sitting outside, occasionally uttering some words.

nMost of the time, they were both on alert and kept an eye on the surroundings.

nShi Yan was completely silent in his carriage.

nFor the past dozens of days, apart from meals, Shi Yan hardly got out of the carriage.

nEvery time he got out of the carriage, he wore a tired face with furrowed brows, seeming to be bothered about something.

n---

nLate at night.

nThe two carriages had stopped beside a brook in the forest. Zuo Shi and Wu Yunlian got off the carriage and walked to the brook, using the water to rinse their faces.

nBefore long, the two came back with some water to find that it was completely silent inside the other carriage.

n“What is that guy doing?”

nWu Yunlian looked at the carriage in confusion, her expression clearly showing bewilderment, “I have hardly seen him get of the carriage. Apart from those times when he got down and wolfed down his food, he has been staying in the carriage all day. And every time he comes out, he is always deep in thought, showing such a miserable face. What a weird kid.”

n“He has always been a weirdo.” Zuo Shi nodded in acknowledgment, “He has such strange hobbies like studying historic relics and ancient languages. No one knows what happens in his brain.”

nWu Yunlian laughed alluringly, “Xiao Shi, this guy is really different. Usually such boys would chase you around all day long, and wouldn’t go away even when you tried to drive them off. But this one has never looked at you in these ten days! He seems unwilling to come out of the carriage. Really strange.”

n“Leave him alone. He is a weirdo.” Zuo Shi was really surprised by Wu Yunlian’s opinion, and realized she was right. Shi Yan had never looked at her while they were on the road.

nThough not a self-centered girl, Zuo Shi knew that she was pretty, and the attitude Shi Yan showed towards her was very different from other boys’ attitudes.

nShi Yan was at his romantic age, but why was he so indifferent towards women?

nEvery woman cared about such things, including Zuo Shi. Apart from some confusion, she was also a little angry.

n“Get me some water.” Shi Yan’s indifferent voice came from the carriage.

nKu Long was stunned as he looked to Han Feng and replied, “Feng, do you still have some water?”

nHan Feng shook his head, and pointed at Wu Yunlian and Zuo Shi, who were slowly approaching them, “They get the water these days.”

nKu Long stuck out his head and looked at Wu Yunlian with a big smile, “Sister, please give me some water, my Young Master is thirsty.”

n“Tell him to come get it by himself.” Zuo Shi pouted and grunted, “Staying in the carriage all day. He must stink! Weirdo!”

nKu Long smiled in embarrassment and leaned to the carriage, “Young Master Yan, Miss Zuo requests you to come out for water.”

n“Hmm.”

nShi Yan replied briefly, drew the curtain and walked out with a withered face.

nHe looked dumb, his eyes puzzled, seemingly baffled by a certain problem.

nWithout too much thought, he walked towards Zuo Shi slowly, grabbed the water bag from her hand, and then drank up.

nAfter that, he casually handed the bag back to Zuo Shi, who was rather angry, and turned back for his own carriage while mumbling, “That water was fragrant, so strange...”

n“Shi Yan!”

nZuo Shi blushed in anger, “That water bag is mine! Not your Shi family’s!”

nShi Yan was shocked by her scream, and finally woke up from his deep thought on the Seal of Life and Death. He asked, “So what?”

n“Xiao Shi just now drank from this water bag. Hehe. Of course it would be fragrant.” Wu Yunlian smiled and joked, “Haha, maybe there’s still some of Xiao Shi’s saliva in it!”

n“Aunt Lian!” Zuo Shi blushed and stamped on the ground, “What the hell are you talking about!”

nKu Long and Chu Ping were stunned, with their faces turning strange. Even Han Feng raised his head secretly to look in their direction.

nBut soon, the three went on for their own business like nothing had happened, as if no one had heard Wu Yunlian’s words or saw Zuo Shi’s blushing face.

nShi Yan realized it immediately, but he still pretended to know nothing and smiled, “It’s ok. I’m easy-going. I don’t hate your saliva at all.”

nImmediately, he turned back joyfully and got back into the carriage at once, not showing up again.

n“Haha! Hahahaha!”

nWu Yunlian laughed too hard to stand steady as her breasts trembled. She suddenly felt that Shi Yan was not boring at all. His casual words were really hilarious.

nZuo Shi was dumbstruck for a while, then her eyes widened and she cursed, “Shi Yan! You bastard!”

n“Uncle Han, let’s go.” Shi Yan’s calm voice came from the carriage.

n“Okay.” Han Feng’s mouth formed a strange smile and he urged Ku Long, “Let’s go.”

nTheir carriage slowly started moving, and for the first time passed by the other carriage.

nStanding there with a red face, Zuo Shi first glanced over at Wu Yunlian, then at the silent Chu Ping, and said angrily, “What are you laughing at? What’s so funny? It’s not amusing at all! You all are so lame!”

nThen she swiftly slipped into the carriage and yelled, “Uncle Ping, be quick! Kick their carriage! Give that bastard a lesson!”

nChu Ping was stunned, and looked to Wu Yunlian miserably.

nWu Yunlian shook her head and jumped onto the carriage. She comforted Zuo Shi, “Come on, Xiao Shi. Don’t be angry. He didn’t mean it.”

n“Too rude! He said… he said...” Zuo Shi grunted with indignation, but was too shy to continue.

n---

nShi Yan never took it seriously at all.

nIn the carriage, Shi Yan was leaning back and frowning, while odd texts flashed across his mind.

nThe ancient method of the Seal of Life and Death quickly flashed through his mind.

nRecently, he had wholeheartedly put all of his energy into learning the method.

nEven when he was having meals, his brain had never stopped thinking. He was trying so hard to understand the practice process of the seal that he was nearly going insane.

nHe was that type of person.

nOnce he was determined to do something, he would focus on it and use everything to realize it, never changing his mind.

nAfter so many years of practicing extreme sports, he came to the conclusion that only with obsession, could one do things perfectly!

nThe Seal of Life and Death! The Seal of Life and Death!

nAt that time, there was only one thought in his mind; to understand the process of the Seal of Life and Death as soon as possible.

nIt was best if he could master the seal before he went into the Dead Swamp.

nOnly by mastering the seal could he be able to protect himself in the Dead Swamp, and have more opportunities to gain beneficial things.

nClosing his eyes, Shi Yan tried to relax, and began to sort out his recent understandings of the method.

nAfter a long while, he willed his Profound Qi to slowly move from his belly to his right arm.

nThe Profound Qi didn’t move fast, but it was concentrated and was refined with in his right arm.

nAs the Profound Qi gathered in his right arm, the latter became transparent, and even the bone and veins in his hand could be seen clearly.

nShi Yan didn’t realize the strange changes in his arm.

nEyes closed, he tried to execute the different the ideas that he came up with recently, and refined the Profound Qi in his arm many times.

nAs his arm began to expand, Shi Yan made up his mind and pushed his Profound Qi toward his palm.

n“Chee chee chee!”

nWisps of crystal Profound Qi flew out from his fingers like lightning.

nThose five streams of Profound Qi looked alive, as they lingered around his fingers but never flew out far.

n“Still not correct.”

nShi Yan opened his eyes, and gazed at the Profound Qi on his fingertips. His face showed disappointment as he frowned and mumbled to himself, “There must be something wrong. It’s not a sign of success. What on earth should I do?”

nHis mumbles became softer, as he withdrew the Profound Qi from his fingers little by little.

nShi Yan sank deep into his thoughts again, obsessively trying to find the truth of the seal.

n