Yin Hu considered running with the girls packed up and on his shoulders. He was strong enough to carry them without issue. Just an issue of what might attack him. More importantly, the dangers of something attacking them and getting to one of the girls before he could react or save them.

It was the worst case scenario. Replaying in Yin Hu's mind every time he approached the girls to pick them up.

He, eventually, gave up on the necessary progress he preferred to occur and get him away from Demonic Territory as he possibly could go in the meantime. Being stagnant for twelve days was not an ideal situation. Yin Hu could only hope that everyone worried about what the Bleak Forest might hold to search for them this deep into it.

Jun had been clear that the general consensus of this area had been, at best, a death sentence.

Yin Hu had yet to see any indication of that though.

Might just be another case of cultivators overblowing rumors and myths to extreme heights. It was as common as the sun. He had seen it personally time and again. Whether it was Jun's slowly getting better issue of big names or all the bullshit he had been getting away with his persona.

Cai Xuefang, Dong ZhenKang, and even YagWan had fallen for it, hook line and sinker. He would have started to believe that he may have been that strong had he not encountered the spider girl assassins. They hadn't reacted the way the others did. He assumed that they hadn't fallen for the persona. Coming in to do their job and get out. Even if they sucked at it.

Yin Hu sighed as he pulled out another of his pavilions. A massive thing that could have doubled as an entire house covered in curtains and drapes if he hadn't known it wasn't made of any wood or solid material at all.

It did come with a few key elements. Ones that resulted in him choosing it over the rest.

The most important feature was an array that would warn him whenever something that would threaten him entered into the vicinity of a fence around the pavilion. One that extended a bit past the treeline and clearing itself.

He wasn't sure how it would ping him.

Only that it would most likely be very obvious to him considering he hadn't ever been given a pinging warning before about a threat. Now all he needed to do was keep the girls in an area that is relatively safe at all times so he could protect them or escape if something too strong approached them.

The second and not nearly as important, but was a comfort of life that he could not ignore. A cleaning process he could toggle on and off through the system. One that did everything he needed of it. Except that said system was still broken and the cleaning function could never be toggled off.

Yin Hu had gotten lucky.

He would have been screwed had it been stuck on the off toggle.

Sometimes everything going didn't go wrong all the time. Yin Hu could appreciate the small moments when things did go his way. As rare as it was. So he took the moment to be grateful. A few seconds of silence. Nothing more, but it meant a lot to him.

Three days passed since he first set himself up with the tent. The girls were moved to the center and inside. Protected by him and the tent's array system that remained active the entire time.

Yin Hu had to power it up again on the second day. It was running low on fuel and required Qi to keep going, which he didn't have any. So he didn't even attempt to use his dry barren core. Instead he pulled out a few Qi Stones and transferred the energy from them to the core functioning array of the tent. It was a pretty simple task.

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He had been worried that it would be difficult or require some strange esoteric technique. Nothing but intent to move Qi from one area to the next and it jumped to do what it was told. Simple enough for even him, much less someone far more associated and familiar with Qi.

A branch snapped in half behind Yin Hu.

He had been cooking some rice to snack on and was facing away from the forest and towards the tent.

Yin Hu slowly turned around.

Only to find someone standing there and staring directly at him. Pointy face, massive smile, and white robes. Having stepped out of the clearing and waving as though he was expected or a family friend. Yin Hu stared silently.

A pair of massive swords, reminiscent of Guts's GreatSword, floated around him.

Fuck! Did the tent need more Qi?! Or is it malfunctioning! It's supposed to warn me of anyone or anything that could be dangerous to me. That guy is clearly a cultivator and a strong one to boot.

"Hey." The man waved.

Yin Hu stood up, pulling out his spear. Prepared for battle. "How can I help you?"

The man raised his hands up immediately. A placating gesture as he stepped back, both of his large swords thudded as they fell and pierced into the ground. "I'm not here for a fight, Senior. Traveling alone in this forest is dangerous and the circumstances of me and my wife are difficult. We are just looking for any chance that we can travel with you. Maybe help each other out."

"You and your wife?" Yin Hu said. He activated his perception skill, but couldn't find anything of note. "Tell her to come out. Let me be the judge of you two before I decide. Be ready that I decline your approach, strangers."

Are they hiding their presence? Or do all high level people do that? I don't remember feeling anything from Shao Yating or Cai Xuefang.

"Of course. Of course!"

The man turned back to the forest, waving to whoever was there to come out. A Jade Beauty stepped into the clearing. She floated off the ground. Voluptuous and well proportioned everywhere. She met his eyes only to pale and nearly fall over had she not been caught by the man. Helping her stay standing.

"Forgive us, Senior. She is sickly," the man helped her towards Yin Hu. "I am Zhong Da, a distant progeny of Zhong An. Clan Patriarch of the Zhong Clan…"

Yin Hu blinked at him with an expressionless face. The man caught on to it.

"…you don't recognize the name?"

"I do not recall the name of every child I meet." Yin Hu said as he played into his persona.

Zhong Da laughed nervously. The lady in his arms fainted and went limp. She had serious health issues that seemed to keep sending her into unconscious fits. Unable to even keep direct eye contact with him. He wondered how she would react had she met a real cultivator not her husband. Or maybe this was an injury she sustained from a battle.

She definitely looked like a cultivator, that much he could say.

"As you can see, my wife, Xu Wui," Zhong Da said as he patted her head. Both of them were on the ground with her head on his lap. "Is very sickly. I fear that I may not be able to keep her safe if we are ever attacked. Her consciousness comes and goes by the whims of the winds. With no clear reason why. Please. Don't abandon us. We aren't Demonic Cultivators. My ancestor, Zhong An, is actually a massive force among the Righteous Sects, and not the current one."

"Is that so?"

Zhong Da nodded emphatically.

Yin Hu could see the fear in the man's eyes. This seemed like their last option or the couple expected to die out here. As much as it pained him, he couldn't look the other way. Though he could take measures to keep himself and the girls safe.

"You can stay—"

"Thank you! Oh thank you, senior! I'll never forget this favor!"

"—but there will be rules. You cannot enter the pavilion behind me. You cannot pass this side of the campfire. I'll place a few barriers to keep us separated. The instant anyone of you two crosses it, you must leave. No warnings. No chances. Also… I will be sitting here for about ten more days. You are welcome to stay if that doesn't make a difference."

"No it doesn't! However long you want." Zhong An shouted, then bowed low. "You've saved our lives. You may not know it, but you truly are a savior."

Yin Hu hummed.

I'll have to keep an eye out on them. Maybe search the rice bag for things that could help out with this. The pavilion's system did not work. It could only mean that they are weaker than me together. Maybe as strong as Jun each, just much better at looking stronger than they really are. Again, cultivators bullshitting all the time.

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