The Dark Hours had finally ceased, revealing the Dim Hours of Dawn. Shy light shines away into the grassy plain, revealing the muted green and spilled crimson all over the place in pale blue, with each limb strewn about, corpse half-eaten and fresh linger still.
On a particular mound, 4 figures can be seen walking with one being carried. Gu Liang, Gu Tian, Wu Chen and Wu Nanming.
This group walks lazily, care not for the Jiangshi prowling about everywhere, shadowing their step as they follow just out of reach yet is still very much a real threat. For some reason they are not so keen on leveraging their advantage towards the weakened group, they simply want to follow them.
Chen, with body still tattered from him abusing Tarnished Gathering and the fact he just cast a spell can be seen in a much worse condition than even Gu Liang and Gu Tian who had fought for well over 10 minutes against Wu Nanming.
Right now, he could barely walk and is currently being supported by Gu Liang. They hardly talk, partly from exhaustion and the fact that it's not really a fitting mood on holding a dialog given they had just experience dancing with death.
'So tiring,' Gu Liang mused in his mind, his eyes half-lidded and his face is looking haggard. In front of him is Gu Tian who currently drags Wu Nanming who is tied with left-over fabric taken from the dead.
'I thought for sure that I would meet the Spirit of Death Haralg' He entertains the thought of being able to meet the Spirit said to only reveal herself when one is about to die in glory.
"Yet one meet death, so glorious the Heaven stand still as the Death spectates the marvel of life" He recite a specific poem about Haralg.
"What was that?" Wu Chen interjects, curious about the poem he just recited.
"Nothing, just running my thought to ignore this rotting stench" Liang said as he glared upon the multitude of Jiangshi following their movement. Their eyes glow with various colors in dim and weak glint.
"True enough, I wonder why they haven't attack us yet…" Wu Chen said his mind out loud, a train of thoughts that pass by Gu Liang's psyche just a minute earlier, and now when Chen brought it up, he certainly does finds it amiss that the Jiangshi is just content on following them.
"Maybe because we're too strong" Gu Tian interjects with playful tone as she watches back into the boys.
"Heh, as if they are scared of you" Chen scoff
"Hey! Just so you know I manage to hold your brother back for a full minute!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever… In the end it was me who held him down for you to win. Thus, the reason for victory lies upon me~" Chen said as he put his hands into his chest theatrically, drawing some faint smile from Gu Liang who finds it amusing while eliciting ire from Gu Tian.
"You're late you good for nothing playboy!"
"Wpullswho's a playboy?"
"Hmph"
Gu Tian pouts, stomping her feet as he pull the ropes that pulls Nanming tighter, he might be pass out still, yet Gu Liang can't help but to see he was displeasured at being caught in the crossfire between the two.
"You probably wooing some random girl on the way here" Gu Tian make unnecessary comments
"That's uncalled for! I was working my ass off impaling Jiangshi to awaken the Weapon Soul!"
"Lalalala, excuses excuses~"
Both of their banters filled the place with snark humor, as well as frequent laughter from Gu Liang who can't help but feel eased off seeing these two casual demeanors.
"Speaking of which, how come you were able to awaken the Weapon Soul in such a short time?" Gu Liang interjects with curious looks.
"A gamble, and I'm glad that it works out"
"I didn't take you for someone who is willing to put everything in the nicks of chances alone"
Gu Liang certainly didn't take Chen for such a risk-goer given how he acted with so much careful planning and ahead thinking.
"Well, it was certainly foolish of me, but I can still regenerate remember? If it didn't work out, I can just hope to win in a battle of attrition" Now that he thinks about it, it is certainly very risky for him to count only on his Tarnished Gathering. Especially given the fact he just awakens them recently as his Tarnished River Body finally manifests its signature Black and Deep Red Aura.
Which mean this battle favored the lucky, and it's just so happened Chen is the lucky one… This time at least, if anything, this should be a lesson.
So many things could go wrong if he only based his plans on one factor, the reality is that even the cleanest road has bandits.
"I see, but yesterday you told me that Tarnished River Body can only heals you once before the ability was locked for a certain amount of time?"
And at that, Wu Chen laughs awkwardly. He certainly did remember telling him that, but the fact is that he lies.
"You know…. There's a saying that One's words conceal their intent yet reveal their Hearts"
"And by that you are saying you're giving me false information?"
Gu Liang face is passive, but Chen can tell that he is disappointed that Chen would stoop so low as to lie about a Technique.
In Jianghu and by extension the Martial ethic, lying about a technique to even an opponent is seen as very dishonorable. Even those of the unorthodox path will never did so low as to straight up lie about a technique.
"Not necessarily, you see I mixed in some lies and truth"
"That doesn't justify it"
"Yet the end justifies the path is it not?"
"So in character for a Demonic Sect I suppose"
"Listen, I just wanted some leverage from you"
"And yet I was at the disadvantage the whole time, don't you think wanting more leverage upon me would be greedy of you?"
"Well let's just call me Mr. resourceful then"
"Greedy"
"Gullible"
Both started to throw more childish insults at one another. Once again, this is a 10-year-old bickering in the manner of adults. Such constructed dialog in a childish context so out-the-character for both.
Gu Tian is upset a little that she was left out in between their flurry of words, yet she can't help but feel that over time both Chen and Liang grew increasingly more familiar with each other that they are practically a sworn brother now.
Yet she herself continued to run away, unable to face her past. Why is it?
Is it because she was a coward?
Or was it because it was simply her character to be so distance and performative? Beneath everything was she still that same, snotty girl who cries even when the wind blows her slightly?
Yet she hides beneath a cheerful exterior everyone knows her as, the only one who truly sees her as who she is, is Chen and Ni Len and yet she still doubts they both truly knew who 'Tian' truly is.
Her meandering was cut short by a shout.
"Boss!" It was Ni Len, behind him is Ki Xia.
They both ran at full speed, so much so that Ki Xia glass almost slipped out.
Their approach is met with a glowing sunrise in the distance, peeking slightly from the woods as it sheds its morning light down to Earth. Seeing this, all three of them realize that it's just another day in the end.
"…Well, it's done now, right?" Chen said with a slight smile, eliciting the same reaction from both Gu Liang and Tian.
The hunt is over.
Day 4: 200 students remain.