Chapter 021: You Chase After Me

"Ahem, are you two really going to walk away after only half a performance?" Zha Shi appeared before the crowd with a mischievous grin, holding a hefty earth demon rat in his hand. Although the creature’s vital points were firmly pinched so it could barely move, it still bared its fangs with a fierce glare, its face twisted in malice.

"Little Ma—" The second assistant had just begun to speak when the third assistant kicked him, quickly prompting a correction: "Shi, Junior Brother Zha Shi..."

At the same time, the third assistant, who had been watching with easy satisfaction, now bowed slightly and became much more subdued. After a glare from Zha Shi, both men regained their former composure.

Zha Shi ignored them and walked straight to Wei Qinglong—standing right beside Lin Zhan.

"Thank you for your effort."

Lin Zhan was momentarily at a loss for words.

"You can rest now. Leave this one to me."

Such a gentle tone—judging by the expressions on the two assistants’ faces, they seemed quite envious.

Lin Zhan couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, "I've already fought my way into the Plum Blossom Hall, and now you tell me to rest?"

He wanted to argue, but a wave of exhaustion swept over him, and he sank onto a nearby stone. Only now did he realize he’d been running on sheer willpower—the pressure from Wei Qinglong and his helpers had been immense. Now that Zha Shi had arrived, the tension melted away, and Lin Zhan’s body gave out all at once.

"Guess I'll watch your show. And those two helpers seem odd as well..."

Propping his head in his hands, Lin Zhan watched as Zha Shi brought the earth demon rat ever closer to Wei Qinglong’s face... As for the screams that followed, and the arrival of the senior laborers from the Daisy Hall and Steward Huo Yi—Lin Zhan knew nothing of it, for exhaustion overtook him and he drifted into sleep.

It was, in fact, the first true sleep Lin Zhan had known since entering this miniature world of Blue Ice City. Relying on the miraculous power of the Nine-Star Diagram, he had made every night his day—while other laborers slept, he secretly absorbed spiritual energy, circulating it within himself to grow the reserves in his Nine-Star Diagram. But the body has its limits. After going all out in battle against the disciples of Plum Blossom Hall, he had utterly depleted himself and collapsed in glory.

When he awoke, it was already midday of the next day.

"Oh, you’re finally up!" Zha Shi’s face hovered close to his, but when he saw Lin Zhan awaken, he quickly pulled back.

"Senior Brother Shi!"

Sitting atop a slab of icy stone, Lin Zhan looked around. Besides the spiritual herbs and flowers of the medicine field, only Zha Shi was nearby.

"Yesterday? What about the Ice Spirit Flower?"

"Don’t worry, all those little matters have been taken care of! Steward Huo found the Ice Spirit Flower on Wei Qinglong and discovered it had less than a year of spiritual essence left, so he was taken away—likely to the Disciplinary Hall. Once you enter that place, it’s hard to get out in less than three to five years... After that, there wasn’t much else. Boss Zha Yi saw how exhausted you were and told me to stay here and look after you."

"Look after—or spy on me? And why was your face so close just now?" Lin Zhan sat up, inching away out of instinct.

Wei Qinglong had brought his fate upon himself; no one else was to blame. If you steal the Ice Spirit Flower, you must be ready for the consequences. At last, this affair reached its end.

Lin Zhan stretched, feeling a sudden comfort as his spiritual power resumed its flow. He quickly sat cross-legged, savoring the familiar sensation.

After a while, the fullness of spirit returned, even greater than before. The fierce battle with the Plum Blossom Hall disciples had drained him, but in hindsight, the ordeal proved beneficial—the lines of the Nine-Star Diagram now appeared even more vivid.

"Hey, Senior Brother Shi, you left something the other day! I..." Lin Zhan remembered and fished the "Wind, Rain, and Cloud" movement technique from his robe.

"No need to say more. Just give it back." Zha Shi took the book without a glance, storing it away. "Your body is too weak; otherwise, you wouldn’t have fallen asleep like that. Want to come with me somewhere?"

He sounded so nonchalant that Lin Zhan didn’t bother to press further. He gestured toward the medicine field, "And here?"

"The task of guarding the Ice Spirit Flower is done. Boss Zha Yi hasn’t assigned you a new job yet, so for now, you’re on break."

Lin Zhan got up, gathered the small tools he’d used for tending the herbs, and stowed them in the storage ring Zha Shi had given him, ready to follow along. He’d spent so long in the Blazing Ice Mountains, always busy with work or cultivation, he’d hardly ever paid attention to the wonders of the peaks.

Now, with Zha Shi—an old hand—as his guide, it was the perfect time to explore.

Though the Scarlet Refining Valley was protected by formations and barriers so that, even as snow and wind raged across Blue Ice City, inside it remained unaffected. The medicine fields, perpetually draped in silver, stayed around minus twenty degrees—warmer, in fact, than the world outside the valley.

Across the snowy expanse, two figures darted one after the other.

Lin Zhan recalled Zha Shi’s words before they set out: "Try to catch me—keep up if you can!"

He was giving it his all. Using every ounce of spiritual energy to drive the "Wind, Rain, and Cloud" technique, he moved at several times normal walking speed, all nerves taut, eyes fixed on the lively figure ahead.

Even so, Zha Shi would pause now and then, waiting until Lin Zhan nearly caught up before darting off again.

They soon left the medicine fields, winding their way along the undulating mountains. Sometimes they’d climb ridges, other times weave through snowy forests. Zha Shi rarely took a straight path, deliberately adding extra loops and detours.

As Lin Zhan chased after him with all his might, he watched Zha Shi’s movements and compared them to his own, constantly analyzing and learning. This kind of study made his progress with "Wind, Rain, and Cloud" rapid indeed.

Self-teaching and being guided were worlds apart. Zha Shi, like a tireless master, demonstrated the various forms of the technique without the least reservation.

No words were needed—Lin Zhan understood well that Zha Shi was teaching him. He made a silent note to remember this kindness. Zha Shi was a braggart, and effusive thanks would probably be unwelcome. Besides, who knew what ulterior motive Zha Shi might have? Best not to get too close—alone in this world, Lin Zhan had to look out for himself.

"Hurry up, we’re almost there!" Zha Shi stopped ahead, waving excitedly.