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Chapter 13: Watch at Night

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"... It is done."

Hearing this, the others refrained themselves from cheering loudly.

Who could've predicted, that the cat would suddenly have the itch to help cooking, greatly delaying their mealtime.

Kyu Cao had extensive knowledge about food and how to prepare it, but had never actually cooked himself. So, taking advantage that nobody recognized him here, he took the opportunity to give it a try.

Wonlai and the others agreed amiably, only to be left dumbfounded.

If you wanted to be nice, you could say the cat had great perseverance. Putting it less politely, he was a stubborn perfectionist.

But what shocked the four to the core, was how, after the first few "failed" attempts, the cat carefully sectioned the meat in small pieces so that he could have even more tries.

They couldn't decide if this seemingly young master was surprisingly miserly, or predictably extravagant as he wasted an entire deer on his experiments.

At least the result did seem to make all worth it.

By the time they finished eating, the sun had hidden itself, covering the forest with a heavy blanket of shadows; the shape of a crescent moon on the sky was barely discernible through the disorderly branches of the trees.

"That was a delicious meal, Senior Cao," Li Ling praised sweetly, her bluish scales acquiring a green sheen under the burning bonfire.

"I apologize that I took this much to succeed. I made everyone wait."

At the cat's solemn apology, she couldn't help but inwardly shake her head helplessly. "It has already turned dark, what does Senior think of returning together?" She steered the conversation in another direction.

Kyu Cao stopped to think for a moment. However, at the end he still decided that he couldn't leave together with them so he shook his head. "I will stay the night." It couldn't be helped.

It wasn't strange for the young army trainees to spend two or more nights at the Backdoor's Forest, in order to learn how to survive in the wilderness.

However, when they heard the cat, the group revealed uncertain expressions.

While not strange, the trainees that came to the forest for long experiences always did it in groups. Even if it was a peak level six Earthly Warrior, the maximum permitted level for entry, they wouldn't dare to venture the night alone.

This was because the most dangerous thing in the Backdoor's Forest was not the grade one martial beasts, or even the extremely rare grade two martial beasts.

It was the large hordes of ferocious beasts.

Encountering a pack of ferocious beast alone, the only wise thing to do would be to hightail out of there. Even though ferocious beasts were much weaker than true martial beasts, with their numbers, they could trap and overwhelm anyone below the seventh level.

Even the groups of trainees did not enter the forest in teams to resist the hordes, but to broaden their detection range and make less likely to be found first and surrounded by one.

And if a horde of ferocious beast was bad enough, a pack of grade one martial beasts was any trainee's worst nightmare.

"Is Senior planning to stay alone?" she asked probingly. The snake threw a discrete glance to her teammates, and found that they too didn't look too reassured.

If something they had figured about the cat, was that until now he most likely had leaded a pretty sheltered life.

He was clearly intelligent, and seemed to have astonishing martial arts' potential, but this was not equal to experience.

Actually, this could be even more disastrous, as intelligent people tended to overestimate themselves and get caught into things they couldn't handle.

Their relationship with Kyu Cao couldn't be called deep, but they felt that there was a budding friendship there. And even if not, they wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully, knowing they left such a guy alone.

"I will keep myself to the safe area." Kyu Cao more or less could presume what they were thinking.

This statement took the four by surprise, and cooled down his brains.

Right, there were no hordes in the outer regions.

However, that would not dispel all their worries. After all, in the so called safe area, they knew that another kind of danger could be lurking in the shadows.

Wonlai eased the expression on his face and smiled toward the cat. "Then, I hope Fellow Brother Cao would not mind if we stay to keep him company. It will be safer this way, and we would be more at ease."

"... I understand. I thank you all." With their intentions so bare, and without a fair excuse, it was impossible to turn them down.

"No need, no need," laughed Bi Gong, "it actually feels like we are bothering Senior Cao too much. Right, Senior Cao, Big Bro Cao, that meat you prepared is really good. Big Bro must be a cooking genius, a sage of the kitchen! Could you... prepare some more?" he asked shamelessly while flattering the cat.

"I do not mind."

"Hahaha, Big Bro Cao really treats us well!"

Seeing this scene, the others wanted to roll their eyes.

"It should be all right to leave the fire on here, but we still will take turns to watch," spoke out Wonlai. He was about to ask who wanted to take the first turn when someone chimed in first.

"If it is watch, I can take the first turn."

He stared at the cat with a bit of surprise, his slightly squared ears perked. "Well, if Fellow Brother Cao wishes for it, go ahead."

He didn't sound that certain, as it was most likely the first time the cat actually did something like this and stood watch at night. But thinking that the first watch should be the easiest one, he believed it would be okay.

"I understand."

The way Kyu Cao sat quietly with his tail swinging in wide arcs behind him was reminiscent of a kitten behaving himself so that he could later go and play. Even his impassive expression now looked simply like that of a well- behaved child who was trying to be serious.

Wonlai and the others had simply lost count of how many times they had inwardly sighed in helplessness since they met the cat.

Under the night sky, the forest simply seemed as if swallowed in darkness.

The nocturne creatures sang with desolate cries accompanied by slowly fading echoes, soaking the atmosphere with an eerie mood that pervaded the skin and bone and could make one's fur stand on its ends.

This, however, was fascinating and beautiful in itself, like listening to a masterfully played dirge.

Kyu Cat sat silently, not far from the bonfire and the others, who lay resting in a circle around the flames.

They hadn't originally planned to pass the night at the forest so they hadn't brought with them much. This, however, couldn't even be called an inconvenience to trained soldiers like them, who had gone through worse.

Unexpectedly for Kyu Cao, keeping watch actually only entailed staying awake and paying attention to the surroundings, a relatively simple task.

This didn't mean that he didn't take it seriously. But it also gave him some leverage to do some idle contemplation.

He thought back to today's events.

To his meeting with these four and how he ended forming a group with them; their walking together through the forest and climbing the cliff, the fight, their parting... their return. It was an afternoon full with unexpected developments.

But it was also interesting, and enjoyable.

The reason why they'd invited him, how could Kyu Cao not have known since the start? But it was a proposal beneficial for the two, so he accepted.

Now, it was also clear that these four were pretty decent guys, so Kyu Cao had a favorable impression of them.

It was the first time he spent some time with someone his age, they were excellent hosts and he was enjoying himself, so he was also thankful.

Maybe he should do something for them in return later.

Reaching into his pocket, Kyu Cao rummaged for a brief moment before taking out a rock-like object. It was the three-clawed grizzly's beast core.

For today events, the fight with the three-clawed woody grizzly had to be the most remarkable noteworthy and exciting one, second only to the blood-stirring male kinship they had at the wild lake.

Before, while interesting to watch from a distance, Kyu Cao never had a deep interest for martial arts, or even Cultivation, just a fiddle curiosity.

It was mere chance that he came across a cultivation method, and an accident that he practiced it. But the result was more fascinating that he'd ever imagined, so he'd decided to stick with it.

And now, his first real battle to death had also been by chance, and he had actually taken it lightly, almost suffering for it.

But as he stood over the bear's corpse, victorious, ragged and bloodied, an itching feeling had permeated into his bones.

It hadn't been elation or excitement though, not completely.

What he had felt the most, was a lack of satisfaction.

It hadn't been enough. It had all ended too quickly to properly experience it.

He wasn't sure if this was a thirst for battle, or only his curiosity being unsatisfied, but Kyu Cao decided that he would try again later.

Today's victory surely was owed a big part to luck, that much he was clearheaded about. But it also proved that he wouldn't be completely helpless against a martial beast. He might better start with a ferocious beast first though.

With is mind set, Kyu Cao continued to silently do his duty. The dark song of the forest and the cracking of the fire accompanied him during the first watch.

The last turn to watch was left to Ti Ping, who attentively stood on his feet while the darkness dimmed, the only indication that the sun was rising.

It was by habit that the others began to wake up, including Kyu Cao.

The fire was already extinguished, everyone dusted themselves and tightened their armors and straddled their weapons, getting themselves ready in a short span of time.

"What is Fellow Brother Cao planning to do today?" At this point, the group's actions were practically dictated by this cat's movements.

"I want to groom myself at the lake," Kyu Cao said, unknowingly eliciting a secret sigh of relief from the others. That was pretty reasonable. "Then, I think I will take a walk."

But soon their hopes were dashed, and they wanted to groan.

"Young Master, is this your backyard?" Even Wonlai realized with deference, that this cat was more of a young master than him.

Kyu Cao wore his usual inexpression, but inwardly he was a bit apologetic. Just now, he was actually trying to discourage this four, and make them leave the forest first.

"Well, I will catch breakfast this time," said Bi Gong, casually hoisting his saber on his shoulder.

"I will go and quickly wash too. Senior Cao can take his time and leave preparing the meal to me," Li Ling hastened to add. The thought of a repeat of yesterday's simply filled her with dread.

"I will help Bi Gong." They couldn't let their Young Master Wonlai lower himself too much in front of the cat, so it was up to Ti Ping and the others to do the menial tasks.

Seeing that they intended to keep staying, for the first time it was Kyu Cao's turn to feel a little helpless himself.

Under the trio's control, morning routine passed smoothly and quickly. Kyu Cao too, didn't try to complicate things for them. Then all ready they set off for that walk.

For the walk, since it was something he said at the spot, Kyu Cao didn't have much of a goal, but dragging the others into the inner region again would be too much, so he stuck to the safe area.

They walked silently, nobody trying to start a conversation, and letting the cheerful cries of bird echo freely and rouse their spirits.

Wonlai and the rest had to admit, they had never simply taken a leisure stroll through the Backdoor's Forest. Who would be carefree enough to do that?

But, it was kind of nice, though they couldn't fully relax and drop their guards.

This time, Kyu Cao had opted for going the opposite way of the wild lake, where, surprisingly, the terrain seemed to slope slightly.

Kyu Cao was walking at the head of the group together with Wonlai, and it was when they reached this part that the tiger finally spoke.

"From here on, this part is called the Tiger's Scar."

"The Tiger's Scar?"

"Yes." Seeing that the cat indeed didn't know, Wonlai continued to explain. "It's a slope which continues all the way to the mountain's edge. It's not too noticeable here, but as one nears the edge of the mountain's peak, it becomes really step. Since it's at the outer region where there are no martial beasts, not many animals can live in this region, and it can be dangerous; there are actually a few areas where if you aren't careful, you might fall down the mountain."

Because of Tiger Back Mountain's shape, there were practically no slopes on its face, and only cliffs.

Thus, falling from the mountain was guaranteed to be a long vertical fall, and this was not something that a mere Earthly Warrior could withstand. Even Heavily Root Cultivators would not survive.

Nevertheless, the Tiger's Scar was actually a bit of a popular place.

This was because it was popularly believed among the trainees that in such place some treasures might be hidden in the most dangerous areas.

Of course, Wonlai deliberately didn't mention this as to not encourage Kyu Cao.

Unluckily for him, Kyu Cao was indeed considering touring the Tiger's Scar. This part of Tiger Back Mountain was something that the books at the library didn't mention, so he was curious.

It was then, however, that Kyu Cao noticed that from the front another group was walking in their direction.

Since he noticed it, the others obviously noticed it too.

Kyu Cao observed this group coming close. Even from here, he could tell that this group was not your average one, as there was a golden yellow person standing out at the front like the sun on the horizon.

There was also someone wearing red clothes much like Wonlai's, and another one wearing only black. Behind them followed others with standard brown uniforms.

As they came closer, Kyu Cao saw that the golden yellow theriope was a monkey youth, and the red one was, unsurprisingly, a tiger.

What called his attention most, though, was the black clothed youth, since he was a buck whose fur was completely black as his clothes as far as he could see. Only his growing horns and hooves were of a slightly different color, making him appear like a walking shadow or a dark specter.

While Kyu Cao's interest was attracted by this goat youth, Wonlai's eyes fell on the opposite's tiger, his whiskers rising with his grimace.