Chapter 114: DEMONIC LIZARD (2)

Li Yan continued eating while listening to them before finally raising his eyes. "It does not matter who they are. We will catch up with them at the front eventually, and when we do, they will learn why they should not have messed with us."

Li Hanye’s lips curved slightly at his younger brother’s confidence, while Li Wei remained quiet after hearing the response. There was little point in arguing when they would soon find out who had been responsible.

The following morning, the group resumed their journey without wasting time. They increased their speed once again and continued toward the colder mountains, and after several hours of travel, the temperature dropped sharply as the terrain began to rise. The ground level of the mountain range was already cold enough to make ordinary clothing uncomfortable, and everyone understood that the higher they climbed, the more difficult the environment would become.

They slowed down when another group came into view near the mountain’s base. The disciples appeared to have arrived only moments earlier, and their clothing marked them as cultivators from another sect. Several of them noticed Li Hanye’s group at the same time, and the expressions on their faces immediately changed as they began mocking the newcomers.

"Well, well. If it isn’t the scumbags from the dirty Nine Valley Sect. Did you really think you could take the treasure after arriving this late?"

Li Hanye looked at the group before his attention settled on the blood staining several of their robes. He recognized that the stains were fresh enough to be noticeable, and the condition of their clothing did not match the confidence they were displaying.

"So you were the ones who slaughtered our horses?"

The first disciple laughed as though the accusation were ridiculous. "Why would we dirty our hands by slaughtering your ugly horses? We are disciples of a respectable sect. Do you really think we need to pull such dirty stunts?"

Li Hanye’s eyes moved over the man’s robe before he calmly pointed out the obvious. "Then why is there blood all over your robes?"

The disciple’s expression changed immediately. He had no intention of admitting that they had already gone toward the lizard demon’s cave and had been beaten badly enough to return covered in blood. He could not allow the other group to learn how badly they had been defeated, so he forced his expression back into place and scoffed.

"That has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business and stop interfering with ours."

Li Hanye did not bother arguing with him. Instead, he turned back toward his group and looked at the mountain ahead. "We have reached the mountain, so everyone should put on your warm clothing before we continue. The temperature will only become lower as we climb, and there is no reason to waste spiritual Qi protecting ourselves from the cold when we have proper clothing."

Li Yan remembered the sweater he had prepared for his brother and reached into his storage pouch. He took it out and walked over to Li Hanye before handing it to him in front of the others.

"Please wear this. I modified the sweater you gave me, so it should provide you with a stronger barrier against the cold."

Li Hanye accepted the sweater with some surprise and looked down at the improved material before glancing back at his younger brother. The surrounding disciples also noticed the exchange, and several of them naturally assumed that Li Yan would have prepared something similar for Li Wei as well.

Li Wei had apparently reached the same conclusion. He stood nearby and waited, watching Li Yan after he finished giving the sweater to Li Hanye. When Li Yan made no move to take out another one, Li Wei’s expression gradually changed as he finally asked the question that had been waiting on his lips.

"Why aren’t you giving me mine? Where is mine?"

Li Yan looked at Li Wei’s expectant expression before shaking his head. "I did not make one for you. I only had enough material to make one other sweater, so I gave it to my brother."

-_-

Li Wei’s expression immediately darkened. He had clearly expected Li Yan to prepare something for him as well, and hearing that there was nothing waiting for him made the resentment he had been holding back rise to the surface. He opened his mouth as though he was about to argue, but Li Hanye had already folded the sweater and placed it inside his storage pouch.

"We do not have much time to waste here. We should head toward the summit and reach the cave as soon as possible. The sooner we finish the mission, the sooner we can return to the sect."

Li Hanye’s words ended the matter before Li Wei could complain. The group gathered their belongings and continued toward the mountain, with each disciple circulating spiritual Qi through their bodies to protect themselves from the increasingly cold environment. Li Yan and Li Hanye moved more easily because their modified sweaters reduced the amount of spiritual Qi they needed to spend maintaining their body temperature, while the other disciples had to constantly circulate their energy to keep the cold from affecting them.

Li Wei noticed the difference almost immediately. Every step reminded him that the two brothers were moving more comfortably than the rest of them, and Li Hanye’s attention remained focused on making sure Li Yan was fine. The two had prepared clothing for each other, travelled together, and now they were moving ahead while Li Wei had to rely entirely on his own resources.

The longer he watched them, the more bitter he became, especially because he felt as though Li Hanye no longer regarded him as part of the same family.

Cui Ahjun noticed the expression on Li Wei’s face as they continued climbing. He had already been irritated by Li Yan’s attitude toward him, and he could see that Li Wei was carrying his own resentment toward the younger brother.

The two situations were different, but Cui Ahjun recognized an opportunity to make use of that anger. If Li Wei wanted to get back at Li Yan, then perhaps his resentment could become useful to someone who had his own reasons for wanting to see Li Yan embarrassed.