Ren’s voice pulled Yan back, but he did not reply. "Senior brother.." another voice from one of the disciples grabbed their attention.
Senior Brother cleared his throat, “I will report to the sect. You take your time.”
His steps were faster, and left without delay.
Ren watched him disappear between the trees.
Then Ren looked at Yan at his sleeve which had blood sprinkles.
“We’re not going back like that.”
Yan looked at his sleeves.
Blood dots had dried into the cloth.
“Washing it will solve the issue ,” Yan said.
“It attracts attention,” Ren replied.
He turned toward the Westbrook Hamlet.
“Earlier, I saw good clothes in the village. Let’s shop.”
“I don’t have money,” Yan said.
“You don’t need to. Just come with me.”
Ren grabbed his wrist pulled him, Yan tried to pull his hand back, but the grip was stronger, he was not able to.
"Discount! But three at the price of two"
Soon they arrived at the Cloth Stall surrounded by loud mouthed Vendors.
Ren approached a merchant. “Two sets. Durable.”
The merchant brought thick grey tunics.
Yan examined one carefully.
“The stitching is thin,” he said calmly. “It will tear.”
“It won’t,” the merchant protested.
Yan lifted the torn sleeve.
“It already did.”
The merchant sighed and replaced them with reinforced ones , double-stitched, thicker thread.
Ren glanced sideways.
“Your eyes, they are sharp”
“They have to, Observation is a part of survival " Yan replied.
"You are right, If not for you, I might have rushed in foolishly" Ren agreed.
Silver changed hands.
Yan picked up one tunic and changed behind a hanging sheet.He removed the blood-stiffened tunic slowly, folded it once, and set it aside.
The new cloth settled firmly against his shoulders.
When he stepped out
“Better.” Ren nodded.
“Why did you buy for me?”
“Why?”
Yan questioned while his eyes lay on Ren who stood still.
“I don’t want you returning looking hunted.”Ren didn’t hesitate.
“I did not look hunted”Yan met his gaze.
Ren’s expression shifted slightly.“You were, like someone who swam in a pool of blood.”
"That was not pool, just few drops" Yan said.
"Drop? No, they were a pool of blood." Ren said.
As they were moving through the market, Ren's eyes fell on a Shoes shop.
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"Let's buy this" Ren said.
Ren paid again.
Yan said quietly, “You’re spending too freely. I don’t need your money.”
“My mother runs a business. I get more than the sect allowance.” Ren shrugged.
Yan didn’t argue further.
And when they see continuing the walk, Yan's stomach growled.
"Let's eat something" Ren insisted.
"Again"? Yan asked
"Your stomach betrayed you, and we ate in the morning, and, it's approaching evening now" Ren asked in concern.
Yan was about to refuse but the sound from his stomach gave away again.
Ren grabbed his arm again.
Then they returned to the Restaurant that they had breakfast yesterday.
They sat in the back corner and ordered.
The waiter brought the Stew and the flat bread.
They ate in silence for a while.
Then Ren spoke, “It was the first real fight we saw.”
“Yes.” Yan nodded.
Ren leaned forward.
“The berserker… when I saw himself, my heart skipped.”
“He was eating flesh,”
“I have never seen that before.”
Ren said.
“Yan, You saw it too, no?” Ren asked.
“Yes.” Yan replied.
Ren lowered his voice.
“If we lose control… would we become like that?”
Yan met his eyes.
“ I don't think so"
Ren stayed silent. After a moment, he reached into his sleeve and slid a small folded bundle and placed a pocket sized book across the table.
Yan didn’t touch it immediately.
“My Cultivation manual,” Ren said.
“ I have copied everything.” Ren said.
Yan’s expression hardened.
“You shouldn’t have" Yan replied.
“I know.”
“You’ll be punished.” Yan said.
“Yes only if they find out” Ren replied.
“Then why?”
Ren answered simply.
“Because survival requires personal strength, A Senior Brother won’t always be there, neither I will be.”
"Yan, get stronger, you are not a servant"
" Maybe someday, you become the cultivator people tell others story about..." Ren laughed.
Yan picked up the folded pages and looked at Ren. No
“You trust me.”
“More than anyone.”
Ren lowered his voice further.
“Have you learned any classical script?”
“No.”
“You were near the lecture hall.”
“I was. And I left.”
“Why?”
Yan paused.
“It felt like someone was observing.”
Ren’s fingers tightened slightly.
“You felt it.”
“Yes.”
Ren nodded slowly.
“The sect is more careful than we thought”
Yan folded the manual carefully and secured it inside his tunic.
“Do not let anyone see it,” Ren said.
“I won’t.”
Yan replied.
"How come you know classical script while others don't? " Yan asked
"About...that"
Ren hesitated for a moment, then added quietly,
“My father served in the army of Noir. Soldiers and their families are taught classical script, in case someone happens to possess a spiritual line.”
Yan looked at him.
“Then why did you join the sect?”
Ren shrugged.
“In the army you only receive a cultivation manual after three years of service. And even then, you must serve another five years after you begin cultivating.”
He tore another piece of flatbread.
“I didn’t want to spend eight years as a soldier just to start cultivating.”
Yan nodded once.
“I understand”
Yan nodded in understanding, then thought for a moment and asked
"Why don't you come and teach me the script yourself? "
Ren took a deep breath "I can't, if you suddenly know classical script and I visit you everyday"
Yan did not say anything..
After finishing the food they left for the sect.
By the time they left the village, the sun was lowering.The cracked ridge rose ahead. Smoke drifted from the lower sheds. They entered through the gate.
Ren turned toward the outer disciple quarters.
Yan walked toward the storehouse.
The courtyard was quiet.Wind moved across the cracked training platform.
But She was already there.Standing beside the ledger table.The old man was absent.
She looked at Yan once.
“Come with me.”
Yan didn’t move immediately, “Now?” Yan asked.
“Yes.”
She paused for a while and said nothing.
“And bring nothing.”
She said.
Yan glanced at the new sword at his waist and the knife in his pocket.
“Let me put this away,” he said.
Her eyes shifted briefly to the weapon.
“Hurry.”
Yan removed the sword and the knife and set it aside.
Then he looked at the manual, he could not remove it without her looking at him.
Her gaze never left him.
Yan clenched his fists, and straightened“Let’s go.”
She turned and Yan followed.