Guozhao Zhiqiang walked until it was getting dark before he found an abandoned old house. He collected some firewood and summoned a fire talisman to light the fire, creating a small, comforting blaze. As the rain began to pour down, and thunder roared in the night sky, he began to roast the two buns he had gotten earlier during the day at the roadside tavern.
Guozhao Zhiqiang suddenly heard the sharp sound of swords clinking outside. A man in white flew through the front door and slammed down on the concrete floor with a sickening thud. The white-clothed man was vomiting blood, clutching a small pouch in his left hand. A low growl came from outside the door, and a huge gray wolf walked in slowly, its eyes gleaming in the dim light. Behind the huge gray wolf were two smaller wolves, all radiating menace.
The three wolves slowly transformed into three men, their forms shifting unnaturally. They conjured their weapons and slowly walked toward the fallen Hu Dingxiang, surrounding him. The wolves attacked Hu Dingxiang with savage intent. Hu Dingxiang, despite his injuries, drew his sword out of its sheath, preparing to defend himself.
Guozhao Zhiqiang's sword, still sheathed, shook violently on the ground. The sword acted as if it wanted to be out of its sheath, eager to help Hu Dingxiang. He picked up his sword, clenched his left hand, but the sword kept trembling, vibrating with a will of its own. He looked at Hu Dingxiang's sword carefully, and it was exactly the same as his own sword, a detail that surprised him.
A wolf man kicked Hu Dingxiang, sending him sprawling. Hu Dingxiang flipped back, knelt on one knee, and desperately pierced the concrete floor with his sword, using it for support.
The bigger wolf man, the leader, snarled, "Return the pouch to me!" He lunged, striking at the inexperienced Hu Dingxiang.
Guozhao Zhiqiang, reacting swiftly, drew his sword and blocked the blow of the wolf. He grabbed the big wolf by the left shoulder, flew behind the gray wolf, and kicked the other two smaller wolves, sending them sprawling. Then he swayed his body back, demonstrating incredible agility, and knelt on the chest of the larger wolf man, pinning him down. The action caused the big wolf man to stagger back ten steps, reeling from the unexpected counterattack.
"You..." the big wolf man gasped, stunned.
Guozhao Zhiqiang stood there without saying a word, staring straight into the wolves' eyes, his gaze cold and unwavering.
"Attack him at once!" the big wolf man commanded his subordinates.
Just as Hu Dingxiang was about to take action to assist, Guozhao Zhiqiang pushed him back against the wall, keeping him out of the immediate danger. He conjured a talisman and shot six icicles directly at the charging wolves, freezing them in their tracks.
The big wolf man frowned, surprised by the display of power. "Hunter... Who are you?"
"Guozhao Zhiqiang," he replied, his voice calm.
One of the smaller wolves whispered to the big wolf, "Big brother, Guozhao. One of the Guozhao Hunters!"
Another wolf said, fear creeping into his voice, "If the Guozhao Hunters come, do the Grand Leaders also come too?"
"We are not part of their united clan!" the big wolf man shouted out loud, trying to maintain his bravado. "I'm not afraid of you!"
The big wolf swung his sword at Guozhao Zhiqiang. Guozhao Zhiqiang flipped backward, summoning a fire talisman, and sent it directly to the charging wolf. The wolf bent back to avoid the fireball attack. He then kicked the wolf man's two knees, and the wolf slammed forward, falling. His left hand blocked the wolf man's sword. He quickly placed his sword at the wolf man's neck and slit the wolf man's throat, executing him without hesitation. He kicked the dead wolf man with his right foot and sent the body out of another door frame into the courtyard. He stared at the two remaining wolves coldly, his gaze intimidating.
The two wolves, terrified, retreated slowly in the rain, quickly changed back to their original forms, and fled the scene, disappearing into the darkness.
Hu Dingxiang sheathed his sword, relief flooding his face. "Thank you," he murmured.
Guozhao Zhiqiang walked back to his firepit, and he said nothing, only stared at Hu Dingxiang, his face impassive.
"I saw you twice today," Hu Dingxiang began, trying to break the silence. "I don't know what your name is. Are you a hunter?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang just stared at him, giving no reply.
Then, four female disciples and a man in white walked in through the front door, having followed the sounds of battle.
"Where is the pouch?" Hu Jianguo, the man, demanded.
Hu Dingxiang handed him the pouch.
"Let's go, everyone," Hu Jianguo commanded.
Hu Dingxiang tried to get up but couldn't. He had been bitten badly on his left leg.
Hu Jianguo turned around, noticing his brother's struggle but showing no sympathy. "You can't catch up with us, you walk home by yourself." The four female disciples and Hu Jianguo left without Hu Dingxiang, abandoning him in the abandoned house.
Guozhao Zhiqiang watched Hu Dingxiang treating the wound on his leg, a grim expression on his face. He walked up to him. He knelt down, took off Hu Dingxiang's white, bloody boot, and rolled up his pants. He tore open a piece of his own shirt, carefully wrapped Hu Dingxiang's wound, and then put his boot on again.
"No infection, healed in four days," Guozhao Zhiqiang stated, his voice flat but reassuring.
"Thank you," Hu Dingxiang replied, surprised by the kindness.
That night, the two men slept inside the abandoned house, listening to the pouring rain. Guozhao Zhiqiang couldn't sleep. He stared at Hu Dingxiang, unable to look away. He wondered why such a decent person would be treated badly by his own sect members. This handsome man was different from him, seemingly kind and vulnerable. Then he saw Hu Dingxiang began to tremble from the cold. He walked over and hugged Hu Dingxiang, pulling him closer for warmth.
This action woke Hu Dingxiang. Hu Dingxiang was startled, his eyes wide. "What are you doing?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang gently put him closer to the fire. "You have to sit closer," he explained. He sat down and leaned against the wall, watching him.
"I don't even know your name; how can I sit closer?" Hu Dingxiang asked, still flustered.
"Zhiqiang," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied simply.
"Surname?" Hu Dingxiang prompted.
"You don't need to know that; we are just acquaintances," Guozhao Zhiqiang stated, maintaining his distance emotionally.
"Okay," Hu Dingxiang said, accepting it. He leaned closer to the fire, trusting Guozhao Zhiqiang.
Just when Guozhao Zhiqiang stared at the burning fire, lost in thought, Hu Dingxiang fell asleep with his head resting on Guozhao Zhiqiang's left shoulder, finding comfort in his presence.
The next morning, Hu Dingxiang woke up, inside the arms of Guozhao Zhiqiang. He looked up at the dark tan, shiny, handsome face. He felt the warmth coming from Guozhao Zhiqiang's two big, muscular, strong arms. He slowly raised his face, turning it to face Guozhao Zhiqiang's face, their breaths mingling.
Guozhao Zhiqiang opened his eyes and turned to the left. His lips brushed against Hu Dingxiang's lips, a soft, unexpected touch.
Both men were shocked, frozen in place, and neither could move away from that position, caught in the unexpected intimacy. They didn't know how much time had passed, but a clearing throat sound came from the entrance, which immediately separated them. Each man looked in a different direction, their hearts beating fast with a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
"Second senior brother," Xi Yue's voice called out from the doorway. "We are waiting for you. The horse was lost last night, and we can only walk home."
Hu Dingxiang limped to Guozhao Zhiqiang, his face flushed. "Zhiqiang, thank you for saving me. Goodbye."
Xi Yue slowly helped Hu Dingxiang out the door, and he limped away, leaving Guozhao Zhiqiang alone once more.
Guozhao Zhiqiang stood up and walked out the door quickly, following them. It seemed that this group dressed in white was walking in the direction he was going.
Hu Dingxiang smiled and asked, "Are you also going in this direction?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang nodded.
"Where are you heading to?" Hu Dingxiang inquired.
"Mountain Village," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied.
Hu Dingxiang smiled and said, "We are also heading there. Mountain Village is the location of our Sector's base."
After walking for two hours, Hu Dingxiang's speed became slower, his injured leg protesting. Xi Yue was tired because she had helped Hu Dingxiang the entire morning, her own strength waning.
"Senior brother, can we take a break?" Xi Yue shouted to Hu Jianguo. "I don't think the second senior brother can move on like this."
"No rest until we reach the rest stop!" Hu Jianguo retorted, unfeeling.
"I'm fine," Hu Dingxiang said, trying to be brave. "You must be tired dragging me along the way. I can slowly walk."
"Are you sure, second senior brother?" Xi Yue asked, worried.
Hu Dingxiang smiled and said, "Yes."
Xi Yue, resigned, released her hand from Hu Dingxiang and quickly joined the other female disciples who followed Hu Jianguo, leaving Hu Dingxiang to struggle alone at the back.
Guozhao Zhiqiang watched Hu Dingxiang limping around all morning, with blood all over his white boots. His classmates didn't care if he was good or in pain. He stopped in front of Hu Dingxiang, his heart stirred by compassion.
"I am carrying you," Guozhao Zhiqiang stated, offering his help.
"I'm fine," Hu Dingxiang protested, trying to maintain his dignity.
"You bleed more than this morning," Guozhao Zhiqiang said, his voice firm. "If you force yourself to continue walking, you may lose that leg."
Hu Dingxiang didn't have many choices either, because his leg had become weak and hurt badly. Hu Dingxiang jumped onto Guozhao Zhiqiang's back. He put his arms around Guozhao Zhiqiang's neck, accepting the help.
"Thank you," Hu Dingxiang murmured, relieved.
Guozhao Zhiqiang and Hu Dingxiang, now sharing the burden, followed the disciples of Snow Sector, heading towards Mountain Village.