Chapter 15

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Chapter 15 – Long Lost Beloved

After spending a few days in the Weapon Forest, Mu Xiaofeng finally reached the heart of the forest, drawing closer to the treasure trove than ever before. He didn’t linger long, though, as a large group of rescuers arrived, just as Ximo had predicted, to take away the injured students. Ximo, however, chose to stay behind, his injuries much less severe compared to the others.

Still puzzled by the number of wounded people, Mu Xiaofeng asked Ximo, “Why are so many people injured here? Did a fierce battle break out over the treasure?”

Ximo glanced at Mu Xiaofeng, then after a moment of contemplation, replied with a helpless expression, “No, it’s not that. We simply couldn’t defeat the guard of the treasure vault. He’s incredibly strong.” With that, Ximo lowered his head and let out a long sigh.

Mu Xiaofeng thought, “If so many people couldn’t defeat the guard, this treasure vault must be really difficult to enter.” He looked around, noticing that Qiao Zi still hadn’t appeared, and with growing concern, he hefted his heavy sword and decided to explore the woods. He wanted to check out the area near the vault and, hopefully, run into Qiao Zi.

As Mu Xiaofeng was about to head into the woods alone, Zhang Wenyu called out, “Mu Xiaofeng, it’s too dangerous in there. You shouldn’t go alone.” Yun Jie, overhearing Zhang Wenyu, immediately turned to Mu Xiaofeng, picked up her shield and sword, and walked over to him. “It’s fine,” she said softly. “If you want to go, I’ll go with you. I can protect you.”

Mu Xiaofeng scoffed at Yun Jie’s offer, giving her a contemptuous look. “Hmph, who needs your protection? Just don’t get in my way.”

Yun Jie rolled her eyes and dragged Mu Xiaofeng towards the woods, laughing to herself. “You’re not a dog; you don’t have front and back legs.” Amused by her own joke, Yun Jie chuckled, while Mu Xiaofeng was left speechless. It seemed he was powerless against her, so the two of them headed into the woods together, moving in the direction of the treasure trove.

After a while, Mu Xiaofeng and Yun Jie arrived near the treasure house, which was a tall, black spire, its color hinting at the solid materials it was made of. There was only one small door and no other entrances. At the entrance stood a massive figure, presumably the vault guard. Mu Xiaofeng tried to get a closer look, but Yun Jie stopped him, whispering, “We can’t get too close. If he spots us, we won’t stand a chance.” Mu Xiaofeng, after pondering for a moment, nodded and left the area with Yun Jie, taking note of the surroundings as they went.

As they wandered further, Mu Xiaofeng suddenly noticed two figures moving in the distance. He quickly gestured for Yun Jie to be quiet, and they stealthily approached. Just as they were about to get closer, one of the figures suddenly charged at them, shouting, “Who’s sneaking around there?” A sword sliced through the air toward them, but Mu Xiaofeng was quick, blocking the attack with his heavy sword.

As Mu Xiaofeng looked at the attacker, something about him seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place him. The attacker, however, recognized Mu Xiaofeng immediately. “Mu Xiaofeng? Is that really you?”

Before Mu Xiaofeng could respond, a voice he knew all too well called out from behind—a voice he had missed every day. It was Qiao Zi.

“Mu Xiaofeng! Why are you here? It’s me, Qiao Zi!” she exclaimed, running toward him. She threw her arms around his neck and playfully scolded him, “Mu Xiaofeng! How long has it been since you came to see me? Did you forget about me?”

Mu Xiaofeng smiled and reassured her, “Of course not. We even met before the break, remember? I just haven’t had time to look for you since school started.”

Meanwhile, Yun Jie quietly stepped away, feeling downcast. She knew that whenever Qiao Zi was around, Mu Xiaofeng’s heart was with her.

The boy who had attacked Mu Xiaofeng earlier cleared his throat deliberately, reminding Qiao Zi of his presence. Embarrassed, Qiao Zi let go of Mu Xiaofeng. The boy then turned to Mu Xiaofeng and said, “It’s been a few years, huh? Looks like you don’t remember me anymore.” Mu Xiaofeng finally recognized him as Feng Xun, the sword and shield warrior from Qiao Zi’s class who had fought against him and his friends back then. Feng Xun extended his hand, introducing himself, “I know your name is Mu Xiaofeng, so remember mine too—I’m Feng Xun.” He then glanced at Yun Jie but said nothing more as he walked away.

Mu Xiaofeng sensed that Feng Xun and Yun Jie might know each other, but he didn’t ask. His mind was too preoccupied with Qiao Zi now that they were reunited.

Mu Xiaofeng spent some time with Qiao Zi, helping her gather herbs in the forest. As they were about to return, they heard the mournful cries of a wild animal. Curious, they followed the sound and discovered a small tiger lying on the ground, motionless. Upon closer inspection, they found that the tiger cub’s paw was stuck in a sharp wooden thorn. Qiao Zi carefully removed the thorn and applied some herbs to the wound, bandaging the little tiger’s paw. Grateful, the tiger suddenly spoke, “Thank you.” Startled, Qiao Zi and Mu Xiaofeng watched as the tiger quickly ran off, leaving them both amazed at the wonders of the Weapon Forest.

When they returned to Yun Jie and Feng Xun, Yun Jie couldn’t resist a playful jab. “Finally done enjoying your little world of two?” she teased. Though she spoke softly, both Mu Xiaofeng and Qiao Zi heard her, and they smiled awkwardly before rejoining the group.

The four of them walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Without realizing it, they had wandered back to the treasure vault. Distracted, they didn’t notice until they were almost at the entrance of the spire. Suddenly, they became aware of a massive shadow in front of them—the vault guard.

The guard, clad in gleaming black armor, held a huge sword in one hand and a shield the size of a small mountain in the other. His face was hidden behind a white mask, with only his glowing red eyes visible, fixed intently on the group.

The guard took a step forward, his heavy footfalls shaking the ground. “You four are bold,” he growled. “Do you really think you can challenge me with so few people? This time, there’s no one to even help carry you out.” He twirled his sword contemptuously, clearly unimpressed by Mu Xiaofeng and the others.

Mu Xiaofeng was about to tell them to run, but just as he turned, he heard an old voice calling to him, “Have you come? Have you finally come? Come to me, child.” He felt a powerful urge pulling him towards the vault.

Turning back to face the guard, Mu Xiaofeng raised his heavy sword and shouted, “Hey, big guy! Don’t underestimate us. We’re not like the others. This time, we’re here to take you down and avenge our classmates.”

Yun Jie, shocked by Mu Xiaofeng’s boldness, grabbed his arm. “Are you crazy? We can’t beat him. Are you trying to get us killed?” Feng Xun and Qiao Zi also voiced their concern, knowing firsthand how formidable the guard was.

But Mu Xiaofeng just smiled confidently and said, “Don’t worry. We can do this. We just need to hold him off until Zhang Wenyu and the others come looking for us. I’m sure of it.” With that, he charged at the guard, his body a blur as he launched himself at the towering figure. The guard, caught off guard by the sudden attack, raised his shield just in time to block Mu Xiaofeng’s strike. The impact sent Mu Xiaofeng flying back to where the others stood, while the guard staggered, unsteady on his feet.

Back at the camp, Zhang Wenyu heard the commotion and grew worried. “Mu Xiaofeng’s been gone too long. What if something happened to him?” he thought. After a quick discussion with the others, Zhang Wenyu led them into the forest toward Mu Xiaofeng’s location.

As Mu Xiaofeng and the others braced themselves for a tough battle, Zhang Wenyu and the rest of the group were on their way to join them. With nine of them working together, would they be able to defeat the guard? Only time would tell.