Feng Fan lifted Zhang Qi's futon, his fingers brushing against something coarse and worn. Beneath it lay a map.
Pale yellow stains mottled its surface, yet the ink remained remarkably vivid. Mountains and cryptic symbols were etched with precision.
'Alright, it seems this map points to the outskirts of this Void Forest,' Feng Fan mused. 'First, I need to find out exactly where the Void Forest is located. Once I have that, I'll figure out how to travel there. Hopefully, my current non-existing abilities will be enough to handle whatever comes my way.'
Just as Feng Fan folded the map and tucked it into his robes, a sharp crack echoed from the door, making his heart leap into his throat. He quickly spun around to see who was coming inside.
'No way, I can't be this unlucky,' he thought in dread.
As if confirming his fears, the door creaked open, and Zhang Qi, the room's rightful owner, stepped inside.
His brows furrowed in confusion at the unexpected sight of someone in his room. Though the rooms had no locks, it was considered rude and disrespectful to enter someone else's quarters without permission.
"Junior Brother Feng Fan," Zhang Qi said, his voice edged with suspicion. "What are you doing in my room?"
Feng Fan flashed a warm, unbothered smile at Zhang Qi, as if he hadn't done anything wrong. He knew better than to admit guilt.
"Senior Brother Zhang, I wanted to thank you in person for your guidance. The sect has distributed the resources, and although I only received five qi stones, I thought it would be appropriate to give one to you," Feng Fan said, smoothly pulling the sack of qi stones from his robes.
'Good thing I brought these with me, or I'd be in deep trouble,' he thought.
He selected one qi stone from the sack and handed it over to Zhang Qi.
Zhang Qi glanced at the stone with displeasure. 'Only a low-grade qi stone? This guy only got five? No surprise, with that trash talent of his. The sect clearly doesn't value him.'
Feng Fan, who overheard his thoughts, felt a flash of irritation. 'Damn Zhang Qi, you steal a low-grade qi stone from me and still have the nerve to complain? Just wait, I'll make sure to pay you back for this stone.'
As for the map he had stolen, well, it doesn't count, since this was payback for killing his sect brother, who Feng Fan never met.
Zhang Qi flashed a polite smile, while Feng Fan's smile never faltered. Both were sly foxes, capable of smiling sweetly while stabbing their enemies.
"Then I'll thank junior brother Feng for his generosity," Zhang Qi said, accepting the stone with a calm demeanor.
Though he briefly considered warning Feng Fan about entering others' rooms without permission, Zhang Qi decided against it. Since he hadn't gained much from the encounter, he figured it wasn't worth telling him.
'It'd be better if someone accidentally killed him. At least he wouldn't waste the sect's resources,' Zhang Qi thought to himself.
Feng Fan seethed internally. 'This bastard is already hoping for my death? Damn him!'
"Since I've done what I needed to, I'll take my leave now, senior brother Zhang," Feng Fan said, cupping his hands respectfully before leaving through the same door he entered, maintaining a calm exterior.
Zhang Qi nodded. "Goodbye, junior brother Feng."
Though Feng Fan appeared calm, inside, his thoughts were a storm of anxiety.
'Shit, Zhang Qi saw me in his room. Once he notices the map is missing, he'll definitely blame me. He doesn't need proof, someone like him would rather kill ten innocent people than let a thief go free,' he thought. 'I need to get to the location of the immortal's legacy as soon as possible.'
Since Zhang Qi mentioned he planned to wait until the month's task ended before using the map, Feng Fan estimated he had ten days before Zhang Qi would use it. However, Feng Fan knew Zhang Qi could easily check beneath his futon at any moment, and if the map was missing, it wouldn't take long for Zhang Qi to suspect him.
He couldn't afford to trust that Zhang Qi would wait the full ten days. The sooner he left the sect, the better his chances of survival.
Feng Fan approached a random disciple and, with as much politeness as he could muster, asked, "Hello, senior brother. Could I ask you a question?"
The senior brother, taken aback by the polite demeanor, smiled warmly, feeling good about helping a junior. "Of course, junior brother. What's on your mind?"
"Do you know where the Void Forest is located?" Feng Fan inquired.
"Oh," the senior brother responded, "It's just south of the White Crow Sect. Most disciples go there to train and hunt demon beasts in exchange for sect points."
Feng Fan nodded, processing the information. "Thanks, senior brother. How far is it from here?"
"Not far at all," the senior brother replied. "Only about a hundred kilometers, right past the sect's grounds."
Feng Fan's face fell, the realization hitting him hard. 'A hundred kilometers? There's no way I'm walking that far!'
He forced a smile, trying to keep his composure. "Senior brother, is there a way to get there without walking?"
The senior brother's eyes twinkled with understanding. "Ah, I see you haven't crossed into the Qi Gathering realm yet. That distance would indeed be a challenge for you. But, if you head north to the Beast-Taming Peak, about ten kilometers from here, you can borrow a beast for travel."
Feng Fan's eyes lit up with newfound hope. "Thank you, senior brother!" he said, cupping his hands in gratitude.
The senior brother smiled politely. "No problem, junior brother. Take care and safe travels."
Feng Fan knew that the ten-kilometer journey would take him about 3 hours, and although he couldn't waste time, it was already nightfall.
Realizing his body was already worn from the day's walk, he decided it would be wiser to rest and set off at first light, after a good breakfast. Pushing himself further tonight would likely push his already fatigued body beyond its limits.