“It seems he wasn't lying.”
Jiang Xun'er looked at the traces on the scene and deduced that the Young Master had engaged in a fierce and evenly matched battle with the Swift Wind Leopard.
“That's right, judging by his words and actions, he's just a child whose mind hasn't matured yet. Why am I thinking so much?”
Many of the doubts in Jiang Xun'er's heart dissipated. On the way back, she hunted a Hard Bone Rabbit in the early stage of Spirit Initiation.
As far as she knew, Body Refinement Cultivators could quickly recover their physical strength through dietary supplements.
The Young Master had been unconscious for three days, and the meager dry rations he carried would certainly not be enough. Adding a Hard Bone Rabbit would be just right.
Skillfully using a Spell to gut the Hard Bone Rabbit, remove its fur, and clear out its insides, Jiang Xun'er returned to the cave with the processed Hard Bone Rabbit.
After setting up a shelf, Jiang Xun'er turned to the Young Master, who was staring blankly at the flames, and asked, “Can you roast it?”
The Young Master was suddenly spoken to by his benefactor and didn't react for a moment. After making eye contact with Jiang Xun'er, he quickly averted his gaze.
He looked at the rabbit on the roasting rack, lowered his head, and said, “I'm sorry, Benefactor, I've never cooked before.”
Seeing the Young Master's timid appearance, Jiang Xun'er couldn't resist teasing him.
“I didn't realize you were such a Young Master who never lifts a finger.”
Upon hearing this, the Young Master felt even more ashamed. He buried his head deeply, as if wanting to burrow into the ground.
“I'm sorry, Benefactor, I'm sorry…”
Seeing that the Young Master seemed about to cry, Jiang Xun'er reined in her smile and said gently, “If you don't know how, go learn. I can teach you.”
The Young Master looked up. He gazed at the gentle and beautiful Jiang Xun'er, as if seeing the elder sister who had always cared for him since childhood.
“I want to learn. Please, Benefactor, teach me.”
Seeing the Young Master's serious expression, Jiang Xun'er's lips curved slightly, and she began to teach patiently.
“First, you need to control the heat. It can't be too strong, or the rabbit will burn quickly.”
As she spoke, she demonstrated turning the roasting rack.
The Young Master studied intently, his eyes full of concentration, firmly remembering Jiang Xun'er's movements in his heart.
After learning, the Young Master took over the roasting, with Jiang Xun'er guiding him from the side.
During the roasting process, Jiang Xun'er took out some herbs, ground them into powder, and sprinkled them evenly over the rabbit.
“These herbs can remove the gamey smell and enhance the flavor, making it taste better.”
The Young Master nodded. He asked Jiang Xun'er what each of these herbs was, and Jiang Xun'er patiently answered each question.
As time passed, the Hard Bone Rabbit gradually turned golden, and its aroma filled the air.
The Young Master excitedly said, “Benefactor, it seems to be roasted!”
Jiang Xun'er smiled and checked it. “Hmm, it's almost done.”
The two shared the roasted rabbit, and the Young Master ate with great satisfaction, feeling even more grateful to his benefactor in his heart.
Jiang Xun'er liked diligent and ambitious people, and seeing the Young Master's eagerness to learn improved her impression of him considerably.
The two stayed in the cave for another day, then set off together in the direction of the Young Master's home.
Along the way, their communication was sparse.
The Young Master had a somewhat introverted and shy personality, and Jiang Xun'er was not a talkative person either.
Both preferred quiet, and in some ways, they were unexpectedly compatible.
A day later, the two crossed the middle ring area.
The closer they got to the home that had been incomparably happy and complete just a few days ago, the more hesitant the Young Master felt.
It wasn't until a large expanse of scorched earth appeared before the Young Master's eyes that he ran like crazy to the very center of the scorched earth.
He knelt on the ground and picked up a handful of ashes.
Recalling April's suicide note in his mind, tears instantly welled up in his eyes.
“Father, Mother…”
The Young Master's shoulders shook, his emotions completely out of control.
Jiang Xun'er stood not far away. She looked at the Young Master, who had lost both parents and become an orphan just like her, and felt a sense of empathy.
A long time ago, when she was very young, Jiang Xun'er remembered her parents were still alive, often buying her small toys, and the couple would tease her together.
Later, her parents met with an accident during a mission and both passed away. Although they couldn't give her a complete childhood, they at least left her an inheritance, allowing her to grow into an adult.
Jiang Xun'er's feelings about family were not profound, as those infant memories were too distant and blurry.
But now, looking at the Young Master's sorrowful appearance, Jiang Xun'er suddenly realized that losing both parents at the Young Master's psychological age was often the most painful.
They must have had many beautiful memories, yet they vanished in an instant.
Jiang Xun'er felt a tightness in her chest as well. She suddenly felt very sorry for this introverted and naive Young Master.
Slowly walking behind the Young Master, Jiang Xun'er patted his shoulder as a comfort.
“Benefactor…”
The Young Master cried for a while longer. After barely controlling his emotions, he let the ashes in his hand slip through his fingers, then stood up, turned around, and said to Jiang Qingzhi.
“Benefactor, let's go.”
“Won't you stay a little longer?”
“Let's go. My parents told me when I was little that they hoped I would be a man who could stand tall. I always thought that with them around, I wouldn't have to think about these things.”
“Now that they are gone, I have to learn to live by myself.”
The Young Master's expression was still sad, but his tone gradually became firm.
“Let's go, Benefactor. This place isn't safe. Staying here too long might be dangerous. I still don't know what kind of Yao Beast destroyed this place.”
Seeing the Young Master so strong, Jiang Xun'er felt much relieved.
The two followed the Young Master's escape route, and the Young Master tried to find traces of his sister but found nothing.
Returning to the boundary between the outer and middle ring areas, Jiang Xun'er stopped.
“Jiang Xun, if you keep walking in this direction, you'll be able to leave the Sunset Mountains. The Yao Beasts in the outer ring are generally at the early stage of Spirit Initiation and won't threaten you.”
“I still need to search for herbs in the middle ring area to complete my mission. Let's part ways here.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xun also stopped. He looked at the woman who had helped him so much in these few short days, hesitated for a long time, and then said, “Benefactor, can I follow you?”
After saying this, as if afraid Jiang Xun'er would misunderstand, Jiang Xun quickly added, “You've helped me so much and even saved my life. I want to follow you to repay your kindness.”
“Jiang Xun, what can you do?”
The Young Master was stumped. His face flushed red, but he answered with extreme sincerity, “Benefactor, I know I don't have much ability, nor do I have any special skills.”
“But as long as it's something you ask me to do, I will definitely study hard and strive to do every task well for you, Benefactor.”
“When you collect herbs, I can help you keep watch; when fighting Yao Beasts, I am a Body Cultivator and can attract the Yao Beast's attention, so you can focus on casting Spells.”
The Young Master looked at Jiang Xun'er pitifully. He had never left the Sunset Mountains since childhood and really didn't want to live alone in the outside world.