Chapter 2213 — Something Seems Off

"No problem at all. I'll have someone deliver it to you shortly, Mr. Zhang!" Lazi said.

After Lazi had gone, Wei Zhao carefully inspected the room, and only once he was certain there were no surveillance devices did he let the Thunder Pig out of the bag.

"Wei Zhao, I have a feeling there's something a little off about this mission," Sun Jingyan said after pondering for a moment. "But exactly what it is, I can't quite put my finger on."

"I thought the same," Wei Zhao said. "The Tagan family is powerful, with plenty of cultivators attached to them—surely they can produce four capable hands above the Yellow Rank? They could easily send their own people to round up the fire lion. There'd be no need to call in outside cultivators for help."

"That's it—that's what's wrong!" Sun Jingyan nodded. "I have a feeling this mission won't go so smoothly... not as simple as Lazi made it out to be."

"Honestly, what the mission is like has nothing to do with us. We're going to the Wulonghaote Mountains only so they can lead the way and give us an excuse. Once we're up there, we'll find a chance to act on our own." Wei Zhao was unconcerned—if there was a problem, so be it. He had suppressed his strength, after all, and had nothing to fear.

"You're right. I was overthinking it." Having said that, Sun Jingyan glanced at the large bed in the room, and her face flushed. "There's only one big bed here. How are we going to sleep tonight?"

"Tonight..." Seeing the look on her face, Wei Zhao knew she had misunderstood, but he said anyway, "Together, of course."

"What?" Sun Jingyan had not expected Wei Zhao to make such a demand at a time like this, and she felt torn. It wasn't that she had no feelings for Wei Zhao, but their relationship now could only be called that of joking lovers—anything more, there really wasn't.

They hadn't even started dating, and already they were going to bed together—Sun Jingyan simply could not accept it. Besides, for a woman who cultivated a unique technique like hers, once she lost her chastity, her cultivation speed would drop drastically...

"What's the matter? Don't want to fulfill your duties as a lover? I traveled thousands of miles to get here and help you search for clues about your parents..." Wei Zhao said.

"But..." Sun Jingyan shed her former image as a strong woman. The truth was, she was not much older than Wei Zhao—in psychological age, even younger. "I... I'm not quite ready yet..."

"Ready? What does sleeping together require preparation for?" Wei Zhao asked in return.

"Sleeping together... that's fine... but can we not do that first?" With no way out, Sun Jingyan could only brace herself and ask.

"Not do what?" Wei Zhao asked, feigning confusion.

"You know perfectly well." Sun Jingyan bit her lip, her face so red it looked ready to drip blood.

"What are you worried about?" Wei Zhao asked.

"I... For one, I'm not quite ready. For another, it's because of... my technique. If I lose my chastity, my cultivation speed will drop drastically..." Having no other choice, Sun Jingyan explained, blushing. "So I have to cultivate to the first layer's perfection first..."

"Heh, by sleeping together I meant the same as in the car—you sleep, and I cultivate beside you," Wei Zhao said with a smile. "It just so happens I can keep you safe. There may be no danger for now, but we still can't let our guard down."

"You... you were deliberately playing with me?" Sun Jingyan was furious at his words. He had spoken so ambiguously earlier, and in the end it was all a lie—and she had misunderstood and explained so much for nothing.

"Not at all. You keep saying you're my lover, and I've brought you out adventuring, so I ought to know what's really in your heart, don't I?" Wei Zhao said with a smile. "I was afraid you were stringing me along."

"..." Sun Jingyan was speechless at his explanation, yet unable to refute it. She could only lie down on the bed in frustration and say, "I'm going to sleep then. I've told you everything anyway—do whatever you like!"

Wei Zhao knew she was just sulking and paid her no mind. With a faint smile, he closed his eyes and began to cultivate.

Three days passed in a flash. During that time, Lazi sent over a map of the Wulonghaote Mountains and a file on the fire lion—though the map covered only the Lower Range; the Middle Range was only partly included, and beyond that was blank.

Presumably, even those who had been up there would not have bothered recording the terrain and drawing a map, given the perils above.

"Mr. Zhang, the members of this adventure mission are all ready. Please come downstairs—we're setting off!" Lazi said to Wei Zhao. "We'll be right in front of the Adventurers' Guild."

"All right, I'll tidy up and be right there," Wei Zhao said.

"I'll go notify the others." Lazi nodded and withdrew. Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan packed up briefly, and then Wei Zhao said to the Thunder Pig, "Sorry to trouble you, but you'll have to go into Jingyi's backpack for now."

"Squeak, squeak..." The Thunder Pig was clever and understood Wei Zhao's meaning at once. It could not afford to be exposed before others now; a Profound Rank spirit beast—even one not of the offensive type—would be nothing but trouble if the Tagan family caught sight of it.

Wei Zhao planned to release the Thunder Pig only after they were up in the Wulonghaote Mountains and acting on their own. The Thunder Pig was extremely sensitive to maps and routes, and having it along would save no small amount of trouble.

Two cultivators were already standing before the Adventurers' Guild. A glance told Wei Zhao their strength: one at the early Yellow Rank, the other at the peak of the early Yellow Rank. The two clearly knew each other and stood there chatting about something...

When Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan walked over, the two fell silent and gave Wei Zhao a rather wary look, but said nothing.

Since they did not speak, Wei Zhao could not be bothered to strike up a conversation either.

They stood there waiting a while, and still no fourth person appeared. The two Yellow Rank hands were visibly impatient. The black-clad one at the peak of the early Yellow Rank frowned and turned to Wei Zhao with a dissatisfied look. "Hey, where's the other one? We've all been waiting for him—has he no sense of time at all?"

Wei Zhao gave the man a cold glance and ignored him.

Seeing that Wei Zhao paid him no attention, the black-clad cultivator at the peak of the early Yellow Rank grew annoyed and snapped, "Hey, kid, I'm talking to you—didn't you hear? Are you deaf or mute?"