Chapter 5 : Sweet & Sour
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"Bffft.... Hahahaha, are you even a man? I learned how to ride a horse when I was 6 years old."

The girl with cute face and petit body covered her mouth then finally couldn't stifle her laughter and held her belly as she pointed at Feng as she said that.

"Thanks, please deliver auntie Qing my regards. Let's meet again if there's a chance in the future."

Without any change on his expression Feng gave the girl a slight smile then turned to leave with his new horse.

"I can teach you how to do it, it's really simple you know."

The girl didn't leave and walked next to Feng and offered with a smirk on her face, even though the young man was moving hurriedly she easily matched his speed.

'Hmmm, even though her legs are much shorter than mine she seems to create a springing momentum forward by snapping her ankles and pushing the floor with her toes' Feng's eyes saw it clearly as the girl walked next to him.

"Grunt...."

'My left leg is still wounded pretty badly, when it heals I'll try and see if it will help me walk faster in the future' he thought after trying to imitate the girl once.

"Hrmmm... Did you just try to use my footwork?"

The girl was suspicious but not sure and she asked while squinting her eyes at this Feng, her aunt Qiuyue was close to her since she was born and her aunt was like a second mother to her and always supportive.

When her aunt asked her to do something for her she didn't hesitate to do it, she was going to return to the sect in a few days anyway and this Rock city was like a wasteland with no fun for the little girl who liked to cause mischief or get involved in anything that can be called exciting.

"After killing that demonic beast what happened to the rest of the soldiers from my battalion?"

Feng tried to change the subject from the earlier embarrassing topic to something else as he acted to be sightseeing the busy streets and shops around him.

"Eh! You was there?"

The little girl kept looking at Feng's face trying to remember.

"Didn't I just thank you for saving my life? You aren't focused enough."

Feng shook his head and gave the little girl a helpless look as he turned west on the main street, the city walls were in front of him half a kilometer away and he went towards it faster.

Mother wolf and her pups have been left alone for more than 4 hours now he must hurry or something might or could happen in his absence.

"Stop talking like my master, it's annoying. Ah!.... I remember you.... you're the one who froze up like a log then fainted when fear got to his brain before I severed the beast in two. Hahahaha.... you dare give this lady advices with this kind of courage? You sure you don't want my help out there in the wilderness!"

The girl pouted her lips then suddenly her memory didn't fail her and she remembered the scene of Feng's cowardliness.

"Don't you have anything else to do other than wasting your time making fun of someone like me, you sure it is even worth it?"

Feng tried to be calm but right now he really wanted to spank this brat, sadly he wouldn't dare do that to such a little monster.

She killed that demonic beast with a single cut that severed it in two, his intuition from before when he looked at the battlefield and had this vision of the girl fighting the scorpion then now when he received the confirmation from the girl's mouth was all the proof he needed to tread carefully around her.

"Nothing at all."

Beaming with a cute smile that made her dimples appear, the little girl spoke with a raised head and a nose facing the sky.

"Don't regret it later when you feel like your time was spent with a boring person instead of being with your kind auntie Qing."

Feng entered the tunnel as he said that while ignoring the strange looks given to him by the soldiers who snickered at his funny attire.

"You don't have worry yourself about my matters, alright! So. where are you going?"

The little girl jumped on top of Shadow's back and asked from her high horse.

"Just outside the walls, one or so kilometers west of the walls."

Feng didn't keep any information about his hiding place.

"Alright then. Jump on, you're as slow as a turtle."

The little girl moved her body forward to empty some space behind her on Shadow's back for Feng to sit on, but the things loaded on it were leaving almost no space at all.

Looking around after they got out of the city walls there was a long line of people still waiting to enter the city, thankfully there was a separated space for those exiting and entering the city otherwise he would've waited at least five hours for his turn to exit.

"Hey, are you deaf? I told you to get on Shadow's back."

When she saw Feng giving her a strange look then watch the scenery outside the walls without answering, the little girl almost dismounted to punch him in the gut for being rude.

"There's no space for me to sit, I'll run next to Shadow the location is nearby anyway. Let's go"

Feng said as he started to jog at a moderate pace while focusing on not to put too much weight on each and every step he takes with the left leg, he didn't want to be seen as someone taking advantage of a child and didn't feel like being physically close to this girl is something he should do anyway.

"Humph, then run until you drop."

The girl was annoyed because of Feng's refusal and pouted her lips.

"I'm Zhu Feng what's your name?"

When he saw her displeasure Feng tried to distract her.

"Qing Liling, call me Lili, Lingling, or Qingqing. Cute right!"

Qing Liling got carried away with her names and Feng started to sweat.

"How old are you? Lili looks to be very young yet you're the strongest person I've ever seen."

Feng wasn't exaggerating, even these super macho men and women from his days on earth weren't capable of doing half what this little Lili did or could do.

"Eleven, it won't be long now until I'm twelve."

Lili stuck her chest out proudly as she spoke with a smile, her almost-flat chest didn't help her much in emphasizing her pride though.

"But I'm not that strong, actually in my sect there's at least a hundred people stronger than me. Still, I was told that I have the most latent potential in the sect amongst the entrants in the last millennia."

Lili was smugly grinning from ear to ear when she said her unsurpassable accomplishment.

Feeling happy just for watching her cocky attitude, even though he didn't understand what's that about sects, Feng tried to imagine her strength then imagined people stronger and knew that sect must be something very formidable.

"We're here, it's just ahead behind these rocks." 

Feng was out of breath but not dead tired that he wouldn't be able to speak.

"Wait, there's something dangerous behind the vegetation over there."

Qing Liling jumped down from Shadow's back and held Feng back by the arm as she spoke.

"Calm down, it's just mother wolf and her pups. They won't be harming anyone, let's go they must be very hungry."

Feng struggled to remove Lili's hand from his forearm as he spoke, her fingers were like miniature steel clamps squeezing his flesh.

'Just how strong is this little Lili?' Feng thought as he led Shadow by the reins to the place he left the wolf family.

Qing Liling warily walked next to Feng and had her gaze focused on the area behind some high rocks.

"Mother wolf I brought some food, weren't you hungry?"

Taking the meat from Shadow's back, Feng unfurled the bundle and walked near the stones as he spoke.

"Grrrr...."

"Oy! Stop growling at her, she's very strong and I'm warning you if you provoke her she'll beat you half to death as easily as squashing a bug. Eat your food and behave, understand? Are you getting stupid because of the lack of exercise lately? From tomorrow onwards you'll be running laps to burn all the fat that got accumulated around your brain, now sit."

Feng slapped the adult female wolf's head slightly and started to reprimand her for embarrassing him in front of his first guest, the wolf lowered her head and started to nudge his legs with the muzzle when she received that scolding.

Then Feng started to remove the muzzle for her to eat.

Qing Liling was staring in shock at the sight of the coward slap an adult wolf and scold it then receive such gesture from it in return! She noticed the thing on the wolf's jaws and kinda guessed it's use but it's claws were free and could be used to reward this coward a swipe or two.

"T..this is mother wolf! I thought he was talking about some humans with weird names, It turned out to be really a wolf. Don't you know how to spell the word "death"? What were you thinking in keeping a monster like that huh? Keeping one around is very dangerous you fool! it can eat you in your sleep you idiot."

Qing Liling talked to herself for a while then she started poking Feng's side roughly with her exaggerated strength and his face whitened from pain as he felt like she'll really puncture his skin with her finger.

"Let go of me!.... How can you treat an injured person like that?"

Feng was exasperated and if it was someone he could freely curse at he would've outdone himself by cursing her downwards until he reached the first ancestor.

"Eh, you're injured! Where's that?"

Qing Liling unladylike started to peel off his clothes and take peeks.

"Stop! this is immoral. For a girl like you to strip a man forcefully.... Y.... you're not even in the right age to experience such things. Stooop!.... Please no more or you'll have to kill me afterwards."

Poor Feng, Lili really didn't care about his interests or opinions, she only stopped when there was nothing but his cute V-style underwear made with blanket shreds!

"Who did that to you?"

Qing Liling was circling the young man who did his best to cover his groin area with his hands, her face seemed to be darkening with anger as she asked.

"What is done is done. There's no need to hold grudges or think of revenge, just let it go and look ahead is the correct action and right mentality."

Feng was feeling nothing, why would he send that war missile towards that general or that captain?

There was no meaning when others upholds justice for you, yes, it gives you a sweet taste in the mouth and some warmth of hope in the chest. But, you'll only end up feeling grateful to those who gave you assistance, the problem of your weakness will stay the same and if you didn't fix that problem sooner or later you'll fall back in the abyss.

Who knows if the second time there will be someone to stretch his hand for you!

"Heh, why do I feel the opposite from you? If you want to keep your mouth shut so be it. Here, swallow this pill. It will hasten the healing of your wounds."

Qing Liling squinted her eyes at the sight of Feng's calmness and after glancing at mother wolf eating the meat under his feet she smiled like someone who figured out the key to solving a troubling issue.

She opened her palm and a white pill appeared on her hand from thin air like magic, she left it in Feng's opened palm and enjoyed the shocked look on his face.

"Are you a magician as well?"

Feng held the fingernail-sized and hard pill between two fingers and asked Lili after making absolutely sure it was real and not some kind of strange illusion.

"Huh! Magician? What's that?"

Liling felt the name in her tongue and smiled then asked as her curiosity got peaked and her eyes burned with excitement.

"I'll tell you after you promise not to strip my clothes against my will again, ever!"

Feng grumpily said as he started to wear his clothes with a black face and shamed heart.

"Hahaha, you're grumbling like a little kid over something trivial. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, so lacking in character. Alright then, I won't do it again."

Liling held her hands behind her back and spoke like her master used to speak with her when he's giving her instructions then sat down on mother wolf's back unceremoniously and crossed her arms and legs, the grin on her face made Feng's lips twitch non-stop.

'Fuck, this brat is throwing her weight around and stepping all over my dignity, now am I supposed to kowtow and worship you like some kind of goddess!' Feng thought as he fixed his clothes as best as he can, yet he was frustrated at how crude they were looking.

"You still didn't tell me how did you do that trick from earlier."

Feng asked as he started to unload things from Shadow's back then he led him to the high rocks and tied his reins there, he wanted to make sure he stays away from mother wolf or she might injure him.

"Haven't you ever heard of cultivators?"

Qing Liling asked as she looked at Feng as if he's a fool who crawled from under some rock.

"Nope, what's that? Some kind of a cult!"

Feng started to feed the chickens by throwing wheat seeds and asked while he stood amongst the boxes.

"You're really the first person I met who doesn't know about us cultivators."

Qing Liling nodded when she saw his sight standing amidst chickens, this type of flight-less bird was timid and only lived to be butchered for meat or to supply people with eggs and Feng's cowardliness somehow suited this life.

Then Liling remembered the monster she's currently using as a chair and gave the wolf a look, Lili felt like she's somehow missing something crucial here but she couldn't place her finger on it.

"We can cultivate by using energies from the world around us to strengthen our bodies, souls and Qi, we gain longer lifespan, riches, honor, glory, power, knowledge, control, pretty much anything and everything."

Qing Liling had such a fanatic look in her eyes as she spoke, unlike her playful personality she seemed to be speaking about her only passion in life.

"It sounds like becoming a superhero from the movies, can all cultivators make things appear from thin air like you did just now?"

Feng nodded to indicate that he kinda understood her meaning then he asked about the magic trick from earlier as he sniffed the pill in his hand.

"Not really, it isn't some kind of ability but a tool we use by utilising our Qi to make it work. Do you see this ring? That's a space ring. Inside this small sized ring there's more than three hundred paces of empty space that I can fill with items or anything if I want, but only things without a soul though. I can't place living things inside, to place living things I must use a beast bag. That as well doesn't allow placing anything other than monsters or beasts and trying to store sentient life-forms inside a beast bag wouldn't work, plus if the beast is strong then it can break free and get out of the beast bag if it wanted."

Qing Liling started to ruffle mother wolf's fur with her palm as she spoke, underneath her the wolf was feeling fidgety by the touch of this fearful little girl.

"Three hundred feet of space under your beck and call.... This sounds very convenient, insanely convenient really! Good for you Lili."

Feng looked at the ring as if it was the best power he could wish for, if he filled it with water he can water bomb the bullies whenever they try to get near him.

Of course he forgot that he will be included in the drenching if he ever tried such a foolish way to protect himself.

"Heh, this is a tool we cultivators use and it isn't even considered a high grade space tool. Some cultivators are blessed with talent in the Space Dao, they don't need space rings, space tools or any kind of space equipment to store their belongings. They just open an independent space node or multiple nodes if they want and use them according to their wishes, the smallest node is thousands of feet large you know."

Giving the excited fool a contemptuous smile Qing Liling widened his horizons.

"This isn't the best space ring? Others can get even larger space! Won't they be able to store mountains inside if they want?"

Zhu Feng was extremely shocked by the information, he felt like a country bumpkin in this strange world.

Superheroes with insane powers and abilities, strange items that can make life easier.

"Heh, what if I told you that if you placed something inside it won't suffer the element of corrosion or degradation over time like normal, at least it will be delayed ten thousand times the normal. If that meat is going to become rotten and inedible in a week then it's ten thousand weeks inside my ring until it happens, and that's the worst space tool possible, others can be a hundred thousand times or even a million times in many examples."

Qing Liling was practically sleeping on top of mother wolf's body lazily and hugging her furry neck as she spoke, she didn't mind that it's jaws are being free from the muzzle and even offered the wolf her arm to take a bite if she wants.

Mother wolf was currently feeling like death was mischievously licking at her ears and breathing down on her neck ever since the small two-legged one mounted her back and acted vulnerable towards her.

"Magicians are mud compared to what you just described cultivators, they only play hand tricks or other planned tricks to fool people's eyes or minds that's all."

Feng smiled helplessly at the description he gave this little girl, honestly in his opinion, to compare someone like Lili to magicians he was only shaming her.

Then he looked at the white pill between his fingers one last time and popped it into his mouth then swallowed it whole without hesitation.

"Still I like the name, since I didn't get my title yet I'll choose "Sword Magician" as my title. Tehehe, Sword Magician Liling, or maybe Liling the Sword Magician. Sword Magician Fairy, Fairy Sword Magician. Kyaaa, there's too many cool choices for me to pick from."

Lili was excited and turned on her back and started to kick the air excitedly while looking up at the sky with a blessed smile on her face.

"Whine..."

Finally mother wolf couldn't take the pressure anymore and gave Feng a begging look to help release her from the small Death God on her back, she didn't dare continue eating ever since the small one sat on her back.

"Come on now Lili, get off mother wolf's back. She's scared almost to death, look! even though she's hungry she didn't eat much from her meat, how about we feed the little pups some of the fresh milk that I bought?"

Feng smiled ruefully at this sight and tried to help by distracting Lili.

"Mother wolf this mother wolf that, this name is terrible."

Liling got up and crossed her hands and squeezed her mind for a cool name.

"Her colors are mixed and chaotic, why don't you call her Hurricane or Storm?"

Qing Liling asked Feng as she watched the wolf eat her meal while keeping her eyes glued to her warily.

"Storm is more suitable for her gender I guess, Hurricane sounds very masculine in my opinion."

Feng tied up one chicken with a hair by the leg and placed her near Storm for her to eat it whenever she likes while choosing her name, Qing Liling nodded in approval at the choice too and followed after him to check on the pups when she saw him take the milk container and open it.

Clucking non-stop with panic, poor chicken laid an egg once she couldn't move away from the predator who lazily gave it nonchalant look as it ate three times her worth of raw meat.

"They're asleep usually from the time before noon until later in the afternoon."

"I call this one Daring, and he's the fiercest of the quad always wrestling his siblings and even challenging me, I like his bravery and courage."

"This one is Mischievous, she's the only female and the most playful and fun among them, she doesn't discriminate between strangers and family and play all the same with everyone."

"That's Loud, he's a complete nightmare when he gets excited or scared, he just makes the most noise like a freaking radio that got broken and still make terrible sounds at full volume."

"Last is Timid, he's the most tame and docile of the group always shy and always getting the least to eat on every meal, he whines and drops his ears at a mere touch and doesn't resist when mischievous bully him for fun."

Feng pointed to Lili the four pups and raised Timid first to feed him.

"W..whine..."

"It's alright little Timid none will bully you... Here's some milk for you, go on, it's all your share."

Lili snatched the milk container and started gently patting the small Brown pup and urging him to feed from her hands.

"So cute, feeding horses in auntie Qing's store is nothing compared to this sight."

Hugging the little pup to her chest and feeding him felt the best to Lili.

Feng knew the feeling she's experiencing right now, he left Lili to feed them and gathered some dry twigs and arranged a small fire.

Since he arrived to this world all Feng ate was rations and some dried meat, taking one chicken from the boxes he slit it's neck in a smooth gesture with sharp rock that he's been refining it's edge for days now and waited for it to bleed out.

He cracked it's chest open and removed it's organs then took the heart and liver from them then Zhu Feng peeled it's skin along with the feathers and cut the wings and talons too, after washing the warm chicken's body from blood and residue of innards he pierced it with a branch and placed it on top of the fire to roast after rubbing it with some salt and spices.

He gave the rest of the innards to Storm to eat and she nudged him with her muzzle-less head, Feng shivered inwardly and tremblingly patted her head.

He wasn't sure if that was because she started to like him or was it because Liling was around, anyway he appreciates the gesture.

"He..heh...heheh...."

A lot of awkward laughter.

'All it would take is one snap of that jaw, a split second snap and it's all over' as he patted her he was thinking that.

"Feng, these names are good but not great."

Liling said after playing with the pups for a while, she stood with her hands on her hips as if adamant on changing the names.

"Why are you angry? I didn't say that their names were permanent! What do you have in mind?"

Feng returned to swirling the chicken over the fire and asked as he felt his stomach getting rowdy when the delicious smell started to spread.

"We call the courageous pup with black fur "Abyss or Night", "Thunder or Danger" for the rowdy grey pup, "Peace or Harmony" for the shy brown pup, "Love or Joy" for the fun bag female."

Qing Liling said her choices and waited expectantly for Feng to give his opinion.

"How about I leave naming two to you and two for me, Night And Harmony are not bad."

Nodding his head Feng named the two he liked the most and left the one he hated his sound and voice the most for Lili to name, if it was his choice he would've named him danger or deafness even but that's up to Liling now.

"Alright then, Thunder and Joy. I really am thankful to auntie Qing for sending me to deliver Shadow to you, otherwise I would've missed meeting these cute little pups."

After deciding on the names Qing Liling threw Zhu Feng the the last of her priorities and returned to play with the pups, even when Night pissed on her clothes she didn't mind it and laughed it off as him being mischievous.

"Hehe, food. Proper food finally, Lili dinner is served."

Feng raised the cooked chicken away from the fire and started to use his hand to pull pieces from it even though it was smoking hot and ignored the heat scalding his fingers, he was like a hungry ghost and didn't wait to see what the little girl had to say about the lack of plates or utensils.

He placed the chicken on his mattress directly and carelessly, then he was surprised to find Storm inching closer and licking her canines with her tongue repeatedly.

"Why didn't you ask me for a table and plates to place our meal? Now I can't eat that bird, you'll have to prepare another for me. No, double that order."

Scrunching her nose slightly at the sight of Feng placing his food directly where she stepped on the mattress a while ago, Lili waved her hand and a table with four chairs appeared.

It had a few empty plates with neatly placed knives, spoons and forks next to them, one fruit basket full of different sizes and shapes of fruit and a few small plates with cut fruit on them, three glass bottles containing some juice if Feng guessed it right plus the napkins neatly folded.

Smiling ruefully to himself Feng felt like a caveman watching someone use a smartphone when Liling brought out that table, then looking back at the fire that was dying because of the lack of firewood he knew that he wouldn't finish that order unless he searched for more dry twigs.

"Do you happen to have firewood, stove or an oven on you?"

Feng felt like a smoker asking for a lighter and snickered inwardly.

"Stove! What's that? And why would I carry an oven in my ring? Not to mention firewood, who would carry those in his ring? I can stimulate my Qi and use a simple fireball spell."

Qing Liling was confused by Feng's stupid questions then after two hand signs she was holding a basketball-sized fireball of orange-red color above her left hand.

"Whine...."

Storm hid herself behind Feng's body and trembled at the sight of Lili carrying that ball.

"Heh....."

Feng snickered once as he felt his self-esteem reach the lowest degrees ever.

He chewed on the chicken's meat in his mouth and surprisingly the previous tasty meat became bleak and tasteless as his mood changed into self-pity.

Silently he offered the chicken to Storm to enjoy then went to handle two more chickens.

"Do you have any pot or kitchenware? It will taste different if I made you a stew, if you have something I can use to grind these seeds into flour I can make you some pastries with the fruits if you like sweets or I can make it salty if you may so choose."

Feng asked after he feathered the chickens, he felt like someone who lives in a completely different world from that little girl Qing Liling.

He was merely entertainment for now and he can only look up to her kind, these so called cultivators are really...

Out of his league.

Liling felt Feng's mood change once she created the fireball, earlier he was cheerful and easygoing, dealing with him was simple he didn't act like these other mortals who will always keep their heads down in her presence and act like servants dealing with their lord or slaves meeting their master.

Now she's regretting ever asking for food in the first place.

'Why didn't I just join him in his simple meal? It's not like I have to eat the parts placed on the mattress directly, I could've just tasted the food and enjoyed his company. Now I've hurt his feelings' Qing Liling nodded and waved her hands to bring the things related to cooking from her ring according to Feng's request as she thought that.

"I like both tastes it doesn't matter what you'll make, I'll enjoy it all surely." Qing Liling said then watched everything Feng did to prepare the food.

"The water I have isn't enough, can you make water as well?"

Feng placed all the ingredients in the pot and the water on him wasn't sufficient, since the water source nearby was more than one hour away he asked with a helpless expression.

"En."

Liling did two more hand gestures and dew gathered slower on her palm.

"I'm not that proficient in water techniques, how much water do you need?"

She asked as a little frown appeared on her forehead.

"Not much fill this bowl and it will be enough for now."

Feng pointed at a medium sized bowl and started to grind the wheat seeds into flour and grabbed the only egg he has from the scared chicken and started to bake sweet and salty pastries and shaped them into animals.

He finished the whole meal before dusk, when he needed fire he asked Lili to help and most of the time he was asking her to try and make it cooler, her fireball was really intense in heat and it was hard to cook good food with high degrees of fire, plus how he had to stay away because it was hard to be near the fires she make without feeling like his innards will be cooked and his skin is going to split from being overly dry.

He sat with her on the table and most of the time they either remained silent or got distracted by the pups who intruded and interrupted their silent meal together.

"I really liked this meal very much, it's getting late and I need to go back. Good bye Feng."

After collecting her items on the space ring, Lili played with the pups for one last time before she said that to Feng.

"Please wait, can I make a selfish request from you?"

Feng felt like this will be the last time he sees Lili, he wanted help but the thing he really needed was a forge to try fusing the scorpion's hairs with the shards of glass-like remains from it's shell.

Feng was afraid the most about his safety in the wild, he didn't care about living in Rock city or even staying in the area.

But, he was less than weak to people in this world, a preventive measure was a must to carry on living.

"Do you want some money? A weapon? Some pills? Then what?"

Everytime Lili said something Feng would shake his head left and right to refuse her offer, finally she thought about something one of her senior sisters in mountain sect mentioned before and asked with a frown on her face.

'If you turn out to be a pervert in disguise, humph' Liling thought as she waited for Feng to speak.

"Wait just a second."

Feng ran to an area hidden behind the large rocks then there was the sound of grunts and heavy panting.

Finally he appeared in front of Liling without his top and trousers, dragging behind him a dirty blanket bundled up and containing something.

"I knew it."

Liling pulled up her sleeves and prepared to drop hell on the pervert.

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