Ten minutes later Heng and the blonde man came to a remote part of the village\camp they were deployed to. All the way Heng wrecked his brain as to what the blonde man had to say to him, but even after that ten minutes he could only come up with speculations.

"So, what is it? What do you want to tell me so badly thatyoudragged me here?" said Heng as he kept his guard up. Even if they were in the camp he didn't trust the blonde man.

"Indeed,  I have something to tell you....but it seems we have a trust issue for now." said tue blonde man as he raised his arms up,  as if to say I'm harmless." My name  is Yin Hai, and I'm a bastard son of one of the nobles of the 'Blue Tiger ' kingdom. I'm currently doing a sort of rite of passage to prove myself , for the blood of nobility runs in my veins, but I guess not everything goes according to plan." said Hai as he smiled bitterly.

On the other hand Heng just narrowed his eyes and glared at the man as if to say he didn't believe a word commig out of his mouth.

".........

"What, don't you believe me? I'm really one, look!" said Yin Hai as he took a jade pendant from his bosom and showed It to Heng. It was a purplish jade pendant with a crouching tiger carved in it. It was intricate,  and every curve looked strangely natural.

'This...is really a symbol of nobility.' thought Heng as he looked towards the pendant ' I didn't think I would have such a person serving in the army as me, but there is another thing that is more important.'

Heng straightened his posture as he looked intensly at the young man. If he had been a true noble born son he would have to bow towards him, but as he was just a bastard...

"That in your hand seems like a true jade pendant of nobility, but why are you showing it to me, and also why are you telling me this? If its for something illegal, I'm telling you to just stop right now."

Hai just calmly put his jade pendant  back in its place, and approached Heng until they were 1m apart. They looked at each other for a while,  until Hai released a sigh, and smiled.

" I assure you,  it is nothing illegal. I just require your cooperation,  and it seems that you also require mine." said Hai as he raised his hand ,and extended but one finger. " Firstly, I'll tell you what I offer, and then you can decide if it is worth it. What say you?"

Heng was feeling strange,  as this was indeed a strange situation, but after little thought he decided to hear what Hai had to say.

"Speak then, I'll hear what you have to say."

"Haha, you won't be disappointed.

So, where ro start....ah, I know! Firstly, let me tell you that your symptoms are not anything to worry about.  It was just an influx of vital energy  that you had experienced,  but I'm curious why it happened. Something like that makes sense on someone who is breaking through to the the Meridian stage of cultivation,  but you're not." spoke Hai as if it was just a matter of fact. This of course irritated Heng,  but he didn't say anything as he  just remained silent  and continued to listen.

"Secondly,  I have a way to spead up your cultivation.  I guarantee that if you follow my instructions you will reach the Meridian stage in one year."

"Are....

"Thirdly....I offer you the connections and opportunities a scion of nobility can provide, and I only as for you to run some errands for me, as well as to support me later on.

 So , what do you say? Yes or no? Or do you need some time to think?"

The wind passed through the edge of the forest and blew up some of the fallen leaves up. Heng seemed to be taken aback as he he squinted his eyes and looked upwards,  but he was was in fact feeling the effect of his perk.

' What the hell is going on? Why is someone staring at me. Could it be.....' 

As Heng spaced out  Yin Hai  was waiting for an answer from Heng. He looked at the young man in front of him, his black short hair,  his black eyes and his default nonchalant face, and couldn't help but feel no threat at all from him. He seemed like so calm that he wouldn't even hurt a fly. After about thirty seconds Heng finally got out of his stupor and took one step forward, now he was on Hai's personal space.

Whit a slight smile and with a whisper, Heng spoke. " I don't mind those conditions,  but I want to ask you  one thing.  Do you know why someone would be following us?"

Hearing those words Yin Hai's face immediately became serious."This isn't a joke, is it.....

"Why would I lie to you?"

Hai stared at Heng's face for a good while, but he didn't find any indication of him lying "Indeed....you wouldn't have a reason to lie, but how do you know that someone is following us? I didn't see or hear anything. "

Heng really wanted to say something witty like ' it's a secret ' or ' who knows ' , but he decided to not say anything. The less he spoke,  the more Hai would have to come to his own conclusions. This made Yin Hai sigh as he took a quick glance around not finding anything but trees.