After reaching a consensus, Ye Tiancheng set off the next day with the Jiang family's grandparents and grandson, along with Lin Xue. Fatty couldn't accompany them for now, as he was still receiving treatment in the hospital.
Learning that Fatty was alright, Ye Tiancheng felt less guilty. He needed to suppress the dark energy within his body first. Otherwise, if he were to transform into someone like Ouyang Xinuo again, Ye Tiancheng wouldn't know what he would ultimately become.
They were heading to the small wooden cabin. This cabin was closest to the location of the snow lotus. They had traveled this path before, so they still had some impression of it, and the journey wasn't too difficult.
With Fatty gone, Ye Tiancheng drove himself. It was then he realized how crucial Fatty was to their team. Ye Tiancheng himself was exhausted from driving. By the time they reached the wooden cabin, he felt completely stiff.
Finally, they arrived at the wooden cabin again. However, wisps of smoke were rising from it, indicating a rather awkward situation: someone was already living there.
"Xue'er, whenever I see smoke rising from a house, I automatically think of Fatty. But Fatty is lying in the hospital right now, so how could he possibly be in the wooden cabin? This is too bizarre."
"Master, it seems you miss Brother Fatty too much. This is naturally impossible. It's likely someone else."
Perhaps the people inside the house sensed someone approaching, which is why they rushed out to see what was happening outside.
Ye Tiancheng recognized the subordinate. He had been with the refined man before. After their parting, Ye Tiancheng never expected to see these people again, as he had previously felt their connection was merely fleeting.
The person who came out took a glance without saying a word, then ran back inside to report. He was likely going to inform the refined man.
Within a few seconds, the refined man emerged from the house, his brows furrowed as if someone owed him a great deal of money.
"I thought he was getting cocky and playing a joke on me, but it turns out it's real. Brother Ye, Master Ye, you and your disciple are here again. Where's that fatty brother? And why has it become an old lady and a child?"
The refined man's expression was peculiar, but Ye Tiancheng couldn't be bothered to delve into it. He was merely surprised. Fatty had locked the door before they left, with a large lock on the outer door and smaller locks on the inner ones. How could this fellow have infiltrated it so easily? It was truly strange.
"I apologize. I know this place is already occupied. It's highly likely to be you. We didn't intend to take over your place. We brothers need a place to survive, and this is our refuge. Several ferocious bears appeared and destroyed our previous home, so we had to hide here temporarily to eke out an existence."
The refined man's attitude was very sincere. Ever since Ye Tiancheng met him, this fellow had always presented himself as a man of virtue and integrity. Regardless, he gave the impression of someone who wouldn't lie. Yet, Ye Tiancheng felt a hint of strangeness somewhere.
Perhaps it was because he had suspected them of eating corpses last time, but now, whenever Ye Tiancheng saw these people, he naturally felt a sense of unease.
"Then we should be able to stay here too, right? This house doesn't belong to me, and I don't have the right to demand that only I live here. Can we share it?"
Ye Tiancheng was quite polite. He didn't demand anything specific but merely expressed his desire to stay there with the refined man and his group.
The weather would remain cold for quite some time. It was wrong for anyone to monopolize this place. Everyone should learn to be considerate. Ye Tiancheng used to be quite overbearing, but he hadn't acted so imperiously for a long time.
"Of course. You are a capable person. Now that something has happened here, this forest has become extremely dangerous. My brothers have all fled, leaving only one named Huang Mao. They were all scared and ran back home. Two of them were even killed by bears before. We can certainly accommodate you. The main thing is that I desperately need a capable person like you to provide protection."
"What do you mean by that?"
"To be honest, I'm a bit desperate. As you can see, I'm just an ordinary intellectual. I even wear glasses, and I can't fight people. I'm afraid someone might knock my glasses off. Actually, my life is quite miserable. I've let my brothers down. I thought everything could be solved with intellect, but now I see that intellect alone isn't enough. I can't even solve this bear problem."
"We'll discuss this later. I'll do my best to ensure everyone's safety. We need to rest."
The journey had been quite tiring. Ye Tiancheng finally understood the hardships of driving and missed Fatty dearly. Fatty used to be a good driver; no matter how long he drove, he never complained of being tired. Unfortunately, such a good driver was not by his side at the moment.
"Alright, we've bought thick quilts, and they're new. Some brothers left and didn't get to use them. I'll arrange accommodations for the four of you. If you want to eat, I'll cook personally. My cooking is excellent. I ate your dumplings last time, so I must be given a chance to repay you."
The refined man was quite enthusiastic. There was a saying that was particularly true: one doesn't hit a smiling face. The refined man spoke with a smile, all to curry favor with Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng felt awkward about letting him down, so he had to reciprocate on the surface.
"Alright, alright, don't trouble yourself too much. I'll cook."
Ye Tiancheng primarily didn't want to bother them. Although he had saved their lives, Ye Tiancheng didn't consider them his benefactors. They were all equal people; there was no need for one to serve another. Friendship requires equality; neither owes the other, which makes it more comfortable.
"Come on, don't be so polite. You are the great benefactor of all our brothers. If we hadn't run into you then, we would have all been eaten by that monster. You see, this forest is really not peaceful. You must help this time."
Ye Tiancheng had a subconscious feeling that the refined man's words were all aimed at getting Ye Tiancheng to help him eliminate the black bear. The more Ye Tiancheng felt this way, the stranger it seemed. In any case, he didn't want to agree immediately.
"I'm sorry, we'll talk about this later. We'll take things one by one. Then, my disciple and I will head into the forest."
The dark energy within Ye Tiancheng's body was constantly acting up. The most effective way to suppress it was to consume the snow lotus. However, the snow lotus was extremely rare. They had obtained a snow lotus at the same location before, and Ye Tiancheng didn't know if they could find another. After all, a snow lotus bloomed only once every few hundred years. But they had to try, as not trying would mean not entering the forest.
"Oh, no rush. You must be tired from your journey. Make sure to rest well! Only when you're well-rested can you have the energy to slay demons and vanquish monsters. I believe those annoying bears won't be able to cause trouble anymore. You can kill all those bears. I believe you are a master, and such matters are just a piece of cake for you."
Ye Tiancheng wasn't very confident. He didn't know why the refined man was praising him so highly, but now wasn't the time to discuss such things. Ye Tiancheng and the other three who had arrived first moved into the cabin.
There was quite a bit of luggage. Besides their own efforts, the refined man, along with his subordinate Huang Mao, also came to help. They were simply too enthusiastic, and Ye Tiancheng couldn't refuse them for the moment, so he let them help.
Later, the refined man went to cook. He made fried rice with egg and also a bowl of egg soup. While the ingredients weren't particularly high-end, being able to eat a hot meal was sometimes a great blessing. Ye Tiancheng and his group were already very tired and didn't have the energy to be picky.
"How is the food? Does it suit your taste, Master Ye? Actually, my cooking is quite good and has received praise from many. However, your evaluation is more important. I'm not quite sure about your current situation and whether you can get used to my cooking."
Ye Tiancheng had a lot on his mind and didn't have the relaxed mood he used to have to savor delicious food. Facing his question, Ye Tiancheng was actually a bit bewildered.
"It's very good, really delicious. It suits my taste quite well."
"As long as you like it. Only when you're full and capable can you help us solve our problems. You are my last hope. Otherwise, I suspect my subordinate Huang Mao will run away."
Hearing the refined man say this, Huang Mao quickly expressed his thoughts, "I would never dare to leave. I'll follow Big Brother even if I have to die. If I run away myself, how can I get by in the future? Everyone will definitely look down on me."
"It was just a joke, no need to be so nervous. I also believe you won't betray me. The road ahead is long, and we'll take it as it comes."
However, no matter how much the refined man hinted, Ye Tiancheng had already seen through his intentions. He didn't have much expectation in his heart and even felt a sense of caution. He didn't say he would help fight the bears, nor did he refuse. Ye Tiancheng's words were ambiguous, and everything was still uncertain.
"We've finished eating. Thank you for your hospitality. I'm going to take a nap. It's still early. I'll talk about it after I wake up."
The refined man seemed to want to say something but hesitated, finally not daring to speak. Instead, he bowed and smiled at Ye Tiancheng.
"Alright, then it's decided. You are a master, so you must have your way. I also believe that all your decisions are correct."
The refined man was excessively humble, so much so that it made Ye Tiancheng uncomfortable. It felt as if there was some conspiracy hidden within this humility, making him feel particularly strange.
However, Ye Tiancheng didn't say much more. He closed the door. He could discuss matters with his disciple Lin Xue and the Jiang family's grandparents and grandson. There was no need to say more to an outsider.
"Don't you guys think that person with glasses is strange? I find him unpleasant to look at, and I always feel like he has some ulterior motive. His face doesn't look like that of a good person."
"Master, I actually noticed it a while ago, but I felt a bit embarrassed to say it. After all, saying such things can be hurtful sometimes. But that guy really does have a shifty look, and his eyes are always darting around, giving me the feeling that he's constantly plotting something!"
Lin Xue's thoughts coincided with Ye Tiancheng's. Hearing his disciple say this, Ye Tiancheng instantly felt even more that this refined man was not simple. No matter how well he spoke, even better than singing, Ye Tiancheng would never be soft-hearted towards such a person. He would definitely keep a close eye on his every move and not let such a person succeed.
"Then we'll just be more careful with him. I've already used my true qi to investigate the food he made for me. It's not poisoned, which is why I ate it. I even suspected he might have poisoned it."