Chapter 32: A Cave

"We're here," Yi Lingshi said to Feng Biao motioning towards an area with a large number of broken trees.

Looking around Feng Biao spotted the green oni. It had a gaping hole in its stomach and laid motionless.

"What's going on?" Feng Biao asked growing apprehensive.

"It's like I said, we found three Oni-no-Ochoko near a sleeping green oni."

"And where are they?" Feng Biao said now regretting taking Yi Lingshi's offer.

"That's kind of why I needed you, follow me and I'll fill you in."

Yi Lingshi moved forward and Feng Biao considered running away. He decided against it, Yi Lingshi didn't seem interested in hurting him. Feng Biao had gotten the sense Yi Lingshi meant to ally with Feng Biao solely because he had a True Divinity.

The idea was nonsensical to Feng Biao, but it was clear to Yi Lingshi the labels "Part-Marked" and "True-Marked" meant a lot. He seemed to be under the impression just because he and Feng Biao both had True Divinities he could convince Feng Biao to turn on Hunter.

"Here we are," Yi Lingshi pointed towards a cave. In front of it stood a youth who wore similar dark apparel to Yi Lingshi.

"Yi Lingshi, you found someone?" the youth said seemingly excited.

"Yes, this is Feng Biao," Yi Lingshi said turning to Feng Biao, "and this is Wang Haisheng."

"Nice to meet you, Feng Biao," Wang Haisheng said extending his left hand.

"Likewise," Feng Biao said smiling returning the handshake.

"Alright now that introductions are over with let me explain the problem," Yi Lingshi said sitting down in front of the cave.

"A while ago when we first entered the Marble Haisheng and I came across each other along with two other Marked. We decided to group up together for safety on our way to the summit."

"Well, along the way we found a green oni, which we would have avoided if we hadn't noticed the fat-ass was drinking from three Oni-no-Ochoko at the same time."

"To cut a long story short we couldn't agree on how to split the Oni-no-Ochoko and those two Part-Marked took the Oni-no-Ochoko for themselves," Yi Lingshi said standing up and walking towards the cave.

"And thanks to one of their Divine Abilities," Yi Lingshi said as he attempted to push his arm into the cave, but could not as if some invisible wall stood in front of him, "we both can't enter this cave."

"So," Haisheng said staring at Feng Biao, "we're asking you to go get the Oni-no-Ochoko. We'll split them between the three of us, one cup each, fair?"

Feng Biao thought about it. These two had left a lot out of their story, but the offer was fair on paper.

"What makes the two of you so confident I can deal with two Marked on my own?"

"They're Part-Marked, as long as you aren't a re-," Wang Haisheng coughed before continuing, "as long as you aren't really distracted you shouldn't have much trouble."

"What he means is that we saw that when the one whose Divine Ability activated to keep us out was used he collapsed. The other had to drag him deeper into the cave. We think his Divine Ability takes a strong toll on his body, and if that's the case you'll only be fighting one person at worst."

"It's a chick with no combat ability," Wang Haisheng chimed in, "her buddy told us she was an Ascending Mortal and her only DA is to create harmless light."

"So you see? At worst if the two gang up on you in the cave they'll have to drop this barrier in the front, and if that happens we can rush in to help you," Yi Lingshi said confidently.

"So you in?" Wang Haisheng said clearly anxious for Feng Biao to accept.

"Alright, I'll go," Feng Biao said with a smile.

"Great, good luck, and be quick," Wang Haisheng said with a beaming smile.

As Feng Biao entered the cave he felt it was clear the story he was sold wasn't the exact events, but he did feel like some truth lay within it.

"Still better to be cautious."

So Feng Biao quietly tip-toed through the cave for minutes. As the darkness enveloped him he could not see a single thing, so he hugged the wall tightly. The walls grew tighter and tighter around him until Feng Biao was forced to crouch as he proceeded forward.

"What if I get lost in here?"

It seemed like a silly thought but Feng Biao grimly realized that he could actually die if he were to lose his bearing within the cave, the saving grace so far was that the cave didn't seem to have any twists or turns.

Then Feng Biao's eyes registered it, light. Ever so dim at first, as he neared it his eyes recoiled from the sudden brightness ahead, and he had to shield them for a second before they could accept the bright light.

"W-w-who's there?" a worried girl's voice entered his ears. Looking up he saw a girl pointing a stick at him while a boy weakly inhaled and exhaled beside her on a wall.

"I'm Feng Biao," Feng Biao said exhaling dramatically, "I'm sorry a pack of oni spotted me so I ran into this cave."

"Did they follow you?" the girl said nervously.

"No, before I made it to the cave two guys who were ahead of me tried to fight them off. I'd have helped, but my Divine Ability isn't really suited for combat," Feng Biao said sounding ashamed.

"I see..." the girl said clearly growing more relaxed.

"Why are you two in this cave?" Feng Biao said interested to see how this girl would tell him the events of what happened.

"Those guys who were fighting the oni, were they both wearing all black clothing?"

"Yes," Feng Biao responded.

"Did you see their Divine Abilities?"

"No," Feng Biao said, "I just ran off after seeing they were clearly going to fight the oni."

"Probably...them...." the boy said weakly.

"I knew they wouldn't just leave, Shunzhi we should just give them the Oni-no-Ochoko and beg them to let us go," the girl said to the boy.

"They...won't..." the boy said in between breaths again.

"Who are those two?" Feng Biao asked trying to sound as clueless as possible.

"Lunatics," the girl said despondently.