Kanoru opened his eyes as the carriage stopped to see Asuna and the others getting down. He glanced at the carriage windows, which were covered by curtains, but he could still tell that the sun had set. Realizing they had stopped to set up camp, he got out of the carriage and looked around. They were in a clearing with a small pond, surrounded by forest.
He noticed Yun Feng's men and the Evergreen Sect disciples tending to the horses—tying them up and feeding them. Kanoru walked over to Asuna and asked, "Do I need to set up a tent?"
She replied, "Mika and Bai Yue can sleep inside the carriage, but we'll need a tent. So, yes."
Without delay, Kanoru started setting up a tent. Once he finished, he approached Yun Feng and said, "I'm going to hunt."
Yun Feng shook his head. "No need. I've already sent some of my men to hunt."
Kanoru insisted, "I know, but I feel like hunting something myself."
Yun Feng nodded reluctantly. "Alright, but be careful. There are demon beasts in the forest."
Kanoru nodded. "I will be."
He then walked over to Asuna. "I'm going to hunt," he told her.
She nodded without opening her eyes, still meditating. "Be careful," she said calmly.
Asuna was on the verge of becoming a middle-ranked samurai. She could already open her fourth gate but struggled to control the energy inside it.
Kanoru entered the forest and, luck being on his side, quickly came across a wild boar—not a demon beast. With a single strike, he killed it and effortlessly carried it back on his shoulder.
Upon returning to the camp, he handed the boar to the people preparing the food. Then, he walked over and sat beside Yun Feng, who was conversing with two elders from the Evergreen Sect. He recognized one of them—Elder Li—and was introduced to the other, Elder Qi.
The conversation had started before Kanoru arrived, but by listening carefully, he quickly discerned the topic—they were discussing the possible suspects behind the attack on the Evergreen Sect.
He listened for about ten minutes, piecing together his own reasoning based on the events of the past few days. Eventually, a thought struck him—the Hundred Herbs Pill was at the center of it all.
He asked, "Elders, Brother Yun, outside of the Evergreen Sect and the Yun family, who else knew about the successful refinement of the Hundred Herbs Pill?"
The elders exchanged thoughtful glances. Yun Feng spoke first. "I didn't know the Hundred Herbs Pill had succeeded, nor did anyone in my family. I came here based on the timeline Sect Leader Mo Li gave me—the date when the first batch was expected to be refined."
Kanoru nodded, realizing Yun Feng had arrived without any knowledge of whether the refinement had been successful or not.
Elder Qi then said, "The leak came from our sect. After successfully refining the Hundred Herbs Pill, we didn't hide the news."
Kanoru's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that while the Hundred Herbs Pill was primarily used for healing, it could also harmonize the five elements within the human body—one of the key conditions for advancing to the Great Warlock Realm.
He asked, "Why did you make the news public?"
This time, Elder Li responded. "To increase our influence. With the ability to refine the Hundred Herbs Pill, we expected more pill refinement orders, which would bring us greater resources."
Elder Qi added, "We have enemies, but none with the power or motive to destroy us. So, we didn't consider keeping it a secret."
Yun Feng's expression hardened. "Then the ones who attacked you must be the same people who ambushed and poisoned my mother. Don't worry, Elders. The Yun family will help rebuild your sect and punish the culprits."
Elder Qi and Elder Li nodded solemnly. With nothing more to say, they fell into a heavy silence.
Kanoru broke it, saying, "The attackers may have been after the pill for healing or to advance to the Great Warlock Realm."
Elder Li frowned. "If that were the case, they could have simply ordered us to refine another batch."
Elder Qi added, "Yes, with all the required herbs, it only takes about two months to refine the pill."
Kanoru shook his head slightly. "No. The attacker must not want others to know that they're healing an injury or attempting to advance to the Great Warlock Realm."
Yun Feng considered this and nodded. "Yeah, that's possible."
Kanoru continued, "The pill was refined, and just two days later, the attack happened. That means the enemy must be from Ren County."
Elder Qi's eyes narrowed. "The Seventh Prince."
Yun Feng's expression became skeptical. "The Seventh Prince?"
Elder Li nodded grimly. "Yes. Wen Min has held a grudge against us ever since he was injured. He came to Ren County of his own choosing and asked Sect Leader Mo Li to heal him. But the Sect Leader refused—because of the incident with Wen Lin."
Kanoru's brow furrowed. "Wen Lin?"
Yun Feng explained, "The Seventh Prince was once a genius like you. Before he turned eighteen, he became a middle-ranked warlock, and by thirty, he reached the high-ranked warlock realm." He paused briefly before continuing, "But during a war against the grassland tribes, one of their leaders severely injured him, damaging his internal organs."
Yun Feng's expression hardened. "Even after three years, the injury still hasn't fully healed. If it doesn't, he'll never be able to advance to the Great Warlock Realm."
Kanoru nodded thoughtfully. "The Seventh Prince is definitely a suspect."
After discussing how the Seventh Prince, if he was indeed behind the attack, could have managed to kill 70% of the Evergreen Sect members—including their Sect Leader—the conversation came to a halt as dinner was finally ready.
Everyone washed their hands and sat down to eat. Afterward, Kanoru and Asuna entered their tent to spend the night.
Inside the tent, Kanoru asked, "How is your practice going?"
Asuna, her voice heavy with sleep, murmured, "I was able to control the energy for a brief moment."
Kanoru smiled faintly. "Then in a month, you'll be able to advance and become a middle-rank samurai."
"Yes…" she mumbled softly, her voice trailing off as her breathing became slow and peaceful—she had already fallen asleep.
Kanoru lay still momentarily, then turned his thoughts to his own practice. He realized he needed to create a timetable to follow.
He decided:
- At dawn, he would practice his sword skills.
- When the hot winds began blowing, he would focus on comprehending how to control and wield them.
- After the winds cooled, he would train his body and attempt to master the energy behind the fifth gate.
- Finally, before going to sleep, he would visualize the image of wind in his mind.
Closing his eyes, he began to picture a tornado, using the knowledge of its formation from both this world and his previous life.
After two hours of deep concentration, he gradually drifted into sleep.