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Soaring Dragon Continent, Black Tortoise Forest

Qiu Zhen was on guard against Gan Fang because his upper body was naked, revealing his tattoo. If Gan Fang knew what this tattoo was - or if any of those present knew what it was - Qiu Zhen would have to kill them. Qiu Zhen’s back was against a tree while his eyes were glued on Gan Fang.

Gan Fang didn’t take what Qiu Zhen was doing too serious and only gave him a simple look. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a black jewel - the same jewel that the Demon Ape King had and the elders threw away. When he took it out his eyes shined for a moment before it quickly disappeared. He was disappointed in the black jewel.

“You remember how I asked what you thought the Black Tortoise left here? Well if the Demon Ape King was guarding this then it can’t be such a simple jewel.” Gan Fang said as he tossed the jewel over to Qiu Zhen.

Qiu Zhen grabbed the black jewel as he quickly looked it over. Qiu Zhen didn’t feel anything strange about it, it looked like any other jewel he had seen. Turning the jewel over to check if there was some kind of inscription on it, he ended up finding nothing. This jewel was just plain and there was nothing special about it.

“So it was all in the headmaster’s head then?” Qiu Zhen asked.

Hu Jun didn’t care much about the black jewel. To her, finding the treasure the Black Tortoise left was something she hardly thought about. She watched as Qiu Zhen carefully observed the jewel and noticed that he was behaving strangely.

“Not exactly brother Qiu Zhen. To be honest what if the treasure it left behind was not something that was so simple. If you left a treasure but only wanted a certain person to find it, wouldn’t you make it look simple to others, but complicated to that person? This is why I think that the jewel is the treasure but we just don’t know what it is used for.” Gan Fang explained as he sat by the fire.

‘Does he not know about my tattoo or is he playing stupid?’ Qiu Zhen thought to himself as he tossed the jewel back to Gan Fang. “So you’re saying it is part of something even bigger?”

Gan Fang lightly laughed as he stared at the black jewel. “Not exactly, it could be used to unlock some treasure that’s hidden here or it could just be used for something else. Whatever it is, i’m sure that this jewel is the treasure.”

Gan Fang produced a grey robe from his ring and tossed it to Qiu Zhen. “Here, you should cover up. The nights are getting colder can’t have you caught a cold. Also brother Qiu Zhen, I didn’t know you had a tattoo on your back.”

Qiu Zhen grabbed the robes and put them on - he didn’t mind Hu Jun or Li Haun. “Tattoo on my back… right... “

Gan Fang stood up as he walked over to Qiu Zhen. He looked at Qiu Zhen’s back with complicated eyes. “It seems so mysterious, i’ve never seen something like that before. Where did you get it?”

‘Did he not notice the tattoo on my chest? Can it be that it’s not there?’ Qiu Zhen muttered to himself. “This… I got it when I was young. You can say it’s my mother's gift.”

Gan Fang turned around and started walking away from Qiu Zhen and away from the fire. “Come, walk with me.”

‘Right, of course you would notice.’ Qiu Zhen started walking with Gan Fang away from the others.

Gan Fang and Qiu Zhen walked for forty minutes. Qiu Zhen put his hands behind his back while he infused them with qi. He couldn’t take any chances, as soon as Gan Fang mentioned the tattoo on his chest he would kill him. Somewhere in Qiu Zhen’s heart he thought that he was overreacting. How could Gan Fang who was only a few years older than him know what this tattoo was, but Qiu Zhen couldn’t take any chances.

Gan Fang looked sad as he turned around to Qiu Zhen. “You should already know that I’m from the Gan Clan. I feel that you are trustworthy enough which is why I’m going to tell you. The Gan Clan is no more, every member was murdered even after the war ended.”

‘No wonder you looked sad when I mentioned it before’ Qiu Zhen nodded his head. “If every member of the clan died, then how did you survive?”

“In the Gan clan we have always produced members who have great cultivation ability. However there is one member in our clan that was born a cripple. He is a great man and lives a simple life. The clan thinks that he is dead but only me and my father knows about him. That is because he is my uncle. When the clan members were dying I was staying with my uncle.” Gan Fang explained as he clenched his fist tight.

“To think one of the seven great powers would fall. Who would do such a thing?” Qiu Zhen asked. (Seven great powers = number one power in each kingdom)

“On this whole continent there are only seven clans that could kill off our whole clan. Six of them belong to the other seven great powers, but the other one is only one person. It’s the emperor.” Gan Fang explained as his eyes were burning with fury.

“Chang Chi? Why would he kill the members of the Gan clan?”

“I don’t know… however my uncle sent me a letter before the hunt started. He told me that he has an important message for me, and said when I knew not to do anything rash.”

Gan Fang looked Qiu Zhen in the eye as he opened his mouth. “Qiu Zhen you’re my brother right? Thus it’s only natural for me to tell you this. I feel that the emperor is the one who killed off my clan, thus it’s only natural I get revenge. My clan served the last emperor, Chang Mu so you would think that would mean something to Chang Chi. It did not, he killed them off! I’m not asking you to help me get my revenge because I know that to kill Chang Chi I would need to become an Immortal which is harder than I thought. I’m only asking you pray for me, if I fail my goal at least keep what I’ve said in your heart.”

Qiu Zhen nodded. If he fell in battle fighting Chang Chi he too would want someone to remember what he told them hoping they will carry on their goals. Qiu Zhen put his hand on Gan Fang’s shoulder while he said, “Don’t worry. Chang Chi isn’t that nice of a person, if your clan was wiped out then it is only he himself who can do it.”

Gan Fang smiled lightly, “Right! How about after this hunt you come with me to meet my uncle. I’m sure he’ll feel better to know that I can rely on someone.”

“Sure.” Qiu Zhen replied. ‘So he didn’t see the tattoo huh… I wonder why…’

Gan Fang started walking back to the the girls, “We should get back before they start misunderstanding why I called you out.”

They both went back to the camp where Hu Jun and Li Haun were. Li Haun was still meditating as if she didn’t notice nor care for what they were doing. Hu Jun was also mediating, but she opened her eyes when Gan Fang and Qiu Zhen came back.

“Right, so we still have eight days we can be in here for. We can hunt more demon beast or we could leave.” Gan Fang said.

Hu Jun made five demon cores appear. “Well I still have to kill five more to have ten.”

Her gaze shifted to Qiu Zhen with pleading eyes asking if he would help her. Qiu Zhen turned his gaze to Li Haun. He didn’t know if she had ten demon cores or not, but then he thought about how she never used any techniques.

Li Haun didn’t even open her eyes as she produced twenty demon cores. Shortly after she placed them back in her ring and continued to meditate.

“What did you do, have others hunt for you?” Qiu Zhen said.

Hu Jun who knew of Li Haun’s strength looked at Qiu Zhen with a shocked expression. She guessed that Li Haun and Qiu Zhen were together and that Qiu Zhen understood her strength, but he obviously didn’t. ‘So they weren’t together.’ Hu Jun thought as a smile appeared on her face.

Gan Fang produced eight demon cores while he lightly smiled. “Well, it seems that two of us have yet to complete the hunt. Since it’s so late we should continue tomorrow morning then head out to turn them in. I doubt any of us care about rankings.”

Hu Jun nodded her head, while Qiu Zhen laid back down. He started to think about that baby monkey, he wondered where it went. He smiled, it seems that he has gotten somewhat attached to that thing. As he closed his eyes he thought about what Gan Fang said seriously. If the Black Tortoise really did leave a treasure like that then it truly wouldn’t be simple.

“Ah!”

Qiu Zhen sprang up as he looked at Gan Fang. “Brother Gan Fang, I know what that jewel could be used for. Let me see it again!”

Gan Fang got the jewel out of his pocket and passed it to Qiu Zhen. He didn’t know how Qiu Zhen understood what it was used for, but if he knew then it must be special.

Qiu Zhen grabbed the black jewel as he looked it over again. ‘This size, it looks just right. Why didn’t I notice this before.’ Qiu Zhen grinned as he got up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, time to see if this actually works.”