Pathway

As he was passing by a tavern, he saw three men talking in whispers. He could barely hear what they were saying but looked an important matter. He was about to be moving on, when he heard the word 'Scavens'. With his acutely improved hearing, he strained his ears to get more meaning of what they were discussing.

"The Scavens will be all over the place."

"I say we hire some mercenaries."

"Mercenaries?"

"Mercenaries could be a bad idea. They can't be trusted not to turn on us."

"If we don't, we would die on our own."

"I agreed with the two of you. It will be extremely dangerous to cross the Argonian traits. If we are unfortunate, we could come across the Scavens and the Argonians. We would easily loose our lives."

Whispered the one at the center, who appeared to be the leader. He paused for a second before continuing.

"Also, if we manage to cross and get the Irrium coins, web still have to deal with greedy mercenaries. They could ambush us on our way back."

"What about the cavalry?"

"The cavalry going north. I don't think we could afford to join them. It could be a bloodbath at the traits."

His voice trailed off.

"I'll try to figure something out."

Ju Feng quietly left the area as he proceeded down the street. It seemed the Argonian traits would be a dangerous place to pass. And his way, happened to pass through it. As it was beginning to get dark, he found a shaded spot at an abandoned house and settled down. He would've preferred a comfortable inn, but couldn't afford that at the moment. After checking to make sure he was alone, he brought out some turtle meat and started eating.

Halfway through his food, he sensed an approach towards his position. Using his spiritual sight, he watched as the figure move quietly and slowly from one shadow cover to another. A shadow affiliate. He couldn't detect any mortal threats from the shadow affiliate since the emanating aura was too weak. Either the person was truly weak or extremely powerful to conceal his or her aura. But he suspected the former. No powerful being would loitering in the shadows watching someone like him. Either way, he had to stay watchful.

He waited for the figure to come a bit more closer before raising his voice.

"No need to hide. I can see you in the shadows."

Few seconds later, he heard a shaky voice to his right.

"Don't move. Give me everything you have, or else."

Ju Feng sharply turned to the source of the voice. To his surprise and relief, he found a boy in a tattered robe with a short sword in his hand. The boy's tattered robe made the one Ju Feng was wearing look like royalty. Even the way he was holding the sword showed someone who haven't had a formal martial arts training. He was only a weak and starving boy.

"Stop showing a sword like that, it could get you killed."

Ju Feng shook his head as he watched the boy with pity. He took some of the meat and lilly tubers and offered them to the boy.

"Take. You look starving yourself."

"I'm warning you now. You better give me everything you have."

"Put that sword away before you injure yourself."

The boy looked at his shaky hand and at the food offered. He shook his head and sighed before taking the food.

"Ah, no matter how hard I try, it never worked. I couldn't even threaten you to give up what you have. You even saw me in the shadows."

He found a spot opposite Ju Feng and settled down.

"How can I take care of my family if I can't even take from people like you?"

"Taking from people like yourself, is not the right thing."

"For people like me, around here, no other way." 

He divided his food into two and kept one half in his loin sac. He started munching the other portion of his food. The moment he swallowed the chewed lump, he held his head in total agony due to the sheer power of energy from the meat and tuber. As a being of a dimensional plane, the boy was born with a phantom core, just like all mortal immortals there. They weren't born immortals with bronze cores like the demigods, nonetheless, they were more than mortals who were born with no cores. They had phantom cores from birth which they only had to cultivate to the bronze cores and beyond.

After regaining his composure, the boy laughed warily. 

"Strong food."

"Yea. Strong seasoning."

Ju Feng who had been observing the boy keenly, swallowed the meat in his mouth before replying.

"Hmm, commendable." 

The boy nodded in appreciation before continuing.

"Which village are you from? I saw you entering the village, and I know all the faces around here."

"Two villages from here."

"You mean, Haidong?"

The boy asked in shock.

"Yes, Haidong."

"I thought they said Haidong was overwhelmed by the Scavens."

"Well, some of us are not dead, yet."

"I guess so. This village too has been suffering from the attack of the scavens too. We've been holding them off,  but many villagers are still dying."

"Any help from the city?"

"The fortified city? Pfff. They don't really care that much about a small city like this. Once in a while, they'll send a couple of warriors that meant little to the scavens. I guess they're pulling their resources into one place in case of an attack."

The boy stared at Ju Feng as he pointed at the floor.

"This city can't afford to hire a large number of true mercenaries. High level cultivators to raise the reputation of this city and scare off the Scavens. Me and my family could have moved to the fortified city. We love to, but we can't afford the money to move. That's why I'm also going to the Springflame tomorrow despite its extreme dangers."

"Must you go when you have a family that relies on you?"

"I have to. This place is at the outskirt of our territories and is already turned to an outland. Not much here to survive on, and the Scavens are ambushing us outside. If we stay, we'll just die. I've already bid farewell to my family. Tomorrow, I leave for the Springflame."

"I see your point. I'll be going too."

"Till tomorrow then, fellow. I need to rest now."

The boy put his loin sac under his head and slept off.

Ju Feng continued to watch attentively until he had confirmed the boy was asleep. He could relax his mind. He slowly sat in lotus position and began to meditate. His spiritual sense created an awareness around him. Just not to be caught off guard, if someone had decided to sneak up on him. 

He was like that until the following morning, when the sound of the cavalry rang through the town.