It was Lei Ruolan's voice, cold and short like ice.
Indeed, the mission they had received was exactly the mission related to this limited-time Three Fruits Hunt Quest! He Yongliang gave them a brief explanation of what their responsibility would be:
"As you are both disciples with extraordinary cultivation progress who have stayed here over a year, it will be good for you to go on a mission together. Lately, there have been complaints of monsters lurking in three areas around Li Hua mountain."
Their Shizun pointed to a map with a graceful white finger.
"At the base of the mountain near the village, at the top of the mountain where Fu Yao peak occasionally comes to harvest rare ingredients, and within the mid-mountain caverns. Each location has reportedly been terrorized by a different beast that has escaped from the demon realm: here, a blood boar, there, a burrowing groundworm, and here, a giant tortoise spirit. You should be able to handle them on your own, but feel free to notify the sect if you need additional help. Here are the briefing documents. Any questions?"
"No, Shizun," Lei Ruolan said determinedly. Qiu Yunru also shook his head with a small smile.
"No, Shizun."
After a bit of preparing, they set out together down the mountain.
Qiu Yunru didn't have any hand in deciding how the mission would go. Lei Ruolan was the one who had decidedly pointedly that they would fight the monsters from the base of the mountain to the top, therefore in this order: giant tortoise, blood boar, burrowing groundworm. Qiu Yunru agreed to her plans as amicably as possible. They were good plans, and he wasn't an argumentative person; what was the use of starting an argument?
Since the monsters were all on Li Hua mountain, they hiked to the first location, not needing their swords.
The whole time, Qiu Yunru was sweating bullets.
It wasn't that it was hot--in fact, the snowy air was biting, and the ice on the ground was causing his feet to slip here and there.
No--it was that Lei Ruolan wouldn't say a single word to him!
He was too worried to start a conversation first. In the past, all that had gotten him were strings of icy one-word answers, so what was the use? But now, even though they were hiking together for hours...
She didn't look at him once!
When does the Friendship Level Increase Kick In...?
Eventually, they reached the cave at the base of the mountain where that giant tortoise spirit was tormenting the local village. This boss wasn't hard to beat; Qiu Yunru knew an easy way. Since this kind of "great tortoise spirit" boss was common through many Spring Blossoms, Autumn Fruits playthroughs, he knew that it would likely be weak to plum wine. If he bought a few jars of plum wine in the village and they dumped it into the turtle's lake, then slapped a dispersement talisman on its forehead, they could easily be done with it!
However, when he mentioned this plan to Lei Ruolan, she seemed angry with him.
"Why would we do that? That's a coward's way out. I'll use my martial skills! If you're really so averse to fighting properly, then you can just stand and watch!"
Weakly, Qiu Yunru indeed stood and watched inside the cave as Lei Ruolan attacked that poor great tortoise spirit relentlessly. It bit at her with sharp teeth, and she slashed at it. Unfortunately, its shell and skin were as strong as steel and couldn't be cut open.
"Should I help...?" Qiu Yunru called out doubtfully, truly unsure of what to do.
"No!" Lei Ruolan snapped back at him.
Qiu Yunru was truly conflicted, feeling the most awkward he had ever felt.
Even though sweat was pouring down her face in gallons, she wouldn't allow him to assist, or to use any plum wine. She was truly stubborn to the point of being impressive!
After about two hours, Lei Ruolan finally found a weak spot underneath the tortoise's neck and slit it open. With a great and tragic cry, that beast fell into the lake, causing water to splash everywhere. It dispersed into a cloud of demonic qi that faded away, leaving Lei Ruolan sweaty, soaked in cavern water, and exhausted.
Qiu Yunru, who had taken to sitting down and fidgeting awkwardly, stood up upon seeing the tortoise's defeat.
He clapped his hands encouragingly.
"Lei-shijie is so strong! Very impressive. This shidi never would have been able to martially defeat such a creature."
Through her exhaustion, a flash of pride came across Lei Ruolan's icy face. But as soon as it arrived, it shattered, and she glared at him, pushing past him out of the cave and soaking water all over the ground as she went.
"What are you trying to do? I'm not a child. I don't need your encouragement. It doesn't mean anything to me!"
Had there really been a moment of warmth on her face? Qiu Yunru was stunned.
Was all she needed seriously just to be praised? He couldn't help but feel that it was something more. But he had to be making progress, even if it was shit progress!
The Character Friendship Level Up feature must be coming into effect!
Thinking on this, Qiu Yunru realized that he should also look around for one of these Wind Fruits mentioned by the temporary event. Though he was a little worried about how they would taste based on their looks, it was important that he acquire the lightness skills and point increases granted by them.
As though falling from the heavens themselves, a small red fruit them dropped at his feet. It was shiny and shaped like a large raspberry, with a blue stem. How strange!
He picked it up and chewed it carefully, making sure not to bite down too hard in case there was a pit that might shatter his teeth. How could he go around with a mouth of shattered teeth, like an old man who had bit too many fake gold coins? Thankfully, there was no pit, and it was sweet.
CONGRATULATIONS! 1/3 Wind Fruits Eaten. Please continue to work hard!
"Are you coming or not?" Lei Ruolan called irritatedly from the cave entrance. "We have to finish by nightfall?"
"By nightfall?" Qiu Yunru asked incredulously as he hurried to catch up to her. "Isn't that a little too soon? Didn't Shizun say the goal time was three days, one for each beast?"
"I said we're doing it in one day, so we're doing it in one day! What's hard to understand about that? Do I look like I can't do it?"
"No...Lei-shijie can definitely do it..."