Chapter 21: Will We Change... (First Update)

  At noon, Su Ming sank into deep thought for a long time, gritted his teeth, and carried the woven basket on his back as he left the tribe. Lei Chen, who had been to the department store before and had gone there just a few days ago, was with him. As soon as he heard that Su Ming had come to borrow stone coins, he asked questions and then, with renewed spirit, volunteered to lead the way together.

  "Su Ming, I only have two stone coins here, and it's not easy for me to exchange them. You... when are you going to return them to me?" Lei Chen looked at Su Ming with pleading eyes as they ran quickly through the mountains outside the tribe.

  "You've been talking all the way, isn't it just two stone coins?! How many stone coins are the Wu Long Yan I gave you in these few years worth? Lei Chen, aren't we good friends?! Why are you doing this to me!!" Su Ming felt a little guilty, but his eyes were wide open, making Lei Chen's next words become indistinct murmurs.

  "That was hard-earned...!" Lei Chen scratched his head, muttering to himself as if he had suddenly thought of something, and looked at Su Ming in surprise.

  "Huh? I just remembered, what did you want to buy at the department store with your stone coins?"

  "Buy Luo Yun Ye!" Su Ming's body shook and he nimbly leaped within the mountain forest, his speed even slightly surpassing Lei Chen.

  "What is Luo Yunye?" Lei Chen said with a silly expression, but found that Su Ming had surpassed him and ran to the front, immediately taking big strides to catch up.

  "Su Ming, you have to remember to return it to me..."

  "Su Ming, that's something I've been saving up for many years..."

  "Su Ming, those two stone coins, even my father doesn't know about them. How did you find out where I hid them as soon as you came to my house?"

  "Su Ming, Luo Yun Ye, what's going on? Why didn't you say anything..."

  "Su Ming, Su Ming!!! I've been asking you for half a day!!!"

  All the way, Su Ming's ears were buzzing with sound. He had long known that Lei Chen liked to talk and would never stop once he started, but he hadn't expected him to be so relentless on this journey, rambling on without a break.

  Finally at dusk, the two had already left the tribe far behind in the unfamiliar mountains and forests. Su Ming could no longer bear it, his pace slowed down, and he leaned against a large tree to catch his breath. He looked back helplessly at Lei Chen, who was also panting heavily and sat on the ground with a thud.

  "Su... Su Ming... you... remember... return to me... I..." Lei Chen was panting, but when he saw Su Ming turn his head, he immediately regained his spirit and continued speaking.

  "I'll give it to you... I'll definitely return it to you... but I have a condition!" Su Ming said with a bitter smile, he didn't know what else to say to Lei Chen.

  "What's required?" Lei Chen blinked his eyes again, revealing a silly expression once more.

  "Don't make that face, Xiaohong can do it more convincingly than you. Leichen, I know what you've been wanting to ask all along, but I won't say anything now. You'll find out later." Su Ming's eyes widened, having grown up with the other person since childhood, he could be said to understand them almost as well as Leichen's parents did.

  Lei Chen's appearance seems silly, but in fact he is very thoughtful, only many people are confused by his silly expression and ignore the cunning that flashes in his eyes.

  When Su Ming said this, Lei Chen rubbed his nose and smiled foolishly.

  "My request is simple, if you can calm down along the way, when I've finished my business and we're on our way back, I'll tell you what you want to know!" Su Ming said with a glance at Lei Chen.

  Lei Chen's body stiffened, his entire person seemed to freeze in place, and in an instant he was motionless. His eyes were wide open, staring fixedly at the back of Su Ming's head.

  "Lei Chen..." Su Ming smiled wryly. He was used to playing with his opponent, and he wouldn't fall for such a small trick.

  "It was you who told me to be quiet, I wanted to nod, but even nodding would make a rustling sound. Look at me like this, completely still and silent, fully meeting your requirement of being quiet. Don't I qualify as being quiet?"

  You've made me quiet down. Don't worry, I'll keep it this way all the way, and won't make any noise. However, the sound of my footsteps when I run, you can't blame me for that...

  "Halt!! That's enough, just keep quiet!" Su Ming rubbed his brow, he saw the fleeting playfulness in Lei Chen's eyes and knew that this guy was doing it on purpose.

  "Alright, I'll tell you, I do have a sturdy body, it's just that Grandpa has been using his magic to hide it. Don't tell anyone else about this." As he finished speaking, Su Ming's expression turned serious.

  Lei Chen was taken aback, equally serious, and nodded solemnly.

  "If I had known this earlier, I wouldn't have asked. I just wanted to know if you were a barbarian or not. Now that I know, I can rest assured. Haha, from now on, the two of us will be the future eagles of Wushan Tribe!"

  Su Ming also burst out laughing, and the two of them rested for a while before setting off again towards their destination. Although the sky was gradually darkening, with the bright moon occasionally peeking through the clouds, and stars twinkling everywhere, the thick layer of snow on the ground and the howling cold wind did not deter them. As they ran, they didn't stop for even a moment, and from time to time, they exchanged a few words, revealing a deep and strong friendship between them.

  "I saw Beiling today, and I got annoyed just by seeing him. Especially with Chenxin by his side, he's long known that Chenxin has a crush on you!" Lei Chen muttered, clearly indignant.

  "He's changed too much, hasn't he just been to the Wind Village tribe for a few years? Has he forgotten that he belongs to the Wushan tribe? You didn't see his expression, and he even lectured me, saying this and that about me."

  Su Ming fell silent.

  "Su Ming, I will surpass him sooner or later!" Lei Chen clenched his fist while running.

  "He's Beiling's older brother, when we were young he took care of both you and me. Don't you remember how he secretly taught you the experience of taming beasts? Because of that incident, he even received punishment from Grandfather!"

  "My archery skills were also taught by him..." Su Ming said calmly.

  "As for Duan Xin, I've already told you that the feelings between us are only brotherly and sisterly, nothing more... You're just making wild guesses." Su Ming's voice remained calm.

  Lei Chen wanted to say something more, but seeing Su Ming's calm demeanor, he couldn't bring himself to speak. He understood Su Ming as well as Su Ming understood him.

  He knew Su Ming's heavy favor.

  "Su Ming, people can change..." After a long time, Lei Chen spoke softly.

  "As we grow up, as we experience things, we'll all change... maybe one day, I'll change too... I think you will too..." Lei Chen murmured.

  "Will it...?" Su Ming ran in silence.

  When the sky was completely dark, Su Ming and Lei Chen stopped, traveling at night had many disadvantages, plus there was still a distance to the village, so they found a large tree and simply set up a temporary resting place on it. One person sat cross-legged and circulated blood in his body for cultivation, while the other looked out and observed vigilantly around them, taking turns with each other, preparing to spend the night here.

  Su Ming leaned against the tree trunk, his eyes falling on Lei Chen who was sitting cross-legged in front of him. His body had a faint red glow flickering on it, and there were many red lines undulating on him.

  After a while, Su Ming raised his head to gaze at the pitch-black sky. The bright moon was shining with a soft and gentle light, blending in with the stars on the celestial curtain. It was beautiful, yet it also made people who looked up at it feel a sense of their own insignificance.

  "People will change... I... will I?..." Su Ming gazed silently, with scenes of Bei Ling from his childhood flashing through his mind.

  "If one day I change... what will I become?" Su Ming's eyes revealed a bewildered expression, this question was really too complicated for a sixteen-year-old youth.

  "Maybe I'll become a powerful barbarian doctor like Ah Gong, traveling the world with Xiao Hong, going to many places I've never been before, visiting tribe after tribe, and treating illnesses for many barbarians..."

  Maybe I'll become a barbarian... then meet a woman I like, live with her, travel together until our hair turns white... Little Red becomes Old Red... and I'll tell my stories to the Rasu tribe... just like Ah Gong often tells us about his life..." Su Ming smiled, his smile was clean, simple, and happy.

  "Or maybe... I can find out about my own origins..." Su Ming smiled and let out a soft sigh.

  "Lei Chen, I won't change!" Su Ming took a deep breath, under the moonlight, on this barbarian land, he muttered words that only he could hear.

  He was very certain, as young people always believe, that the future would be a good one...

  At night, time passed unknowingly, and when the second day dawned, the sky was just a little bright. Su Ming and Lei Chen got up early, washed their faces with snow water, and the icy snow made people's whole body shake, and their spirits were even more refreshed.

  "Judging by the route, we should be able to reach Bofang by noon today." Leizhen, who had been to Bofang several times before, rubbed the snow off his face and said to Suming.

  Su Ming nodded, and after washing up, they rushed into the mountains under the rising sun.

  All the way smooth, at noon, Su Ming saw from afar that outside the forest, there was a piece of land with many grass and wood houses, and it was bustling with people, with many nearby tribal warriors appearing.

  "We're here!" Lei Chen looked at Su Ming, especially taking a few more glances at the woven basket on his back, but it was tightly wrapped in animal hide, so he couldn't see what was inside.

  Su Ming looked at the distant barracks, which were very large, comparable to a small tribe, except that there were no fences around them, but rather many strong and sturdy men standing guard, coldly watching the surroundings, maintaining order and preventing wild beasts from rushing in.

  In the center of that piece of land, there was a huge purple beast skin tent. The defense around it was very strict and seemed to be forbidden from approaching.

  "That's where the master of the department is, it's said to be a very powerful barbarian, only receiving the leaders of various tribes." Lei Chen and Su Ming walked out of the forest, introducing in a low voice, walking towards that department.

  Su Ming glanced at the purple beast skin tent and then withdrew his gaze, under the watchful eyes of the guards of that department, he stepped into a place he had never been before.

  Just then, a cold and indifferent woman's voice came from not far away.

  "Lei Chen!"

  Su Ming's footsteps came to an abrupt halt as he immediately sensed Lei Chen beside him, whose body trembled slightly with the appearance of that voice...

  First update! Got used to bursting out at dawn on the first day of every month, and now I'm itching to do it again... Guess this good habit really can't be changed...

  Looking at the remaining drafts, I'm going all out, no holding back!

  This chapter is my favorite one since I started reading Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's works!

  With this, I recall my fleeting youth and the dreams of my younger years. I hope that all of you who had dreams like Su Ming did in your teenage years will give him a recommendation vote!!