The silence on The Silent Rest was heavy, broken only by the ragged breathing of Xinyi. The dragon had tucked her wings tightly against her sides, trying to make herself as small as possible on the jagged rocks.
"He's here," Johan whispered, his voice a cold current in the mountain air.
Suddenly, a golden mist above the peak began to swirl. It didn't dissipate; it parted like a curtain, revealing a fragment of a shimmering white cloud descending slowly toward the stone, not far from the group.
Long Xiao stepped off the cloud with practiced elegance, Lei following suit in his mortal form. Long Xiao's robes had shifted to a subtler shade of deep blue and white, embroidered with intricate treasure patterns that billowed in a wind that seemed to exist only for him. Lei's robes were much simpler, a lighter shade of red and white that complimented his red hair, adorned with feather designs.
"Lei, do I appear mortal enough to you?" Long Xiao asked Lei telepathically.
"Master, You look like a peacock seeking royal approval." Lei answered in the same manner.
"Was that a compliment or an insult? I can't quite put my finger on it." Long Xiao cleared his throat.
"Silence, you feathered critic! I am only trying to establish a scholarly aura," Long Xiao hissed under his breath, before smoothing his features into a look of detached wisdom.
As they approached the group with a few steps,
"Greetings, fellow travelers," he announced, his voice carrying a resonance that made the very pebbles on the ground vibrate. "We are humble wandering scholars from the High Peaks seeking enlightenment. I noticed your... celestial pet seemed distressed and thought I might offer some medicinal insights."
"The High peaks?" Li Ping repeated. "I've never heard of such a place before." She thought, making eye contact with her Young Master and Gong Feng.
"Stay behind me, Young Master. Their words cannot be trusted yet." Li Ping said quietly, stepping before Johan.
Xinyi felt the energy around them shift. The dragon could swear that she had sensed the aura of something primordial earlier but these two men who stood in front of her looked nothing like gods or scholars they claimed to be. Johan observed the silent tension radiating from Xinyi.
Gong Feng's laughter cut through the tense atmosphere. "Celestial pet?" He wiped a stray tear from his face with the back of his hand.
"Did you hear that, Xinyi? He just called you a celestial pet. I like this brother already." He snorted, pointing at Long Xiao.
"The High Peaks," Xinyi said gruffly, smoke flaring from her nostrils. "There's no such place in the Fenglan Realm. Where are you from, scholar?" She asked.
"Did I say something wrong?" Long Xiao glanced at Lei.
Johan, however, remained perfectly upright as he stood behind Li Ping with his hands tucked into his sleeves, his green eyes fixed on the "Scholar" with a terrifyingly neutral expression.
"Fellow scholars," Johan said flatly, stepping onto the side.
"Please," Johan let out his usual lifeless smile, gesturing for them to come closer.
Long Xiao's gaze fell onto Johan as he walked, taking in his appearance. He knew instantly that the man who just spoke wasn't like the other mortals on the peak. His divine eyes saw a void. A dark, swirling emptiness infused with the Green Devil Mist, yet controlled by a mind that was far more dangerous than the poison itself.
"This mortal... He's strange." Long Xiao thought, smiling back at Johan. "This research is going to be more interesting than I thought."