She just nodded, channeling the arrogance of a hidden master. "And this is my guard, Xie Wangchen."

Wangchen stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of Ji’an. He glared at Wen Shiru.

’Another one,’ Wangchen thought, his hackles rising.

"Brother Lin," Wen Shiru smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. "A Rank 3 Thunder-Claw Bear is a formidable kill. However... skinning it is messy work. My team has specialized tools. Perhaps we could assist you? In exchange, we could travel together. The forest is dangerous, and there is strength in numbers."

It was a trap.

Ji’an knew exactly what he was doing: to absorb them into his group and observe whether he should let them live or take them as a threat.

He wanted to assess their threat level, control the Beast Core distribution, and ultimately, be the "Leader."

If they traveled together, Wen Shiru would naturally take command, and Wangchen would be pushed to the side.

"Travel together?" Ji’an laughed, leaning on her spatula. "Brother Wen is too kind. But look at us."

She gestured to Wangchen, who looked like a slaughterhouse worker, and herself, covered in dust.

"We are country bumpkins with messy methods. We cook what we kill, and sleep in trees at night. Your group..." She looked at his pristine guards. "...looks like you’re on a sightseeing tour. We would only dirty your robes."

Wen Shiru’s smile didn’t falter. "Nonsense. Brother Lin is a hero. The Merchant Guild always repays its debts. That Beast Core... surely you intend to sell it? I can offer you a market price that is 20% higher than the Sect’s exchange rate."

"Oh?" Ji’an’s ears perked up. Money was good. But...

"We aren’t selling," Wangchen cut in, his voice cold. "The core belongs to my Master. It is for his exam score."

Wen Shiru looked at Wangchen. A spark of friction ignited between them: The Wealthy Manipulator vs. The Ruthless Wolf.

"You have such a loyal guard, Brother Lin," Wen Shiru observed dryly. "Having such a loyal guy is rare these days."

"Zhiwei," Wen Shiru turned to his friend. "Since Brother Lin prefers independence, we should not impose. However..."

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a gold token.

"This is a VIP token for the Merchant Guild. If Brother Lin ever needs anything, be it ingredients, weapons, or information, present this at any of our branches. Consider it a token of gratitude for saving Zhiwei."

He tossed the token.

Ji’an caught it. It was heavy, solid gold.

’Free money,’ she thought. ’I’ll take it.’

"Thanks, Boss Wen," Ji’an grinned, pocketing it. "You’re generous. Just don’t try to charge me interest later."

Wen Shiru chuckled, though his eyes remained calculating. "I never charge friends interest. Only enemies."

He turned to his group. "Zhiwei, come. We must make camp before nightfall."

Gu Zhiwei looked torn. He looked at Ji’an, then at Wangchen, then at his childhood friend.

"Brother Lin..." Gu Zhiwei started.

"Go," Ji’an shooed him away. "Your sugar daddy is here to pick you up. Go be safe in the VIP carriage."

Gu Zhiwei flushed at the term "sugar daddy" (which he didn’t understand but sounded scandalous). He bowed deeply to Ji’an.

"I will see you at the Sect, Brother Lin! I won’t forget this!"

As Wen Shiru’s group walked away, Wen Shiru glanced back one last time. He looked at the strange boy with the spatula and the terrifying guard who watched him like a hawk.

’Lin Ji’an...’ Wen Shiru mused. ’An anomaly. Unregistered in the intelligence reports. Interesting. Very interesting.’

.

.

.

Once they were gone, the clearing felt quiet again.

Wangchen sheathed his sword. He turned to Ji’an, his expression dark.

"I don’t like him, Young Master," Wangchen stated.

"Wen Shiru?" Ji’an knelt down to finally start carving the bear paw. "Yeah, he’s like a snake in a silk robe. But he gave us gold, so he’s a useful snake."

"He wanted to recruit us," Wangchen muttered, crouching beside her to help.

"It’s fine, I don’t care. Nobody can control me, Little Puddle," Ji’an winked at him. "I’m the chef. I control the menu."

She pointed to the massive beast.

"Now, stop pouting about the rich kid. We have work to do. This bear has a Lightning Gallbladder that is worth a fortune, and I need you to extract it without exploding it."

Wangchen looked at her. He saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. He saw the way she completely disregarded Wen Shiru’s power and charm.

His jealousy evaporated, replaced by a fierce, burning pride.

’He chose to stay with me,’ he realized. ’He rejected the safety of the large group to stay in the mud with me.’

"Yes, Young Master," Wangchen said, pulling out a small knife. "I will extract it perfectly."

"That’s the spirit!" Ji’an cheered. "Tonight, we eat Braised Bear Paw! It takes six hours to cook, so we’re pulling an all-nighter!"

As the sun set, casting the forest in twilight, Lin Ji’an and Xie Wangchen sat by their fire, cooking a feast fit for an Emperor, while miles away, the Protagonist and his friends ate dry rations and discussed about the mysterious "Spatula Hero."

Ji’an smiled into the fire.

The plot had been diverted. The Villain was getting stronger. The Protagonist was safe. And she had a golden token.

’Day 2 is finally complete,’ she thought. ’Tomorrow... we’ll finally arrive at the Sect.’

***

The path to the Celestial Sword Sect was not paved with good intentions; it was paved with crushing, bone-grinding gravity.

The "Stairway to Heaven" was the final filter of the entrance exam. Ten thousand stone steps cut directly into the vertical face of the Cloud-Piercing Peak.

An ancient array was embedded in the mountain, increasing the gravitational pressure with every hundred steps. By the time a candidate reached the halfway point, they would feel as though they were carrying a boulder on their back.

Most candidates were crawling. Some were weeping, while the others had passed out, foaming at the mouth, waiting for the Sect deacons to sweep them up like trash.