THE VILLAIN's APPRENTICE ✔

03 🗡 Master

Two heads were peeking from behind the tall grass as the pheasant bird stepped into the clearing in a near distance.

"Master, is that our lunch?" Da Xia asked as she parted the grass aside. "It looks like it's carrying a disease," she grimaced.

"Sshh..." The guy already had his bow and arrow ready. He quietly stood up and pulled the bowstring while aiming the arrow at the bird.

Da Xia heard a snap when the arrow was released, and it hit the pheasant bird with impeccable precision.

"Get it," Yong Jie instructed as he slung the bow and arrow holder on his shoulder.

The girl hastily complied and ran toward the dead pheasant. She carefully picked it up by holding the arrow tail, afraid that the bird would suddenly come alive. She was not used to seeing a dead animal up close. Just looking at its closed eyes was making her stomach flip upside down.

Da Xia approached the guy and hovered the pheasant in front of him.

"Why are you giving it to me? Cook it."

"M-Master," she stuttered, unable to imagine plucking the dead bird's feathers.

"Hmm?" the guy grunted in response as he spun around and strode toward the forest lake where they left their stuff.

Da Xia quickly followed him and sat beside him on the rock facing the lake. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Master, I don't know how to cook this."

"Pluck the feathers, clean it, then roast it."

Another grimace crossed her face, making the guy frown.

"For someone who was employed in the witch's manor, shouldn't you be used to seeing crueler things? The witch was said to pile up dead bodies every day, and yet you are afraid of plucking a dead bird's feathers," Yong Jie remarked as he grabbed the pheasant and proceeded to clean it.

"Those are just rumors," Da Xia murmured. "The villain—uh, I mean Mistress Meili did not kill every day."

She then gathered their dirty clothes and began washing them on the lake while the guy started roasting the pheasant.

"Do you also practice the forbidden arts?" he suddenly asked.

There was a brief pause before she answered, "No."

Da Xia slowly lifted her gaze and watched the guy as he continued cooking their lunch. She knew that in this era, those who practice the dark arts were considered witches and were hunted because the forbidden art was said to be the devil's gift in exchange for human souls. Witches were believed to regularly sacrifice humans to the devil in exchange for their dark power.

Being the witch's apprentice, the original Da Xia probably practiced the dark arts. Though she was sure that there was no magic inside her since her body didn't show any extraordinary sign, the fact that she was from the modern world and knew nothing of the practices of this world might draw suspicion. And she might be accused of being a witch too especially since she was a former maidservant in the villain's manor. Fortunately, Yong Jie didn't press further, and they continued with their tasks silently.

After eating their lunch, they gathered their things and proceeded with their journey. They had a long way to go before they could reach the border of South River country. It would take them at least a year to get to their first destination – which was the City of Lanterns located at the border – since Yong Jie preferred to travel through the mountains to train his body and to improve the speed and accuracy of his hand seals.

Da Xia had to stay a few meters behind Yong Jie every time since the guy kept practicing as they were walking, and his two fireballs were sometimes circling around him or just randomly flying around. Not once did it almost burn the girl's hair, so he instructed Da Xia to be in a safe distance.