A few days after the matter of the Withering's erosion in Caravan Ribat had ended, despite being sick, Shao Yun didn't feel overly fatigued.
If not for that useless system reminding him he was ill, Shao Yun would have thought it was just that devil playing a joke on him.
Even though clearing the Withering wasn't his responsibility, Shao Yun still accepted a few commissions to cull crocodiles and long-maned tigers.
Although crocodiles and long-maned tigers were also an indispensable part of Sumeru's rainforest ecosystem, they did attack humans and their numbers needed to be kept in check.
Shao Yun was more than happy to take such commissions, treating them as hunting for leisure.
Over the past few days, he had skinned hundreds of three-star crocodile hides (alligator hides) and dozens of three-star long-maned tiger pelts (similar to cougar hides) at astonishing speed. As for one-star or two-star furs, they weren't even worth keeping in Shao Yun's eyes.
These perfect hides could be sold off for some pocket money.
Lumine's treatment was working effectively, and she no longer fainted whenever she caught a whiff of a fragrance.
What's more, handling the Withering was gradually becoming second nature to her.
Now, it was time to leave Caravan Ribat and head to Sumeru City.
…
At noon, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, shining on the front of Tighnari's treehouse. He came to the treehouse where Shao Yun and the others were resting, where Shao Yun sat leisurely in the sun.
He brought Shao Yun a piece of welcome news.
"Here's some good news for you—Lumine can end her recuperation period now!"
Shao Yun, who had been sitting lazily in his chair, straightened up at these words and replied with little surprise, "Wow, I thought we'd have to wait a few more days."
Then Shao Yun suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "Oh right, Mr. Tighnari, have you seen Lumine and Paimon? It's nearly lunchtime and I haven't seen either of them around. Don't tell me they've run off to the Withering to practice again?"
Hearing Shao Yun ask after the two, Tighnari raised his hand and pointed eastward, replying, "Oh, they went to visit Haypasia. You know, that scholar who gets so scared of you she acts like she's seen a long-maned tiger every time you show up."
He shook his head lightly as he said this.
Shao Yun was momentarily taken aback, then scratched his chin with a puzzled mutter.
"Oh… so that's the case."
"But why didn't they tell me? Could this be another one of those little secrets between girls?"
When Tighnari heard Shao Yun wonder why Lumine and Paimon hadn't invited him along, he quickly explained, "Because the situation was urgent. This morning, Haypasia sent a message with her Dusk Bird saying she hadn't eaten in three days. If they'd gone any later, it could have been dangerous."
He paused, then added, "Besides, Lumine had some questions for Haypasia, and Haypasia's really afraid of you. So, they didn't call you."
When Shao Yun heard that even after all these days Haypasia was still afraid of him, he couldn't help but laugh, joking in response, "Oh, I see. But I doubt I left her with that deep of a psychological scar."
"Especially after all this time. She should've gotten over it by now."
As he raised his brows, clearly amused, Tighnari's eyes roamed over Shao Yun's imposing frame, as powerful as a lion. Feeling a bit awkward, he said, "You need to understand your own intimidation. You've nearly wiped out all the crocodiles and long-maned tigers around Caravan Ribat."
"If we hadn't caught it in time, those two species would've been listed as protected animals by now."
When Shao Yun heard how close he'd come to driving crocodiles and long-maned tigers to extinction, he couldn't resist cracking a joke.
"Well, at least the people of Sumeru don't have to worry about getting attacked by crocodiles or long-maned tigers in the rainforest anymore."
"Besides, these past few days I've been making a real effort to show a kindly side of myself—just sitting outside the treehouse sunbathing, living like some retired old man in his seventies."
Hearing Shao Yun claim he was trying to act kindly left Tighnari momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
Whether Shao Yun was kind or not, Tighnari didn't care. What he did know was that if the rainforest's ecological balance was destroyed, the consequences would be unthinkable.
He truly hadn't anticipated how efficient Shao Yun would be at culling crocodiles and long-maned tigers.
If they hadn't realized it soon enough, those once-ferocious predators might already have become endangered in Avidya Forest.
At this thought, Tighnari hastily pulled his mind back to the present, quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, Lumine and Paimon are with Haypasia."
"They've been gone from Caravan Ribat for quite a while now. They should be back soon." He glanced up at the blazing sun overhead.
Shao Yun noticed, and he too tilted his head upward. Then he let out a sharp whistle.
Soon, his pale-pink Andalusian horse came galloping out from an inconspicuous corner.
With a fluid motion, Shao Yun vaulted into the saddle, then called to Tighnari, "Well, I guess I'll go look for them. I've been sunbathing too much lately—it's getting boring."
Seeing Shao Yun ready to leave, Tighnari didn't try to stop him, but gave a word of concern. "Alright, you know the routes, but be careful of the Withering!"
Though Tighnari had been working overtime to clear the Withering, the truth remained: the forest was still filled with it.
…
The sound of hooves echoed along the muddy forest paths, and soon Shao Yun arrived at the cave near the waterfall where Haypasia was meditating.
At the entrance, Shao Yun dismounted, stepped forward, and called loudly into the cave, "Anyone inside?"
At that moment, Haypasia was happily chatting with Lumine and Paimon.
Hearing Shao Yun's voice, she turned in terror—and her eyes fell on his tall figure standing in the doorway.
In an instant, her face went deathly pale as if she'd seen some dreadful monster, and she let out a scream.
"Ah! The long-maned tiger is here!"
She scrambled blindly for cover, darting behind Lumine and clutching her clothes in fright.
Shao Yun was baffled by her sudden reaction, glancing around in confusion, muttering to himself.
"Long-maned tiger? Weren't those things about to be protected species in Avidya Forest?"
Yet after looking around, he saw no sign of a predator.
It was then he realized the "long-maned tiger" she spoke of was… him.
Finding it funny, Shao Yun looked at Haypasia trembling behind Lumine, and with a teasing grin asked, "You're saying I'm a long-maned tiger? Hah, am I as cute as those big cats?"
But for Haypasia, to equate the terrifying long-maned tiger with something "cute" was unbearable.
Her eyes widened with fear as she cried out desperately to Lumine and Paimon, "Heroes, save me! This long-maned tiger is too terrifying!"
Lumine gave a helpless glance at the panicked scholar, then at Shao Yun's innocent grin at the cave mouth, and inwardly sighed.
She gently patted Haypasia's trembling hands on her clothes and reassured her, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. He's not a long-maned tiger, and he won't hurt you."
Then she turned a reproachful look on Shao Yun. "Stop scaring Haypasia. She's been meditating here for three whole days without food—she's already weak."
Amused by Haypasia's fearful behavior, Shao Yun's playful side grew, and he laughed. "Alright, alright! I won't scare her anymore!"
Still, with a sly half-smile, he looked at Haypasia and said softly, "My apologies, Miss Haypasia. I was a bit too reckless before."
Meanwhile, Paimon, who had been floating nearby, hurried over to comfort the terrified scholar. "Relax, Haypasia. If Shao Yun really wanted to kill you, you wouldn't even be alive right now!"
The bluntness of this reassurance left Haypasia frozen in shock, at a loss for words to express the storm of conflicted feelings inside her.
Then another shrill scream burst from her throat, as though her very soul was about to flee her body.
Such "horror" weighed more on her than any so-called forbidden knowledge.
Seeing her face contort with sheer terror, Paimon scrambled to soothe her further.
"Sure, it sounds scary, but that's just how it is! Plus, Lumine and I are right here with you. So, you can relax—he definitely won't do anything to you!"
Only then did Haypasia's pounding heart ease slightly.
She gathered a shred of courage, and in a trembling voice asked, "R-really? As long as you two are here, he won't…"
Before Lumine and Paimon could give more reassurance, Shao Yun jumped in to spook her again.
"The condition is that you stay by Lumine and Paimon's side."
That nearly made Haypasia faint on the spot.
"Ah! Save me!"
Lumine quickly supported the scholar before she collapsed, then shot Shao Yun a reproachful look. "Do you enjoy scaring people? What good does it do you to make Haypasia cry?"
But in Haypasia's mind, it wasn't just "crying"—she was on the verge of losing control of her tears altogether.
Seeing her so close to tears made Shao Yun burst out laughing.
"Haha! It just felt so amusing—I didn't mean it, cough, cough…"
But suddenly, Shao Yun bent over, seized by a violent fit of coughing.