Chapter 267: Chapter 264- So It’s Starting Already

The sun was setting and the Festival was about to begin.

Sol had made his way back to the Tribe and entered his tent.

He came up to his bed and lightly scratched Abdu’s head, who was still sleeping.

Sol then flipped over his palm and a new set of protective clothes appeared in his hands. The ones he had previously were basically unwearable. The sandworms’ scent was so caked into them that it became a permanent smell they gave off.

Sol took off his slightly wet pants and threw them into his storage ring.

He had to remember to throw them away along with the rest of his smelly clothes.

After drying off a bit, Sol put on his new pants but opted to sit at his bedside to spend more time drying his hair with another towel.

However, a dull pain suddenly appeared in his shoulder.

“They really didn’t hold back.”

Sol stirred his Inante Dharma and the dull pain soon disappeared.

To get back at him, the youths challenged him to Dan Tao Mo. But when he beat all of them, they chose arm wrestling, though Sol wasn’t allowed to use his transformation while they could.

It was easier to beat than at first, but Sol soon realized that they were purposely wearing him out so the next person had a better chance to beat him.

He did eventually lose, but Sol didn’t feel bad about it.

Sol was about to go back to drying his hair, but he paused to grab a few strands of his hair.

“I really need to cut it.”

Sol’s hair was brushing against the bed as he sat. His curls were also more pronounced now that his hair had gotten so long.

After a moment, Sol used the towel to furiously rub his hair. He then stopped and formed a hand seal with his hand.

A faint golden light appeared in his hair before the strands of his hair began to move on their own. Not long after, Sol’s long hair was in a simple but neat braid going down his back.

“I’ll keep it like this for now.”

Sol said as he placed the towel back into his storage and stood up to wear his upper robes.

Just as Sol put on the coat last and fixed his bangs to cover his eyes, he suddenly heard a commotion outside his tent.

He initially thought it was due to the Festival starting, but the noise suddenly got closer until a figure burst through the flaps of his tent. This was followed by several other figures that all landed on the ground.

Sol stood there stunned.

The first figure was Yoon-Jae while the others were four girls.

“Yoon-Jae, why can’t you just let us dress you?”

“Yeah, it really isn’t so bad right?”

“We could even do your hair.”

“NO! I said I’m a boy, A BOY!! Why can’t you understand that?! This is killing me. Can you just leave me alone?”

“How cold, we were just trying to make you look good for the Festival.”

“No, you were trying to dress me up as a girl. I’m not having it. If you don’t leave now then I’ll really get angry.”

“How can that be?”

“Yoon-Jae, would you really get angry at us?”

Yoon-Jae’s eyes twitched as he clutched his clothes that were in these girls’ vice-like grip. He looked up from the ground at Sol and said.

“Sol, please help.”

Hearing this, Sol came out of his stunned state and walked forward.

It was when they heard Yoon-Jae’s call for Sol’s help that the girls looked up and realized they were in Sol’s tent.

Before they could react, Sol appeared over them.

“I’m not sure what’s happening, but could you girls let go of my friend?”

Sol said with a smile, and the girls all blushed before they let go of Yoon-Jae and stood up.

“Big Brother Sol, we apologize for intruding.”

“Yeah, we’re sorry.”

“Sorry…”

“It won’t happen again.”

“It’s okay, we’ll see you at the Festival.”

The girls all smiled and they nodded before they left giggling.

After they did, Sol helped up Yoon-Jae, who looked completely disheveled.

“Brother Yoon-Jae, what happened?”

Yoon-Jae sighed before he said.

“Those girls are vultures! I was changing in my tent after coming back from the public bath when they barged in and tried to undress me! Can I change in here?”

“Sure.”

Sol said while nodding.

But Yoon-Jae paused when he saw Sol staring at him.

“Turn around.”

Sol tilted his head in confusion when he heard that, but then he looked down and understood.

Sol chuckled and without another word, he turned and faced the tent flaps to give Yoon-Jae privacy.

Abdu suddenly appeared on his head at the same time and then lay down to sleep.

After a while, Yoon-Jae patted Sol on the back and said.

“Let’s go.”

The two then walked out of the tent.

The sun had gone down, and the Festival was just about to start. However, even before it started a few people in the surroundings were slurring their words and making a ruckus.

It was obvious they were already drunk.

Sol glanced around and smiled in amusement at these youths. However, he suddenly turned to Yoon-Jae next to him and asked a question that was on his mind.

“Brother Yoon-Jae, you said you were at the public bath, but I didn’t see you there.”

“I was being dragged there by a bunch of girls when I received your message that it existed. But it was only after I reached that I realized it was separated into the male and female sections. I was held against my will in the female section.”

Yoon-Jae said this with a calm expression, but Sol couldn’t help but smile in amusement.

“What happened then?”

“What do you think happened? I was treated like an exotic animal as they poked and prodded. Some didn’t think I was actually a boy so they tried to get an erection out of me… and they did.”

Yoon-Jae had a slight smirk on his lips as he said that, but Sol’s brows suddenly furrowed.

“Do you mean reaction?”

Yoon-Jae glanced at Sol before he looked away and said.

“Yes, that’s what I meant.”

Suddenly, a group of youths stumbled past them interrupting their conversation. The smell of wine was heavy on them.

Sol watched as they walked past before he asked.

“Brother Yoon-Jae, have you noticed there haven’t been a lot of adults in the Tribe since we came?”

Yoon-Jae nodded.

“I asked around and I heard that the stronger cultivators left to visit the Demonic Forest. Apparently, those from the Western Region are planning to cross over.”

Sol’s eyes flashed.

“So it’s starting already. By the time we return to the Academy, there are going to be geniuses from the Western Region enrolled. I wonder how they compare to Woo-Seong and those from the Holy Sects and Great Clans.”

“You don’t have to wonder for long. Before we left for the Eternal Desert, I heard from Master that the Academy will be holding a huge Tournament.”

“Really?”

Sol’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

“Then that’s even more of a reason for me to go into seclusion.”

Yoon-Jae smiled.

“Looks like we both have similar thoughts. I don’t want to miss the chance to cultivate in one of those Heat Zones. Now that I think about it, that demon of a Master told me about the Tournament knowing I would discover the effects the Heat Zone has on my cultivation.”

“Haha, then we should strive to enter the Spiritual Realm together. I’m sure we’ll sweep the Tournament if we manage to do that.”

Sol playfully bumped into Yoon-Jae as he said this, but Yoon-Jae calmly said.

“I’m sure we aren’t the only ones who have similar thoughts. Those Rising Stars are probably using the resources they got from the Hundred Plants and Herbs Dimension to open the acupoints in their four limbs and unlock their Mortal Palace. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them reach the Spiritual Realm early.”

“I’m hoping that’s the case.”

Sol said smiling, but Yoon-Jae glanced at him, and after a moment of silence said.

“You don’t have to force yourself you know? If you want to stay back at the tent and rest then you can.”

“Haha, you noticed?”

Sol scratched his cheek.

“Even though I’m not really up for this Festival, Mar-Dule is going to be disappointed if I don’t go.”

Yoon-Jae sighed.

“Think about yourself.”

After walking for a while they had finally reached the center of the Tribe where all the tables were. The food was being brought out in droves.

Sol smiled and waved at Mar-Dule who was waving at them from the main table.

“Don’t worry Brother Yoon-Jae, I’ll be fine. If it gets too much I’ll just slip away when no one is watching.”

Yoon-Jae sighed once more before he slapped Sol on the back.

“Cheer up, I’ve contacted Master and he said Little Zeel is doing fine. He has even woken up and started running around the Mountain. He’s become something like a Mascot for our Alchemy Pavilion.”

Sol smiled when he heard that.

“Thanks.”

Both Sol and Yoon-Jae then moved to join the Festival.

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