"I don't look like a bad guy?" Evan Yang felt goosebumps rise all over. This woman really changed her tune fast. But then again, she had no power left—if left here, even surviving a day would be tough for her.
Seeing her pitiful expression—and since he had no real grudge against her—Evan Yang thought it over and decided to just let her tag along until they got out of the forest. He’d find a chance to send her off later anyway, since he could seal her at any time.
So Evan said, "Alright, but don't try any tricks. If I'm in a bad mood, I'll just leave you behind."
"No problem, I'll be absolutely obedient." The woman smiled.
Her innocent smile left Evan unsure if she was faking it or if it was genuine. He could only continue, "By the way, there's something I don't understand."
"Go ahead?" The woman acted polite, but inside she was cursing, "Kid, once I reach my destination, I'm definitely going to imprison you."
"How did you end up here?" Evan asked curiously.
The woman thought back to what happened before she fainted, then replied, "Someone poisoned me, so I kept running. I collapsed in a river and blacked out. After that, I don't know what happened."
"Oh?" Evan glanced at the river, noticing the damp surroundings and how the water seemed to rise and fall. "So that's how it is. Looks like you got lucky—the water happened to recede right here, so you ended up in this cave."
"So that's how it was. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know where I drifted off to." The woman said, looking around at the scenery.
"If that's the case, there must be a way out. Come on, let's follow the water route," Evan Yang said.
"Follow the water? No way, I can't use any strength right now!" The woman exclaimed in shock.
"Suit yourself then." Evan Yang knew there was no easy way outside—he might have to circle the forest. But here, maybe the water could lead out, offering a possible escape.
Seeing Evan already entering the water, gradually wading deeper, the woman shouted, "I—I want to go out!"
"Then come over." Evan had no intention of unsealing her; he could only use his qi barrier to protect her from touching the water.
The woman had to put her hand on Evan's—her first time being this close to a man. She blushed again, but inside cursed, "Just wait, I'm going to chop off your pig hand when we get back."
Evan had no idea what she was thinking. He only wanted to leave, so he grabbed her and quickly pulled her into the water. The woman cried out in alarm, "Ah!"
Then, by accident, she stepped on some loose rocks and fell right onto Evan, bumping into his chest, while she felt something press against her.
A wave of fragrance drifted over, and Evan's blood started boiling again. "Damn, it's happening again."
Feeling something on Evan's body heating up, the woman quickly broke away from his arms and said, "You pervert!"
The woman thought she'd be free after a day, but she wasn't. She demanded, 'Didn't you say I'd recover in a day?'
'I sealed you for another day. Otherwise, how could I still be alive?' Evan said with a smile.
The woman didn't expect Evan to secretly mess with her again. She was furious but powerless; in his hands, he could abandon her at any time, so she had to swallow her anger.
Seeing her quiet, Evan smiled and continued on. One day, two days, three days—finally, on the fifth day, Evan heard sounds from above, slowly emerged from the water, and was overjoyed to see a nearby village.
'We finally made it out.' Evan said with a smile. The woman quickly withdrew her hand. Though she found Evan a bit perverted these days, he wasn't that bad—at least he hadn't touched her. So she calmed down and asked, 'Where is this?'
'How should I know? Let's go take a look.' Evan replied, not knowing where they were either.
'Let's ask.' The woman was eager to return, especially since she still couldn't move, which made her annoyed at Evan again.
'Let's go.' Evan smiled, seeing her less irritable than before.
The woman cursed inwardly, 'Just wait, kid. I'll show you a friendly face now, but once we arrive, I'll catch you.'
The woman followed Evan to the village. Several children at the entrance saw them and ran over. A little girl asked with a smile, 'Big brother, big sister, are you from outside?'
'Yes, that's right. Do any of you know how to leave this place?' Evan asked.
'So you two got lost! Come on, I'll take you to see our village chief. He knows everything.' The little girl grabbed Evan and the woman's hands; the other children surrounded them, lively and excited.
After walking for a while, they saw many adults. The adults, seeing their children with strangers, quickly called them back, except for the little girl, who kept holding onto Evan and the woman.
'Xiaoqing, come here!' a burly man called from not far away.
'Uncle, I'm taking them to see the village chief. I'll be right back.' The little girl said innocently, very cute. Evan and the woman both liked her.
The burly man became anxious, wanted to approach but was afraid of Evan and the woman, so he hurried to call some other young men over.
Seeing the adults gathering, as if preparing for a fight, Evan and the woman were stunned—they didn't expect to be mistaken for bad people.
The little girl became anxious and ran to a house, shouting, 'Village chief grandpa, village chief grandpa!'
An old man's voice came from inside, 'Xiaoqing, why are you here?' He opened the door, saw Xiaoqing with two strangers, and noticed many burly men gathering as if ready to attack the pair.
'Who are you?' The old man pulled Xiaoqing over and asked Evan and the woman.
'We're lost. Do you know if there's a big city nearby?' Evan knew only by leaving and finding a big city could he find a teleportation array to go elsewhere.
'Lost? Big city?' The old man repeated, while Evan and the woman waited, surrounded by wary villagers.
The old village chief finally spoke, 'There is one, but it's quite far.'
'About how far?' Evan asked, knowing these were ordinary people—what they considered far might not be far for him.
'If you walk, it'll take a few years.' The old village chief said.
'A few years? For me, maybe just a few days.' Evan muttered to himself, then asked, 'Which direction should we go?'
'I'll give you a map. See for yourself, I haven't been out in ages.' The old village chief said.
The old village chief took out a very old map, seemingly ancient.
Evan glanced at it and checked the village's general location, then confirmed the direction and thanked the chief, 'Thank you, village chief.'
'You're welcome,' the old village chief replied.
Evan smiled and grabbed the woman's hand. She was startled and pulled back, asking, 'What are you doing?'
'Do you want to walk, or fly with me?' Evan asked, smiling.
'You... Fine, I'll fly with you.' The woman said, annoyed.
Evan smiled, took her hand, and said to the old chief, 'We're leaving.'
Everyone watched in amazement as Evan and the woman soared into the air. Just as Evan was about to leave, the little girl shouted, 'Big brother, big sister, are you immortals?'
Evan paused, smiled, and said, 'Sort of.'
Everyone knelt down, facing Evan and the woman. For a moment, they felt the villagers were so simple—had they never seen cultivators before?
The little girl came under Evan and the woman, looked up, and asked, 'Big brother, big sister, can you help with something?'
The two traveled in silence. Evan used Night-Eye to see ahead in the darkness, while the woman, powerless, could only let Evan hold her hand.
The feeling was weird. 'I always thought someday a handsome, smart, powerful guy would hold my hand. Never expected a pervert to take advantage.' The woman kept muttering to herself.
Evan had no idea what she was thinking, just trying to stay calm, though sometimes his blood would heat up.
The woman naturally felt Evan's hand was strange. 'Weird, why is his hand sometimes cold, sometimes hot?'
She wanted to ask Evan, but stubbornly stayed silent.
The river kept stretching on. Evan knew they'd get out eventually, so he kept swimming. As another day passed, Evan secretly sealed the woman again.
The woman thought she'd be free after a day, but she wasn't. She demanded, 'Didn't you say I'd recover in a day?'
'I sealed you for another day. Otherwise, how could I still be alive?' Evan said with a smile.
The woman didn't expect Evan to secretly mess with her again. She was furious but powerless; in his hands, he could abandon her at any time, so she had to swallow her anger.
Seeing her quiet, Evan smiled and continued on. One day, two days, three days—finally, on the fifth day, Evan heard sounds from above, slowly emerged from the water, and was overjoyed to see a nearby village.
'We finally made it out.' Evan said with a smile. The woman quickly withdrew her hand. Though she found Evan a bit perverted these days, he wasn't that bad—at least he hadn't touched her. So she calmed down and asked, 'Where is this?'
'How should I know? Let's go take a look.' Evan replied, not knowing where they were either.
'Let's ask.' The woman was eager to return, especially since she still couldn't move, which made her annoyed at Evan again.
'Let's go.' Evan smiled, seeing her less irritable than before.
The woman cursed inwardly, 'Just wait, kid. I'll show you a friendly face now, but once we arrive, I'll catch you.'
The woman followed Evan to the village. Several children at the entrance saw them and ran over. A little girl asked with a smile, 'Big brother, big sister, are you from outside?'
'Yes, that's right. Do any of you know how to leave this place?' Evan asked.
'So you two got lost! Come on, I'll take you to see our village chief. He knows everything.' The little girl grabbed Evan and the woman's hands; the other children surrounded them, lively and excited.
After walking for a while, they saw many adults. The adults, seeing their children with strangers, quickly called them back, except for the little girl, who kept holding onto Evan and the woman.
'Xiaoqing, come here!' a burly man called from not far away.