Not as Pretty as You

"Let's check the Demon Sealing Well again, just to be sure," Evan Xiao said.

The Demon Sealing Well was located beneath Blaze Summit.

"Oh... so you really didn't come here to see Chloe Zhu?" Leon Zane blurted out.

As soon as he finished speaking, he clapped his hand over his mouth in fear.

Would His Highness cut out his tongue?

Evan Xiao glanced at him and said, "Leon Zane, you're coming with me."

"Where to?"

Evan Xiao enunciated each word: "To find Chloe Zhu!"

Leon Zane: "..."

"Ian Zhu still has lingering Nightspawn magic on him, so he shouldn't go," Evan Xiao added.

Sam followed Raina for a while, and when they reached a quieter spot, he called out to her.

Raina glanced at him and said, 'Hey, aren't you the guy from yesterday? What, still hoping I'll pay for your wine?'

'No, it's this,' Sam said, holding out his hand with the earring resting in his palm. 'You dropped it, right?'

'So you found it?' Raina laughed. 'Thanks, but you can keep it. When I realized I'd lost one, I tossed the other away too.'

'Oh, I see...' Sam withdrew his hand.

'Still, thank you,' Raina said.

Sam nodded slightly and turned to leave.

'Wait!' Raina called after him.

'Yes, Goddess? What can I do for you?'

'Are you from that continent?'

'East Wild Continent,' Sam replied.

Raina's eyes lit up. 'Then you must know Chloe Zhu, the spirit healer, right?'

Sam immediately grew cautious. 'Yeah, I know her.'

'Do you know where I can find her?'

Sam glanced behind Raina.

Chloe Zhu was walking by not far behind her, carrying a large food box.

He quickly looked away and said, 'I'm just a servant. I don't really know how the spirit healers' housing works. Is there something you need from her, Goddess?'

'Not really...' Raina frowned. 'I just want to see what she looks like.'

'She's very pretty,' Sam said.

'How pretty?' Raina asked, not quite convinced. 'Prettier than me?'

'...Not as pretty as you.'

He wasn't lying.

To him, Raina Zane was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Raina smiled sweetly, but then muttered, 'If she's not prettier than me, what's His Highness see in her?'

Sam stayed quiet.

'Forget it! Thanks for telling me! What's your name?'

'Sam Yuan,' he answered.

'Pfft! That's such a random name! Do you have an older brother named Big Yuan?'

'Yep... You're right, Goddess. My brother's name really is Big Yuan.' Sam laughed.

Raina laughed again.

Sam watched her lively, radiant smile, feeling a mix of emotions.

He, Sam Yuan, had never been worthy of loving any girl in this life.

Especially not someone like her...

After saying goodbye to Raina, he wandered off to a quiet corner alone.

He reached the edge of the mountain, where many First Spirit Trees grew.

The trees stood side by side, forming a fence that wrapped around the mountain.

He squeezed through a gap between two trees and found a wide open space outside.