In the early morning, Sara opened her eyes in a daze and wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.
What greeted her eyes was a tangled web of vines and leaves.
“Where is this…” She could faintly feel the warmth of a fire up ahead, signaling the presence of a campfire.
Sara quickly realized that she was inside a tent.
Her body was still a bit cold, but it was much better than she had expected.
There was still a lingering warmth in her arms, a coat draped over her shoulders, and a faint, lingering ache that made her face flush with embarrassment.
Clutching her little bottom as she stood up, Sara was still somewhat confused, but even more so, uneasy.
She looked around, but no matter how she searched, she couldn’t find that not-so-burly figure.
Anxiety began to rise within her.
It wasn’t until a silhouette slowly walked into view that the stone in her heart finally dropped.
Sara let out a sigh of relief, her body relaxing instinctively, and she plopped back down onto the ground.
Then—
“Ahhh!!!” A sharp pain shot through her, making her jump up quickly, clutching her embarrassing sore spot, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Pfft!” Li Xian had just returned and saw this scene, unable to hold back a laugh.
Sara sniffled a little aggrievedly, her gaze quickly drawn to the fruit and wild mushrooms in Li Xian’s hands.
“Gurgle~”
Her stomach, which hadn’t been full last night, growled again.
Sara quietly swallowed, looking at Li Xian with anticipation.
Naturally, she noticed the conspicuous wet mark on the chest of Li Xian’s shirt.
The once-smooth shirt was now wrinkled from who knows what, and that mottled wet spot stood out clearly in the early morning sunlight.
Sara recalled the flattened patch of grass next to her when she woke up, and what had happened last night was becoming increasingly obvious.
Her face turned visibly red, and she covered her mouth, her gaze fixed on that wet stain.
“Mr. Li Xian, no, Master, I’m sorry…” She bit her lip, apologizing shyly.
At first, Li Xian didn’t understand what she meant, but following her gaze, he finally realized.
He smiled helplessly, reached out and ruffled her hair, signaling that he didn’t mind at all.
He then turned around and began threading the wild mushrooms onto skewers, placing them over the fire to roast.
Watching his back, Sara reached up and touched the spot on her head he had just patted, her expression somewhat dazed.
It wasn’t until the aroma of roasting food wafted over and her stomach clenched again that she swallowed, staring at the roasted mushrooms in Li Xian’s hand.
Roasted wild mushrooms, along with some slightly sour fruit, made up today’s breakfast.
After breakfast, they set out once more.
There were still several days to go before reaching the Imperial Capital…
***
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital.
“You’re saying that useless fool is dead?” In a dark room, a man dressed in black sat cross-legged, his sharp eyes fixed ahead.
“Y-yes, the Magic Mark left on him has already dissipated.”
“So, the mission failed?” The man in black snorted coldly, “Truly a useless fool, and he still dared to call himself the ‘Fierce Blade’.”
“Then, my lord… should we send someone else…”
“No need.” The man in black hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand.
“That fool was useless, but he did have a transcendent level of strength. If someone could kill him, it must mean that fool provoked some expert. Since we don’t know the other party’s details, don’t act rashly for now… Anyway, her parents are already dead. She’s just a clueless little girl. Killing her was only a precaution. Even if she’s still alive, she can’t stir up any trouble.”
“You’re right, my lord. Your subordinate has learned from this.”
“Hmph, no need to flatter me. What’s meant to come will come, and very soon, it will arrive…”
Two pairs of excited eyes met, and then the darkness fell silent once more.
The heavy stone door opened and closed, leaving only the black-clad man sitting cross-legged.
In front of him lay a book, and in his hand was a pitch-black Dagger, carefully carving bit by bit into the ground…