“Young Master Jiang, it seems we have indeed successfully sneaked in.” Under the Gray Robe, Qin Xuange’s voice was kept extremely low.
It seemed the item Qin Qingyue provided was truly useful.
That two Nascent Soul Cultivators could actually sneak into the Red Dragon’s Hinterlands made her feel a lingering fear, but she was also more curious about the origins of this Gray Robe.
She asked, “Is this Gray Robe an Immortal Artifact? How can it be so powerful?”
Because of the cramped space, her body had to tilt slightly, almost half-leaning against Jiang Huai’s side.
To compress their breaths and traces to the limit of what the Gray Robe could hide, Jiang Huai had to wrap one arm around Qin Xuange’s slender waist, pulling her closer to himself.
He could clearly feel the tension and warmth of her body as he explained, “I heard from Qingyue that it seems to be something left behind after a certain Small World shattered. She encountered many crises when she first obtained this Immortal Artifact, so she told me to use it carefully.”
Qin Xuange hummed thoughtfully. ‘Formed from a Small World Fragment?’ A miraculous object carrying the power of a shattered world was far beyond a typical Immortal Artifact.
No wonder it had such a divine effect.
As they went deeper, the environment became increasingly scorching.
The rocks showed dark red and black textures from cooled lava.
The ground beneath their feet was scalding, and the distorted heat waves in the air were almost visible to the naked eye.
“Speaking of which,” Qin Xuange suddenly stopped.
Inside the robe, their noses were almost touching.
“Why didn’t you ask Chi Lian for help? If she stepped forward, wouldn’t it be more convenient?”
Jiang Huai gave a bitter smile.
When he shook his head, his chin almost brushed against her forehead.
“Don’t even mention it. She’s currently having a spat with Chihuang. If I let her come, things will only get messier.”
“Oh.” Qin Xuange said no more. Realizing it was their family matter, she felt it wasn’t right to intervene.
After walking for another distance, Jiang Huai suddenly stopped, his expression changing slightly. “Strange.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t sense the location of the Red Dragon Mark anymore.” His brow furrowed, his tone filled with confusion.
“I’ve been using my connection with the mark on Chi Hong to find our way. Wearing this Gray Robe, she shouldn’t be able to sense me. Could it be… we were discovered long ago?”
Qin Xuange’s heart sank as well. “Then what should we do?”
Jiang Huai gritted his teeth. “We’ve already come this far; there’s no turning back. Let’s keep going and act according to the situation.”
The two continued forward.
From time to time, they encountered Red Dragons circling in the sky.
They would lie down and pretend to be dead, huddling next to fire crystals or red meteorites.
Only after the patrolling Red Dragons left did the two continue to move, staring at their feet as they walked.
“Why are you so eager to find Clan Leader Chi Hong? I heard that when you were heavily injured last time, she and Chihuang stayed by your side without leaving for a moment.” Qin Xuange finally asked the doubt in her heart.
The corner of Jiang Huai’s mouth twitched imperceptibly.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said vaguely, “It’s about some bottlenecks in my cultivation. I must have Clan Leader Chi Hong’s help.”
Qin Xuange’s expression grew strange.
“Cultivation? Didn’t we help you last time? You even broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage then. Do you want to do it again? I can go and call the Saintess of the Azure Dragon Clan over.”
Jiang Huai waved his hand in refusal.
“That only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. It’s useless. Speaking of which, where are we? Where is the place where Clan Leader Chi Hong is in seclusion?” He really didn’t want to dwell on this topic and quickly changed the subject, looking around.
A seductive and teasing female voice sounded as if it were pressed right against his ear, clear as day. “Then what would be considered treating the root cause… little thief?”
Jiang Huai and Qin Xuange both shook violently, their hair standing on end.
Before they could react, they felt a force hit their buttocks simultaneously.
The two lost their balance. With cries of surprise, they lunged forward and fell clumsily onto the scalding ground.
The miraculous Gray Robe had already fallen into a white and beautiful jade hand like a light cloud. Jiang Huai scrambled to push himself up.
Looking up, he saw Chi Hong standing elegantly before him, her red skirts flowing like raging flames.
She lowered her head slightly, looking over the Gray Robe in her hand with interest.
Her exquisite profile was enchantingly beautiful under the red light of the surrounding fire crystals.
Jiang Huai gave a sheepish smile. “Clan Leader Chi Hong, long time no see. I came to visit you these past few days, but they all said you were in seclusion.”
Chi Hong turned the Gray Robe over and over in her hands, her beautiful face wearing her signature gentle smile.
“This Gray Robe is quite interesting. I remember Qin Qingyue once used it, and now it’s in your hands. It’s just that not only is your cultivation insufficient, but you’re also trying to hide two people. Naturally, it couldn’t be hidden from my eyes.”
After playing with it for a moment, she seemed to lose interest and tossed it casually.
The Gray Robe landed steadily back into Jiang Huai’s arms.
Then, she took two light steps forward. Her red high heels stepped on the scorching rocks, making crisp click, click sounds.
Jiang Huai was about to stand up completely when he saw a red shadow flash before his eyes.
A jade foot wearing an exquisite red high-heeled shoe stepped lightly onto his chest.
The force wasn’t fierce; it just happened to suppress his momentum as he tried to get up.
Jiang Huai let out a muffled groan.
He could only use his elbows to barely prop up his upper body.
His gaze involuntarily climbed up her curvaceous calves and the long, tight thighs, passing over the plump waist and hips wrapped in the red dragon-patterned dress, finally meeting Chi Hong’s smiling face as she looked down at him.
She had clearly left her seclusion room and changed out of her thin gauze clothes.
Now, she wore a red dress embroidered with gold.
The hem trailed on the ground, and the embroidered flying dragon patterns were lifelike.
The sleeves and the dress had several cutouts, appropriately revealing small patches of skin as white as snow, which looked even more tempting against the blazing red light.
“I was naturally in seclusion,” Chi Hong tilted her head, her tone innocent yet mischievous.
“But I suddenly sensed that a little thief who doesn’t know the meaning of death had sneaked into the most important area of my Red Dragon Clan. I had no choice but to break my seclusion to check it out.”
She applied a little force with her foot, grinding it slightly as she felt the accelerating heartbeat beneath Jiang Huai’s chest.
Her smile deepened. “Who would have thought that the thief caught would be you, Young Master Jiang? It really surprised me. In any case, this kind of behavior is wrong, isn’t it? I recall that you took Chi Lian as your wife; you didn’t marry into my Red Dragon Clan.”
She finally moved her gaze from Jiang Huai’s face, which was full of embarrassment.
She lowered her head and began to idly play with her beautiful fingers as if she didn’t care.
She then leisurely asked Chihuang, who was already unable to restrain herself behind her, “Huang’er, according to our clan rules, how should one who trespasses into the Forbidden Land be dealt with?”
Chihuang took a quick step forward, her hands behind her back.
Her small face was full of excitement and a subtle smile as she spoke in a crisp voice.
“Reporting to Honored Master! Trespassing into our Red Dragon Forbidden Land is equivalent to stealing secrets and provocation. It is an unpardonable crime! They should be taken to the Crimson Prison, strictly interrogated, and their intentions clarified!”
She looked at Qin Xuange, who had already stood up.
Her eyes were no longer friendly as she said coldly, “Even if she is the Saintess of another clan, we cannot shield or tolerate her! She should be taken down together and handed over for both clans to discuss!”
Hearing this, Qin Xuange’s face turned icy.
She let out a cold snort, her eyebrows full of disdain. Clearly, she did not take Chihuang’s threat seriously.
Jiang Huai, who was being stepped on, suddenly took a deep breath and suppressed his panic.
He raised his hand and gently grabbed Chi Hong’s slender ankle.
It felt warm and smooth to the touch, like warm jade.
Slowly, with an air of submission, he moved her foot slightly off his chest.
Then, his other hand reached into his robe and felt around for something.
It was a ring.
The material was neither gold nor jade, but a faint crimson color, like congealed sunlight.
Under Chi Hong’s slightly surprised gaze, Jiang Huai propped himself up.
He took her slender hand and carefully slipped the Crimson Jade Ring onto her index finger.
“Clan Leader Chi Hong,” Jiang Huai looked up with a sheepish, fawning smile, “seclusion is lonely and bitter. This is a small token of my regard. Please accept it.”
Chi Hong’s elegant brows rose slightly, the playfulness in her eyes deepening.
She compliantly allowed Jiang Huai to move.
Once the ring was on, she slowly raised her hand and examined it closely against the light.
The Crimson Jade Ring on her white, slender finger did not look out of place; instead, it added a touch of unique brilliance.
“It’s quite pretty. It seems you’ve put some heart into it. However, how can a private gift offset the crime of trespassing? As the Clan Leader, if I were to favor someone because of a small gift, how could I convince the masses or lead the entire clan in the future?”
Her expression shifted slightly.
She grabbed the back collars of both Jiang Huai and Qin Xuange and took flight. “Take them away. Interrogate them thoroughly.”