C23 Hu Gewan

"Haha, this kid's quite the little Casanova—nearly drowned, and the first thing he does upon waking is to gaze at our sister like he's spellbound."

A playful, coquettish voice snapped Liu Xingchang back to reality.

Scrambling to his feet, Liu Xingchang took in his surroundings. He found himself in an ancient forest, encircled by six individuals—three men and three women. The closest to him was the woman currently administering medical aid, the same wild beauty who had captivated him at first sight.

The source of the teasing was a tall woman standing behind the young healer. She was clad in a sheer dress that boldly showcased her long, ivory legs. Her waist was as slender as a serpent, and her face bloomed with the delicate beauty of a flower, her skin so fine it seemed a gentle puff could mar it. Each smile and pout radiated an endless allure.

The third female was more of a girl, younger and exuding a fresh, vivacious charm. Her cheeks were the color of new lychee, yet her expression carried a deep-seated grudge.

"We're currently being hunted by the Liu Family. I can't fathom why you'd bother rescuing such a liability from the river. The Second Elder is wounded. If the Liu Family catches up, what will we do? I'm still young, unmarried—I don't want to die because of him!"

The girl glared at Liu Xingchang with disdain as she vented her frustration.

The healer rose to her feet, saying, "Our father always taught us to live with our heads held high and our consciences clear. Since he wasn't claimed by the river, and fate had us cross paths, we had to help him. Otherwise, we'd be troubled by guilt."

Among the men, one was a dashing youth in ornate clothing leaning against a tree, another a black-robed elder seated cross-legged on a boulder, and the last a rugged man wielding a hefty sword.

The rugged man, dressed in a sturdy green tunic, spoke gruffly, "Miss, now that this fellow is awake, let's leave him here and make our escape! We're at least ten miles from Cloud Ascending City, and the Liu Family will be upon us shortly!"

The elder in black slowly opened his eyes and addressed the group, "Miss, my energy has returned to balance; we can proceed."

Wan Mei immediately nodded, swiftly picking up her sword from the ground, and declared in a composed manner, "The Second Elder's condition has stabilized. We mustn't delay; let's set out at once!"

Through their exchange, Liu Xingchang had managed to piece together his situation. He realized that after being knocked unconscious by a rock in the cave, he must have been swept into the Great Goose River along with the collapsing mountain. Miraculously, he hadn't drowned. Instead, he was carried by the current to the forest's edge, where this group of travelers had found and rescued him.

Grateful for the life-saving favor, Liu Xingchang quickly bowed in thanks to the girl, "My name is Liu Xingchang. I am deeply indebted to you all for saving my life!"

Wan Mei dismissed the gesture with a wave of her hand, "It was a simple act of assistance, hardly worth mentioning. Now that you're awake, you should continue on your own. We must be on our way."

Liu Xingchang was taken aback and replied with a wry smile, "I'm truly reluctant to impose further after you've already saved me. But upon awakening, I found myself lost in this vast wilderness, unable to discern any direction. Without your guidance, I fear I won't be able to find my way out of this forest..."

Upon hearing this, the young girl beside him stomped her foot in frustration, expressing her disdain, "Finding your way out is your problem. We've already lost precious time saving you. If we take on the burden of guiding you, it could be the death of us all!"

Before Liu Xingchang could respond, Wan Mei interjected with a furrowed brow, "Qing Ge, he has a point. We should see our rescue through to the end, especially since we led him into this dense forest. Let's allow him to accompany us to Cloud Ascending City."

The girl protested, "Sister! He nearly drowned and hasn't even regained his full strength. We don't know if he has any skills or abilities, and his pace will surely be painfully slow. Isn't taking him along like carrying an anchor?"

Wan Mei pondered for a moment, then turned to the black-robed elder and inquired respectfully, "Second Elder, what is your opinion?"

The Second Elder cleared his throat and gestured, "Since we've saved him, we're bound by fate. It wouldn't be right to abandon him in the woods to become prey for a Demonic Beast... However, each person must face their own destiny. He may follow us, but keeping up is his responsibility. We cannot afford to slow our pace on his account."

Hu Gewan gave a slight bow before turning her gaze to Liu Xingchang. "You've heard the Second Elder. Do you agree?"

Liu Xingchang couldn't contain his joy. "I agree, I agree! Thank you, Hu Gewan!"

Hu Gewan's brow furrowed slightly. "Don't call me Hu Gewan; my name is Hu Gewan."

"Alright, Hu Gewan!" Liu Xingchang replied cheerfully.

Hu Gewan shot Liu Xingchang a stern look and, without another word, turned to lead the way at the front of the group.

Hu Geqing, the young girl, craned her neck and gave Liu Xingchang a fierce glare. "Kid, my sister's too kind, insisting on dragging you along. You're lucky, but I'm warning you: if you dare to whine or slow us down by begging us to wait for you, I swear I'll chop off your head and feed it to the dogs!"

Unfazed, Liu Xingchang replied with a smile, "Miss Hu Geqing, rest assured, I'm grateful for your life-saving help. Why would I burden you?"

With a dismissive "Humph," Hu Geqing stopped paying him any attention and hopped along to catch up with Hu Gewan.

The young man leaning against the tree stretched lazily and shot Liu Xingchang a sidelong glance. He gave Liu Xingchang's shoulder a pat and said, "Buddy, if you're just looking to get out of the forest with us, that's one thing. But if you're trying to charm my older sister, you're out of luck."

Liu Xingchang was taken aback. "Your older sister?"

The young man shrugged. "Yes, my older sister, Hu Gewan, and my second sister, Hu Geqing. I'm the third sibling in our family."

Understanding dawned on Liu Xingchang, and he chuckled. "And why would you think I'm trying to woo her?"

The young man lifted an eyebrow knowingly. "Come on, we're all men here. I know full well the allure my sister holds. No need for excuses. Your desperate attempts to stick with us, that's a trick I've seen before. And who knows, maybe you'll stage some melodramatic scene on the road ahead... I've met all the noblemen's sons in Cloud Ascending City, and I've never come across anyone like you. Clearly, you're not from a life of wealth. You don't even carry a weapon, and I doubt you're a Cultivator. Chasing after my sister? You don't stand a chance."

Liu Xingchang expressed his amusement, "Oh? At such a young age, you seem to be quite the veteran in matters of the heart."

The young man thumped his chest with pride and boasted, "Absolutely, there isn't a girl in Cloud Ascending City that I can't win over!"

Liu Xingchang chuckled and asked, "So, if you weren't Hu Gewan's brother, how sure would you be of winning her over?"

Caught off guard, the youth admitted sheepishly, "Fifty... maybe sixty percent sure."

"I don't buy it," Liu Xingchang laughed.

The youth retorted indignantly, "You don't believe me? Just wait until we reach Cloud Ascending City, and I'll show you, Linghu Sanlang's allure! You'll see how those girls on the streets throw admiring glances my way!"

Liu Xingchang found great amusement in provoking the youth and was about to continue when he suddenly tensed, his pupils narrowing and his ears perking up, "It seems we won't be able to make it to Cloud Ascending City just yet."

As the youth was about to question "Why," a series of strong gusts and the swift movement of shadows emerged from the deep forest.

Simultaneously, a mocking laugh echoed through the trees.

"Hu Gewan, I've said it before, none of you will get away!"