“See, Brother Duan? They have every intention of stealing our boss’s pet. Let’s just beat them up and snatch that wretched beast before the boss finds out,” the chubby one insisted.

Duan He furrowed his brows slightly but maintained his composure as he assessed the two before him. His strong instinct had always helped him avoid bad situations, and the pair in front of him, with their similar facial features, gave off an unsettling vibe he had never encountered before. This was why he had been trying to handle things diplomatically from the start.

‘Beat them up and take the beast? Hmpf, do you have a death wish, Fatty?’ Sneering internally, he smiled and said, “Fellow disciples, perhaps I’ve mistaken the beast for something else. Please, excuse us.” Then he quickly walked away. “Fatty, aren’t you coming?”

“Brother Duan, it’s them. I’m sure it’s that beast,” the fatty insisted, oblivious to the situation.

At that moment, Duan He appeared behind him and gave him a solid whack on the back of his head, knocking him unconscious. Internally cursing, ‘What is your problem, Fatty? Don’t you realize I’m trying to get us out of this mess? Damn you!’ He caught the chubby youth and pleaded, “Please don’t mind him. He’s been a bit out of his head since a donkey kicked him when he was five.” Carrying the unconscious chubby youth on his back, Duan He quickly made his exit.

Han Xue sneered, “What a gutless fellow. With that attitude, he won’t achieve much in this harsh world.”

“I beg to differ. The chubby youth is ignorant, and that’s understandable given his history. But the other one knows when to retreat, which is a valuable trait. He’ll go far in life,” Han Xiao remarked. “Xue Er, you should learn from him. When you face someone too strong to fight, swallow your pride and run. There’s no honor in dying prematurely.”

“Hmpf! You and your strange ideas. Anyway, did you steal Little White from them?” she asked, scrutinizing him.

“Hey, don’t give me that look. I’m the Seventh Prince of Han. Why would I lower myself to stealing?”

“Then what really happened?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Little White came out of nowhere and chose to stay with me. In truth, she chose me. There was no stealing involved,” he clarified. Then he sat down on the verdant grass and lay back, looking up at the sky.

“What now? Are we going to spend the night here?” asked Han Xue, her tone tinged with cynicism.

“It’s been so long since we stargazed together. Why don’t you join me, Xue Er?”

“Stargazing?! Are we really in a situation to do that? And we’re not children anymore. Knock yourself out!” She glared at him.

“In my eyes, no matter how much time has passed, you’re still that little sweet girl who cheered her brother up all the time. Stop complaining and join me,” Han Xiao quickly pulled her down despite her struggles and whispered, “Just play along, and let’s draw the lurkers out. Don’t you think stargazing is a good idea?”

Han Xue stopped struggling and lay on the grass, gazing up at the night sky. After a while, she mused, “It’s really calm and serene. I really miss those old days when we were little.”

Meanwhile, Han Xiao weaved a series of intricate hand seals and muttered, “Curse Eyes, activate!” Instantly, curse energy overflowed into his eyes, turning them a hideous pitch-black. The world around him darkened, but he could see the surrounding essence qi in various vibrant colors. He spotted five figures watching them vigilantly. ‘Hmm, they’re waiting for something. Interesting. When are you going to act?… What?’ His gaze shifted toward the direction of the Academy, where he saw chaotic essence qi approaching. ‘Maybe it’s him. They’re waiting for him. In that case, let me deal with these lurkers before he gets here.’

He spoke, “Xue Er, thinking about those days, do you remember when we played hide and seek?”

Han Xue glanced at him meaningfully.

“Alright, let’s play that again. It’s really fun.”

“Sure! Shall I hide first?”

“No, today, we’re going to be the seekers and find those who are already hiding and lurking around us. What do you say?” He said softly.

“Alright, let’s do it.” With that, she disappeared like the wind.

“Holy shit! That movement technique is both creepy and fast,” he muttered, watching her essence qi dart around the surroundings at a pace that was difficult to follow. “Oh, they’ve already sensed Han Xue’s sudden disappearance and sent out three to scout the area. These are pro-assassins, though they lack control in suppressing their killing intent. One of them has likely taken so many lives that he struggles to contain his murderous aura. It’s just a fraction of time, but after Dual Cultivation, my senses have heightened to a level that even scares me a bit. I can sniff out even the slightest malicious intent from others.”

He observed Han Xue searching her surroundings and sighed, "She’s a bit slow at finding those sneaky assassins. At this rate, it would take years to find any of them. Alright, time to hunt. Let’s start with the two who stayed behind."

He walked into the woods with a calm demeanor. After navigating through several rough patches and delving deep into the forest, he spoke aloud, "Isn't it time to launch your ambush? This game of hide and seek is getting boring. Why don’t you come out, and I’ll send you to your maker?" His voice echoed through the bamboo forest.

No one responded amidst the eerily silent night.

“Fine! I appreciate your patience. Let me help you," he said, unsheathing his sword. With a swift motion, he advanced three yards and then sheathed his sword once more.

The sound of bamboo snapping filled the air as they fell to the ground with a loud thud. Two figures, dressed in dark outfits and wearing black masks, appeared before him.

"Well, well, shall we introduce ourselves?" Han Xiao said, his tone dripping with mockery.