"Please wait, miss!" The young man held Mina's hands gently and asked. The young man's eyes betrayed a hint of desperation.
"Why?" Mina's time was harsh. But he quickly regained his composure and released her hand.
His voice was laden with a sense of worry. "Wouldn't it be better if we travel together?" he asked, his eyes shining. "The forest is filled with monsters," he continued, "and my guards can protect you."
Mina couldn't help but feel a bit weird as she looked at him. 'There was something about him that makes me uneasy, something that I can't quite put my finger on. But the way he spoke, the way he looked at me, made me feel like he knew something that I didn't.' Mina pondered as she looked at him suspiciously.
"Oh," Mina's mind raced with uncertainty as she pondered the young man's offer. 'I don't know where I should go. Also the forest was a dangerous place, filled with monsters and other things that could kill me. And he's right, right now, I have no combat skills. Unless…' a light grin appeared on her face and quickly disappeared.
Finally, she mustered the courage to ask, "Can I please come with you then?" Mina clasped her hands together and looked at the young man with a pitiful expression.
To her surprise, the young man blushed and nodded eagerly, as if he had been waiting for her to ask. But as the smug look faded from Mina's face, she couldn't shake the feeling she had met him somewhere before.
As they walked towards a group of strangers, Kai introduced himself to Mina. "By the way, my name is Kai, and yours?" he asked, and Mina responded "It's Mina," with an enchanting smile that left Kai's heart racing.
"How old are you, if I may ask?" he inquired, hoping to keep the conversation flowing.
"I'm 22, and you?" Mina replied.
"I'm 20," Kai answered.
Mina couldn't help but tease him. "I guess you'll have to call me big sister, then," she whispered into his ear with an alluring voice, causing his fair face to turn red.
As they approached the group, Mina's heart raced with anticipation. The sight of the five men and women clad in shimmering red armor was a bit intimidating. Their bow to Kai only made her be more cautious.
Kai's grip on her hand was reassuring, and he offered a comforting smile. "No need to worry, they won't do anything," he said.
Mina tried to maintain her composure, but she couldn't help but gasp at the wealthy carriage before them. The carriage was a masterpiece, adorned with golden sides and detailed carvings.
Mina's thoughts raced as she looked at the extravagant carriage in front of her. "Wow, is this what it feels like to be in the presence of the rich?" she mused inwardly. "I mean, the parts are made of gold! That's one way to show off your wealth. I'm not scared, just impressed...and maybe a little bit envious." Mina chuckled to herself, imagining all the things she could buy if she had that kind of money.
She tried to keep a straight face as they approached Kai's group, but her mind was already racing with all sorts of jokes about his wealth. "I bet he uses diamond-encrusted chopsticks to eat his caviar," she thought, trying to stifle a giggle.
The old guard's eyes narrowed at the sight of the unfamiliar face. "Master, who is this young lady?" His gruff voice reverberated through the air, as he scrutinized Mina with a harsh gaze. However, as he peered closer, his gaze softened, and his rough exterior melted away, replaced by a bashful expression. "I meant to say...this beautiful young lady," he corrected himself, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Mina is her name. She was in need of help, and I was fortunate enough to come to her aid," Kai replied, his voice laced with pride. Mina could not help but roll her eyes at his words, unimpressed by his boasting.
As Mina stepped forward to introduce herself, the guards were entranced by her beauty, lost in thoughts of admiration. She stood before them, her graceful movements and poised demeanor captivating them all.
"I'm Mina, and it's a pleasure to meet you all," she began, her voice as soothing as a whisper in the wind. "I was on my way to a sect when I was attacked by a monster. I'm genuinely grateful for your help, Kai. And I'll be traveling with you all, so I hope we can be friends."
Her words were spoken with such poise and elegance that the guards couldn't help but blush in response. Kai, noticing their stares, glared at them and they immediately averted their gazes, ashamed of their momentary lapse in composure.
As he helped Mina into the luxurious carriage, Kai's eyes sparkled with anticipation. The horses whinnied as they began to move, followed closely by the guards on their own mounts. "Are you traveling to the sect selections? Your attire suggests you have a cultivator lineage," he inquired, his tone friendly and curious.
Mina felt a bead of sweat trickle down her temple. She wasn't sure whether to trust this young man, so she lied. "Yes, I am," she answered, trying to sound confident.
Kai's eyes widened in excitement. "Really? So am I! Perhaps we could travel together?" he suggested eagerly. Mina hesitated for a moment before nodding her agreement. She didn't have any other plans, after all.
"I have my sights set on the Rose Bloom sect," Kai proclaimed proudly, turning to Mina. "It's one of the most prestigious sects in the entire Feng Yuan continent. What about you? Have you thought about which sect you'd like to join?"
'As long as I can have my revenge on them, I don't mind joining any sect,' Mina thought, and her eyes turned dark for a moment causing Kai to shiver, but a few seconds later that looked disappeared.
'Maybe it's just my imagination,' Kai thought.
"Then why not join me and enter the Rose Bloom Sect?" Kai suggested, and Mina looked surprised.
Mina's eyes widened at the unexpected offer. She turned to Kai with a confused expression, unsure of what to make of his proposal. Her mind raced as she considered her options, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Sure, why not?" Mina replied, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism. "But don't get your hopes up too high. I don't know if the Rose Bloom Sect is the right place for me. 'After all I don't mind any sect apart from the Water Moon Sect,' Mina shrugged as she looked outside of the window and admired the passing trees
Kai's face fell slightly at her words, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure you'll love it there. It's a great place to cultivate your skills and make new friends."
Mina pondered to herself, 'Wow, this guy is really into me,' Mina thought. "However," she spoke up, "my ability to join any sect depends on whether or not I meet the necessary qualifications."
"I'm sure you will," Kai flashed a reassuring thumbs up, prompting a smile from Mina.
Mina couldn't help but feel amused by Kai's unwavering confidence in her abilities. "Qualifications are everything when it comes to joining a sect," she replied with a sly grin.
Kai's face turned bright red, and he scratched his head in embarrassment. Mina's laughter echoed through the carriage, and Kai found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her captivating smile.
As Mina reached out to touch Kai's forehead, he recoiled slightly, causing her to withdraw her hand. "Are you ill?" she inquired, noticing the reddening hue of his face. "Your face is all red, or are you blushing?" Mina teased.
"I would prefer that you refrain from touching me so casually, Miss Mina," Kai replied in a courteous tone, causing Mina to sit back down and apologize.
'If only she knew how her touch affected me,' Kai thought, struggling to keep his emotions in check.
'I have to keep watch on the young master!' a guard behind thought as she watched Mina and Kai attentively.
________
As they traveled further, Mina's skin felt gritty and itched from the accumulated dirt and sweat. "I need to bathe," she exhaled with a hint of desperation. Her impatience caused her to tug her robe top, revealing a generous portion of her bosom, which Kai purposely ignored with a flushed face. "Can we please stop by the river?" She asked.
Without a word, he tapped his ring and produced two pink robes, covering Mina's form and handing her an additional one. "These robes should suffice. Stop the carriage when we are near a river, and we'll camp there for the night and we shall make camp by the river for the night," Kai announced in a commanding voice, causing the guards to halt their horses at once.