Xuan Yan lifted a hand to his hood, and Zhu Zhuqing unconsciously leaned forward despite her exhaustion.
For a brief moment, she genuinely thought she would finally see the mysterious face of the boy who had saved her life.
But when the hood fell back, her eyes widened.
Because… beneath the hood…
Was another identical hood.
Her mouth opened slightly as she stared at the second hood, "What? Another one?"
Seeing her expression, Xuan Yan couldn't help but laugh "Hahaha, your face…" he managed between breaths, wiping an imaginary tear from beneath the hood.
-_- Zhu Zhuqing's eyebrow twitched dangerously, and she tightened her grip on the wooden bottle until her knuckles whitened.
'...This guy.'
Part of her genuinely wished she had the strength to stand up and punch him in the chest for this level of annoyance.
Still, she forced out a calm breath and muttered, "Why can't you show your face…? Even if you're ugly, I won't change my opinion, since you saved my life. I am indevted to you."
Xuan Yan's laughter softened into a low, amused hum, and he tilted his head slightly "You will change your opinion. But in the opposite direction."
Zhu Zhuqing frowned 'What does that mean?' and a strange curiosity tugged faintly at her heart.
She tried to push the feeling aside, reaching for the bottle to distract herself "So…" she said while lifting it to her lips, "what's your age?"
Xuan Yan paused for a moment, as though planning another joke, and then answered lightly, "Twelve. And you?"
The moment the number reached her ears, she choked violently on the water she was drinking.
Pffttt!
"Cough-cough- Wha- twelve?!"
Water sprayed out in front of her as she coughed and looked at him with wide eyes 'He killed a 3000 year old beast when he is almost the same age as me.'
Seeing her reaction, Xuan Yan let out a chuckle.
"I'm eleven," she said sharply, placing the bottle down with a huff as she regained her breath.
"But you're extraordinarily developed for a twelve-year-old boy, from your height and voice... you don't look like a 12-year-old boy."
Xuan Yan stopped and then very slowly lowered his gaze toward her body.
Feeling his gaze over her breasts, she instinctively covered her chest with her arms, "W–What are you looking at?! You pervert."
Xuan Yan tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I could say the same about you. You're quite… developed in certain areas for your age."
"You shameless guy!" Zhu Zhuqing shouted, ignoring the way pain shot up her injured arms.
He just looked at her with a smile and sat there silently.
Another heavy silence followed, and Zhu Zhuqing just stared at the glowing fire in the center.
Looking at her face, he asked "What are you doing in the forest alone when you are only 11 years old? Came to enjoy nature?"
'Came to enjoy nature? Huh?'
Sighing in irritation, she replied "I was just going back to my home. But on the way some assassins ambushed us. I somehow escaped from them and was trapped in this forest. And when I was going to get killed by a Phantom tiger, a 'certain' cloaked person appeared and killed the Phantom tiger with one strike and saved me."
"Oh. I see. That cloaked person must be a kind-hearted and handsome guy." he said in an amused tone.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze narrowed 'Narcissistic bastard!'
"So, what are you doing alone in the forest when you are only 12 years old? Came to enjoy nature?"
He nodded and said "Hmm, something like that. Because I am too powerful, I began to explore the mainland. And when I reached here, I saw a 'certain' girl going to get killed by a Phantom tiger, so I saved her."
Too powerful?
Getting confused, she asked "You are too powerful?"
'Well, he is really powerful for a 12 year old boy. But, too powerful?'
He nodded again and replied "I am so powerful, even my 'teacher' placed a 'seal' on me to restrict 75% of my powers."
What? Zhu Zhuqing was taken aback "T-Then the power you used to kill that tiger with one strike. You only used 25% of your power?"
He shook his head slightly and said, "Not even close, If I had full power, I could take you out of this forest within a second. It's been a year, and the seal will break in 6 days, and I will take you out of here at that time."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing was convinced 'He is spitting lies. I will see it after 6 days.'
Sighing in her heart, she asked, "So what level are you now?"
"69."
Huh? Hearing this, she was stunned "You are level 69?"
He chuckled and said, "No, I am not."
Her gaze condensed in annoyance 'I knew it. You are just spitting lies. Talking with him dried my tongue.'
She took the water bottle to drink water.
At this time, he said, "I am actually level 86."
Pfft-
She again choked and coughed the water "Cough- Cough- You damn bastard. Why are you telling lies?"
With a faint smile, he replied "Lies? It's up to you to believe it or not."
"Yeah... sure."