"Along the way, Iâll stop in this town and search for the Sword of Time. Since everyone will be traveling separately, I have no reason to wait for anyone or hurry up. My travel speed is faster, anyway. I can get something like a week out of my schedule to find the Sword of Time," Long Chen let out as he smiled.
He folded the map again and put it to the side.
"Xun," He suddenly said as he glanced at Xun.
"What?" Xun inquired as she suspiciously looked towards Long Chen.
"You look really cute," Long Chen muttered as he reached out his hand.
"I just realized that it had been a really long time since I last kissed you," he said as he held Xunâs hands. "Can I have a kiss?"
"In your dreams," Xun let out as she rolled her eyes, but she didnât struggle to free herself.
"I seem to remember a bet that I won. Werenât you supposed to give me a kiss whenever I ask as my victory reward from that bet?" Long Chen let out as he chuckled.
"You!" Xun thundered as she glared at Long Chen.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Legally, you canât back off. Youâre supposed to kiss me, but I wonât force you if you donât want to," Long Chen said as he smiled innocently. He freed her hand.
Xun looked at him blankly.
"Hmph, you think Iâll break the promise? You won last time! I wonât be called a sore loser for not following through to my side of the deal. Hmph, this is the only reason Iâm doing it," Xun said as she snorted. She stepped forward and placed both her hands on Long Chenâs cheeks as she closed in and stuck her lips to his lips.
After a short kiss that lasted for only a few seconds, she stepped back and released Long Chenâs lips before she disappeared.
Long Chen smiled as he laid down on the bed.
"A month more at most before Iâll be back home. Ah, right. Iâm still stuck inside that strange tomb. I would need to find a way to leave after getting there. At Least Iâll be able to meet the girls again. As for finding a way out, there shouldnât definitely be a way there," Long Chen muttered as he remembered where he was before he was called for this trial.
âI hope there is a way out at that place. Leaving this place to get trapped there wonât be ideal, but my family and my ring is there," He muttered as he sighed.
"I still need to find Ji Shan and attend his marriage. Canât be too late for that. And Mingyuâs family is also waiting for me to get there. Thereâs a war nearby in her land. I canât delay. If her home is destroyed before we get there, she wonât ever be able to recover," he said.
"So many things to do," he let out with a frown on his face.
These were only the things he knew about. As for the things he didnât know about, there were even more. He had no idea how many things were actually waiting for Long Chen back home. Things that were dangerous though to kill him. He still didnât know about the two mysterious people that seemed to know a lot about him.
His friends from his first trial, Terra, and his brother were also imprisoned in Dark Soul Sect. He didnât know about that at all. He was still thinking that the first World of Trial was not a real world.
If any person knew about what laid ahead in the future, it was Xun, and even she didnât know about everything.
Xun was standing inside the Bloodline Temple of Long Chen. She was sitting on the ground in front of a mirror that was showing her reflection.
"Soon, it will be the time. I wish I could tell you everything," She muttered as she smashed her fist on the ground in frustration.
A shadow appeared in the mirror that seemed to be facing Xun.
Xun looked at the shadow and didnât move for some time. After some time, she stood up and walked closer to the Mirror.
She reached out his hand and touched the mirror.
The shadow inside the mirror also reached out what seemed like itâs hand and touched the same spot that Xun was touching.
"Iâm Sorry..." Xun muttered as she looked at the mirror. "Tian Shen."
The Shadow shook a little. Soon, it removed itâs hand and started disappearing.
Xun looked at the blank mirror before she sighed. A tear fell down of her eyes as she looked at the mirror.
She removed her hand from the mirror and dropped to her knees.
"I wish things could be different," she muttered.
There was Eternal silence in the bloodline temple, and only her words could be heard in the entire temple.
Xunâs eyes were wet, which made her vision blurry, but she didnât wipe tears off her eyes.
****
Long Chen got off the bed and started cultivating. He spent the entire night cultivating and soon achieved another Breakthrough.
It was early morning when he stood up.
He changed his clothes to the new ones that he had purchased. He wore the Phoenix Blood Robe and covered it with a black cloak. He arranged the scabbard on his back, which had the Flaming Ice Sword.
He also placed the golden knife of Kun in his clothes. He held the map in his hand before he was finally ready.
He left the room and stepped out of the Palace. He could see General Hu already waiting outside the Palace for him.
"You are late," General Wu said as soon as Long Chen stepped out of the palace.
"You didnât leave yet?" Long Chen asked General Hu.
"No! I was waiting for you! Weâre both commanders of this mission, after all. Itâs good if we leave together," General Hu told Long Chen.
"The others left?" Long Chen inquired.
"Yeah, they left sometimes ago. Everyone went separately according to the plan. They all know where to meet, as well. The Merchant Union is also arranged. Theyâll carry out weapons and meet us there. We can leave now," General Hu said to Long Chen.
"General Hu, I appreciate your offer, but I prefer going alone. If the two of us are separate, that would be better. If something bad happens to one of us, the other person can still take care of the mission, but if weâre both together, one bad event can get us both killed at once. Keeping that in mind, Iâll be traveling alone," Long Chen said as he shook his head.
He brought out his Spirit Summoning Flute that he had received from Vermilion. He was going to use the Spirit Eagle Beast to travel. Even though he should have been allowed to use a Dark Winged Horse because of him being a Dragon Squad member, he wasnât allowed.
Everyone was going to travel as an unaffiliated cultivator. The Dark Winged Horses were a mount of the Dragon Squad members, and everyone knew it. They didnât want anyone to recognize them, so no one in the second assault team was recognized.
"Youâre really not coming with me? I can protect you along the way?" General Hu said as he frowned.
"Do you really think I need protection?" Long Chen asked as he smiled wryly.
General Hu looked at him for a brief moment before he sighed. He turned back and started walking away.
Long Chen also used his Spirit Flute and started playing it. Soon, A beautiful Winged Eagle Spirit Beast came flying and landed in front of him.
"Welcome, little friend. Long time, no see," Long Chen muttered as he patted the head of the Winged Eagle.
He climbed on the Winged Eagle. The Winged Eagle started flying.
_______________________________________
Author Note: Hello, this little note is to inform you guys that there is going to be a little giveaway of hundred coins in the next week or so. You guys can join my discord to know more details (https://discord.gg/8UKh5xvZBd). Thank you.
Also, If anyone is free and willing to be a proofreaders for this story, that would be really helpful :)