As it turned out, Zhi Guan had thought too much. While the demonic practitioner chasing behind them was soon joined by a second and then a third one, the three were weaker than him and apparently not even using their full strength. They were hurling some attacks at them but most of them missed by a wide margin and only a few came close enough to actually be able to hurt them. Needless to say, he was able to defend against them without any problems.
Soon enough, they had made it out of the dungeon and approached the exit of the building. Finally, there was a shout of 'Stop the intruders!' And then the sound of many steps following behind them.
Zhi Guan narrowed his eyes, reached out to the side and wrapped an arm around Kui Min's waist, pulling her up to his body, and then he rushed out at full speed. Anyway, they weren't really trying to catch them. They obviously intended to let them go. He didn't know why but he also didn't care. Anyway, he only had to bring this girl back to the Teng Yong Sect's camp. After that, he could tell everything to his Master and then let him deal with everything else.
The demonic practitioners were soon left behind while Kui Min was still clinging to Zhi Guan's neck, staring at the scene behind them with wide eyes. She just couldn't believe what was happening here. Being chased by demonic practitioners, escaping from what seemed like certain doom, actually being hugged by the person she admired … could it be that she was dreaming?
Before she could come to understand what was going on, Zhi Guan already stopped, let go of her, and stepped back. "They aren't following anymore. We should make haste to return to the Teng Yong Sect." He turned away, rushing ahead without waiting for her answer.
Kui Min stared at his back, looked in the direction they had just come from, and then shook her head. Alright, she didn't understand anything anymore but so what? She could only go with the flow. She pushed off the ground and then rushed after Zhi Guan, thankfully managing to catch up to him as he wasn't going at his full speed.
Together, the two of them soon made their way back to the Teng Yong Sect's camp. At that time, it was in the middle of the afternoon. The other disciples were still out exploring and only the people that had originally lived in the town were there. They didn't know who was who, so they didn't take any special notice of them and at most nodded, grateful for the righteous cultivators' defense before going about their daily life again.
Zhi Guan and Kui Min went over to Baili Chao's courtyard only to find that he wasn't there.
Zhi Guan stared at the door, kind of lost on what to do now.
Kui Min looked up at him, waiting for him to say something but when he didn't, she realized that maybe he didn't know where Elder Xing was staying since he hadn't come with them to the border region originally. "Maybe we should go and take a look at Elder Xing's courtyard? I could bring you over there."
Zhi Guan turned to her and then nodded, not saying anything else.
Thus, the two of them went over and the two Elders were indeed there.
Zhi Guan knocked on the door and then opened when Elder Xing called out from inside. "I've returned and brought her with me."
Kui Min gingerly entered behind him and bowed to the two Elders. "Elder Baili, Elder Xing, I'm back. I'm sorry for making trouble." She didn't quite understand how they had managed to escape so easily but she knew that it couldn't have been easy for Zhi Guan to actually get in there. And who knew if others hadn't been sent to scout the situation out first? Most likely, she had made a lot of trouble.
Elder Baili and Elder Xing exchanged a glance, almost unable to believe what they saw. They actually hadn't thought that Zhi Guan would return for yet another week. To actually see that he was back and had even managed to free Kui Min … They couldn't help but wonder how that had worked out. Still, for the time being, it was the most important that they were back.
Elder Xing waved for the two of them to come and sit down. "Kui Min, how are you doing? Are you hurt?"
Kui Min shook her head. "No, nothing of the like. Actually, it's a little strange. They just took me with them and then put me in the dungeon. I've been waiting there since then. I couldn't find an opportunity to get out at all." She couldn't help but feel a little guilty about this. If she had been stronger … maybe she wouldn't have had to helplessly sit in that cell. Maybe if she had been stronger, she wouldn't even have been taken away in the first place. It seemed that in the future, she would really need to step up.
The two Elders didn't seem worried though. "It doesn't matter. The most important is that you're back now and that they haven't done anything to you. You should probably go and rest up for a bit. After that, we can talk if there's anything that you noticed."
Kui Min immediately shook her head. "Elder Xing, this is really nice of you but I don't need any rest. Anyway, I was just sitting in that cell. I'm more than rested enough." She might not be able to do anything in the situation she had been in, but she could definitely give the very limited amount of information she had gotten to the Elders in the hope that they would be able to do something with it.
Elder Xing and Elder Baili exchanged a glance. Baili Chao finally nodded. "Anyway, she's already back. Talking for a bit won't hurt. If we find out something, we can already plan things while Kui Min goes to rest then."
Elder Xing nodded and then turned back to her. "Alright. Is there anything that you have noticed?"