Thomas laid on the ground while his eyes blinked, his right fingers shook a little. After a minute, he opened his eyes slowly while looking around, trying to register the place he was in his mind.
"You're awake! Thanks to heaven!" Zara said, she sat not too far from Thomas, cultivating.
Thomas tries to sit although with some difficulty while he sits, he asks "Where are we?"
"Oh! We are in a cave not far from where we are ambushed by the black men."
"How long was I out?"
"Just six hours," Zara said with an enchanting smile on her face.
Nodding, Thomas swallowed a pill and closed his eyes, cultivating.
The battle had shaken her to the core and she'd sustained few injuries although It could not be compared to Thomas.
In a few months, Thomas will clock fifteen years old. But, his fighting capabilities are beyond his age.
Zara often wondered where the hell did he learn to do all this. After being together with Thomas for the past few months and discovering all he could do. She had determined, come what may, she will stick with Thomas throughout her life.
After two hours, Thomas opened his eyes, breathing out an impure essence.
He stood up while he released his sword intent. Immediately the cave is filled with sharp air which can cut ordinary humans like butter. Moreover, Zara quickly stood up while she moved far from Thomas when she sensed the sudden change in the surrounding.
"My sword intent had taken shape. It wouldn't be long before I breakthrough to middle sword intent." Thomas murmured while retracting his sword intent.
"Do you have a breakthrough?" Zara inquired.
"Hmm hmm"
Nodding, "My sword intent has a breakthrough and I discovered some things during the fight."
"Wow! That's good!" Zara said, not surprised by the sudden breakthrough after a fight. Everything about him is not normal, so she had already got accustomed to it.
"Let's get going," Thomas said.
**********************
Thomas and Zara were moving quickly towards the nearby town. Thomas in his new white robe, exhibiting his dazzling handsomeness while Zara adorned her blue v-neck tight fitted dress with a short accordion skirt. Moreover, she had a blue veil covering her face.
After traveling for three hours, a town came to their sight. Few were people moving in and out of the town gate while patrolling guards were around the gates.
Thomas and Zara paid one hundred bronze coins for the entry fees. The town had various stores and restaurants while people were cordially doing their business.
Moreover, cultivators with their weapons were numerous. This town is the closest to the NEVER ENDING FOREST.
The never-ending forest is mysterious, many cultivators during the ages had ventured into the forest but never came back. Meanwhile, those who came back had various deep injuries, saying the forest had poisonous plants with numerous monster beasts while the possibility of rank 4 and rank 5 monster beasts inside the forest.
The never-ending forest had boundaries with the three empires. The sky polar empire, rising tide empire, and the miansa empire had all sent their powerful cultivators inside but all turned futile. Since then the king of each empire had declared the forest a never-ending forest and a danger zone for people.
Thomas and Zara walked to the most luxurious restaurants in the town. The exquisite restaurant had four floors with a pristine view.
Thomas and Zara entered the restaurant, a man in a waiter dress greeted them.
"Welcome, esteem guest. What do you need?" He said politely.
"Give us two of your best rooms" Zara answered.
"OK, please follow me." The waiter said while leading them to the third floor. Thomas and Zara's rooms are opposite each other.
Thomas entered his room, the room is not expensively furnished but neat. A room that fits your lifestyle with meticulous care for. A room open and airy with well painted designer colours.
A queen-size bed was positioned in the center of the room with bed sheets with artistic flowers.
Thomas took off his clothes and went to the bathroom while taking a quick bath.
Thomas walked out of his room while Zara also walked out of her room. They both went down to the eating lobby.
Finding vacant seats, Thomas and Zara seated at the window side of the room, they sat and ordered the expensive dishes while listening to the various gossips.
"Do you hear that the legendary alchemist is from our empire?"
"Yes, everybody knows that now"
"What if I told you she is in the imperial academy as an instructor?"
"Hmm, I heard something like that. That's why people who are unable to see her, are now going to the academy." A lady said.
"Moreover, the nobles are now given out quest for cultivator like us to find rare herbs with huge money"
"En, that's good. That why there is a lot of cultivators here in the never-ending forest trying their luck"
"I hope we find some rare herbs to sell to the rich nobles family"
Thomas stared at Zara "Now, you are the source of income for various cultivators, hmm. Are you not happy?" He questioned.
"Happy? Your father!" Zara thought.
"Why do you like to make fun of me?" She pouted. She raised her eyebrows while looking at the people gossiping about her.
"Hmm"
"Don't tell me you don't like it! Every lady loves attention, including you."
Zara gnashes her teeth while she doesn't know how to answer him. Although she'd love attention but not like this.
Seeing the waiter coming to serve their dishes, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The waiter served them their food while they dug in into their food while Thomas did not continue the discussion.
Moreover, while Thomas and Zara were eating. A young man dressed in a black tight fitted robe, a mesmerizing look in his early thirties, walked inside while being accompanied by a young gorgeous lady.
The restaurant was filled with people bustling with gossip and laughter.
"Get me your best wine," Thomas ordered.
The waiter served Thomas the wine while returning the young man in black robe requested for the best wine.
"Sorry sir, that is the last wine I serve." The waiter said politely.
"Get me the wine and I will pay double of the money" the young man black insisted.
"Sorry sir, that can't do. There is still some good wine, if you don't mind I can get you from them." The waiter responded in his humble tone while ignoring the piercing gaze of the young man.
Pushing the waiter aside, the young man in black stood up in fury while everyone in the restaurants had their eyes glued on him. Meanwhile, the gorgeous young lady beside the young man looks at the waiter in a spiteful manner. The edge of lips twitches a bit with a condemning gaze.
"You are dead! You've made the young master annoyed." The young lady smirks.
The young man in black walks arrogantly towards Thomas and Zara.
"I'm Austin, my father is the head of this town. I command you to give me the wine and I will pay double of the money to you." Austin conveyed obnoxiously.
Thomas and Zara were quiet, they ignored him while eating their food with leisure.
Noticing the nonchalant attitude both Thomas and Zara were given him. Austin tries to grab the wine jar with force.
Zara did not look up from her food, she used the chopstick to hit his hand while she continued to eat her food, behaving as nothing happened.
Dumbfounded, Austin retracted his hand while having a perplexed look on his face.
Besides, the restaurants became quiet, everyone had their mouths open with wide eyes.
What just happened?
Is it for real?
Chopstick!
They couldn't believe their eyes. Austin was already in peak bodybuilding realm stage 9 while Zara was only in stage 8 bodybuilding realm.
How come did she knock off his hand with a chopstick?
Austin stared at Zara with furry, he released his cultivation aura. Those with lower cultivation quickly move back from him since they could not withstand the pressure coming from him.
He attacked Zara with a punch.
Zara remained calm, she pierces the punch like butter without any difficulty with her chopstick while she slaps Austin's hand off.
Without further ado, Zara hit his chest twice while she slapped him off on his face with the chopstick.
Boom!
He was sent flying from the two attacks, puking out blood from his mouth.
What!
The restaurant was silent, the people in the restaurant couldn't wrap their heads about what just transpired.
Ignoring all the astounding looks from the people, Zara said in a cold voice.
"I hope you've learned your lesson, do not disturb us again."
The young lady who came with Austin, quickly rushed to his side while she supported him in standing up. The young lady was surprised. "How come she was able to defeat the young master with just chopsticks?" She thought while having cold sweat on her back.
Austin immediately swallows a pill, the blood stops coming out from his mouth while he regains some strength. Although, his face looks pale.
Austin had lost all the air of egotism, he could not fathom what happened. Just in a split of seconds, he had been sent flying.
Scary!
"Thank you for going easy on me" Austin implored.
Austin may be arrogant but he wasn't stupid, although he had sustained some internal injuries, that won't endanger his life. He knows the young lady goes easy on him, if not, he would have already crossed to the other side.
Austin did not wait any longer, both he and the young lady hastily rushed out of the restaurant.
Witnessing the mad escape of Austin, the people were not alarmed. Austin had already lost some face. So, there is nothing for him to stay for.
After the remarkable episode, the restaurant had returned to its bustling and gossiping environment. Meanwhile, the people still take a few glances at Zara.
The sky had already darkened while there were fewer people on the street.
Thomas and Zara stood by the restaurant window enjoying the night breeze.
Tomorrow, they will hunt the infamous DEMON SKULL bandits.