"I said, don't touch me!" Xie Jianyu flared up almost immediately.
"Shut up," Zhang Fengxi snapped. He did not have much patience to spare at the moment. "You take too much time just to crawl toward the centipede. At this rate, it will wake up and kill us first."
Xie Jianyu clawed into Zhang Fengxi's arm, but the latter still refused to release him.
Afterward, Xie Jianyu did not struggle to free himself. Maybe he was out of energy.
Zhang Fengxi helped Xie Jianyu move toward the centipede spirit's carcass.
One stab at the center of the centipede's tubular heart was necessary to kill it. Blue liquid that resembled blood spurted out and drenched their robes.
Zhang Fengxi wrinkled his face in disgust.
Xie Jianyu worked quickly and efficiently.
He dug inside the centipede's carcass and then handed the bloody pearl-like object to Zhang Fengxi.
"Take it."
"... Thanks."
It fit just right in Zhang Fengxi's palm. The young alpha felt a little guilty.
Xie Jianyu knew about the spiritual core, and he was also the one who dug it out using his sword. But the one who reaped the core was Zhang Fengxi.
Groaning, Xie Jianyu went to sit on the ground.
Right. It was not the time to talk about achievements and rewards. They had to get out of this hole first.
Zhang Fengxi slipped the spiritual core into his chest pocket. He then squatted on the ground in front of Xie Jianyu, his back facing the crown prince.
"... What are you doing?" Xie Jianyu asked with a frown between his brows.
Zhang Fengxi turned his head and stared at Xie Jianyu incredulously.
"Climb on my back, I will take us out of here."
"No need," Xie Jianyu replied. "You go alone. I will wait here until help arrives."
"..."
Zhang Fengxi was rendered speechless.
Did the Crown Prince hit his head when he fell from the height?
Did he think that this was the Fuxi Palace? Was he waiting for his retainers to come down with a carriage to take him back to his bedroom?
"Xie Jianyu, don't cause any fuss. Quickly climb on my back."
"I said, NO!"
Xie Jianyu then moved away from Zhang Fengxi, groaning like a wounded animal all the way.
"..."
Zhang Fengxi could literally hear the thread of patience snap in his head.
Cracking his fingers in a menacing way, he approached the crown prince.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty," he said with a scary grin on his face. "I shall accept the punishment later."
Xie Jianyu stepped backward, his eyes shook from distress.
"What are you trying to do?" he demanded to know.
Zhang Fengxi did not bother to answer. He marched toward Xie Jianyu with strong determination. If he did not carry Xie Jianyu out of this god-forsaken place today, then he was a dog!
Zhang Fengxi grabbed both sides of Xie Jianyu's waist, lifted him easily off the ground as if he weighed nothing, and threw him across his shoulder. Xie Jianyu was so shocked that he did not react in time. By the time he found his voice again, he was already being hauled away by Zhang Fengxi.
"Put me down!" he shrieked. "Now!!!"
"Oh, shut up!!!" Zhang Fengxi gave Xie Jianyu a smack across his rear side.
"..."
Xie Jianyu's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
"How dare you hit me!" he howled as soon as he regained his composure.
"Shut up for a moment," Zhang Fengxi growled.
He started fumbling around the rocky wall for any tread he could use to climb up. With Xie Jianyu across his shoulder, both of his hands were free.
Zhang Fengxi was optimistic that they could make it out there.
His optimism quickly evaporated into thin air when he was unable to find a way to climb up. There was nothing firm enough to step on.
"AAARGHHHHHH!!!"
The two young men fell unceremoniously on the ground after Zhang Fengxi forced himself to step on a loose tread. It sent him sliding down the surface, and then falling on his backside.
Xie Jianyu was thankfully not harmed in the process. Rolling to the side and lying next to Zhang Fengxi, the Crown Prince furrowed his brows when he felt a pull at his injured leg.
"Give it up," he said. "Leave me here. You can climb out of here on your own. Just send help afterward."Zhang Fengxi scoffed.
"I can't do that, sorry."
Zhang Fengxi stole a glance at Xie Jianyu's leg. The bleeding had worsened. Xie Jianyu lost a lot of blood. His usually red lips were now ghastly white. Even his face looked somewhat bluish.
Time was essential here.
He needed to find a way to get them out of there soon.