"I am hungry," she said, resting her head on Hun Yu's shoulder.
Hun Yu took an apple from his storage ring and handed it to her. She picked it, savoring each bite.
After finishing the apple, she turned her gaze to the beautiful morning sky. "How did you manage to sneak into the Imperial Palace?" she asked. "Are you very strong?"
"No, I'm only at Elementary Rank 1," he replied. "I managed to sneak in because of this special cloak. It hides the presence of anyone inside it."
"Oh," she said, finally understanding why they had encountered no trouble. She had thought it was normal all this time.
Two days passed as Hun Yu continued running with her on his back, stopping occasionally to rest.
When they finally arrived at a cliff, he looked at a small village in the distance. Huang Yi, who had been asleep, woke up and took in the scene.
"This?" she began, her voice filled with curiosity.
"This is the place we will stay for the time being," he said, slowly setting her down.
He turned slowly, the sound of his movement catching her attention. She noticed his gaze, his eyes locked onto her.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, feeling a slight flush of embarrassment warm her cheeks.
She glanced down at her attire, the fine fabric brushing against her skin, a soft rustle accompanying her movements.
"Are you planning to go there in those clothes?" he questioned, his eyes briefly flickering over her extravagant garments.
The scent of wealth and opulence seemed to linger around her.
She examined her attire, her fingers gently tracing the intricate details. Everything appeared flawless to her.
"Do you think the villagers will treat you normally if you show up in such imperial and extravagant clothes?" Hun Yu raised an eyebrow.
She met his gaze, realization dawning upon her. The potential issues became clear. "I suppose you have a point," she said, her voice thoughtful. She glanced around the open forest, the scent of the earth and the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze filling the air.
"What should I do then?" Her eyes focused on him as he retrieved a set of average clothes from his storage, the sound of fabric rustling as he handed them to her.
She held the clothes in her hands, feeling their simplicity and durability. "Change into these," he instructed. She looked around, uncertainty evident in her voice.
"Here?" Her gaze fell upon the nearby bushes, their leaves brushing gently against each other. He nodded, his finger pointing towards them. "You can change there. Don't worry, I'll keep watch."
The assurance in his words calmed her nerves. The scent of the forest surrounded her as she cautiously made her way towards the bushes.
She could hear the soft rustle of fabric as she undressed, the sensation of cool air against her skin.
Meanwhile, Hun Yu kept watch, the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling accompanying his vigilance. Curiosity overwhelmed him, and he couldn't resist taking a quick peek.
Just as he did, Huang Yi emerged from the bushes, now dressed in commoner clothes. "How do I look?" she asked, her voice tinged with nervousness.
This was the first time she had ever worn such simple attire. Hun Yu gazed at her, taking in her appearance.
Even in her original dress, she had been breathtaking, but now, in the commoner dress, she exuded a different kind of beauty.
"You still look as beautiful as before," he said sincerely, his words carrying a gentle warmth. Her face lit up with a radiant smile, her happiness palpable.
"I'm tired, so I won't carry you anymore," he stated, his footsteps echoing softly as he began to walk forward. Huang Yi chuckled softly as she silently followed behind him.
The slight ache from her wound served as a reminder, yet she couldn't help but feel grateful for encountering such a mysterious and kind-hearted man like him.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the village. The villagers noticed them immediately and called for the village chief.
An old man approached them. "Hey, you two young couples don't seem to be from around here," the old man said, his eyes full of curiosity.
"Yes, sir, we are not from around here. We came from the nearest city," Hun Yu replied.
The old man fell into thought. The nearest city was quite a distance from here. "Oh, so why are you here? Is there any help we can provide?"
"Sir, you see..." Hun Yu acted sad. "We used to live in the city, but my brother stole all my money and ran away. My wife and I don't have enough money to afford living in the city, so we came here."
Huang Yi, who was silently standing behind him, blushed when she heard her role as his wife.
"If you could offer us shelter, we will surely pay you back," Hun Yu continued, sensing the old man's kind nature.
"Of course, of course. There is a very old and shabby house on the hilltop. The previous family abandoned it."
"No problem, sir. We just want a shelter to live in," Hun Yu said, slowly taking out a silver coin and handing it to the old man. "We only have this much remaining. I hope you accept it."
The old man looked at the silver coin, and his mood instantly improved. Although he was willing to give the house for free, since they were offering payment, it was even better.
"Alright, I'll take you to your house and then introduce you to the villagers," the old man said with a warm smile as he began guiding them up the hill.
They arrived at the house in just a few minutes. The building was indeed old and weathered, with a slightly dilapidated appearance, but it stood sturdy on the hilltop.
The view from the house was picturesque, overlooking the valley below and the distant village. Despite its condition, it had a certain charm that spoke of simpler times.
The old man led them inside, showing them the main rooms and offering a few practical tips on how to manage the place. Afterward, he promised to introduce them to the villagers tomorrow.
Now only Hun Yu and Huang Yi were inside the house.
Huang Yi looked around with a displeased expression. She had enjoyed luxury since birth, so it would take her some time to adjust to these conditions.
Hun Yu observed the house, noting the dust and spiderwebs everywhere. It would probably take some time to clean it.
Huang Yi, feeling tired from all the walking, still offered, "I can help with cleaning."
Hun Yu walked towards her and could see that she was exhausted. He pulled a nearby chair closer, placed his hands on her shoulders, and gently helped her sit. "Just sit and watch. It won't even take an hour for me."
As Huang Yi settled into the chair, Hun Yu began tidying up the house. He dusted off surfaces, swept the floors, and cleared away the debris. It wasn't long before the house began to look noticeably cleaner and more welcoming.
Within an hour, the house had transformed from its previous state to a much more comfortable and presentable home.
"Finally done," he thought.
He saw a clean bed and picked up Huang Yi.
She felt uneasy about being carried to the bed.
"Wait! We can't do that! We're not married!" she protested.
Hun Yu placed her on the bed and reassured her. "What are you talking about? Just go to sleep. You must be tired, and I'll be back soon."
He left the room. Huang Yi buried her face in the pillow, feeling embarrassed.
She tried to fall asleep, but couldn't stop thinking about Hun Yu, the mysterious masked man bad guy.
Where did he go? Outside, Hun Yu looked at a pop-up window in front of him.
{Congratulations, Host, for completing "Gaining Complete Trust." Rewards are being calculated}
{Rewards:
-Increase in cultivation by 2 ranks
-15,000 Energy Points
-Protection Ring
-Tier 1 Dog Prana Beast Pet (Looks exactly like a normal Husky)
-Healing Pills ×200
}
As the rewards appeared before his eyes, he knew that all the trouble was worth it.
He quickly arrived at a silent place, sat in a meditation form, and asked the system to redeem the cultivation reward. After two titanic golden shockwaves, he opened his eyes.
{Cultivation: Elementary 3 (4500/20,000) (+)}
"Now I need 20k exp for breaking through the next stage," he muttered, looking at the other rewards. "15k energy points are good."
He clicked on the protection ring to see its description.
{Protection Ring
Description: The Protection Ring creates an invisible barrier that shields the wearer from any kind of damage and stops anyone from getting near the wearer.
Appearance: Made of shimmering silver metal, the ring features intricate black-glowing runes and a central gemstone that is red in color.
Note: This item cannot be worn by the host; if it is, it will function just like a normal ring.
}
"Hmm, I can give it to Huang Yi," he thought, realizing this item would be very helpful for her as she was not a cultivator.
"Redeem Tier 1 Dog Prana Beast," he said, and the next second, a furry dog appeared in front of him. "Looks good and cute," he thought.
Lastly, the healing pills would be very helpful. Though his regeneration was quite fast, it took a part of his cultivation, which he didn't want.
He gave the dog a glance and walked back to the house, the dog following him.
When they arrived, he slowly opened the door and entered the house without making a sound.
He looked at the dog and signaled it to go and sit silently in the corner. Surprisingly, the dog seemed to understand him and sat quietly.
He looked at Huang Yi, silently sleeping on the bed. He slowly approached, took off his shoes, and lay down beside her. His hand slowly reached her waist and pulled her into his chest.
Since everything that had happened, it shouldn't be a big deal for him to hug her while they slept, right?