Night fell, and the forest was alive with eerie sounds. The howls of wolves, the roars of tigers, the growls of jackals, and the snarls of leopards echoed through the darkness, creating an atmosphere of dread. But what was truly unsettling wasn't just the wild animals—it was the eerie cries of babies, the whispers of beautiful women, and the screams of men.
"Changqing, I think I heard a baby crying. Should we go check it out?" Nalan Yanran, unable to sleep, crawled out of her tent. She glanced at Gu Changqing, who was lying on a makeshift bed outside her tent, keeping watch.
"How about I tell you a story first?" Gu Changqing responded, sitting up. "There's an old tale about a girl who once got lost in the forest..."
He proceeded to tell her a chilling story about a demon that mimicked the cries of a baby to lure in passersby. Once someone approached, it would devour them alive. First, it imitated the cries of a young girl to trap more travelers, then consumed them all, one by one.
By the time the story was over, Nalan Yanran was covered in goosebumps, too frightened to sleep. Even her need to relieve herself had become urgent, but she was too terrified to go alone.
"Changqing, I... I..." Nalan Yanran clutched his arm, her voice trembling as she glanced nervously around. She struggled to say what was on her mind.
"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Gu Changqing asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
"No! I mean... no," she stammered, her face flushed red with embarrassment. She couldn't hold it any longer and whispered, "I need to... go. Can you come with me?"
Her face was so red that she didn't dare to look at him. If only he hadn't scared her with that ridiculous ghost story! Now, her need was urgent, and her legs were anxiously shifting back and forth.
"Want me to carry you?" Gu Changqing teased, unable to resist.
"Yes! No, wait—no! I just need you to come with me, stop teasing me!" Nalan Yanran snapped, pinching his arm in frustration. This rascal was still joking around when she was on the verge of wetting herself! Grabbing his hand, she yanked him to his feet and dragged him towards the nearby woods.
"Wait for me!" A soft voice called from behind. Xiao Yi Xian, dressed in her white robes and looking as graceful as ever, hurriedly followed, lifting the hem of her dress as she ran.
She had been listening to Gu Changqing's story from her own tent and now found herself in the same situation as Nalan Yanran—too scared to go alone. So, she joined them, seeking safety in numbers.
The three of them made their way into the woods, where Gu Changqing stood guard, keeping watch while the girls took care of business. Soon, the sound of two distinct streams of water filled the forest.
Gu Changqing's face twitched with amusement. Clearly, both Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yi Xian had been in a rush.
One was a steady stream, the other a more delicate trickle.
In the dark, both girls blushed deeply, mortified by the loud sounds they were making. Not only had Gu Changqing undoubtedly heard them, but they could hear each other as well. It was beyond embarrassing.
Just when they thought the awkwardness couldn't get any worse, Gu Changqing himself started to relieve himself, the sound of his own stream breaking the silence.
Now, the embarrassment wasn't so one-sided. The two girls felt a bit less awkward and hurriedly finished, quickly tidying themselves up before emerging from the trees, acting as if nothing had happened.
As they prepared to return to their camp, Gu Changqing suddenly stopped them.
"Hey, how about treasure hunting? I've heard there's a senior's cave nearby—there might even be a Dou Wang's inheritance hidden there," he suggested, his tone full of temptation.
"Where is it?" Nalan Yanran's eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
"You're not tricking us, are you?" Xiao Yi Xian asked skeptically.
She hadn't yet discovered the cave at this point, as it was still more than a year before Xiao Yan's journey of exploration. However, based on the area's terrain and details Xiao Yi Xian had shared, Gu Changqing suspected that the cave must be close.
Even if it wasn't, he figured they could always come back later. With his current strength and skills, protecting both girls in the outskirts of the Magic Beast Mountain Range was well within his capabilities.
"If you don't believe me, I'll just take Yanran. It's one less burden to carry," Gu Changqing said, shrugging nonchalantly.
"You?" Xiao Yi Xian eyed him with doubt. "Your strength doesn't seem to be much higher than Yanran's. Are you sure you can handle it?"
She doubted his bold claim, especially since neither of them were particularly strong. Venturing into the forest at night was dangerous enough—going on a treasure hunt seemed reckless.
"Well, are you coming or not? If not, Yanran and I are going," he replied, grabbing Nalan Yanran's hand and pulling her along as if he were really ready to leave without Xiao Yi Xian.
Nalan Yanran didn't resist, only blushing slightly as she gave him a sideways glance. This rascal was becoming quite comfortable holding her hand.
"Yanran, are you really going to trust him and go treasure hunting at night? Isn't it too dangerous?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, her gaze sweeping the dark forest around them. Despite the moonlight filtering through the dense trees, shadows clung to every corner, making the area feel ominous.
"I trust him," Nalan Yanran replied softly, her eyes lingering on Gu Changqing for a moment.
She didn't know exactly when it had started, but as long as he was with her, she didn't feel scared. Even now, with the prospect of treasure hunting in the middle of the night, she felt no fear.
"If you're not coming, head back to camp. But don't stay out here too long," Gu Changqing said with a wave, still holding onto Nalan Yanran's hand as they moved deeper into the woods.
Xiao Yi Xian hesitated for a moment before stomping her foot in frustration. Reluctantly, she followed them. "Wait for me! I'm coming with you."
She wasn't particularly interested in any Dou Wang inheritance—she'd been in this area many times collecting herbs and had never seen any sign of treasure. Still, she worried about Gu Changqing and Nalan Yanran venturing into the forest alone. At the very least, she knew how to handle poisons, which might come in handy if they ran into trouble.
And so, Gu Changqing successfully coaxed Xiao Yi Xian into following along.
Once they were deeper in the forest, Gu Changqing grew impatient with their slow pace. Wrapping an arm around each of their waists, he lifted them effortlessly and dashed through the woods at high speed.
It was only then that Xiao Yi Xian realized Gu Changqing's strength wasn't as simple as it appeared. Even Nalan Yanran was surprised, marveling at how easily he moved while carrying both of them, weaving effortlessly through the dense forest.