Kent's determination and confidence left Fan Qingmei momentarily stunned.
"Senior, I promise, we won't be in any danger," Kent said with solemnity.
Though the Fire Realm ranked in the top fifty most dangerous of all discovered alternate dimensions in the world, it was still an extremely perilous place, with only the most powerful mercenaries daring to enter, and even then, not without caution.
However, Kent wasn't going there to hunt native beasts. He was simply going to stealthily collect a Fire Dragon Blood Flower, which wasn't too difficult for him. With Bajie by his side, going anywhere was a breeze. Bajie was the perfect companion for this kind of stealth mission.
"Fine, I'll trust you this time, but when we get there, you must listen to me and not act recklessly," Fan Qingmei said, her voice tinged with concern. She had spent years surviving in the wild, while Kent was still inexperienced.
Kent nodded in agreement. "No problem."
"Alright, then let's go. Our destination is the Fire Realm."
Not long after, Garfield, the Cat King, carried Kent, while Fan Qingmei rode on the white horse named Xiao Bai. They headed west, as the Fire Realm was located in the area around Xi'an, which wasn't closer than traveling to the Taiyin Mountains.
Both Garfield and Xiao Bai were incredibly fast, and within a little over an hour, they had covered more than three hundred miles, easily crossing over mountains and rivers.
However, Garfield, despite being fast, was still a cat and not a proper mount. His endurance was starting to wane, and though he was initially light on his feet, his pace began to slow.
"Kent, put Garfield away and ride with me on Xiao Bai," Fan Qingmei suggested.
"That doesn't seem right..." Kent hesitated. He was reluctant because, for convenience and speed, Xiao Bai had already transformed into a regular-sized horse, and he wasn't sure about sitting too close to Fan Qingmei.
"I see your point," Fan Qingmei replied, then absent-mindedly adjusted her hair. "But don't you have a campus beauty already? She's much prettier than I am. I'm sure you can control yourself and not let your thoughts wander, right?"
Kent quickly shook his head. "It's not what you think. We're not like you imagine. We live together, but she sleeps in the bedroom while I sleep in the living room. We're very pure."
"What? How is that even possible?" Fan Qingmei was incredulous. "You've been together for so long and even show off your relationship in front of others! How could it still be so innocent? Kent, don't tell me... you can't, uh, you know..."
Kent flushed bright red and hurried to explain, "No way! I... I'm perfectly fine! We just focus on training because we're still young."
"Alright, I was just joking," Fan Qingmei said with a teasing grin. "Whether or not you're capable is none of my business, is it?"
Fan Qingmei seemed to be a bit of an ice queen, but once you got to know her, she was far more open and wild than her image suggested.
"Well, since you haven't made a move on the campus beauty, I guess I have no chance of catching your interest. Anyway, get on, Xiao Bai runs fast. We could cover three thousand miles a day, and if we start now, we'll reach the Fire Realm today."
"Alright." Kent figured that Fan Qingmei had a point, and since she had openly said it, there was no reason for him to hesitate further.
He stored Garfield away in his beast bracelet and gracefully jumped onto Xiao Bai behind Fan Qingmei. The two were now very close. There was no saddle on Xiao Bai's back, just a blanket, which made it comfortable to ride, and they wouldn't get covered in horse hair.
"Giddy up," Fan Qingmei urged, and Xiao Bai took off at lightning speed. However, the ride was a bit bumpy, especially for someone like Kent, who was riding a horse for the first time.
Without any handholds to steady himself, Kent was soon thrown off balance by the jolting motion. He nearly fell off, but Fan Qingmei quickly grabbed him.
"Is this your first time riding a horse?" she asked, noticing his instability.
"Yeah, I've never ridden before," Kent admitted awkwardly.
"Alright," Fan Qingmei said, her tone softening. "Just hold onto me tightly, and you'll be fine."
Kent obeyed and placed his arms around her waist, feeling the warmth of her body. His fingers trembled slightly as they brushed against her stomach.
"Hold on tighter."
"Kent, sit up straight," Fan Qingmei took a deep breath and mentally communicated with Xiao Bai, urging the horse to run even faster.
As Xiao Bai sped up, the ride became even bumpier. Kent instinctively clung to Fan Qingmei more tightly.
For a while, they both fell into a quiet, wordless ride.
After about two hours, Kent had started to get used to the jolting motion and felt more confident.
"Senior, let me sit in front," Kent said, unable to resist brushing a few strands of her wind-blown hair. His fingers accidentally brushed her face as he spoke, his voice lingering near her ear with a slight warmth.
"Mm, I'll listen to you," Fan Qingmei replied, her body relaxing as she moved to sit behind Kent.
Kent felt the cold wind cutting through him as they raced ahead, but when he looked back, he noticed Fan Qingmei hadn't worn a helmet. Her delicate face had turned red from the wind, and her nose was flushed. He felt a twinge of sympathy.
"Senior, hold on tight. I can block the wind for you," Kent said earnestly.
Fan Qingmei immediately clutched him tighter, pressing her face against his back. She felt a rush of sweetness in her heart, thinking, This feels so intimate, like I'm his girlfriend.
Then, just as quickly, she reminded herself that Kent was already in a relationship with someone else. She couldn't possibly be with him.
Her thoughts became tangled, and the rest of the journey was spent in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, her mind a battleground of two opposing voices.
Kent, on the other hand, was trying to keep his focus, but the warmth and scent of Fan Qingmei's body, so close to him, made it hard to think straight. The cold wind only made his body grow hotter, his internal energy surging as he fought to maintain control.