-Alice!
Paul shouted, recognizing the woman he had missed for almost two years.
He never expected to meet her so soon, much less in these ruins.
Alice turned to the person calling her, a bit confused.
The voice sounded familiar, but the person who was rushing in her direction looked nothing like the person she remembered.
-Are you…
Paul!
She finally recognized him.
-What, no young master?
Paul asked with a teasing smile.
Before he knew it, she rushed to him and hugged him tightly.
Then she took a step back and…
SMACK.
She slapped him and started to scold him with tears in her eyes.
-You bastard, how could you do this to me?
Do you know how worried I was?
What were you even thinking?
She yelled at the surprised man.
Paul expected a hug and maybe even some tears, but that slap surprised him, and he was not the only one, as both groups were just standing there, not understanding what was going on.
-I had my reasons…
Paul started to defend himself, but was immediately cut off.
-I know already, and you didn't even warn me.
She shouted even more angrily.
-Would you have even believed me at that time?
He asked, shutting her up in an instant.
-I might have if you even bothered to explain it all to me.
She said stubbornly, but the anger in her voice lessened a lot.
Alice knew that she would never believe him even if he explained.
-Moreover, how were you intending to protect me if you were gone?
She asked, still angry.
-The plan was to deal with my so-called family, way before anything happened.
Who could have known that before I was strong enough and came to the capital, you were already long gone?
Paul explained.
They went back and forth for a few more minutes before they calmed down, and Alice stopped being angry at Paul.
Then they decided to pitch early camp so that the two of them could catch up, and both their groups agreed after some explanations.
Paul was stunned after he heard Alice's story, and even more so when she told him she knew everything about his adventures, thanks to her master.
As it turned out, she was also a reincarnation, and her past self was the founder of the Mystic Phoenix sect, and she was immediately taken in as a personal disciple of the sect master upon her arrival.
What's more, it was her master who explained everything to her after using a technique that allowed her to see into the other timelines as well as the past of her present timeline.
-Alright, that explains a lot.
But what are you doing here?
Paul asked, as it made little sense for her to enter the misty ruins.
-My master sent my sisters and me to gain more experience and to try and find two rare items that are said to appear in this place.
These items are needed to awaken my reincarnation soul, and I also want to find an item to help my master since she damaged her soul, to get the answers for me.
She explained.
-Which items do you need?
Paul asked.
I need a mana carrot and two doses of the soul-restoring dew.
As soon as she finished speaking, Paul grinned and took out the items from his spatial space.
-Then you don't need to look anymore.
He said, handing over the items to her, and enjoying her shocked expression.
-How did you get these?
Alice asked a few seconds later, barely believing that the young man she had to take care of, less than two years ago, could casually give her such rare treasures, like they were candy.
-And here I thought you knew everything.
Paul teased, earning himself a glare.
-Let's just say that I was lucky, and don't you dare to reject these gifts; I still owe you for taking care of me in the past.
He said, cutting her off, as this was exactly what she was about to do.
-Alright, I won't.
She finally accepted the items and smiled.
Truth be told, she only heard that these things could be found in the misty ruins, but after days of searching and finding many other treasures, she was starting to lose hope of finding even one of the items she was looking for.
-Now, since my search is finished, thanks to you, why don't we travel together for a while?
Alice suggested.
-I see no problem with that, but it's not my decision to make; I'm only a healer in the princess's team.
Paul explained.
-Then let's go ask her.
Alice smiled and got up to approach the rest of their teams, who were sitting and chatting a few meters away, to give the two of them some privacy.
The eight sisters, who were more like Alice's bodyguards, were shocked to hear that she got the items they were looking for from Paul, and when she asked their opinion about traveling together with Paul and his teammates, they agreed without a problem.
Since their task was completed and they had time on their hands, they didn't see a reason not to let Alice spend more time with her friend.
It also didn't hurt that he was a young, handsome man, a healer and a dual cultivator to boot.
They learned all of this by chatting with the princess and the rest of the ladies.
Additionally, they wanted to see if any of them could seduce him, since even if their sect was all female, the rules never forbade any of them from having a man outside the sect, or simply looking for some fun with whoever they wished, and they all heard a lot about the dual cultivators and what they could do in bed.
As for Ling li and the rest of the ladies, they were more than happy to travel the misty ruins with the other group, especially if it meant that Paul would be happy about it.