"Just kidding—if I really wanted to make a move, I wouldn't have waited until now."
"What a shame. I was just wondering if I should resist a little… or just let you do whatever you want."
Asharuiya spoke in an incredibly seductive tone.
Her two attendants froze in utter shock.
Zhou Haoyu only chuckled. A woman like Asharuiya couldn't be trusted for a second—whatever came out of her mouth was never simple. She might look wanton on the surface, but if you actually lost control… that was when you'd find out she was already reeling you in like a fish on a hook.
CRACK————!!!
Just as they finished bantering, a pale bolt of lightning tore through the pitch-black sky. For a moment the entire world was illuminated—then everything sank back into the darkness of a sealed casket.
Thunder rumbled, followed by heavy, coin-sized raindrops.
"Damn! Rain, at a time like this?!" the short guide spat, swearing nonstop.
The downpour quickly turned the road into a muddy mess.
Without a change in expression, Zhou Haoyu raised a spatial barrier over his head to block the rain.
"You even know Space magic?" Asharuiya naturally slipped in beside him so that she too was shielded.
Zhou Haoyu glanced sideways—the tight silk garments clinging to her wet figure made her even more enticing.
"Hmph… Just a little," he said calmly.
Asha'ruiya rolled her eyes. So fluent with Space magic… and you call that 'just a little'?
Suddenly Zhou Haoyu frowned. Through his psychic perception, he sensed a Corpse General rapidly moving toward them.
"There's a Corpse General heading our way," he informed the group.
"Corpse General?!" attendant Ali blurted out, face paling. Running into something like that in this storm—definitely bad news.
"You'll keep me safe… right?"
Asha'ruiya clung lightly to Zhou Haoyu's sleeve, her big eyes looking up pitifully.
Zhou Haoyu rubbed his temples helplessly. Was this woman really a Saintess? She seemed more like a succubus—and not even a charitable one.
Without answering, Zhou Haoyu simply flicked his will: a silvery little sword shot out through the curtain of rain.
The speed was so fast that even Asharuiya hadn't reacted.
"What was that just now?" she asked.
"Do you really think I'd tell you?" Zhou Haoyu replied.
Asharuiya was momentarily stunned—the first time she'd been ignored like that and then shot him a mock glare. "Stingy."
Zhou Haoyu shrugged and told the short guide, "Find a place to take cover—traveling in this rain is pointless."
"But… the Corpse General—" the guide started.
"I already dealt with it," Zhou Haoyu interrupted.
"W-What?!"
Everyone stared at him in disbelief. That was a Corpse General… and it's already dealt with?!
"Yeah right—maybe it was never there to begin with and you made it up," attendant Ali scoffed.
"You're free to think that," Zhou Haoyu shrugged, clearly not intending to explain.
Others might still doubt, but the short guide believed him completely. After all, he had seen Zhou Haoyu wipe out Corpse Generals in the wilderness in a single strike.
Not wasting time, the guide found a spacious cave for them to shelter in.
Once inside, Mo Fan and attendant Asin both conjured small flames for light.
Zhou Haoyu was even more direct—he called forth Little Flame Empress.
The moment she appeared, the cave lit up brilliantly. The damp chill on everyone turned to warm dry comfort.
Mo Fan's jaw dropped the moment he saw her.
He had traveled all the way to the Burning Plains just to find her… and now Zhou Haoyu had actually brought her back?!
The injustice was real—he couldn't even argue; Zhou Haoyu had found her fair and square.
"...Is that your contracted beast?" Asharuiya asked curiously.
Asharuiya very naturally took a seat beside Zhou Haoyu, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity.
Zhou Haoyu ignored her and closed his eyes directly, entering a state of deep meditation.
Seeing his attitude, Asharuiya let out a rather disgruntled huff.
"Tsk tsk, having great talent is so nice—even gorgeous women throw themselves at you." The short guide sighed with envy.
Hearing that, the attendant Ali scowled unhappily. "Say one more word and I'll toss you out to feed the undead."
Both attendants were greatly unsettled. He was just a High-Tier Mage—was he really worth their Saintess treating him so specially?
The heavy rain lasted three full days. Only once the sky finally cleared did the group resume their journey.
Upon reaching Hua Village, they found it ravaged just like Yangyang Village—ruined houses, blood everywhere.
Soon after, the short man discovered villagers hiding down inside the well.
Over a hundred people climbed out, and the last of them turned out to be Zhang Xiaohou, whom Mo Fan had been desperately searching for.
Zhou Haoyu didn't get involved in their emotional reunion. Although he knew Zhang Xiaohou, they couldn't even be called friends—interrupting now would only be awkward.
At that moment, Asharuiya was already preparing to leave with her two attendants.
"Saintess, isn't it a bit rude to walk off without saying goodbye?" Zhou Haoyu called out.
Hearing that, Asharuiya looked back at him. "When did you notice it?"
"When I mentioned being Pang Lai's disciple, you didn't react at all—clearly you're someone accustomed to dealing with big figures," Zhou Haoyu said calmly. "Among young female mages aside from royal princesses, that only leaves the Parthenon Temple's Saintess."
Asharuiya's gaze shimmered slightly in surprise, then she smiled. "I happen to be short of a Guardian Knight by my side. Would you be interested?"
The two attendants hurriedly cried out, "Your Highness, he's just an outsider—"
But Asharuiya only glanced at them once, and they shut up immediately.
"What's the benefit of becoming your Guardian Knight?" Zhou Haoyu asked.
"I'll let you do whatever you want with me. How about that?" she said with a mischievous glint.
Zhou Haoyu raised his eyebrows. Was she being serious?
If he could really do anything he wanted to a Saintess, that would indeed be very satisfying…
But Zhou Haoyu had never intended to submit to anyone—not even a Saintess.
Not even a Goddess!
"Rather than being a Guardian Knight, I'm more interested in becoming your prince consort."
Asharuiya giggled. "Well then—you'd better work hard."
...
For Advance Chapters
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