Yao Rao Was Truly Bewitching

Downstream of Blood River, the undead gathered far less densely than upstream. Only a few dozen were scattered here and there.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept past, carrying waves of refreshing fragrance.

Outside, this breeze would have been perfectly ordinary. But appearing in the Undead Mountain Range, where deathly and resentful energy filled the air, it seemed far too bizarre.

Sure enough, when the breeze neared the riverbank, it abruptly transformed into countless azure wind blades. One undead creature after another was instantly sliced into pieces.

A graceful figure emerged from the jungle not far away.

She was a bewitching woman. Her exquisite features were set in an unparalleled face, while her eyes shimmered with alluring ripples, brimming with a soul-captivating charm. Her irises were a rare shade of blue.

Generally speaking, blue was a cool color, hardly capable of making anyone feel warm. Yet this particular shade of blue strangely radiated astonishing allure. It was truly a miracle.

The woman wore an apparently ordinary azure mage robe. Even the robe's loose cut could not conceal the magnificent fullness of her chest.

The robe reached her knees, leaving all the skin below them exposed. Her milky-white skin and rounded calves made anyone who looked at them want to hold them and take a bite.

She held a staff in her hand. Five magic cores were set into its tip, with the one in the very center as large as a baby's fist, radiating a hazy azure glow.

The woman walked to the Blood River, completely ignoring several Undead Beads that had rolled onto the ground. She waved her staff and murmured a spell. In an instant, a violent tornado formed, sending the surging waters of Blood River soaring into the sky.

Skeletons, various unknown creatures from Blood River, priceless gems and jade, and all manner of other things spun within the tornado.

The woman's sleeves fluttered, and her chestnut hair flew wildly in disarray, yet she stood as immovable as a mountain, her gaze seemingly searching for something.

After a long while, the woman let out a soft sigh, and a faint disappointment surfaced in her eyes.

Just as the woman was about to withdraw her magic, her gaze suddenly shifted. With a gentle tug of her staff, she pulled a disheveled figure out of the tornado with tremendous force.

"Ow... Miss, hurry and help me get this damn ugly fish off!" The moment the figure hit the ground, he shouted loudly. A strange fish nearly as long as he was had its mouthful of sharp teeth clamped down, trying to crush his head, while an iron sword in his hands braced its jaws apart. Otherwise, he would probably have already become food in the fish's belly.

The woman froze for a moment, clearly not expecting such a scene. Then she couldn't hold back her laughter and giggled, her voice as sweet and melodious as silver bells. She pointed a finger, and a wind arrow pierced through the strange fish's head in an instant.

Qi Bei kicked the strange fish away, sat up, and panted, "Thank you for saving me, Miss... Uh, you're really beautiful!"

"Is that so?" the woman laughed, stroking the hair that fell over her chest.

"Of course. My name is Qi Bei. May I ask your name?" Qi Bei nodded, though his left hand quietly reached behind his back and clenched into a fist.

"Yao Rao." The woman regarded Qi Bei with interest, though she was inwardly startled. She discovered that although the young man was utterly dazzled by her beauty, he had not been bewitched by the allure surrounding her. His eyes remained clear.

"Yao Rao? Ha, your name really suits you. Your magic is incredible, too. That tornado just now was an Advanced spell, right? You must be an Advanced Mage." Qi Bei smiled, but the fist behind his back clenched tighter and tighter.

"Heehee, you have a good eye." Yao Rao giggled coquettishly. This dignified Earth Grade Mage had actually been mistaken for an Advanced Mage by this boy.

Mages were a noble profession. Among ten thousand people, it was rare to find even one with magical talent. And even among those who possessed magical talent, there were differences in aptitude. Many mages remained merely Novice Mages for their entire lives.

The ranks of mages were Novice Mage, Beginner Mage, Intermediate Mage, Advanced Mage, King Grade Mage, Earth Grade Mage, Heaven Grade mage, and Saint Mage.

The warrior ranks, representing the common folk, were Novice Warrior, Beginner Warrior, Intermediate Warrior, Advanced Warrior, King Grade Warrior, Earth Grade warrior, Heaven Grade warrior, and Saint warrior.

"Yao Rao, do you have anything to eat?" Qi Bei gazed at Yao Rao longingly. He had spent eight whole months living through fire and water, and was practically worse off than a wild man.

Yao Rao smiled. A glimmer of light flashed at her fingertip, and several delicious pastries appeared before Qi Bei.

Qi Bei's eyes gleamed green. He grabbed one in each hand and began wolfing them down.

Yao Rao watched Qi Bei with a smile at the corners of her lips. He was truly a strange young man. Judging from the deathly, fierce aura covering him, he seemed to have spent quite a long time in the Undead Mountain Range, yet there was not the slightest fluctuation of magic or battle qi from his body. Moreover, his smile was clean, proving that his state of mind had not been affected at all.

Besides, it had been a long time since anyone had called her by her name so naturally. In fact, no one dared to.

Very soon, Qi Bei swept away the pastries—which would have been enough to last her three days—and stuffed every last one into his stomach.

"Refreshing! So this is how happy it is to have a proper, hearty meal." Qi Bei patted his stomach and laughed.

Yao Rao stepped forward and took out a silk handkerchief, gently wiping the crumbs from the corner of his mouth.

Qi Bei raised his head in astonishment and met Yao Rao's soft, alluring blue eyes. His heart seemed to suddenly fall into a mass of cotton, floating softly and weightlessly.

"Are you really called Qi Bei?" Yao Rao asked gently.

"Of course. My name is Qi Bei Nord." Qi Bei's gaze was somewhat unfocused, and he answered unconsciously.

Qi Bei Nord? Yao Rao glanced at the ancient, unadorned ring in Qi Bei's hand. So this fellow was a direct descendant of the Nord Family of the Golden Leaf Dynasty.

"Why did you appear in the Undead Mountain Range?" Yao Rao continued asking.

"I was held hostage by an undead mage. He died, so I could only survive on my own."

"Are you a mage or a warrior?"

"Uh... neither. I'm a martial artist."

A martial artist? Yao Rao froze. How had she never heard of one?

"What do martial artists cultivate?"

"Martial Arts, of course."

Yao Rao grew even more bewildered. If she had not been confident in her mental magic, she would have thought this boy was playing tricks on her.

"How do you cultivate?"

"Look at my hand." Qi Bei spread open his left palm.

Yao Rao looked over. Qi Bei's palm was completely empty. However, she had already noticed him hiding his left hand behind his back several times earlier.

"There's nothing there."

"Touch it, and you'll know."

Yao Rao hesitated for a moment before gently reaching out with her small hand.

Qi Bei's left hand suddenly closed, clasping Yao Rao's little hand. Her hand was as soft and tender as water, so delicate that it seemed it might melt at the slightest touch.

"You really touched it." Qi Bei's previously bewildered eyes instantly became clear. He grinned at Yao Rao.

"You..." Yao Rao was startled. Azure light flashed across her body, and she directly blasted Qi Bei flying.

Yet she failed to notice that, at the instant Qi Bei clasped her hand, golden light had flashed across his palm—and her middle finger had inexplicably gone numb.