A Land of Wonders: The Night Forbidden Forest

"Really? That's wonderful!"

"Senior, you're such a kindhearted big brother~"

The girl, who had been weeping like pear blossoms drenched in rain, instantly dropped her stammering, mournful tone;

she turned toward Bu Wuchen and showered him with praise!

Her repeated cries of "big brother" made the young bodyguard beside him shudder, goosebumps rising in wave after wave...

"By the way, Senior, may I ask what your current cultivation realm is?"

One of the young men suddenly asked.

Bu Wuchen raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. "Didn't you choose me for your team so I could extract the medicinal spirit essence of the Nine-Fire Ice-Ring Grass?"

"Why are you suddenly concerned about my cultivation realm now?"

"That's because the destination for this mission is rather unusual."

The young man replied respectfully, "Any cultivator at the Qi Control Realm or above will be blocked by a strange energy barrier and won't be able to enter the mission site at all."

"What I mean is, Senior, if your cultivation has already broken through to the Qi Control State..."

"Then while we still have a little time, we need to hurry and find someone else to help!"

"So that's it."

Bu Wuchen suspected nothing. "Then you can rest easy, because my cultivation has only reached the Qi Observation Realm Seventh Layer."

"To think there's such a wondrous place outside Blood Dragon City!"

"Whoosh~"

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze brushed past everyone's ears.

In the blink of an eye, a lovely figure dressed in tight leather appeared before them.

With that scorching-hot figure wrapped in her signature black-and-red leather, in stark contrast to her aloof demeanor, who else could the woman be but the young bodyguard?

Only after recognizing her did Bu Wuchen breathe a sigh of relief. "Whew~ Thank goodness you're on my side, Miss."

"Otherwise, just the thought of having such an elusive, formidable enemy would probably keep me from sleeping!"

The aloof female bodyguard merely gave Bu Wuchen a cool glance before speaking. "That place is called the Night Forbidden Forest."

"Once night falls, no human cultivator who enters can come out alive;"

"only during the daytime can cultivators below the Qi Control Realm set foot inside."

The four nodded in unison. "This heroine is quite right. Our mission destination is indeed the Night Forbidden Forest."

The young bodyguard did not so much as glance at them as she said coldly, "As far as I know, Nine-Fire Ice-Ring Grass is a plant unique to the Night Forbidden Forest, and it's extremely rare."

"What's more, the Night Forbidden Forest is an exceptionally deadly place;"

"adventurers willing to brave enormous risks to enter the Night Forbidden Forest, find Nine-Fire Ice-Ring Grass, and ultimately succeed in bringing it back are pitifully few!"

"For that very reason, no one has yet figured out exactly what effects Nine-Fire Ice-Ring Grass possesses."

"So I'm very curious: why would someone suddenly pay the enormous sum of five high-grade, upper-quality mystic crystals in advance just to obtain the medicinal spirit of a stalk of Nine-Fire Ice-Ring Grass?"

"Aren't they afraid their advance payment will end up buried in the Night Forbidden Forest along with the people taking the mission?"

At these words, all four felt their hearts tighten.

They steeled themselves and said, "How could we possibly guess what our patron is thinking?"

"Exactly. As the saying goes, riches and honor are sought amid danger."

"Since they're offering a price I can't refuse, why shouldn't I risk everything and take a gamble?"

Bu Wuchen nodded. "All right, let's go!"

I've already got all eight mystic crystals anyway. If I really run into danger, I can just activate the [Crystal-Devouring Spirit-Transforming Token] and refine them. That should raise my cultivation by two or three layers, shouldn't it?

With the earth-tier movement technique [Instant Shadow-Piercing Steps] and the heaven-tier mystic technique [One Finger to the Yellow Springs Road], he figured protecting himself should be no problem.

Bu Wuchen went outside the courtyard and swung himself onto the swift horse the four had prepared beforehand, only to suddenly feel something warm and soft against his back.

Then a fair hand reached around his waist and seized the reins.

Immediately afterward, an icy voice sounded in his ear. "Let go. I'll do it."

"Huh? Miss Bodyguard?"

"What are you..."

The person who had suddenly leaped up to share Bu Wuchen's horse was none other than the leather-clad girl.

While Bu Wuchen was still utterly bewildered, her emotionless voice sounded beside his ear again. "My cultivation may prevent me from accompanying you into the Night Forbidden Forest;"

"but it's more than sufficient to keep you safe along the way."

"Uh..."

"Uh, what? Don't look at me like that. I've been entrusted with a task, and naturally I'll see it through faithfully."

"All right, thanks."

"Neigh~~"

Just then, the horse raised its neck and lifted its legs;

Bu Wuchen, who had just released the reins and had yet to grab the saddle, was sent leaning backward by the horse's movement.

Immediately, he felt warmth, softness, and comforting fragrance against his back!

That sensation lasted only an instant before they separated, and the young bodyguard said sharply, "You're sitting too far back. Move forward!"

"Oh, right, okay..."

At that moment, faint blushes unwittingly surfaced on the young bodyguard's usually frosty face.

Unfortunately, Bu Wuchen, seated in front, had no chance to admire this rare and breathtaking sight.

How strange. Why would I...

The young bodyguard was startled by her own uncharacteristic behavior.

In the past, no matter how pressed for time she was, she would certainly have found another horse. How could she ever have shared a mount with a man?

And if someone bumped into... there, even unintentionally, she would at least have taught him a lesson!

Yet now, she simply could not muster any desire to teach him a lesson...

Hmph, it's all that Demoness's fault!

If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have had to lower myself to working as a bodyguard!

The leather-clad woman thought indignantly.

She could never have imagined that her "special treatment" of Bu Wuchen was because he had awakened a permanent passive attribute: Spirit of First Impressions.

The instant any member of the opposite sex saw Bu Wuchen, their favorable impression of him would silently soar!

The poor girl in green gauze had no idea she had inexplicably been made to carry the black pot of blame...

Just then, Bu Wuchen spoke. "Well, how about we switch places so I don't accidentally bump into you again?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake-

If they switched places, wouldn't that icy beauty end up right in his arms?

Wouldn't that be even... even more taking advantage of her?

"Enough nonsense!"

The young bodyguard huffed irritably and abruptly squeezed the horse's flanks-

"Hyah!"

"Neigh~"

With a long whinny, the fine horse broke into a gallop.

"Hey, Senior, wait for us!"

"Hyah, hyah..."