Chapter 26

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Wen Shia called out from behind, "Where are you going in such a dangerous place? It will be very difficult for you to make it through this." Xiang replied, "I can handle it on my own. Thank you for your help, but it would have been better if you hadn't intervened."

Wen Shia's face flushed with anger at her words. "Fine," he snapped, "If that's how you feel, I'll leave. You two can handle it yourself."

He turned to walk away, but then, in a quieter tone, he whispered to Shi Bao, "We need their help. It will be too difficult for you to fight all these creatures alone, and you could suddenly fall ill. We won't make it if we don't accept their offer."

Xiang initially refused, but after Shi Bao's persistent persuasion, she reluctantly agreed. She called out softly, "Mr. Yang, are you also heading this way? Perhaps we could walk together. We can help each other, and it will be easier to cross the road."

Wen Shia smiled, sensing she would eventually come around. "Fine, let's go together," he said, knowing she would accept. The three of them continued their journey through the forest, encountering numerous dangerous animals and monsters. However, none could withstand Wen Shia's sword, and he easily dispatched them one by one.

Then, out of nowhere, a demon attacked Xiang. It lunged at her, striking with a knife that pierced her stomach. Wen Shia immediately killed the demon, but the damage was done. Xiang bled heavily, and soon, she lost consciousness from the pain and blood loss.

Wen Shia acted quickly, lifting her onto his back and running through the forest. He carried her until they reached a safer place. Still, her blood continued to flow uncontrollably.

"We need to stop and treat her wounds," Wen Shia said urgently. They found a clearing, where Wen Shia laid Xiang on a cloth and prepared to heal her with his powers. But just as he was about to touch her, Xiang grabbed his hand.

Wen Shia froze in panic, unsure of what was happening. He tried to pull his hand away, but Xiang held on tightly. To his surprise, her wounds began to heal rapidly, and her energy returned, almost as if she had never been injured. But she didn't release his hand, and Wen Shia began to feel weaker, as though Xiang was draining his energy.

Using all his strength, Wen Shia managed to break free from her grip. Xiang blinked, slowly regaining consciousness. "What happened?" she asked, confused.

Shi Bao, equally stunned, asked, "Are you okay? You seemed to heal yourself. How is that possible?"

Xiang looked perplexed. "How can one heal themselves?" she murmured.

Wen Shia, still eyeing her carefully, asked, "Is there something you're not telling us? If there's something you're hiding, you need to tell me. I can help you."

Xiang's gaze hardened, and she snapped, "Who are you to ask me such questions? Why are you so persistent?"

Wen Shia's voice grew more intense. "Don't you recognize me? I am your master, and I have every right to ask. You need to tell me everything. I need to know the truth."

Xiang shook her head, bitterness in her voice. "I can't tell you anything. You never understood me. You called me a demon that day, punished me, and never tried to understand the truth. You abandoned me, and you never considered me your student. We're no longer teacher and student—we're strangers now. So, I can't tell you anything."

Wen Shia's expression darkened. "That's why I sent you to prison empty-handed. So I could learn the truth about you. If you hadn't run away, maybe everything would have been fine. But you never listen to me. You always do things your way. Even now, I'm trying to help you, but you refuse to trust me. Do you even trust me at all?"

With those words, Wen Shia turned away, his frustration and pain clear on his face. He began to walk off, leaving Xiang and Shi Bao in silence.