When Zhao Ya left the Mechanical Sect, he didn’t choose the path he came from, but instead cut straight through the forest, aiming to avoid the village of Liu Yujiao and her people.
After all, he didn’t want another tagalong around him,
despite the peaks surrounding the Mechanical Sect being as formidable as natural barriers, to Zhao Ya, they were just mundane obstacles now.
With a few leaps, Zhao Ya vaulted over a towering peak, descending swiftly like a bird.
In just a moment, Zhao Ya landed at the foot of the mountain, briefly assessed his direction, and then prepared to set off back to the Azure Dragon Temple.
But it was at this moment that Zhao Ya seemed to sense something, and he looked up toward the distant forest.
"Come out. Did you really think hiding there would be enough for me not to notice you?" Zhao Ya said with exasperation.
Moments later, Liu Yuhuan sluggishly emerged from behind a large tree.
"Sir, you’re amazing! You noticed me so quickly!" Liu Yuhuan said softly, her seductive eyes filled with admiration.
Zhao Ya was both amused and puzzled.
He had randomly chosen a position to cross the mountain, aiming to avoid Liu Yuhuan’s pestering.
Yet, she seemed like she could see the future, waiting here in advance.
"How did you know I would pass through here?" Zhao Ya asked.
Liu Yuhuan pointed at her nose, her smile blossoming as she said, "Because I can smell your scent, sir."
"What scent do I have?" Zhao Ya didn’t take it as a joke this time; he took it seriously.
Because previously in the village, Liu Yuhuan often claimed she could smell his scent.
But with Zhao Ya’s current cultivation, he habitually activated the Spirit Turtle Hibernation Technique.
In this state, not to mention a scent, not even a trace of extra aura would leak.
Thus, Zhao Ya was always perplexed by what scent Liu Yuhuan claimed to smell.
"A very pleasant scent," Liu Yuhuan said earnestly, fearing Zhao Ya might not believe her, she quickly added.
"Two years ago, when I first met you, sir, the scent was not obvious, but now I can sense your presence even from afar."
Zhao Ya’s expression gradually became dignified.
Liu Yuhuan was probably not lying, nor did she have any motive or reason to lie.
But this scent indeed left Zhao Ya somewhat bewildered.
"So you’ve been following me?" Zhao Ya asked again.
"Mm!" Liu Yuhuan nodded earnestly, "This scent... feels intimate."
As she said this, Liu Yuhuan’s face was full of attachment, looking just like a kitten spoiled by its owner.
Zhao Ya was at a loss, then said helplessly: "Alright, perhaps there is something on me that I can’t smell, but I have to leave now."
"I know!" Liu Yuhuan nodded.
"Then why aren’t you hurrying back? Be careful that your sister doesn’t worry waiting for you."
"I’m not going back; I want to go with you, sir."
As she spoke, Liu Yuhuan proudly patted a small bundle behind her, "Look, I’ve even packed my luggage."
"No way!" Zhao Ya immediately shook his head in refusal.
What a joke.
He had serious business to attend to this time, and it was highly likely that he would face strict trials afterward.
What would it mean to have a young girl tagging along at such a time?
Tears welled up in Liu Yuhuan’s eyes, and she lowered her head, murmuring: "Sir, you don’t want me either? It seems I’m truly a child without love."
Zhao Ya felt a headache. He had always been more moved by the soft approach rather than the hard.
If Liu Yuhuan had been throwing a tantrum, it would have been easy to deal with.
But she went the route of tears, and Zhao Ya found it hard to cope.
Thus, he could only patiently explain.
"It’s not that I don’t want you; it’s just that you’re still so young. It’s the right time to learn how to deal with things by your sister’s side. Why run around with me? Besides, your sister also wouldn’t agree."
"My sister packed my luggage. She didn’t even hesitate when she heard I wanted to go with you," Liu Yuhuan whispered.
Zhao Ya: "..."
Then he resolutely said, "Even so, it’s not okay."
"Why not?"
"Because I have many extremely dangerous things to deal with next. If you follow me, it will be too... "
"Don’t worry. If there’s danger, I can protect myself, and maybe even help you," Liu Yuhuan interrupted, speaking earnestly.
"You?" Zhao Ya chuckled softly.
"What? Don’t you believe me, sir?" Liu Yuhuan raised her head, her slightly chubby face full of defiance.
"Alright, stop fooling around. Hurry home..."
Zhao Ya hadn’t finished speaking when Liu Yuhuan had already vanished from where she stood.
Startled, Zhao Ya instinctively took a step to the side, and then saw a small, tender fist punching through the spot he had just been standing.
Bang!
A tree as thick as a person’s embrace was snapped in two, the upper half flying seven to eight meters away before crashing down.
This even made Zhao Ya startle.
Then Liu Yuhuan retracted her fist, her little face full of pride as she said, "How about it, sir, isn’t it impressive?"
Seeing this, Zhao Ya’s gaze gradually became serious.
Because the Lightweight Skill and Fist Technique Liu Yuhuan displayed showed that her strength had at least reached the peak of Meridian Opening.
The problem was, Zhao Ya hadn’t noticed the slightest hint of this before.
Even when Liu Yuhuan tugged on his sleeve, Zhao Ya hadn’t sensed anything unusual about her.
That was because Liu Yuhuan showed no signs of True Power fluctuations, not even a hint of Qi Blood circulation.