Luo Jiujiang: “…”

Luo Jiujiang remained silent for only a moment, then turned and dove into the circle blocked by the two white-haired apes. He landed in front of the female cultivator who was leaning against a tree with her back. He grasped her wrist, which was not connected to her injured shoulder, through her sleeve and whispered soothingly, "Don't be afraid."

It was not until this moment that the stone he had kicked away hit the back of the white-haired ape's head on the left with a strong wind.

The white-haired ape moved nimbly, dodging the attack and leaving Luo Jiujiang with a gap wide enough for the two of them to break out. Luo Jiujiang tugged at the female cultivator's arm and forcibly led her out of the encirclement.

The female cultivator was obviously weak and out of strength after being frightened. If Luo Jiujiang had not anticipated this situation and used some skillful force when pulling her arm, he would have probably brought the girl to her knees on the ground.

By this time, the sun had almost completely set, and the entire forest was a scene of dusk. The dangers in the forest at night were even greater than during the day. If Luo Jiujiang were alone, he could have practiced his swordsmanship with these white-haired apes, but with a frightened female cultivator in his arms, the situation was different.

After being tossed around like this by Luo Jiujiang, the white-haired apes seemed to understand the principle that if stones don't run, people will. Five of them, no matter how much they wanted to move, followed him. Luo Jiujiang knew what was happening behind him without even turning back. With a soft "Excuse me," he lifted the uninjured female cultivator's shoulder with one hand and grasped her ankle through her boot with his other hand. In the blink of an eye, he hoisted the petite cultivator onto his shoulder. With a whistle, he left the apes behind like a puff of smoke and happily slipped away.

Luo Jiujiang had originally planned to continue his journey overnight, but now that was no longer possible. He first found a safe, sheltered spot to build a fire, then asked the rescued girl for some insect repellent powder to sprinkle on the ground. By the time he had set up their simple overnight camp, the woman had already tended to her wounds, freshly washed, and wiped the tears from her face. She sat properly beside the fire, hugging her knees, staring at him eagerly.

Before, when surrounded by white-haired apes, Luo Jiujiang had no time to look at her face. Now, with the help of the moonlight on the bonfire, he found that the girl had fair skin, delicate features, and a gentle and beautiful temperament. Judging from her age, she was only about the same age as Feng Xue.

Luo Jiujiang found the last roast chicken in his storage bag, strung it up, and hung it over the fire to heat it up. He then asked her in a slow tone, "Miss, why were you harassed by the apes just now?"

After a brief exchange, Luo Jiujiang learned that the female cultivator's name was Shang Hanjiao, a student of the Azure Dragon Academy—the equivalent of an outer sect disciple. She had been assigned to investigate unusual circumstances outside the Azure Dragon Ancient Forest. Unexpectedly, she had first run into a Yin Sha spirit, and as she fled injured, she was intercepted by a white-haired ape that frequented the depths of the forest. Had Luo Jiujiang not suddenly dispatched her, she would have been in grave danger.

"Fellow Daoist, aren't you a junior fellow student at the academy?" Shang Hanjiao was also extremely surprised after learning Luo Jiujiang's identity. Then she figured something out and stammered, "You... Fellow Daoist Luo, are you here to participate in the selection of academy students?"

"That's right and that's not. I mainly want to find someone. Of course, it would be even better if I could study in the academy." Luo Jiujiang placed oil paper on the heated roast chicken and handed it to Shang Hanjiao, "Fellow Daoist, please have something to eat. Be careful of the heat."

The roast chicken was already plump and crispy, and Luo Jiujiang put it into the storage bag when it was at its most fragrant. Now, heated by the open fire, it was even more fragrant. The gravy and fat slowly dripped down, wetting the oil paper on the bottom, making it look simply mouth-watering.

Shang Hanjiao took the roast chicken but didn't touch it. Seeing that Luo Jiujiang had no intention of roasting a second one, she asked anxiously, "Fellow Daoist Luo, aren't you going to eat something tonight?"

Luo Jiujiang had already entered the foundation-building stage and was able to fast. He brought the roast chicken with him simply because he was greedy. Hearing this question, he couldn't help but laugh: "No need, and this is the last one."

Then he misunderstood her concerns, took out a clean dagger, cut a few thin slices of meat from various parts of the roast chicken, and ate them for her to see: "Okay, now you're full."

Unexpectedly, Shang Hanjiao became even more restless. She held the roast chicken in her arms for a long time without saying a word. Just as Luo Jiujiang was thinking about whether he should send her back some monsters so that she could deal with them herself, Shang Hanjiao gritted her teeth and urged, "I'm sorry for wasting your time. Since you're determined to run for the academy, then hurry up. If you travel overnight, you might still make it in time."

Luo Jiujiang was stunned and asked patiently, "What do you mean?"

He stood there motionless, like a mountain, but Shang Hanjiao was so anxious she felt like leaping up. After she'd said the first sentence, the rest came easily. She pressed him anxiously, "The academy enrolls students for seven days each year, starting at 12:00 PM on the first day and ending at 11:00 PM on the seventh. We're less than a day's journey away, and enrollment closes tonight... If you hadn't saved me, we could have made it."

Luo Jiujiang looked at the shadowy ghosts in the forest at night, shook his head and sighed, "I can indeed walk, but you can't yet. Your shoulder is only a superficial wound, but your internal meridians have been severely damaged by the evil spirit. Apart from regulating your breathing tonight, it's best not to do anything else."

"Yes, yes." Shang Hanjiao didn't hear Luo Jiujiang's refusal, and just agreed repeatedly, "I will definitely take good care of my breathing tonight. Daoist friend has already saved my life and helped me so much. I really don't dare to delay your future any longer. With your cultivation and physical skills, you can at least become a Xuanzhu student. If I delay you, I will be willing to die. Daoist friend, please set off quickly."

Luo Jiujiang shook his head and smiled, then said softly, "It's okay. Not being able to run for election is not a big deal."

He had inquired before and knew that the Qinglong Academy had a tolerant atmosphere. Even if he could not be elected as a formal student, it would not be a problem for him to attend classes as an auditor. At most, he would not be able to enjoy the benefits of formal students, nor would he be able to borrow many cultivation manuals from the library. However, his master had already given him enough of these things.

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