56 Can I get up now?

An Bing Qing didn't move a bit even after they have landed within the bamboos.

Her mind was completely blank but her heart was pounding like crazy that she could hear the drumming echoing in her ears.

Such reaction wasn't unexpected, the fragrance she was bathed with now was so nostalgic, it was that of Wang Shu; but his hold was unfamiliar, alienated.

Wang Shu wasn't paying attention to the maiden he had just taken without previous advice and was looking to the distance, through the slight apertures that were between the bamboos; in fact, he didn't actually care about whatever mood she had and said with a low voice, "Retrieve your soul sense".

But An Bing Qing was still amid her stupor and didn't hear him; therefore, there was no response from her part.

Not even a second had passed and Wang Shu was already wondering why she hadn't done what he had told her.

He bowed his head, finally looking at the young girl clad in a pure white robe; she was a full hand from reaching his shoulder in stature.

He bent his body while putting away the hand that was covering the girl's mouth and repeated when his head was next to hers, "Retrieve your soul sense quickly".

Wang Shu's long and cold fingers had given a slight rub on her skin, making her have goosebumps and bringing her back to earth. So, this time, she heard him.

She did as he said without thinking twice as she freed herself from his grasp.

Her intention was not only to release herself but to go away.

He noticed it when she was about to step outside the thickness of bamboos.

That action of hers wasn't strange to him, whenever this young lady saw him, she seemed like wanting to fly far away from him.

If it were to be another place and situation, he would have let her go. Thus, before she went out of the bamboos, he reached for her hand and pulled her back with a swift move.

Once she was in his embrace, he fell back to the ground, dragging her along with him; half of her body ended above of his.

She was all flustered; she didn't understand what was going on.

"Don't get up", he whispered.

His words were like a command as she stopped her movements, lying motionless with her breath on hold.

"There's no need for you to hold your breath", he said.

An Bing Qing whose head was resting on the upper part of his chest blushed from shame. This was good from an outsiders' perspective because it allowed her erratic heart to calm down and her mind to cool down and think; though, her body was still tense.

Having her concentration back, she deepened her awareness of the surroundings.

Not long after that, the sound of agile steps passed with the wind, stopping a couple of meters in front of where they were.

She, wanting to see, slowly lifted her head. She moved a little and finally rested her chin on his shoulder. Her beautiful pair of curious dark eyes looked ahead but being shrouded by the bamboos, she couldn't see much through the space they left between them; only the corners of blood red robes could be seen.

Because Wang Shu was as placid as ever, she wasn't worried about being discovered so she poked her ears and widened her eyes.

As she was wondering that they didn't seem to be contestants, the three or so people began to talk, "Are you sure you detected someone being here?" said a man with an impatient voice.

"Do you think my soul is as measly as yours? There must be a person within the surroundings", the rough voice of an old man answered with a question.

'Are they talking about me? That old man's soul force must be way stronger than mine', she furrowed her brows in thought before raising them, 'Wait, just one person, then...' she slightly turned her head around and saw that Wang Shu was just lying there with his eyes closed as if he were asleep.

'Never mind, I remember he once said that his soul force was stronger than his cultivation level. There's no way an old man could find him out', unconsciously, a smile bloomed on her rosy lips.

Before her indulgence went deeper, she heard the old man sudden berate, "Stop looking at me like that brat and hurry to look around or that person might escape. I wasn't able to determine its strength and I'm sure it wasn't using all its soul force. That person might be the one we are looking for".

The man with a cold voice looked at the old man with icy eyes before commanding another two people to spread out and look around. When the old man saw that that man also departed, he also went away with furrowed brows.

'Huh? Are they looking for someone?' she pondered in silence as her head slowly went back to lie on Wang Shu's body.

Bit by bit, time went by and her nervousness insanely grew. At long last, she couldn't endure it anymore and stammered, "Ahmm… can I get up now?" She wanted to get up.