16 First Guild Member, The Mysterious Young Girl!

Even though Xu An was aware that treasures weren't only sparkling jewels, he never thought about them that much.

In his past life, as long as he got the money from his employer after assassinating someone, that was more than enough.

He didn't have what could be called 'treasure', he neither had a wife nor child, for he was afraid someone would target them as a form of revenge or the sort.

I guess my parents can be considered as one, he said to himself.

He was rather fortunate no parties dared to target them, as they were protected by a secret organization that owed him. Protecting his parents was their payment.

"Why are you looking for that kind of treasure? Even wandering from place to place?" Xu An pondered.

She thought for a second as she replied with a smile, "I have my reasons."

Noticing that she didn't want to reveal anything, Xu An changed the topic.

"What's your name? My name is Xu An, the man who will become the next ruler of mankind!" He introduced himself proudly yet jokingly with a bright smile. 

"What becomes the next ruler of mankind? You don't have what it takes to become one in the first place.

"Hell, why do you want to be one? Isn't your life already good as it is? That dream of yours so high and unrealistic" Old Zhan asked.

"What's wrong with dreaming as high as the sky?"

Old Zhan scoffed as he scolded him, "you are made of earth, eat what's grown on earth, live on the earth and when you die, you're buried under it.

"Why be arrogant as high as the heavens? Probably you die by tomorrow, or even in a few minutes! Why be arrogant that you'll live until you die of old age?"

Here we go again, he rolled his eyes as he knew the drill. Once he scold you, he would not stop even if his throat went dry.

As old Zhan kept talking, Xu An said, "Don't worry about him, we can ignore him."

"Is that really okay?" She asked in confirmation.

Xu An smiled with a nod, "it's okay."

After affirming her question, she replied to Xu An's previous question. "My name is Jaden, nice to meet you, Xu An."

Just as he was about to open his mouth, she abruptly said, "Your dream is amazing. Not many people dare to say it openly and confidently."

Upon her praise, Xu An instinctively frowned, that's a joke by the way, did she take it seriously?

However, it couldn't be denied that Xu An's mood became better. He smiled brightly as he showed his row of white teeth. "Thanks, I've always said it when I was a child and every time I introduce myself. It became a habit at this point."

Except for that moment when I introduced myself as Granger, he said to himself.

Seeing his delighted face, Jaden swallowed down the words she wanted to say.

Quickly afterward, he asked without hesitation, "Suy, want to create a Guild? I need strong friends to conquer that dungeon."

Conquering the Great Tower was the original Xu An's childhood dream. Others assume him to be joking when he said that he wanted to conquer the Great Tower but in truth he meant it.

Some even ridicule his words and as soon as the original Xu An heard that. He responded that it was a joke and no way he did that, he even scoffed that only idiots had dreams like that.

After such a past flashed by in his mind, Xu An thought to himself, what are you doing, kiddo? Just be honest with yourself. However, I probably would've done the same.

Now that Xu An had grown up and still had the desire to conquer the Great Tower but couldn't as he was poor and weak, preventing him from setting on a journey.

He chose to stay to strengthen himself and make some money by doing something he likes, sometimes doing heavy chores.

Unfortunately, the original Xu An died before going on his journey.

Perhaps this was one of the greatest regrets from the original Xu An. Even as we speak, Xu An felt his heart thumping uncomfortably and a bit stifling.

Perhaps the body remembered how much of a regret the owner was when he died.

Truly an unfortunate kid. Xu An sighed inwardly and continued, a few seconds before dying did he remember that he had many things to be done.

Smiling inwardly, he said to himself, You're a lucky kid that I possess your body. Very well, I'll make sure to make your dream come true.

Hence he asked that question.

Explorers had to form a guild so as to conquer a dungeon. It was because dungeons required multiple humans to conquer it, a single person couldn't conquer one.

Even in the lowest dungeons, a single person couldn't conquer it.

She wore a puzzled expression as she asked, "Why me?"

"I don't know, I just feel like it," he quickly replied.

That's literally true, I just said what's on my mind without thinking, he added in his heart.

"To form a guild, you need someone you trust. As you might know, Explorers are often associated with bandits or pirates and so, betrayals are common

"In dungeons where treasures and fortuitous encounter resides. You can be killed by your friend.

"Are you sure you want me, a stranger you've just met, to become your guild member?" She asked firmly as her eyes narrowed, looking into Xu An's amber close to gold eyes, seemingly probing him.

Those probing eyes surely made others feel like their deepest secrets were being revealed, which led to them being extremely uncomfortable.

Yet, Xu An was okay with such a gaze and nodded with a smile, "It's okay, because, you don't seem like a person who would do that."

His words surprised Jaden, she was lost for words to utter. Simultaneously, she stared at Xu An with a blank look.

That lasted a few seconds before she calmed herself down and said as she chuckled, "you're a weird person. This is the first time I've seen someone like you. Very well, but there's something I must do first before becoming your guild member. I'll meet you again here, in old Zhan's carriage, in seven days. Same place, same time."

"Sure!" He said out loud excitedly and suddenly, a good punch landed on his head from old Zhan. Probably just Jaden's feelings but she saw a faint smoke coming out of Xu An's head.

"You damn brat! To think you're brazen enough to ignore my kindness of scolding you!" He yelled in fury.

Rubbing his head, Xu An glared at old Zhan, "What are you doing, you damn old geezer?! That hurts, you know!"

But his response was a fist hitting his head. Due to the force, it caused him to change his line of sight to the ground.

"You're getting bold, brat."

Xu An groaned in pain and just as he opened his mouth to say something to old Zhan, Jaden suddenly giggled cutely.

Seeing how the both of them act towards one another, she couldn't help but let out a giggle as she found it amusing.

It attracted the men's attention as her giggle was like a melodious chirp of a bird and pleased their ears.

Xu An and old Zhan looked at each other in confusion but then smiled.

It was satisfying to make a beautiful lady smile and they were proud of themselves.

Her giggle lasted for five seconds straight before gradually fading. Following this, she suggested, "We should have a secret code when we meet each other."

"Why?" Xu An asked and old Zhan answered in her stead.

"Cultivators could easily change their appearance by consuming a pill called Changing Appearance pill, it's a common pill to escape from pursuers or cause trouble."

Xu An frowned in confusion, "wouldn't that make crime activities higher without a chance to catch the real suspect?"

Old Zhan shook his head, "how is that possible? Security forces in the capital have many things to figure out the real suspect."

"Such as?" Xu An quickly asked.

"Using the help of an item and techniques that specialize in tracking."

I see, he said to himself with a nod as he understood.

Now that Xu An's head filled with what he needed to know, she said, "all around us are cultivators with sharp ears, it's unknown whether they heard our words or not.

"If someone disguised as me, that would put you in danger."

"So this code to prevent this?"

"Precisely."

"You're a genius, Jaden!" Xu An praised her.

Her chuckle was his response and she asked, "you decide what the code would be."

Xu An pinched his chin as he wondered, "how about, 'are you done yet?' And you answer 'not yet?'"

This phrase was from a Japanese version of hiding and seek. When the seeker was waiting for the hiders to hide, the seekers had to say are you done yet and the hiders had to respond with not yet.

"Isn't this phrase from the hide and seek invented by the Emperor of Humanity?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah, probably."

"But how do you know? This is not well known and only some places like small villages or towns are aware of it."

Xu An became uncomfortable when old Zhan and Jaden looked at him doubtfully, waiting for an answer from him.

"I've heard of it from someone when I was shopping in the market," replied Xu An as he cooked up a lie on the spot.

They didn't utter a sound for a few seconds and that made Xu An start to sweat.

Is this only how long I last? Can't believe my cover would be blown so fast, he thought to himself as his pride took damage.

"Then we settle it on that."

Xu An looked at Jaden in disbelief and noticed that his cover wasn't discovered, he inwardly sighed in relief.

Out of the blue, a voice rang out in his mind, "change the phrase to 'why are you not done yet?' and my response would be, 'because I'm not done yet, idiot'."

Qi telepathy? Xu An grasped what was going on and looked at Jaden's beautiful face.

"Is this really you?" Xu An asked as he was afraid someone else tried to trick him.

If there was someone who heard their conversation and imitated Jaden's voice, then through qi telepathy suggested changing the code.

He would be tricked if he believed her words without confirming if it was indeed her.

Answering his question, she nodded as she said confidently with a sneer, "Of course, this is me, who can imitate this beautiful voice?" 

Xu An's mouth twitched slightly as he heard that.

Out of the blue, a sense of danger surged out from his body. His eyes reflexively narrowed and aware of this, Jaden was about to ask what's wrong but soon, she too felt it.

Unlike Xu An, however, she immediately reacted.

Above the carriage, something was falling and the shadow it showed on the ground gradually expanded before swallowing the whole carriage with it.

Boom!

A huge boulder crashed down the carriage, fragments went everywhere and the horses became meat paste.

Startled cries of panic spread into the air.