37 Master Gave His Permission

Concealed within a tree as he waited for his masterful plan to play out was Hui Se Ying. It was a brilliant strategy to display his master's ability to not allow her to suffer a single injury. After suffering such a scare, being held in strong and secure arms would set any woman's heart aflutter.

"I thought we discussed this and you weren't going to play any tricks," said Lu Se Yin as he appeared beside him. At that moment, the trap he had carefully placed with his spirit energy triggered, catching the girl's feet to send her stumbling to the dirt below.

"Don't remember." He replied as he watched their master cover the large distance between him and the girl in a matter of seconds. Dragging the girl against him securely a single red-eyed gaze narrowed in his direction in warning after checking that she suffered no injuries.

Even so, as Hui Se Ying watched Nastasia's body relax in his master's hold and rely on his strength, he felt quite successful and proud of himself.

"Look, master just glared at you." Lu Se Ying pointed out. "Now that he knows what you're doing, it would be best for you stop before you get into trouble."

Shaking his head, Hui Se Ying disagreed. "On the contrary, master is just warning me not to go overboard. You see," he began, somewhat gloating, "I told master I had a plan to help her fall for him faster and he agreed to it. Well, so long as I don't go too far."

Stunned, Lu Se Ying looked at the man beside him in disbelief. "You told master you're going to do this?"

"Of course, it's better than him finding out and getting angry over it. Besides," he told Lu Se Ying seriously, "that girl is wanting to go home, to her realm. We might not have much time to make her change her mind."

With a suffering sigh, Lu Se Ying said before disappearing to ready the medical supplies for the Dragon Kin. "If master has agreed to it, there's nothing I can say, just don't do anything too over the top."

"Yeah, sure." He responded offhandedly as he was too distracted by his wonderful planing. A couple more of these little moments and then it would be time to move on to phase two of his great and awesome plan. Hui Se Yin could hardly wait, he was giddy in anticipation of helping his master to win the girl he liked.

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Paoxiao was feeling a bit tense as they walked around the town of Mencheng. Before he could get the chance to speak with Li Yu Rong he had been dragged along with Nastasia to explore the town. His bones were on edge as he kept a strong vigil to their surroundings. It was like he was edgily waiting for someone to pop out from some dark corner or something to snatch her up and disappear like dissipated smoke.

On the other hand, Nastasia was extremely ecstatic. Having been stuck for so long in one spot was an extreme torture for one so use to moving about. Now that she was free to roam the town, she was eager to do some exploring.

The first experience she had through these streets on the way to Li Yu Rong's home was a desperate run for her life. Re-walking these steps, the streets gave off an entirely different vibe, a liveliness not often seen in her own world.

There were hawkers calling out to the passerby for their wares. The stands that were laid out held various items, most were food stands, but a good many held jewelry and other knick-knacks to amuse one's self with.

Various stores, as well, had people standing outside their establishments calling out various wares and new deals to attract the wandering passerby through their doors. Nastasia had been tempted more than once to explore the insides of the stores that called to her. Each time she would leave the shopkeepers disappointed when she left soon after getting her fill of the sights around her. Each time Paoxiao would follow after her silent, like a dutiful guard protecting his lady.

She was accustomed to his presence following behind her. Also, due to her single-minded focus on taking in the activity and objects around them to learn, she did not notice the uneasy strangeness that surrounded him.

Which was just fine for Paoxiao.

Even though he was antsy over the unknown, watching Nastasia bounce around happily as she tried to take in and understand everything around her was a balm to these insecure feelings. Over these two months, the two had grown quite close. It felt as if he had gained a cute little sister that needed his steady hands to help her walk.

He helped her to learn to speak, helped her to understand this realm. When she was mourning the loss of her realm and all that she held familiar, he did his best to comfort her and used his ability to provide whatever she desired. While things did not hold a candle to one's longing for loved-ones that could not be seen, he at least hoped that his actions eased her loneliness a bit.

Paoxiao understood her desire to go home. For over fifty years he had been doing everything he could to get past the gate into this realm so that he could save his sister. So that he could bring her home. Paoxiao understood Nastasia's desire but was also saddened by it.

More than just a residual emotion from his desperate want to see his elder sister again, to make up for his weakness, he came to genuinely care for Nastasia. Though there was no blood between them, he felt like an older brother that dotingly held his younger sister in his palm as a precious treasure.

If she went home, would he be able to see her again? Is her realm like his; mysteriously becoming attached to this one with a gate that could be accessed back and forth as one liked? If she went home, would that be the end of it? Would they never see each other again?

The thought squeezed his heart painfully...

"Xiao-ge?"

The first time that little voice called out to him, he did not hear it. Paoxiao's thoughts were centered around the girl jumping about from one thing to the next like an excited child as his senses focused on watching for the slightest hint of danger. It was at the next few calls of this nickname that he finally heard it and turned to search for the source.

"Little Ya Lin?"

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A/N:

My brother's birthday is tomorrow so I'm going to try really hard to update Monday's chapter really early in the morning. If that doesn't work out, I'll update it the next day along with Tuesday's chapter.