Hold My Hand So You Won't Get Left Behind

"It's been hours since we explored this area. However, except for the first 18 points, we can't find any more keys. Either our luck has run out, or all the keys in the southern area is already taken."

"Ru Na makes a valid point. Young La... I mean, Chang Miao thinks so too right. All this time, we only searched in the brighter southern area, but the Northern Dark Forest's real place lies in the north."

Chang Miao calmly thinks things through before she made a decision and replied. "You girls are right. Let's not make haste and head towards the central area."

The girls nodded and redirected their route towards the north.

"Fei Bao Xing, you heard us, right? We are going north" Guan Ru Yi scolded the man a few meters behind them. "Seriously, we already slow our pace down. But why are you still late and exhausted all the time?"

Fei Bao Xing sighed in resignation. He did not even know his role in the group. All the decision and arrangement were left to the girls, especially the leader, Chang Miao. If Chang Miao said to jump, the question the other ask would only be "how high?"

As much as Fei Bao Xing would like to have more rest and stayed in the safe southern area compared to the dangerous down the north, it's not like Fei Bao Xing could go against her.

Furthermore, one of the Guan sisters, Guan Ru Yi always watched his every move and scolded him every single time she gets a chance to. The longer this goes Fei Bao Xing only felt he was more restrained. Besides, the food problem was still not solved with how hungry he was, he felt like he could die at any moment.

"It's too dark... Everyone, let's be careful..."

As they arrived in the central area, the light also gradually decrease. Chang Miao and the three girls decided to walked carefully in the darkness. With their trained enhanced eyes, they were still able to differentiate between the trees and the ground that are safe to walk on.

* Brukkk... *

The only man, who's also not a cultivator, hit a tree headfirst and falls down. Perhaps in the old days, there would be no problem. However, without any Qi enhancing his eyes, there was no different than closing his eyes altogether.

"Didn't Chang Miao told you to be careful!?" Guan Ru Yi scolds Fei Bao Xing once again. "Seriously, how are you able to enter the Silver Hands Owl with that kind of skill?"

"What should we do?" Guan Ru Na said. "If he's this bad, we won't be able to continue with our progress."

While they wanted to kill him, it was not the right time as they still have not got enough points. It's a choice to kill him now, but on the other hand, as slow as Fei Bao Xing is, they still need his detection skill to earn more points.

At this thought, Chang Miao calmly shook her head. She approached the down Fei Bao Xing and extended her hand to him, "It can't be helped. Hold my hand!"

"Ehh..."

"C'mon, what are you waiting for? Hold my hand so you won't get left behind."

"Ye... Yes..." Although Fei Bao Xing can't see. But, by the voice, he knows Chang Miao was there to help him.

Fei Bao Xing held out his right hand to reach out on Chang Miao's. As the fingers of the two touched together, Fei Bao Xing blushed. Although he was married, without any real experience in girls, just by holding hands was already enough to fill him with excitement.

"Ugghh... don't hold my hand too tightly", Guan Ru Yi said disgustedly. "I'll be the one who will guide you. Don't even think for a sec you can touch Young La... I mean Chang Miao with that disgusting hand of yours!"

"O... Okay..."

While Fei Bao Xing was a bit disappointed that the one who held his hands was not the lovely Chang Miao. But, Guan Ru Yi is still a beautiful girl nonetheless. He could not help but to grin awkwardly over that fact.

Guan Ru Yi blushed a little because of his reaction. Then, she quickly said, "Disgusting! Don't smile, and just follow me!"

With the team being careful they decreased their pace once more, this time to the one Fei Bao Xing was comfortable with.

"Squeak... Squeak..."

"Hmmm... What's that sound?" asked Chang Miao.

"Ah... It's a Blue Striped Squirrel. So cute..." said Guan Ru Na.

"Look! The squirrel is wearing a key in its neck!" Guan Ru Yi said. "It's only worth one point! But, it's a key nonetheless!"

Blue Striped Squirrel is only a low Second Rank Spirit Beast. Its combat power was a bit poor, but its speed was surprisingly fast compared to its level. Currently, the squirrel in front of them was wearing a small rope like a collar in its neck. And on the side, a green key was hanging waiting to be taken.

"Squeeaakk..." The Blue Striped Squirrel felt a terrible feeling. It turned around and ran away into the other direction.

"Kill!" Chang Miao gave the order.

Guan Ru Na immediately jumped and chased after the Blue Striped Squirrel. A few moments later, a horrible sound was heard from not afar.

"Squueeeaaaakkkkkk!!!"

* Thud Thud Thud... *

"Squueakkk..."

"I got the key!" Guan Ru Na returned back with a big smile on her face while waving the key over her head.

"Good job Ru Na." Chang Miao praised.

[Didn't she just called that squirrel cute? And, she killed it without any hesitation... These girls are scary! I'm glad I can't see anything right now.] Fei Bao Xing shuddered.

[Wait... Why did we have to kill a Spirit Beast to earn the key? Up until now, it was just lying on the floor... Could it be...]

"Can you lend me the key?"

Suddenly Fei Bao Xing yelled out a request. But his action was looked down by the girls, especially by Guan Ru Yi.

"Why so, suddenly? With your skill, are you able to guard the key? Heck, you can't even see the key, can you?"

"Please! It's only for a moment!"

Seeing how Fei Bao Xing was serious, Chang Miao nodded to Guan Ru Na. Then, Guan Ru Na handed the key she just earned to him.

Fei Bao Xing gripped the key tightly, then he made another request. "Can I also see the other key we earned previously."

Guan Ru Yi creased her eyebrow and did not want to, but at Chang Miao's consent, she reluctantly handed some of the keys she kept to Fei Bao Xing.

Fei Bao Xing began to investigate the keys just by touching it since he can't see. It was not long before he said, "Just as I expected..."

He sighed and said, "These keys... They are fake..."

The three girls, "!!!"

"The five keys we earned in the southern area were all fake, the only real one is from the squirrel. The fake ones have rounded key head, but this one has a squared key head. And, if you remember clearly, the example key that the Elder showed us all have squared key head."

There's no way the Silver Hands would just give such a key lying on the ground floor to be taken. At least you have to work like hunting a Blue Striped Squirrel to earn a point. Of course, this was also part of the test, one should be able to differentiate between the authentic and fake ones.

"Wait... That means the total point that we earned is..."

"Just one point..."