Risky Choice

"What is that thing?" A beautiful woman asked, her voice smooth and seductive.

She wore a revealing outfit typical of a cultivator—a top that barely covered her breasts and a short skirt made of brown animal scales that reached just above her knees. Her ears were adorned with numerous earrings 

She circled the tall, muscular man, the dim light of the cave casting flickering shadows on the rough, damp walls.

It was the same man that had just killed the two cultivators.

Now, he was carrying Fang Xuan's body, which had somehow turned to stone.

"I'm not sure, Demrah," the muscular man said, shaking his head. "I saved this boy because I thought he was one of us, but as soon as I picked him up, he turned into this. He's so stiff that I can't even bend his body."

"Saved him? What exactly happened, Asaad? I told you to just scout the place, right?" Demrah's frustration was evident.

"He was being attacked by two cultivators," he clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I killed them, so you don't have to worry."

"What? You killed two cultivators?" Demrah snapped, her voice tense. "I told you to stay low. We're far from our continent—we can't afford to cause too much commotion. What if more powerful cultivators come after us?"

"I'll kill them if they come here," Asaad declared confidently.

Demrah sighed and leaned against the rock wall. "Asaad, I've told you before, this place isn't our territory. The locals see us as evil cultivators just because our skin color is different from theirs."

Although they weren't actually evil cultivators, their darker skin made them a target in the eyes of the locals.

"Hmph!" Asaad grunted, clearly unfazed by her concerns.

Demrah looked at him and couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. Despite his tough and mean exterior, he was actually quite emotional and kind-hearted.

Back on their continent, he always donated his earnings to the poor.

In fact, even if Fang Xuan weren't of the same race, Asaad would have still saved him. He couldn't bear to see someone so young to die.

"Let's take him with us," Asaad suggested. "I don't think he'll survive in this place."

"Are you out of your mind?" Demrah protested. "We don't even know what this kid is! For all we know, he could be a Demon Spirit !."

She gave Fang Xuan another scrutinizing look. No matter how much she examined him, he still looked really weird.

"Let's take him with us," he repeated. 

"Are you hearing yourself?" her frustration mounted.

"We're already lucky that we haven't been killed yet, and now you want to bring him with us? Do you want us to die?"

His expression hardened. "Let's take him with us," he said firmly again, making it clear that he wasn't going to change his mind.

Demrah's shoulders drooped as she sighed deeply. She knew she couldn't change his mind now that he had made his decision.

She hesitated, her mind racing with the risks. But seeing his determination, she finally nodded.

"Fine," she said with a defeated tone. "We'll take him with us. But if anything goes wrong, it's your responsibility."

His face softened slightly. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you're worried, but I will handle it,"

"I don't care anymore," she muttered, shrugging, still unconvinced about dragging an unknown entity along with them.