Chapter 19: When I Rule the World, I Promise You a Picturesque Kingdom!

"Faster, faster, run a bit faster!"

In the dead of night, somewhere deep within the dark Spirit Hunting Forest, a girl around twelve or thirteen years old ran ahead anxiously, urging a six-year-old boy with short legs following her.

The girl was frantic, constantly urging the boy to hurry.

The boy, exhausted from the earlier battle with the soul beast and due to his young age, couldn't sustain the intense running for long and was already gasping for air.

Indeed, they were Hu Liena and Zhou Chen.

"Keep running! If I'm gone too long, Elder Chrysanthemum will definitely notice something's wrong."

Hu Liena stopped, looking at Zhou Chen, who was bent over and panting heavily, and warned, "If he catches up, I might just get a scolding from Elder Chrysanthemum. But as for you, think about what might happen!"

Hearing this, Zhou Chen shivered.

The thought of falling into the hands of Chrysanthemum Douluo, that unsettling individual, gave him enough strength to keep moving his weary legs a few steps forward.

However, no matter how strong the will, it must eventually yield to the body's limits.

After running for nearly an hour and having exhausted his soul power earlier, Zhou Chen's legs finally gave out, and he collapsed.

Just as his handsome face was about to meet the dirt, a pair of white, lotus-like arms caught him, pulling him into a warm embrace.

"You..."

Hu Liena's face flushed red as she hesitated for a moment but eventually gritted her teeth and said, "I'll carry you."

"Mmm."

Zhou Chen mumbled.

He was so exhausted that his consciousness was fading.

Seeing him agree, Hu Liena struggled to lift Zhou Chen, placing him on her back, and continued running.

With her Enchantress Fox martial spirit, she had not only natural charm but also remarkable endurance, allowing her to keep running without exhausting her stamina.

"Thank you."

As the wind rushed past and the scenery flew by, Zhou Chen whispered near Hu Liena's ear, "I will repay you."

"Just focus on escaping first!" Hu Liena retorted, feeling the warmth against her ear, causing her ears to turn crimson.

"Trust me."

Seeing Hu Liena's indifference to his promise, Zhou Chen smiled wryly and said softly, "You saved my life today; I will protect you for life. When I rule the world, I will grant you a kingdom as picturesque as a painting!"

Hu Liena rolled her eyes.

At a time like this, this kid was still making grand promises, truly fitting of a noble adept at political maneuvers.

However, the words did sound... quite heartwarming!

She wondered if this rascal had used this line on other girls.

The more Hu Liena thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts became, even causing her running to falter.

Luckily, they were close to the exit...

After a while, Hu Liena finally reached the edge of the Spirit Hunting Forest.

She skillfully avoided several Spirit Hall Enforcement Team patrols, spotted a gap in the Heaven Dou Empire Defense Team's patrols, and seized the opportunity to climb over the tall iron fence, completely escaping the forest.

"I'll carry you for a bit longer. Once we're 200 li from the forest, I'll have to leave you behind!"

Hu Liena warned sternly, then continued carrying Zhou Chen, running diligently...

Three more hours passed.

It was now the early morning, the darkest time before dawn.

Hu Liena had carried Zhou Chen for over a hundred li, and even her remarkable endurance was starting to wear thin.

"You've sweated so much; you must be tired. Put me down. I've recovered a lot of my strength," Zhou Chen said gently, wiping the sweat from Hu Liena's forehead and cheeks.

"No need," Hu Liena shook her head, running while instructing, "We're almost there. Soon you'll have to run on your own. Remember, you must return to your family and never show yourself on the continent again!"

Hearing this, Zhou Chen's eyes welled up, tears streaming down his face.

He was genuinely moved.

He and Hu Liena were strangers, yet out of pure kindness, this good-hearted girl was helping him escape Spirit Hall's pursuit, even carrying him for over three hours!

Silly girl!

As Zhou Chen discreetly wiped his tears, Hu Liena suddenly stopped, causing him to bump his nose against her back, bringing a sharp pain to his nose bridge.

"Zhou Chen, I think... we've been surrounded."