Captured

"A fey!" Cheng Long scuttled so close that Mo Qingxian wanted to retreat, but Cheng Yi held her in place.

"Where do you want to go?" He tightened his grip, and his powerful fingers, capable of destroying rocks, sank into her arm.

Mo Qingxian grimaced but couldn't bring herself to disobey Xu Kai. Left with no other choice, her eyes flashed a vicious light, a sign that her beast part had taken over.

With a fierce fox-like growl, she bit Cheng Yi's forearm, forcing him to release her. Seizing her chance of escape, she jumped away, dashing for the sea.

"You…!" Furious, Cheng Yi leaped from the boulder and landed behind Mo Qingxian. Mo Qingxian's little heart pounded more intensely against her ribcage due to the tremor Cheng Yi's feet caused as they hit the ground.

'Brother! Brother Xu!' Tears spilled from her eyes as Cheng Yi's fingers latched around her hair.

"You little beast! Where are you running to?" 

Unbeknownst to the trio, a terrifying beast saw them from afar. The moment the beast saw them, the clouds began to turn dark.

Boom —! As it rumbled and the dark clouds spread further, Cheng Yi retreated from the shores. He was alarmed by the strange occurrence.

It was still autumn, and there shouldn't have been any signs of rainfall. Why did it start in one place and then spread out?

They quickly departed.

Cheng Kang, following the group from behind, poked Mo Qingxian's back and chuckled when she growled at him, exposing her beast-like eyes.

"Hehehe, I've heard that spirit beasts can make excellent maids and are quite beautiful. This little girl will grow up into a fine lady. Cheng Yi. Should we really return her once the beggar has handed over the jade tag?"

"He doesn't deserve her," Cheng Yi responded to Cheng Long.

"Good!" Cheng Long laughed.

Seeing Mo Qingxian still struggling fiercely, he pulled out a vine and began to turn it into something like a collar.

"This should work," he said.

As he placed it around her neck, the leaves rustled, and the sound of hurried footsteps reached his ears.

Before Cheng Long could turn back, a fist slammed his cheek, twisting his face in the other direction. The impact caused his eyes to roll!

Cheng Yi swiftly released Mo Qingxian and threw a punch at the unfamiliar intruder, who had a cloth covering his face.

Cheng Yi sneered, 'An arrogant fool dares act like some foolish hero.' Flames coated his forearm, but to his shock, ice coated the masked man's forearm!

Bam—! Their fists collided, and they both went back.

[Raging Thunderous Fists!] 

Both of them used the "Raging Tide Technique" First Form. Cheng Yi's muscles tightened, channeling his strength into his arms that delivered air-tearing punches.

Likewise, his opponent did the same. Cheng Kang jumped in but received a swift kick to his jaws. The impact shocked Cheng Yi.

'How was he able to move that fast?!' Cheng Yi's heart shuddered.

Suddenly, the masked figure burst forth with greater power. His fists became faster, and the sounds of air being blown away reverberated in Cheng Yi's ears.

As he struggled to block the masked intruder's blows, his forearms began to hurt. 

Furious, he launched his flaming fist toward the masked intruder's face but the masked intruder tilted his head to the right, gathered the ice to his knuckles and slammed his fist against Cheng Yi's shoulder.

Instantly, Cheng Yi lost control over his left arm!

His shoulder was dislocated!

Cheng Yi couldn't believe it. A while ago, their strength was equal, but now it seemed as though he was fighting against a different person.

The strength of his flames was suddenly weaker than the intruder's ice. 

Several punches hit his body, causing pain all over him. Finally, Cheng Yi fell to the ground, pleading for mercy, but the intruder kept punching him, bruising his skin until Cheng Yi fainted.

After the masked intruder removed the cloth around his face, a young face appeared. His crimson eyes held intense fury, and he lifted his clenched fist high. The ice formed a rough spike, but he hesitated at the last moment.

No matter how hard he tried to hide it, killing Cheng Yi here would undoubtedly lead to his discovery. The mysterious artifacts possessed by those lineage families heightened his level of caution.

He turned and saw Mo Qingxian in the corner, shivering. He softly said, "Qing Xian," and embraced her.

Her beastly parts faded away, and she finally calmed down in his comfort.

"I was too careless." Xu Kai sighed heavily. He dragged the trio out of the forest and dumped them in a desolate part of the town.

'In time, I will no longer be this passive,' he said, turning and leaving.

A few hours later.

After tending to Mo Qingxian's bruises, Xu Kai fed her half of the badly burned Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish.

With a stuffed belly, Mo Qingxian's mood rose, and her cheeks became rosy as she asked for more.

"You still want more?" Xu Kai was astonished. Before he could make up his mind, Mo Qingxian stuck her hands into the fish and brought out small chunks of pink flesh.

"Hehehe," she said cheekily, revealing her white teeth. She stuffed her mouth.

'She's like a six-year-old child in a twelve-year-old's body. Would she be able to remember, or is her memory forever fragmented?' 

Xu Kai sighed inwardly but refused to allow his thoughts to affect his expression. Mo Qingxian's happiness ultimately correlated with his own.

Suddenly, Mo Qingxian's expression changed, causing Xu Kai to look back. When he saw the guards of the Cheng and Shui lineage families, led by a Cheng Kang with a swollen right cheek, his eyes narrowed.

"Them!" He pointed at Xu Kai and Mo Qingxian.

Before Xu Kai could speak, two guards grabbed his right and left arms, and they moved toward Mo Qingxian.

"Don't touch her. We can walk!" Xu Kai yelled, but his strength was no match for men at the Foundation Building Realm.

When he looked back at the sea, his eyes flickered. 

If he had been in the sea, no one could have held him, but unfortunately, he was on land.