A familiar face

Chapter 98

A lone figure of a young man stood in front of a giant-like demon beast with the head of a dragon. Though his face is covered with dust from a long day of travel, his handsome visage and calm expression made those who are looking at him feel a sense of security and protection.

When the princess saw this face, her expression suddenly changes into one of shock and speechlessness. Right now she could not believe what her eyes are seeing. With her heart and emotion in turmoil, she could not help but take a step back. She knows this man and she knows that he knows her too. But it seems that the man is trying to hide something.

Now her curiosity has been piqued and she wanted to know why this man is in this place is and why is he a lowly servant.

When she looks at Shin Jiao, her heart can't help but throb and remember the day when she ran away from the palace and entered a small sect called the Thunder Sword sect. At that time she became very famous in the sect under a disguise, she chooses to act like a trany and called herself En Bo.

The time she spends at the sect is one of her most fond memories, where she met a lot of people and met new friends. The carefree life she was living at that time is something that she would always cherish. Then she met a handsome man and his sister which made her experience falling in love for the first time.

Whenever she sees that man in the Thunder Sword sect her heart would beat like crazy. But that guy would not look at her favorably because at that time she is in disguise and is acting like a trany. But then fate has its own way and the three became friends due to some twist of luck.

At that time, the two are in trouble in a shop and attracted some shady characters. Since both the siblings are still not strong only in the initial stage of the core-forming realm, they are no match to the bunch of hooligans.

Before everything went sour, she stepped in and stopped the fight. Grateful for her help, the two began to follow her and they became friends from then on.

The sister seems to know that she likes her brother, crafty as she is the sister started to gain favors from her with the pretext that she would put up a good word for her. And so the relationship deepens between the three.

After some time, the Thunder Sword sect held a clan trial for their younger generation and the reward given is truly something that most young cultivators in the sect wanted. Those who could gain a higher score will be accepted as an inner core disciple, plus they would receive a lot of precious cultivation pills.

Then in that sect trials which is held at the Daemon forest, they met the most unimaginable thing.

The sect ventured towards the town of Dis which is the closest entrance from their sect, and from there then entered the endless forest. Their group decided to separate from the rest and began to delve deeper into the forest as they wanted to get the best beast. Then they accidentally found two people, a mortal young man, and a woman. Both possess otherworldly beauty in their own respect.

She immediately noticed the changes in the expression of the man she likes when he saw the beautiful woman and the constant support of his sister. And from the looks of it, the goddess-like woman is also a very strong cultivator. From that time on she was realized the truth, her two companions whom she treated as her friends are like two venomous snakes. But she didn't show her dissatisfaction and at that time decided to just keep quiet and go with the flow.

Then the ambush came, as the sibling decided to get rid of the mortal without the woman's knowledge. But to their surprise, the young man is actually not a sheep being hunted by wolves, but instead a tiger in sheep's clothing.

Luckily for them, the young man was magnanimous enough to spare their lives. And she was also discovered as a woman by him, but he let them go and she was left to escape with the two siblings in tow.

After thinking of that time, her eyes can't help but take another glance at the young man which spared her life.

"He… he is still the same. Still a mortal… But as strong as a cultivator." Princess Yun Bo Xi muttered.

Hearing the princess muttered words, the woman wearing a veil felt a little curious. She had a knowledge of the princess running-away from the empire before and met a lot of challenges. Luckily she returns with a renewed vigor and her cultivation actually improves greatly. At that time she noticed that the princess's eyes are filled with determination as if she has a goal to attain.

"Princess is there something wrong?" she asked with interest.

Hearing her question, Yun Bo Xi was awoken from her stupor as she shifted her gaze from the young man towards the mutated flood dragon.

Her eyes are still filled with confusion and reminiscence.

"Princess with this situation it is better for us to move away from this place. The movement of the flood dragon is too fast even I am having a hard time following it." the woman in a veil suggested.

This time, Yun Bo Xi didn't contradict her servant's words and nods her head. Then their group turned around and began to move away from the area. But with an unknown reason, when the princess group of three people moved, the demon beast actually noticed them and its gaze averted from Shin Jiao to the princess.

Then it snarled in anger as it bared its fangs. Its eyes suddenly turn red as it quickly moved with lightning speed.

When Shin Jiao saw the creature turned its gaze towards another direction he actually followed and saw what the beast is looking at.

"Stupid… why did they move? Didn't they understand that the beast is trying to exert its dominance and whoever moves in this place is considered as a mocking disrespect to it and it will immediately illuminate them?" Shin Jiao thought as he felt a little annoyed at those people.

"Anyway, at least we can scape this is now. I don't think I have enough power to contend with that monster." Shin Jiao thought.

But before he can take a step back, he saw suddenly saw the situation.

When the beast moved to attack the princess, all the people at the front was flabbergasted. They didn't expect the beast to pounce at them while they are a few hundred meters away from it.

"What the hell, your opponent is there not us!"

"This crazy bastard, we have to run!"

"No we can't run, let's just fight it off, maybe we'll get lucky and kill it."

The people began to panic as they see with wide eyes the fast speed of the beast. It didn't take a few seconds before the beast reaches the first people who are still stupefied in fear. With a swing of its large paws, figures of people would fly out and disappear in a silvery blink of lights as they were teleported out of the Dark Forest.

The woman in veil noticed this situation and quickly rushed forward to block the flood dragon. When she arrived in front of the demon beast, it immediately extended its arms to grab the woman. But before it could reach her, a strong Qi field stopped its hand.

"Filthy creature, do you think it would be that easy?" She muttered as she brandished her long sword and struck the demon beast's body.

Clang!!!

A loud sound of metal hitting another sturdy object reverberated through the air.

The woman in a veil is also surprised at the result as she felt her hand tremble a little. She could not believe that a gold core realm expert like hers had her attack deflected just by the sturdy body of the flood dragon.

"As expected of a mutated beast." She muttered.

The woman then sent a wave of energy from her hand towards the flood dragon's head. Sensing the sharp wave of energy, the flood dragon rolled on the ground and evaded the attack. It then sent two consecutive punches towards the veiled woman.

"Humph, trying to underestimate me?" she muttered as she lifted her hand and conjure a thick shield made of spiritual Qi.

Bong! Bong!

A couple of loud sounds echoed through as the demon beast pounded the shield.

The woman grabs this opportunity to jump up and recharge her power while falling she extended her sword as it glows while descending towards the demon beast.

But then she saw the demon beast actually showed a smirk on its face, and then it vanished.

The woman descended without finishing her strike as her opponent is now nowhere to be found. She extended her senses and found nothing, but when she did it the second time she noticed something on the ground and immediately showed a horrified expression. The beast actually appears behind her while its fist is already flying towards the back.

As she didn't have time to prepare, she was struck hard. While flying she actually felt that some of her bones and left shoulder were actually broken. The woman landed pitifully on the ground; while a thing cloth can be seen flying through the air like a feather.

The woman's veil is now gone and she spat a mouth full of blood while lying on the ground. Her whole body is feeling numb especially her left shoulder. She then forcefully sat down while groaning, as pain suddenly rushed in which she could not help but grit her teeth.

"Damn it, I was too careless." She muttered under her breath.

When she lifted her head, the people who are watching the scenery gasped in disbelief. If the princess is considered as beautiful, the woman in front of them is a goddess. She truly shows an aura of nobility and proud beauty. Her dainty mouth though bloody still exudes softness and exquisitely shaped.

All the young men in the area found themselves trapped within her charms as she looks like a pitiful damsel in distress, this is supported by the stain of blood slowly flowing from the side of her mouth. Seeing her appearance the remaining people had their determination to protect the goddess of beauty ignited.

Immediately one of them raised his sword and charges towards the flood dragon. And seeing the action of their clan's mate, the others began to charge towards the flood dragon too. But then they haven't fully realized the situation as they have forgotten that the opponent they are facing is a level four demon beast, and so, not long later the rest of the people were sent to the Safe Zone with heavy wounds.

Meanwhile, while this is happening.

Shin Jiao, on the other hand, is standing in his place with a dumbstruck expression on. He is currently looking at the once-proud woman sitting weakly on the ground. His eyes contained a lot of different emotions which one could almost not hide.

"Why is she here?" Shin Jiao thought.

"No, it can't be… she… she could not have been suck in by the portal too right?"

"If so then…" Shin Jiao's emotion right now is in turmoil.

But before he could deliberate more deeply at the situation, Shin Jiao noticed the sudden movement of the beast. When he saw the woman not reacting Shin Jiao's heart suddenly skipped a beat with anxiousness. Without thinking he suddenly move with lightning speed and ran towards her forcing his body by using Shadow Steps.

"Shit, I can't make it in time." Shin Jiao thought as he judges his speed and the distance of the woman.

The demon beast is now looking at the only remaining human near its vicinity. When it was attacking the group of humans, it wanted to eat even one of them but before it could do anything the humans would just vanish in thin air. So now it felt really frustrated and angry for not having its way. Looking at the weak and wounded human in front of it, the demon beast suddenly has an idea. It plans to eat its prey slowly so that it won't die immediately, that way it could pour out its endless frustration.

After it got near the woman it immediately extended its clawed hands towards the woman's arm. But before it could touch her, something whistling pass its arm and a strong force kicked its hand away. The force was so great that even its body was dragged. Luckily its strength is strong enough to resist if not it would guess that its hand would have been blown away.

Then before it could react it saw a lone figure standing beside the woman.

"Are you alright?" Shin Jiao asked the woman not minding the demon beast.

His focus is on the woman's reaction, who is staring at him with an incredulous expression. Just back then she plans to let the beast touch her arm and then she would deliver a sneak attack on it. But the young man in front of her foiled her plan. Luckily she also knew his purpose and that is to help her, so she didn't get that angry with him.

"I'm fine, thank you." She muttered as she slowly stood up.

Though she was wounded, it is not enough to bring her down. And with her cultivation, she just needed to rest for a bit and her vitality would return.

While the woman nonchalantly answered Shin Jiao felt a pang of pain in his heart. He noticed that the woman didn't recognize his face even when they are this close.

"I guess she is not her." Shin Jiao thought as the beautiful face of his girlfriend for many years on earth once again appear in his mind.

And when he looks at the woman in front of him, the figure of the girl in his memories and the one in front of him suddenly merged. The woman found that Shin Jiao's gaze seems awkward, but it contains something else. Most men when they look at her they would be filled with either lust or are in a trace and looking like fools. But Shin Jiao's gaze is different it's like he is looking at someone he had lost for a long time and had just found them.

This made her feel confused and so she wanted to ask but then their situation suddenly became dangerous when she noticed the beast that they didn't bother to pay attention to suddenly make its move.

The flood dragon was incensed when it discovered that the two lowly humans are not putting it mighty self in their eyes. So with that, it decided to tear both apart as it growled in anger and began to brandish its claws.

Shin Jiao also noticed this and felt startled, he didn't know what happened but when he saw the woman he didn't mind the danger and just approach without thinking. But now he remembers that his enemy is a level 4 beast which is more than his match.

Seeing that claws of the beast coming closer, Shin Jiao wanted to jump back but he suddenly felt his body became stiff and a knowing expression appear on his face. But this time it is mixed with regret and terror as he saw a large paw with long claws coming his way.

"Damn it! I was too careless."