They soon arrived at a small town. Mortals dressed in rags clamoured within the streets, bustling themselves at tasks. The bubbling smell of their bodies rose into the cool spring air, fusing with the thick scent of alcohol, radiating the mundane nature of their realm.

Zhanying stood before the town, judging with his ears whether it was habitable. At last, he sighed and turned to Yuansong. "You will go clear our scent and catch Yihuai's pawn. I will wait here for a few days," he ordered.

Yuansong nodded. "Yes, Your Highness." Then he turned to Jingrui and held up his finger. "Look after His Highness well on my behalf. Or else. . ." He ran his finger across his neck with a murderous glare. With that, he leaped into the air and disappeared within the cover of the trees.

Jingrui placed her hands on her waist, glowering at him as he left. "Like the Prince needs looking after," she seethed after him before turning around with a huff. She trotted to Zhanying's side, hitting her limbs with her fists. "I'm so tired . . . I thought High Deities could transport, why did we have to walk such a distance?"

So you could catch up, of course, foolish, little immortal.

Zhanying kept his mouth shut and turned towards the town, waving for her to follow him. "Why didn't you stay at the Palace?" he asked.

"I want to serve Your Highness, of course. What other reason could there be?"

"Are you planning to serve me or be my burden?"

She inhaled deeply and frowned. "I would never be your burden, and I would never cause you any trouble on your trip. If there's danger, I'll even protect you, how does that sound?"

He cocked his head to the side. There were only those who wanted him to protect them, he had never come across someone who offered to protect him. He chuckled as he didn't know whether she was impressive or pathetic.

As they walked deeper into the town, a strong smell of weed entered his nose. The smell was similar to his medication, so he did not think much of it. But Jingrui seemed to have gone pale after one sniff of the smell. She tensed and shuffled closer to him. Her small hands cradled onto his long sleeves, tugging him to walk slower.

His brows raised at her sudden fear. "What's wrong?"

She didn't reply as they made their way into the large courtyard of the inn. He paid the inn owner gold, and the whole time Jingrui's trembling form hid behind his body.

Once they settled into a room, she seemed sick. She plopped down in front of a floor table. Her body shook as she poured herself a cup of water, spilling drops against the lacquered tabletop.

She did not talk to him with her usual liveliness nor emit with youth. All that was left in her was fear. Her shaking hand held the cup of water raised in the air, but she didn't drink it as she stared off into the distance.

Zhanying didn't understand what had taken over her, and naturally, he wouldn't care. But the silence was too barren and such silence really didn't suit Bao Bao. Was she ill? Or was she possessed by an evil force of the mortal realm? After all, the town stood just below the foot of the Jade Dragon Mountain and the gate of Hell.

He crouched beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, jolting her out of her deep mulling. She let out a small yelp, and the cup in her hand dropped to the ground, shattering to pieces. Water from the cup spilled onto his cloth, and his face darkened. "Unruly, little—" he began, only to be cut short when she pushed his chest hard and scrambled into a corner of the room, far from his reach.

He closed his eyes and pushed himself to sit back up, ire building in him. This was the second time she had pushed him, and he didn't—couldn't—see it coming. What was the good of being the God of War? Couldn't even see it coming. He clenched his jaw as he fixed the jade ring on his thumb and the crown on his head.

Sobs scraped out of her throat, her body tensing against the wall. "We have to run. They're coming, we can't stay here," she muttered under her breath, her breathing growing laboured. "We can't stay here."

Zhanying sighed as he tilted his head towards the ceiling, suddenly regretting sending Yuansong away. "Why can't we stay here? If I want to stay here, no one can stop me."

She shook her head. "They're coming. The terrible men, they're coming."

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