章 43: Mission Details

"What? I have to go on missions too?" Xuefeng asked, surprise evident in his voice. As a Young Master, he had assumed he could train in peace without such obligations.

"Well, you don't have to, but I do. I'm part of the Shadow Guards, so it's my responsibility. Joining me on a mission will be part of your training," Wuying said firmly, leaving no room for refusal.

'I guess this is a good opportunity to search for the Spirit Herbs Ling wants,' Xuefeng thought after short consideration. 'I promised to look for them this month, so I must leave the clan at some point.'

"When are we leaving?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

"Tomorrow morning. Do you want to eat out tonight?" she asked cheerfully, wrapping her arms around his.

"Of course. By the way, Princess Shan is also leaving soon," he informed her, watching for her reaction.

"Yeah, she told me earlier. I'll have you all to myself now," she replied with a smile.

"Oh, and you didn't tell me?" Xuefeng pretended to be hurt.

"You should be happy I haven't punished you for cheating and you dare to complain?" She pinched his arm playfully. She knew Princess Shan's intentions, so it wasn't hard to figure out their relationship.

"Cough… Have you thought about which academy you'll join in the future?" He faked a cough to change the subject.

"Hmm, I'll go wherever you go," she decided quickly.

"I'm happy to hear that." It felt good to have someone to rely on.

They left the training room and waited for Princess Shan to get ready. Meanwhile, Wuying explained the details of their mission. "Our main objective is to hunt a rank 4 Nightmare responsible for many recent deaths. It's as strong as a Spirit Lord and was last seen near Moon Lake on the outskirts of the Phoenix City."

"Isn't a rank 4 Spirit Beast too much for my first mission?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"When I proposed this assignment to your father, he gladly agreed. He said I should put you through hardships so you grow into a real man," Wuying replied with a chuckle.

"Well, thank you, Father," Xuefeng commented, rolling his eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll be with you. I won't let anything happen to you," she reassured him, hugging him tighter.

"What is this Nightmare? I couldn't find its description in any books," he asked, preparing himself mentally.

"It's a rare Spirit Beast that looks like a spider and feeds on human blood. Its weapons are its eight legs and sharp teeth. It's also extremely agile, making it a difficult target. We have to be cautious not only of the monster but also of other cultivators looking to get a Spirit Artifact from it," she explained, increasing his worry.

"Couldn't you pick something easier, like hunting a deer? You had to choose a vampire spider…" He suddenly didn't want to leave the city. Spiders were not his favorite creatures.

"Your Spirit Art can destroy a rank 5 Spirit Puppet. You just need to hit it once to kill it. Are you scared?" she teased.

"I'm not…" He tried to deny it, but she stopped him.

"It's already decided. If we kill it, you get its Spirit Artifact. It'll be fun, our own adventure." She looked at Xuefeng with dreamy eyes, imagining him saving her from danger.

"Wait, so we're going alone? Just the two of us?" Xuefeng asked, stupefied. He had assumed a squadron of Shadow Guards would join them.

"Yeah, just the two of us. Isn't that romantic? Beauty and the prince, fighting against evil," she answered, still lost in her dreamland.

Xuefeng suddenly imagined them huddled together for warmth in the wilderness.

"I'm back." Princess Shan's sweet voice woke him from his dreams. She wore a blue imperial robe with a slit showing her graceful legs. Her hair was still slightly wet, but she didn't have time to dry it, noticing Wuying clinging to Xuefeng's arm.

Wuying smiled at her without any intention of letting go. Princess Shan took it as a provocation and accepted the challenge.

"Do you have any means of transportation, or should I arrange something for y—" Xuefeng began, exchanging glances between the girls. He turned to Princess Shan to arrange her departure, but before he could finish, she swiftly leaned in to kiss him.

Wuying didn't expect such a direct move, unable to pull Xuefeng away in time. She was about to protest when Princess Shan separated from Xuefeng, licking her lips.

"Take good care of him while I'm gone. I'll be back soon," She gave Wuying a provocative glance before turning to Xuefeng, who was still recovering from the sudden kiss.

"I already have transport ready, so you don't need to accompany me. I'll miss you," Princess Shan said sweetly and didn't wait for his response, leaving right after.

Xuefeng stared at the courtyard doors until he felt a pain in his arm. He looked to see Wuying glaring at him.

"Ehem, she kissed me. I was defenseless," he tried to reason, but it didn't work.

"Hmph!" She turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

"Come on, I thought you were on good terms?" he tried again.

"I tolerated her because her skills were helpful to you. That doesn't mean I agreed to your intimacy with her," Wuying retorted, lashing out.

Xuefeng leaned in and kissed her the same way the Princess had kissed him.

"There, I erased her kiss with this one. Don't be mad anymore, okay?" He smiled gently, trying to soothe her feelings. There wasn't much else he could do.

"I don't mind you having other girls as long as I'm in your heart. Will you keep a place for me?" Wuying placed her small hand on his chest, looking hopeful.

Rejecting her now would make him a real scum.

"As long as you have a place for me in yours, I'll always keep one for you," he replied honestly, caressing her cheek.

"Hehe, it's a deal. Go clean yourself before we go eat. You stink," she finally smiled and let go of him.

"Okay, wait for me," He nodded as he kissed her head before heading to freshen up.