Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 363 : Adventure In The Human Realm (3)

Chapter 363: Chapter 363 : Adventure In The Human Realm (3)

The two little boys, Xie Junjie and Zhang Mingrui, sprinted hand-in-hand, a desperate tug-of-war between them as each tried to pull the other ahead. Sweat slicked their palms, making their grip slip precariously. Panic hammered against their ribs, echoing the chilling cry that chased them:

"Get them!!!"

Ignoring the direction, they stumbled blindly forward, the booming voice propelling them deeper into the unknown.

With a jarring crash, they slammed into something solid. An "oof!" escaped their lips as the impact sent them tumbling to the ground.

"Junjie, get up!" Zhang Mingrui cried, urging his brother to his feet. "Hurry..."

Junjie scrambled to comply, but his movement was hindered by the sharp pain in his scraped knee. With tears in his eyes, he looked up, fear widening his eyes, as Mingrui followed his gaze. Standing before them was another man, adorned in the same menacing uniform as their pursuers.

"Don’t eat us!" Mingrui shrieked, wrapping his arms protectively around his twin. "We’re too small! And we don’t taste good!"

In a single, silent movement, the man positioned himself as an impenetrable barrier between the terrified children and their pursuers. His towering stature and the billowing folds of his robe cast a protective shadow, enveloping the trembling boys and shielding them from sight.

It did not take long before Gu Shengxia and Wang Chunli arrived before them.

Huddled together like frightened sparrows, Xie Junjie and Zhang Mingrui squeezed their eyes shut behind the stranger’s back, anticipating the worst scenario possible.

A dramatic shift in atmosphere occurred as Gu Shengxia and Wang Chunli encountered another member of their sect. Their faces, previously contorted in predatory hunger, suddenly morphed into expressions of feigned reverence.

"Qiao... Qiao-shixiong!" they both exclaimed in unison, their voices suddenly adopting a respectful tone.

Qiao Wei, his demeanor radiating an air of casual authority, stood before them. One arm rested casually behind his back, the other holding a pristine white fan that he swirled with graceful nonchalance. His gaze, sharp and discerning, swept over the two younger martial art brothers, taking in their disheveled appearances that spoke of arduous exertion.

"Why are the two of you here? Who gave you permission to leave the mountain?" he demanded, his voice laced with icy disapproval.

"T-T-That..." Gu Shengxia stammered, his facade of confidence crumbling under Qiao Wei’s piercing gaze. True to form, when faced with a difficult situation, he wasted no time pushing his shixiong, Wang Chunli, forward to act as his shield.

"W-Wang-shixiong, Qiao-shixiong is asking you," Gu Shengxia mumbled, lowering his gaze to the ground.

Wang Chunli felt the heat of anger rise within him. The one who had persuaded him to sneak down the mountain was none other than this shameless shidi! The urge to expose Gu Shengxia’s duplicity was strong, but the thought of losing face in front of Qiao Wei held him back. He knew that if he snitched on Gu Shengxia, it would reflect poorly not only on his shidi but also on himself.

A nervous laughter spilled from Wang Chunli’s lips, in an attempt to dilute the tension in the air.

"Qiao-shixiong, we heard the cries of two little children. To be exact, they are hiding behind you right now. We were planning to take them back to their families."

"Liars!" Xie Junjie cried out. "They were planning to eat me to advance their cultivation!"

The crease between Qiao Wei’s brows deepened significantly upon hearing Xie Junjie’s accusation.

"Is that true?" he glared at his two shidis, who looked like they were about to be dragged to an execution platform.

"That... little boy, don’t randomly accuse people!" Wang Chunli’s face was red from a mixture of rage and embarrassment.

"That’s right!" Gu Shengxia piped up. "Who wants to eat you? We don’t eat dwarves like you!"

"Enough," Qiao Wei spoke. "Leave them to me, I will take care of them. Return to Mount Wu at once."

Wang Chunli and Gu Shengxia couldn’t tear their eyes away from the two little boys huddled behind Qiao Wei’s towering figure. One was clearly a dragon spirit. The other seemed to be a tiger spirit. Oh, to lose them was like letting a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity slip through their fingers! The regret gnawed at them, a bitter pill impossible to swallow.

And yet, despite their burning desire to capture the two young spirits, they knew better than to offend Qiao Wei.

"Yes, Shixiong."

The two disciples thus cupped their hands in reverence before Qiao Wei and left without turning back.

Once the air was clear of danger, Qiao Wei turned his attention to the two small figures now standing hesitantly before him. He lowered himself onto one knee, his initially stern expression softening into a gentle curiosity. His eyes, keen and observant, scanned the boys, taking in their unique appearances.

"Little ones," Qiao Wei spoke softly, his voice carrying a warmth that dispelled the lingering fear from the boys’ hearts. "Tell me, who are you, and what brings you to this place?"

Instead of answering his question, the two boys blinked at him. Zhang Mingrui, ever the bolder of the two, tilted his head and inquired with innocent curiosity, "Uncle, are you a human being?"

Qiao Wei smiled gently. He knelt down further, placing himself at eye level with the children. "Yes, little one," he replied, his voice soft and reassuring. "I am a human being."

"Do human beings eat children?" Xie Junjie asked, his voice trembling slightly.

A soft sigh escaped Qiao Wei’s lips.

"Did the two uncles just now really threaten to eat you?"

Both boys nodded their heads vigorously.

"They were so scary!" Zhang Mingrui exclaimed.

"They said that my flesh is tasty!" Xie Junjie blurted out, then quickly covered his mouth with his hand. "My... my flesh is not tasty," he mumbled, just in case Qiao Wei suddenly developed an appetite for him.

Qiao Wei gave both boys a placating pat on their heads.

"Look, I really do not want to eat any of you. Can I take you back home?" he asked.

Zhang Mingrui and Xie Junjie exchanged glances.

"Mingrui, where are Lei Zhen and Xiao Xiao?" Xie Junjie asked his twin brother, who was supposed to run away with the two spiritual beasts.