Journey continued as it was after the night passed. Zhen Wang looked towards Zhan Chen who was riding his horned lion ahead of him.
He recalled a single line that Zhan Chen told before disappearing from two of their views. "If you are really grateful than help your young miss as much as you can and don't be so reckless next time", Zhan Chen spoke before leaving him and Shen Rou alone.
"To participate in the struggle of clan is not easy but looks like we also have to travel in those muddy water. Previously, I was not sure what to do but now I know which side to choose. Young master Chen is not at all simple. It will not be nice if we don't do anything for his saving grace", Zhen Wang thought to himself.
Thinking about the previous night, Zhen Wang was still baffled. When both he and Shen Rou was at their most relaxing moment, a cloud panther attacked them from behind.
He and Shen Rou couldn't even react when the famous magical beast of Cloud forest range reached towards them. Just another moment and one of them would have gravely injured by the magical beast. At the moment when they were at their most desperate moment in life, a figure appeared to stop the cloud panther. Then with a single stab, he took down the Cloud panther.
Zhen Wang recalled how Zhan Chen appeared silently and after taking down the famous Cloud panther, he shook his head and said, "How reckless!".
When both he and Shen Rou gave their heartfelt thanks to Zhan Chen, he nonchalantly shook his head and said, "There is no need to thank me. If you are really grateful then help your young miss as much as you can".
Then before he and Shen Rou could reply, his figure again disappeared in the darkness. He and Shen Rou both looked at each other with amazement in their eyes. Zhen Wang knew how unfathomable Zhan Chen was at this moment.
A resolute look appeared in the eyes Zhen Wang as he observed Zhan Chen who was acting as if nothing had happened between them.
The rest of their day's journey was peaceful as the magical beasts ran away after noticing the Martial ascension realm experts of Shen clan. As like before they took a rest at night and resumed their journey at early morning.
At the late afternoon of the third day, they finally approached the end of the Cloud forest range.
There was a beautiful valley at the end of the Cloud forest range. Everyone stopped for a moment to take a look at the surrounding.
"Hmm! What is going on?", Zhan Chen murmured to himself after checking the area with his soul consciousness.
Soon, Shen family experts also noticed something that Zhan Chen was witnessing with his soul consciousness.
A young looking girl was trying to climb the steep path while attaching a young boy on her back. Her whole body was bruised but she still trying her best to climb the steep slope with the help of a stick.
"Go, help her out", Shen Ruyan spoke to a nearby Shen clan expert. But Zhan Chen was faster to react. No one knew when he left his horned lion but he reached near the girl within few moments.
A vigilant look appeared in the eyes of the girl as she looked at Zhan Chen. "Are you with the bandits?", she asked with a wary tone in her voice.
Zhan Chen chuckled after hearing the question of the young girl. "Am I looking like a bandit?, Zhan Chen asked the young girl with a smile on his face.
The young girl took some moments to observe Zhan Chen and shook her head.
"You seem tired? What happened?", Zhan Chen looked towards the young girl who was wearing a simple looking dress and holding a little boy behind her back.
"Can you help me take care of my brother? I have to go and look for my parents", the girl asked. There was a begging tone in her voice as she looked towards Zhan Chen.
"I can help you out but in one condition. You have to come with me and let us treat your wounds", Zhan Chen spoke.
The young girl didn't know how to reply after hearing the strange proposition of Zhan Chen. Zhan Chen didn't give her time to think as he wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her body towards him.
"What are you doing!", the young girl exclaimed but Zhan Chen didn't reply as he started to descend towards the valley with a fast pace.
The young girl got frightened by what Zhan Chen was doing. She wrapped her hand around Zhan Chen's back unconsciously. Zhan Chen's steps were as light as feather as he reached the valley in no time.
"We should also descend down to valley", Shen Ruyan spoke after seeing Zhan Chen taking the young girl to valley.
It didn't take time to apply some basic herbs on the young girls wound. She had an uneasy look in her face as she looked at the gathered Shen clan experts worriedly.
"What is your name?", Shen Ruyan asked the young girl.
"Greetings miss, my name is Ke Ushi", the young girl replied and cupped her hands towards Shen Ruyan.
Zhan Chen checked the body of Ke Ushi with his soul consciousness. He couldn't find any injury except the superficial wounds on her outer body.
'Your wounds will heal in no time. Now you should rest and tell me what do you need my help for", Zhan Chen spoke to Ke Ushi.
"Thank you young master", Ke Ushi replied.
The eyes of Zhan Chen's women were on Ke Ushi as they were curious to know what happened to her? What forced an injured young girl like Ke Ushi to carry around a little boy with her?
Ke Ushi noticed the curious gazes of everyone on her as she felt a little nervous. Despite her uneasiness, she started to describe her ordeal to everyone present.
The name of the valley where they had descended now was called Clear spring valley. Ke Ushi and her brother Ke An had come from a village located near Clear spring valley.
Everything was going normal for their village as Ke Ushi and his brother were happily living with their parents. There was nothing to worry in the village except the occasional attack from beasts of Cloud forest range.
Everything was going normal when suddenly catastrophe struck their village. A group of bandits showed up abruptly in the middle of the night. Male members of Ke Ushi's village fought bravely but there were some powerful men among the bandits.
The village chief of Ke Ushi's village got captured and bandits killed others. They started to imprison the women of the village as soon as any woman piqued their interest.
Ke Ushi's home was at the end of the village. She was hiding in her house when her father came amidst the fight to send her away.
A bandit noticed her escaping figure but her father did his best to stop the bandit untill Ke Ushi moved away from his sight.
"Uuuu!, Uuuuu", Ke Ushi started to sob after explaining the matter of his village to the group of Zhan Chen. She was feeling worried as she didn't know what happened to her parents after her father sent her away with her brother.
"Little miss, please don't cry. I will do my best to help you out. Although I don't know whether the bandits are still in your village or not", Zhan Chen spoke.
"Young master, please save my parents and others", Ke Ushi spoke and tried to kneel down Infront of Zhan Chen. Li Shu stopped her from doing so as everyone looked towards Zhan Chen to hear his decision.
The peak level fifth stage expert of Shen clan didn't say anything but he was watching Zhan Chen along with the other experts of Shen clan.
He was already aware of the presence of an expert of Supreme Zhan clan in Zhan Chen's family. There was speculation in Central land about the comeback of Zhan clan from the shadow of past. So, he wanted to see the performance of Zhan Chen and how he manage such matters in hand.
Zhan Chen didn't say anything for some moments as he spread his soul consciousness to the surrounding. His soul consciousness could cover a vast area but he barely manage to find a village even after spreading his soul consciousness to its limit.
"Little Miss, is your village located in that direction?", Zhan Chen asked Ke Ushi.
Ke Ushi was beginning to panick as Zhan Chen was silent for some moments. But after hearing the question of Zhan Chen, her hope reignited again.
"Yes young master, there are total five villages in this area. My village is located much closer to the Clear spring valley", Ke Ushi spoke.
"Ok then, I will back in no time", Zhan Chen spoke as he dashed towards his Horned lion.
"Young master Chen, let me come with you", Kai Min spoke as he looked towards Zhan Chen.
"Miss Min, no need to worry. These bandits not worth for you to stain your hand. Please wait a little. I will come back after sometime", Zhan Chen smiled towards Kai Min.
"Young master, please take care", Ling'er spoke as she felt worried for Zhan Chen. She was not that intelligent like She Ruyan and Su'er who knew with the capability of Zhan Chen, a mere bandit group couldn't give him trouble.
Zhan Chen smiled towards Ling'er to pacify her worry. Then he urged his horned lion to move towards the direction where the village of Ke Ushi was located.
Another galloping sound came as Zhen Weng joined Zhan Chen in his trip. No one had any objection as Shen clan experts had beleif in Zhen Wang's ability.
Zhen Wang followed behind Zhan Chen and both of them moved away from the sights of their group.
(To be continued.....)