"What kind of monster is this?"
Seeing Little Black in the driver's seat, Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao were both greatly startled, almost simultaneously drawing their swords with faces full of vigilance.
Little Black, in return, growled discontentedly at them.
"Don't worry, it's my pet. You can think of it as a type of demonic creature from the Abyss. This one doesn't bite, but you should be careful if you encounter others; they are very dangerous."
Upon hearing this, both of them involuntarily swallowed hard. You don't have to tell us it's dangerous.
It felt like their entire bodies were weapons.
"Is this... the Abyss? The legendary Nine Netherland?"
Cheng Lixue tried to remain calm, her pretty face tensed as if she was finally beginning to understand the severity of the situation.
Although they had previously encountered drastic environmental changes and even the living dead, to be honest, there had been no real threat to them thus far.
Canada is vast with sparse population; they had hardly encountered a few living souls.
Otherwise, coming across someone with malicious intent and a gun would have been trouble enough for both of them.
"You'll need to adapt. There are creatures here stronger and more repulsive than this beast."
"I... understand. I would be most grateful if the young master could enlighten us further," Cheng Lixue said.
Cheng Lixue sheathed her sword.
"Hmm, I was just about to discuss some things with you. Get in, there's a lot of stuff inside but still enough room."
Tao Yu opened the door of the RV, the sight of the electric automatic door stunned both of them.
"We've seen other self-moving vehicles without horses on the road, this... truly is miraculous."
"You can think of it as the mechanisms of the Mo clan. That might make it easier to understand. Do you plan to keep your horses with us the whole time? We'll have to cross the sea later, and I'm not sure about the climate in the north."
Tao Yu looked at the horses the two had led all the way, which made Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao hesitate.
As martial artists, a horse was not only expensive but also an important means of transportation.
Furthermore, Cheng Lixue had experience roaming the jianghu, and she hadn't yet come to fully trust Tao Yu.
Initially, she felt confident in taking control of the situation, but after seeing Little Black's ferocious appearance and the expressionless face of Cao Shaolin in the passenger seat, she felt a drumming in her heart.
"Though merely external martial arts and showy moves, their strength is probably not weak. If there's any malice on this journey..."
Cheng Lixue was somewhat aware of her own charm. Even her fellow disciple Zhang Hao occasionally looked at her with admiration.
Her second senior brother had even tried to force himself on her because of it and was subsequently expelled from the sect after his mistake...
Gurgle~
Before Cheng Lixue could ponder further, the hunger in her stomach made her cheeks turn slightly red.
They were in unfamiliar surroundings with their rations almost depleted. On the road, they had only managed to catch a few squirrels to stave off hunger. If they continued without purpose, they might end up having to slaughter their horses to feed themselves.
Thinking of this, Cheng Lixue bit her lip and made a decision.
"We ask the young master to take us in. We are willing to offer our horses' meat in exchange for your help."
"Brother Tao, you said the world we're about to encounter is one we'll be more familiar with. Can you elaborate on that?"
Zhang Hao held a good impression of Tao Yu, who was willing to share his food with them.
Being a junior of the Snowy Mountain Sect and on his first venture out, he suddenly encountered such an event. His senior sister was also a bit lost, and now, receiving Tao Yu's kindness naturally made his affection for Tao Yu grow.
Although Zhang Hao had a robust build and rough appearance, he was indeed a little younger than Tao Yu.
"You've also encountered other people; the fact is, this world is very dangerous. There's a kind of hidden weapon you don't understand," Tao Yu said as he drew a common handgun, one of the items left by previous assailants, opened the window, and fired several shots into the woods outside.
This instantly made Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao feel a chill.
"So fast? And it can fire repeatedly? This small device has a power not inferior to strong arrows; if someone used this during a fight, it would be impossible to defend against," they exclaimed.
"The speed of this weapon is so fast, it's almost invisible, and apart from the loud noise, it's practically perfect," Zhang Hao added.
It had to be said, even though Tao Yu deemed their danger level low, they were still martial artists with Inner Strength, and what ordinary people couldn't see, they could barely make out as a blur.
Even in their eyes, it was just a fleeting glimpse, yet they knew something had been shot out.
This gave both of them a moment of fright.
If it weren't for Brother Tao's warning, how would they deal with someone who possessed this kind of hidden weapon?
"There are weapons with greater power and strength, and, moreover, you might not understand the language of this world, which is another reason why I said you will feel out of place..." Tao Yu continued, then paused and smiled.
"Although I haven't personally been to the next world, someone has brought back some information. If nothing unexpected happens, it should be quite similar to the world you described, at least the language should be the same," Tao Yu explained, finally making the two feel somewhat relieved.
Cheng Lixue was even feeling a bit hopeful internally. What if it was indeed their own world?
They had previously asked about Peach Blossom Island, which could be the name of a place in that world. Although she had never heard of it, it could be a small island she really wasn't familiar with!
Moreover, finding a place to fit in and get accustomed to, even temporarily, was still good news.
It was truly fortunate to have encountered a kind-hearted person willing to give guidance.
Cheng Lixue was aware of the dangers of the martial world and was clear about the precarious situation they were in. If they had encountered villains, the danger could have been immense.
Then she glanced at Tao Yu again, her cheeks reddening slightly.
A chance meeting, and there would be no such thing as kindness without a reason. The other person must have had his own intent.
The only bargaining chip they might have at their disposal could be their appearance.
But even though they had left their original world, her moral standards still caused her anxiety; she was a married woman after all. Should she clarify this to him?
"So, on our way there, I have a small favor to ask of the two of you," Tao Yu said, causing Cheng Lixue to look up, after which he gestured for them to speak.
"Please proceed, Young Master Tao."
"The thing is, I hardly have any understanding of acupoints or meridians, yet I am quite interested in these areas. So I was hoping the two of you could offer some guidance," Tao Yu stated, deliberately not mentioning anything about Internal Cultivation Methods, only acupoints and meridians.
Hearing this, Cheng Lixue finally seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, smiling and responding,
"Of course, there's no problem at all. I can teach you. Whatever questions you have, Young Master Tao, don't hesitate to ask..."
Only reciprocal help can last. Constant, one-sided sacrifice felt too precarious. With Tao Yu's request, she actually felt a sense of relief...
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