The Rise of the Dragon Warrior
Out of the Forest
Three days had passed, now it had awakened from fainting where it had been in an unfamiliar place.
" Where is this?" Shen Long opened his left eye only looking at the ceiling of Goa.
" Thank God you're conscious. It's been three days that you've been unconscious because you've been bleeding a lot." a woman's voice came from Shen Long's back.
Shen Long also wanted to turn his head towards the source of the sound, but his body still felt stiff which made him unable to move his body freely.
" I saw you almost fall into a bottomless abyss. Were you possessed at the time?" The figure of a beautiful woman walked up to Shen Long until it stopped in front of him.
" Why are you helping me?" Shen Long was a little upset that his plan of suicide was foiled.
" Do you want to die? No problem, I'm hungry anyway." The woman took out a small Knife staring at Shen Long like a starving person.
" Gluugs." Shen Long gulped as he looked at the small Blade in the woman's hand.
" Is this woman a man-eater?" Shen Long muttered in cold sweat.
" Oh yeah... I think I'm gonna start eating you from where? If it's a finger, it's a little hard. I don't have a Fire to bake you. How about from the stomach? Maybe a little soft." The woman played the knife in her hand.
Hearing the remark from the woman, Shen Long was a little worried about intending to run away from the place. But let alone to run, to move his body is very difficult.
" Please Miss Monster... Don't eat me!" Shen Long was so nervous breaking out in cold sweat that his breathing began to suffocate.
" all right... I'm not gonna eat you today. Wait you've completely recovered. It's not good to eat a sick person." The woman walked around the place where Shen Long was sitting on a large rock.
" What are you doing here?" Shen Long ventured to ask.
" A pretty good question... Now I want to ask you one more time. Do you want to die or not?" The woman's voice was very melodious in Shen Long's ears, yet filled with a threatening tone.
Hearing the question from the woman, Shen Long slightly thought for a moment that he shook his head signifying that he did not want to die.
" Nah, that's better. Oh yes, my name is Xiao Ai Qing. What's your name?" The woman named Xiao Ai Qing reached out as if she wanted to shake hands with Shen Long.
" Shen Long." Shen Long replied briefly raising his right hand to shake hands with Xiao Ai Qing.
" Matching names. Now recover your wound! let us quickly get out of this forest. I can't stay here too long, because my family must have been looking for me." Xiao Ai Qing gave some mashed leaves and attached them to some of Shen Long's injured body parts.
It was from Shen Long's estimation that Xiao Ai Qing was only 15 years old or at least 17 years old that Hu Meiyin's exquisite looks even exceeded Princess Ling Yi Hua's.
" Thank you Miss Qing. If you may know, how did you get to be in this place?" Shen Long again asked Xiao Ai Qing.
" I'm here to look for the White Grass plant for medicine. I happened to see you fall, so I quickly saved you. Oi... Why do you call me Miss? Do I look older than you?" Xiao Ai Qing stared intently at Shen Long.
" I'm sorry Miss... Uh..." Shen Long.
" Babh... It's up to you. Lalau what about you yourself? Why are you in this forest?" Xiao Ai Qing again asked Shen Long.
Hearing the question from Xiao Ai Qing, Shen Long immediately looked gloomy feeling hesitant to tell about her.
But because all this time Shen Long had never told anyone including Hao Mingzi and Hao Xiang.
To let go of all his problems, Shen Long finally began to tell his life from the departure of his parents until the moment Shen Long planned to end his life.
Hearing the story from Shen Long, Xiao Ai Qing felt concerned about the circumstances that the figure of the Man in front of her was in now.
" Brother Long... Even though I am still young from you, I suggest that you should not give up. You show to those who have done evil to you that you are not weak." Xiao Ai Qing was trying to comfort Shen Long.
" But I can't cultivate anymore. It's just like garbage that needs to be thrown away and shunned." Shen Long.
" I've heard that in the Buddhist Light Monastery there is a Monk who has an understanding of Medicine to restore the condition of the body of a person affected by Poison. Whether true or not, you better try." Xiao Ai Qing gave Shen Long a suggestion.
" After we get out of this forest, I'll show you the way. But unfortunately I can't take you, because we're on a different path." Xiao Ai Qing said.
" Didn't Miss intend to eat me again?" Shen Long slightly probed.
" Babh... I was just kidding. Your meat is not good anyway. You better just rest here! I'll find some food for us." Xiao Ai Qing left the cave in search of food.
At a glance Shen Long saw Xiao Ai Qing forming a white-colored shadow moving swiftly as if hovering in the air.
" Who is that woman? Is he really a monster?" Shen Long muttered as he laid his body on the huge stone.
After a while Xiao Ai Qing had already appeared with some fresh fruits and two sizable Fish.
Xiao Ai Qing took out a wooden box and made a bonfire and grilled the fish until within a few minutes it was ripe.
" Brother Long... Eat up! That way, your condition will quickly improve." Xiao Ai Qing gave the grilled Fish to Shen Long.
Hearing the voice, Shen Long immediately got up from where he was lying down and sat down and took the Fish.
" Thank you Miss Qing." Shen Long felt moved by the attention of Xiao Ai Qing because all this time he had never gotten such treatment.
They ate together until within minutes they had finished the meal.
After feeling full, Shen Long returned to lay his body, because he was still not able to move freely.
Two days later, Shen Long's condition had improved until Xiao Ai Qing led the way for them to exit the Forest.
After taking half a day, they were already at the edge of the Forest where Xiao Ai Qing pointed a path for Shen Long.
" Brother Long... You just go straight through this path! Once you reach the intersection, you have to take the right lane. After that, you follow that path. At the end of the road, you will find the Buddhist Light Monastery." Xiao Ai Qing gave a hint to Shen Long.
" Thank you Miss Qing. If the Creator gives me a chance to live longer, I will return your favor." Shen Long said sincerely because while inside the Forest, Xiao Ai Qing had taken good care of her.
" Hmmm..." Xiao Ai Qing was a little surprised because it was just ordinary help, where her parents always taught her virtue.
" all right... I'll wait for your buds. So that you always remember, wear this necklace!" Xiao Ai Qing removed the necklace from her neck and gave it to Shen Long.
" Tap... But Miss Qing... This necklace seems very valuable." Shen Long felt uneasy, subtly rejecting the gift from Xiao Ai Qing.
" You just take it! Only with this can you meet me. Now we are friends. So you don't have to be sad anymore." Xiao Ai Qing gave the necklace to Shen Long's palm.
" B... Friends?." Shen Long felt moved by the involuntary remark from his luminous eyelids as it let out water, even if it was just a little.
" Mm." Mmm." Xiao Ai Qing nodded.
" All right Miss Qing. Then I'll say good." Shen Long took the necklace and set foot on the path.
As well as Xiao Ai Qing, he himself continued on his way back to his residence.
...----------------...
**Who is Xiao Ai Qing?
Is he of the Human Race or not?
Can the Human Race form a Ghost-like shadow?
If Xiao Ai Qing was a Human, would she have a high cultivation level?
From the words of Xiao Ai Qing alone with just the Necklace she was given to Shen Long alone could meet her**.