Apologies, I've been swamped lately with all sorts of things. I updated this morning but forgot to publish...
……
This was something worth being wary of. Yang Kai had now encountered over a dozen Minor Worlds that had taken humanoid forms, and without exception, none of them possessed any real intelligence — they simply acted on instinct. But this little girl actually knew how to follow him, which set her apart from the rest.
Still, she was clearly the timid sort, the kind frightened of her own shadow.
The day before, the moment she had spotted him, she had immediately bolted. Today, though she hadn't run away outright, she had instantly darted behind a small mound, peeking her little head out to steal glances in his direction, her big eyes blinking rapidly.
Yang Kai frowned, unsure of what she was playing at. If she was following him, why was she so afraid? Could it simply be curiosity?
He didn't dwell on it and turned to leave.
Seeing Yang Kai about to walk away, the little girl opened her mouth. Her small face flushed red, her tiny fists clenched tight as though she was trying desperately to shout something, but no matter how hard she tried, not a single sound escaped her lips. She grew frantic.
Yang Kai had walked a dozen zhang or so when he suddenly stopped, turned around, and began striding toward the little girl.
The anxious Nannan's expression brightened with a hint of joy, but as Yang Kai drew closer, she retreated step by step. Her movements weren't fast, and her steps were small, her skirt hem fluttering, yet Yang Kai was stunned to discover that no matter how hard he tried, he simply could not close the distance between them.
Losing patience, Yang Kai activated the Laws of Space and in a flicker appeared right in front of Nannan. Before she could react, he grabbed her by the arm.
In the next instant, the faces of both the large and the small figure changed simultaneously.
The little girl was frightened. She had already been timid, never daring to get too close to Yang Kai, and now suddenly having her arm seized by him was almost too much. Her big eyes turned red, tears brimming in the corners as she looked utterly pitiful.
Yang Kai, for his part, had taken a jarring hit. The moment his hand closed around Nannan's arm, a vast and boundless power surged into his body. In an instant, his vision blurred, stars exploded before his eyes, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
World Force!
His guess had been right. The little girl was indeed a Minor World that had gained sentience and taken form. The moment their bodies made contact, the World Force within her erupted, and the impact of that sudden burst was far from pleasant.
He had already braced himself, ready to summon the three Half-Saints at a moment's notice.
Fortunately, though the little girl was terrified, she had no intention of fighting him. She simply tugged with all her might to pull her lotus-stem-like arm free, gazing at Yang Kai with a look of desperate pleading.
The power of the Warm Divine Lotus washed through him, steadying his mind. Yang Kai lowered his head to look at the Nannan before him and softened his voice as much as he could. "I'm looking for someone — someone like me, but a woman. Have you seen her?"
He was grasping at straws, just as Xiao Chen had done before.
He had encountered several Minor Worlds that had taken humanoid forms previously, but all of them had been mindless, acting purely on instinct. This one, however, seemed different — she appeared to have her own thoughts. Naturally, Yang Kai wanted to ask.
He harbored no real hope, but what if she actually knew?
But Nannan was far too scared. Unable to wrench her arm free, the World Force erupted once more.
Despite Yang Kai's preparations, he was still sent flying in an instant. He wasn't injured, though — his blood and qi merely churned within him. After landing, he took several deep breaths to settle himself, then looked up to see the little girl speeding away in a particular direction.
Yang Kai shook his head in disappointment and turned to leave.
He hadn't gone far when Nannan doubled back, blocking his path. It was clear she was fighting hard to suppress her fear — her tiny body trembled violently, yet she stood her ground with unwavering resolve.
Yang Kai tilted his head, studying her with a slight furrow of his brow.
The little girl took off toward that same direction again. This time she didn't fly fast, but as she went, she kept glancing back at Yang Kai, then looking ahead, then back at Yang Kai again...
Yang Kai's eyes lit up. Was she trying to guide him? Having a guide was certainly better than wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Yang Kai immediately set off in pursuit of Nannan. Seeing him follow, she stopped looking back and instead picked up speed, racing ahead.
At that, Yang Kai became even more convinced that she had been guiding him all along.
They pressed onward without further hindrance, and remarkably, they encountered none of those other Minor Worlds that had taken form along the way.
After an indeterminate distance, Nannan suddenly came to a stop outside a valley and turned to face Yang Kai.
The valley had an entrance — a narrow, winding path that from the outside appeared perfectly ordinary. But when Yang Kai extended his divine sense into it, it was like plunging into a thick fog, yielding nothing at all.
"Here?" Yang Kai asked.
The little girl clenched her small fists and nodded vigorously.
This was the first time she had responded to him directly. Yang Kai was overjoyed and flashed her an innocent, harmless-looking smile. "Thank you."
Nannan, whether she understood or not, lowered her head, her cheeks flushing crimson.