Chapter 358: I Will Remember This Favor
The moment Yu Luo finished speaking, her excitement vanished.
The vast pool of water—where was Chi Jincheng?!
“Chi Jincheng?! Chi Jincheng?!”
She had been carried here by him.
If she was in the pool, then he should be here too!
Yet—Not a trace of him.
The stillness of the water felt unnerving, an eerie black void swallowing everything.
The silence was suffocating.
The absence of his presence made her heart pound with unease.
Her mind raced with terrible thoughts—
Had Chi Jincheng drowned because of her?
Guilt twisted inside her.
She refused to accept it.
She slapped the water, her voice ringing through the cavern.
“Chi Jincheng!”
Again.
And again—
“Xiao Luo…”
A dozen meters away, a figure emerged from the water.
His sudden appearance sent ripples across the surface, distorting the moon’s reflection.
Under the moonlight, his soaking wet clothes clung tightly to his broad chest.
His voice—calm, soothing, carrying a faint hint of amusement.
Yu Luo spun around, her heart leaping with relief.
When she confirmed it wasn’t an illusion, she exhaled deeply, pressing a hand to her chest.
“Damn it! I thought you disappeared!”
She smacked the water in frustration, sending splashes flying.
Droplets blurred her vision, clinging to her lashes.
“Why did you swim so far away?!”
Hearing the blame in her voice, Chi Jincheng let out a bitter smile.
He hadn’t wanted to go far—
But even underwater, his internal energy was strong enough for him to see clearly.
That meant—
He had seen her.
Her figure, outlined beneath the rippling surface.
And the poison in his system—far worse than hers—
If he had stayed too close, he couldn’t guarantee his own self-control.
So, he had fled.
The icy water was the only thing that had helped him suppress the fire inside.
Now, he swam toward her, closing the distance between them.
Their eyes met—
And then, both of them laughed softly.
“Thank you,” Yu Luo said, her tone sincere.
“If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what I would’ve done…”
Even though the water was freezing, she decided to stay a little longer—just in case.
Chi Jincheng chuckled, tilting his head.
“If Xiao Luo really did something impulsive, I doubt I’d be the one at a disadvantage.”
His smirk deepened.
“Maybe even the heavens wouldn’t allow you to take advantage of me.”
Yu Luo rolled her eyes.
“Guess we really did go through hell together, huh?”
“So? Did you think only Ye Lu was capable of joking?”
She snorted.
“You and Ye Lu are nothing alike.”
But before they could continue, she suddenly shuddered.
“Alright, I think the poison has faded enough. We should get out of here. Who knows what’s lurking in this river?”
Just thinking about that damn snake earlier made her uneasy.
She immediately swam toward the shore—
Only to realize—
The riverbank was over a meter high.
She reached up, grasping at the edge—
But no matter how many times she tried, she couldn’t pull herself up!
Before she could curse, a splash sounded behind her.
And in the next instant—Her feet left the water.
She soared through the air—And landed lightly on solid ground.
She turned, wide-eyed.
“Your lightness skill is that good?!”
Chi Jincheng shrugged.
“Not bad. You probably just never learned how to use lightness skill in water.”
That… made sense.
Her internal energy came from the system, not from training.
She had only used it for speed—never for technique.
“That explains a lot.”
As soon as she stepped onto land, the cold hit her like a blade.
She hugged herself, her body shivering uncontrollably.
Chi Jincheng sighed.
“Sit cross-legged. Circulate your energy from your dantian through your meridians.”
“Follow my lead.”
His voice was calm, but he was definitely criticizing her skills.
She did as instructed.
A warm current slowly spread through her limbs, driving out the bone-chilling cold.
“Alright,” Chi Jincheng finally said.
“If we want to get out, there are two routes.
“One, we follow the underground river. It leads several dozen miles away from Pingyang City.
“Two, we climb up the cave passage. That way, we exit closer to the border checkpoint.
“Which path do you prefer?”
Yu Luo blinked.
“Wait—so that underground river is an actual route?”
She hesitated.
“Are there… water monsters? Snakes? Crocodiles?”
Chi Jincheng smiled.
“I’ve never encountered any. My men haven’t either. But—there’s a dangerous whirlpool along the way. If we take the water route, I’ll need to tie you to me, just in case.”
Yu Luo considered the options.
If they exited near Pingyang City, they’d run into soldiers.
If they took the river, the worst-case scenario was just… freezing again.
She gritted her teeth.
“Fine. We take the river.”
Chi Jincheng nodded.
“If nothing goes wrong, my men should be waiting at the exit.”
Hearing that, Yu Luo frowned.
She gave him a long look, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
“What?” Chi Jincheng raised a brow, amused.
“Why are you helping me so much? You have subordinates. You didn’t need to suffer with me. And from the way you carry yourself, you’re obviously not just anyone. So… why?”
Why had he followed her instead of leaving things to his men?
For once—
Chi Jincheng fell silent.
Even he wasn’t sure of the answer.
“Honestly,” he finally said, “I didn’t think about it. When I found out your mother was taken, and you were heading this way— I just… followed.”
A soft chuckle.
“A little suffering didn’t bother me since I was already here. As long as Xiao Luo stops doubting me so much.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“That’s not happening. But this time—”
She exhaled, serious.
“You saved my life. I won’t forget this favor. If you ever need my help, as long as it doesn’t involve my parents—I will repay you.”
