Chapter 355: Chi Jincheng’s Complete Lack of Boundaries
“Hmm, go back and stay with my father. Make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless.”
“Understood, I take my leave.”
After Zhang Hu departed, Yu Luo and Chi Jincheng continued toward Pingyang City.
However, Chi Jincheng gradually led Yu Luo off the usual route. The system had also stopped providing updates. When they finally arrived at a riverside, Yu Luo stared in shock at the raging river below and the sheer cliffs on the other side, their towering heights vanishing into the sky.
“Are you saying… we have to cross through this river?”
“I could go through the checkpoint, but you don’t have the necessary travel permits, and your identity is still… well…”
Chi Jincheng trailed off, his meaning clear. Yu Luo’s eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on him.
“Chi Jincheng, you know way too much. You’ve investigated me far too thoroughly—how do you expect me not to be suspicious of your intentions?”
“I simply want to cooperate with you. I need Luo City to raise my private army. If I one day reclaim what is mine, you can name any price for your assistance.”
“Heh, there’s nothing on you that I want. And as for repayment, I don’t expect any. No more talk—just tell me, where do we cross?”
Yu Luo had no time to waste debating with Chi Jincheng. She only wanted to get past this border checkpoint and reach the Lan Yue Dynasty to find her mother.
In truth, after traveling for nearly a day and a night, her worry had slightly lessened.
If someone had really wanted to kill her mother, they could have done so at the City Lord’s Manor. Plus, her mother still had access to the medical clinic. If the enemy had been too powerful to fight off, her mother was smart enough to hide inside the clinic rather than expose herself to danger.
All these considerations suggested that her mother’s life wasn’t immediately threatened.
Still, until she saw her mother with her own eyes, Yu Luo couldn’t rest easy. No matter the danger ahead, she would push forward.
“Do you see that waterfall ahead?”
Yu Luo followed his pointing finger, her brows furrowing deeper at the sight of the thundering cascade.
“I see it. Don’t tell me there’s a path to Lan Yue Dynasty behind that waterfall?”
“Just follow me. However, the distance between here and the waterfall has no footholds. Can your light footwork make it that far?”
Judging by the distance, they were about 500 meters away from the waterfall.
But light footwork still required external support to propel oneself forward. It wasn’t true flight—they weren’t birds.
With 300 meters of open air and a 100-meter drop into the raging river below, Yu Luo had never attempted such a risky maneuver before. She wasn’t sure if she could make it.
“I’m not sure. I’ll try first. If I fail… well, I guess I’ll have to trouble you for a ride.”
Yu Luo wasn’t about to act recklessly or stubbornly in a situation like this. Right now, Chi Jincheng was helping her, so she didn’t mind relying on him this once.
“Alright.”
Chi Jincheng responded, and in the next instant, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace before leaping into the air toward the waterfall!
Yu Luo was speechless.
She had just said she would try first, but this man didn’t seem to understand words—he just grabbed her and took off!
Feeling her stiffen slightly in his arms, Chi Jincheng pressed his lips together, his mouth curling into a faint smirk.
Thankfully, the contact lasted only for a few moments.
With remarkable speed, he carried her through the waterfall. Within seconds, they successfully landed inside a hidden cave.
The moment he released her waist, Chi Jincheng pulled out a handkerchief and reached toward her face.
Even though they had passed through the waterfall quickly, both of them were soaked.
Yu Luo’s hair and face were dripping with water, and even Chi Jincheng was somewhat wet.
Seeing his gesture, Yu Luo instinctively stepped back, reaching up to wipe her own face with her sleeve instead. She then pretended to casually examine the cave.
The outside world was still bright, but due to the cave’s positioning, the interior was completely dark.
Chi Jincheng, watching her deliberate avoidance, glanced down at the unused handkerchief in his hand, let out a soft chuckle, then used it to dry his own face before casually discarding it.
“It’s pitch black in here… Don’t tell me there’s actually a path leading to Lan Yue Dynasty?”
“There is. Not only that, but it allows us to completely avoid Pingyang City. Follow me.”
With that, Chi Jincheng reached out and grabbed her wrist, leading the way deeper into the cave.
Yu Luo glanced down at her hand, feeling annoyed by his casual contact.
She was about to pull away, but before she could, Chi Jincheng abruptly stopped walking.
Caught off guard, Yu Luo’s face smacked straight into his back.
“Hiss—!”
It was too dark to see properly, and the impact hurt—her nose throbbed in pain. Yu Luo sucked in a quiet breath and stepped back.
Chi Jincheng turned around, releasing her wrist, and reached out to rub her nose gently.
Yu Luo had had enough.
She quickly stepped back again, her eyes full of warning as she glared up at him.
“Chi Jincheng, do you have no sense of boundaries? We are not that close!”
“Ah, but aren’t we both people of the Jianghu (Martial world)? I thought you wouldn’t mind these little things. Besides, I’ve never held another woman’s hand before. And in a place like this, I was only worried you’d fall.”
“Thanks for the concern, but you don’t need to worry about me. If I fall, I’ll get back up. You just walk ahead and show the way—I’ll hold onto your clothes instead.”
Without waiting for his response, Yu Luo reached out and grabbed a corner of his robe, clearly determined to keep her distance.
Chi Jincheng sighed with amusement at her serious expression.
“Fine. In that case, I’ll slow down. This cave is deep, and we don’t know what’s inside—so whatever you do, don’t let go.”
“Got it.”
Chi Jincheng was always polite, but his lack of boundaries irritated Yu Luo.
Add to that his mysterious background and unclear motives, and Yu Luo found herself unable to fully trust him.
The cave was indeed massive, and as they ventured further, Yu Luo’s grip tightened slightly.
Her surroundings grew darker and darker, making it increasingly difficult to see.
“Chi Jincheng, can you even see the path in this darkness? Does this cave have any forks or dead ends?”
With no light source, even with her trained eyes, Yu Luo was struggling to make out anything.
She feared that if Chi Jincheng made a wrong turn, they could waste precious time—or worse, end up completely lost.
