Volume One: Storms in a Small Town Chapter 47: Do You Trust Me?

"Ahhh, gentle, gentle! Big sister, I was just joking, no need to be so harsh!"

A loud cry escaped from Zhang Heng’s lips.

He had barely brushed Murong Qingxue’s clothes when a powerful surge of spiritual energy sent him flying.

This little lady always appeared so dignified, but when it came to action, she was truly ruthless.

After a moment, Zhang Heng got up from the ground, tidied his clothes, and with a casual smile as if nothing had happened, adopted a serious tone. "Miss Qingxue, why don’t you take a look at the gift I’ve prepared for you first?"

They were standing beside a small lake, surrounded only by ordinary grass and trees.

With an air of self-importance, Zhang Heng asked, "Miss Qingxue, can you guess what it is?"

Murong Qingxue glanced around calmly and replied, "Young Master Zhang, the thing you’ve prepared for me must be this lake, am I right?"

What? She guessed that so easily? As expected, a natural-born spiritual body truly is something else. Zhang Heng could only sigh at the unfairness of the heavens.

Murong Qingxue was born with a spiritual physique, possessing extraordinary affinity and capacity for spiritual energy. Thus, she didn’t need to do anything for the spiritual energy in her surroundings to gather around her on its own. Because of this, she was always shrouded in an aura of spirit, making her seem otherworldly to anyone who saw her.

Was this the so-called protagonist’s halo? Others would kneel before her just by seeing her appearance?

Zhang Heng said helplessly,

"Miss Qingxue, you possess a natural spiritual body; your affinity and capacity for spiritual energy far surpass others. This lake, brimming with spirit energy, is the most suitable gift for you. Soak in it for a day, and your cultivation will improve greatly."

At first, Murong Qingxue was delighted and softly said, "Thank you, Young Master Zhang." Then she looked at him with a trace of suspicion.

Zhang Heng was puzzled. Was she not pleased?

"Young Master Zhang, are you not leaving? Do you want me to see you off?" Murong Qingxue said blandly, seeing that Zhang Heng hadn’t left.

"No need, no need," Zhang Heng retreated hastily. He had already tasted the terror of being overpowered by spiritual energy and had no intention of experiencing it again.

Turning away, he called back from a distance without looking, "Miss Qingxue, I’ll return for you in a day. Remember, the area around the spirit lake is safe, but elsewhere the spatial force is extremely strong. Do not wander off."

How dull. I’d better go find Miss Yan instead.

Returning to the cave, he found Dugu Bai and Qian Muyun still immersed in their enlightenment, while Yan Xueqing sat in meditation, cultivating.

He had to admit, when she was quiet, she was rather pleasing to the eye.

"Zhang Heng, you’re back," Yan Xueqing said happily, rising to greet him.

Zhang Heng approached slowly.

Seemingly oblivious to his expression, Yan Xueqing continued, "Zhang Heng, I waited here for you for so long. If what you give me doesn’t satisfy me, I’ll have to give you a beating." She sounded a bit petulant, her tone domineering.

With a grave expression, Zhang Heng walked over to Yan Xueqing, meeting her gaze with a heavy look.

Seeing him so serious, Yan Xueqing was startled and hurried to explain, "Oh, don’t be so dour. I was just teasing you. Being able to enter the Dragon Burial Abyss is already enough for me. Even if I get nothing, I won’t bully you. Cheer up." As she spoke, she reached out and ruffled Zhang Heng’s hair.

After a long silence, Zhang Heng finally spoke.

"Miss Yan, do you… trust me?"

His voice carried a hint of hesitation.

Without much thought, Yan Xueqing replied, "I do."

Ever since arriving at the Dragon Burial Abyss, Zhang Heng had seemed to know everything and guided their every move. He was, without a doubt, the one who understood this place best.

Thus, within the Dragon Burial Abyss, Yan Xueqing chose to trust Zhang Heng unconditionally.

After a moment’s pause, Zhang Heng said, with a weight in his voice, "Miss Yan, if I told you I want to take you into a spatial rift, would you still trust me?"

His words startled Yan Xueqing deeply.

Spatial rifts were universally recognized as a summons of death. While it was possible—however infinitesimal—to emerge unscathed, the odds were so small as to be negligible. Entering a spatial rift meant almost certain death.

Yet, Zhang Heng’s knowledge of the Dragon Burial Abyss was profound; perhaps he really could lead them safely through.

Yan Xueqing was torn, caught in a deep internal conflict.

Truth be told, Zhang Heng was not absolutely certain either. But according to the system, something Yan Xueqing needed was hidden in that space, as well as a treasure that would benefit Zhang Heng himself.

So, Zhang Heng resolved to go.

He trusted the system implicitly. Since it said it was possible, there was likely no great danger. Moreover, Zhang Heng was not native to this world and felt little fear toward the spatial rifts.

But for Yan Xueqing, it was different.

She had grown up on the Immortal Cultivation Continent, where the belief that entering a spatial rift meant certain death was ingrained in her very bones.

To willingly step into such a rift would require enormous resolve.

After a while, Yan Xueqing finally spoke. Seeing Zhang Heng’s unwavering determination, she chose to trust him.

"Zhang Heng, I trust you," Yan Xueqing replied earnestly.

Zhang Heng grinned widely, both to reassure her and to bolster his own courage.

He stretched out his hand, signaling Yan Xueqing to take hold.

His gentle gaze, confident smile, and handsome face managed to draw out a touch of shyness from her.

She shook her head vigorously, clearing away those errant thoughts, stepped forward, and lightly grasped Zhang Heng’s hand.

In that moment, the idea of venturing into the spatial rift no longer seemed so terrifying.

Zhang Heng led Yan Xueqing forward.

Spatial force was the most mysterious of all—impossible to grasp, impossible to control.

According to the system, the spatial force within the Dragon Burial Abyss was emitted by a damaged forbidden artifact. Because the artifact was broken, the spatial force here was relatively weak and followed certain patterns.

Within the Dragon Burial Abyss, countless spatial rifts existed, their teleportations random. Once caught, a person could only resign themselves to fate.

But the system was a power beyond this world; perhaps it truly understood spatial force.

The two of them walked slowly through this forbidden ground, feared by all.

After a long while, Yan Xueqing suddenly sensed that something was wrong and quickly let go of Zhang Heng’s hand.

Zhang Heng turned back, puzzled.

"What’s wrong, Miss Yan?"

Yan Xueqing asked calmly, "Aren’t we there yet?"

Zhang Heng nodded.

Seeing this, Yan Xueqing raised her voice, "If it’s so far, why did you insist on holding my hand from the very start?"

Realizing she had seen through him, Zhang Heng could only thicken his skin and reply, "Miss Yan, well, you see, this place is riddled with dangers. I’m a little scared. You’re so powerful—it just feels safer holding your hand."

Yan Xueqing was exasperated. Whatever favorable impression she’d just formed of Zhang Heng instantly vanished. With someone so unreliable, she wasn’t sure if she should even trust him anymore.

They walked a little further before Zhang Heng finally stopped, turned to her, and said,

"Miss Yan, we’ve arrived."