THE VILLAIN's APPRENTICE ✔

03 🗡 Master

His eyes were focused forward as he walked in slow, steady steps while his hands kept moving swiftly to form the seals. The steep slope before him didn't even break his concentration, and he just easily jumped on top of it. As he was about to continue walking, there was a loud shriek behind him.

With a frown, Yong Jie turned around and peeked over the slope. His laughter tore the silence of the forest as he watched his maidservant struggling to climb the steep slope and failing miserably. In her last attempt, she even rolled downwards in a comical manner and the skirt of her outer robe covered her entire face, her white underpants showing.

"You have lost your dignity in front of me!" the guy exclaimed in laughter. Even though the white garment resembled a long, fitted pajama, it was still humiliating in that era for a woman to bare her underclothing to a man.

Da Xia ignored his teasing and fixed herself. She then ran in full speed, resuming her futile attempt to climb. But as she reached the middle of the slope, her foot got caught on the hem of her skirt, causing her to fall down in a dangerous angle. She knew she had to protect her head to avoid smashing it against a rock, but the speed of her fall was quicker than her reflexes.

As she was falling down, she saw a blur at the spot where Yong Jie was standing. The next thing she knew, the guy's serious gaze was drilling through her, his face just a few inches above hers and his hand cradling her head, preventing her from incurring injury.

"You..." he sighed as he helped her stand up. "With how weak and slow you are, how did you survive in the witch's manor?"

Da Xia replied timidly, "I'm good at household chores."

"Can't even pluck a dead bird's feathers..." the guy continuously ranted, making her pout.

He crossed his arms over his chest while staring at her thoughtfully. After a while, he said, "Since you are now my maidservant, there will be moments when we have to bridge the distance."

The girl frowned, not understanding what Yong Jie meant.

"Pardon me this once, but I won't excuse myself from this day forward," he stated before encircling his arm on her waist and helped her climb up the slope.

Oh, I see, Da Xia thought. It turned out that the guy's poetic declaration was just a warning that they would have to be in close body contact sometimes.

She suppressed the smile that was about to curve on her lips. These ancient people...

*****

When Meili exited the room, she was astounded with what she saw. Just like the unconscious girl that looked like Da Xia, the people's clothes were different. No one was wearing a long dress layered with robes that she was used to seeing. People were fiddling a rectangular object, some were moving their fingers over what appeared to be a book emanating light, and there were some who appeared to be writing even in the absence of a brush and inkstone. Not to mention, the place was gigantic and grand, with a long staircase leading to the second floor. There were even multiple blinding lights on the ceiling, illuminating the whole area.

The scene outside the library, which was visible through the glass doors, caught her attention. With cautious steps, she moved toward the door and was startled when it suddenly slid open.

What sorcery! She twirled around, expecting to see an 'awakened' one or dark arts practitioner like her who could move objects with their power, but there was no one around. The door closed, making her frown. Slowly, she approached the door, and it slid open again!

"Show yourself!" Meili demanded angrily. "You dare to mock me? I, the witch from Yellow Dirt City, am not afraid to duel with you!"

Murmurs and chuckles filled the library as people stared at her. She proudly lifted her chin up, daring the hidden witch or sorcerer of this peculiar world to come out. But no one accepted her challenge.