The deeper they got into the forest, the thicker the trees. The protruding roots and slippery ground made it hard to walk, while the air was dry and humid. The cultivators in the group didn''t seem to mind the air but Lory was sweating like crazy.


    ZhaoLiXinsympathized with Lory''s situation and kept checking if she needed to rest or be carried. Lory strongly refusedto becarried and pacified himnumeroustimes. She remindedZhaoLiXinof the amulet he gifted her that helped regte her body, and she was only sweating because of moving too much.??


    <strong>''BRAGH!''</strong>


    Ming Ru Yi fell once again. The group only spared her a quick look before they turned around and kept walking. They didn''t bother to help her.


    Ming Ru Yi''s dress was like a suicide trap in the forest like Lory thought. Lory also failed to understand why the princess thought it was a good idea to dress up like she was going for a party. The forest wasn''t the ce to visit if one wanted to show off her looks. The best ce for the princess to do that would have been her own pce or a tea house in the city.


    Ming Ru Yi''s face became rigid once more as she was past being embarrassed. It was her fifth fall after all and herbutt, knees, and palms hurt. Her dresswas ripped fartherby a tree branch and her facewas drenchedwith sweat but none of the menconsoledher.


    The only help came from a servant who offered her thewaterskinonce in a whileandhanded her a wooden stick to help her walk. However, her shoes were not made for walking in the forest as they were slippery.


    Lory helplessly watched the princess. The only way the princess could stop falling as if someone carried her. However, the possibility ofZhaoLi Xin''s group doing that was nil. The fact that one of theMongbrothers had given her something to drink and a walking stick was the best help they could offer.


    The silencewas brokenby a deafening boom. The sound of screams and falling trees could be hearding towards them. It was clear someone was fighting something ahead of them.


    ZhaoLiXineasily grabbed Lory''s waist and jumped to the nearest branch tree.MongKi and the others also followedZhaoLi Xin''s actions. They all hopped from tree to tree at ahigh speed. The noise was getting closer as Lory could clearly hear loud roars and heavy blows.


    They finally came across a dozen men with silver armor and spears fighting arge dark furred beast with big ws. The beast looked like a grizzly bear on steroids.


    The beast rose on his hind legs and used his front legs to tear at the men before it. Although the beast''s body was massive, it''s movements were fast and sharp. A number of the men gottorninto pieces as they couldn''t dodge the beast''s ws. The others screamed in panic and anger.


    "What is that?" Lorywas stunnedby what she saw.


    "An earth bear. It seems like she is a Profound Level beast,"ZhaoLiXinsaid as he carefully helped Lory stand on a strong branch. Lory could easily see what was happening below from herposition.


    "Aren''t they the fancy group?" Lory nudgedZhaoLiXin when she realized the men lookedfamiliar. The man, however, gave her a nk look. Lory recognized the expression and knew it was useless to ask him. She turned toMongKi was close to them. "Hey, isn''t that the fancy group?"


    MongKi nodded, "They are!"


    "Should we help them?"Lory askedZhaoLiXin.


    ZhaoLiXinwas reluctant. He murmured, "Troublesome…"


    "More troublesome then having aLiangzuprincess on our tail?" Lory raised her eyebrows.


    ZhaoLiXinhad forgotten about the princess yet shehad followedthem for a few hours. He realized saving the fancy group meant he could leave her with her people.


    "MongKi!MongYi! Help them!"


    "Yes, Milord!" TheMongbrothers were gone in one jump. The two ck figures hopped from one tree to another to close in on the beast. The ck figures dropped from the tree to the beast and punched it with they''re fists. The beast staggered at the blows and fell to the side with a loud boom. Those who were initially fighting the beastwere shockedby the sudden fall and it took them a second to realize someone had saved them.


    Mong Ki and Mong Yi didn''t care how the group looked at them as they were following there lord''s orders. The beast was back on it''s feet after a few minutes. It gave a deafening roar to release it''s fury and locked in on what it perceived to be a dangerous threat. It bared giant fangs to intimidate it''s opponents but Mong Yi and Mong Ki were unimpressed by the disy.


    The Mong brothers took out they''re swords when the beast charged at them and sliced the beast into pieces in one clean swoop. Blood spurted like a water fountain as the beast fell on the ground like a big chunk of meat.


    The fancy group watched the Mong brothers with awe. They had killed the beast in less then three minutes yet they almost lost half of they''re soldiers fighting it. There young lord wasn''t as powerful as he had first proimed. They were all scared and shivered when they realized the beast wasn''t as easy to subdue as they initially thought. A lot of blood had also been spilled.


    The fancy group''s protector was General FuXiaoJin, a top General ofLiangzuKingdom. His main job was to protect the third princess but the princess and her bunch of uselessfanboysdecided to subdue a beast against hiswarning. They attacked the beast by themselves and infuriated the earth bear which led to they''re current predicament.


    General FuXiaoJin was an upright military person who was straight forward and honest. The general was alsonot an ungratefulperson and he knewhe owed the two strangers. He approachedMongKi and capped his fist courteously. His words were humble, "Thank you for you''re help, mister. I would have lost manyrades today if it wasn''t for you two."


    "You shouldn''t be grateful to us. We just followed our lord''s order,"MongKi said solemnly.


    "Lord?" The general''s questionwas answeredwhen a man with a perfect carved face and beautiful cold eyesnded smoothly on the ground while carrying a woman. Two more handsome men alsonded behind him. One man looked like a gentle deity and the other wore a beautiful flirtatious smile. FuXiaoJin was certain they weren''t ordinary men.


    "Milord,"MongKi andMongYi moved to the side and bowed slightly whenZhaoLiXinded. It only took FuXiaoJin one look to know the lord was powerful and he couldn''t afford to offend him as the consequences would be dire.


    "My name is FuXiaoJin. I''m the General ofLiangzuKingdom. Thank you for lendingyou''re helpinghand, great lord," The general wasn''t ashamed to bow beforeZhaoLiXin. It was natural for the weak to respect the strong. However, the stupid young master with them had recovered from the shock and didn''t feel the same.


    "You are the impudent man we saw before!" The young master who had lost his neat and clean look pointed atZhaoLiXin. He was the same young man who was hit byZhaoLi Xin''s group''s appearance.


    FuXiaoJing''s heart stopped when the stupid young master pointed atZhaoLiXin. He knew the lord''s background was not simple and judging by his servants'' magnificent power, he could only guessZhaoLi Xin''s strength. It was unwise to offend someone with much power.


    Lory ignored the annoying young master and approached FuXiaoJing who seemed reasonable. She politely asked, "Are you the third princess Ming Ru Yi''s guardian?"


    FuXiaoJingwas calmedby her friendlymanner, "I am, young miss. Unfortunately, we lost the princess when the earthbearattacked us."


    "Don''t worry about that. We meet the princess on our way here. She..." Lory looked behind her but Ming Ru Yi was nowhereto befound. She looked around and still couldn''t see her.


    ''Where the HECK is she?''


    Lory nced atZhaoLiXinbut he frowned with the same nk look as before. He seemed tohave forgottenabout the princess once again. Lory shifted her gaze toBeiLi Yan and JinHaobut the two shrugged they''re shoulders with an uninterested face. She turned toMongKi andMongYi who also seemed nk.


    ''DAMN! We lost the Christmas girl!''


    Lory smiled awkwardly at FuXiaoJin. This reminded her of the time she lost Jay''s birthday cake. FuXiaoJin stared at Lory with a patient look and didn''t dare question her. Her saving grace came when someone yelped.


    "Third Princess! You are here!"


    Lory sighed with relief.


    "Master Fu, look the princess is alive and..." Lory wanted to say ''well'' but when Ming Ru Yi appeared she was leaning on the walking stick with a tattered dress. Her face palewas coveredwith sweat and dirt. She looked exhausted anddisarrayed.


    Ming Ru Yi was close to tears when she saw FuXiaoJing and a few of herfanboys. She ran towards them and bawled like a bullied child. Not all handsome men were kind and gentle. The handsome men she met were cruel and mean. They left her without a word. She only managed to catch up to them because she had good cultivation.


    "You''re Highness!" The young manwas overjoyedwhen Ming Ru Yi ran into his embrace. The otherfanboyslooked at him with jealousy.


    "Princess, why do you look like this? "The young man''s imagination went wild when he saw her tattered dress. He turned to Zhao Li Xin''s group."It is you! Itmust beyou''re fault! What have you done to her highness?"


    Huh! The princess only looked like that because they didn''t do anything to her!