Chapter 27: Dongfang Clan

Clad in black clothes, a black cotton hat, and a dark, dull face, standing about 1.5 meters tall, Dongfang Xing still looks harmless.

Long Wang's face was solemn; he knew that Dongfang Xing's small body contained immense power, and there had been rumors that the members of the Dongfang Clan carried the blood of the Eastern Giant Demon...

Chen Yi He pointed at Dongfang Xing and started extorting, 'One hundred thousand taels of gold, not a single tael less, or we'll hand you over to the authorities! You'll regret it!'

'One hundred thousand taels of gold!? You see my condition—do I look like a rich person?' After all, he himself had committed the crime of theft, Dongfang Xing naturally lacked confidence, and he whispered, 'If I had a hundred thousand taels, would I still be stealing your broken cart?'

Although Dongfang Xing is a member of the Dongfang Clan, you cannot see any aura of the 'Dongfang' name on him. Could it be that after three hundred years, it has vanished amidst the mist and rain?

'Then I don't care—come on, I'm taking you to the authorities right now!' Chen Yi He stepped forward to grab Dongfang Xing.

'Yi He, be careful!' Long Wang warned hastily.

But it was already too late.

Dongfang Xing flipped his wrist, grabbed Chen Yi He's arm, spun in place, and lifted Chen Yi He entirely off the ground!

Then he let go.

Chen Yi He was like a kite with its string cut; his body traced a long arc in the air, and then…

'Thud!' He fell into the lake!

The tiny Dongfang Xing actually possessed such divine strength! He clapped his hands and asked Long Wang, 'Do you still want to send me to the authorities?'

Long Wang inexplicably faltered, waving his hands repeatedly, 'Um, I won't send you, I won't send you!'

'Pfft!' Chen Yi He surfaced from the lake, spitting out a mouthful of water. He quickly calculated that from the spot where Dongfang Xing was tied up to the center of the lake was at least seventy to eighty meters; although he had been off‑guard, Dongfang Xing had effortlessly thrown him that far—absolute strength!

'From what you say, you're short on money?' Long Wang asked Dongfang Xing.

Before Dongfang Xing could answer, he asked again, 'You, you want to go to the Thousandfold Gate?'

Dongfang Xing nodded slightly, 'Yes…'

'So you stole our cart for money?'

'Yes…' Saying this, Dongfang Xing actually felt a bit embarrassed, his face flushing again, 'I've never traveled far before; upon arriving in the Southern Border, I didn't expect to lose my way, I had no money on me, seeing your cart, I thought of stealing it and then finding someone to guide me to Southern Border City.'

'We can't give you money; we're also headed to the Thousandfold Gate.' Long Wang said firmly.

'With that brat's strength? Still going to the Thousandfold Gate?' Dongfang Xing pointed at Chen Yi He, who had just crawled out of the water, and asked in disbelief.

Chen Yi He was so angry he nearly fell back into the water!

'Don't underestimate anyone.' Long Wang kindly reminded.

Dongfang Xing pondered whether he could take on both of them and seize the cart; the fellow named Chen Yi He meant nothing to him, but he was wary of the dark‑skinned man before him called Long Wang.

'Out of respect for your Dongfang surname, regarding last night's incident, I and Yi He will not pursue it further; we part ways here—farewell!' Long Wang clasped his hands toward Dongfang Xing and was about to leave.

It's best for members of the Dongfang Clan to stay uninvolved; otherwise, at this critical juncture they would implicate themselves, with unimaginable consequences.

Chen Yi He said nothing, slinking onto the cart in a dejected manner; he obviously didn't want to provoke this jinx any further—no, it was Dongfang Xing…

But the outcome was unexpected.

Watching the two people whose cart he had stolen prepare to leave, Dongfang Xing actually panicked!

'You're just leaving like that?'

'What else would you have us do?' Chen Yi He replied irritably.

'I'm lost!'

'What's it got to do with us? Hey, you're a big guy, not a young lady.' Chen Yi He added offhandedly, 'If you were a young lady, we wouldn't only forgive your theft of the cart, we'd also take you to Southern Border City.'

'Giddyap!' Long Wang flicked the whip, and the cart took off.

But Dongfang Xing blocked the road, arms outstretched; if the cart forced its way through, it would have to roll over his body…

The massive cart was about to roll over the tiny Dongfang Xing.

Long Wang didn't rein in the horses either—better to destroy the cart and kill the person! He hated being threatened most of all! He whipped the horses harder and harder, and they bolted forward as if taking revenge on society…

Dongfang Xing wouldn't yield either; no matter how close the cart got, he stared, gritted his teeth, and was determined to fight it to the end.

'Ah!' Dongfang Xing's scream was piercing, even nerve‑jarring. He clapped his hands over his face, terrified.

'You're crazy!' Long Wang roared at Dongfang Xing.

Chen Yi He, inside the cart bed, was the most pitiable—struck by hard gemstones, he felt dizzy and saw stars, his body and head bruised blue and purple.

At the last moment Long Wang still managed to grab the reins on the horses' heads, but the speed was too great; he couldn't brake, and the cart careened onto the roadside, nearly hitting a tree…

Long Wang never expected Dongfang Xing not to dodge even at the last moment… 'Yi He, are you alright?'

'Damn it… this jinx…' Chen Yi He was on the verge of tears; coming into this book‑world, this was the first time he felt so miserable, it was practically worse than being tormented in the Xiao Family Castle.

'Take… me… with… you…' Dongfang Xing shamelessly played the rogue, clambered onto the cart, and sat beside Chen Yi He, his voice drawn out.

'You're so filthy, how can we bring you along?' Chen Yi He said disgustedly, shifting over to sit opposite Dongfang Xing.

Dongfang Xing lifted his collar, gave it a sniff, and even he found it disgusting… 'I haven't bathed in days…'

'Then why don't you go wash up! There's a lake over there!' Chen Yi He pointed to the lake where he had nearly drowned yesterday and been thrown into today.

'That makes sense… but I have no change of clothes!'

'Yi He, my clothes definitely won't fit him—use yours!'

Chen Yi He threw a bundle of clothes over, 'Go on!'

'Thanks.'

Then Chen Yi He intentionally waved at Long Wang and said, 'How about we also go take a bath? Keep Young Master Xing company?'

'Sure!'

'No! You must not go!' Dongfang Xing firmly refused.

'What's there to be afraid of between men? Really!'

Dongfang Xing's face flushed again as he recalled what had happened the previous night; he hurriedly jumped off the cart, 'You're all clean—what's there to wash?!' He didn't head straight for the lake, but first ran to the cart's front, suddenly hugged the horse's head, then went to wash up.

'Hahaha. This dumb kid has plenty of brute strength but not much brains!' Watching Dongfang Xing jogging along, Chen Yi He laughed loudly.

How could Long Wang fail to grasp Chen Yi He's meaning! He brushed Dongfang Xing aside and hurriedly took off, 'How do you know he doesn't want to bathe with us?'

Last night you saw my bare butt and called out; men like you should be ashamed!

Giddyap!

The carriage didn't budge.

Giddyap!

Giddyap giddyap!

Giddyap giddyap giddyap! The Dragon King was bewildered; no matter how hard he whipped, the horse wouldn't take a step—"What's going on?"

"That kid just held it..." Regarding Dongfang Xing's recent actions, Chen Yi He suddenly realized, he threatened the horse: "If you don't move, we'll kill you and make you into side dishes!"

The horse disagreed; instead it lifted both pairs of forehooves, tilting the carriage bed front high, back low, and Chen Yi He almost got thrown out… "I really believed in evil…"

The Dragon King was also feeling like crying but couldn't. It seems we can only wait here for Dongfang Xing. He consoled himself: "This is also good; on the road we have a companion, so we won't be isolated and helpless if we run into the Embroidered Uniform Guard…" "Or we could go take a bath?"

"I'm not in the mood; I just want to stay away from that jinx, take him to Southern Border City, and then…" Chen Yi He said with a mournful face.

After his bath, Dongfang Xing felt refreshed; he wore Chen Yi He's clothes, hummed a tune, and cheerfully walked back to the carriage.

"Pretty boy…" Chen Yi He couldn't imagine Dongfang Xing would change so much; that originally dirty face now looks fair and handsome—just looking at the face, the person's whole demeanor changed!

Dongfang Xing still wore a black cotton cap, his hair coiled inside.

Chen Yi He bet that if Dongfang Xing let his hair down, he'd definitely look like a woman—and a great beauty!

"What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out!" Dongfang Xing's face turned red again; now that his face is clean, his complexion looks even fairer, so when he blushes, it shows red through the white.

Chen Yi He would never believe, even if beaten to death, that Dongfang Xing is a man!