Chapter 186: Red Rain

Mu Yuanzhi was speechless: "Don't make a fuss, everyone's here."

Gu Rongjin was also speechless, why are there so many people getting in the way?

"Alright, I can kiss you too." Saying that, Gu Rongjin seized the moment and kissed Mu Yuanzhi's cheek, earning him a rude punch from the person in his arms.

To Gu Rongjin, this little punch felt like a tickle, purely a lovers' spat; he enjoyed being hit.

"I'll go wash up at the stream first," Mu Yuanzhi said.

"Again washing? How come you wash twice a day?" Gu Rongjin asked curiously.

Just half a day in this primitive forest and it already has a smell.

"Is there a smell or not? Or is it fragrant?" Gu Rongjin sniffed Mu Yuanzhi's neck, then smelled his own sleeve.

"Anyway, I'm going to wash."

"Let's go together!"

Gu Rongjin followed.

The Qilin still thought Gu Rongjin would be beaten back by his senior sister, but that didn't happen.

Forget it, as a married couple they might as well wash together.

After they walked away, Gu Rongjin smiled knowingly: "Madam, you did that on purpose, right? Want to create a chance to be alone together?"

"Washing twice a day? That's just nonsense."

"How could she be so delicate?"

Moreover, he wanted to come along to wash together, but she, a giant, didn't refuse and even despised him—this is really abnormal!

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "I want to talk to you about Monk Yuan Yan."

She looked as if to say, "As expected, you're very smart."

"Did you discover anything?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Mu Yuanzhi shook her head, biting her lip as she hesitated and said: "It's precisely because I discovered nothing that worries me."

"Do you think he seems very familiar with this place?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "He can bring the Qilin back safely, and he even broke a strange Eight Trigrams formation; he seems very strategic."

"Do you think he's dangerous?"

"For now, maybe not, but I don't know his purpose." His original target was her, then he turned against.

Gu Rongjin crossed his arms, pondering: "I've been watching him all along; he's indeed suspicious, but... how to put it, suspicious yet reliable. If he wanted to be hostile to us, there have actually been many chances to strike."

"Or perhaps he needs us to do something, or maybe the time hasn't come yet." Mu Yuanzhi pondered: "The point is I'm afraid of harm to the Qilin."

"Our Qilin's mother said it's all because she's worried sick about the child!" Gu Rongjin instantly understood.

"I'm being serious, don't talk nonsense." Mu Yuanzhi glared at Gu Rongjin angrily.

"Overthinking is useless; you've seen it too—this monk is quite formidable, maybe his skill surpasses mine; worrying more is useless, let's just wait and see."

"In the end, you don't suspect him?"

"That's right, I really don't suspect him much." Gu Rongjin nodded.

Mu Yuanzhi bit her lip: "Since you say that, I shouldn't be too jumpy at every shadow?"

"Yeah, he helped us find the Fish Scale Wood for dispelling poison and the giant-winged dragonfly; maybe he's just a monk who is both righteous and unorthodox. We should focus on this primitive forest, find the remaining Reed Wood, and return safely."

The border wars are more worthy of his attention.

Mu Yuanzhi knew what Gu Rongjin was thinking; she also constantly thought about it, not knowing how the outside was now.

They've been here for several days.

Drip...

Drip...

Suddenly, a drop of red liquid fell onto Mu Yuanzhi's hand back, startling her.

Then the sound of dripping water continued without end.

"Is it raining?"

She and Gu Rongjin both looked up suspiciously.

"Is it really red rain?!" Mu Yuanzhi instinctively didn't want to get wet in this rain, hurriedly looking for a place to hide.

She had only seen it in ancient texts; she never expected to actually encounter it.

Near this black sea, it's indeed extraordinary!

Deep red raindrops pattered.

Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin hid in the rock cave; their clothes were soaked by the bloody rain, turning reddish.

She smelled her clothes, a strong earthy odor.

"My guess was correct; this blood rain is indeed because the airflow mixed with red dust, not the ancient speculation of human blood or grudges."

"Ancient people, upon seeing heavenly omens, always concoct all sorts of bizarre reasons to explain them, relying on superstition." Gu Rongjin also smelled his own clothes.

Indeed, an earthy smell.

Mu Yuanzhi looked up at the sky outside; the deep red blood rain poured down, indeed quite frightening.

"Just now the sun was scorching dead, how did it suddenly start raining?" Gu Rongjin looked at the rain, which wouldn't stop for a while.

He turned to look inside the cave; pitch black, nothing visible.

Who knows if there might be ferocious beasts lurking inside?

Mu Yuanzhi was a bit tired; she sat down and picked up a piece of wood to start a fire.

Fortunately, the hidden weapons weren't lost; the fire-starting materials were still there.

Otherwise, right now the clothes would be wet and sticky, extremely uncomfortable.

One piece of wood wasn't enough; Mu Yuanzhi, using the firelight, went to search again.

"Ah!" she suddenly exclaimed.

Gu Rongjin whipped around, seeing Mu Yuanzhi so frightened she flung away a stick of something.

White—could it be a bone?!

"What's wrong?" he hurried over.

"A skull, human!" Mu Yuanzhi, still shaken, stared at the cranium she had thrown, which had rolled far away, as if the scent of bone still lingered in her palm.

Gu Rongjin comforted her, saying, "It's not strange to find corpses in a place like this."

"I know..." Mu Yuanzhi took a deep breath to calm her heartbeat, "I just got startled when I suddenly picked it up."

No matter how you say it, it's a human skull; claiming not to be scared is impossible.

She didn't dare rummage anymore; just a piece of wood would do for a fire.

Mu Yuanzhi sat silently; Gu Rongjin sat beside her, occasionally teasing her to soothe her frightened feelings.

"We need to find Reed Wood quickly, then get out fast."

This place is truly dangerous; the appearance of white bones reminded her that this is a primeval forest where monsters roam, and one misstep could cost her life.

"Once the rain stops we'll go back and meet up with them, set off together, it's all right, little Mu Yuanzhi, I'm here." Gu Rongjin hugged Mu Yuanzhi tightly, "No matter what happens, Brother Rongjin will always be by your side!"

"Mm." Mu Yuanzhi leaned closer into Gu Rongjin's embrace.

Hearing the reassuring heartbeat, her mood could calm even more.

After who knows how long, the blood rain finally stopped, the air thick with a pungent earthy smell.

Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin walked out, feeling as if a layer of blood red covered heaven and earth, casting a gloomy, sinister shade over the forest.

As they returned along the way, Mu Yuanzhi couldn't help but feel anxious.

Only when she saw Qilin and the others did that anxiety fade.

"Did you guys have red rain just now?" she asked.

Qilin shook his head blankly, "What red rain? No, the weather is fantastic."