Chapter 162: Escape

The two of them quickly came to an agreement and decided on their next course of action. Neither of them was one to hesitate—once the decision was made, they departed immediately.

Ruo Xi, in particular, felt a rare sense of relief, finally having a reason to leave this cage-like family. She wished she could break free from it this very instant.

As for what awaited them after they left, or whether they would be able to find her uncle smoothly once they reached Luoguang City, those concerns were not something she considered at the moment.

After all, marrying into the Lan Die Family would be a dead end anyway. Since that was the case, why not take a chance?

Gu Fan quietly waited in the courtyard for a short while. It didn’t take long before Ruo Xi came out, surprisingly quickly.

“So fast? Doesn’t the fairy have anything to pack?”

Ruo Xi simply smiled and stepped forward, patting Gu Fan on the shoulder.

“No need to be so formal. From now on, just call me Ruo Xi.”

“There’s no need to pack. Everything here belongs to the Dragon People’s Ruo Family. I don’t need any of it. My mother’s keepsakes are all I have.”

Gu Fan nodded. He didn’t expect her to let go so quickly.

But that was for the best—it would save them a lot of trouble on the road.

“In that case, let’s set out now.”

“Once we leave, remember: no matter what happens, you must follow my orders. If something goes wrong, I can only prioritize survival and abandon everything else.”

Ruo Xi nodded.

“Don’t worry, Gu Fan. You took the risk to take me away, so of course I won’t drag you down!”

“Good!”

Then Gu Fan took the lead, guiding Ruo Xi down the path they had previously used for covert movement.

Just like that, the two of them reached the final restriction without incident. It was also the outermost boundary of the Ruo Family manor.

“All these years, I’ve hardly ever crossed this barrier. I always comforted myself, thinking Father just wanted to protect me. But now, I don’t regret leaving the Ruo Family with you.”

“Believe in your choice. We don’t have much time. Once the sun rises, if your family realizes you’ve fled, they will be furious and hunt you down. We must leave the city as quickly as possible—the farther, the better.”

Seeing Ruo Xi nod, Gu Fan stopped hesitating and took the first step out of the restriction.

He then turned around, spread his arms, and tore open a human-sized hole in the barrier.

Ruo Xi slipped through with practiced ease. After all, they had silently breached every restriction along the way just like this.

So, neither of them thought much of it when it came to this final one.

However, just as Ruo Xi passed through, an unexpected change occurred.

Suddenly, a massive signal flare shot up from the center of the Ruo Family estate, exploding in the sky with a thunderous boom. The tremendous noise sent the entire Ruo Family into an uproar.

At the same time, a red radiant halo appeared on Ruo Xi’s body, standing out starkly in the night.

Gu Fan’s expression shifted slightly, and Ruo Xi’s face turned pale.

“That’s a spiritual sense mark used for tracking. Once the target exceeds the designated activity range, it will alert the person who planted the mark!”

Ruo Xi took out a charm inscribed with elegant, auspicious characters—a protective talisman radiating a blessed aura.

This was the gift her father, the head of the Dragon People’s Ruo Family, had personally given her for her recent birthday.

At the time, Ruo Xi had been happy, considering it one of the few gifts she had received over the years.

But she had never expected that this birthday gift, given in celebration, was actually a device to mark her and prevent her escape!

A pale smile appeared on Ruo Xi’s face as she bitterly said:

“I’m sorry, Gu Fan. I shouldn’t have had any expectations to begin with. I just regret wasting your time.”

With that, Ruo Xi turned to Gu Fan and said:

“Gu Fan, you should leave. I accept my fate.”

Gu Fan silently looked at the snow-pale woman in front of him. Then he suddenly smiled, pulling her behind him.

“What are you afraid of? I, who once confronted the Lan Die Family during a confrontation with the Solar Radiance Realm and came out unscathed, am hardly worried. If the Ruo Family was stronger than the Lan Die Family, they wouldn’t have to curry favor through marriage alliances!”

“But…”

“No buts!”

Gu Fan grabbed Ruo Xi and dashed wildly toward the outskirts of the city.

“Just like how you’ve been waiting all these years in the Ruo Family for a reason to set your heart at ease, I’ve been waiting for the same thing!”

Due to their rapid pace, Gu Fan’s voice was gradually swallowed by the wind, yet Ruo Xi heard every single word with perfect clarity.

A new light gradually emerged in her eyes. It was the first time in so many years she had truly felt cherished.

As the two of them sprinted toward the edge of the city, several auras at the Celestial Profound Realm rose behind them, swiftly pursuing in the direction of their escape.

“Brazen thief! How dare you abduct the little princess of my Ruo Family!”

“Stop at once, or be reduced to ashes!”

“Princess Ruo Xi, return at once! Do not ruin your own future!”

“Fellow Daoists ahead, if you can help block these two, the Ruo Family will reward you handsomely!”

The commotion stirred some factions within the city to begin observing the situation.

Fortunately, Gu Fan had carefully chosen a route that avoided the territory of powerful forces.

Moreover, since the Ruo Family estate was already situated in a relatively remote area, no one dared to interfere with their escape.

After all, blindly entangling oneself in an unknown sectarian conflict was a grave taboo in the cultivation world.

If one failed to eliminate all enemies cleanly, the vengeance that followed could be fatal in ways one couldn’t even fathom.

In the cultivation world, while the saying “thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river” wasn’t common, it wasn’t impossible either.

Just like that, Gu Fan and Ruo Xi fled ahead, while seven cultivators at the Celestial Profound Realm chased after them from behind.

It wasn’t until they had fled nearly a hundred li beyond the city that Gu Fan suddenly stopped.

At that moment, Ruo Xi’s heart tightened, worry rising within her.

Could it be that Gu Fan had realized he couldn’t shake them off and was about to give up?

But she had only just kindled hope—was she really going to be captured again so soon?

“I advise you to put away those foolish and malicious suspicions. Don’t mistake me for someone who breaks his word.”

Gu Fan immediately saw through her thoughts—her eyes were practically brimming with unshed tears.

Ruo Xi awkwardly sniffed.

“Oh, oh, alright, alright.”

Before they could exchange another word, the seven pursuers quickly caught up and surrounded them.

“Run! Why did you stop running?”

“Hmph! Daring to cause trouble in the Ruo Family of Wanlin City—do you even know your own limits?”

At this point, a young man stepped forward.

“Ruo Xi, return to us at once. Don’t miss today’s important event. The fortune and glory of the Lan Die Family still await you as their young mistress!”

Ruo Xi’s expression was calm as she asked softly:

“Eldest Brother, do you still remember how close we were when we were young? I respected you the most.”

“So now, I just want to ask you one thing—what’s waiting for me at the Lan Die Family? Is it really the fortune and glory you speak of?”

The young man’s face changed slightly. He was momentarily rendered speechless, unsure of how to answer.

Just then, a burly woman standing beside him sneered and said:

“Of course it’s true. Ruo Xi, don’t you trust us? We’re your siblings. Don’t be deceived by this guy’s lies. He has ulterior motives and only wants to trick you away!”

As she spoke, the woman shot a vicious glare at Gu Fan.

“This guy reeks of ulterior motives. Ruo Xi, don’t be fooled!”

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