Zhao Luo began walking again alongside Wu Yang and the other seven.
This time he wasn't in the lead as sometimes Feng Mei would be ahead of the group while other times Wei Bin would be leading them.
Zhao Luo was just seeing trees in his way showing that they were still in the deep forest.
After walking a while, Zhao Luo was once again leading them.
'That's the exit.'
Zhao Luo thought as he saw through the trees in their way and behind those trees, there was an empty path.
'Tap, tap.'
Zhao Luo started walking faster as he with his friends soon left the forest.
"Ah, This feeling."
'Huff.'
Zhao Luo took a deep breath right after he left the forest.
For others, the forest air was better but for Zhao Luo, the forest air and being surrounded by so many trees without clear sight on their path was suffocating.
"We finally left the forest."
Wu Yang said as he put his hand on Zhao Luo's shoulder.
'Nod.'
Zhao Luo nodded as Wu Yang was saying 'good job' to Zhao Luo with his action.
Now he looked ahead and his gaze went along with the continuing dragon road.
The final zone was the second expansion of the dragon zone.
"Let's go. The end looks closer than ever."
Zhao Luo told the others as to their surprise the dragon zone's steep area was just a little ahead of them.
Once they got to the steep road, it was just a few meters distance from the area where the dragon road was disappearing into the clouds.
After a few minutes.
Zhao Luo and his friends were already on the steep area and with each step, they were getting close to the thick grey cloud.
"Amazing."
Zhao Luo was the first one to say that as everyone had the same thought while looking at the thick cloud while they were approaching it.
It looked big but there was a sinister feeling coming from it.
'Something's on the other aide.'
Zhao Luo felt an eerie cold feeling as he got even closer to it.
But this didn't slow him down instead he picked up more speed.
"We are here."
Zhao Luo told the ones around him.
The nine disciples including him were the first to reach this place.
Zhao Luo took another step to walk into the cloud.
Bang!
His leg stopped right when it touched the thick smokey part of the cloud but that wasn't it.
"One person shows his magnanimous nature to take another with him, other follow him behind but with a coin in hand."
An announcement in Fu Zi's voice rang out around them.
Zhao Luo looked at the others.
If he was right, then they only had 7 coins while there were 9 of them here.
"The one showing magnanimous nature can take another one."
Zhao Luo mumbled.
Wu Yang was also catching on.
"Take..."
"Wu Yang take Hong Ling with you."
Wu Yang tried to say something but Zhao Luo interrupted him.
Zhao Luo was telling him with a serious face.
"But then you will..."
"It's okay, I will find another way."
Zhao Luo insisted as he pulled Hong Ling and Wu Yang together gently.
He then waved his hand towards them, telling them to enter the cloud.
Wu Yang looked unsure.
'I don't want to leave you and go ahead.'
He thought but couldn't say it loudly.
"Brother, why are you both looking sad?"
Hong Ling asked while exchanging glances between Zhao Luo and Wu Yang.
"Just go."
Zhao Luo repeated.
Wu Yang then took out his gold coin and grabbed Hong Ling's arm. Then took a step inside the cloud with Hong Ling. On their second step, both Wu Yang and Hong Ling had disappeared into a thick cloud.
'Sigh.'
Zhao Luo turned around to look at the others.
"Ladies first."
Zhao Luo gently patted Feng Mei's head as he lightly pushed her towards the cloud.
'Brother.'
Feng Mei looked back at Zhao Luo before taking out her gold coin and stepping inside the cloud.
After her, Yan was walking towards the thick cloud.
"Wait I said ladies first."
Zhao Luo stopped her. Even though she was indeed a 'lady' but others didn't know that yet.
"Ah."
She smiled awkwardly while coming to stand next to Zhao Luo.
Zhao Luo had his hands behind his back as he looked at the others.
He would call out the names of the others and they would walk in the cloud.
"Su Shi."
Zhao Luo said who entered with her gold coin in her hand.
"Wei Bin, Mo Lee, Mite."
'Tap, Tap, Tap.'
The three also went inside the cloud.
Only Zhao Luo and Yan were left outside the cloud on the dragon road.
"They must have gathered around the other side already."
Zhao Luo said while gazing towards the thick cloud.
'Pat.'
Yan grabbed Zhao Luo's hand with her hand.
She tightened her grip as her soft fingers slid past Zhao Luo's fingers and their hands were entangled with each other.
"What?"
Zhao Luo was taken aback by Yan's sudden attack of skinship.
"Brother Zhao Luo, take this. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for us."
Yan said with sincere eyes.
Zhao Luo was silent as they both stared at each other.
With such an enchanting cold cloud surrounding them and the absence of sound around the dragon road.
"Ba-dump."
"Ba-dump."
They were so close that they both could hear each other's heartbeat.
Zhao Luo shifted his gaze downwards while feeling a little embarrassed with how tight Yan's grip was.
"It's okay. I have already decided."
Zhao Luo told her slowly.
"But don't worry, I will still look for another way."
Zhao Luo looked at Yan again while saying his part.
To his surprise, Yan had tears in her eyes as her tight grip on Zhao Luo's hand had also loosened.
Yan's hand left Zhao Luo's hand as she turned around.
'Tap.'
Zhao Luo grabbed her hand this time and pulled her closer.
Yan turned back to look at Zhao Luo who had already embraced her.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Yan stuttered as she asked Zhao Luo.
"Why do you have such a sad expression on your face? Just believe in me."
Zhao Luo told Yan as he pulled her away.
They both stared at each other for the moment.
'It hurts.'
Zhao Luo thought as he could feel a tingling pain in his heart as he looked at Yan.
He had been saying that he will find a way but where will he get a coin on this giant dragon road?
"I do."
Yan replied to Zhao Luo as she leaned in closer towards him.
'I forgot.'
Zhao Luo's brain was firing up as he remembered that Yan had feelings for him.
'Is this happening?'
Under the tragic mood and cold surroundings setting up the situation, Zhao Luo wondered something.
'Will she be my first k-kiss?'
Yan's beautiful face closed in as her big eyes were looking right into Zhao Luo's eyes.
Zhao Luo felt shy. This was his first time being so close to someone from the opposite gender, thus he closed his eyes.
"Mo."
Zhao Luo made a squeaky noise when he rolled his lips awkwardly as if showing his consent for the kiss.
As he waited for Yan's smooth lips to reach his lips, he heard a sound.
"Wheeeeee."
'Sounds like somethings falling.'
Zhao Luo wondered impatiently.
"Thwack."
"Ahhh."
He cried out as the thing which was falling, crash-landed right on his head, that too during such an important moment of his life.
Zhao Luo fell butt first while the startled Yan turned around again.
"A COIN."
Zhao Luo was shocked as he picked up the coin from the dragon road.
Yan was also shocked as she twirled around to look at it.
'Why would a coin fall from above?'
Zhao Luo questioned as he looked above.
He stood up and looked and the cloud and then at the red face of the Yan.
Zhao Luo couldn't help it as his gaze went down to Yan's glistening lips as he felt like choking.
"Cough."
"Let's go."
Zhao Luo said as he grabbed Yan's hand and gently walked her towards the thick grey cloud.
"We both can enter together now."
Zhao Luo told her with a calm voice.
They both took a step to walk inside the cloud.
'Woosh.'
Zhao Luo and Yan both disappeared as they also entered the cloud.
Way above the dragon road.
"This kid is quite bold."
The young man who had been spectating the disciples since the start said.
He was looking at the thick cloud. Even though others couldn't see through it, the man's vision passed right through the layers of the cloud and landed on Zhao Luo.
"It would funny to see his expression when he finds out about this."
He talked while staring at some distant place with a grin on his face.
"I have never been this surprised since i took the seat as third elder in the elder's hall. Let's see what you do now."
The man said as he had his gaze fixed on Zhao Luo.
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