A thin mist drifted in the air, obscuring subtle movements. Tiffany turned, surprised at the medicinal materials in her hand. She planned to use them for Thalia’s headache, oblivious to the approaching danger.
Both men moved simultaneously. Jeremy lunged to pull Tiffany away, his other hand already reaching out with lightning speed – he could almost strangle the restless snake! But Richard was faster. He remained still, only shifting his relaxed posture as the snake attacked Tiffany. A hint of coldness surrounded him. With a wave of his hand, the snake vanished into dust, disappearing with the mist.
The entire process was instantaneous. Jeremy's usually calm face registered surprise. Tiffany sensed something amiss, but found nothing. Richard gently rubbed her head, a rare smile gracing his cold features. "What are you looking at?"
"Did something fly over?" Tiffany asked.
Richard smiled. "No, nothing. You imagined it."
Tiffany nodded. "Oh, alright. Then I'll continue picking medicinal materials." She resumed her search for the Red Leaf of Eternal Life.
Two men stood nearby. One was handsome, exuding a strong, noble, arrogant, yet relaxed aura. The other, subtly disguised, had only his bright brown eyes betraying his true nature. Richard smirked. "You're quite something."
Jeremy met his gaze calmly. "Aren't you hiding your strength, too?"
"Heh, it takes one to know one," Richard replied, raising an eyebrow and stretching his legs. He leisurely followed Tiffany, assisting her search.
When John and his men witnessed this, they cursed their inefficiency. Richard wouldn't have had to intervene if they'd been faster. They redoubled their efforts.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Misty Ridge, Sandra and two other women, survivors of a poisonous miasma test, lay panting on the ground. Of the original dozen, only three remained.
Sandra stood, assessing the terrain. "Shall we go over there?" she suggested, casually pointing. Their mission: find the Red Leaf of Eternal Life. They'd faced many dangers, yet seen no red plants.
The other two women were exhausted. "I'm done. Go ahead if you want. I can't walk anymore." One added, almost as an order, "And if you find it, bring some back for us."
Sandra inwardly scoffed. The master saved them too. They think they can boss me around? What are they? She nodded outwardly. "Okay," she replied, departing alone. The miasma lingered; the other women remained idle. Soon, they won't be able to leave even if they want to, Sandra thought, smiling coldly.
Further on, she heard voices. Misty Ridge was a notorious maze. Who would venture here? she wondered, proceeding cautiously. She gasped upon seeing Tiffany. Tiffany! What's she doing here?
Excitement surged. In everyone's eyes, I'm dead. No one knows I'm hiding, saved by a mysterious man. This is fate! She considered attacking Tiffany, exploiting the unpreparedness. But Tiffany wasn't alone; she had Richard and guards. How much does Richard value her? Jealousy consumed her, yet a sense of newfound strength calmed her. She would wait for the opportune moment.
The group gathered enough Red Leaf of Eternal Life. Tiffany called a halt, and they began their return journey under Jeremy's guidance. The weather in Misty Ridge, however, was notoriously unpredictable.
Halfway back, darkness descended; dark clouds gathered, threatening a torrential downpour. The fog thickened, blurring Tiffany's vision until she was disoriented. She was lost. Richard held her hand tightly.
Feeling his warmth, Tiffany felt relieved. Then, a chill touched her foot. Imagining a snake, she jumped back, breaking free from Richard's grasp. She shouted his name, only to feel a powerful push from behind.
A female voice hissed, "Go to hell!" Tiffany fell, a gust of cold air rushing up. She expected to land on jagged rocks, but instead plunged into a cold pool. She choked, gasping for air. She grasped something – a devilishly handsome man, soaking wet, with a black cat perched on his shoulder.
The final sentence was left as is due to its ambiguity and potential for misinterpretation, requiring further context to properly edit.