Chapter 6: The Heroine’s Unexpected Path

Li Xuanyang gazed at Yu Lingyue and her companion, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

Yu Lingyue remained silent, but the young girl beside her spoke up timidly:

“But we’re in the middle of an assessment, and we’re competing for rankings. How would the points be divided then?”

“Points are merely a trifle. With us here, we’ll ensure you…”

As Li Xuanyang spoke, his hand extended towards Yu Lingyue’s cheek.

Yet, with the sharp ring of a sword, a flash of cold light erupted in the very next instant.

Li Xuanyang reeled back in shock; the proximity and speed had rendered him utterly incapable of dodging.

As several strands of hair drifted to the ground, a deathly silence descended upon their surroundings.

‘If that woman had aimed for his neck…’

None of them dared to contemplate the thought.

Li Xuanyang stared, utterly disbelieving, at the scattered strands of hair on the earth.

‘This woman actually dared to strike?!’

‘This mere village girl, she actually dared to lay a hand on me!!!’

Yu Lingyue gripped her iron sword, her gaze fixed on Li Xuanyang, her face etched with icy disdain.

“I’ll say it again: get out!”

This sharp, indignant cry ignited a furious blaze within Li Xuanyang.

“You’re nothing but a rustic village girl! How dare you!”

Li Xuanyang’s hand formed a claw, and a surge of air gathered within his palm, lunging directly for Yu Lingyue’s neck.

Yu Lingyue’s eyes sharpened. Swiftly grabbing her companion, she executed a backward leap, instantly widening the distance between herself and Li Xuanyang.

She then seized her companion’s hand and plunged directly into the dense forest. This entire sequence unfolded in mere moments, leaving the onlookers stunned and unable to react.

“What are you all gawking at?! Pursue them! How dare she disrespect me! I’ll capture that woman and refine her into a human cauldron!”

Li Xuanyang’s enraged roar jolted the surrounding noble disciples back to their senses.

The group immediately burst into action, giving chase towards the forest where Yu Lingyue had vanished.

Yu Lingyue led her companion in a frantic run for approximately the time it takes an incense stick to burn (TL Note: A traditional Chinese measure of time, roughly 5-10 minutes), before the young girl finally faltered, unable to continue.

“Lingyue, you go on ahead. Don’t worry about me.”

The young girl leaned on her knees, gasping for breath.

Yu Lingyue’s expression darkened considerably.

“Absolutely not. If we’re leaving, we’re leaving together.”

She and Qian Xiaoyu had been acquainted for nearly seven years; over this time, they had become inseparable friends, sharing everything. Abandoning her friend was simply not something she could do.

However, given Qian Xiaoyu’s cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Condensation, she truly couldn’t endure much longer.

A resolute determination hardened within Yu Lingyue as this realization struck her.

“Xiaoyu, you go on ahead! I’ll catch up right after you!”

“How could I do that!”

“Just go!”

“No!”

“If we don’t move now, it will be too late!”

“We leave together, or not at all!”

“…”

As the two continued their fervent argument, a thunderous roar ripped through the air, reaching their ears and causing both to freeze in startled dismay.

A flicker of terror crossed Qian Xiaoyu’s eyes.

“That roar… it couldn’t be the Overlord Bear those people were talking about, could it?”

Before their arrival, the two had gathered intelligence, learning that Trial Mountain harbored five demonic beasts at the Half-step Foundation Establishment (TL Note: A cultivation realm, indicating a powerful beast on the cusp of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage) realm.

The Overlord Bear was among them.

After a brief two-second hesitation, Yu Lingyue cast a quick glance at the approaching figures not far behind them.

An audacious idea sparked within her mind.

“Xiaoyu, how much Beast Repelling Powder do you have left?”

Qian Xiaoyu paused, taken aback.

“Beast Repelling Powder? You want that… Wait, are you thinking of…?”

Beast Repelling Powder, concocted from a blend of exceptionally pungent herbs, was effective against wild beasts.

Demonic beasts, however, were inherently violent and savage; such irritating pain would only serve to enrage them further.

“Since things have escalated to this point, there’s no longer any need for me to show them mercy!”

Yu Lingyue looked up at the sky, where the sun had already fully descended, and night’s embrace was beginning to shroud the earth.

Elsewhere, as the sun’s final rays dipped below the western mountains, Qin Yangjun’s eyes snapped open. This impromptu session of meditative cultivation could only serve to consolidate his current realm; it was woefully insufficient for true advancement.

Exhaling a breath of stagnant qi, Qin Yangjun lifted his gaze.

‘It’s time!’

Based on the timeline he had gleaned from the book, if all proceeded as expected, Yu Lingyue should encounter the Bewitching Treant in approximately another incense stick’s time.

Qin Yangjun then devised a plausible reason for a ‘patrol’ and set off for Trial Mountain. The two accompanying officials harbored no particular suspicions and showed no inclination to follow, as his excuse was perfectly reasonable.

In the past, chief examiners were invariably elders, and it was considered entirely normal for them to visit Trial Mountain to closely observe the new disciples and select apprentices, simply indulging their interest.

Had this been a few years prior, they might have accompanied him, but having gone so many times, their interest had long since waned.

As for Qin Yangjun’s specific reasons for going, they had no inclination to delve deeper; whether it was a sudden whim or some new idea, it held no relevance for them.

In their estimation, Qin Yangjun, being the Chief Disciple of the Imperial Sky Sect  – Imperial Sky Sect, would surely act with appropriate discretion and avoid any outrageous behavior.

Furthermore, the entire Trial Mountain was thoroughly equipped with surveillance artifacts, and with the Supervision Hall  – Supervision Hall overseeing everything, they saw even less reason to accompany him.

In a flash, Qin Yangjun arrived at the base of Trial Mountain. No sooner had he reached its foot than his attention was drawn by the commotion emanating from halfway up the slope.

The roar, in particular, was deafening, reverberating through the heavens, making it impossible for him to ignore.

‘That roar… could it be the Overlord Bear?’

Qin Yangjun’s brow furrowed slightly. He was well aware that Trial Mountain housed several demonic beasts at the Half-step Foundation Establishment realm.

However, according to his memories, the only Half-step Foundation Establishment demonic beast disturbed during this particular trial was the Bewitching Treant – Bewitching Treant, a type of tree demon.

‘What’s the meaning of this Overlord Bear’s presence?’

‘Has the timeline shifted?’

While Qin Yangjun’s curiosity was piqued, a moment’s reflection reminded him that the female protagonist’s situation was far more critical. Without lingering, he immediately hastened towards the mountaintop.

Yet, when Qin Yangjun finally reached the summit…

A soft sigh of wind.

A cool breeze swept through, rustling the fallen leaves on the ground and carrying with it a distinct chill. The Bewitching Treant, however, stood perfectly still, appearing no different from any ordinary tree.

There were no signs of a grand battle, nor even the slightest trace of anyone having passed through.

Qin Yangjun was utterly dumbfounded.

‘Hiss—what’s going on? Where is everyone? Did I arrive too late? That can’t be right. Could my earlier procrastination have altered the timeline?’

Qin Yangjun glanced left and right, even extending his divine sense ( Divine Sense, a spiritual perception ability often used to scan surroundings or detect others’ presence). Within a hundred-meter radius, there was not a single soul to be found.

Just then, a sound transmission from the two assistant examiners ( Assistant Examiner) suddenly echoed in Qin Yangjun’s ears.

“[Senior Brother, a disciple has already accumulated thirty points. Please, Senior Brother, hasten here to verify.]”

‘Cleared? No way.’

A sudden premonition of unease washed over Qin Yangjun. He recalled that, in the original story, Yu Lingyue had never actively sought attention; her impressive feats were entirely a result of circumstance.

Had she not encountered the Bewitching Treant back then, she wouldn’t have even made it into the top three.

‘What if, this time, due to some unforeseen circumstance, she altered her path and avoided the Bewitching Treant entirely?’

‘Then it wouldn’t be impossible for her to simply aim for a “sixty points for victory” (TL Note: A phrase implying just barely passing, as 60 is usually the minimum passing score), rather than excelling.’

‘In that case, all my elaborate planning would have been utterly in vain.’

‘Sigh.’

Qin Yangjun sighed silently to himself.

Upon closer reflection, however, he realized this was largely his own doing; had he not delayed, perhaps this unforeseen turn of events would never have occurred.

Nevertheless, this fleeting sense of disappointment quickly passed from Qin Yangjun’s mind. After all, the path ahead was long and winding; there would always be other opportunities in the future.

“[Alright, I’ll return immediately. You two proceed with the verification first; don’t make the junior brothers and sisters wait too long.]”

After a brief reply to the assistant examiners, Qin Yangjun prepared to make his way back.

Yet, as the situation was already decided, Qin Yangjun felt no particular urgency to rush back.

Just then, the Overlord Bear’s roar echoed once more.

Qin Yangjun’s gaze subtly shifted.

‘Still fighting, are they…’

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Wait, Let Me Explain! It’s Really Not What You Think!

FantasyHarem

Read Now →
Not interested