Chapter 15: Unexpected Alliances and Hidden Dangers

The farce of the individual arena matches ultimately concluded in a fantastical manner that Shen Zhaoqing utterly failed to comprehend.

Shen Zhaoqing, a mere tavern reserve from down the mountain who only wished to snatch a participation award and make a swift escape, was forcibly propelled into the top hundred of the Outer Sect Grand Competition by a group of opponents who seemingly “achieved enlightenment in battle.”

Yes, the top hundred.

This ranking meant she had successfully advanced to the next round: a hundred-person free-for-all that promised to be even more brutal and socially mortifying.

The venue for the hundred-person free-for-all was set within a vast, dense forest nestled in the back mountains of the Azure Cloud Sect.

This forest had been jointly sealed by the elders of the Enforcement Hall. Not only was its terrain intricate and treacherous, but dozens of demonic beasts below the Foundation Establishment stage had also been temporarily released into it, all to enhance the “fun” and “challenge.”

One hundred outer sect disciples were randomly teleported to various locations throughout the dense forest. Each of them wore a sensitive jade talisman; if the talisman shattered or was crushed, it signified elimination.

Victory would only be declared for those who could endure within the forest until just ten individuals remained.

Enveloped in a flash of white light, Shen Zhaoqing felt her feet leave the ground. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself amidst a damp, dense forest.

Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun, casting the forest in perpetual twilight. The air hung heavy with the pungent scent of decaying leaves mingled with damp earth.

From a distance, the occasional mournful roar of a beast echoed, punctuated by the booming collisions of clashing spells.

Her first instinct was to activate the Drunken Stealth Breath technique, merging her aura seamlessly with her surroundings. Then, spotting the stoutest tree, she swiftly shimmied up its trunk, concealing herself meticulously within its dense canopy.

A fight? Are you kidding?

Fighting was out of the question; she was far too weak, pitiful, and helpless. Shen Zhaoqing had no desire to suffer any hardships.

Her plan was simple: find a safe spot, catch some sleep, and once the chaos outside had largely subsided, she would simply crush her own jade talisman, making a “glorious sacrifice.”

Shen Zhaoqing settled comfortably onto a sturdy tree branch.

“Senior Sister, you’re here! I’ve been looking for you for ages.”

Shen Zhaoqing jolted, nearly toppling from the tree.

She peered down, only to see Li Wuxia standing beneath the tree, her pale face tilted upwards, her eyes red-rimmed. She looked utterly pitiful and helpless, much like a tiny kitten abandoned by the entire world.

‘Could I really be found even hiding here?’

Shen Zhaoqing descended from the tree.

“Junior Sister Wuxia? How did you…”

“As soon as I entered, someone ambushed me! My jade talisman was almost snatched away, I was so scared…” Li Wuxia’s voice trembled with a nascent sob, tears welling in her deep blue eyes. “Senior Sister, I finally found you; can we stay together? I don’t want to be alone…”

Seeing her like this, the lingering suspicion in Shen Zhaoqing’s heart instantly vanished, replaced only by a sense of helplessness and a touch of softness.

After all, this was her nominal “savior,” a clingy and frail junior sister. She couldn’t truly abandon her alone in this perilous forest.

“Alright, alright, don’t cry. Come on up.” Shen Zhaoqing sighed, sliding down from the tree.

‘Fine, I’ll just consider her baggage. At worst, we’ll find a cave to hide in together later.’

Upon hearing her agreement, Li Wuxia instantly broke into a smile through her tears. She scurried over, affectionately linking her arm through Shen Zhaoqing’s, leaning half her weight against her.

“I knew Senior Sister was the best.”

Her body was still so cold, like a piece of frigid jade that refused to warm.

Shen Zhaoqing shook her head helplessly. Just as she was about to lead Li Wuxia deeper into the dense forest in search of a more secluded hiding spot, a voice, tinged with surprise, drifted from nearby.

“Junior Sister Shen? It really is you!”

A tall, honest-faced young male disciple emerged from behind a thicket of bushes, a hint of shy delight on his features.

Shen Zhaoqing recognized him. This was Zhang Fan, one of the few outer sect disciples who hadn’t mocked her, and who had even secretly given her two healing pills after her “rise to fame.”

Though she had ultimately fed those pills to the spirit rabbits in the back mountains.

“Senior Brother Zhang?” Shen Zhaoqing voiced her surprise.

Zhang Fan scratched his head, his gaze falling upon Shen Zhaoqing with undisguised admiration and goodwill. “Junior Sister Shen, I watched all your matches. You truly… keep your talents hidden! I never expected you to be so powerful!”

Shen Zhaoqing’s lips twitched.

“Junior Sister, this free-for-all is too dangerous. Why don’t we team up? I’m thick-skinned and sturdy; I can shield you from the front!” Zhang Fan patted his chest, extending a sincere invitation.

This was a genuine offer, and a common strategy in such chaotic battles.

However, Shen Zhaoqing keenly felt the hand linked through her arm suddenly tighten its grip.

She turned her head, observing Li Wuxia still looking down, her long eyelashes lowered, obscuring the expression in her eyes.

Shen Zhaoqing was about to decline.

“Oh, yes, yes!” she heard Junior Sister Wuxia exclaim in a guileless, innocent tone. “The more people, the more care we’ll have. Senior Brother Zhang, we’ll be relying on you to protect us from now on~”

Li Wuxia’s voice was cloyingly sweet, seemingly devoid of any malice.

Zhang Fan was overjoyed at her words, nodding repeatedly. “Of course, of course! With me here, I absolutely won’t let either of you junior sisters suffer a single scratch!”

As Shen Zhaoqing observed the seemingly harmonious scene before her, a chill inexplicably crept up the back of her neck.

That unsettling feeling seemed to resurface in her heart.

The trio continued on together. True to his word, Zhang Fan voluntarily took the lead, forging a path and shielding Shen Zhaoqing and Li Wuxia behind him, appearing utterly dependable.

Along the way, they encountered several groups of other disciples. However, Zhang Fan possessed considerable strength, having already reached the ninth layer of the Qi Induction realm.

Coupled with Shen Zhaoqing’s reputation for “carp-like” luck, no one was foolish enough to actively provoke them.

For a time, the atmosphere became strangely peaceful.

Just as they were traversing a stretch of marshland, Zhang Fan, who was leading the way, suddenly halted, his expression grave as he raised a hand.

“Shh, don’t move,” he whispered, lowering his voice. “Something’s ahead.”

Shen Zhaoqing immediately focused her mind, following his gaze.

In a clearing not far ahead, a demonic wolf, its body covered in greenish-black scales and three eyes on its forehead, lay crouched on the ground. Its size rivaled that of a calf.

It was tearing at a corpse that was already beyond human recognition.

A thick, coppery scent of blood, mingled with the unique musky stench of a demonic beast, assailed them.

“It’s a Three-Eyed Demonic Wolf! A demonic beast in the early Foundation Establishment stage!” Zhang Fan’s face paled slightly. “This creature is incredibly fast, and its claws and fangs are razor-sharp. We need to go around!”

This was, without a doubt, the correct choice.

Yet, as if sensing their presence, the Three-Eyed Demonic Wolf abruptly lifted its head. Its three crimson beast-eyes locked onto them with an unwavering intensity!

“ROAR—!”

With a ferocious roar, the demonic wolf transformed into a black streak of lightning, carrying a foul stench as it charged directly at them!

“Damn it! We’ve been spotted!” Zhang Fan’s expression drastically changed. He hastily drew the longsword from his back. “Both Junior Sisters, retreat quickly! I’ll hold it off!”

He bellowed, his spiritual energy erupting without reservation. Unleashing a powerful, weighty “Mountain-Splitting Sword Style,” he cleaved towards the demonic wolf.

“Junior Sister, be careful.” Shen Zhaoqing instinctively pulled Li Wuxia back, her heart leaping into her throat.

Just then, from the corner of her eye, Shen Zhaoqing noticed Li Wuxia’s fingertip seem to twitch ever so slightly.

A strand of black thread, finer than a spider’s silk, shot silently from her sleeve. Moving with ghostly speed, it coiled around the ankle of Zhang Fan, who was fiercely battling the demonic wolf.

It all happened too swiftly, so fast that Shen Zhaoqing didn’t even have time to utter a warning.

In the clearing, Zhang Fan had just forced the demonic wolf back with a sword strike, and was preparing to sidestep the beast’s incoming sharp claws.