Song Qiqi stared fixedly at Shen Yuexi as the third-grade Blazing Snake suddenly opened its huge, blood-filled maw, ready to swallow the person before it in one bite.
“Do you really think you can turn defeat into victory with nothing but a third-grade spirit beast? Dream on!” Shen Yuexi circulated her spiritual power and leaped toward the Blazing Snake.
Over these ten days, she had already broken through to the second-tier Spirit Warrior realm.
Shen Yuexi’s gaze remained fixed on the Blazing Snake as she secretly used her fingernail to cut her finger.
The next moment, she bent her knees and pushed off forcefully with her calves, leaping onto the snake’s head. She touched the blood on her finger to the Blazing Snake’s triangular eye, then landed lightly on the ground.
The third-grade Blazing Snake, which had been brimming with murderous intent only moments ago, suddenly turned around and launched a frenzied attack on Song Qiqi!
Zhou Ming’an’s brows drew tightly together as he stared intently at Shen Yuexi. She was a second-tier Spirit Warrior.
Most unbelievable of all, a second-tier Spirit Warrior actually knew beast taming!
Even in the Lingyun Sect, someone like that was practically unheard of.
Just who was this girl?
The commoners who had been praising and flattering Song Qiqi moments before were even more shocked.
The girl had effortlessly beaten both Song Qiqi and her contracted beast, leaving them utterly defenseless!
“Beast taming—you actually know beast taming!” Song Qiqi’s face went pale with fright. She hurriedly tried to recall the Blazing Snake, but the third-grade Blazing Snake was no longer listening to her.
The snake seemed to have completely lost its mind. It beat Song Qiqi to the ground and sent blood pouring from her mouth before she finally managed to forcibly recall it into her contract space.
Song Qiqi curled up awkwardly on the ground, clutching her wounds. Her eyes, bloodshot with fear and apprehension, glared fixedly at Shen Yuexi as she asked through bloodied lips, unwilling to accept what had happened, “Who are you? Just who are you really? What have I ever done to offend you that you would lower yourself to ruin my plans?”
The girl before her possessed far too much talent and strength. She clearly wasn’t an unaffiliated cultivator. She might even be some important figure from a hidden clan!
Yet no matter how she thought about it, Song Qiqi couldn’t figure out how she had offended someone so powerful.
“Ten days have passed, and you already don’t recognize me?”
A cold, mocking voice rang out. Under the fervent gazes of the crowd, Shen Yuexi slowly removed her veil, revealing a beautiful and radiant face.
“It’s you! It’s actually you…”
Song Qiqi’s pupils contracted violently, her blood-red eyes filled with hatred and fear.
How could it be her? How could the person who had beaten her so completely be that good-for-nothing whose spiritual root had been destroyed?
Why?
Why could she never surpass Shen Yuexi, no matter what she did?
Perhaps she was simply too frightened and enraged. In a fit of fury, Song Qiqi fainted from the emotional shock.
Shen Yuexi showed no mercy. She was just about to take the opportunity to smash Song Qiqi’s head with a single blow when a furious shout suddenly rang out—
“Bitch, stop!”
Zhou Ming’an leaped onto the platform and scooped up Song Qiqi. Water-type spiritual power surged from his hand toward Shen Yuexi’s face.
Shen Yuexi was just about to raise a shield of spiritual power when a white figure suddenly stepped in front of her, instantly dispelling Zhou Ming’an’s attack.
The scholar shot Zhou Ming’an a cold look, then turned around and asked Shen Yuexi concernedly, “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.” Only then did Shen Yuexi take a proper look at the young man before her.
He wore a frost-white robe, and his tall, slender figure was lean. His features were refined, his brows and eyes gentle and mild, and he held a scroll in one hand. His entire person radiated the scholarly air of a well-read gentleman. He didn’t look like a cultivator; he looked more like a scholar who had spent years studying by lamplight.
She was still thinking this when, the next moment—
“Zhou Ming’an, you piece of shit! You’re bullying the weak, and you don’t do a single decent thing!”
Shen Yuexi was stunned.
What a “refined” scholar.
Looking at the young man’s thin figure, Shen Yuexi truly couldn’t bear to let him keep helping her. She turned toward Zhou Ming’an and said, “Senior Brother, you interrupted the match just now. But everyone knows who won and who lost. Please announce the result.”
Holding the unconscious Song Qiqi in his arms, Zhou Ming’an expressionlessly announced, “Qiqi did lose, but you don’t meet the sect’s recruitment requirements. Therefore, the Sect Grand Selection spot still belongs to Qiqi.”
“Zhou Ming’an, what the hell are you barking about? At the Sect Grand Selection, you have the nerve to veto the result with a single word?”
Ning Xingzhi had just seen Shen Yuexi step in front of him, and had immediately decided that she was a good person. The moment he heard Zhou Ming’an’s words, he exploded.
Zhou Ming’an grew furious at being berated and snapped in exasperation, “She only won by a narrow margin! Besides, she has neither a sect recommendation nor a natal contracted beast. Even if she’s selected, she’ll be nothing but a good-for-nothing!”
“Zhou Ming’an, your upper lip reaches the heavens and your lower lip touches the earth—you’ve thrown your face away entirely! A narrow victory? You really just make things up as you go. That was clearly a complete crushing victory!”
After finishing his tirade, Ning Xingzhi turned toward Shen Yuexi. His expression was gentle and clear, his voice mild, and he once again looked every inch the refined scholar—completely different from before.
“Do you have a natal contracted beast?”
“No.” Shen Yuexi thought of Di Yao and decisively chose not to tell the truth.
If not for the existence of the contract space, she would almost have forgotten that she had a natal contracted beast.
His strength was terrifying. Revealing it would only bring unnecessary trouble.
Ning Xingzhi wasn’t annoyed. He asked gently, “Do you belong to a sect? A clan would work as well.”
Shen Yuexi still shook her head. “I’m an orphan. I don’t belong to any sect.”
Seeing Shen Yuexi lower her eyes, Ning Xingzhi couldn’t help feeling sympathy for her.
What a pitiful girl. She had grown up alone and helpless, and without a sect, she could only feel her way through cultivation by herself. Just thinking about it made her life seem unbearably tragic.
Besides, she had no natal contracted beast yet could still crush Song Qiqi. What incredible talent! Zhou Ming’an was simply looking down on her with his dog’s eyes.
With that thought, he made up his mind to uphold justice for Shen Yuexi.
“So what if she doesn’t have one? The Lingyun Sect has never required its disciples to possess a natal contracted beast, nor has it said that they must have a sect recommendation. According to the rules, whoever wins the arena earns the spot in the sect examination. Since you won, the spot belongs to you.”
“Ning Xingzhi, are you truly determined to make an enemy of me, your fellow disciple, for the sake of a woman you’ve never even met?” Zhou Ming’an furrowed his brows and glared at him. He hadn’t expected Ning Xingzhi to defend this girl so stubbornly, and questioned him angrily.
“The Sect Grand Selection exists to choose talented people for the sect. You’re refusing the strongest candidate and insisting on choosing a good-for-nothing instead. You’re the one making an enemy of the sect!”
Ning Xingzhi didn’t give him the slightest consideration. He let out a cold snort. “What kind of ability is it to bully a young girl? If you’ve got the guts, fight me instead. Let’s see if I don’t beat your head crooked!”
After being bombarded with insults, Zhou Ming’an’s expression grew increasingly dark and ugly.
“Ning Xingzhi! Don’t think I won’t dare attack you!”
Before he had even finished speaking, the water-type spiritual power in his hand shot toward Ning Xingzhi.
“Careful.” Shen Yuexi instinctively warned him.
In an instant, the golden spiritual power in Ning Xingzhi’s hand transformed into more than a dozen flying swords that shot straight toward Zhou Ming’an’s face!
Zhou Ming’an tried to block them, but his spiritual-power shield was like paper before the flying swords. It was pierced through effortlessly.
“You’re actually a ninth-tier Great Spirit Master!” He turned pale with shock, dodging in both fear and fury.
Hadn’t everyone said that the disciples of the First Peak were all useless people who neglected their proper work, and that Ning Xingzhi was the most useless bookworm of them all? How could he possibly be a ninth-tier Great Spirit Master—several realms higher than Zhou Ming’an?
Zhou Ming’an was beaten so thoroughly that he couldn’t fight back at all. He could only summon his natal contracted beast to block the attacks temporarily, barely managing to flee with Song Qiqi in his arms.
“Consider yourself lucky you ran fast.”
Only after Ning Xingzhi saw him escape did he withdraw his spiritual power. He turned and asked Shen Yuexi, “Did I frighten you? I’m just bad-tempered and can’t stand listening to dogs bark. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ning Xingzhi, and I’m a disciple of the First Peak of the Lingyun Sect. What’s your name?”
“Shen Yuexi.” Shen Yuexi nodded. She was participating in the Sect Grand Selection for two reasons: first, to take revenge on Song Qiqi; and second, because she had only just transmigrated here and wasn’t familiar with the cultivation system of this continent. She truly did need to join a sect.
“Come on. I’ll take you to participate in the sect examination.”
……
At the same time.
At the Summit of the Nine Continents.
Amid swirling clouds and mist, mountain peaks rose in overlapping layers. Countless palaces and pavilions stood atop them, while dense, sacred dragon qi lingered throughout the surroundings, making the place seem like an immortal realm.
Inside the solemn, holy main hall, a man in a frost-white robe embroidered with gold sat at the highest seat. His long, pale hand propped up his head, making him appear exceptionally noble and cold.
But at this moment, icy, murderous energy raged through the hall. The people kneeling inside trembled all over, not daring to utter a word.
Di Yao lowered his head and looked at the wound that had suddenly appeared on his fingertip. His deep, peach-blossom eyes were tinged with inscrutable murderous intent, and his thin lips parted slightly.
“Investigate. Find out whether there is any way to replace blood in beast taming.”
Three wounds in just a few days.
Was this how she protected herself?
Lan Yu bowed and replied, “Yes.”