Feng Qingping retracted her drifting thoughts and gave Li Nanzhu a reassuring, slight smile.
"It’s nothing. I was just calculating the most likely routes my second senior brother and the others might take," she said calmly, her voice betraying no hint of anything unusual.
She continued to focus on the compass in her hand and the sensations from the Soul-Sound Bell, leading the team carefully through the dense mist and treacherous terrain.
Along the way, she continued to inconspicuously scatter powder to interfere with tracking and set up small, exquisite warning arrays.
To outsiders, these actions might further solidify her image as an array genius.
But only she knew that this was merely habitual caution and... a deeper kind of "concealment."
The more stunning the array mastery she displayed, the easier it was for the outside world to focus their attention on her arrays, potentially causing them to overlook other aspects.
For example, her equally formidable individual combat strength, her nearly instinctive synergy with her fellow disciples forged through countless life-and-death struggles, or...
Her ability to remain calm in desperate situations and maintain a grasp of the overall strategic picture.
"The tree that stands above the rest will be the first to meet the wind's wrath. However, if its roots are deep and tangled, its sharp edges hidden beneath its leaves, then no gale can easily topple it." Therefore, she was not worried about being noticed. In fact, to a certain extent, she needed this attention to bring honor to the sect and to act as a lightning rod for trouble.
As long as her core trump cards and true killing moves remained in her own hands, and as long as her sect and companions were her strongest support, the scrutiny and wariness of the outside world would instead serve as a protective layer and an asset.
"The sensation is clearer!"
Feng Qingping suddenly stopped, a flicker of joy crossing her eyes. "Second senior brother and the others should be in the valley just ahead. Moreover... the fluctuations from the Soul-Sound Bell have stabilized significantly. It seems Weilan's condition has improved!"
This news lifted everyone’s spirits.
"That's great! Let's get over there quickly!" Duan Xianxing said impatiently.
Jiang Yifan remained calm, reminding them, "The closer we get to the goal, the more careful we must be. Junior Sister Feng, is there anything unusual nearby?"
Feng Qingping focused her senses for a moment and shook her head. "I haven't detected the aura of other teams or powerful demonic beasts for now. However, the mist in this valley is thicker, and the suppression of divine sense is stronger. Everyone, please stay close to me and do not wander off."
Everyone nodded, following Feng Qingping with heightened vigilance as they dove deep into the valley where the faint fluctuations of their sect brothers were coming from.
As Feng Qingping moved forward, she calculated silently in her mind.
She didn't care much about how the outside world viewed her at this moment.
Her only thought now was to reunite with her second senior brother and sixth junior brother as soon as possible, allowing the strength of the Five Elements Dao Sect to reconsolidate.
As for the challenges or even ambushes they might encounter later...
She touched a cool jade pendant hidden in her sleeve. It was a life-saving treasure bestowed by her master and one of the sources of her confidence to reveal part of her strength here.
Furthermore, her confidence stemmed from the rules of the secret realm itself—the Sect Competition was, after all, a grand event to select talent, not a battlefield of life and death.
Outside the secret realm, the elders of various sects monitored everything together. Once a disciple encountered true mortal danger, the jade pendant would be automatically activated, or the external elders would forcibly intervene to teleport them out.
Therefore, no matter how dire the situation, it was extremely rare for a disciple to perish.
This allowed her to show her brilliance when necessary without excessive worry for her life.
Meanwhile, deep in the valley, inside the cave behind the waterfall.
The situation was indeed improving, just as Feng Qingping had sensed.
Zhu Yinxi sat cross-legged beside Feng Weilan, carefully using his spiritual energy to soothe the other's chaotic meridians, his brow furrowed.
Feng Weilan's face was still pale, but his breathing was much steadier than before, though he remained unconscious.
The long period of fleeing and guarding had also consumed a vast amount of Zhu Yinxi's spiritual energy, leaving his face marked with exhaustion.
Just then, the water curtain at the entrance rippled slightly, and a figure hesitantly peeked inside.
Upon approaching the waterfall area, that person keenly detected spiritual energy fluctuations and a faint scent of blood ahead.
He immediately became vigilant, concealing his aura as he slowly approached.
Pushing aside layers of vines, he immediately saw the pale Zhu Yinxi sitting cross-legged at the cave entrance, recovering his energy.
"Brother Zhu?"
The person blurted out almost subconsciously, his tone carrying a hint of surprise.
Zhu Yinxi snapped his head up, his gaze instantly as sharp as a blade as he looked toward the entrance.
There stood a young disciple wearing the robes of the Water Moon Sect, his face showing a mix of surprise and... concern?
And that conspicuous head of red hair had already given away his identity.
Who else could it be but Liu Qingyang?
He and Zhu Yinxi had experienced a life-and-death ordeal together in the Forest of Demonic Beasts previously. That friendship made him completely ignore the current opposing stances of their sects.
But just because he forgot didn't mean Zhu Yinxi had.
Almost instinctively, Zhu Yinxi appeared in front of Liu Qingyang in an instant. Before the other could even react, Zhu Yinxi grabbed him by the collar and hauled him deep into the cave!
The movement was lightning-fast, carrying an irresistible power.
Liu Qingyang only had a Foundation Establishment stage cultivation. Faced with Zhu Yinxi, who was at the peak of the Golden Core stage and half a step into the Nascent Soul stage even in his current poor state, he had no power to resist.
He was startled, but strangely, he didn't sense any killing intent or intention to eliminate him from the other. Thus, he only gave a symbolic struggle before settling down.
He could feel that although Zhu Yinxi's aura was cold, it was mostly filled with vigilance and a sort of...
Anxious desperation for help?
"Brother Zhu, don't be so excited!" he hurriedly identified himself. His gaze then followed to the unconscious Feng Weilan in the corner of the cave, and he instantly understood. "Fellow Daoist Feng... is he injured?"
Zhu Yinxi stared at him intently, his cold gaze seemingly trying to see through him, but the grip on his collar loosened slightly.
He truly hadn't thought of eliminating Liu Qingyang immediately. With his sixth junior brother severely injured, an "extra" potential helper was better than one more enemy.
Moreover, he understood Liu Qingyang's character; the boy wasn't the type to take advantage of someone in distress.
...
Outside the secret realm, upon the high platform.
When Liu Changhe saw his son's naive behavior on the light screen, his face instantly darkened!
His son’s first reaction upon seeing a rival sect wasn't vigilance or retreat, but a foolish greeting?
And then he was hauled inside like a little chick, without even putting up a fight?
"That stupid boy!" Liu Changhe cursed inwardly, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He suppressed the urge to drag his embarrassing son out for a lesson and could only keep chanting to himself.
"He’s my own son, my only one. His talent is decent, he’s just simple-minded... My own son... only one... if I beat him into a pulp, there'll be no one left to see me to my grave..."
Just then, the Hehuan Sect leader, Rong Lingmeng, covered her mouth and chuckled, her voice soft and seductive as it carried across the platform: "Sect Leader Liu, your son seems to be on... quite good terms with those fellow daoists from the Five Elements Dao Sect, doesn't he?"
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