Inside the grotto, although the group was unaware that the outside rankings had undergone a drastic change, their hearts were filled with confidence after tallying their gains.
"The points and flags are numerous, but in the final resolution circle, we will be surrounded by powerful enemies. We must not let our guard down," Mu Wenyan said in a heavy voice, his gaze sweeping over the others. "The Sword Heart Sect, the Tianyan Sect... we haven't encountered these teams yet. Their strength shouldn't be underestimated."
"Especially the Tianyan Sect," Zhu Yinxi added coldly. "They are proficient in deduction and divination. We haven't crossed paths with them so far, which means they are likely avoiding us on purpose or have other schemes."
Everyone fell into deep thought.
Consecutive fierce battles had yielded much, but the consumption was also high. Feng Qingping especially needed time to recover. It would naturally be best if they could obtain points or avoid risks at a lower cost.
"So what do we do next?" Duan Xianxing asked while scratching his head. "Do we keep finding places to hide, or do we take the initiative to attack?"
Just then, Li Nanzhu looked at the flags piled together, emitting various colored halos. Her eyes rolled as an idea suddenly popped into her head.
She beckoned them over and whispered a series of instructions to the group.
At first, everyone was a bit confused, but as Li Nanzhu spoke, their eyes grew brighter and brighter. Finally, they even showed strange yet exceptionally excited and eager expressions.
"Little Junior Sister, your brain... how does it work?" Duan Xianxing was the first to slap his thigh, nearly shouting out loud before quickly covering his mouth.
"This plan... is marvelous!" Jiang Yifan's eyes sparkled with sharp light.
Even Mu Wenyan nodded slightly, a hint of praise flashing in his eyes. "It's worth a try."
Rong Yuying covered her mouth and chuckled. "Little Zhu'er, this idea of yours... is truly unique."
On the high platform outside, the elders of various sects saw the members of the Five Elements Dao Sect and the Hehuan Sect huddled together on the light screen. Li Nanzhu was whispering something while the others' expressions shifted, eventually looking at each other and smiling. However, they couldn't hear the specific content at all, leaving them feeling an unbearable itch of curiosity.
"What are they discussing?"
"Looking at those expressions, it's definitely another wicked idea!"
"That little girl from the Five Elements Dao Sect has a belly full of bad water... no, a belly full of whimsical ideas!"
The elders and disciples of the various sects were dying to know, but there was nothing they could do.
Bu Qingwei stroked his beard and smiled, his interest deepening. "What kind of trick is this little one going to pull now?"
Soon, the plan was settled.
Mu Wenyan, Li Nanzhu, Duan Xianxing, Liu Qingyang, Jiang Yifan, and Ling Suxin quietly left the grotto to scout and look for opportunities.
Rong Yuying, Zhu Yinxi, Feng Weilan, and the others stayed behind to protect Feng Qingping, help her recover, and act as reinforcements.
Before the group of six had been traveling for even the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, low growls of spirit beasts and messy footsteps suddenly came from ahead.
"Someone's there!" Jiang Yifan barked softly, and everyone immediately went on alert.
From around the corner of the stone forest ahead, a group of people emerged. There were about seven of them, each accompanied by various spirit beasts. They were disciples of the Beast Taming Sect!
The leader was none other than the Beast Taming Sect's chief disciple, Qin Lie!
When Qin Lie saw Mu Wenyan and the others, he was also stunned, clearly not expecting to run into them here. His gaze quickly swept behind Mu Wenyan, and seeing that the other side only had six people while his side had seven disciples plus their contracted spirit beasts, he held the numerical advantage.
Qin Lie calculated quickly: Mu Wenyan was in the Nascent Soul stage, and so was he. Although he was carrying injuries, it shouldn't be a problem to tie Mu Wenyan down for a while. As for the remaining five against his seven disciples plus spirit beasts—the advantage was his! If they could take out this small team from the Five Elements Dao Sect and seize their points and flags, the Beast Taming Sect's ranking would surely soar!
At this thought, Qin Lie's gaze hardened. Without needing to say a word, he simply waved his hand. "Do it!"
The other Beast Taming Sect disciples also began driving their contract beasts. Light from various spells flared as they lunged forward!
"Form the array!" Jiang Yifan shouted.
However, to Qin Lie's surprise, Mu Wenyan did not choose to meet his fierce charge head-on. Instead, Mu Wenyan swiped his finger, and a condensed sword qi barrier appeared before him. He took a defensive stance, steadily blocking the offensive while keeping his attention more on his junior brothers and sisters behind him.
"Hmph! Arrogant! To think you'd dare to be distracted!"
Qin Lie was annoyed, but at the same time, he was relieved. Mu Wenyan not going all out on the offensive suited him perfectly. He could engage in a more composed struggle while waiting for his disciples to finish their battle.
On the other side, the six Golden Core stage disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, leading their respective contract beasts, had already surrounded Li Nanzhu's group. Among them were direct disciples like Feng Wuya, who had previously fought Duan Xianxing!
"Just surrender!" Feng Wuya drove his contract beast to pounce first, and the other disciples followed suit, a mountain of attacks raining down!
However, when facing the Beast Taming Sect disciples and their contract beasts, Li Nanzhu and the other four did not immediately break their formation to meet the challenge as they usually would. Instead, they huddled closer together, their faces bearing... strange smiles?
Although the Beast Taming Sect disciples felt something was eerie, the attack was already launched and there was no room for hesitation.
Various wind blades, fireballs, and earth spikes, combined with the pouncing and biting of spirit beasts, swarmed toward the six of them like a blanket!
Seeing the attacks about to land, the six of them still stood there smiling, without even the intention of drawing their magic tools!
Just as the Beast Taming Sect disciples thought they were paralyzed with fear or had some hidden scheme—causing the offensive to pause for a microsecond—
Li Nanzhu and the five others suddenly reached behind them in unison and pulled out... two flags each!
They weren't magic tools, and they weren't talismans. They were the secret realm flags that emitted a soft glow, representing sect points and honor!
Each person held two flags, one in each hand, waving them like massive... fans?
Or perhaps... shields?
They were actually using these incredibly precious flags as shields and clubs!
"Watch the flag!"
Duan Xianxing let out a strange cry. Holding a flag of some unknown sect in each hand like dual sabers, he swung them in a wide circle, slamming them toward the pouncing Gale Wolf King!
Spiritual light flickered on the flags. Although they didn't possess much offensive power, the posture alone... was intimidating!
"Take a flag from me!" Liu Qingyang followed suit, grabbing a flag and using it like a spear to poke at a charging fire crow!
Jiang Yifan and Ling Suxin were more refined. They held the flags across their bodies and injected spiritual energy. The flags immediately burst with radiance, forming soft spiritual energy shields to block the impact!
Li Nanzhu was even more outrageous. She held a Sword Heart Sect flag in one hand as a shield and grabbed a Beast Taming Sect flag in the other. She flailed it wildly in the direction of the Beast Taming Sect disciples like she was snapping a whip, shouting, "Don't come over! I won't pay if you break the flags!"
For a moment, the field was filled with flying flag shadows and chaotic spiritual light!
The Beast Taming Sect disciples were completely dumbfounded!
Their attacks, whether spells or spirit beast lunges, were about to hit their targets when they saw the opponents not dodging, but instead thrusting those precious flags forward!
This... how were they supposed to fight?
If they kept attacking and actually broke a flag, what then?
Those were points!
The Sect Leaders and elders were watching from outside!
If they destroyed a flag, even if they won, they would have their skin flayed when they got back!
Rate on N.U.
