Chapter 20: CH 19.1

In the hours after that, the rankings on the scoreboard changed rapidly, the scores constantly refreshing.

Amongst them, the fastest to ascend was Ji Chaoyun.

A sharp howl rang in the forest. With an unchanging expression, Ji Chaoyun’s sword pierced through the beast’s heart, the scoreboard floating beside him changing once more under the splash of blood.

Ji Chaoyun, eight points, rank 10.

In just an hour, he’d jumped from the original forty-third position to the tenth.

Ji Chaoyun took a deep breath, retracted his sword, and continued to walk forward.

Inside the secret realm, he was not alone in paying attention to the constantly changing rankings.

“Fuck, Ji Chaoyun is in the top ten?”

“Wasn’t he the last to enter the secret realm? What are the Yellow-level dregs doing?”

“Going by this speed, he might even win the first place in the end.”

……

“All of you, shut up.” Xu Zixing stood with his sword in his hand, his cold eyes withdrawing from the scoreboard. “We haven’t found a fierce beast yet, do you still have time to care about others here?”

For a moment, the forest was silent before someone smiled and said, “Xu shixiong, aren’t we just here to vent your anger for you? Do you want Ji Chaoyun to stay in the academy?”

“To vent my anger?” Xu Zixing glanced over the several people one by one and smirked slightly. “I have an idea, you all come over.”

A few people gathered around. Xu Zixing lowered his voice and whispered something in their ears, the words covered by the rustle of the wind blowing through the dense forest.

.

At Swordplay Arena, as the competition in the secret realm became fiercer, the atmosphere between those watching the game became more and more heated. Several people sat cross-legged on the grass, pointing at the light mirror and discussing.

“It was really fast this time. Five fierce beasts appeared and two were quickly killed. It seems they can complete the assessment before dawn.”

“That Yellow-level disciple still didn’t grab onto it. Inexperienced, after all. Letting the newcomers compete with those experienced veterans feels like bullying the young.”

“Don’t underestimate the new students. Who didn’t come here like this? Besides, aren’t there many great ones this year?”

“Speaking of which, what happened to Ji Chaoyun? In the first hour, I thought he was going to be the Yellow-level’s number one, but even after so long, his points basically haven’t moved?”

As soon as this remark came out, everyone noticed Ji Chaoyun’s ranking on the scoreboard.

Three hours had now passed, but Ji Chaoyun’s score had only increased by three points, and he had fallen behind from tenth to more than thirty.

“Really? But I heard that as long as he does not fall to the third rank from the bottom, he will pass the level. He is still far from the bottom five, and it is understandable.”

“But this test is only halfway through, and the scores are so tight in the end. How dare he relax?”

“I heard that his cultivation base lacks spiritual power. Isn’t it because…”

“No,” a voice sounded behind them, startling everyone. They looked back. It was unknown how long Feng Qi had been standing there. He raised his eyes and stared at the image reflected on the light screen, stating icily, “Someone is targeting him.”

“Your Second Highness Feng?!” Those few people stood up and saluted him. “Your Highness also came to see the assessment?”

Feng Qi gave a light response. He had been staying in the woods not far away, so no one had noticed him.

Someone asked, “Your Highness mentioned someone was targeting Ji Chaoyun? How did you manage to see it?”

Feng Qi: “In these three hours, Ji Chaoyun did not slack off. Nonetheless, he did not find any monsters at all. Someone has been following him to clear away the monsters around him in advance. The record on the light screen is clear. If you don’t believe it, you can go to the Supervisory Exam Hall to check after the assessment is over.”

Everyone looked at each other. No one dared to ask why Feng Qi was so clear about what was happening to Ji Chaoyun in the secret realm.

There were more than fifty sides of the light screen transcribing the secret realm’s situation. To understand so clearly, was it because he’d been staring at Ji Chaoyun from beginning to end?

“But… who would do this?”

Feng Qi snorted coldly and kept silent.

This answer was actually self-evident; there could be no one other than Xu Zixing.

When Xu Zixing had stolen Ji Chaoyun’s purse, Feng Qi had only taught him a lesson, and let the other party lose money without escalating the situation. Even Xu Zixing himself couldn’t figure out why Feng Qi didn’t tell the Immortal Elder of the matter.

Feng Qi wanted to hold on to Ji Chaoyun.

If the purse-related matter was spread, the fact that Ji Chaoyun had forced Qi Xuan at Hongmeng Mountain and lost control of his demonic form could no longer be hidden. Therefore, he had kept Xu Zixing loose until now.

Ji Chaoyun was right. Retribution of grievances would cause nothing but trouble.

If it wasn’t for him not being able to bear his temper, Xu Zixing would not have done this kind of manipulation in the secret realm assessment.

Feng Qi stared at the light mirror. In the image, Ji Chaoyun lifted his head and looked over with a cold stare, as if able to see him through it.

After three full hours of nothing, Ji Chaoyun obviously couldn’t restrain his temper. He even forgot to hide the traces of ill-will in his demonic eyes.

His brows were slightly wrinkled, several veins appearing from the end of his eyes to his cheeks, revealing a dangerous and eerie beauty.

Feng Qi’s eyes softened and he whispered, “Will let you see, whether I can protect you or not.”

.

Ji Chaoyun walked slowly in the dense forest, his eyes sweeping around at all corners when suddenly, a shadow flashed in front of him. His eyes flickered slightly, and he quietly stuck close to a tree.

A figure poked his head from behind a tree. “”Hey, where’s…”

“Are you looking for me?” coldly asked Ji Chaoyun as he walked out from behind him.

The disciple trembled with fear. “Chao, Chaoyun!”

It was Qi Xuan.

Ji Chaoyun held his sword and weighed him up and down. “Did Xu Zixing send you here?”

Qi Xuan hurriedly explained, “No, no! Since that incident, I haven’t listened to him once. I really am not—”

Ji Chaoyun interrupted impatiently, “Then what are you doing here?”

“I-I just wanted to tell you that Xu Zixing has been sending people to secretly keep an eye on you.” Qi Xuan continued, “I know some shixiong close to him, and I just bumped into them by accident. I heard them talk, that’s why…”

Ji Chaoyun’s expression was not surprised. “I know.”

“You know? True, you are so powerful, how could you not know…” Qi Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, “Chaoyun, I’ve been wanting to apologize to you, I didn’t know that thing was so important to you. No, it doesn’t matter. No matter what, I shouldn’t have done that. But Xu Zixing, he…”

Qi Xuan: “A hundred years ago, I participated in Hongmeng Mountain’s assessment but… I didn’t pass it. If I was kicked out, I would have had to wait another hundred years. I really didn’t want to wait any longer, and in my confusion…”

Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and interrupted, “I accept your apology.”

Qi Xuan was startled.

Ji Chaoyun: “Everyone has a reason to come here, and it is not easy. I almost made a big mistake before as well, so we are even.”

“Thank you, thank you, Chaoyun.”

Ji Chaoyun said “en” and continued, “By the way, would you be willing to do me one more favor?”

After a while, on the other side of the cedar forest.

Xu Zixing had been searching around for a long while. This was his third time participating in the secret realm assessment, and according to experience, the place the next ferocious beast was most likely to haunt was near this spot.

A strange noise came from the depths of the forest. He drew his sword and chased after it, but merely saw a red-clothed wandering spirit floating in the woods. The wandering soul noticed him, and his lips widened in a strange arc, blood gushing out.

Just an ordinary demon.

Xu Zixing gave a “tsk” and was about to slash it with his sword when a sharp wandering sword spirit came from behind, piercing her1Nope. No error as that’s what the author wrote. throat.

Xu Zixing abruptly halted his movements. He staggered back a few steps, almost getting hurt by the lingering sword intent.

The wandering soul then dissipated in front of Xu Zixing’s shocked face, revealing the sword-wielding man behind.

It was Ji Chaoyun.

Xu Zixing’s expression changed drastically. He forced himself to calm down and asked, “What are you doing?”

Ji Chaoyun said in a low voice, “You robbed me of so many monsters, and I robbed you of one, is it too much?”

Xu Zixing looked away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“That’s right, you do not dare admit it.” Ji Chaoyun withdrew his sword, and a sarcastic curve appeared on his lips. “But do you really believe you didn’t leave any evidence behind?”

As early as half a shichen ago, when he had not encountered any demons, Ji Chaoyun had noticed that something was wrong. However, the road in the dense forest was winding and rough, and the enemy was in the dark while he in the light. He’d searched for a long time but couldn’t find the mastermind in the shadows.

But that didn’t mean he did nothing.

“…What evidence did I leave behind?”

Ji Chaoyun: “During the three shichen that you were staring at me, I couldn’t kill any monsters, only able to do other things, such as… observing the light mirrors that recorded the situation in the secret realm— where they were all at.”

Xu Zixing’s face turned pale.

“I purposely led the people you sent to follow me, so that all their actions may be recorded. Even if the disciples who are inspecting and watching the battle outside the secret realm currently have no clue about this, they only need to turn it over and verify the facts afterwards. The truth will be out, ” Ji Chaoyun recounted. “Xu Zixing, you should know the consequences of cheating in the assessment, am I right?”2musk: i love how Chaoyun and Feng Qi are so in sync.

After being driven out of Hongmeng Academy, one would never be allowed to take another half step in.

TL by Amber.es

Nope. No error as that’s what the author wrote.

musk: i love how Chaoyun and Feng Qi are so in sync.