Chapter 27: The Crimson Flame Sect

The graceful figure ignored the latter half of Elder Lei Yao’s words and calmly asked, “What is that person’s name, and where does he live?”

Her tone was even, but it exerted immense pressure on Elder Lei Yao. Despite his cultivation at the peak of the initial innate stage, he was still no match for the woman before him. For she was the senior sister of the Lingyuan Sect—Qiu Yingying—a prodigy of the Profound Grade. So young, yet she had completed several four-star missions alone, gained forty thousand points, and ranked first on the points leaderboard. Even more astonishing, in the first half of this year, she was recognized by experts from other star-ranked powers and named one of the Seventy-Two New Stars of Yunchuan Prefecture.

Lei Yao was unsure of Qiu Yingying’s true strength, but he sensed he probably couldn’t withstand even a single move from her.

“Qingxi, a newly promoted outer disciple... It’s said he’s Ouyang Changfeng’s only pupil.” Pressured, Lei Yao had no choice but to comply.

Qiu Yingying’s eyes narrowed in surprise. “Elder Ouyang has taken a disciple? But on second thought, perhaps only someone so extraordinary would catch his eye.”

“Thank you!”

As the words fell, the graceful figure had already leaped into the air, disappearing from sight after several bounds.

...

Before the residence.

Ouyang Changfeng yawned as he watched the graceful figure walking toward him, silhouetted against the sunset. He was stunned at first, then went forward to greet her.

A moment later.

Ouyang Changfeng watched Qiu Yingying depart. Gazing at the endless sunset, he exhaled deeply, anticipation on his face.

“My good disciple, I’ve already drawn fortune to you. Whether you can seize it and thus pass the second trial is up to your own fate. If even someone as special as you cannot complete the second trial, then let your master’s lifelong wish be buried forever...”

...

Qingxi had no idea he was being drawn ever deeper into the mire.

At that moment, he was riding alongside Nie Yu, Tang Hai, and Tang Jiang.

The following morning.

In the Tiger Roar Forest, within a mountain valley.

“This is the Emerald Valley,” Nie Yu explained. “At its center lies a spiritual spring, surrounded by medicinal herbs. But there are many human-grade demonic beasts guarding it. With our strength, we’ll have to use our wits—we can’t just charge in.” Nie Yu was not only an alchemist but also an experienced herb gatherer.

But before Nie Yu could finish laying out his strategy, Qingxi jumped down from a tree and pointed toward the heart of the Emerald Valley. “There’s a fight going on over there.”

“Is there?” Tang Hai and Tang Jiang exchanged doubtful glances.

Tang Hai, the steadier of the two, leaped onto a tree, observed for a moment, then jumped down. “Indeed, there’s movement. I didn’t expect Junior Brother Qingxi to be so observant—to notice even this.”

Tang Jiang, who had been dissatisfied with Qingxi, changed his view after hearing Tang Hai’s words. In his eyes, although Qingxi’s cultivation was lacking, his vigilance was high, so having him along wouldn’t slow down the group.

“Let’s check it out, but we must stay hidden. When the time comes, never mind any tactics—grab as many herbs as you can,” Nie Yu said, eyes narrowing and lips curling in a sly smile.

He was especially fond of taking advantage of others’ chaos.

The four of them moved carefully and soon reached a massive boulder near the center of the valley, where they could see the battle clearly.

There, several tiger-shaped beasts, each exuding power no less than level twenty in the Qi Refining stage, were roaring. Around them, more than a dozen Qi Refiners displayed various martial skills, unleashing powerful auras.

All of them wore matching dark red robes adorned with a flame motif at the cuffs.

“So it’s the cowards from the Crimson Flame Sect. In that case, we have all the more reason to act,” Nie Yu said, a trace of anger in his eyes.

“Crimson Flame Sect!” Qingxi tensed inwardly.

This was a first-star sect, twelve hundred li from the Lingyuan Sect. Its leader was also a Lingang Realm expert. For generations, the two sects had been rivals. In recent years, frictions had become so frequent that the relationship was nearly hostile. Whenever disciples from both sides met, they would usually fight without a word.

“How odd,” Qingxi mused, “Tiger Roar Forest lies well within our sect’s five-hundred-li territory. How could Crimson Flame Sect disciples be here hunting beasts?”

“Hmph!”

“The Crimson Flame Sect is full of despicable scoundrels. They often cross into our borders to steal resources. If their overall strength weren’t greater than ours, I’d have convinced the sect leader to smash their mountain gate long ago,” Nie Yu said through gritted teeth.

Over the years, while gathering herbs, Nie Yu had often been robbed by Crimson Flame Sect disciples. If not for his own abilities and the protection of Tang Hai and Tang Jiang, his herbs would have been stolen every time.

“If they’ve crossed the line, we needn’t hold back,” Qingxi said coldly. Using his reading ability, he saw there were fifteen Crimson Flame disciples. Three of them had cultivation as high as level twenty-five Qi Refining. The rest ranged from level fifteen to eighteen.

Suddenly, Qingxi noticed two more figures sneaking around the rear, trying to take advantage of the beasts being distracted to snatch the herbs near the spring. These two also wore Crimson Flame Sect robes, but their cultivation was lower—one at level fifteen, the other at sixteen.

Qingxi quickly relayed this to Nie Yu and the others.

“As expected, so cunning—sending the main force to tie down the beasts, then dispatching two agile disciples to steal the herbs. That’s their style,” Nie Yu sneered. “But they don’t realize the saying: while the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind.”

...

Dozens of meters away.

Around the five-meter-wide spring, fragrant herbs grew in abundance. Some were protected under semi-spherical energy shields from the beasts’ demon cores, nearly impossible to break unless one’s cultivation surpassed level twenty-five Qi Refining. But some herbs were left unguarded and swayed gently in the wind.

At this moment, the two sneaky figures had arrived at the spring and were swiftly picking all the low-grade herbs unprotected by the shields.

“Roar!”

Sensing human presence near the spiritual spring, the leading mid-grade human-level beast’s eyes flashed with hatred. With a mighty swipe, its huge claw shattered the combined energy barrier of several Crimson Flame disciples, then leapt toward the spring.

“Hold them back!” the Crimson Flame leader shouted, forming hand seals and snapping his fingers to release ten thick threads of spiritual energy that instantly wrapped around the beast.

The other disciples rushed forward, pulling on the threads and dragging the furious beast back.

Meanwhile, the two Crimson Flame disciples scooped up all the unprotected herbs and sprinted away.

“Good, they’ve got it. Let’s hold out a bit longer, then regroup at the rendezvous,” the Crimson Flame leader laughed, redoubling his efforts to restrain the rampaging beasts.