Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Preparing the Counterattack

“Good.” The burly man’s sneer sharpened. “Then we’ll wait three days for Captain Lin’s good news.”

Lin Zhao clasped her hands back, expression unchanged. “Three days. We’ll see.”

After handing operations to Lu Yuan, Lin Zhao vanished into the forest’s middle ring.

In the inner woods, she found the Crimson Spirit Ape’s cave and sat beside the Crimson Spirit Tree. Qi wrapped the tree like mist; its leaves shimmered with living spiritual light.

Lin Zhao stopped suppressing the vast qi in her body.

It surged through her meridians, forcing its way upward step by step.

Her physical strength was already comparable to peak Enlightenment great perfection. Enlightenment-level qi, no matter how abundant, would not burst her.

To stabilize her foundation, she compressed the qi again and again, running Phoenix Pulse Art until every strand soaked into muscle and bone.

Days and nights traded places. Crimson leaves drifted down, covering the maiden like a silent shower.

Before the three-day deadline, Lin Zhao opened her eyes.

She stood, shook off the leaves, and threw a casual punch. The air cracked with a faint boom.

She exhaled. “So this is late-stage Enlightenment.”

The strength. The quantity of qi.

It dwarfed mid-stage Enlightenment.

To be blunt, the current Lin Zhao could fight a hundred versions of herself from three days ago.

That was the true gap between realms—and why heavenly prodigies were terrifying. If they could leap such gaps, then what separated them from ordinary cultivators was like heaven from earth.

But the opponent Lin Zhao needed to challenge wasn’t ordinary.

It was a monster raised by the Noble Houses.

She checked the time and smiled coldly. “Now I go back and secure my captain’s seat.”

—

In the middle ring, the thirty waiting for her muttered among themselves as the deadline crept close.

“Did she fail and not dare come?”

“And she still wants to be captain.”

As time dragged, a few started cursing outright.

“What trash is she? Maybe the victory over Xu Hao was someone else helping her!”

Wind moved through the trees.

Qu Shu was about to stand and speak when he felt it—a pressure so clear it made the hairs on his arms lift. He raised his head and locked onto the sky.

A maiden in a blue dress hovered above them, wings half-spread, looking down with a teasing smile.

Qu Shu couldn’t stop the corner of his mouth from lifting. His cold silver eyes softened into something like warmth. “Everyone,” he said quietly, “look up.”

The thirty raised their heads.

The blue-dressed maiden’s beauty hit them like a slap. The azure wings behind her were breathtaking, unreal.

For a heartbeat, every young man and woman stared, blank.

Then the aura rolled over them.

Late-stage Enlightenment.

“She really did it…” someone whispered.

“Three days—late-stage Enlightenment…”

“I’m convinced,” another breathed. “Completely.”

“Captain Lin Zhao!” someone shouted suddenly.

It was like a switch flipped.

The rest shouted together, voices crashing into the sky. “Captain Lin Zhao!”

“Captain Lin Zhao!”

Lin Zhao landed, withdrew Phoenix Wings, and raised a hand.

They fell silent at once.

Trust was a strange thing. Once some people believed one part of you, believing the rest became easier and easier.

Lin Zhao was that kind of person.

“Are you willing to join my team now?” she asked.

More than thirty answered in unison, “We are!”

Lin Zhao’s lips curved. “Good. Then I won’t treat you as outsiders.” Her gaze swept over everyone present. “Here is my promise: anyone who joins my team and contributes will, at worst, enter the South Sea. Those with outstanding contributions get priority in point distribution!”

A stir rippled through the crowd.

Not only the thirty—those who had been hiding here to avoid Jia Lan’s faction were shocked.

“Captain Lin,” someone blurted, “is that true? I heard if you want to enter without relying on teacher approval, you need at least ten points.”

Lin Zhao smiled faintly. “Then we’ll take everything Zhao Ji Xing and his group have. Wouldn’t that be enough?”

Everyone sucked in a cold breath.

They had known Lin Zhao built the alliance to resist the three Newcomer Kings.

No one expected her to say she would rob them clean.

And yet—not a single person doubted her.

“Everyone here has suffered under Zhao Ji Xing’s trio long enough,” Lin Zhao continued, voice ringing. “Now that the alliance is formed and I am the captain, I will collect interest for you. Whatever humiliation they forced on us—we’ll take it back, principal and interest!”

Something in her words pulled at them.

Hands rose. Voices rose.

“We’ll take it back together!”

After the rally, Lin Zhao told everyone to rest and stay ready. Then she found Lu Yuan and confirmed their plans.

Lu Yuan handed over a message and looked almost dazed with excitement. “Another hundred people joined.”

“No wonder it looks like the crowd grew,” Lin Zhao murmured.

Lu Yuan nodded hard. “After your breakthrough spreads today, our numbers might match Zhao Ji Xing’s side tomorrow!”

Zhao Ji Xing had kicked the Yong Hui group out. Lu Yuan hated him so much his teeth itched, but he lacked the strength to do anything about it.

Now he finally had a towering tree over his head.

He could fight again.

Lin Zhao nodded. “After today, we screen newcomers. We can’t let useless people with hidden agendas slip in.”

Lu Yuan hesitated. “Assigning tasks… only you can do it. If I do it, they won’t respect it.”

Lin Zhao understood. “This afternoon I’ll divide everyone into three groups. I’ll lead one. The two Enlightenment eighth-level captains who joined will each lead one.”

Lu Yuan blinked. “Holy Son Qu Shu and Young Sect Master Ming Yue won’t lead?”

Lin Zhao shook her head. “Their personalities don’t fit. They’re our backup strength. Better not drag them into extra work.”

Lu Yuan thought of their temperaments and agreed.

When the groups were assigned, everyone found their squad on Heavenlink Mirror. Before sending them out, Lin Zhao’s voice turned sharp.

“Everyone has seen how brutal this tournament is. My promise applies only if you contribute. If anyone tries to muddle through, don’t blame me, Lin Zhao, for not showing mercy.”

Spines straightened.

Eyes hardened.

They had come this far. Who would willingly quit?

If they wanted that admission slot, then they would fight with their lives for it.