Chapter 193

Chapter 193: Little Ruo, You Have to Wait for Him!

In the team match, there were no rules about how sects fought each other. As long as you did not take a life, the only goal was the Score Token on the body. It was a giant free-for-all.

With so few people, Ninghua Sect would surely become a target for many sects.

On the fourth day of the Sect Grand Tournament, the disciple team match began.

All the disciples chosen to fight gathered at the entrance of the Secret Realm that would serve as the field.

Disciples from both big and small sects were itching to go.

Any treasures found in the Secret Realm would belong to the sect that found them. They did not need to be handed over, and they counted as prizes for this tournament.

This Secret Realm had last opened a hundred years ago. After such a long time, its resources were rich again.

For small sects, this was a rare chance.

Shen Sang Ruo, Ye Huai, and their three teammates received their Score Tokens. The tokens had to be worn at the waist in a set place.

Each person also got a storage pouch. Any treasures stored inside would be counted automatically and shown on the token.

Shen Sang Ruo’s token showed 200. That was her starting score.

Her token looked different from the others. In fact, all Young Heir tokens were special.

In the team match, the Young Heir led the team. If a normal disciple’s token broke, only that person was out.

But if the Young Heir’s token broke, it meant the whole sect was out.

That made the Young Heirs extremely important. It tested both their strength and their leadership.

Shen Sang Ruo tied her token tightly at her waist. When she looked up, she saw Ji Zi Cang walking over.

Yuan Jin was beside him, and behind them stood the Beast Taming Sect disciples chosen for the match.

She counted quickly. Including Ji Zi Cang, they seemed to have only fourteen people.

She greeted them with a light bow as she said: “Sect Master Yuan, Fellow Daoist Ji.”

After nodding back, Yuan Jin turned his eyes toward Daoist Wu Wei and Immortal Lord Chang Li.

Shen Sang Ruo had already told her elders about inviting the Beast Taming Sect, so they were not surprised to see Yuan Jin come over.

Acting as the go-between, she made the introductions as she said: “This is the Beast Taming Sect’s Sect Master, Yuan Jin. This is our Sect Master, Daoist Wu Wei, and this is the Master I mentioned before, Immortal Lord Chang Li.”

She added a tiny private note to herself: [The Master who sometimes bared his teeth at her.]

Immortal Lord Chang Li’s interest rose as he asked, amused: “You told him about me? What did you say?”

Yuan Jin remembered and could only give an awkward but polite smile. A man who could fight Master Ling Xiao to a draw, and they wanted him to be tamed? What a joke.

Shen Sang Ruo rescued them smoothly as she said: “Nothing much, I just praised Master a little.”

Immortal Lord Chang Li nodded with pride as he said: “Yes. Keep promoting this Immortal Lord like that.”

Soon, Yuan Jin and Daoist Wu Wei were chatting easily. The talks between their sects were no longer Shen Sang Ruo’s job.

Not far away, the Joyous Union Sect Master, Liu Ru Yan, glanced over, then told Fang Yu with a steady voice as she said: “Take our people over to the Ninghua Sect side. Be sure to build a good relationship with Shen Sang Ruo.”

Fang Yu blinked, confused but honest, as he said: “I already have a good relationship with Sister Sang Ruo.”

Liu Ru Yan cut him off, firm and cold, as she said: “Just go. Less talk.”

She lowered her tone with meaning as she said: “Once you enter the Secret Realm, help the Ninghua Sect as much as you can. Do you understand?”

Her eyes gave no hint of what she felt. She needed to find a backup path for the Joyous Union Sect.

Fang Yu seemed to get it. A happy grin broke out as he said: “I understand!”

Then he led the Joyous Union Sect group toward Shen Sang Ruo.

They passed Dong Fang Xu, who walked by at the head of some Beast Taming Sect disciples. He snorted in open scorn as he said: “What a band of strays.”

After Shen Sang Ruo eliminated him in the first round, Guan Hui had scolded him, and others had looked down on him.

He already hated her and the Ninghua Sect. Seeing the Beast Taming Sect and the Joyous Union Sect near her only made his disgust grow.

He let his voice carry on purpose as he said: “Some sects can hardly gather a team. If you want to form alliances, at least pick sects with real strength.”

He clicked his tongue and curled his lip as he said: “These two sects, tsk.”

In his eyes, the Beast Taming Sect and the Joyous Union Sect were no better than trash.

He smiled with a cruel edge and swore to himself: [The face I lost because of her, I’ll make her pay it back in the team match.]

He thought, excited for the chaos ahead: [Let’s see how she can still shine after we enter the Secret Realm.]

On the Flying Cloud Sect’s side, Wen Xuan watched Shen Sang Ruo talking calmly with people from other sects. The girl who once loved to act cute in front of them could now handle things on her own.

He should have been happy and proud for her. But she was not standing with the Flying Cloud Sect, not with them.

A bitter taste rose on his face. She felt farther and farther away.

He pressed down his rush of feeling and forced himself to be calm as he told himself: [Little Ruo, you have to wait for me.]

He made a plan in his heart as he thought: [Wait until this team match ends. I’ll get back the Access Jade Token that belongs to you from Bai Mu Mu.]

He pictured her smile and felt stubborn hope as he thought: [When Little Ruo sees that Access Jade Token, she’ll be happy, right?]

The Access Jade Token had become his obsession. He believed that if he returned it to Shen Sang Ruo, they could start over.

A sweet voice floated over, but his face sank at once as Bai Mu Mu called out, gentle and sticky, as she said: “Second Senior Brother, stop staring. We should enter the Secret Realm.”

He did not answer her. He only turned to Feng He Yun and the others as he said: “Let’s go.”

Bai Mu Mu’s smile turned strange. She stepped close and lowered her voice in his ear as she said: “You can ignore me. But do you not want the Access Jade Token?”

Wen Xuan snapped his head toward her, a thin layer of anger in his eyes, as he said: “I already agreed to work for you.”

She spoke with a soft hum that hid steel as she said: “The team match is the best chance to show what I can do. Everything in the Secret Realm will be seen by the world. Second Senior Brother, you had better not act like we are strangers.”

What happened inside would be split into many small screens and shown on the Fengling Terrace.

Wen Xuan knew she was threatening him. But he had no choice. Everything he did was for the Access Jade Token.

He held back his temper as he said: “Got it.”

She tilted her head, voice like a snake wrapping around him, as she said: “You act so unwilling. What is it? Do you want to side with Shen Sang Ruo in the team match?”

He answered without a pause, firm and flat, as he said: “No.”

He still stood on Shen Sang Ruo’s side in his heart, but that did not mean he would help her.

Instead, he would work against her and against the Ninghua Sect with all his strength.

Sect Master Shen had told him the plan. Only if they dimmed Ninghua Sect’s light and made Shen Sang Ruo see that Ninghua could not protect her would she be willing to return.

He had to harden his heart.