Chapter 201

Chapter 201: Found Her

Shen Sang Ruo’s words tempted the Dodder Flower Sprite, but it still doubted and asked: “Would Human Race Cultivators really be this kind?”

“Of course. My Senior Brother and Senior Sister and I are clearly good people,” Shen Sang Ruo said with confidence.

Ye Huai and the others nodded along.

The Dodder Flower Sprite fell silent, thinking: [Why do I not believe this?] It started, “Let me think about it…”

Shen Sang Ruo cut it off, her face changing in a heartbeat, and said calmly: “I’m informing you. You have no choice.”

“Give me your seed, and I will take you out. Otherwise…”

She pressed a sharp feather from her fan against its vine-ball body. With just a little more force, the weak tendrils would be sliced apart.

By “seed,” she meant the life core of a Wood-type Demon Beast, the thing most vital to its kind.

If the seed dies, the demon dies.

The sprite protested: “If I hand over my seed, I’m handing over my life. Wouldn’t I be at your mercy?”

She answered, applying pressure until several of its vines snapped: “As if your life isn’t already in my hands. Are you sure you won’t give it?”

The Dodder Flower Sprite had grown vicious through cultivation, so there was no need to be gentle.

“It hurts, it hurts!” it yelped. It finally understood she was not joking and cried out: “I’ll give it! I’ll give it!”

Its vines twitched rapidly, and a small yellow-white flower rose from within. It said: “This is my ‘seed.’”

Shen Sang Ruo caught the little flower and said: “Senior Brother, let it go.”

Ye Huai drew back the Nether Shadow Sword. The sprite sighed with relief and quickly pulled back all the vines spread outside.

It shrank into a few thumb-long filaments, hopped onto Shen Sang Ruo, and hid in her hair.

Ye Huai and the others had watched quietly. Once she had the Dodder Flower Sprite under control, Ye Huai asked: “Junior Sister, why take it out of the Secret Realm?”

She answered honestly: “It looks high grade. I’m thinking maybe it will count for points if I toss it into the storage bag.”

She was working hard for points.

Hidden in her hair, the Dodder Flower Sprite writhed wildly and howled in its heart: [Ah! Now that she has me, she’s not even pretending!]

Shen Sang Ruo rapped her hair lightly and said: “Quit squirming. Open the Warding Seal on that tree hole.”

The sprite could only seethe in silence and obediently opened the hole.

Inside were mostly spirit crystals and jade. Anything related to plants had long since been devoured.

The haul was not huge, adding up to about 15100 points, and Ninghua Sect leaped to first place with 17300 points.

On Fengling Terrace, the watching Cultivators had seen the Ninghua Sect’s flawless teamwork and were left speechless.

When the Dodder Flower Sprite appeared, many thought Shen Sang Ruo’s team would stop there or even die.

Instead, they beat the sprite and took 15100 points.

Their performance once again reset everyone’s view of their strength.

So far, they were the most dazzling team. No one could compare.

And the standout was clearly Shen Sang Ruo.

She was the one who noticed the sprite’s traces, the one whose powerful fan sweeps turned the tide, and the one whose decisions let Ye Huai stab the sprite’s core.

Many people felt a little dazed.

Someone whispered: “Am I seeing things? Is she glowing?”

Another replied: “Not an illusion! I saw it too!”

A third said: “This is what a team trial should be! Those 15100 points are exactly what they deserve!”

Another added: “Who would have thought you could collect so many points in the Mystic-tier Zone?”

More voices rose: “Shen Sang Ruo isn’t like the rumors at all. With this strength and ability, how could she have done those things in Flying Cloud Sect?” “I think so too!”

One by one, they realized the old labels didn’t fit Shen Sang Ruo at all.

Immortal Lord Chang Li and Daoist Wu Wei were about to burst with pride. Immortal Maiden Azure Luan pretended not to know them, but she was happy for the five as well.

True Lord Gu Ci and the others finally relaxed, looking at Shen Sang Ruo with open admiration.

The prep for this team trial had a major oversight. Luckily, the Ninghua Sect team led by Shen Sang Ruo found the sprite.

If another team had met the Dodder Flower Sprite, there might have been real casualties.

Only Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao wore shifting expressions.

Shen Dao Chen stared at Shen Sang Ruo, but no matter how he looked, he could not see her clearly.

He even wondered: [Is she really my daughter, Shen Sang Ruo?]

He had said she was unfit to be Young Sect Master, but today her own strength slapped him hard.

A complicated mix of feelings rose in Shen Dao Chen’s heart. He could not tell whether it was regret, embarrassment, or anger.

Shen Sang Ruo and the others inside the Secret Realm knew nothing of what was happening on Fengling Terrace.

After counting up points and loot, Shen Sang Ruo was surprised by a certain discovery, then smoothed her expression.

She thought: [Bringing the Dodder Flower Sprite along was the right call!]

This battle had drained a lot of their Spiritual Power and energy, so they decided to rest on the spot before heading on to the Earth-tier Zone.

In an unremarkable corner, a tiny bug quietly crawled near them…

Lu Shi Qing, his face a little pale from burning through his Spiritual Power, curved his lips into a smile and said: “Found her.”

He sprinted toward Shen Sang Ruo’s group, barely hiding his excitement.

His left hand clenched tightly. He thought: [This time I can prove it!]

Bai Ruo An was chatting casually with Shen Sang Ruo about the Dodder Flower Sprite.

The next moment, dark dots suddenly swarmed across the sky. A cloud of beating Gu insects dove straight at Bai Ruo An, and a red-eyed Lu Shi Qing burst out from somewhere, charging at Bai Ruo An as well.

He roared: “Stay away from her!”

Taking advantage of their relaxed rest, he had somehow slipped past their Divine Sense and crept close.

Bai Ruo An reacted at once, pulling a talisman from his robe. The Gu insects hit the ground and twitched.

He spun to meet Lu Shi Qing’s attack.

Bai Ruo An snapped: “If you’re sick, go get treated. Why throw a fit here?”

They clashed immediately.

Lu Shi Qing shouted: “What right do you have to stand by her? You don’t deserve to be at her side!”

He fought like a madman, as if he could not feel pain, throwing himself at Bai Ruo An with no regard for his life.

For a short burst, he was nearly on par with Bai Ruo An.

Shen Sang Ruo had no idea what wind had seized Lu Shi Qing, that he would leave his team and pick a fight alone. Her eyes went cold, and she joined the fray at once.

Catching a glimpse of her movement, Lu Shi Qing suddenly smiled.