Chapter 205

Chapter 205: Nearly a Hundred Gather to Encircle the Ninghua Sect

Shen Sang Ruo inclined her head to Zhu Hua Qiao and Chen Zhou Xing as she said: “Thank you, both of you.”

As for why she did not try to persuade them to turn around and eliminate the Beast Taming Sect, the Artifact Forging Sect and the Alchemy Sect were laid back by nature. Standing with her to spare them a fierce fight was already more than enough. There was no reason to trouble them further.

Zhu Hua Qiao waved carelessly and said: “It was nothing.”

The teams behind them looked less like competitors and more like people out for a leisurely tour.

Chen Zhou Xing chuckled as he added: “We were wandering around and happened to run into you, so we lent a hand.”

They already disliked Dong Fang Xu and the Beast Taming Sect, and they had a good impression of Shen Sang Ruo.

Zhu Hua Qiao leaned close to whisper in Shen Sang Ruo’s ear: “If you feel you owe us, then when the trial ends, tell us about your grudges with the Flying Cloud Sect.”

Her eyes shone with gossip as she said with certainty: “You can’t be what they say. There must be something else behind it.”

Shen Sang Ruo gave a helpless smile. She did not really want to recall the things from the Flying Cloud Sect. To her, those were almost a black mark. But rumors were everywhere right now. If Zhu Hua Qiao and Chen Zhou Xing wanted to know, she could also use their voices to fight back against the Flying Cloud Sect. It would kill two birds with one stone.

She nodded and said: “If there’s a chance later, I’ll tell you.”

Zhu Hua Qiao lifted a hand in farewell as she said: “Deal. We’re off to stroll somewhere else.” The two sects’ teams vanished from her sight.

Only then did Shen Sang Ruo turn to Ji Zi Cang and ask: “Why did you come to the Earth-tier Zone? Is it only you left from your side?”

Ji Zi Cang slapped the ox’s back and, through gritted teeth, told the whole story before adding: “Because of this ox. It’s settled down now and stopped running wild.”

The Kui Ox did not care what Ji Zi Cang said. It stared at Shen Sang Ruo with big, pleading eyes, mooed, and tried to rub its head against her like a lovesick calf. In truth, its huge body almost sent her flying.

After a closer look, Shen Sang Ruo finally realized why the ox seemed familiar. She asked, not quite sure: “Are you the ox whose hair I burned off on the Immortal Mist Plain?” It had even followed her for a while after that.

The big fellow nodded wildly, its huge face somehow shy: [Eek, why say it out loud? Since she saw me all bare, she has to take responsibility!]

Shen Sang Ruo fell silent: […].

Ji Zi Cang shrugged as he said: “It ran off before, and my Master later caught it. Maybe it suddenly ran this way because it sensed you and came to find you?”

Bai Ruo An rubbed his chin as he mused: “Junior Sister seems to have been latched onto by this ox again. Junior Sister is very popular with Spirit Beasts.”

Ye Huai nodded agreement as he added: “Even You You loves to stick to her.”

The Kui Ox was still trying to nuzzle her when the long-slumbering Zhu Miao inside Shen Sang Ruo’s sea of consciousness sensed a threat. His possessiveness exploded, and, despite feeling unwell, he forced himself out and bared his teeth at the ox.

Seeing the bear and the ox about to brawl, Shen Sang Ruo hurried to separate them. A dull headache crept in: [Being too loved by Spirit Beasts is a kind of trouble too.]

She coaxed Zhu Miao for a long time before he returned to her sea of consciousness to rest, then she thought over how to arrange things for the Kui Ox and Ji Zi Cang.

On Fengling Terrace, the onlookers chatted as they watched: “I thought the Ninghua Sect was going to fight the Beast Taming Sect. Good thing the Artifact Forging Sect and the Alchemy Sect showed up in time.”

Someone added: “Shen Sang Ruo seems to have a good relationship with the Young Sect Masters of those two sects.”

Another voice said: “I wonder if those five can really fight such a big team like the Beast Taming Sect. I kind of want to see it.”

A sharper voice cut in: “I don’t think the Beast Taming Sect will let this go. Look!”

“Dong Fang Xu has gathered several sects. Two of them are ranked in the top fifty.”

Headed by Dong Fang Xu, a dark mass of people stood behind him, all from sects that depended on the Beast Taming Sect.

“They look like they’re moving toward the Ninghua Sect’s team…”

Guan Hui snorted with scorn, not surprised at all. This was the price of provoking the Beast Taming Sect. How could the five from the Ninghua Sect think they could mess with them?

A strange light flashed through Shen Dao Chen’s eyes as his heart twisted. As a father, he was happy that Shen Sang Ruo shone so brightly. But she did not represent the Flying Cloud Sect, and her light even overshadowed his own daughter, Bai Mu Mu. So he felt a touch of secret joy at the Beast Taming Sect’s move and hoped Shen Sang Ruo would dim here. After they returned to the Flying Cloud Sect, there would be time for his daughter to shine.

Dong Fang Xu’s gaze turned vicious as he growled: “So you have numbers, do you? Let’s see who else dares to back you now.”

When he left earlier, he had ordered the team’s best tracking Contracted Beasts to mark the five from the Ninghua Sect.

Xu Han strode past Dong Fang Xu, who stood at the front, and gave a crisp command to the people behind: “Enough. All of you, with me.”

Dong Fang Xu warned with a glare: “This is the second time, Xu Han. I am the Beast Taming Sect Young Sect Master. What are you supposed to be?”

In the past, Xu Han would have swallowed his anger. Today was different. He shot back without blinking: “A Young Sect Master who fell at the very first draw in the individual trial? You’re not ashamed for the sect? After this grand competition, let’s see if the Sect Master takes back your Young Sect Master’s Token.”

Then, without another look at Dong Fang Xu, he repeated to the crowd: “We move.”

Dong Fang Xu shoved down the killing intent raging in his chest, pushed past Xu Han to take the lead again, and spat: “No matter what, as long as we’re inside this Secret Realm, I’ll press you under my heel.”

On the other side, Shen Sang Ruo finished discussing it with Ji Zi Cang and the Kui Ox. He would take the ox back to the Yellow-tier Zone.

Knowing his strength was lacking, Ji Zi Cang chose not to stay and drag them down. If he could get back, he would. If not, they would leave the Secret Realm early. Chasing the ox all day had left him exhausted.

After a Dodder Flower Sprite style “lesson,” the Kui Ox behaved and stayed close to Ji Zi Cang.

After a quick goodbye, man and ox set out.

Shen Sang Ruo, Ye Huai, and the others were about to continue searching for materials and treasures when she suddenly stopped and looked toward a certain direction.

Su Xi Yu asked with concern: “What is it, Junior Sister?”

Shen Sang Ruo smiled lightly and said: “It’s nothing. Just one swarm of ants bringing another swarm to surround us.”

Soon, the others understood what she meant.

Led by Dong Fang Xu, nearly a hundred people appeared in their sight. They formed a half circle that blocked the five in.

Shen Sang Ruo seemed to have expected them.

Seeing that the Artifact Forging Sect and the Alchemy Sect had left, Dong Fang Xu could not resist a sneer as he said: “Oh? Has the thick thigh you were clinging to thrown you away?”

He snorted as he added: “Lucky for them they ran fast. Otherwise, I would have eliminated them too.”

He stared at the five, who stood still as stone, and jeered: “What’s wrong? Knowing even wings won’t let you fly, you’re not planning to run anymore?”