Chapter 204: Heavenly Abode Spirit Pool

Feng Xuanji's brows and eyes held a hint of loss; she forced a smile, just about to speak, when Lin Xuantong rushing over interrupted her.

"Senior Brother Xie, I and Senior Sister have waited outside the hall for two whole hours, and Senior Sister hasn't even exchanged two words with you before you're leaving—are you being too excessive?" Lin Xuantong said indignantly.

The youth's tone was cold, "Excessive? Could it be that I made you wait?"

"Tongtong, don't talk nonsense." Feng Xuanji felt a tightness in her chest, quickly turned her head, and stopped her.

When she looked again at the youth, she saw he had already stepped away.

Seeing this, Lin Xuantong gritted her teeth and said, "Senior Sister, he's being too excessive! No way—I'll go vent my anger for you!"

Feng Xuanji couldn't stop her, so she could only follow.

"Tongtong!"

Meanwhile, Lin Xuantong rushed to the youth's front, extended her arms, and assumed a blocking stance.

"Senior Brother Xie, how can you always be so hateful!" Lin Xuantong said coquettishly, her round almond eyes glaring at the youth, "Don't you know this will hurt Senior Sister's heart?!"

The youth saw through her trick at a glance.

"Do you like me?" he bluntly exposed.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuantong's face changed drastically; she stammered, "No… no such thing!"

And Feng Xuanji, who had rushed over, hearing their conversation, looked at Lin Xuantong in disbelief.

The youth tilted his head, his gaze sweeping lightly toward Feng Xuanji, "Senior Sister, can't you tell people apart?"

Feng Xuanji's heart tightened.

"I……"

Over the past half year, Lin Xuantong has continually taken the initiative to show friendliness to me, drawing our relationship close, never expecting she was using me to get close to Junior Brother Xie.

"No, no!" Lin Xuantong's face turned pale, she exclaimed anxiously.

The youth directly sent a mental transmission to Feng Xuanji: "Senior Sister, I don't like you either. So, stop doing pointless things."

Having said that, he stepped away.

Feng Xuanji's eyes reddened; watching the youth's retreating back, her heart ached fiercely.

At this moment, Lin Xuantong ran over to explain to Feng Xuanji: "Senior Sister, you must believe me! I absolutely do not like Senior Brother Xie! Senior Brother Xie surely saw me standing up for you, grew to dislike me, and thus wanted to drive a wedge between us!"

Feng Xuanji closed her eyes, then resolutely shook off Lin Xuantong's hand: "Lin Xuantong, don't come looking for me again."

Lin Xuantong panicked, still wanting to say something, but Feng Xuanji cut her off.

"Leave, or don't blame me for being impolite."

Lin Xuantong lifted her gaze, meeting Feng Xuanji's cold eyes, and felt an inexplicable chill in her heart.

Only then did she realize the vast gap between herself and Feng Xuanji.

Feng Xuanji is the sect's heavenly pride, only nineteen years old; her cultivation has not only broken through to the late Nascent Soul Realm, but she is also a sixth-rank alchemist, and moreover the eldest legitimate daughter of the Feng family of the First Province.

As for Lin Xuantong, she is merely the daughter of an outer-sect elder of the sect.

If the sect's other members found out about her falling out with Feng Xuanji, her future days in the sect would surely be very miserable!

Lin Xuantong cried as she knelt.

"Senior Sister, I was wrong; I shouldn't have harbored designs on Senior Brother Xie! Please forgive me!"

Feng Xuanji leaned forward, grabbed her cheek, and coldly said: "You are wrong, but not for coveting Junior Brother Xie!"

In the First Province, there are many who like Junior Brother Xie, and she doesn't care about them.

Because Junior Brother Xie will never develop feelings for them!

Feng Xuanji looked at Lin Xuantong's bewildered face and said: "I regarded you as a good junior sister; I never expected you to scheme against me behind my back and betray me. This is your greatest mistake!"

Lin Xuantong froze; by the time she reacted, Feng Xuanji had already stepped away.

It's over.

…

Three days later.

Ninth Province, Heavenly Abode Spirit Pool.

Before the eyes lay a spirit pool like creamy white jade, around which rose thin wisps of spiritual mist—that was condensed qi, like a gauzy veil, dreamlike and illusory.

When twenty disciples of the Carefree Sect, fifteen of the Holy Sect, and ten of the Chongxu Sect stepped onto this ground, a thick spiritual qi surged like a mighty wave, instantly making one feel refreshed and clear-headed, as if every pore opened to greedily drink in this pure qi.

The guide reminded: "Friends, this place is our Ninth Province's sacred Heavenly Abode Spirit Pool. You all have the qualification to cultivate in the spirit pool, but remember: once you rise and leave the pool, you can never return. After all, each of you only gets one chance to cultivate in the spirit pool. As for how long you can stay inside, that depends on your fortune."

Hearing this, the disciples exchanged glances and then responded aloud.

The guide elder continued: "Friends, during your cultivation in the spirit pool, if you encounter the danger of qi deviation, you must promptly withdraw and not linger for the spiritual liquid. Immortal Venerable Fan Quan has specially arranged for each sect to send an elder to guard the pool's perimeter; if you encounter any problems, go find your elder for resolution."

"Thank you, senior, we understand." Song Yan bowed with clasped hands.

The other disciples also returned the salute.

The guide elder said: "If you're ready, go into the spirit pool."

Hearing this, many disciples' expressions showed an indescribable excitement; they then turned their gaze to the Heavenly Abode Spirit Pool, feeling both nervous and exhilarated.

Yuan Yao looked at the before-her creamy white jade-like spiritual liquid and couldn't help feeling curious.

Not far away, Zhai Qingye raised his eyebrows and said: "This Heavenly Abode Spirit Pool opens only once every thirty years; we just happened to encounter it—truly a stroke of luck."

"I've heard that the longer one soaks in the spirit pool, the higher one's cultivation talent." Ling Huya laughed, turning to Yuan Yao and the others: "How about we compare?"

Xiao Lingwei readily agreed: "Sure."

She then added: "Since we're already comparing, why not make a wager?"

"What shall we bet on?" Ling Huya's brow twitched slightly.

"Of course it's spirit stones." Xiao Lingwei, without beating around the bush, asked them directly: "I need to count how many are joining the bet—who wants to wager?"

Seeing her seasoned air at gambling, the disciples' mouths twitched slightly.

"I'll take it." Zhai Qingye laughed.

Xiao Zhufeng pressed his lips, "Count me in."

Finally, there were twelve people participating in the bet.

There were Qian Shan Liuzi, Ao Su, Yao Linglong, Lin Xuechen, Ling Huya, Xiao Zhufeng, and Di Qingye.

Xiao Lingwei smiled and said: "You all bet on your own rankings; if you guess correctly, the spirit stones you bet are tripled. If you guess wrong, the spirit stones you lose go to me."

"Is it that difficult?" Yao Linglong let out a soft hiss.

Di Qingye said: "I'll bet ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones on myself placing fourth."

"Twenty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, I bet on myself placing… third." Ling Huya was still quite confident in herself.

Xiao Zhufeng suddenly said: "First place, five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

As soon as he said that, several people present looked at him, not surprised that he bet on his own ranking, but because the amount of spirit stones he bet was a little low.

"A small bet is enough." Xiao Zhufeng awkwardly covered his mouth and gave a light cough.

Yuan Yao laughed and said: "I bet on myself placing sixth, with three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

This time, in the sect's grand competition disciple ranking, she placed sixth, and she also ranked sixth among her fellow disciples.

That too is a kind of fate.

So, that's what I'm betting on!