Chapter 467: Too crazy!

Half an hour later, they hid secretly behind a boulder and set up a soundproof barrier, then began guessing big or small.

"Yuan Yao, how can you be so stupid? You lost nine out of ten rounds!" Cang Li said through gritted teeth.

Yuan Yao mumbled, "I was just following your bets!"

"Don't follow my bets anymore, you jinx me." Cang Li's face darkened; he lost every round.

Cang Li rolled up his sleeves and muttered, "I just won't believe in evil!"

Yuan Yao stopped following his bets, and as a result she won almost all the remaining rounds.

As Cang Li lost more and more, he painedly took out his own spirit stones and handed them over one by one.

"Hand it over." Seeing him so petty, Yao Linglong directly reached out and snatched it away.

"Wuu..." Cang Li wiped away the nonexistent tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Hahaha..."

They all couldn't help laughing.

Xiao Lingwei won a pot full, her brows and eyes brimming with pleased smiles.

But just then, Ying Wuji seemed to sense something, turned his head, and saw Instructor Li approaching with a greenish face.

"The Instructor is coming!" Ying Wuji's expression changed slightly.

Upon hearing that, Xiao Lingwei gathered up her things.

And in the blink of an eye, they all scattered and ran away.

Xiao Lingwei also hurriedly ran.

When Instructor Li finally arrived, he found they had fled clean away; his face grew even darker, his heart filled with utter helplessness.

It's always been like this since childhood.

They run incredibly fast.

Trying to catch them is nearly impossible.

…

In the following days, Yuan Yao stayed at the Carefree Sect to cultivate.

Since her own master was still in closed-door cultivation, she could only seek advice from Junior Uncle Yu and the Eldest Senior Brother.

One month later.

Yuan Yao and her senior brothers and sisters followed Sect Leader Baili Mo, Second Elder Zong Jiao, and several instructors of the Carefree Sect as they set out for the gathering point—South Pavilion.

Besides the eleven who had secured spots for the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, the party also included twenty disciples from the Carefree Sect.

When they arrived at South Pavilion, the sky gradually darkened.

The South Pavilion Master personally came out to greet them with his entourage; he looked extremely young, not tall, he clasped his hands and said with a beaming smile, "I have met the Sect Leader of the Carefree Sect and the Sect Elder."

"You're too kind, Pavilion Master." Baili Mo smiled.

The South Pavilion Master showed a humble expression, he enthusiastically raised his hand and said, "I have already arranged lodging and a welcome banquet for everyone from the Carefree Sect, please."

Baili Mo nodded.

He casually asked, "Have the other sects' teams arrived?"

"Only the Holy Sect is missing." The South Pavilion Master replied with a smile.

Baili Mo asked, "Has Immortal Venerable Fan Quan arrived?"

"He has."

Upon hearing that, Baili Mo nodded, then he lifted his gaze to the surroundings of South Pavilion—water on all sides, willows swaying gently, making one feel delighted.

They walked and chatted.

And those following behind, including Yuan Yao, also looked curiously around.

Ao Su asked, "Senior Brother Song, has the Third Elder not yet emerged from seclusion?"

Song Yan heard that and shook his head.

"My master is still in closed-door cultivation."

"Then the Third Elder won't make it in time for the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, right?" Yao Linglong blinked.

Yuan Yao tilted her head at her and said, "If the master emerges from seclusion, he will surely come."

Yao Linglong thought the same.

The Carefree Sect party temporarily stayed at South Pavilion.

The next day, the Holy Sect's team arrived.

On the third day, Immortal Venerable Fan Quan gathered the two hundred youths who had earned the right to represent the Ninth Province in the Immortal Sect Grand Competition at an open space.

When Yuan Yao and her senior brothers and sisters arrived at that square, they saw many familiar faces.

"Yao Yao!" A girl in a green dress, upon seeing Yuan Yao, instantly lit up with joy and rushed over.

"Mingshu." Yuan Yao startled, then couldn't help but laugh.

Weng Mingshu came up to Yuan Yao, pulled her aside and looked her over for a while, saying, "You seem to have grown a bit taller, become a bit slimmer, but you're even more beautiful."

Yuan Yao laughed helplessly, giving her a sly wink and saying, "I've also gotten stronger."

"I've heard..." Weng Mingshu, upon hearing that, recalled something; she felt speaking loudly was inappropriate, so she covered her mouth and lowered her voice: "I've heard you've contracted a Responding Dragon—is that true?"

Yuan Yao nodded.

Weng Mingshu's eyes, which seemed to hold autumn water, looked slightly aggrieved as she pouted: "Yao Yao, you're too perverse! You've even broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm!"

Yuan Yao wondered, "How do you know?"

Weng Mingshu: "You didn't even participate in the selection, yet you got a spot for the Immortal Sect Grand Competition—that means you must have broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm."

Upon hearing that, Yuan Yao also realized it.

She chuckled and said, "You've probably gotten stronger too."

Weng Mingshu heard the words, slightly lifted her chin, and said, "This is natural."

Finally, she added, "I am now in the mid‑stage of the Golden Core Realm!"

Yuan Yao gave her a thumbs‑up.

Weng Mingshu found that very gratifying.

She knows her talent is average, but she will not erase the hard work she has put in; she really is impressive.

At the same time, not far away, a teenage boy in orange clothing raised an eyebrow slightly; silver armor plates coiled around his ear bones like a python, his figure was somewhat slender, his lips curled faintly, and he stepped toward the direction of Yuan Yao and the others.

At that moment, a figure passed over him, covering more than half of his body.

The orange‑clad boy's expression faltered a bit; looking at the familiar silhouette before him, he sighed helplessly.

"Senior Sister."

The young woman turned around, her brows and eyes smiling; she was of exquisite beauty, and a small mole on the bridge of her nose was especially distinctive.

"Zhai Qingye, shall we go greet them?" she invited.

The orange‑clad boy is the sect master's junior disciple, commonly called Young Master Zhai—Zhai Qingye.

The young woman is the sect master's senior disciple—Ling Huya.

"Fine," Zhai Qingye smiled.

The two walked together toward the spot where Yuan Yao and the others were.

"Long time no see," Ling Huya came before them, her brows and eyes carrying a bright smile, her voice pleasant.

Xiao Lingwei replied with a smile, "Comrade Ling Hu, Comrade Zhai. The last time we met was in the Flowing Light Secret Realm; now, in the blink of an eye, more than half a year has passed."

Ling Huya said, "Last time we cooperated in the Flowing Light Secret Realm; this time we all represent the Ninth Province in the Immortal Sect Grand Tournament, hoping our performance can push the Ninth Province's ranking forward a bit."

Cang Li teased, "Comrade Ling Hu, rest assured, times have changed; the Ninth Province has talents like us, capable of punching Flying Cloud Island and kicking the First Continent."

The onlookers: "… That's way too arrogant."

Yuan Yao twitched the corner of her mouth, "My third senior brother loves to brag."

The ranking of the Three Islands of the Ninth Province is not decided by the performance of one or two individuals; it is based on overall strength.

Cang Li frowned, "What bragging? I'm just forecasting the future."