Chapter 117: Mutual Testing, the Cute Baby Has Arrived!

Although Ye Qingran intuitively thought Xia Meng and Wuhen were decent, the saying goes one cannot lack vigilance; before truly knowing them, she needed to stay as low-key as possible.

Therefore, she deliberately acted as if she were struggling greatly yet would not be injured.

Wuhen glanced at Ye Qingran during a lull; she lifted her eyes to meet his. Their gazes met in the void, then, unspoken, they split—one south, one north—rushing into the dense woods. The assassins tailed them closely, and within moments the group disappeared, leaving Xia Meng alone, puzzled.

What's happening?

Could it be they had communicated beforehand? Otherwise, how could they be so in sync?

From sudden tension to sudden relaxation, Xia Meng felt somewhat at a loss.

However, her strength was insufficient; seeing Ye Qingran and Wuhen seemed confident, she decided not to interfere.

Xia Meng simply sat down, feeling bold.

I originally thought dealing with the assassins sent by Xuan Sect experts would require a battle of hundreds of rounds.

But Xia Meng never expected that, in the moment she was dazed, the two had already returned.

It was practically one after the other, differing by only a few breaths.

"You're back?!" She glanced at Ye Qingran, then at Wuhen, feeling as if she were dreaming.

The colors adorning their bodies convinced her it wasn't a dream.

Ye Qingran's arm, back, and thigh were wounded, with fresh red bloodstains.

Wuhen suffered injuries of varying degrees to his chest, back, and shin.

"Did you finish them off?"

Ye Qingran raised her eyebrows at Wuhen.

"Mm."

Wuhen nodded, then his thin lips moved slightly: "You too?"

"Yes, I know a bit of poison techniques; there happened to be a miasmic poison forest nearby, so I lured them in and used the toxic gas to kill them…"

"Mm, I have some powerful magical artifacts on me…"

Both nodded in understanding, then exchanged an… awkward glance.

Xia Meng didn't quite grasp their awkward exchange; she opened her mouth slightly, and deep admiration welled up in her eyes.

"You're too amazing—can you even defeat Xuan Sect Realm assassins?" And it was two against one!

Both shook their heads slightly, seeming unmoved.

Xia Meng couldn't help but be impressed by their noble bearing.

They're strong enough, yet so humble—truly a model for us!

Ye Qingran and Wuhen, in tacit agreement, did not press each other for details.

Empress Gu seems determined to kill her; otherwise she wouldn't have sent four Xuan Sect Realm experts into Jiu Fu Lin to take her life.

Know that, in the East Lin country, Xuan Sect counts as experts.

A cold glint flashed in Ye Qingran's eyes.

Night ended, dawn arrived.

In the early morning, Jiu Fu Lin had a hint of white mist; blown by the mountain breeze, it became hazy, not like a fairyland, but instead made people unconsciously heighten their vigilance.

Although Jiu Fu Lin isn't an extremely dangerous place, dangers lurk everywhere, especially the deeper one goes, the higher the risk.

At least, that's what Xia Meng thought.

But whenever she saw her two teammates, each more composed than the last, walking through the peril-ridden Jiu Fu Lin at a leisurely pace, as if strolling in her own backyard admiring flowers, she would wonder whether she was hunting or just playing.

Ye Qingran noticed Xia Meng's little thoughts.

She smiled it off.

Unlike five years ago, returning here, to her it really felt no different from her own backyard.

As for Wuhen…

Ye Qingran couldn't help but glance at him askance.

He wore a black-gold soft armor, waist-cinched and tailored, giving him an extraordinary bearing; though his face was quite ordinary, his calm demeanor made one want to delve deeper, to uncover the story behind his coldness.

It seemed he sensed Ye Qingran's scrutiny; Wuhen turned his face sideways, and his distant gaze met hers in the void.

One was like distant mountain mist, indistinct.

The other just right, turning inquiry into gratitude.

"Wuhen, yesterday's events really owed much to you."

Wuhen raised his brows lightly: "Of course."

They averted their gazes, looking ahead.

"Hey hey, Sis Ran, Bro Wuhen, by the way, when did you two start hunting?"

Xia Meng's voice came weakly from behind them.

They turned back, looking at Xia Meng's expectant face.

Speaking of which, since yesterday, on this journey, almost all the hunting has been done by Xia Meng alone; the two's only time they acted was because of those assassins.

Actually, Xia Meng doesn't care about rankings at all; if she did, she wouldn't have taken second-to-last in the archery contest. She originally aimed for last place, but who knew, good teammates, someone even more ruthless snatched her last-place spot.

Her urgency stems from being provoked by that bastard Qu Jiang; thinking that if they didn't get good scores, they'd have to face Qu Jiang's disgusting face and his jeering that begs a beating, she finds it unbearable!

If Qu Jiang's team were a bit weaker, she might have managed to turn the tide single-handedly, but Qu Jiang's team includes those experts Ye Huanhuan, so she, with two fists against four hands, had no choice but to seek help from Ye Qingran and Wuhen.

Ye Huanhuan's mind is like a clear mirror.

She naturally wouldn't let Ye Huanhuan win. That said, she truly has no interest in hunting these weak spirit beasts.

Actually, in this tiered hunting gathering, many think victory comes from numbers, but in truth, if a team can slay a spirit beast as strong as Sect Tier or even Lord Tier, they can turn the tide.

What she wants is precisely such a spirit beast.

However, they have not yet ventured deep into Jiu Fu Lin, nor encountered a high-level spirit beast.

Just wait, I won't lose.

Although Ye Qingran had already made everything clear, Xia Meng didn't know her plan, so she decided to still give this naive girl a dose of reassurance, lest she keep chattering.

Upon hearing Ye Qingran's words, Xia Meng's eyes lit up, and she stopped asking.

At noon, somewhere in Jiu Fu Lin, a tender exchange of voices came.

I told you, that sparrow is unreliable, yet you still believe it!

Fu Qianchen gave Xiao Huihui a disdainful glance, arms crossed, his face resembling his father's, revealing a hint of gloom.

Xiao Huihui immediately bristled, desperately defending itself.

Xiao Huihui isn't a sparrow! Xiao Huihui is a Vermilion Bird! It's a noble-blooded purebred ancient Vermilion Bird—how could it be an ordinary sparrow?

Fu Qianchen casually caught a sparrow, held it up, and said, "Look for yourself—how alike you are!"

Xiao Huihui widened its black-bean eyes, scrutinizing the dull little sparrow, then slumped.

It really looks just like a sparrow!

Could it really just be an ordinary little sparrow?

"Wuwuwu, little master, Xiao Huihui really isn't a sparrow!" although it doesn't know why it looks so much like a sparrow.

Fu Qianchen, don't bully Xiao Huihui—it really isn't a sparrow, Niu Mo Wang Da Shu said so too.

Is that the point? The point is it led us around for half a day and still didn't find Mother!

Mo Xiaohu gave Xiao Huihui a glance and said, "Oh, Xiao Huihui, why isn't your nose working?"

Xiao Huihui looked dejected: "I've just caught a cold!"

Not far off, the silent guardian Xuan Yue Yinlang showed a helpless expression.

At that moment, Fu Qianchen's gaze shot over, making it feel a sense of oppression.

Xiao Yin, you are Mother's contracted beast—quickly tell us where Mother is!

Xiao Yin wanted to hide far away, not wanting to get involved in this muddy business at all.

It would never speak, for before the master left, they had instructed it to watch over the two young masters well; if the master discovered they had come to Jiu Fu Lin, it would surely die.

Mo Xiaohu narrowed its eyes and said, "If you don't talk, I'll strip your fur with Xiao Chen to make a nest for Xiao Bai!"

The Xuan Yue Yinlang wanted to cry but had no tears.

Fu Qianchen continued, "Then we'll roast and eat you!"

Trembling, Xiao Yin: "……"

It bore everything it shouldn't have to bear at its age.

What young masters? They're basically little ancestors!