Chapter 87

Han Luo had a pounding headache.

He had specifically warned Shen Xian’er not to reveal anything about her domain.

First, showing her domain meant one thing—she had completed her eighth spirit tempering. A cultivator with a seventh-grade spirit root who reached this stage would shake the entire Eastern Region, no less than the appearance of an emperor or a sovereign. While others might not know, he had thoroughly investigated every hidden card the Luoxian Sect possessed. If word got out, those powerful immortal dynasties might come to snatch her away, repeating the tragedy that befell the Moon Sect.

Second, while others might be clueless, his master Wudao definitely knew Shen Xian’er was connected to him. He silently hoped his master would get the hint and not stir up more trouble for him.

With worry gnawing at his heart, he glanced up toward the grandstand where the peak masters and the sect master sat. Reading their lips eased his anxiety—his master seemed to understand and wasn’t planning to expose him. The others appeared to believe Wudao’s words, neither confirming nor denying anything outright.

Just when he thought he could relax, Hongniang unexpectedly glanced in his direction.

Good thing he’d come prepared. He had been enthusiastically chanting “Go Xian’er! You’re the best!” the entire time. Surely she wouldn’t suspect him of eavesdropping.

In truth, Hongniang and the others had all been wondering whether Han Luo was the one who helped Shen Xian’er reach her eighth spirit tempering. But after considering it, they dismissed the thought. As talented as Han Luo was—with a top-grade spirit root, no less—he was still only at the Qi Condensation stage. Maybe he could’ve helped with seven rounds, but the eighth? That was a miracle few could believe he could pull off.

Meanwhile, the tournament continued.

Shen Xian’er had entered berserk mode. Her indiscriminate attacks left the audience stunned. Just moments ago, she had been a cute, sleepy little girl—and now she was chasing Li Jun, the top-ranked disciple, across the battlefield like a little demon.

“Junior sister Xian’er, I swear I didn’t wake you up! Please believe me!” Li Jun cried as he fled in panic.

He wasn’t running because he couldn’t fight back. He was running because retaliating would likely result in a serious battle—and serious injuries. The pressure Xian’er put on him was no less than that of Chi Xiao. Though he had never underestimated her, he never expected her to be this terrifying.

Every dish she hurled—braised pork knuckles, chicken legs, duck necks, stinky tofu—was a high-powered explosive. One wrong move and he’d be blown to pieces.

He had no intention of getting hurt before the finals. Whether facing Wu Dao or Chi Xiao, he needed to be at full strength. As Shen Xian’er raged on, Li Jun ran while shouting for her to calm down. But she was far too furious to listen and continued her relentless pursuit.

Seeing no other choice, Li Jun twisted around to dodge a flying plate of shredded pork and ran straight toward Chi Xiao.

Chi Xiao, who was preparing to re-engage Wu Dao, saw him coming and instantly frowned. “Junior sister Chi Xiao! Please help! I really don’t want to hurt junior sister Xian’er!”

Chi Xiao rolled her eyes. Sure, he didn’t want to hurt her—or maybe he just didn’t want to waste energy before the final round. This kind of slippery behavior was exactly why she didn’t like him.

“Whoosh!”

A golden fried chicken leg came flying toward her like a meteor. Though it looked harmless, Chi Xiao had seen enough of Xian’er’s tricks to know better.

“Shield!” she called.

A crimson shield materialized over her arm, engraved with a lifelike red phoenix. The chicken leg slammed into it.

Boom!

The impact forced Chi Xiao to take three steps back.

“What incredible power... and such pure spiritual energy,” she muttered, shocked. Only by clashing with it directly did she truly understand the strength behind Xian’er’s techniques.

Lifting a corner of her shield, she looked at the girl barreling toward her.

She had always treated Shen Xian’er like a little sister—someone who needed protection. Even though she’d long known that Xian’er’s talent far exceeded her own, the reality struck harder than she expected.

“She’s grown up,” Chi Xiao whispered with a mixture of pride and melancholy.

She had always been torn—wanting to see Shen Xian’er grow stronger, yet not wanting her to bear the burdens that came with power. But now that the truth was in front of her, all she could do was accept it.

Before she could gather her thoughts, a barrage of fragrant dishes came flying in.

“Bar snacks—two and a half pounds!” Shen Xian’er shouted.

Peanuts, tofu cubes, spiced edamame, prawns, pickled vegetables—wave after wave of appetizers stormed toward her like an avalanche.

Chi Xiao smiled.

“Come on, girl. Show me how far you’ve really come.”

With a surge of red light, her shield expanded into a massive three-meter phoenix that enveloped her. She braced herself to block the incoming snacks.

But just before they clashed—

Everything froze.

The dishes hovered mid-air. Shen Xian’er came to a stop and quickly pulled a voice-transmission stone from her embroidered pouch.

“Calm down. Don’t go overboard. I’ve got boiled fish for you after the match,” a familiar voice said.

Only one person knew exactly how to pacify her.

Just like that, her rage evaporated, and she transformed back into the sweet, adorable junior sister everyone knew.

But not everyone was so sentimental.

As she stood dazed, still thinking about boiled fish, several black-clad figures burst from the shadows. They had been waiting for this exact moment.

There were no rules against ambushes. On the battlefield, all that mattered was victory.

“Die!”

The attackers struck.

But before they could touch her—

Chi Xiao roared, slamming her shield into the ground.

Boom!

The earth cracked, sending fiery gouts of flame erupting in all directions. Within seconds, the area around Shen Xian’er was reduced to scorched earth. Anyone within twenty meters was instantly eliminated.

Had Chi Xiao hesitated for even a moment, those cultivators would’ve seriously injured or even killed Xian’er.

Completely unfazed by the chaos, Shen Xian’er blinked at the flames, then pulled out a sausage from her pouch. Holding it over the flames, she began roasting it, sprinkling on cumin and pepper.

When the flames died down, she took a bite, her cheeks forming little dimples as she smiled with delight. The sight melted the hearts of everyone watching. A wave of adoration swept through the crowd. Fans screamed as if they’d been struck by a thousand points of cuteness damage.

“Xian’er!”

Chi Xiao rushed over to check on her. Seeing the little girl safe and sound, she finally relaxed.

Li Jun, still sweating profusely, realized he’d narrowly escaped death. Being chased by Shen Xian’er was a traumatic experience.

Though chaotic, the incident didn’t truly affect the tournament’s outcome. The true contenders—Chi Xiao, Li Jun, Wu Dao, and Shen Xian’er—had already established themselves.

Now, only twelve spots remained.

With over two thousand cultivators still in the field, the bloodbath for those remaining slots was about to begin.

The real battle was just getting started.