Chapter 83

On the grand stage of the Luoxian Tournament, battles raged on. Every participant fought with all they had—some for honor, others for their future.

In a quiet corner, a few cultivators cautiously approached one individual.

Each of them held an enhanced Fire Serpent Talisman, and without hesitation, they launched a coordinated sneak attack on none other than Shen Xian’er.

Seven blazing fire serpents burst forth from the talismans, hissing toward her sleeping form.

"Xian’er, wake up!"
"Come on, sleepyhead—you're about to become roast pig!"
Even with nearly eighty thousand spectators shouting for her to wake up, Shen Xian’er remained in deep sleep, undisturbed. A trail of drool even glistened from the corner of her lips, as if she were enjoying a delicious meal in her dreams.

The seven fire serpents slammed into her location.

BOOM!

A violent explosion rocked the entire corner of the field, shaking even the protective formation covering the arena.

“We did it!” one of the attackers cheered.

“Not yet,” another said, expression tense, staring into the clearing smoke.

Shen Xian’er was ranked third in the sect. Anyone fooled by her innocent appearance would pay the price.

A gust of wind swept the battlefield, dispersing the dust. To everyone’s amazement, Shen Xian’er lay there unharmed. A pair of glowing green wings had unfolded around her, shielding her from the full brunt of the attack.

“Such a troublesome little junior sister...” sighed Han Luo from the stands, adjusting his glasses.

Those green wings were none other than his upgraded Guardian Spirit Array, version 2.0. Normally, it appeared as a turtle shell—strong, sturdy, and a bit deceptive in design. But for Shen Xian’er, a girly turtle shell just didn’t fit.

So, Han Luo had swapped the appearance to a pair of elegant wings. Given Xian’er’s wood-based spiritual root, the wings absorbed her qi and naturally turned a vibrant green.

Of course, there was another reason for the disguise. If anyone recognized the usual turtle-shell array and traced it back to him, it could expose their connection—something Han Luo wanted to avoid.

“Amazing defense,” muttered one of the seven attackers, clearly impressed.

Just then, Shen Xian’er shifted slightly in her sleep. The seven cultivators panicked and backed away, weapons and talismans at the ready. But all she did was roll over and find a comfier sleeping position.

The group exchanged awkward glances.

“Keep going. We’re all at the seventh level of the Qi Refining stage and have completed five rounds of spirit tempering. There’s no way that shield can keep holding,” one said firmly.

They all nodded and launched into another barrage. Fireballs, ice spikes, wind blades, even rocks—whatever they could hurl, they did.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The corner of the arena lit up like a fireworks display, rumbling with explosive force.

Some in the audience grew angry and cursed the seven for attacking her while she slept, but others took a more rational stance. After all, in the cultivation world, cuteness didn’t save you from death. When someone’s aiming for your head, they won’t stop because you’re adorable.

But perhaps this was exactly why most cultivators remained ordinary, and only a few reached the peak—not through talent alone, but through overwhelming caution and preparation.

As the seven raged on, Shen Xian’er simply snuggled into her blanket, sleeping like a dead pig under the sun.

Of course, all credit went to the Guardian Spirit Array. Their relentless attacks were no more threatening than a gentle breeze against that barrier. It kept out sound, elemental force, sharp weapons, toxins, even spiritual sense interference.

And inside, everything was tranquil—like a lazy nap on a sunlit hill.

“Futile,” Han Luo muttered.

Even if they added Chixiao and Wudao to the mix, they likely still couldn’t breach his array. It was his masterpiece, crafted by fusing the Nine Array Laws and the Nine Li True Method—designed for ultimate defense. It could only be broken with overwhelming power or by shaking the person inside to death.

Tier-three array—meant to resist cultivators at the Sea of Qi realm and below. Only powerhouses like Lu Dancheng or Ye Qingqing could forcefully break it.

But these seven? Not even close.

Still, Han Luo didn't lower his guard. He watched carefully, analyzing how the array held up under prolonged attack, always seeking ways to improve it further. After all, even scraps of insight could lead to a stronger version.

“Damn it! What is this formation? Why won’t it break?” one of the seven cursed.

Some in the audience laughed. Few things were more humiliating than being ignored. Worse than that? Realizing all your effort had gone unnoticed by the very person you were targeting.

“Should we keep going?” someone asked hesitantly.

Their spiritual power was running low, and drawing too much attention now could backfire.

“We press on. We’re too far in to back out now.”

Their eyes hardened.

Even if they couldn’t break the array, they’d settle for just waking her up.