"Go back and tell Young Master Long that I won't tell anyone his secret. You don't need to guard me."
"You! You still know who my master is?" Jing Feng was flustered. The series of blows had left him dazed.
Bai Ran gave him an exasperated look.
Jing Feng's strength was formidable and unfathomable, his stealth skills impeccable. But he made the mistake of underestimating Bai Ran, whose spiritual power was equally profound.
These past few days, Jing Feng had been watching her. He harbored no killing intent, but his power was undeniable. Apart from Young Master Long and his guards whom she had encountered recently, there was no one else.
"Going back is impossible. My master's orders are to watch you." If she did anything detrimental to the Venerable One, he was to kill her.
Jing Feng crossed his arms and looked at Bai Ran seriously.
Bai Ran looked at the amusing figure before her, her eyebrows raising. "What if I die accidentally?"
Accidentally die? The Venerable One wanted her to grow so she could heal his cold illness. But if she died accidentally...
Would the Venerable One punish him for failing to guard her properly...
Recalling the Venerable One's cruel methods, he shivered, his hair standing on end.
Seeing Jing Feng's expression, she knew he wouldn't let Bai Ran die. "Then you'd better protect me well, Guardian."
Bai Ran said each word deliberately. Free labor was not to be wasted.
He looked at Bai Ran, feeling somehow tricked. "Jing Feng."
With that, he flipped out the window and vanished into concealment.
He had to inform the Venerable One quickly that this woman had discovered him. Although he might face punishment...
Without the bothersome gaze, Bai Ran found herself unable to sleep.
She went to the Treasure Pavilion within the Slaughter Heaven Realm and ascended to the second floor. The dazzling array of weapons gave Bai Ran a headache. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a box in the corner. Covered in thick dust, she brushed it off and opened the box.
A fiery red sword appeared before Bai Ran. At first glance, Bai Ran knew it was hers.
The next day, at noon.
The day of the family competition had finally arrived. This competition was once again held on royal grounds – the Lingyun Hall.
The Bai family's seats were at the very front. Bai Ran walked over and looked at the person beside her seat. It was Bai Luohan. Bai Ran looked at her playfully, finding it amusing, and wondered who had arranged the seating.
"You!" Bai Luohan was about to tell Bai Ran to get lost when she remembered they were in front of the four great families and the royal family. She immediately changed her tone. "Sister Ran, come quickly, your seat is next to mine."
Honestly, Bai Luohan should have become an actress. With her speed of changing faces, tsk tsk.
Bai Ran smiled and sat down.
"Look, it's the third young lady of the Bai family."
"The third young lady is so beautiful and strong, she's simply my goddess!"
"What? Is that Bai Ran next to her? A good-for-nothing, actually coming to participate in the competition?"
Otherwise, they say there's no harm without comparison. It was fine when these two weren't standing together, but now that they were sitting together, the contrast was like heaven and earth.
Bai Luohan was the acknowledged genius goddess, and Bai Ran was also acknowledged, but as a recognized waste and fool. The two of them sitting together presented a unique scene.
Bai Ran called Qing Feng and whispered something in his ear, then watched him leave.
Suddenly, a gaze locked onto Bai Ran.
This familiar pressure...
Bai Ran looked up. Beside the Emperor's position on the high platform sat a man wearing a mask. Although his face was hidden, his aura was still arrogant and mysterious.
Why was this guy here?
Long Jinhan looked at Bai Ran. Suddenly, her little head tilted up, and she unexpectedly met his gaze. Long Jinhan remembered Jing Feng's report. Jing Feng had animatedly described how terrifying this woman was, how she scolded people, how she discovered him, and exaggerated her peerless beauty beneath that mask.
Long Jinhan looked at her vigilant eyes and felt inexplicably pleased. Yes, she was a bit like a cornered cat.
Jing Yun, beside him, noticed their exchange of glances and felt as though he had swallowed a turd. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Hey, do you see that man looking at the third young lady of the Bai family?"
"I feel like he's looking at Bai Ran."
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would a good-for-nothing like her attract his attention?"
"Who is that man? He's sitting at the same level as the Emperor."
Bai Luohan also noticed the man. His aura was sharp yet mysterious, like a red spider lily growing by the River of Forgetfulness – noble and mysterious, yet alluring and soul-stirring.
Noticing the man's gaze, Bai Luohan mistakenly believed he was looking at her.
Bai Luohan suppressed the joy in her heart, glanced shyly at Long Jinhan, and then lowered her head.
Jing Yun beside him twitched his lips, disgusted.
The chairman's seat of the family.
"Old Bai, this competition's first place, my Qin family will claim it," said Qin Mu, the Patriarch of the Qin family, with a smile.
"That's not certain. My Hua family has come prepared," said Hua Heng, the Patriarch of the Hua family, looking at Bai Zhantian and Qin Mu with a provocative smile.
Bai Ran of the Bai family, a good-for-nothing, actually killed a collateral member of my Hua family! She clearly doesn't respect my Hua family! Hua Heng clenched his fists.
Bai Zhantian noticed the glint in Hua Heng's eyes.
Hmph, this Hua Heng is no good. Bai Zhantian twitched his beard. What wicked schemes is this old fellow hatching now? He has no shame.
"Quick, look, it's someone from the Star-Picking Academy!"
Star-Picking Academy? That's where my second brother is. Bai Ran glanced at the person.
The newcomer was dressed in snow-white, the Third Elder of the Star-Picking Academy, Hong Chuan.
"Someone from Qitian Academy is here too!"
The Star-Picking Academy is the top academy in the Vermillion Bird Kingdom, followed by Qitian Academy. Besides the academies, there are also three sects: the Hunyuan Sect, the Plum Blossom Sect, and the Li Fire Sect. The two academies and three sects select disciples they favor, give them tokens, and directly admit them into their academies or sects. Bai Qingyu was scouted by an elder from the Star-Picking Academy during the previous family competition and was directly taken away.
Gradually, representatives from various major powers arrived.
The already lively atmosphere on the field became even more boisterous.
Elder Rong, the judge, stepped onto the arena. "Esteemed guests, the family grand competition officially begins now."
"The first round is a team battle. The thirty participants remaining on the arena will proceed to the second round. The second round is a defending-the-arena match. One person stands on each of the ten arenas, and through continuous attacks, ten people will be decided to enter the third round, which is one-on-one."
After explaining the rules, Elder Rong stepped off the arena, and the first round began.
On the spacious arena, the disciples were mostly grouped by family. However, Bai Luohan deliberately distanced herself from Bai Ran, causing Bai Ran to stand alone in a corner.
Bai Zhantian, from the family's main seat, frowned, worried about Ran Ran.
Bai Ran was unconcerned. These were just childish games.
"You're alone too?" a voice came from beside her.
A sudden splash of pink entered Bai Ran's vision.
Bai Ran looked at the man beside her, who was covered head to toe in pink and sunshine. The man's slightly plump physique made his clothes bulge, making him look like a pink ball.
"I'd scare you to death with half of me." Then, she strode away from the man, as Bai Ran preferred to fight alone.
Who knew that the pink ball would follow closely? "Hey, don't go, what's your name? I'm Qin Mu Bai."
"Yo, a combination of a good-for-nothing and a monster. I must say, they're quite a match," said a woman from the Hua family in the distance.
She had received orders to kill Bai Ran on the spot.
Although the news of that good-for-nothing defeating a second-stage Qi Condensation cultivator a few days ago had spread like wildfire, a good-for-nothing was still a good-for-nothing. An occasional burst of success wouldn't mean much real strength, just luck.
Monster?
Bai Ran looked up and down at Qin Mu Bai behind her, wondering if she was referring to his physique.
Sensing Bai Ran's appraising gaze, Qin Mu Bai lowered his head even further.
Suddenly, Bai Ran took Qin Mu Bai's hand, startling him. But he stood obediently and didn't move.
Poison. He had been poisoned.
Bai Ran checked his pulse and then let go. Although she could cure it, Bai Ran had no intention of being a do-gooder.
Long Jinhan, on the high platform, his aura suddenly turned sharp. Emperor Murong De, beside him, wiped the sweat from his forehead. Why had this lord suddenly become angry? Who could tell him how to handle this?
"The first round of the competition officially begins!"
Disciples of all sizes on the arena drew their weapons and began their clashes. Bai Ran, however, stood still, leaning against the side of the arena, observing their moves.
The Hua family woman, hidden in the crowd, stealthily approached Bai Ran. She was at the peak of second-stage Qi Condensation, just a step away from breaking through to the third stage. Killing a good-for-nothing was easy.
Once she was within a certain distance, she raised her sword and lunged at Bai Ran.
"Good-for-nothing, die!"
Bai Ran glanced at the woman and sighed. With a light step, she dodged the slash and kicked out a horizontal kick, hitting the woman in the face.
"Bang!"
She then pinned the woman under her foot and stomped heavily on her abdomen, shattering her dantian. The woman spat blood, some of which splattered onto Bai Ran's face.
She was crippled? She was crippled!!
"Aaaahhh! Bitch! I'll kill you!!!" She staggered to her feet, the blood from her mouth splattering on her clothes like a blood-red ink painting.
Seeing the woman charge at her again, Bai Ran directly grabbed her by the neck and flung her out of the arena.
The woman crashed onto the ground outside the arena and fainted.
She wiped the bloodstains from her face, looked at them, then looked up at the enraged Hua family disciples.
Bai Ran smiled, a wild and unrestrained smile, standing firm on the arena in her red attire.
She tilted her head and looked at the crowd. "All of you, come at me?"