Chapter 14: Don’t look at me like this, I still have some spiritual power

Ning Yue waited for the light to dissipate before opening her eyes.

Upon opening her eyes, she found this trial quite interesting.  In the previous two trials, she hadn’t seen anyone besides her teacher, let alone interacted with anyone.

This time, as soon as she entered, she heard a voice.

“Finally, another one.”

She saw about ten people already standing in the trial grounds, scattered here and there.

Ning Yue narrowed her eyes to look.

In the center of the trial grounds stood an old man with a refined and scholarly air, sipping tea from a cup.

What was going on?

Ning Yue was completely bewildered.

She looked around, picked the best-looking one, and went to ask about the situation.

“Hello, my name is Ning Yue,” Ning Yue greeted him with a smile. “Has the second trial not started yet?”

He looked about the same age as Jiang Yishen, fifteen or sixteen.  His back was ramrod straight, he wore a white robe, and his face was expressionless.

“My name is Duan Huailin,” he nodded slightly to Ning Yue. “The trial begins once we have ten people.”

“I see,” Ning Yue counted the people in the arena with her eyes; including her, there were exactly ten.

“Thank you!” Ning Yue looked up and smiled at Duan Huailin.

Duan Huailin’s expression faltered for a moment, then he looked away. “You’re welcome.”

He seemed to be holding back something he wanted to say, so Ning Yue waited.

Sure enough, Duan Huailin, still looking away, spoke.

“Are you traveling alone at such a young age? Aren’t your family worried?”

Ning Yue was taken aback, then looked down at herself.

Well…

If he hadn’t mentioned it, she would have almost forgotten that her current body was only twelve years old.

Seeing Duan Huailin’s concerned yet hesitant expression, Ning Yue felt like teasing him.

“I can’t help it,” Ning Yue lowered her eyes. “My family is gone, and I was constantly bullied in the lower realms, so I had to come to the upper realms to seek protection.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Yue looked up at Duan Huailin’s expression.

He was stunned at first, then became flustered, unsure how to comfort Ning Yue.

Finally, he could only manage to say, “…Stay by my side during the trial, and I’ll make sure you pass.”

What a kind and innocent young man! He probably didn’t know about her taking out her direct disciple jade token at the gate.

“Thank you, but actually, brother…” Ning Yue smiled at him. “I’m actually quite strong!”

Duan Huailin looked at her as if she were a poor, unfortunate girl.

“Mm.” He nodded.

An old voice sounded.

Everyone around looked towards the source of the sound.

The old man who had been standing in the center of the trial grounds was now beside them, somehow.

The old man spoke into the wind. “This is the second trial of the Formation Path. Most of you here are future disciples of the Formation Path, so I can’t go easy on you.”

He spoke slowly but forcefully. “Two people form a team, one defends, one attacks. Defeat the other teams, and the winner will be the chief disciple of the Formation Path this year.”

Oh dear.

Ning Yue tugged at Duan Huailin’s sleeve. “It seems we’ll be a team, brother.”

“Mm,” Duan Huailin nodded calmly, not considering Ning Yue a burden. “Just follow me.”

The old man’s voice came again. “I’ve uniformly suppressed your cultivation to the Qi Refining Mid-stage to prevent unfairness caused by those with higher levels.”

Hearing this, Ning Yue immediately checked her level.

Indeed, she was suppressed to the Qi Refining Mid-stage.

Duan Huailin had also just checked his cultivation level. Perhaps fearing Ning Yue might be scared, he calmly said,

“Don’t worry, even at the Qi Refining stage, I can protect you.”

Ning Yue didn’t explain, just smiled at him.

Duan Huailin’s lips curled slightly upward, but he averted his gaze before it could be noticed.

Several others approached Duan Huailin to form a team, as he genuinely seemed very capable.  But Duan Huailin rejected them all.

One person pointed at Ning Yue, his eyes contemptuous. “Are you going to team up with such a child? Trust me, we’ll definitely get the top spot.  At worst, I’ll let you have the top spot, and I’ll be second!”

Duan Huailin gave him a cold look and pulled Ning Yue beside him. “I don’t need to team up with you; I can get the top spot on my own.  Teaming up with you would make me seem incompetent.”

The person left angrily.

Ning Yue couldn’t help but laugh, looking up at Duan Huailin.

“Team up with me, you won’t regret it.”

Duan Huailin didn’t take it seriously. “Mm-hmm.”

The ten people quickly formed their teams, standing together in pairs.

The old man said, “Since you’ve formed your teams, let’s begin.  Draw your own formations; use whatever abilities you have to create the corresponding formations.”

After saying this, he turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared without a trace.

“Wow! What kind of magic is that!” Ning Yue’s eyes sparkled.  “I want to learn that!”

Duan Huailin smiled and began searching for materials to draw the formation.

“Are you good at drawing formations, brother?” Ning Yue followed behind Duan Huailin, watching his movements.

“Mm,” Duan Huailin continued working without stopping. “My family has studied formations for generations, so I’ve learned a lot from them.  I heard that Fusang Sect has many rare and precious formations, so I came to study here.”

“Have you ever drawn a formation before?” Duan Huailin blurted out.

As soon as he said it, he realized it was inappropriate. After all, Ning Yue had just come from the lower realms and shouldn’t have learned yet.  He was about to change the subject when he heard Ning Yue’s natural reply.

“This is my first time seeing one; so this is how it is.”

Duan Huailin had already found the necessary materials.  He truly came from a family of formation masters.

By the time Duan Huailin casually finished drawing the formation, others were still gathering materials.

Ning Yue felt she wouldn’t be of much use in this trial and would probably be carried.

Duan Huailin began to infuse the completed formation with spiritual energy.  He pressed his two fingers together, and icy blue spiritual energy began to flow continuously into the formation.

“Cough cough cough” Duan Huailin suddenly covered his chest with his other hand, coughing uncontrollably.

“I forgot I’m at the Qi Refining stage now. Activating such a large formation, my spiritual energy might not be enough.”

Ning Yue stepped forward to support him, hurriedly saying, “I’m here too! Don’t underestimate me; I actually have some spiritual energy.”

Duan Huailin looked at her small frame with concern. “Overusing spiritual energy is bad for your body.”

Ning Yue smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t overexert myself. But you’ll be overexerted first if we continue like this.”

She looked down at the completed formation. “What kind of elemental energy is needed?”

Duan Huailin, still supplying spiritual energy, took a breath.

“I’m a mutated ice element, the attacking side. For the defensive side, earth element is best.”

Ning Yue stroked her chin and nodded. “Okay, okay.”

She imitated Duan Huailin’s posture, pressing her two fingers together, and brown earth-colored spiritual energy slowly flowed from her fingertips into the formation.

Her spiritual energy was extremely strong. As soon as it was infused, Duan Huailin felt much lighter.

He looked at Ning Yue in surprise.

Ning Yue winked at him, bright and radiant.

“I told you, I’m not weak.”

Duan Huailin’s eyes flickered, and after a moment, he smiled. “Mm, you’re indeed not weak.”