CHAPTER 25: Kuang Langsheng’s Superb Acting! 

After Su Yizhi had finished collecting the secretions of the mutant beast, the group continued forward.

“In the official Four Realms Tournament, we will need to survive in the Eternal Forest for a full month and venture as deep as possible to hunt more mutant beasts. But this time, we only need to safely last three days and three nights in the outer perimeter. Since this is everyone’s first time here, we should first find an open area with a water source to set up camp and rest.”

Jiang Yuan, being the eldest and the strongest, naturally took on the role of leader.

Kuang Langsheng actually wanted to lead the team straight into the deeper parts of the Eternal Forest, actively seeking out mutant beasts to fight—he even justified it by saying that since the elders were watching over them, nothing could possibly go wrong.

However, since there was one more sword cultivator than shield cultivators, they had the majority vote, and his proposal was rejected.

Even the pill cultivators opposed his idea. After all, Yu Youyou and the others weren’t fools—there was no way they’d risk their lives just to spite the sword cultivators.

Kuang Langsheng was quite disappointed.

This dense forest had never been touched by human presence. Thorny vines grew unchecked, forming natural barriers. To conserve spiritual energy and guard against sudden attacks from mutant beasts, the group avoided using techniques and instead relied on their shields and swords to clear a path.

As a result, their progress was slow, and more importantly, they soon realized they were getting lost. They had no idea where to find water.

“I’ll fly up and check the direction,” Jiang Yuan suggested, preparing to take to the air.

Just then, a voice came from below.

“Go left.”

The speaker was Qi Nanfeng, who was currently crouched in the underbrush, carefully studying the vines.

He had extensive knowledge of plants and had previously studied the growth patterns of medicinal herbs in the library. This particular type of vine thrived in damp environments, and the ones on the left seemed slightly healthier than those on the right.

Yu Youyou sniffed the air and casually added, “To be precise, left and slightly back.”

She had caught a faint, humid, metallic scent in the air—the distinct aroma of mountain streams.

Jiang Yuan frowned but did not heed their advice. Instead, he directly soared into the sky to confirm.

Unfortunately, his luck was terrible. The dense vines overhead were too thick—going up was easy, but coming down was another matter. His sword hilt got tangled in the vines, and he nearly tumbled off mid-air.

“Pfft!”

Jiang Yuan landed with a frosty expression—he had definitely heard that stifled laugh.

He had initially assumed it was the pill cultivators making trouble again, but when he looked around, only the sword cultivators remained in place.

Meanwhile, not far away, the pill cultivators and shield cultivators were already chattering away as they walked left and slightly back.

“…”

Seeing Jiang Yuan’s darkened expression, the other sword cultivators immediately shut their mouths and lowered their heads.

In the end, Yu Changan stepped forward and asked, “Senior Brother Jiang, which way should we go?”

Who would have thought that after hearing these words, Jiang Yuan’s face turned even darker?

He gripped his sword tightly, said nothing, and walked towards the back left.

Yu Changan: “…”

The sword cultivators: “…”

Senior Brother, does your face hurt?

….

By the time the group of cultivators reached the stream, the sunlight filtering through the crisscrossing gaps in the leaves overhead had already lost its scorching intensity, becoming soft and diffuse.

Looking up at that small patch of sky above, the sunset was as splendid and picturesque as a painting, though it quickly began to fade.

After a whole day of trekking through the dense forest, the cultivators scooped up the stream’s water for a drink, then scattered along the banks to rest.

The sword cultivators of Yunhua Sword Sect sat cross-legged with perfect posture, showing no intention of resting, as they immediately began their cultivation.

One had to admit, this stance was quite impressive and elegant.

Yu Youyou glanced at the shield cultivators not far away. Each of them used their giant shields as pillows, sprawled haphazardly on the grass, ready to sleep.

Their faces were just as handsome as the sword cultivators’, but their sleeping postures left much to be desired.

Compared to the other two sects, the pill cultivators’ physical endurance was much weaker. It wasn’t just Yu Youyou who struggled; even Su Yizhi, who had the highest cultivation among them, was beginning to feel drowsy.

Yawning behind his hand, he suggested, “Why don’t we take out the pill cauldrons and enlarge them to sleep inside? They can block the wind and rain, keep out mosquitoes—perfect shelter.”

Yu Youyou was tempted, but upon seeing the distant figures of the elders in the sky, she suspected that if the three of them actually did that, Elder Ma would beat them to death when they returned.

“Forget it, let’s at least set up some kind of shelter. We have to stay here for three days, after all.”

Qi Nanfeng immediately grabbed the hoe and eagerly proposed, “I can dig a pit. That way, we can crawl in and sleep underground. You guys saw my digging skills back when we were in the outer sect—I guarantee I can finish before dark.”

Yu Youyou looked at him with a complicated expression. “If I remember correctly, your digging skills came from practicing grave digging, didn’t they?”

Su Yizhi shuddered. “Forget it, I’m not sleeping in a hole you dug.”

Qi Nanfeng looked regretful.

After some discussion, the three finally decided to pick some broad leaves from a tree they had passed earlier to use as bedding.

Hearing their movements, Yu Changan glanced at Jiang Yuan, who had his eyes closed and showed no reaction. After a moment of hesitation, he picked up his sword and quietly followed them.

During the Four Regions Tournament, sword cultivators and shield cultivators were expected to follow the pill cultivators to protect them.

Besides…

He recalled the sight of that young girl deftly swinging her hoe and thought to himself that he still owed her a favor.

The broadleaf tree wasn’t far from the stream, but it was quite tall. The three who couldn’t fly stood beneath it, clearly unable to reach the leaves.

Yu Changan stepped forward with his sword, unsure how to start the conversation. In the end, he simply flew up with his sword, intending to pick the leaves for them.

Unfortunately, just as he reached the tree and was about to act, he heard a loud shout from below—

“Alright, here I go!”

Qi Nanfeng gritted his teeth, raised his hoe, and struck the trunk of a nearby tree with full force!

One had to admit, the boy’s strength was remarkable. Perhaps due to his use of spiritual energy, after just two strikes, he had actually managed to fell the tree.

With a loud crack, the tree collapsed, and the three below happily gathered armfuls of leaves and walked away.

Yu Changan, who had flown up and remained completely unnoticed: “…”

The wind at the treetop was so, so cold.

Silently, Yu Changan returned to the stream. He looked up and saw the three pill cultivators lying side by side on a thick layer of broad leaves, with more leaves covering them like blankets.

They were cultivators, yet they insisted on doing such foolish things—it was almost laughable.

But for some reason, Yu Changan found himself unable to look away.

Just then, Jiang Yuan’s voice reached his ear.

“Junior Brother.”

Yu Changan snapped out of his thoughts and met Jiang Yuan’s gaze. “Senior Brother Jiang?”

“Junior Brother, you have never left the sect before and were raised by Master and Mistress to be pure-hearted and kind. Naturally, you do not yet understand the complexities of human nature.” Jiang Yuan frowned slightly, his tone somewhat stern. “You should know who is responsible for our junior sister being unable to participate in this trial.”

“…It was Sister who chose not to come.” Yu Changan thought back to last night, feeling a bit irritated, and couldn’t help but retort.

“If it weren’t for that scar, Junior Sister would have joined for sure.” Jiang Yuan refused to place blame on his own junior sister. He stated firmly, “If Su Yizhi had brought the Silver Mark Grass as promised, or if Qu Qingmiao had treated her in time, or even if that girl had handed over the Silver Mark Grass, Junior Sister’s wound wouldn’t have worsened to this extent.”

His words were exactly the same as what Yu Nianrou had tearfully complained about.

Yu Changan felt like something was off.

But in the end, he held back his words and simply nodded lightly. “I understand, Senior Brother.”

….

Yu Youyou didn’t know how well everyone else slept, but her night had been miserable.

It wasn’t that the leaf bed wasn’t soft enough, nor that the mosquitoes were too aggressive.

It was that the shield cultivators nearby were all snorers! And their snores were staggered, each one louder than the last!

At this hour, the sky was still dim.

The shield cultivators’ snoring had gradually subsided, but now the sword cultivators had risen, taking advantage of the morning to practice their swordsmanship.

Yu Youyou exchanged a despairing glance with her two companions, seeing the same exhaustion reflected in their eyes.

Just then, the aroma of roasted meat drifted through the air.

That was enough to fully wake up the three sects. Cultivators below the Golden Core stage still needed to eat, and their appetites were generally larger than those of mortals.

They had been starving since yesterday. Now, with that fragrance wafting over, it was simply tormenting them.

Above the Ancient Everlasting Forest, a cloud boat floated in the sky, carrying the elders of the three sects.

They were here to protect this group of young cultivators.

But… that didn’t stop Elder Ma from enjoying some roast meat.

He somehow pulled out a full set of barbecue tools and, swaggering about, started grilling fish right there on the cloud vessel.

Elder Xu of the Yunhua Sword Sect twitched his eyelids in disdain. “You’re already over two hundred years old, yet you still act so disgracefully!”

Elder Ma drooped his face and spoke in a mocking tone. “If certain people hadn’t robbed me blind and taken my mustard seed pouch, I’d be feasting on top-quality spiritual food right now. Why would I need to roast meat?”

“You’re already at the Nascent Soul stage. Do you even need to eat?” Elder Xu’s beard trembled with anger. “And besides, that wasn’t robbery! Nor was it poverty! That was a debt you owed me!”

Elder Ma pursed his lips and ignored him, generously handing a skewer of grilled fish to the nearby Elder Kuang of the Heaven’s Shield Sect. “Here, Elder Kuang, have some meat.”

“Haha! Then I won’t hold back!”

Elder Xu, now completely isolated: “……”

But sword cultivators had their pride. He wouldn’t lower himself to partake. Still, after glancing at the scene out of the corner of his eye for a while, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Finally, Elder Xu drew his sword and leaped up. “Ma, did you catch and grill our Yunhua Sword Sect’s spiritual carp?!”

…

The disciples down in the Eternal Ancient Forest had no idea about the commotion happening aboard the cloud vessel.

However, the faint aroma of grilled fish was enough to make everyone restless.

The sword cultivators, who had been practicing their techniques, changed course and started trying to spear fish in the stream.

It had to be said—their swordsmanship was exquisite. Almost every sword tip now had a fish impaled on it.

The only problem was that the blood dripping from the fish back into the crystal-clear stream wasn’t red—it was as black as ink.

Jiang Yuan’s heart sank, and his voice grew heavy. “This is also an exotic beast.”

Beside him, Qi Nanfeng enthusiastically corrected him, “Not quite. This is called an ‘exotic fish.’”

Jiang Yuan: “……”

Why are all the Pill Cauldron Sect disciples so damn irritating with their words?

It was now evident that all the creatures in the Eternal Ancient Forest—whether animals or spiritual beasts—had transformed into exotic beasts and could no longer be used as a food source. Yet, they hadn’t encountered any edible fruits along the way either.

Were they really going to have to endure hunger for the next three days?

At that moment, Yu Youyou stood up and looked toward Jiang Yuan. “Come with us to gather medicinal herbs.”

Jiang Yuan retorted irritably, “No one’s injured. Why gather medicine?”

Yu Youyou clicked her tongue and spoke again, this time with an inexplicably enthusiastic tone. “Fellow Daoist, have you ever heard of a pill called the Fasting Pill? Oh, right, I’ve always heard that sword cultivators are noble and proud, possessing chivalrous hearts and righteous spirits. Surely, they wouldn’t stoop so low as to squat by the stream waiting to eat for free!”

If they could bring bodyguards along, why should the three of them be the only ones risking their lives? When it came to situations like these, Yu Youyou had always been a smart one.

Beside her, Su Yizhi also spoke in that peculiar tone. “I have absolute faith in sword cultivators, especially in Senior Brother Jiang! I believe he’s definitely not the kind of cold-hearted person who would just stand by and do nothing!”

Qi Nanfeng immediately chimed in, “I trust that even if we encounter a Golden Core-stage exotic beast, Senior Brother Jiang would unhesitatingly step forward to shield us with his own body, because that’s what makes him such an admirable chief disciple of the sword sect!”

Jiang Yuan: “……”

On the surface, these words sounded like praise, but why did they feel more and more off the longer he listened?

Yu Changan and a few other sword cultivators in the crowd took two steps forward. “Senior Brother Jiang, why don’t I go with them…”

“No need.” Jiang Yuan raised his hand to stop him and coldly said, “You’ve only just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, and your cultivation is still unstable. If we run into a powerful exotic beast, you won’t be able to handle it. I’ll go with them.”

He gripped his sword and followed silently behind the three of them.

On the other hand, the shield cultivators were much more enthusiastic. They pounded their chests, declaring, “We’ll go too!”

In the end, Jiang Yuan and Kuang Langsheng, the two strongest fighters at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, became their bodyguards.

The Fasting Pill was one of the most common pills in the cultivation world and was in high demand among low-level cultivators. Its required ingredients weren’t many, and they were extremely easy to find.

On their way here, Yu Youyou and the others had seemed to be lazily trailing at the very back of the group, but in reality, they had already been gathering plenty of medicinal herbs along the way.

However, with so many teammates this time, the demand for Fasting Pills naturally increased, so they had to collect even more.

Qi Nanfeng had already activated his wood-element spiritual power, scanning the nearby undergrowth and vines for the presence of medicinal herbs.

Yu Youyou was carefully sniffing out the scent of herbs.

Meanwhile, Su Yizhi took charge of directing the sword and shield cultivators to gather herbs from within the thorny bushes.

Just as Yu Youyou was about to call for them to wrap things up and return, something unexpected happened.

Kuang Langsheng, who had been laughing and joking just moments ago, suddenly let out a muffled groan before collapsing heavily to the ground—giant shield and all.

“Kuang Langsheng!” Jiang Yuan rushed forward to support him.

However, Kuang Langsheng’s eyes were bloodshot, his mouth gaping as he gasped for breath. Yet, he couldn’t utter a single word. The veins in his arms bulged grotesquely from exertion.

Even more frightening was that his complexion rapidly changed from red to orange, his entire body trembling violently as if he were convulsing. His spiritual energy grew increasingly erratic.

Finally, his face turned purple, his head lolled to the side, and he lost consciousness.

Jiang Yuan’s expression darkened drastically. He pressed hard against Kuang Langsheng’s philtrum in an attempt to wake him, but even drawing blood had no effect.

Meanwhile—

“Too strong! Kuang Langsheng wasn’t lying at all. His acting skills can be summed up in one word—” Su Yizhi sucked in a breath and gave a silent thumbs-up. “Impeccable!”

Qi Nanfeng couldn’t help but clap as well, his eyes filled with admiration.

“I thought he was bragging, but he’s actually the real deal. But knowing how stingy Little Fish is, she definitely won’t give him spirit stones for this. We should probably go convince him to drop the act.”

“……” Yu Youyou looked at her two teammates expressionlessly before finally pressing her forehead in exasperation.

“Please don’t tell me you weren’t being sarcastic just now and were genuinely praising his acting skills.”

“…He’s not acting. He really got bitten by an exotic beast.”