Inside the cave.
Zi Bing and Zi Qing sat on the ground, tending to their wounds.
Their original target was a demon beast at the tenth level of the Golden Core stage.
With some effort, they could still manage to handle it.
However, something unexpected happened later, and a demon beast at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage emerged from the depths of the cave.
Even a small difference in cultivation realms was an insurmountable chasm, let alone a full major realm difference.
If it weren't for other disciples participating in the grand competition passing by, they would have had to use teleportation talismans to escape.
Even so, they were still injured by the pressure of the demon beast at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage.
"We were really careless," Zi Qing said after bandaging the wound on her shoulder and pulling her clothes back. "I didn't expect there to be a stronger one inside."
"Junior Sister, we should find a place to hide first," Zi Bing said with a frown.
Although their injuries were not severe, they would not be able to use their true qi for another day or two.
If someone were to try and snatch their demon cores at this time, it would be disastrous.
"But where in this grand competition secret realm could be a hidden and safe place?" Zi Qing sighed dejectedly.
"How about..."
As she spoke, Zi Qing took out a small porcelain bottle.
Before entering, the Second Elder had given them quite a few pills.
Naturally, they had healing pills.
In the Second Elder's words, as long as they had half a breath left, he could bring them back!
The Second Elder's expression had been extremely serious and his tone very confident when he had instructed them.
Coupled with Master Xie Yan's endorsement, it gave the impression that these pills were incredibly potent and high-class.
However, soon after, Zi Qing tossed the small porcelain bottle back into her storage ring.
Never mind...
The Second Elder's 'immortal pills' are not something a novice like me at the Golden Core stage can afford to use...
Losing the competition would at most mean coming back to try again.
But if I took this medicine, who knows what might happen...
"Let's just leave here for now," Zi Bing said, standing up.
"You don't need to go anywhere!"
A female voice suddenly rang out.
The two senior sisters' faces changed, and they quickly grabbed their weapons.
"You two wretched women, you've made me search for you!" Wu Po Xie, along with disciples from the Zhen Xie Sect, entered with a sinister look on her face.
As her voice faded, a pressure of the Nascent Soul stage swept towards the two senior sisters.
After all, there were cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage among the disciples participating in the grand competition, so releasing such pressure would not expose her.
The two senior sisters stumbled and fell to the ground.
The Nascent Soul stage was simply too high for them.
So high that just the pressure alone made it difficult for them to breathe.
But they didn't understand.
They didn't know this woman at all, and they had spent most of their time cultivating since arriving at the imperial city, making it impossible for them to have offended anyone.
To put it bluntly,
They were only at the Golden Core stage and didn't even have the right to offend a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.
Why did this woman look like she wanted to kill them?
"Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily," Wu Po Xie said as she walked towards the two senior sisters step by step.
She walked slowly, but with every step she took, the pressure on the two senior sisters increased.
She was doing this intentionally.
Her goal was to torment them.
"What a pretty face," Wu Po Xie said as she approached, reaching out to lift Zi Bing's chin. "It would be quite interesting to slash it a few times, wouldn't it?"
A flicker of despair flashed in Zi Bing's eyes.
No matter how cold she was usually, she was still a woman.
No woman could accept being disfigured.
However, she was completely immobile at the moment, unable to even speak, left to her fate.
"But don't worry, I won't let you die easily," Wu Po Xie said, extending her other hand and grasping Zi Qing's chin. "I will torment you properly, making you feel that death is a luxury."
Zi Qing was more straightforward, glaring fiercely at Wu Po Xie.
"Nice eyes, I like them," Wu Po Xie said with a strange smile, patting Zi Qing's cheek. "But don't worry, I won't touch you yet."
"When I catch Ye Fan..." she said, her expression suddenly turning ferocious. "I will let him witness a good show!"
The two senior sisters were stunned.
Junior Brother Ye?
Could it be...
This woman had some kind of grudge with Junior Brother Ye?
But Junior Brother Ye didn't seem like someone who would cause trouble, did he?
What trouble could a lazy person like him get into?
The two senior sisters immediately came to a conclusion.
This wicked woman must have provoked Junior Brother Ye, and Junior Brother Ye, being kind, had let her off. Instead of being grateful, she had repaid his kindness with enmity!
That's it!
It must be like this!
Once they figured it out, a sense of relief washed over them.
In their eyes, Ye Fan was already an existence comparable to ancient monsters.
A mere wicked woman would be no match for him.
With Junior Brother Ye here, they were definitely safe!
This was probably what blind faith was like.
They even thought that perhaps Ye Fan was already on his way.
No, no, no!
He didn't even need to come.
Perhaps with a flick of his finger and a chant, this wicked woman would be instantly defeated!
Meanwhile, Ye Fan, whom they considered omnipotent, was happily playing with Liang Rujing.
A large pot was set up on the ground, containing several eggs about ten centimeters in diameter.
Ye Fan added stewing ingredients to the pot with one hand, while skillfully flipping roasted meat on a nearby rack with the other.
Liang Rujing sat beside him, occasionally looking at the boiling eggs, then at the roasted meat, and even secretly swallowing from time to time.
She looked like a small animal waiting to be fed.
"Achoo." Ye Fan turned his head and sneezed.
Although his physique was considered top-notch among mortals, he had still caught a slight cold last night.
[Detected that your two senior sisters are in danger, please go and rescue them immediately!]
"Achoo!" Ye Fan's sneeze was his reply.
[Host, if you don't go now, your senior sisters will be done for!]
"Ye Fan, are you sick?" Liang Rujing finally realized something was wrong. "I happen to have some cold medicine, how about you take some?"
"No need, I'll be fine after eating something hot later," Ye Fan said, reaching out to rub Liang Rujing's little head. "The beggar's chicken is almost ready, go dig it out."
[Host, are you f***ing crazy?!]
[Your senior sisters are about to be finished, are you a cold-blooded animal?]
Ye Fan ignored it.
He even felt a surge of disdain in his heart!
Here we go again?
If I believed your nonsense, that would be truly absurd!
If I really went, I would definitely be walking into a huge trap!
Fine, say what you want, keep talking.
[I'm f***ing...]
"Achoo!" Ye Fan's sneeze was the system's reply.
[System is experiencing critical failure, attempting to repair...]
[Repair failed, initiating forced restart...]
The sneeze Ye Fan had just let out drifted into the distance, wavering slightly.
Faint wisps of pale golden light were mixed within the sneeze.