Qian Fan bit her lip, pacing left and right from one corner of the tent to the other. I need to leave and tell Her Highness that I found the man. But no one can leave until the trials are finished.
She stopped abruptly, her gaze falling on the unconscious Fang Mo lying on a futon. Qian Fan felt like crying. Over a year ago, Xu Yan had secretly assigned her the task of finding the boy now resting before her. Truth be told, she had barely had time to investigate and never expected to actually find him.
I found him, but I can't tell Her Highness… If only she had come herself, wouldn't everything be so much easier? Qian Fan clenched her fists, a resolute expression forming on her face. If I run, it'll take ten minutes to reach Her Highness's quarters. If Fang Mo leaves after the Winter Immortal Conference ends, there won't be enough time.
As her thoughts raced, Fang Mo's eyelids trembled, then slowly opened. "Ah!" Qian Fan gasped and rushed to his side, her face quickly shifting into a professional smile. "Participant Fang, I'm glad you're alright."
Fang Mo frowned. He didn't understand why she seemed so concerned. "Why are you worried? We're not close."
He sent his consciousness through his body. Aside from a dull ache, he felt no serious injuries. "Immortal alchemy is really incredible," he muttered to himself. His voice was low, but Qian Fan still heard him.
"Participant Fang," she said, voice cool but deliberate, "the best treatment you'd receive here is a Tier 1 healing pill. The Dao Seeking Sect wouldn't waste more than that on a disciple with poor results. I used one of my personal Tier 2 pills to heal your injuries. That's why you recovered in less than half an hour."
Her words made it clear it wasn't any sect that helped him. It was her. A cold smile formed on Fang Mo's lips as he stared down at Qian Fan. "As I said before, we're not close. What do you want?"
Qian Fan's smile didn't falter. In one swift motion, she bowed and pleaded, "Participant Fang, please meet with Her Highness Xu Yan after the conference. She has been looking for you for over a year."
A dumbfounded expression crossed Fang Mo's face as he stared at the bowing Qian Fan. He now understood it wasn't Qian Fan who wanted something from him, but Xu Yan, her master.
He rose from the bed and walked out of the tent, leaving behind only a few cold words. "Not interested. Thank you."
***
Hovering in the air, Chang Cheng stared at the thousands of participants watching him with anticipation. Since the first trial posed no threat to one's life, the number of participants remained as high as before.
"We'll now begin the second and final trial of the Winter Immortal Conference. The forest surrounding the Dao Seeking Sect is brimming with demon beasts. The deeper you go, the stronger they become. Your mission is to kill them."
Chang Cheng paused briefly before continuing. "The stronger the demon beast, the more points you'll receive. All points will be registered on your tokens and awarded to the one who lands the final blow. Everyone must return within twelve hours. Those who fail to return in time will lose all points."
Determination flashed across the faces of the participants. Most of them had already fought demon beasts, so this trial came as no surprise. "The second trial begins now!" Chang Cheng announced before vanishing once again.
The moment his words fell, the participants scattered in different directions, rushing toward the forest.
Fang Mo, in no hurry, sat on the ground and waited. They didn't say it was possible to steal others' points, but they didn't prohibit fighting either. So I should assume confrontation among participants will happen
With his current cultivation at the peak of the first level of the Opening Meridian Stage, Fang Mo knew he was far from being at the top of the food chain. While most attendants had little to no cultivation, the participants recommended by the empires had surely trained beforehand.
Take Yang Bo, for example, who was someone capable of killing him with a single slash of his sword. Fang Mo decided it was better to avoid fighting other participants as it would only exhaust him and offer no real benefit.
"Brother Mo, do you want to come with us? We can share the points. Fighting together in a group will be safer," Shao Huiqing said as she approached Fang Mo, accompanied by Liao Xiaoli. Despite the calm tone in her voice, Fang Mo noticed a hint of expectation gleaming in her eyes.
Still, he shook his head. He could sense that both Shao Huiqing and Liao Xiaoli's cultivation levels were higher than his. Going with them would make him feel like dead weight. This was something he wasn't willing to accept.
"Thank you for your offer, but I'll go alone."
Though disappointed, Shao Huiqing nodded. Before they left, Liao Xiaoli added, "Be careful around Zheng Niu. He's the kind of person who holds a grudge over the smallest grievance."
Fang Mo gave a faint smile and nodded. "Thank you for the warning."
Ten minutes later, when there were barely any participants left near the gates of the Dao Seeking Sect, Fang Mo rose to his feet and ran into the forest in a random direction. My results in the first trial weren't good, so I need to make up for it now.
As he moved deeper into the woods, he passed by others battling low Tier 1 demon beasts. Some fought alone; others worked together in groups.
Whether alone or in teams, conflict among participants was everywhere. Kill-stealing seemed to be a common tactic and the main source of tension between cultivators.
One thing that piqued Fang Mo's interest was the presence of people wearing the robes of the Dao Seeking Sect. Most of them were deliberately hiding, but he caught glimpses of them moving through the forest, saving participants who were on the brink of death.
They never mentioned anything about helping the participants… Fang Mo thought. Those who were rescued must've lost all their points.
Fang Mo tried to put distance between himself and the other participants. Though the number of people was large, the forest was vast. Less than half an hour into the second trial, he finally found his first prey.
A rat the size of a German Shepherd stared at him with bloodshot eyes. Beneath its blood-soaked claws lay the lifeless body of a man, breathless. A feral grunt, one capable of sending a shiver down a man's spine, rumbled from the rat's throat as it lunged at Fang Mo.
But Fang Mo didn't flinch. Without fear, he kicked off the ground and charged at the rat, without even unsheathing his sword.
He knew this rat, despite also being a low Tier 1 demon beast, was far stronger than the thunder snake he'd fought back in the Storm Forest. But the adrenaline surged through him, drowning him in excitement. The thrill of combat took hold.
Fang Mo had yet to perceive the changes done on his body by drinking a demon beast's blood. At that moment, all he could think about was tearing apart the enemy before him.
With the will to trade blow for blow, Fang Mo's fist smashed into the rat's snout just as its claws raked across his arm, carving four bloody lines into his clothes and skin. The beast let out a pained grunt and staggered backward, shaking its head in pain and fury.
The wound on Fang Mo's arm didn't slow him down. On the contrary, it only fueled his madness. He charged after the rat, giving it no chance to retreat. Another punch landed true on its snout, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
A sharp cry escaped the rat's mouth. Realizing its opponent wouldn't let up, the demon beast did what any cornered creature would—it attacked. Before Fang Mo could strike again, the rat sank its fangs into his shoulder.
It tried to tear off a chunk of flesh, but Fang Mo grabbed it by the neck in time with both hands and squeezed. His fingers dug into its throat, crushing its windpipe. The beast struggled, but it wasn't even capable of screaming before its body went limp.
As soon as it died, Fang Mo bit into its crushed neck and tore off a piece of flesh. He spat it out, then drank the blood that gushed from the rat's dead body, his eyes bloodshot and filled with madness.
As the wounds on his shoulder and arm began to heal and clarity returned to his mind, Fang Mo's expression darkened.