It was only by the end of the day that Bai Qi caught on Zhen Zexi's aura. For that moment he had scoured over half of the 'Underground Forest', in an attempt to at least find some kind of clue. But it was as if she had disappeared from the zone at all, and when she did use her aura, it was just for a short moment. So brief that Bai Qi at first wondered why even someone would activate their aura, or lift their concealment just for such a small time.

But the answer was simple, and one that was present all around the zone - Challenge Slates. Indeed, qi was required to activate the Slate's formations, and anyone with control over their aura would use the latter. After all, using inner qi would not only take more time but also use up one's reserves.

The aura usage had occurred inside Bai Qi's senses envelope, otherwise, he would have not even noticed it. Still, it was so sudden, and so brief, that even his senses did not manage to lock on its exact position. But he did sense the general direction and having an envelope of only a mile to each side greatly lessened the area to search.

"The only question would be, why did Zhen Zexi decide to challenge a slate now?" Starting towards the east, towards where he sensed her aura, Bai Qi inwardly wondered.

***

Most participants had entered intending to surpass challenges and get rewards. And even if some of them looked for specific treasures, or even just for the opportunity to cultivate like Tang Lei, their objectives did not affect the others, and so, even if it was discovered or talked about, no one would truly care. Neither amongst the participants, nor their masters, teachers, or backers.

Hu Mu had been the only exception to the fact, at least how Bai Qi had seen it. The blood cultivator's actual objective had been to cultivate, and his means went along with both his cultivation path and the fact that he wasn't related to Shuomen City at all.

But now he had seen Zhen Zexi's actions, and they appeared to be not an exception, but something else. While she was definitively looking for something, at least from her words, at the same time she did not shy from attempting to kill others. Something that was prohibited, and if it wasn't, would still be unthinkable. After all, whatever relations the participants may have with each other, all of them were members of the Shuomen City, and sooner or later would probably work, fight, or simply train together.

Was she like Hu Mu, someone unrelated to the city? Or it was just how she had been trained and educated?

Bai Qi did not know, but he intended to find it out. And if it wasn't possible to dissuade her from continuing with her deeds, then act as he needed. Killing her could be easier, but Bai Qi understood why even Mao Xun had slightly hesitated while speaking about doing it.

Zhen Zexi could be a mystery, and most of the people in the city had not seen or interacted with her. But her Clan, the Zhens, were definitively not one. Previously a clan that had been close in power and prestige to both the Sheng and Shou clans, they had lost some, but still were considered the 3rd most powerful clan in the city. Mainly to the fact that they were the only clan outside the ruling alliance led by a Warrior Emperor, Zhen Qigang.

This time Bai Qi needed to tread on shaky ground. Saving the participants was good, and probably the City Lord would applaud him for that, but making himself an enemy of one of his City's main powerhouses? Bai Qi truly doubted that such could happen.

"I will not back down just because of fearing her backing, but it would be better if I can solve this in a way that does not involves killing her" Bai Qi noted to himself while approaching another of the spots to check.

***

He had searched every nook and cranny of the zone where he had sensed Zhen Zexi, and yet, he did not find even a single trace of her. Neither did he find even a single 'Challenge Slate'.

If she had used an illusion and a concealment talisman pair as he had done, then there would still be some qi fluctuation for his senses to catch on, but there was none of that either.

So what had happened? There was no question that it had been her aura and that it had been not a trap. Otherwise, the aura would flare for longer, to make sure anyone searching for her would notice. But she could not have just disappeared, could have she?

Bai Qi asked himself while trying to find out an answer. Having no luck basing just on his own knowledge, he resorted to the knowledge of Immortal Eleven Springs. Apart from the normal challenge slates, there were several types of special ones. But neither the multicolored nor the ones that contained the 'Heavenly Vestments' would just disappear along with the challenger.

"Could it be?" Bai Qi murmured as his eyes slightly widened. And although he was surprised to even consider such a thing, it was still a possibility. "And if I am right, then that explains what she was looking for!" Connecting the points, he acknowledged that his guess, one that was near impossible could be right.

The Immortal had gathered an enormous amount of treasures, items, pills, weapons, skills, and techniques that now served as rewards for the Challenges placed all across the zone in the form of the Slates. Rarer items usually had harder challenges, some of which only would appear once per opening, and only in a single of the six areas.

From these rare rewards, the ones that exceeded all the others, and by far, were none other than the 8 full sets of the Wild Gods. Without having access to the formation, and thus to the treasury, Bai Qi could not be sure if any of them remained unclaimed, but it was exactly their challenge the one that was the most different of all. And the one that perfectly explained both Zhen Zexi's interest, and how she had disappeared.

Deng Guiying was one of the people to have found one of such, and he had shared some information with Bai Qi about it before. Adding the Immortal's knowledge, Bai Qi was aware that the 'God' challenge would teleport the cultivator to a true, non-illusionary pocket realm, where one would have to win battle after battle until either dying or surpassing the challenge.

"No wonder that she would leave the puppet, and who knows what else to rush towards the slate. A set of martial skills, royal techniques, and even an imperial one? Even I probably would have ignored everything!"

If he was right, and Bai Qi decided to act on the assumption he was, then Zhen Zexi would not return for at least an entire day. If she even did return as supposedly the battles were extremely hard. Still, knowing that she would appear on the same spot meant that he had the perfect chance to intercept her.

***

To avoid appearing suspicious if someone decided to walk through the area, Bai Qi selected an open spot and sat down cross-legged. Slightly weakening his aura, as to appear as he was recuperating. A few hours later, on the morning of the 12th day, a couple of Challenge Slates appeared in the surroundings, and noticing that a participant was approaching, Bai Qi quickly claimed and cleared the harder one.

Thus making the new arrival believe that the area was claimed, and then after allowing him the other slate, making him leave towards another spot.

Thankfully no other unwanted visitors appeared, and on the late evening of the same day, Bai Qi jumped out as soon as his senses caught on a big qi disturbance happening where Zhen Zexi had supposedly disappeared from.

___________________________________________________________________

Six years ago, the Zhen clan suffered one of the most shameful incidents in their long, almost four hundred years of history. With over fifteen members killed, and then even forced to apologize to the killers. She only knew what she was told about the incident, having been too little to remember anything. Still, she did know two things. The incident took her parents' lives, and it also made her an unwanted child in the clan, as she was the daughter of the people who were the culprits of so much death.

Probably she would have been tossed away, but the Clan Patriarch had decided otherwise. A Warrior Emperor and one of the most powerful people in the region surrounding Shuomen City did not allow her to be thrown out, but on the contrary, took her under his wing.

His thoughts at that moment could be only guessed, but the decision had been a good one. Since that moment and until now, no one worked harder or had more devotion to the clan than Zhen Zexi. Her talent also was above all of her peers, reaching the 1st level of the Sage realm at 12 years. All while having a combat prowess a couple of levels above while also being able to control all of the Clan specialties, ink beasts and combat puppets truly placed her in a tier even above the geniuses.

And now, Zhen Qigang had asked of her a task. Neither he nor she expected that it would be completed, as the 'God' challenge slates would appear only once per opening, and only in one of the six areas. But it did! And the proof that it was true was now grasped in her small hand.

When one of her remaining ink-wolves had found the slate, she had ignored everything and rushed to it. Leaving behind her combat puppet and even ignoring her other task, to assassinate Tang Lei. Granted, the latter was optional, but she would not allow even a simple word of the patriarch to be in vain. If he wanted the boy dead, he would be dead.

Still, the Wild God set was by far more important, and she had managed to get it!

And now, as she returned to the 'Underground Forest', she did not even feel the wounds and exhaustion from the 33 consequent battles to get the small colored stone, almost a simple pebble. But this pebble would change their clan's future, at least from the Patriarch's words. And his words were never mistaken.

Her usual calmness wasn't present either, with her thoughts wildly jumping between "I got it", "I did it", and "I can repay the Patriarch for his kindness!".

But the training from a Warrior Emperor wasn't for naught, as even while not paying attention, she sensed and instinctively reacted right away as someone appeared in front of her in a shadow-like manner.

*Swoosh*

*Glimmer*

*Thump*

Having no time to use other means, she willed for the protective formation embedded on her dress by the patriarch himself to activate. It did immediately, and so the attacker's punch crashed against the impenetrable barrier of a half-saint level formation.

"Do I know you? Why are you attacking me?" She asked while examining the cultivator in front of her. Probably about 16 years, tall and with a lean build. Long black hair and handsome face. 4th level of the Sage realm cultivation, but giving the vibes of being able to jump over one or even two levels above his level.

She had seen him once before, entering the gate along with Tang Lei, but she had never interacted or seen him before. So why was he attacking her now?

___________________________________________________________________

Bai Qi planned to quickly take her out of combat with a surprise attack, but he failed. Although he was surprised about the formation that blocked his attack, and his right side still unhealed burns reminded him of themselves because of the shock, he was most surprised about her reaction speed.

He did not answer her question, in turn willing the glove on his left hand to appear while thinking "She is definitively not inexperienced, I have to pin her and prevent her from using her summons as soon as the formation is broken"