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Chapter 16

The competition continued, with only five hundred participants left. The ones who couldn't get to proceed to the second round already left the floating palace and the ones who are still determined and wanted to see the competition out of curiosity stayed seated on their seats.

The five hundred participants were standing on the middle of the marble stage arena, different clothes, different auras and different Sects and Peaks. Their variation makes them look special and mysterious as they stood on the stage.

Lian Ren was in daze as he stared down at his both palms. His thick and neat brows were knitted into a deep frown while his thin lips was pressed tightly, lost on his own thoughts. Impossible.... How did i even get inside that easily? The barrier shouldn't be able to feel my demonic core because i sealed it and i can't use my demonic qi for the time being after the mission because Shizun might get suspicious of me.... How did i even get in?...

Lian Ren's left palm unconciously clenched as he heaved a heavy breath. I expected that i will struggle a little on the barrier and got knocked out as i walk but the barrier just let me in..... What is it? Which? Is it my spiritual qi?..... Or maybe the other one. Lian Ren frowned even more.

When he sealed his demonic core inside the Azure Lotus Pavilion while Shao Ling was asleep, he decided to also seal the black wisp that came from the unusual demonic manual. However, the black wisp didn't respond to him, and in the end, he wasn't able to seal it. Lian Ren thought it was no big deal since the black wisp is hibernating inside his body and it's presence is close to being transparent.

Lian Ren was immediately taken aback. He shifted his gaze at Xin Mei and gave her a smile as he replied,

Xin Mei nodded but her face was looking unsure of his answer,

Lian Ren nodded with a smile. When he shifted his gaze at Jian Jie's direction, Jian Jie was already staring at him with his eyes glowering at his direction. Lian Ren immediately averted his gaze on his direction and sighed. Ha... he's already suspicious of me...

Xin Mei waved happily at the woman who had just arrived.

尹夢

The woman have a porcelain white skin that slightly glisten when it came touch with the ray of the sun. Her face was molded into a sharp and slim shape and her body was delicately slender. Her gray eyes was big and slightly slant while her brows was slim and slick, her nose was long and pointed and her red lips was fully curved and seductive. Her long ebony black hair slightly rustled as she walked forward and the golden accessories on her white and pink robe made a low clinging sound as she went to pat Xin Mei's head.

Yin Meng said as she caressed Xin Mei's rosy soft cheeks and slightly pinched it.

Xin Mei replied,

Yin Meng rustled her hair and Xin Mei laughed as she complained about her hair getting messy.

Because Xin Mei's hair became messy, Yin Meng went behind to fix her hair when a thought suddenly popped on Xin Mei's mind,

Yin Meng asked as she fix Xin Mei's hair into a half neat bun.

Yin Meng's eyes immediately rolled as she answered Xin Mei's question,

Xin Mei nodded,

She looks familiar.... Lian Ren subconsciously glowered at her that made Yin Meng detect his slight bloodlust and glance at his direction with a frown on her beautiful face. Because of the sudden tension, Xin Mei who was confused, let out a sweet laugh and hugged Yin Meng's arms as she spoke,

Yin Meng stared at Lian Ren with her eyes slightly radiating a bright pink glow, her red lips curved into an alluring smile as she spoke,

Xin Mei answered.

Yin Meng smiled and her slin brows arched, She walked towards Lian Ren's direction and patted his shoulder but her slender palms radiated a soft pink spiritual qi as she spoke again,

Lian Ren didn't answered but gave her a meaningful smile as a response. Yin Meng let out a low 'Hmm' before walking towards Xin Mei's direction and chatting with her with a smile on her face. Lian Ren stared at her with a straight face as he crosses his hands, She is definitely familiar. When Xin Mei died along with Jian Jie, she was there at her funeral, wearing a plain while robes. And i will never forget about her two silver swords that was carved beautifully....

After Xin Mei's miserable death and a few years when i became a Frost Demon, Yin Meng lost her mind and tried to kill Shizun. Of course i also want to kill Shizun but i don't want him to die by the hands of the others. Lian Ren pressed his lips and shrugged as he lifted his gaze at the third floor balcony where Shao Ling was sitting. That day, when Yin Meng tried to kill Shao Ling, he stopped her. But because so much demonic energy was dominating her body, Yin Meng eventually went berserk and Lian Ren ended up killing her.

Lian Ren instantly scowled as soon as he saw that Shao Ling's attention was not directed on them but was directed on the ice fairy that he made. The muscles on Shao Ling's face was relaxed as he watched the ice fairy spin and dance around him with his eyes slightly glistening. Tch... What's so good about ice fairies? I'm more amazing than them. Lian Ren suddenly felt the urge to summon back the ice fairy just so that Shao Ling's attention would be directed to him but he realized that his thoughts were childish.

The beautiful woman's voice resonated throughout the arena as the cultivators and also the five hundred participants paid attention to her.

A silver gate filled with glowing golden spiritual qi appeared at the edge of the arena, the gate was radiating a low shinging sound like two metals grinding on each other. It sounded scary and magical at the same time. The beautiful woman said. The gate creaked open and the glow on the golden spiritual qi brightened. The participants entered one by one and their bodies immediately glowed as if they are becoming one with the portal.

The teleportation to the Qiang Lake took a while because only one person can enter through the gate because the gate might malfunction if it detected more than one life essence and the person who entered might be trapped somewhere inside the portal. Xin Mei whispered with her face giving a hint of nervousness.

Xin Mei repeatedly murmured to herself as she waited for her turn.

Lian Ren stared at her as he heaved a breath. He leaned on her direction and patted her head with a smile that made Xin Mei pause and glanced at Lian Ren with a face of astonishment. Lian Ren whispered.

Xin Mei responded with a nod as her pouty lips curved into a smile,

Xin Mei said as she took a step forward to the gate. She took one last glance to Lian Ren and waved him goodbye with a smile before entering the gate, her body slowly illuminating and fading into nothingness.

When it's already Lian Ren's turn, leisurely took a step forward with a deadpan expression and was about to enter the gate but for some reason, his eyes lifted on the third floor balcony, realizing that that person was actually looking at him with his lips slightly curved into a smile. Lian Ren's deadpan face immediately changed into an astonished expression and his eyes widened as he understood what Shao Ling mouthed to him.

"Do your best."

.........Is what he said.

The bright golden light enveloped all over Lian Ren as he entered the gate. At first, all he could see was a blinding light until the light slowly faded and new colors were seen. A wide plains with healthy bright green grass were surrounding the vast Qiang Lake, with a gigantic plum blossom tree that was filled with flowers and seemed like it was over a thousand year old. The waters of the Qiang Lake was very clear, some part of it was ocean blue, some were teal green, some were deep blue but most of the water was transparent, as if no dirt existed on the Qiang Lake's heavenly water.

Lian Ren closed his eyes and as he breathe, the fresh scent of the gentle breeze swept inside his nostrils, giving him relaxation and tranquility in his mind. The Qiang Lake indeed lives up to its reputation.... When Lian Ren stepped on the waters, he expected that he would shrink but surprisingly, his feet was actually stepping on the clear waters of the Qiang Lake, as if he was walking on a clear glass. The sky was blue and the clouds were white, it was as if there was no certain time in the Qiang Lake and the sun will never set, like a dimension.

But when Lian Ren glanced down at the clear waters of the Qiang Lake and saw his own reflection, he immediately took a step black to the grassy plains. His lips were slightly pursed and his cheeks was flushed red, he looked like he just put a huge amount of rouge on his face without knowing. Lian Ren immediately covered his face using his both hands and breathed heavily, trying to calm his expression as he cursed Shao Ling so many times on his mind. Shizun!!!!

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