180 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Jue Lan clapped his hands again, signaling everyone to stay calm: "There's no need to be nervous, everyone. Although the rules are as they are, the real test ultimately lies in one's personal strength. I'm telling you all this out of goodwill so you have a bit of foresight." Xuan Yuan Zheng then spoke: "Brother Qiu, may I ask how the next two rounds are conducted?" The murmurs around them quieted down a bit as Jue Lan continued: "The second phase is a multi-person arena, with groups of six where two remain and four leave. The third phase is a paired arena ranking, where every battle is a test of strength!" The rules indeed sounded fierce, yet they ignited a thrill within. This was their first major gathering upon joining their respective sects and bore no resemblance to the minor sparring within. Each of them was quite the prodigy within their own sect, possessing the skills to have made it to Bright Mirror Platform through the selection trials. Thus, knowing the event's structure from Jue Lan in advance didn't instill fear but increased their excitement. Nobody thought they would be eliminated in the first round. Some were even starting to calculate how to maximize their chances of winning based on the schedule rules. Jue Lan swiftly gained the goodwill of many. While everyone was engrossed in lively discussions, he suddenly turned the conversation to Ye Yan Ran, who was resting nearby: "Junior Sister Ye, we share the same sect and naturally have a closer bond. When the event begins and we enter the first secret realm, would you like to team up with me?" All eyes turned to Ye Yan Ran, who shook her head and calmly replied, "Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Qiu, but given such a great opportunity for training, I want to see how far I can go on my strength alone." "Very well," Jue Lan chuckled, "I'm looking forward to seeing you in the third round!" Xuan Yuan Mu, hearing this, commented with a playful expression, "He certainly is confident." It was as if he assumed he would undoubtedly be part of the third round arena matches. Though Jue Lan's invitation to Ye Yan Ran to team up failed, it sparked others' thoughts. With such a high elimination rate in the first phase, where exploring the secret realm involves inevitable battles for tokens before the time ends, teaming up with one or two others could significantly increase their chances of obtaining a token. Bi Lan found this approach prudent too, but as a disciple of the Cloud Temple, she figured nobody would want to team up with her. Looking around, her gaze finally rested on Yan Zhao. So far, this meeting’s friend had been the only one to treat her decently and exchanged a few words. Bi Lan thought for a moment and then mustered the courage to speak, "Fairy Nian." Yan Zhao turned back. Bi Lan asked cautiously, "After the event begins, would you be willing to team up with me to search for the token?" As she said this, her expectations weren't high. She had notoriously poor luck and terrible social ties, always getting rejected whenever she extended an invitation to someone. She was used to it by now. Given that she barely knew this fairy and her usually reserved demeanor, it was only natural if the other didn’t agree. Besides, she carried the identity of being a Cloud Temple disciple. And yet... The chances of rejection seemed higher. Bi Lan took a deep breath, feeling impulsive. She shouldn't have been so rash. Quietly bracing herself, she steeled her heart to withstand any refusal. As she awaited Yan Zhao's response, she prepared herself to go solo if necessary—it wouldn't be so bad. Just as this thought crossed her mind, Yan Zhao's answer rang in her ears: "Okay." "What?" Bi Lan froze, not processing the response. After a moment, she sought confirmation from Yan Zhao: "Fairy Nian, did you… agree?" Yan Zhao, confused by her need for double-checking, nodded: "Yes, I agreed." Bi Lan had an extraordinary compass, a truly effective tool for locating things—why wouldn't she agree? Chapter 194 "Sister Zuo, can I team up with you?" Wu Ying Ying gazed at Zuo Xun with her eyes filled with hope and anticipation. Zuo Xun was momentarily dazzled by the brightness of her eyes and paused briefly before Wu Ying Ying continued, "I'll behave and not cause you trouble. If we find the token, it will first go to Sister." She was there mainly to gain experience. Winning or passing stages wasn’t her priority. She was well aware of her capabilities, and the sect leader hadn't mentioned anything about bringing honor to the sect, so it wasn't really required. "..." Zuo Xun remained silent. Truthfully, she found teaming up to be quite a hassle. However, seeing Wu Ying Ying's pure gaze made rejecting her seem cruel. Caught between her thoughts, feeling torn, Zuo Xun eventually sighed, "Alright." Wu Ying Ying beamed with joy and suddenly reached out to grab Zuo Xun's arm. Startled, Zuo Xun wondered what she intended but then saw Wu Ying Ying lift her hand, extending her palm. Slap— Their hands met in a pact. "From now on, we're teammates!" Wu Ying Ying even jumped and twirled, her excitement and happiness evident. Zuo Xun, unmoved, averted her gaze, feeling a bit awkward. Was such a small thing really worth such excitement? She hid the hand that had clapped with Wu Ying Ying behind her, secretly clenching it. It was just a clap—there was no need for such force; her hand was even numb from it. Let's hope you really won't cause me trouble. At that moment, the teleportation array lit up again. With less than a day until the Celestial Sect disciples' gathering began, these were likely the last batch of disciples to arrive. All eyes simultaneously turned to the array. As the light faded, only one person remained from the group who guided the way until now. Ye Yan Ran's eyes lit up, and she hurried over, while Xuan Yuan Mu's stern face briefly brightened with a rare smile. Yet, he stood still, watching Ye Yan Ran reconnect with Chen Er. Chen Er could be quite boisterous, and she could easily imagine a scene of commotion. She preferred to keep things low-key and not draw too much attention. "Yan Ran!" Despite the bustling silhouettes on the floating island, Chen Er immediately spotted Ye Yan Ran walking towards her. Since her last retreat to Nian Qing Mountain to avoid trouble, they hadn't seen each other for over half a year. As they came face to face, Chen Er grabbed Ye Yan Ran's sleeve, expressing her sentimentality, "It's wonderful that you haven't forgotten me after all this time!" Ye Yan Ran: "..." With such a loud voice, her chatter drew the gaze of fellow contestants, placing Ye Yan Ran in the spotlight. She instantly realized why Xuan Yuan Mu hadn't accompanied her. Finding Chen Er’s theatrics slightly irritating, Ye Yan Ran played along, teasing, "Who are you? What’s your name? Do I know you?" Chen Er burst into laughter, "At least pretend for a bit." Amidst their playful banter, a sudden cheerful voice called out, "Miss Chen!" Chen Er turned to see a finely dressed young man approaching. Blinking quickly, she hesitated for a moment, desperately trying to remember his face. A few seconds passed, but nothing came to mind. Ye Yan Ran quietly prompted, "Jue Lan." Chen Er finally realized, seamlessly continuing, "Oh! It's Brother Qiu! You're here too?" Jue Lan approached them, glancing at Ye Yan Ran before focusing on Chen Er. "I’ve often heard about the close bond between Miss Ye and Miss Chen, and I longed to meet Miss Chen in person. However, I’ve been traveling extensively with little chance to encounter Miss Chen. What a pleasure it is today to witness your celestial presence, Miss Chen." This overly formal flattery put Chen Er at a loss, goosebumps forming on her arms. Though she usually enjoyed compliments, the insincerity of such words made her uncomfortable. Her expression shifting rapidly, she tried to maintain a smile, though her demeanor was evidently strained. Her mind faltered, and she casting several imploring looks toward Ye Yan Ran, hoping she’d step in. Ye Yan Ran hadn’t seen her like this before and found it amusing. Chen Er, waiting in vain for Ye Yan Ran to say something, prepared herself awkwardly, forcing a laugh, "Thanks for the kind words, Brother Qiu. It’s equally my honor.” "Pfft," Ye Yan Ran turned her face away. Chen Er's temples throbbed. She grabbed Ye Yan Ran's arm and pulled her aside, waving off the bewildered Jue Lan as they walked away: "Brother Qiu, I have some pressing matters to attend to. Let's chat another time. Goodbye!" Jue Lan was baffled. What pressing matters could she have on a floating island? Once she had pulled Ye Yan Ran to the side, Chen Er angrily accused her, "Why didn’t you help me out back there? Were you trying to make me look foolish on purpose?" Ye Yan Ran raised an eyebrow, unfazed: "Why should I help you out? Who are you to me? Why should your embarrassment matter to me?" Chen Er, with righteous indignation, retorted, "Aren't we friends? Friends should stand by each other through thick and thin, ready to face any danger! How could you just walk away?" Ye Yan Ran pursed her lips, casting a meaningful glance at Chen Er: "When did I ever agree that we were friends?" Chen Er was momentarily stumped. Upon reflection, it seemed she hadn't heard Ye Yan Ran explicitly say so. Wait a minute, but that can’t be right! If they weren't friends, then what were they? Would someone who's not a friend risk their life to rescue her from the clutches of corpse puppets? Help her with medicine and changing clothes? Escort her across miles back to Nian Qing Mountain to escape danger? "I don't care. As far as I'm concerned, you're my friend, whether you like it or not," Chen Er sniffed defiantly. "If you think you can shake me off, you're out of luck!" Ye Yan Ran lowered her gaze, a hint of sadness crossing her features. Chen Er's emotions flared up and dissipated quickly. Before long, she let go of the incident, assuming Ye Yan Ran was merely teasing. She turned to glance around at the disciples from other sects gathered for the event. Despite loving to make friends, at first glance, Chen Er saw surprisingly few familiar faces. "Has A-Mu arrived yet? Have you seen her?" Before Ye Yan Ran could respond, Chen Er suddenly spotted Bi Lan sitting cross-legged on the floating island. Chen Er immediately raised a finger, stopping Ye Yan Ran from answering: "Hey, hold on, let me guess first." Ye Yan Ran looked on, exasperated. Chen Er was impulsive by nature, and Ye Yan Ran had long since grown used to it, so she swallowed what she had been about to say. "Since Xiao Lan is over there..." Chen Er mumbled to herself, mentally visualizing a scenario. Starting from Bi Lan's position and extending in a straight line across the floating island, the longest radiating direction would be… Her lips curled up into a smile, and she snapped her fingers: "Found it." Ye Yan Ran was taken aback. Watching as Chen Er confidently strode towards a lesser-populated corner of the floating island, she called out: "A-Mu!" Xuan Yuan Mu: "..." Chen Er was so exuberant that she naturally drew a lot of attention as she moved. Her loud call only served to turn even more heads, with several people searching for the "A-Mu" she mentioned. Xuan Yuan Mu was speechless. Indeed, befriending Chen Er had been a mistake. Staying low-key was no longer an option. "What are you doing here!" Chen Er quickly reached Xuan Yuan Mu, complaining, "You didn’t even come to welcome me. With such indifference, you'll lose me!" Xuan Yuan Mu cleared his throat, maintaining a stern expression: "That’s okay, losing you wouldn't be a great loss." "You're all so heartless!" Chen Er was hopping mad. "How could you not cherish a beautiful, kind, and gentle woman like me? Don’t your consciences hurt?!"