Chapter 148: Two Fairies Protect Lin Qi’an, He Finally Drops the Act!
“Is the Saintess Liuli actually protecting Lin Qi’an?”
“Sigh… What should we do now?”
Witnessing this scene, the disciples of Beidou Divine Palace shook their heads and sighed in frustration, their spirits thoroughly dampened. They had hoped for Lin Liuli to stand out and shine.
After all, the points earned in these matches directly determined who could enter the forbidden grounds in the end.
By staying behind to guard Lin Qi’an, Lin Liuli essentially forfeited her chance to compete.
“That Lin Qi’an! If he’s not strong enough, he should just back out voluntarily instead of dragging the Saintess down with him!”
“Say no more. She’s his elder sister; naturally, she’s concerned for him.”
Meanwhile, the people of Tianjian City were equally dejected, as if they were mourning a great loss. Lin Qi’an and Lin Liuli were their pride, the very faces of their city. Now, both seemed to have lost their competitive edge, and the rounds ahead looked bleak.
—
Unaware that Lin Liuli was present, the forces of the Western Dynasty focused solely on driving ferocious beasts toward Lin Qi’an’s location.
Their strategy repeated in cycles, resulting in seven or eight powerful beasts being herded directly to where Lin Qi’an was healing.
The audience finally realized what was happening, and the disciples of Tianjian City erupted in anger.
“Western Divine Hall! Who would have thought your Divine Son would resort to such despicable tactics!”
“Driving beasts to harm the Young Master—what revolting methods!”
Outrage filled the air as they berated the Western Divine Hall.
However, the disciples of the Western Divine Hall sat unmoved, sneering.
“Despicable? Our Divine Son is just being kind, worried that your Young Master’s points are too low, so he sent beasts your way!”
“Hahaha, and now you’re blaming us? Shouldn’t you ask why your Young Master got injured in the first place?”
“This is hilarious. Weak and still full of complaints.”
Ran Yuwei almost stepped forward to defend Lin Qi’an, but Su Xueni held her back.
“No need to waste your breath. Just wait and watch His Highness perform,” she advised calmly.
—
The second to realize the situation was Ye Yun. Seeing an opportunity to exploit his deep-seated hatred for Lin Qi’an, he began driving beasts from another direction, pushing them toward Lin Qi’an’s location.
—
“Why are there so many beasts?” Lin Liuli was perplexed.
For now, she could handle them, but if the numbers kept increasing, she would eventually struggle. Not daring to leave Lin Qi’an’s side, she had no choice but to stay and fight.
Fortunately, the ordeal came with some silver linings, as she managed to slay several of the beasts.
“Stupid little brother, hurry up! At this rate, even the flowers will have withered!”
“Big sister, you’re a Daoist priestess. Can you stop talking so crudely?”
“And you still have the nerve to joke with me!”
Lin Qi’an decided that when Lin Liuli reached her limit, he would step in. He would not let her get hurt.
—
The beasts rampaged, their battle cries shaking the heavens and the earth.
“What’s going on? Why is there such a massive commotion?” Zhao Yunji noticed the unusual disturbance and rushed toward the center, determined to find the source.
By then, Lin Liuli was nearing her limit. She had pushed her Perfect Glazed Body to its extreme, her entire being glowing with a jade-white radiance. She unleashed her full arsenal of Daoist techniques and divine arts, her Daoist robes swirling and her dust-whisk dancing in the air.
The stunning Daoist nun stood alone, battling a horde of ferocious beasts.
The ground cracked, vegetation was trampled, and the battlefield was littered with corpses.
As powerful as she was, protecting Lin Qi’an while fighting the beasts was proving to be incredibly taxing. Just as she was about to reach her breaking point—
A deafening roar echoed as a bolt of purple lightning struck from the heavens, reducing a massive lion to a charred husk.
Through the crackling light stepped a woman in a dark gold gown, regal and poised. She held a slender sword and looked every bit like a celestial being.
“Zhao Yunji?” Lin Liuli immediately recognized her.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not here to help Lin Qi’an. I’m here to hunt beasts and earn points,” Zhao Yunji declared curtly.
Her classic tsundere attitude made Lin Qi’an inwardly roll his eyes.
Still, with Zhao Yunji’s arrival, they could hold out a bit longer. Her recent study of lightning techniques had sharpened her skills considerably, and bolts of lightning tore into the beasts, leaving them howling in pain.
—
Two of the top prodigies of the Canglan Dao Domain were now protecting Lin Qi’an.
This scene quickly stirred heated discussion among the spectators.
“Hahaha, the Young Master may not have much strength, but his luck with women is incredible!”
“Healing with not one but two fairies standing guard—what luxury!”
“Let’s hope the Princess doesn’t get dragged into this mess too!”
“Right? The beasts are clearly targeting Lin Qi’an on purpose!”
“This brat is taking forever to heal. It’s nerve-wracking to watch!”
Some clenched their toes anxiously, all hoping Lin Qi’an would recover quickly, lest he be devoured by the beasts.
—
Deep within the forest, the battle raged on.
Lin Xuan was killing beasts at an astonishing pace and even subdued the most powerful one, keeping it for the upcoming beast duels. With his massive lead in points, he was securely in the first place.
Noticing the chaos caused by the beast surge, he quickly made his way to the scene to hunt, only to discover Lin Qi’an surrounded by ferocious beasts.
“Why isn’t he moving? Could it be that he’s injured and unable to fight back?”
It immediately dawned on him that someone was intentionally herding the beasts toward Lin Qi’an. Despite being protected, the defenders were clearly nearing their limit.
Lin Qi’an, you have no one to blame but yourself for making so many enemies. When the wall crumbles, everyone will push it down. Let me add a bit more weight!
With a sly smirk, Lin Xuan disappeared into the depths of the forest. When he emerged again, he was leading a pack of ferocious beasts.
Now, three Destined Children were actively driving beasts toward Lin Qi’an, intent on his demise. Even a disciple of the Kui Dragon Clan’s female saint joined the effort, aiming to finish Lin Qi’an off.
From four directions, waves of beasts poured in relentlessly. Thunder Leopards, Eight-Eyed Demon Apes, Soul-Eating Snakes, Bone-Melting Ants…
Each of these creatures was infamous for wreaking havoc in their respective territories.
The weakest among them were at the Heaven Dominion Realm, and the strongest neared the pinnacle of the Celestial Realm, just shy of reaching Dao Transformation Realm.
While the truly overpowering beasts had been filtered out, the sheer number of beasts created a terrifying tide. It was enough to turn the tables and even hunt down the prodigies driving them.
—
“Damn it! These people are shameless, targeting the Young Master like this!”
“I can’t take it anymore! If this continues, the Young Master will be devoured by the beast tide!”
“Father, we can’t just stand by and watch Brother fall into danger! Do something!” Lin Hongyu anxiously shook her father’s arm.
Lin Weixuan, however, remained calm. “Your brother isn’t so foolish as to get himself killed during a beast hunt.”
On the sidelines, Lu Weishuang couldn’t bear to watch.
Having no children of her own, she had, in her heart, placed Lin Qi’an in the position of a son after recent events. Now, seeing him in peril, she clenched her fists instinctively.
“Master, are we just going to watch? I don’t want anything bad to happen to Brother Lin!”
Lu Weishuang sighed and shook her head. She couldn’t intervene—her position wouldn’t allow it.
Meanwhile, Kui Jinling wore a radiant smile.
“That brat’s finally getting what he deserves. He’s reckless and unrestrained; his death is nothing but karmic retribution. If someone saves him now, it’ll only make him a laughingstock. That’s even worse than dying!”
The young elites of Tianhai Dao Domain were filled with schadenfreude.
Without them lifting a finger, Lin Qi’an was already on the verge of being taken down by his own peers. The situation was almost comical.
—
In the forest, spiritual energy surged to the heavens as the two women fought bitterly to hold their ground.
Lightning roared, and divine arts dazzled. The surrounding area had been flattened, leaving a chaotic landscape of pits and craters.
But the two were nearing their limit.
Te Yun, Lin Xuan, and the others watched with smug satisfaction.
“Who would’ve thought, Lin Qi’an finally meets his match?”
—
At that moment, Lin Qi’an’s eyes snapped open, and he rose to his feet.
Seeing him awaken, Lin Liuli immediately shouted, “I thought you were asleep! Hurry up and find a way to escape—there are too many beasts!”
She was using her Dao arts to maintain a barrier that was already on the verge of breaking.
“Sister, Yunji, thank you for your efforts,” Lin Qi’an said calmly.
“Efforts? Don’t misunderstand! I’m not helping you—I’m just here to hunt beasts!” Zhao Yunji retorted, making her stance clear.
“Alright, leave the rest to me.”
“You… what are you planning?” Lin Liuli asked in alarm.
“A one-wave sweep,” he replied casually.
Insane!
Seeing Lin Qi’an prepare to leave the barrier, Lin Liuli was stunned. She thought he had lost his mind.
Earlier, she and Zhao Yunji had managed to hold their ground because the beasts were attacking in small groups, with no more than three or four at a time.
But now?
Outside, hundreds of beasts had gathered into a massive tide, a dark, seething swarm. If he stepped out now, he’d be overwhelmed and devoured in an instant. Was he courting death?
—
“Why isn’t Lin Qi’an escaping?”
“He struggles with a single beast, yet he thinks he can handle this?”
“Is he trying to play the hero? What an idiot!”
“Wait… I suddenly have a terrifying thought…”
A disciple of Tianjian City muttered hesitantly, “This round is about who can kill the most beasts. Do you think… the Young Master might’ve intentionally gotten injured to lure all the beasts here?”
The suggestion sent shockwaves through the crowd.
“No way, right?”
“Could the Young Master really handle this many beasts at once?”
“Why not? If it’s the Young Master, it’s possible!”
“Otherwise, why doesn’t he seem afraid at all?”
As the thought sank in, chills ran down their spines. The realization was unsettling.