The First Summoner - Chapter 31

More than a dozen Qiutian Sect disciples followed the gaunt elder.

They all looked young, yet every one of them had reached at least the Mystic-rank realm.

The elder faced the crowd.

“Everyone, this old man is Yu Maode of the Qiutian Sect. You may address me as Elder Yu.”

His voice carried clearly across the gathering.

“As you know, today is the day our sect holds its competition in Lingyan Forest. I am greatly pleased that the younger generation of all nine kingdoms has registered so enthusiastically.”

“The top three contestants will become inner disciples of the Qiutian Sect. Those who place within the top ten will also receive generous rewards.”

Excitement surged through the young cultivators, and discussion broke out across the crowd.

Elder Yu swept an unreadable gaze over the contestants.

Then his voice boomed.

“The competition will last three days. Flags have been planted throughout Lingyan Forest. The more flags you seize, the higher your ranking.”

His expression sharpened.

“I must warn you that accidents are common during competitions. If anyone encounters danger inside Lingyan Forest, the Qiutian Sect will bear no responsibility. Those who are afraid may withdraw now.”

Many expressions changed.

The implication was obvious.

Killing was permitted.

If someone died, the Qiutian Sect would accept no blame. Entering the forest was effectively signing a life-and-death pact.

Several contestants turned pale.

They had never participated in an event like this. If genuine danger arose, they did not believe they could survive it.

Lingyan Forest also concealed threats no one could predict.

Was the competition worth gambling their lives?

A young man timidly raised his hand.

“I withdraw.”

Once one person stepped forward, many others followed.

Nearly a thousand contestants dropped out in moments.

To everyone’s surprise, Shen Yan remained where she was.

Attention immediately converged on her.

“Has she lost her mind? Does she not know her own limits? She has no spiritual power at all, yet she still wants to compete?”

“I thought she had recovered her senses. Why does she look even more deranged now?”

“If Shen Yan quietly accepted being useless, I wouldn’t bother criticizing her. But she has no strength and no self-awareness. Of course people will curse her!”

“Will the Shen family truly do nothing?”

“Does she think she’s a genius like Shen Huai? She can’t even compare to Shen Xue!”

“How irritating. I hope she dies inside Lingyan Forest!”

Among the major powers of the nine kingdoms, the Shen family head heard every word.

His gaze darkened as it landed on Shen Yan.

The head of Nanxiao Kingdom’s Lu spirit-plant clan stroked his beard and teased, “Family Head Shen, why not call the girl back?”

The Shen family head’s face was cold.

“She has no connection to my family any longer.”

Family Head Lu was surprised.

He had assumed Shen Yan’s public break from the family was merely an angry outburst. He had not expected the Shen family head to confirm it.

Then he remembered Shen Tianhao.

Given the man’s devotion to his daughter…

Family Head Lu looked around. “Where is Tianhao? Why did he not come?”

If Shen Tianhao were present, he would never allow Shen Yan to risk her life.

The Shen family head had no intention of admitting that the Supreme Elder was restraining Shen Tianhao. He offered an excuse.

Family Head Lu did not believe him.

A middle-aged man standing nearby was also watching Shen Yan.

An obscure smile appeared on his lips.

“This is good. Very good…”

He wore luxurious brocade, and a blade scar marked one cheek.

This was Nangong Tingchen, a prince of Nanxiao Kingdom, the emperor’s younger brother, and Nangong Yu’s father.

Years ago, he and Shen Tianhao had arranged the engagement between their children.

The betrothal still stood.

Nangong Tingchen regretted it bitterly.

Who could have known Shen Tianhao’s daughter would turn out like this?

What terrible ill luck.

Shen Yan’s existence had made him the subject of endless private ridicule.

Her participation in this deadly competition suited him perfectly.

Nangong Tingchen looked toward his son.

Nangong Yu sensed his father’s gaze. The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood one another.

Nangong Yu smiled and inclined his head.

Then his gaze paused on Shen Yan. When he lowered his eyes, darkness concealed the viciousness within them.

After all these years, he would finally eliminate this good-for-nothing completely.

She had survived last time.

This time would be different.

He would cut off her head and all four limbs.

She could never return from that.

Madness deepened in Nangong Yu’s eyes.

Elder Yu had also noticed Shen Yan.

At first glance, it was difficult to imagine her as useless. She was beautiful, carried an indescribable presence, and possessed exceptionally sharp eyes.

There was even a trace of killing aura around her.

Elder Yu narrowed his eyes and examined her carefully.

She truly had no spiritual power.

Strange.

He had seen countless people. Someone with that invisible killing aura could not possibly be a good-for-nothing.

“Elder, everyone is waiting,” a Qiutian Sect disciple reminded him.

Elder Yu withdrew his gaze.

“Flags have been placed throughout Lingyan Forest. In the time it takes one incense stick to burn—roughly thirty minutes—the contestants may enter and the competition will formally begin.”

Someone asked, “Elder Yu, how many flags are there in total?”

His tone turned mysterious.

“You do not need to know. Remember only that the more flags you pull up, the higher you will rank.”

The answer increased the tension among the contestants.

Even after securing flags, no one could estimate whether their haul would be enough.

The renowned geniuses of the nine kingdoms stood near the front, spirited and confident.

The strongest contestant was Zhuge Weiran, Seventh Prince of Chifeng Kingdom, at the tenth level of the Yellow-rank realm.

Next was Jiang Xianyue, the seventeen-year-old eldest daughter of Xuanwu Kingdom’s artifact-refining clan.

She had reached the ninth level of the Yellow-rank realm. Petite and pretty, she wore her hair in twin braids. Long, curling lashes framed her eyes, while dark, fitted fighting clothes covered her small figure.

At the same level stood Ouyang Hong, Crown Prince of Lianhua Kingdom.

He was nineteen, dressed in gold, with long limbs and ordinary features. His eyes, however, were exceptionally keen.

Below them were Shen Xue, Nangong Jin, and the other leading talents at the eighth level of the Yellow-rank realm.

Shen Yan stood among the crowd, studying Elder Yu and the other Qiutian Sect disciples.

Her eyes narrowed.

She could not shake the sense that the sect wanted something else from Lingyan Forest.

A great sect recruiting across nine kingdoms would never offer only three places.

There was likely a trap.