The First Summoner - Chapter 36

“Of course,” the geniuses from the other kingdoms replied.

Shen Xue inclined her head with a gentle smile.

“Seventh Prince, rest assured. None of us would ever abandon an ally.”

“Xue’er is right,” Nangong Jin said.

Nangong Yu’s eyes darkened.

He resented Zhuge Weiran. All that honor and principle was nothing but posturing. Every man for himself—such was the law of heaven.

One after another, the group declared their agreement.

Only Nangong Yu remained silent.

When Zhuge Weiran and the others looked at him, his expression stiffened. He gave a reluctant nod.

“Naturally, I agree.”

Zhuge Weiran smiled.

“Now that everyone has agreed, we need a thorough plan and proper preparations before we act.”

Shen Xue looked up at him, a smile playing across her lips.

“Seventh Prince, do you have an idea?”

Seeing her smile so sweetly at Zhuge Weiran made Nangong Jin, Nangong Yu, and Lu Shaohuai jealous. Displeasure crossed all three faces.

High above them, Shen Yan remained hidden in the towering tree.

Dense leaves concealed her entire body, but every word of their conversation reached her ears.

Her expression was unreadable.

She slowly parted several leaves and studied the scene ahead.

There were eleven people in all.

Yet it was what stood beyond them that truly commanded attention.

A gigantic black vine rose nearly three meters high. Its branches tangled around one another and blanketed a vast stretch of ground. Countless flags hung from the black coils.

A fierce baleful aura rolled from it.

Shen Yan’s gaze shifted to the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine’s main trunk.

Instinct told her the Blood-Devouring Pearl was hidden inside it.

Her heart sank.

With her current strength, killing the vine and taking the pearl from its body would be nearly impossible.

Then Shen Yan looked at the flags scattered across its vines and remembered everything strange about the Qiutian Sect’s sudden decision to hold the competition in Lingyan Forest.

The answer was almost within reach.

Had the Qiutian Sect come for the Blood-Devouring Pearl?

The pearl was a treasure one might search an entire lifetime without finding.

Moreover, it was a Heaven-rank spiritual treasure—something even the greatest powers of the Pingze Western Region could not obtain.

The longer Shen Yan considered it, the tighter her brows drew together.

A suspicion took shape.

Perhaps the competition itself was a conspiracy.

The Soul-Severing Spirit Vine had to be enormously powerful. Elder Yu could not defeat it himself, so he had arranged the competition to drive the nine kingdoms’ geniuses against it in wave after wave, wearing it down through sheer numbers.

He meant to let others fight while he reaped the rewards.

Shen Yan’s eyes darkened.

Elder Yu might be watching from somewhere nearby.

She scanned the forest but found no one.

Just as she began to look away, she spotted the corner of a robe hanging from a massive tree roughly a hundred meters to the left.

Its fabric and design resembled the robes worn by Qiutian Sect disciples.

As expected, they were here.

Below, Zhuge Weiran laid out his plan.

“Ouyang Hong, Nangong Jin, Miss Shen, and I will hold its attention. The rest of you will collect the flags. Move as quickly as possible. After seven and a half minutes, everyone retreats, whatever the result.”

“All right.”

No one objected. The four taking the risk of restraining the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine also had the highest cultivation.

Nangong Jin turned to Shen Xue. He took her hand and smiled gently.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Nangong Yu’s and Lu Shaohuai’s expressions changed.

Lu Shaohuai immediately thrust a hand between them and broke Nangong Jin’s grip.

“Your Highness, propriety requires distance between men and women. Please do not take liberties with Xue’er.”

Nangong Jin’s hand hung in midair.

His gaze turned gloomy, as though Lu Shaohuai had gravely humiliated him.

“Xue’er and I return each other’s affection. How am I taking liberties with her?”

Nangong Yu joined in.

“Xue’er merely respects your status. She has no feelings for you.”

Nangong Jin’s face darkened.

He looked down at Shen Xue.

“Xue’er, say something!”

Shen Xue regarded the three men with a troubled expression and spoke in mild displeasure.

“Stop arguing. Carrying out the plan is what matters right now.”

Her answer was evasive and perfunctory, yet all three men obediently fell silent.

Zhuge Weiran and the others had no words.

The eleven contestants split into two teams.

One would attract the vine’s attention. The other would collect the flags.

Zhuge Weiran exchanged a look with his companions. They summoned their weapons and charged.

“Go!”

They crossed into the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine’s territory, treading directly on its smaller branches.

Zhuge Weiran’s eyes sharpened.

He drew his sword and shot forward. His long red hair streamed behind him as he swung the blade in a powerful arc.

“Severing Art—Fire Dragon Blade!”

A dragon of flame erupted from the sword wind and tore toward the vine’s main trunk.

Boom!

The attack exploded against its target.

Shen Xue slashed with her own sword. Her strike was not as powerful as Zhuge Weiran’s, but it still released a fierce wave of sword wind.

Zhuge Weiran, Shen Xue, Nangong Jin, and Ouyang Hong attacked almost simultaneously.

Amid the thunderous explosions, all four watched the vine’s response.

Their attacks did not even crack its defensive barrier.

Zhuge Weiran’s expression changed.

His heart plummeted.

Unwilling to accept it, he swung again.

The second attack accomplished nothing.

He immediately realized their meager strength could not shake the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine.

“Retreat!” he shouted without hesitation.

Nangong Jin’s face hardened.

He had yet to display his true strength. Why should he run?

Zhuge Weiran was only a minor prince of Chifeng Kingdom. What right did he have to give Nangong Jin orders?

Determined to oppose him, Nangong Jin shouted, “Attack with everything you have!”

Zhuge Weiran had already begun retreating. The command nearly made him cough blood in fury.

Shen Xue also intended to flee.

Then an elderly voice cried excitedly inside her mind.

“There is a Blood-Devouring Pearl here! A Blood-Devouring Pearl that may not appear even once in ten thousand years! Xue’er, you must obtain it! With that pearl, your Summoner bloodline can advance. You may even be able to summon the Seven Primordial Beasts! When that day comes, ruling the entire Guiyuan Continent will be within your grasp!”

Shen Xue stopped.

She looked toward the Soul-Severing Spirit Vine’s main body, fierce desire blazing in her eyes.

The Blood-Devouring Pearl?

She wanted it.

Shen Xue turned toward Zhuge Weiran, her expression firm.

“Seventh Prince, we cannot give up so easily. We’ve already come this far. How can we leave with nothing?”

“Xue’er is right!” Lu Shaohuai immediately shouted.

“She’s absolutely right,” Nangong Yu added. “Those flags will be ours!”

Nangong Jin thought the woman he loved was supporting him. His excitement surged.

“Attack with everything you have!”

Zhuge Weiran’s and Ouyang Hong’s expressions darkened instantly.

Hidden in the tree, Shen Yan could not stop the corner of her mouth from twitching.

Those three simps were each more hopeless than the last.