The First Summoner - Chapter 44

Jiang Xianyue choked on her reply.

Trouble clouded her fair little face.

She sighed deeply.

“Becoming your friend is remarkably difficult.”

Several powerful auras suddenly drew near.

A subtle change flickered in Jiang Xianyue’s eyes.

The innocent sweetness vanished from her face in an instant.

She caught Shen Yan by the wrist, silently warning her not to act.

Shen Yan understood and nodded without changing expression.

Several figures soon appeared among the trees.

They were experts from some of the other kingdoms.

The moment they saw Shen Yan’s purple clothes, they prepared to seize her.

Jiang Xianyue stepped in front of Shen Yan, shielding her.

She regarded the experts with suspicion.

“Seniors, shouldn’t you be outside the forest? Why have you come in? Are you planning to help some contestant cheat?”

The experts froze when they recognized Jiang Xianyue.

Shen Yan turned, revealing her face.

Shen Yan?

Of course they knew her.

Her reputation had spread far and wide.

She was Shen Tianhao’s daughter, the elder sister of the top Summoner prodigy Shen Huai, and also…

Useless.

Their caution immediately eased.

No one could possibly believe Shen Yan had killed Elder Yu.

Her robe carried neither blood nor any sign of battle.

One thing remained strange.

How had a girl without spiritual power reached the depths of Lingyan Forest unharmed?

One expert stared at her.

“How did you get here?”

Jiang Xianyue folded her arms, pushed out her lips, and gave a soft huff.

“I brought Yanyan here. Is that a problem?”

Shen Yan looked sideways at her.

Jiang Xianyue appeared completely natural. Even her faint childish indignation made her seem endearing.

Small and adorable, she looked utterly harmless.

The experts had heard of her before the competition. They could also sense her cultivation at the ninth level of the Yellow-rank realm.

She certainly possessed the strength to reach this place.

But why would she bring a contestant from another kingdom?

She had not known Shen Yan before the competition. Worse, carrying someone as weak as Shen Yan was equivalent to dragging dead weight through the forest.

Another expert questioned her.

“Why did you bring her?”

Jiang Xianyue frowned as though the answer were obvious.

“We’re friends.”

Before the experts could respond, she began studying them with open suspicion.

“Why have all of you suddenly appeared here? Are you trying to interfere with the competition? I, Jiang Xianyue, am one of the favorites to win!”

Her diversion reminded the experts of Elder Yu’s death.

Their hearts sank.

They did not believe Shen Yan could have killed him.

After one last cold glance at her, they turned and continued the search.

Only after they were completely gone did Jiang Xianyue release a breath.

She looked back.

“They’ve left.”

Shen Yan met her eyes.

“Thank you. I will remember this favor.”

Jiang Xianyue smiled brightly.

“I don’t want a favor. I want to be your friend.”

Shen Yan gave a faint laugh.

“If fate allows it, we will become friends. If it doesn’t, forcing the matter will accomplish nothing.”

Her smile was like snow melting on an icy peak, though an aloof coolness still lingered about her.

Jiang Xianyue nearly stared in a daze.

When she recovered, she understood Shen Yan’s meaning.

Her expression cleared.

“I believe fate will favor us.”

What she truly thought was that if she wanted fate badly enough, she would force it into existence.

Shen Yan suddenly remembered something.

Her gaze turned unreadable.

“How did you know Elder Yu was dead?”

“I happened to run into my father about fifteen minutes ago. He is part of the search party, so he told me.”

Jiang Xianyue shrugged.

“The competition probably can’t continue. I never wanted to join the Qiutian Sect very much anyway. My father and the family elders forced me to participate because they wanted a connection to the sect.”

Her face brightened.

“This is better. Now I can enter the Western Region Academy like I’ve always wanted.”

“Western Region Academy?”

Jiang Xianyue immediately grew excited.

“Yes! Yanyan, you should go too. The greatest young geniuses from across the Pingze Western Region gather there. I’ve always wanted to see what someone stronger than me looks like.”

The name reminded Shen Yan of Shen Huai.

The original girl’s younger brother cultivated at the Western Region Academy. He had not returned home in nearly two years.

“If I have the opportunity, I will go.”

“I remember now. Your brother Shen Huai is a true genius. The academy recruited him early.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Xianyue continued eagerly.

“Besides the Western Region Academy, I also want to enter the greatest sect in the region—the Tianfang Sect. It possesses the strongest overall power in the west. I heard its young master is only eighteen, but he has already reached the second level of the Earth-rank realm. He’s practically the leader of our entire generation.”

Tianfang Sect?

Shen Yan had read about it.

It was the most powerful sect in the Pingze Western Region, with experts beyond counting.

Its sect master had reached the eighth level of the Heaven-rank realm. Almost no one in the western region could oppose him.

Shen Yan lowered her eyes.

Her most urgent task remained removing the poisonous seal from her Core Spirit Bone and beginning cultivation.

Then she could finish avenging the original girl.

Jiang Xianyue saw that tales of famous geniuses failed to interest her and stopped.

“Yanyan, let’s leave together.”

“All right.”

Shen Yan remained wary of her, though less than before.

She knew Jiang Xianyue was dangerous, so she kept her guard up.

They traveled together toward the outskirts of Lingyan Forest, encountering numerous spirit beasts and contestants along the way.

The competitors in the outer forest were still fighting over flags. None knew what had happened in the depths.

Until an official announcement was made, Shen Yan and Jiang Xianyue had no intention of spreading the news.

They waited in the outer forest.

The announcement came sooner than expected.

The competition was terminated early.

There would be no winner.

Elder Yu, who had overseen the event, had died inside Lingyan Forest.

Dozens of disciples had died at the same location.

Yet the Qiutian Sect announced a very different cause for Elder Yu’s death:

He had perished heroically while battling the Earth-rank Soul-Severing Spirit Vine to save the contestants.