Chapter 718

The Qi-Eroding Heart-Refining Gu is a new breed I created by hybridizing the Qi-Eroding Golden Silkworm and the Yin-Yang Conjoined Heart Gu. It combines the functions of both, slowly corroding the host's True Qi and also sensing another Gu worm to indicate direction. So all I need to do is follow behind and wait for the toxins in your body to take effect."

Liu Qingqing nodded and said, "I see, a simple and effective plan."

"Of course, in this kind of impromptu competition, there's no intelligence gathering phase, and no extra preparation time. There's simply no time for complex strategies; you have to go for the simplest approach. Judging from the results, the effect wasn't bad."

Yu Shuying stretched out her hand, and a faint sweet smell emanated from her palm. Soon, a buzzing sound came from all directions, and countless insects that looked like wasps gathered above her palm, forming a black swarm like a dark cloud.

"Alright, if you have any other tricks up your sleeve, please use them as soon as possible. If not, please admit defeat. I'm sure you don't like the feeling of being stung all over by thousands of wasps."

After all, the other person was one of her few friends, so Yu Shuying didn't use an aggressive tone.

Liu Qingqing nodded and said to those behind her, "Hongdou, I'm counting on you from now on."

"Qingqing, don't worry about leaving her to me."

A massive palm strike, like a wall, crashed down, hitting the swarm of bees and causing them to fall off like dandruff. Clearly, it was Hongdou who had made the move.

Yu Shuying instantly understood this fact, and thus abandoned the idea of using the Vermilion Bird Profound Armor as a trump card, letting Liu Qingqing leave—even with the help of the Profound Armor, she was no match for Hongdou.

"It seems that Liu Qingqing helped you escape the Sun-Moon Bizarre Transformation Formation in the previous area?" Yu Shuying asked Hongdou.

"Yes, Xiao Ying helped me too, so I can't watch you two fight. Let's all be happy, not hurt each other, and head to the finish line together, okay?"

"There's no 'together' option. Only one of us can win, even if we reach the finish line together..." Yu Shuying was puzzled at first, then realized what she meant, "Don't you know what the fourth checkpoint test is about?"

Hongdou blinked, puzzled, and asked, "Was there a test at the fourth checkpoint? The person in charge just waved me off, saying I didn't need to worry about it, and then I got the fourth stamp."

Yu Shuying immediately understood the key point and said with a wry smile, "Two people were eliminated, leaving seven people. Only three pairs can be formed, so you, who came in last, automatically advanced and didn't need to take any tests... This is truly enviable good luck."

Next, Hongdou learned about the test at the fourth checkpoint from Yu Shuying and exclaimed in surprise, "Eh? Oh, is that how it is? Does that mean I've done something wrong? What should I do now? Should Xiao Ying chase after them?"

Yu Shuying was in no mood to correct the other person's form of address at this point. She said weakly, "Without the Qi-Eroding Heart-Refining Gu, I'm not confident I can find Liu Qingqing's location. And once I catch up with her, I'll have to fight her again. Who will you help then?"

Hongdou looked troubled. "I... I don't know..."

He immediately huffed and puffed, "Which malicious person came up with this kind of competition method? I'm going to give them a good beating!"

At the same moment, Yu Shuying also figured out the whole story. If Hongdou knew the content of the fourth checkpoint test, she might have chosen not to help either side because she was caught in the middle. If Liu Qingqing knew that Hongdou had accepted her help and didn't want to put her friend in a difficult position, she most likely wouldn't have asked for help. Unfortunately, neither of them knew, and in the end, she suffered the loss without even being able to complain.

"What a misfortune!"

Yu Shuying sighed, put her hands behind her back, squatted down on the ground, and said dejectedly, "Narrator-kun, I give up."

"Confirm your abstention?" the Narrator-kun asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"Yes."

"Hey, Xiao Ying, are you going to forfeit?" Hongdou asked in surprise.

"Wouldn't it be difficult for you if I didn't abstain?" Yu Shuying smiled, then changed her words, "I'm sorry, it sounds like I'm putting all the blame on you. Actually, I knew from the beginning that I was likely to fail, but I was just a little unwilling to accept it and wanted to put up a little resistance, but it turned out to be all in vain."

"No way! While the result is important, I think the process is also indispensable. Otherwise, you lose a lot of the fun. If someone told me that I could just visualize the picture in my mind and then print the whole painting without having to do it myself, I definitely wouldn't like painting. Nothing is destined to succeed from the beginning. I've also had many experiences of accidentally smudged my paintings, but as long as my hands can still move, I can keep painting."

"... You're just a Hongdou, yet you can say such comforting things. I'm very impressed with you."

"Hehehe... Eh? Xiao Ying, are you insulting me with that?" Hongdou sensed something was off.

Normally so reserved, yet inexplicably so sensitive, Yu Shuying firmly asserted, "No, it's a compliment."

"Oh, then I'll accept the compliment." Hongdou was easily fooled.

"You'd better hurry up and set off. You've collected four seals; you're now qualified to win."

"But if I start chasing now, it'll be too late. Qingqing is definitely faster than me."

"Duh, remember what the Narrator-kun said at the beginning: 'No matter what method you use, collecting all four stamps and reaching the finish line is the key to winning.' So it has nothing to do with your ranking at the finish line. Even if you're the last one to arrive, you still win."

Hongdou exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, there was that too! I didn't even notice. Xiao Ying, you're so observant!"

"The ability to gather and analyze intelligence is the most basic requirement for becoming a wise person; the ability to reason and strategize is secondary. That woman named Si Jingyu probably realized this as well, but she will likely choose to conceal the information, just like me."

"Yeah, you all love keeping things a secret."

As Hongdou spoke, she found a clean rock and sat down to rest.

Yu Shuying said anxiously, "Hey, I've already told you, as long as you reach the finish line, you'll win. What are you staying for? With your cultivation level, just focus on charging forward and don't worry about anything else. No one can stop you."

"No need, I've thought it through. Since I'm the one who caused Xiao Ying to lose her chance to win, I have to accept the same punishment. I'm staying here with you." Without waiting for a response, Hongdou grinned and said to the air, "Narrator-kun, I'm forfeiting too."

"Received." The elusive Narrator-kun made a gesture of understanding.

"You really are..."

Yu Shuying felt a warm sensation strike a part of her soul, softening her usually sharp gaze.

"What is it? What is it?" Hongdou leaned forward, urging impatiently, like a puppy waiting for its owner's praise.

"He's an absolute idiot."

"Wait a minute, that's not what Xiao Ying originally wanted to say."

"No, that's exactly what I meant to say."

"Xiao Ying is mischievous. There's a saying that goes, if you share your happiness with a friend, you'll receive double the happiness, but if you confide your sorrows to a friend, you'll..."

Yu Shuying continued, "We'll both receive two portions of sorrow. Originally, only I was disqualified, but now there are two of us. See, that's double the number."

Hongdou's eyes widened, as if she had heard a cruel truth. She vaguely felt that something was wrong, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Finally, she simply stopped thinking about it and rushed towards Yu Shuying, hugging her to her chest and saying playfully, "I don't care, I'm going to make all my worries fly away, until they're gone."