Waiting for Someone

The grating sound of chewing continued for nearly five minutes.

As the Spiny Hairless Ape's throat bobbed, every sound fell silent. Half-congealed, dark-red blood seeped from the corners of its mouth.

After finishing the corpse, the demon didn't attack Zhu Ping'an and the others. Instead, it kept staring at them, more like a warning.

"Let's go first."

Without a second word, Zhu Ping'an immediately retreated.

Just then, Ye Qingxian suddenly stopped him.

"Zhu Ping'an, wait!"

Ye Qingxian stared fixedly into the darkness behind the Spiny Hairless Ape.

"There seems to be something extraordinary behind that demon!"

"Are you sure?" Zhu Ping'an furrowed his brow.

"I don't know, but something really is calling to me from there!" Ye Qingxian never took his eyes off the spot.

"Let's go first. Even if we decide to deal with that thing, we can't just charge in like this. We're not the only people in this secret realm."

Zhu Ping'an didn't act rashly. For one thing, if they wore themselves out killing the demon, what if someone else swooped in and snatched the spoils right from under their noses?

For another, whatever was behind the demon was calling to Ye Qingxian. Zhu Ping'an hadn't sensed anything unusual. Who knew if it was an opportunity meant exclusively for Ye Qingxian, the protagonist?

It was like traveling to the world of Battle Through the Heavens and finding the Green Lotus Core Flame before Xiao Yan. So what? Would you really dare refine it?

Zhu Ping'an naturally wasn't willing to do something foolish and prepare the way for Ye Qingxian.

They had already traveled the path on their way in, so the group retreated swiftly, soon reaching a spot several hundred meters away.

At some point, the Spiny Hairless Ape had disappeared.

"Zhu Ping'an, trust me! There's definitely something good behind that demon!" Ye Qingxian said anxiously.

"No rush. The others in Secret Realm Number Thirteen will surely explore this area too. We'll wait until they arrive, then go in together. We don't know how strong that demon is, and there's strength in numbers," Zhu Ping'an said.

"That demon can't be strong. With demons' savage temperaments, if it were, it wouldn't have let us leave unharmed. It must not have been confident it could take us on! This chance won't come again. Let's go!" Ye Qingxian urged.

"Is that so? Since Brother Ye is sure that demon isn't strong, how about you lead the way while we cover your retreat? We'll work together to slay the demon. What do you say?" Zhu Ping'an asked with an amused smile.

"Well... I think we should wait for the others after all. You make a lot of sense! To be honest, if that demon really is so terrifying that we can't handle it, at least having more people would give it more targets to choose from."

Ye Qingxian gave an awkward chuckle. Him leading the way alone? As if! The sight of that demon chewing a person to a pulp was still fresh in his mind.

"Eh, Zhu Ping'an?"

They hadn't waited long when a red-haired young man sauntered over, carrying a huge saber. Two clear palm prints marked the blade.

"You are?" Zhu Ping'an thought the other man's red hair looked familiar, but couldn't remember where they had met.

"It's me! Yao Xu! At the College Entrance Examination, in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, you took half my Star Light. Remember?" Yao Xu said excitedly.

"Oh, right. I remember now." Zhu Ping'an nodded. No wonder Yao Xu had looked familiar.

"Idol! I finally got to see you! You were incredible that day! With a wave of your hand, countless shooting stars filled the sky, the earth split and mountains crumbled, and you even dared to take on that little runt! From that moment on, you became my idol!"

Yao Xu excitedly clasped Zhu Ping'an's hand. That day, he had been determined to stay and watch Zhu Ping'an and Mr. Cheng's excitement, but his Homeroom Teacher had knocked him out with a brick and carried him away. It was one of the great regrets of his life.

"You've heard my story?" Zhu Ping'an asked in surprise.

"No! But your face is practically covered in stories!"

Yao Xu's feelings toward Zhu Ping'an had changed completely: first he'd wanted to rob him, then he'd feared him, and now he worshiped him.

He had always liked breaking the rules and going against the grain. Zhu Ping'an had become the perfect role model for him.

"Heh. Yao Xu, you've really gone backward. You might as well get down on your knees, kowtow, and call him Dad."

A voice full of mockery rang out coolly.

As soon as the words fell, neither Yao Xu nor Zhu Ping'an reacted much, but Ye Qingxian's face darkened instantly.

He didn't know whether Yao Xu had ever done that, but he himself had really kowtowed to Zhu Ping'an and called him Dad. He even suspected this guy knew about his history with Zhu Ping'an and was deliberately taking a jab at him!

Ye Qingxian's gaze sharpened. Whoever this person was, he had just earned himself a death sentence!

A man with a flamboyant center part walked over at an unhurried pace, followed by more than a dozen martial artists.

The man looked haughty. A faint smile played across his handsome face, and his body radiated a surging aura of blood and qi. Clearly, he had only just broken through.

"Cai Kun! You've broken through to the First Order Late Stage?" Yao Xu's eyes widened.

"Just a stroke of luck."

Cai Kun's smile widened. He glanced at Zhu Ping'an, Ye Qingxian, and Leng Tianjiao, and saw that all three were still at the First Order Mid Stage. His smile became harder to suppress than an AK.

He had ranked fourth in Green City in the College Entrance Examination, and he'd been deeply dissatisfied with the result. Now that he'd broken through faster than the top three, how could he not be happy?

"Ah, it's those who laugh last who laugh best. Doing well on the College Entrance Examination doesn't mean you'll always stay ahead. Don't you agree?"

Cai Kun laughed heartily. On the surface, he seemed to be speaking to the people behind him, but he was really addressing Zhu Ping'an and the others.

"You're right, young master. You only did poorly in the College Entrance Examination because of bad luck. Who could have expected such a turn of events in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing? Otherwise, the top spot would surely have been yours."

"Exactly! One step ahead means staying ahead. Since young master was the first to reach the First Order Late Stage, he'll surely be the first to reach the Second Rank too!"

"May Young Master Cai enjoy flourishing martial fortunes and boundless good luck! We could never compare!"

The people behind him chimed in with flattery.

The Cai Family's influence in Green City was second only to the Leng Family's. As long as the Leng Family stayed out of the way, the Cai Family could say without hesitation, "I'm not singling anyone out. I mean everyone here is trash!"

"Cai Kun, quit acting tough. Your aura of blood and qi is so unstable—you only just broke through. What are you putting on airs for?" Yao Xu rolled his eyes in annoyance.

He wasn't going to put up with Cai Kun anymore. He was already a student at Xiongya Academy. If the Cai Family dared to touch him, they'd be making an enemy of Xiongya Academy. The Cai Family of Green City wasn't bold enough for that.

"I may have only just broken through, but I'm still at the First Order Late Stage. Want to see if the sword in my hand is sharp?" Cai Kun said coldly.

Clang!

Yao Xu slammed the saber in his hand against the ground, then lifted it with one hand and pointed its edge at Cai Kun.

"My blade is plenty sharp too!"