Waiting for Someone

The grating sound of chewing lasted nearly five minutes.

As the Spiny Hairless Ape's throat rolled, all noise fell silent, half-congealed dark red blood seeping from the corners of its mouth. After devouring the corpse, this Demon didn't attack Zhu Ping'an and the others, merely watching them—more like a warning.

"Let's go." Zhu Ping'an said nothing more, retreating directly backward.

But then Ye Qingxian suddenly blocked him. "Zhu Ping'an, wait!"

Ye Qingxian stared fixedly behind the Spiny Hairless Ape, where darkness reigned. "Behind that Demon, there seems to be something extraordinary!"

"Are you sure?" Zhu Ping'an frowned.

"I don't know, but something there is calling to me!" Ye Qingxian's gaze didn't waver an inch.

"Let's go first. Even if we want to deal with this thing, we can't just charge in recklessly. This Secret Realm isn't just us." Zhu Ping'an didn't act impulsively. For one, if they exhausted themselves killing this Demon, what if someone else pulled a "mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind"? For another, the thing behind the Demon was summoning Ye Qingxian—he hadn't sensed anything unusual himself. Who knew if it wasn't some exclusive opportunity for Ye Qingxian, the male lead? It's like transmigrating into the Dou Po world and finding the Green Lotus Core Flame before Xiao Yan—would you really dare to refine it? Zhu Ping'an had no desire to do the foolish work of making a wedding dress for Ye Qingxian.

They had already traveled the path back once, and the group retreated swiftly, soon reaching several hundred meters away. The Spiny Hairless Ape had vanished at some point.

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

"No rush. Others in Secret Realm Number Thirteen will surely explore this way too. We'll wait until they all arrive before entering together. That Demon's strength is unknown—many hands make light work." Zhu Ping'an replied.

"That Demon can't be that strong! If it were, with its brutal nature, it wouldn't have let us leave safely. It must not be confident it can take us! Opportunity knocks but once—let's go!" Ye Qingxian urged.

"Oh? Since Brother Ye is certain that Demon isn't strong, how about this: Brother Ye takes the lead, and we'll cover your rear. We'll work together to slay the Demon—what do you say?" Zhu Ping'an said with a faint, mocking smile.

"Well... I think waiting for the others is better. I suddenly find your reasoning very sound! To put it bluntly, if that Demon's strength really is terrifying beyond our means, having more people at least spreads the target." Ye Qingxian gave an awkward laugh. Him taking the lead? No way—the image of that Demon chewing a person into pulp was still fresh in his mind.

"Hey, Zhu Ping'an?" Not long after they waited, a red-haired youth carrying a large blade sauntered over lazily. The blade bore two clear palm prints.

"You are?" Zhu Ping'an felt the red hair looked familiar, but couldn't recall where they'd met.

"Me! Yao Xu! Remember? During the College Entrance Examination in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, you snatched half my Star Light!" Yao Xu said excitedly.

"Oh, I remember." Zhu Ping'an nodded. No wonder Yao Xu seemed familiar.

"Idol! Finally meeting you! That day you were so cool! With a wave of your hand, thousands of meteors flew, earth split and mountains crumbled—you even dared to go at that Shorty! From then on, I've made you my idol, Yao Xu!" Yao Xu grabbed Zhu Ping'an's hand excitedly. That day, he'd stubbornly wanted to stay and watch the drama between Zhu Ping'an and Mr. Cheng, but his Homeroom Teacher knocked him out with a brick and carried him off—a lifelong regret.

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

"No! But your face is written with stories!" From wanting to rob Zhu Ping'an, to fearing him, to worshipping him—Yao Xu's heart had undergone a earth-shattering transformation. He was naturally rebellious and unconventional, and Zhu Ping'an had set a perfect example for him.

"Heh, Yao Xu, you're really regressing. Why not just kneel and call him 'Dad'?" A voice tinged with mockery rang out faintly.

As the words fell, Yao Xu and Zhu Ping'an had no reaction, but Ye Qingxian's face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot. He didn't know if Yao Xu had done that, but he himself had actually knelt and called Zhu Ping'an "Dad." He even suspected this guy knew about his and Zhu Ping'an's affair and was deliberately taking a dig at him! Ye Qingxian's gaze sharpened—whoever this person was, he had already earned a death sentence!

A man with a flamboyant middle part strolled over, followed by over a dozen martial artists. The man wore a haughty expression, a faint smile on his handsome face, and exuded a surging blood energy fluctuation—clearly having just broken through not long ago.

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

"Just luck." Cai Kun's lips curled higher. He swept a glance at Zhu Ping'an, Ye Qingxian, and Leng Tianjiao, and when he saw they were still at First Order Mid Stage, his grin was harder to suppress than an AK. He had ranked fourth in Green City's College Entrance Examination, a result he found deeply unsatisfying. Now, seeing himself break through faster than the top three, how could he not be delighted?

"Ah, he who laughs last laughs best. Doing well on the exam doesn't mean you'll always lead—don't you think?" Cai Kun laughed heartily, seemingly speaking to those behind him, but clearly aimed at Zhu Ping'an and the others.

"The young master is right. He just had bad luck on the exam—who could have predicted that upheaval in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing? Otherwise, the top spot would surely have been his." "Exactly, exactly. One step ahead, always ahead. The young master broke through to First Order Late Stage first, so he'll surely break through to Second Rank first too!"

"Young Master Cai's martial fortune soars and his heavenly blessings abound—we cannot compare!"

The people behind him all chimed in with flattery.

In Green City, the Cai Family's influence was second only to the Leng Family. As long as the Leng Family stood firm, the Cai Family could brazenly declare: I'm not singling anyone out, but I'm saying everyone here is trash.

"Cai Kun, quit putting on airs. Your qi and blood fluctuations are so unstable—you clearly just broke through not long ago. What are you pretending for?" Yao Xu rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction.

He wasn't about to indulge Cai Kun anymore. After all, he was already a student of Xiongya Academy. If the Cai Family dared to touch him, that would mean making an enemy of Xiongya Academy. A mere Green City Cai Family didn't have that kind of nerve.

"Just broke through not long ago, but I'm still at the late first stage. Do you want to taste whether the sword in my hand is sharp?" Cai Kun said coldly.

Clang!

Yao Kun slammed his greatsword into the ground, then lifted it with one hand, the blade pointing straight at Cai Kun.

"My blade is not dull either!"