"Hmph!"
Nalan Yanran gave a heavy snort, like the north wind in the depths of winter, carrying a bone-piercing chill.
She did not immediately reach for the booklet Liu Ling offered. Instead, she fixed him with a cold, blade-sharp stare, as though she meant to gouge two holes into him with her eyes.
Even the air seemed to freeze beneath her gaze. Only after a long while did she impatiently thrust out her hand and snatch the booklet, muttering all the while, "All these tricks just to make things difficult for me. Do you really think I can't see through you?"
She quickly opened the booklet, her eyes scanning it eagerly. The more she read, the uglier her expression became.
At first glance, the rules of this so-called Imperial Capital Hunting Competition seemed clearly laid out. But a closer look revealed hidden schemes at every turn, all working against the Nalan Family.
The age restriction for contestants, for instance, fell precisely within an exceptionally cunning range, just as she had vaguely feared.
That restriction left the Nalan Family with pitifully few eligible contestants, while the other families could field several powerful young disciples. The disparity stretched before her like an immense chasm.
Then there were the competition grounds, the scoring rules, and everything else. Every detail had been tailored to give certain people an advantage.
Nalan Yanran knew perfectly well that this Hunting Tournament was no stage for fair competition. It was plainly a trap Liu Ling and his companions had painstakingly laid to achieve their secret aims, just waiting for her to jump in.
"Liu Ling, you really are devious! You've cooked up this Hunting Tournament under the pretense of deciding who gets the pills. Aren't you just using it as an excuse to deny me the pills and