Wei Zixuan stood up as well, raising both hands meekly. "Right, right."
Jing Yuanzheng turned around. "Since there are other people here, let's call a truce for today. We can work together to get through the demonic beast rampage first."
Yu Wanyao withdrew her gaze, her expression cold, and said nothing more.
Seeing that the two had stopped arguing, Xu Jintang tactfully stepped forward. "Shall we head into the cave, then?"
"All right." Jing Yuanzheng nodded with a gentle smile.
Yu Wanyao glanced at Xu Jintang. "What tier is your mental power?"
Xu Jintang answered truthfully, "First tier."
"Only first tier?" Yu Wanyao frowned, seemingly about to say something, but after looking Xu Jintang over again, she closed her mouth and turned to enter the cave. "Come in."
Jing Yuanzheng came up beside Xu Jintang and reassured her, "She's all bark and no bite. Don't take it to heart. Come with us. There's safety in numbers."
Xu Jintang smiled and nodded. "Okay."
She guessed that the girl was Yu Wanyao, who currently held first place on the Joint Examination Red Ranking.
She could tell that Yu Wanyao had seemed a little disdainful of her being only first tier.
But perhaps out of sympathy, she hadn't driven her away. She really was cold on the outside but warm at heart.
Xu Jintang turned and beckoned to Wei Zixuan. "Come on."
As they entered the cave, Xu Jintang asked quietly, "Was that girl Yu Wanyao?"
Jing Yuanzheng turned to look at her. "Yes."
A hint of nosiness surfaced in Xu Jintang's eyes. "She seemed to have quite a few complaints about you just now."
Jing Yuanzheng sighed softly. "I don't understand what's gotten into her either. We've always been classmates, and we used to get along pretty well. But since last year, she seems to find fault with everything I do. I've apologized and admitted I was wrong, but she's still like this."
Wei Zixuan caught the scent of gossip too and hurriedly craned his neck. "Brother Jing, did you do something to wrong her?"
"I..." Jing Yuanzheng's smile grew a little helpless. "It would be better if I really had wronged her. At least I'd know how to make it up to her. But I've always treated her pretty well."
Xu Jintang rubbed her chin. "Based on my many years of life experience..."
Both Jing Yuanzheng and Wei Zixuan turned their gazes toward her.
Xu Jintang ventured, "Could she
have a crush on
you?"
Both of them fell silent at those words.
Jing Yuanzheng's delicate face instantly turned scarlet. "You can't just say things like that! We're still students. How can we talk about this sort of thing?"
His ears burned red, and he was utterly flustered. He quickly turned around and hurried deeper into the cave.
Xu Jintang studied his retreating figure teasingly. "Teenage boys are so innocent."
"Sis, do you think those two really have feelings for each other?" Wei Zixuan rubbed his chin too, joining in the gossip.
"You'd have to ask them." Xu Jintang's lips curved into a smile, and she turned to continue walking inside.
The cave was spacious enough to accommodate all three of their groups.
Everyone spread out to different spots, while Jing Yuanzheng stood in the center and began planning their response to the demonic beast rampage. "There are six people in our group, eight in yours, A-Yao, plus these two students who just arrived. That makes sixteen of us. Together, we're sure to be able to handle this wave of rampaging demonic beasts."
"Oh, right." Something occurred to Jing Yuanzheng, and he looked toward Xu Jintang. "What should we call you two?"
Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan exchanged a glance.
Just as before, they each gave their assumed names.
"Xu Lanxing."
"Wang Tieniu."
Yu Wanyao burst out laughing. "Wang Tieniu? What a funny name."
Jing Yuanzheng coughed softly and steered the conversation back on track. "All right. The announcement mentioned that points would be doubled during the demonic beast rampage. The sixteen of us can split into four groups of four and take turns guarding the cave. That way, everyone will have a chance to kill demonic beasts and earn points."
"If there are too many demonic beasts for one group to hold off, the other groups will pitch in. In short, safety comes first. We can earn points anytime, but if we're eliminated, our joint examination ends here."
Xu Jintang immediately raised her hand in support. "Exactly."
Wei Zixuan nodded along. "We'll follow your lead, Brother Jing!"
Jing Yuanzheng's smile deepened. "Good. As for the groups, Yu Wanyao and I will team up with Tieniu and Jintang. The siblings are relatively weak, so Yu Wanyao and I will take them with us to balance things out."
No one else objected.
At a critical time like this, no one wanted to carry dead weight. Since Jing Yuanzheng had volunteered, they naturally had no objections.
Yu Wanyao gave Jing Yuanzheng an exasperated glare. "Did I say I wanted to be in your group?"
Jing Yuanzheng explained patiently, "Lanxing and Tieniu are a little weaker, so we should help them out."
"For their sake, I'll put up with it." Yu Wanyao snorted coldly, then went to the other side of the cave and sat down to rest.
Xu Jintang watched them bicker with a doting smile.
This arrangement suited her perfectly.
She had no other intentions. She just wanted to bask in the sour stink of romance.
"In ten seconds, the demonic beast rampage siege phase will officially begin..."
"Ten, nine, eight..."
The countdown announcement sounded, and the seconds ticked by.
Jing Yuanzheng and Yu Wanyao, who had just been bickering, immediately grew serious.
Xu Jintang's smile faded as well, and she looked outside the cave with a grave expression.
"Three, two, one."
The instant the announcement ended, an immense surge of energy seemed to descend from the sky, enveloping the entire forest.
Then came tremors that shook the earth and mountains.
Countless roars of wild beasts and cries of birds rang out in succession.
Howling winds swept in from outside the cave, making their hearts tremble.
Xu Jintang volunteered, "Our group should take the first watch."
Jing Yuanzheng and Wei Zixuan both replied, "All right."
Yu Wanyao brushed the dust off her clothes and stood up. "Didn't they say points would be doubled during the demonic beast rampage? Jing Yuanzheng, let's compete and see who can stay in first place when this wave ends!"
"A-Yao." Jing Yuanzheng sounded somewhat helpless. "If you really want first place, I can stay out of your way. But we're not the only examinees. Other people certainly want first place too. That Xu Jintang has been climbing the rankings very quickly these past two days. Her strength must be something."
Yu Wanyao's expression instantly turned cold. "That Xu Jintang had better not let me catch her! Otherwise, I'll beat her up every time I see her!"
Xu Jintang: "?"
Wei Zixuan stumbled too and hurriedly reached out to brace himself against the stone wall.
He swallowed. "Sister Wanyao, what did Xu Jintang do to you? Why would you beat her up every time you see her?"
Yu Wanyao sneered. "Haven't you heard? Instead of sleeping at night, Xu Jintang goes around stealing other people's points. She actually has the nerve to accept fifth place after getting there through scams and trickery."
Xu Jintang: ?
When had I stayed up in the middle of the night stealing other people's points??
Something else occurred to Yu Wanyao, and she added coldly, "Right, and there's that Wei Zixuan too. They seem to be working together. I'll beat both of them up every time I see them."
Chapter 31
Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan remained silent for quite a while.
Finally, Jing Yuanzheng interrupted their conversation. "All right, we need to hurry to the entrance. We can't give the demonic beasts a chance to get in."
Only then did they end the conversation and head outside.
At that moment, the demonic beasts that had been hiding deep in the forest all went berserk and charged out.
Many of the demonic beasts had red-glowing eyes. A single swipe of their claws against the ground sent countless fallen leaves and clouds of dust flying. They were more savage than usual.
Xu Jintang had just reached the cave entrance when several panicked shouts came from outside. "Why are there so many demonic beasts?! Stop fighting! There's no way the few of us can hold them off. Run!"
As soon as those words fell, several figures came racing toward the cave.
Panic filled their faces.
"There's a cave over there! Let's go!"
In the blink of an eye, the fleeing group reached the cave, bringing a large pack of demonic beasts behind them.
Xu Jintang frowned slightly and immediately activated her ability.
The power of her domain rapidly spread outward, and its slowing effect took hold at once, stopping the rampaging demonic beasts pursuing them.
"You four, we're all fellow students. Let's set aside the competition at a time like this. Could you let us take shelter in this cave for a while? We'll leave as soon as the demonic beast rampage ends," the man in the lead said, cupping his fist.
Jing Yuanzheng stepped forward and summoned his ability with a wave of his hand.
A worn scroll slowly appeared before him, supported by a stream of water that flowed gently through the air.
"Get inside first. We'll all hunt the demonic beasts outside together!"
Xu Jintang gave the scroll before Jing Yuanzheng a curious look.
This was probably his ability, the Heavenly Remnant Kan Water Diagram.
Every time he used it, he could forcibly pull enemies into the diagram to fight.
"Lanxing, Tieniu, don't push too far ahead. Stay safe," Jing Yuanzheng reminded them over his shoulder before turning and charging out of the cave.
"Heaven and earth, shift! Absorb!" As Jing Yuanzheng finished the incantation, the Heavenly Remnant Kan Water Diagram before him erupted with white light. A powerful suction instantly followed, dragging all the dozens of demonic beasts before him into the scroll.
"Sis, Jing Yuanzheng really is impressive," Wei Zixuan marveled quietly beside her ear.
Xu Jintang withdrew her gaze. "All right, we can't slack off either."
With that, her eyes sharpened slightly, and she immediately raised her hand to expand the range of Domain Slow.
Every single one of the demonic beasts, which had been charging fiercely, stalled for an instant, like an action movie playing in slow motion.
Yu Wanyao, who was guarding the front line, glanced back at Xu Jintang. Without a word, she swiftly coordinated with her slowing ability and charged into the pack.