Chapter 32

Xu Jintang swept her icy gaze over him. "I don't know about anyone else, but you? Once this beast tide ends, I'll make sure you're the first one kicked out of the joint examination."

Her eyes were sharp as swords as she stared straight at him, her voice loud and firm, every word carrying an edge.

Yang Tuo inexplicably felt a guilty pang, as though she had seen right through him.

Once he recovered, he forced out a sneer to save face. "Fine. I'll be waiting!"

Jing Yuanzheng helplessly tried to smooth things over. "Then how about this? I'll take watch with Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan. With me there, even if they have any ideas, I'll stop them immediately. You can all rest easy."

Yu Wanyao frowned beside him and immediately stood up. "I'm coming too."

Chapter 32

Xu Jintang and the other three arrived at the cave entrance. Outside, the moonlight was beautiful, and stars twinkled in the night sky.

Jing Yuanzheng gathered some branches and wood nearby and brought them back. "We can build a small fire to keep warm so we won't get too cold later tonight."

Wei Zixuan quickly stood up to help. "Leave it to me. Starting fires is my specialty."

Before long, the two boys had the fire going.

The warm firelight fell across Xu Jintang's profile, casting a faint golden glow.

Yu Wanyao studied her. "Why did you two deceive us with fake names? What exactly were you after?"

Xu Jintang silently added a handful of branches to the fire.

Before she could speak, Wei Zixuan rushed to explain, "We really weren't deliberately trying to deceive anyone with fake names. Jintang and I are only first-tier ability users. We don't even know how we ended up on the Joint Examination Red Ranking. We were worried about attracting too much attention and didn't want people targeting us, so we used fake names."

"He has a point. This year's examinees are very strong overall, and there are quite a few second-tier ability users. It's understandable that they wanted to keep a low profile." Jing Yuanzheng nodded in agreement.

Yu Wanyao's brow furrowed even more. "Then why is everyone out there saying you two stole other examinees' points in the middle of the night?"

Only then did Xu Jintang speak. "That time the rankings changed in the middle of the night, a friend I hadn't known for long said he wanted to team up with us. But that night, while everyone was distracted, he stole everyone's points. When I found out, I robbed him right back. That's all."

"That simple?" Yu Wanyao stared at her, carefully watching for changes in her expression.

Xu Jintang met her gaze frankly. "That simple."

Whether they believed her or not, Yu Wanyao and Jing Yuanzheng never brought it up again afterward.

Later that night, everyone inside the cave gradually fell asleep.

Xu Jintang silently added wood and branches to the fire, and the weak flames flared up again.

After they kept watch a while longer, the next group came out of the cave to relieve them. "We'll take over. Go back and rest."

Xu Jintang woke Wei Zixuan and the other two, then stood up first and returned to the cave.

That night, the demonic beasts barely stirred.

Everything remained peaceful until dawn the next day.

"The demonic beast rampage has ended. Congratulations to the examinees on surviving."

The broadcast rang out, reaching every area.

Xu Jintang woke to the noise. Rubbing her brow, she opened her eyes and looked outside the cave.

"Great! The demonic beast rampage is over!" The people guarding the entrance shouted excitedly.

The others were soon woken by the noise as well.

Jing Yuanzheng stood and brushed the dust off his clothes. "The demonic beast rampage is over. Everyone can decide for themselves whether to stay or leave."

Yang Tuo immediately stood up and cast a cold glance at Xu Jintang. "Then I'll be going."

With that, he hurriedly turned and headed out of the cave.

Wei Zixuan cursed angrily. "He sure is quick to run."

"He won't get far." Xu Jintang withdrew her gaze and turned to bid Jing Yuanzheng and Yu Wanyao farewell. "We won't stay either. See you again if fate allows."

With that, she turned and walked out of the cave with Wei Zixuan.

Yu Wanyao stared after them. "They aren't going after Yang Tuo, are they?"

Standing beside her, Jing Yuanzheng said quietly, "If what those two siblings said last night was true, then Yang Tuo really does deserve to be eliminated."

A few dozen meters from the cave, Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan finally intercepted the fleeing Yang Tuo.

"What are you doing?! I already showed you mercy by not attacking you yesterday, and you actually dared to follow me!" Forced to stop, Yang Tuo quickly summoned his ability's greataxe and took a defensive stance.

Wei Zixuan was all smiles. "The two of us are such weaklings that we couldn't beat you even together. What are you running for?"

Xu Jintang blocked the other side, flexing her wrists.

Caught between them, Yang Tuo clenched his fists. "What's so great about fighting two against one?! Fight me one-on-one if you have the guts!"

Xu Jintang looked up with a smile. "Neither of us is some honorable gentleman. We like fighting two against one."

As her words fell, the smile gradually faded from her face.

In an instant, immense mental power erupted from her body.

She raised her arm and activated her ruby sleeve crossbow, firing a flame-wrapped bolt at Yang Tuo.

Yang Tuo hurriedly raised his greataxe to block it.

But a moment later, Xu Jintang appeared before him with astonishing speed.

Her lips curved slightly as she clenched her fist and drove it into his abdomen.

Powerful fluctuations spread from her fist.

Pain instantly twisted Yang Tuo's face, and his body flew backward like a cannonball.

Wei Zixuan quickly summoned his stone gate.

But his luck was worse than before. This time, he only summoned a first-tier demonic beast, a Dark Crawling Ant.

"Dark Crawling Ant, gnaw!" Wei Zixuan immediately ordered it to attack.

Although it was only a first-tier demonic beast, it still had some offensive power and could cause Yang Tuo plenty of trouble.

Pestered by the Dark Crawling Ant, Yang Tuo grew intensely irritated.

These insect-type demonic beasts were disgusting to look at and disgusting to fight.

Xu Jintang gave him no chance to react. She immediately pursued him, bent down to gather strength, and kicked hard, striking him squarely between the legs.

Yang Tuo's face instantly turned pale, followed by his voice through gritted teeth. "Xu Jintang!!"

"Hundred Slashes of the Raging Blaze!" Yang Tuo roared, lifting his golden, gleaming greataxe high with both hands. His face filled with intense hatred as he chopped straight at Xu Jintang.

Xu Jintang's eyes darkened, and she began frantically circulating her mental power throughout her body.

Just as the greataxe was about to fall, the slowing effect of Domain of Ice enveloped the entire area.

-Ice Slow.

Yang Tuo's axe-raising motion stalled for an instant. A chill swept over him, making him shiver.

He froze briefly, then looked at Xu Jintang uncertainly.

Xu Jintang seized the chance to dodge sideways and dart behind him. She kicked him in the back, forcibly interrupting his move.

Yang Tuo was instantly sent flying into a tree trunk ahead.

Xu Jintang leaped up, accelerated twice, and flashed behind him. Catching him unguarded, she snatched the points jade token from his waist.

Wei Zixuan hurriedly directed the Dark Crawling Ant to support Xu Jintang.

Yang Tuo was a second-tier ability user, after all. Even together, the two of them would have a hard time beating him.

So from the beginning, Xu Jintang's goal had never been to defeat him, but to steal his points jade token.

Yang Tuo had behaved exactly as they expected. Once enraged, he lost all reason and completely forgot to protect his jade token.

When Yang Tuo recovered, he immediately realized his points jade token was missing. His face paled. "Xu Jintang! Leave yourself some room! If you eliminate me just like this, you'll make an enemy of me for good!"

Xu Jintang gave a faint laugh. "You make it sound like you'd let bygones be bygones if I gave your points jade token back now."

"Of course! As long as you give it back, I absolutely won't cause you any more trouble!" Yang Tuo's tone grew urgent.

Xu Jintang toyed with the jade token, spinning it around, but refused to answer him.

Wei Zixuan came over and whispered, "Don't believe his bullshit. He has no credibility whatsoever."

Yang Tuo swallowed nervously and continued begging. "Please, you two, I really know I was wrong. Give me one more chance. I'll definitely-"

Before he could finish, Xu Jintang transferred away half his points.

"Congratulations to examinee Xu Jintang on reaching third place. The Joint Examination Red Ranking will be updated shortly."

Yang Tuo clenched his teeth, furious but afraid to say anything.

Xu Jintang tossed the points jade token to Wei Zixuan. "The remaining half is yours."

Wei Zixuan caught it and pondered for a moment before transferring the remaining half as well. Then he decisively crushed the jade token.

"You-"

Yang Tuo's eyes filled with disbelief. He pointed furiously at Wei Zixuan, but before he could finish even half a sentence, his figure slowly vanished before them.

"Congratulations to examinee Wei Zixuan on reaching fifth place. The Joint Examination Red Ranking will be updated shortly."

"Congratulations to examinee Wu Yuanting on reaching ninth place. The Joint Examination Red Ranking will be updated shortly."

"Congratulations to examinee..."

Yang Tuo had originally ranked ninth. Once his points dropped to zero, the examinees behind him all moved up in succession.

This change in the rankings once again sparked astonished discussion among the examinees.

"My god, Xu Jintang has already made it into the top three! How many people's points has she stolen?"

"Didn't you hear the ranking changes afterward? Yang Tuo, who was originally ninth, dropped straight out of the top ten. Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan must have teamed up to steal his points!"

"Looks like ordinary examinees' points can't satisfy those two anymore. That's good news for us. At least she won't steal our points anymore."

"So the other examinees on the Joint Examination Red Ranking are the ones who should feel most threatened now."

After eliminating Yang Tuo, Xu Jintang and Wei Zixuan quickly left the scene.

In a secluded patch of forest, Xu Jintang rested against the trunk of a large tree. She took out her last bottle of nutrient solution, twisted it open, and drank it.

"Jintang, I've finished all the nutrient solution I bought last time too. There are still three days left in the joint examination. We'll have to go back to the safe zone." Wei Zixuan turned and spoke.