Inside the secret realm, Tang Zhe looked around the plain and saw they had killed another round of the walking corpses.
"Da shixiong!" Guo Cheng called.
"What?" he asked.
"I think if we'll continue like this, we'll all be exhausted." Guo Cheng answered.
"Your point is?" Tang Yun asked as he raised his brows while crossing his arms. His chin is proudly raised. He always looked down on mages, and those who are weaker than him.
Guo Cheng ignored Tang Yun's provocative gaze and just looked at Tang Zhe. "We should find a shelter to make a camp." He answered.
"That's a good idea." Tang Zhe nodded as he touched his chin.
Guo Cheng nodded. "Also, it's enough to secure da shixiong and Shan-shixiong's place in the top 10." He said, referring to the result of the competition. He deliberately excluded Tang Yun. "And to secure our shidis' safety, we can let some of them rest, while some of them accompany us to earn their scores. Then, the next day, the ones who stayed will be the ones to go, and the ones who went will stay." He explained.
"That's a brilliant idea, Guo-shidi!" Shan Lu said.
"Oi! Don't ignore me!" Tang Yun said as he glared at Guo Cheng.
"Guo-shixiong!" the Huakai Sect disciples cried as they looked at Guo Cheng. Their eyes are filled with gratitude.
Guo Cheng just smiled. They are weaker than Tang Zhe and Shan Lu, so he knows they will be worn out if they'll continue to go out in a large group. Tang Zhe and Shan Lu would have to watch over them to prevent them from being killed while also earning their point enough to secure their place in the top 10. So, their1 attention will be divided. However, if their number will become less, Tang Zhe and Shan Lu will have less people to protect, and the ones who will stay behind can secure they camp. This is a win-win situation.
"Then, let's do that." Tang Zhe said and nodded at Guo Cheng. "We also have to rest in a safe place. Guo-shidi, can you make a formation to secure the place at night?" he asked.
Guo Cheng nodded. "I can." He answered.
"Good. Let's find a place first." Tang Zhe said as he turned to their fellow disciples.
"Yes, da shixiong!" they answered. "Don't let Shan-shixiong pick the place!" they added and laughed. Shan Lu is known for his bad luck.
"… don't ignore me…" Tang Yun muttered before he sighed and followed them.
In Kang Ce's side, it isn't peaceful at all. "You just killed my prey!" one of his teammates said.
"As I've said, I just defended myself!" Kang Ce said.
"Shut up! You've been like this since earlier! I can't blame those three!" his teammate said. He was referring to the three disciples who left earlier. "I've had enough! I'm leaving, too!" he said.
"Me, too!" his friend said and followed him.
Kang Ce gnashed his teeth in anger as he turned to the two rogue cultivators watching on the side. They and him are the ones left. "Are you leaving, too?" he asked.
The two rogue cultivators looked at each other before they shrugged. "There're only two of us. It's better to give you our prey than be killed by them." one of them said.
Kang Ce sighed in satisfaction. They meant, he'll give them the walking corpses while he protects them in exchange. Those two disciples are stupid! He thought. Including the other three earlier! He added. "Good." He said. "Then, let's continue." He told them and they left.
The strong ones are the ones who rule. The weak ones can only follow the strong.
In the Shanliangde Sect's side, they also had the same idea with the Huakai Sect.
"Gong Xian. You stay with Ah Xing and Fu An to protect them while I and Xiao Si will check the place." Xi Ming said as he looked at the opening of the canyon. "Ah Xing. Fu An. Can you lay a formation for us after?" he asked.
"Yes!" Fu An answered while Xi Xing nodded. Fu An is a talisman mage while Xi Xing knows talisman formations.
Meanwhile, Xiao Si is a sword cultivator. Both he and Fu An are rogue cultivators.
"Let's go." Xi Ming told Xiao Si and they entered the canyon.
Outside the secret realm, the audience exclaimed. "Oh! It looks like the Shanliangde Sect is the first one to secure their shelter!" the emcee said as they watched Chen Han's and Tang Zhe's group look around the secret realm to find a place to stay for the night.
Kang Ce and his two rogue cultivator teammates are still killing corpses. The Alliance's disciple assigned to them was secretly and silently following them after they forget him when their team had a disagreement earlier. The Zunjingde Sect and Qian Lin still haven't made their plan yet. The last group also had not yet made their plan.
Meanwhile, Cheng Sheng's group can't be seen since there's no Alliance's disciple with them after he gave him to Chen Han's group.
"What could Cheng-shixiong and da shixiong be doing now?" Lei Ling asked in worry.
"Sun-shixiong and Wu Xi, too…" You Rou said and sighed.
"Don't worry." Lei Qing said. "Cheng-shidi is a resourceful person. His teammates with him are also smart and strong. They will turn out fine." She told them.
"Yes!" Lei Ling and You Rou said. Their voice hopeful.
Zuo Zhe was just silent. He looked at Yu Sheng's image being projected by the Cleansing Stone. Yu Sheng was silently following Chen Han's group. He knew Yu Sheng is loyal to Cheng Sheng as a knight guard. Thus, he was surprised when Yu Sheng decided to follow Chen Han's group instead of Cheng Sheng's.
And he 1dared to use me as his excuse! He2 thought as a vein popped in his forehead. But, he's really curious as to the reason Yu Sheng followed Chen Han's group. He knew not to believe Yu Sheng's excuse he had given Chen Han and the others earlier. There are only two reasons for Yu Sheng to leave Cheng Sheng's side. Him3, and the other is if it's Cheng Sheng's will.
Don't underestimate him1. Even if Cheng Sheng had changed too much, but Yu Sheng never changed – aside from turning his affections to him2 from Cheng Sheng. Thus, he 3can still figure out the way Yu Sheng thinks and understand his4 behavior. He can conclude this is all Cheng Sheng's plan.
Why, though? Why would Cheng Sheng separate their group? He1 thought, feeling puzzled. It is unfortunate that Cheng Sheng's character changed. He2 can't guess how Cheng Sheng would think now.
Cheng Sheng had always been loyal to his friends. Thus, he should be protecting them now than leaving them. But, he left them. Could it be he's annoyed? No. Cheng Sheng could be annoyed to everybody – for example, Jie Mei. However, he would never be annoyed towards his family and friends. Thus, Cheng Sheng ditching Chen Han and his friends really puzzled Zuo Zhe.
Ah – he1 thought when he finally hit a realization. He stared at Yu Sheng. Could it be, Cheng Sheng decided to leave them because he knows Yu Sheng can protect them? He2 thought in shock. With Yu Sheng, Chen Han and Feng Mo's combined strength, they can protect Li Tian and Xiao Le. Not to mention with Yu Sheng's power, he can single-handedly protect them four. Also, Cheng Sheng knows that Yu Sheng knows he3 will be mad at him4 if he'd5 let his6 friends be hurt. However, there's not much to protect the two7 despite they are a mage, since the two are also sword cultivators.
Amazing… he1 thought as he sharply inhaled while he looked at on the system's screen Cheng Sheng who was running2 with Fei Yin, Sun Yi and Wu Xi. His3 eyes are filled with awe. Cheng Sheng has really thought out everything. But, he4 still doesn't know Cheng Sheng's reason why he5 had split their group.
He1 finally knew it when he adjusted and mindlessly touched the system's screen and the view of the secret realm changed. "WAAAH!" he screamed in horror when he saw something. His hands jerked away from the system's screen and he jumped back as if he had met his greatest enemy.
Lei Ling, Lei Qing and You Rou were startled when they heard him screamed. "W-what? What happened?!" Lei Ling nervously asked when he saw Zuo Zhe's face is very pale and he's heavily sweating.
"N-n-n-n… noth-thing…" he1 answered as he moved his gaze away from the system's screen.
System: did it scare you?
Asshole! Zuo Zhe cursed in his mind. System, you asshole! He gritted his teeth as he immediately adjusted the system's screen to a different view filled with colorful flowers and green grasses. Damn you! He added as he raised a middle finger in his mind. Then, he remembered the horrifying sight he had seen again. I wish I could wash my eyes and soak my mind with holy water! He thought as he cried in his heart. With 'that', Cheng Sheng really is smart to split up their group.
Lei Ling, Lei Qing and You Rou were puzzled by Zuo Zhe's behavior as they watched him squatted and draw circles on the ground as if he's growing mushrooms. He's actually a crazy person. They thought and decided to ignore Zuo Zhe.
Tang Zhe and Shan LuYu ShengZuo ZheZuo ZheZuo Zhe. The pronoun in BL novels are mostly 'him' and they're all men, so it's confusing sometimes as to who was being referred to. Zuo Zhe... Zuo ZheYu ShengZuo ZheZuo ZheZuo ZheZuo ZheCheng ShengYu ShengYu ShengCheng ShengLi Tian and Xiao LeZuo ZheThere's no Alliance's disciple with them and no Cleansing Stone so they can't be monitored, thus can't be seen in the giant Cleansing Stone outside the secret realm. Zuo ZheZuo ZheCheng ShengZuo ZheZuo Zhe