Li Tian, Feng Mo and Lei Qing. "… haha." They hollowly laughed when they saw the others' gazes landed on them and they looked away, avoiding their gazes while feeling guilt. Right… they have forgotten to teach their disciples to cook, which should they have learned since they are expected to live in the wilderness for a week during the elimination round of the Intersect Competition.
Jing Cheng's, Jing Bai's and Jing Kang's expressions are also stiff while Zheng Yi is laughing on the side. Qian Tian's face looked awkward. They also haven't taught their disciples to cook since they themselves don't know how to do it. Also, cultivating, for them, is more important than cooking.
Li Tian's lip twitched as he looked at Su Yi. Good disciple! Keep it up! He thought as he looked at Su Yi maintaining his indifferent expression to not show that he was ashamed. Although this is shameless, but they have already lost their face in the first place so why not continue being shameless?
It must be said that this is Xie Lan's teaching…
"Ai…" Lei Qing finally can't help but cover her flushed face. She admits that she didn't bother teaching her disciple.
Meanwhile, contrary to these two, Feng Mo immediately got over his shame. "So what if they can't cook? As long as they know how to hunt! Even a clever wife can't cook without rice!" he told them.
"That's right." Jing Bai agreed in a loud voice, covering up his shame. But, this just made Zheng Yi laugh more. Fortunately, his beloved still remembers to give him face so Zheng Yi just laughed without a sound.
"But, I didn't expect for Er Zi to also barely know how to cook?" Feng Mo muttered in surprise.
Li Tian and Lei Qing started and also nodded when they saw Fei Yinzi clumsily turn the meat. "… wasn't he been slaving… ehem, serving for his master, Cheng-shidi?" they asked as they looked at Fei Yinzi in surprise.
"I thought so, too, that Er Zi also feeds Cheng-shidi…" Feng Mo spoke. "After all, before, da shixiong… ehem." He coughed and didn't continue.
Chen Han heard their conversation that abruptly ended when Fei Yin was mention. He heaved a sigh and then held Li Tian's hand. "Look! The mages are faring better." He spoke as they all turned to the forest and canyon arenas.
"Yes! As expected, they are really good with fire so alchemy and cooking has no difference to them!" Xi Ming spoke with a smile.
You Rou who is a pill and potion mage smiled. "Well, pill refining and potion brewing is similar to cooking." She spoke. "It also involves fire and ingredients." She said.
They all nodded in agreement, already expected this. Qian Tian, meanwhile, proudly smiled as he sat beside You Rou.
"Ah! Wen Wen finally grew up!" Lei Ling exclaimed when he saw Wen Wen shook off a participant that tried to sneak attack on him and steal what he is cooking by activating the talisman formation that protects him, Cui Xiang and Cui Xiao.
Since the Zunjingde Sect has no mages participating this time, Jing Kang taught Wen Wen about talisman formations while he is staying in Xinfaxian Sect to visit and be with Lei Ling. Wen Wen can be said as half-disciple of Jing Kang.
When those attackers didn't give up, Cui Xiang opened a bottle. Then, they watch as a mist floated out of the mouth of bottle and then floated towards those participants. The participants are also mages so they know that the mist is definitely dangerous. Thus, they immediately ran away.
"Xiao Xiang is so clever!" Lei Qing spoke when she recognized the bottle.
"What do you mean?" Guo Cheng asked when they didn't understand what Lei Qing said.
"That bottle may looked strange but its content isn't." You Rou answered. "That mist is harmless to humans and is effective to only the bugs." She explained and watched as the mist didn't return to the bottle and instead floated around. But, Wen Wen and Cui Xiao who were around actually weren't harmed.
"… bug repellant?" they muttered.
"Yes." You Rou nodded.
Everyone. "…" the bottle looked like a bad news but the content is actually just a bug repellant?! They inwardly exclaimed in shock. Clever… it is really a clever move!
Seeing their strange expressions, Chen Han spoke. "The female disciples of our sect use it when they are demon hunting and are stuck in the wilderness. It is a hundred percent effect to repel mosquitoes and other bugs." He told them.
Everyone. "…" you are from another sect so why are you advertising it?! They thought.
"It is really effective. My mom also uses it and she sleeps soundly every night." Qian Tian added and then turned to You Rou. "Thank you. My mom told me to buy another batch for her and our female disciples." He told her.
"Sure!" You Rou sweetly smiled.
Everyone. "…" so is it courtship or it is actually just a business relationship that's between the two of you?! They thought as they looked at the two.
"Hm?" Xi He muttered and turned when they heard footsteps. "Tch! Why is he here?" he muttered as he clicked his tongue while his eyes narrowed in disdain after he saw Wu Tie walking their way while dragging a carcass of a beast.
Wu Tie turned and frowned when he recognized the Shanliangde Sect, particularly Xi He. "Tch. How unlucky." He muttered as he slid to the other side of the sand hill.
"What did you say?!" Xi He roared and rose to glare at Wu Tie, only to see him took out a magic tool that has a fire inside. His eyes widened in surprise before he gnashed his teeth in anger. Envy filled his eyes.
Wu Tie, as if knowing what he is doing, deliberately turned and smiled at him. "Young master Xi. Do you want to borrow fire? I can lend this to you." He told him as he raised the magic tool. "I have more." He added as his eyes narrowed into crescents, obviously enjoying in humiliating Xi He.
"Shut up!" Xi He yelled before he returned to the camp of the Shanliangde Sect.
Xi Bing usually wouldn't bother himself with the narrow-minded Xi He, but who made him his cousin. "Xi He. I have already told you to ignore him." He spoke. Who doesn't know that Wu Tie is proud? But, Xi He, this narrow-minded person refuses to take the advice.
"The purpose of the competition isn't to compete with wealth, but to compete with skills." Sun Yan coolly spoke. "No matter how wealthy you are but if you are inadequate in skills, then you will just be defeated in the end." He said.
"Well said!" Fei Huo said and clapped.
"Busybody." Xi He snorted and ignored them.
Fei Luo rolled his eyes at Xi He and patted Fei Huo's head before he nodded at Sun Yan, indicating to ignore Xi He. Then, he casted a sympathetic gaze to Xi Bing who looked like he wanted to bury Xi He in the sand himself.
…
"Hm?" Cui Xiao turned when she heard the sound of fighting. "J – jie! There's someone!" she called as she pulled Cui Xiang's sleeve while pointing inside the grove.
Cui Xiang turned and then sniffed. "There is the smell of blood." She spoke.
Wen Wen is still cooking.
"I – I'll go." Cui Xiao spoke.
"Are you sure?" Cui Xiang asked.
"En." Cui Xiao nodded and walked outside of the talisman formation before going to the area where there are people fighting.
"Hm? A backup?" Sun Ri spoke and turned but she is still on guard against the attackers.
"Who's that?" her opponents asked.
They squinted in the darkness before they suddenly saw something lit up, which illuminated the approaching person's body, making them recognize the person's sect uniform.
"The Xinfaxian Sect?!" Sun Ri's opponents exclaimed.
"What are you afraid of? They are just a mage like us!" their fellow disciples said. "And it doesn't necessarily that they are stronger than us – " they added.
Cui Xiao stopped and saw that a group of four is surrounding one person. "Four against one? This – this is bullying!" she said.
"Ha! See?" that person said and sneered as he looked at Cui Xiao. "Just a rabbit." He said when he saw her timid expression. "Little girl. Who said that four against one isn't permitted?" he asked her and scoffed at her naivety.
Sun Ri's brow raised. She still looked calm despite she was outnumbered. "You are Er Zi's… shimei?" she said. She knows that Fei Yinzi has two shimeis who are twins and are disciples of You Rou. "… Cui Xiao?" she said seeing her timid expression. Although the sisters are twins, but their personalities are exact opposites.
Cui Xiao nodded. "Jie, are you f – fine?" she asked, sounding worried.
"You want to help me?" Sun Ri smiled.
"Yes!" Cui Xiao answered as she nodded. Her eyes are firm and her voice is filled with determination and faced their opponents.