Chapter 81 – Countdown: Straight Into Battle

The communication talisman went dark, and a brief silence fell over them.

After a while, Guan Huailin said, “That was… Lu Feishuang? How could she…”

“That team ran into the Crimson Sky Sect’s first-seat team,” Bai Liqie replied. “The situation isn’t good. Senior Brother, what should we do?”

Xu Xianxing immediately began sharpening his sword skills faster, both hands moving so quickly they left afterimages.

Guan Huailin remained silent for a moment before speaking: “…”

Judging from what Lu Feishuang had said, it was clear she was trying to lure them into a trap. Whether to go or not—it was a difficult choice.

If they didn’t go, that team would surely meet a bad end under the Crimson Sky Sect’s hands. But if they went, the first-seat team of Crimson Sky wouldn’t let them off easily. And by then, the loss wouldn’t be just one team.

“This is intentional,” Qu Ruotian said.

“Senior Brother…”

Bai Liqie was just about to speak again when Guan Huailin suddenly looked up and said solemnly, “We have to go. No matter what, we can’t abandon them.”

“But the trial must go on,” he added. “We’ll split into two teams. I’ll meet the Crimson Sky Sect’s first-seat team, and a few others will stay behind to continue searching for the Wood Core Flower with Junior Sister Ji.”

Lian Mu raised her hand first. “That team was originally under me. I’ll go with Senior Brother and bring them back.”

Bai Liqie: “I’m going too.”

Guan Huailin nodded, then turned to the others. “Senior Sister Luo, stay with Junior Sister Ji. Junior Brother Wen should be on his way. You guys search for the Wood Core Flower.”

Luo Qianxue: “Got it. Leave it to me.”

In less than fifteen minutes, the two teams were assigned and ready to move.

Ji Mingyue frowned, feeling that something was off, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

She could clearly sense the spiritual aura of the Wood Core Flower, but after searching the area, she couldn’t locate the exact source.

And… the aura was so close she even suspected the flower might be on someone.

Ji Mingyue swept her gaze across the group. Everyone looked normal. If someone had found the flower, there was no way they’d be this quiet and calm.

“Senior Brother, I feel the Wood Core Flower is nearby. I’ll stay here, you all go ahead.”

Guan Huailin nodded, then departed immediately with those willing to go, following the guide talisman toward the Crimson Sky Sect’s first-seat team.

Dawn was approaching. Sunlight pierced through the trees and reached the ground, the poisonous miasma slowly dissipating.

After traveling for an hour, Guan Huailin and his team finally arrived at the Crimson Sky Sect’s location, a wide swampy area where their first-seat team was already waiting.

When the Returning Immortal Sect’s people arrived, Lu Feishuang stood up and looked at them. “You’re on time.”

She wasn’t alone—three other first-seats were present, but notably, the body cultivator was absent.

Guan Huailin stepped forward. “Where are our people?”

Lu Feishuang didn’t respond. Gao Linzhen, beside her, raised a hand. Disciples from Crimson Sky Sect pushed out the second-seat team from the Returning Immortal Sect, swords at their throats.

Guan Huailin frowned but got straight to the point: “What are your terms?”

Gao Linzhen said flatly, “Nothing major. Right now in this illusion realm, even Azure Profound Sect hasn’t made a move. Clearly, none of you know anything about the Wood Core Flower.”

“So we’ll trade for something else,” she continued. “We won’t pursue what happened between the body cultivators, but we want all the spirit plants you’ve gathered, plus all the refining materials your artifact refiners have collected.”

Xu Xianxing: “…Can we trade dream points instead?”

Tang Jianming glanced at him. “This is a team leader’s negotiation. Us artifact refiners should stay out of it.”

Xu Xianxing met his eyes. “Who said we’re an ‘us’?”

Tang Jianming scoffed. “Heh.”

Gao Linzhen waved him back, then said, “You have fifteen minutes to decide. If not, you know what will happen to these people.”

The Crimson Sky Sect was never merciful to outsiders. Outside the illusion realm, there were rules. Inside—no restraints. Injuring others in battle was common; torturing under the pretense of combat was a standard tactic.

The captured disciples had their mouths gagged and couldn’t move at all—powerless to resist.

Lu Feishuang stared coldly at Guan Huailin. “If you knew this would happen, why provoke us in the first place? No one’s ever dared to openly challenge Crimson Sky Sect. You’re the first—and will be the last.”

“From today, everyone will know the price of offending Crimson Sky Sect.”

Lian Mu glanced at Guan Huailin, who seemed unable to decide quickly, so she spoke first: “All the spirit plants are with me. If you want them, come get them.”

She had indeed collected a lot of plants along the way—more than enough.

Lu Feishuang raised an eyebrow. “All the spirit plants with a single sword cultivator? Do you take me for a fool?”

Lian Mu replied, “If you don’t believe me, I can show you.”

She gave a subtle signal to someone behind her, then stepped forward and pulled out her spatial pouch.

Guan Huailin tried to stop her, but he was too slow—Lian Mu had already opened the pouch and dumped the plants out.

Gao Linzhen looked over and sneered, “This is all you—”

Her words cut off.

Everyone’s gaze snapped to the pile of plants at Lian Mu’s feet.

“…”

Lian Mu hesitated for a second. “What, not enough? Don’t be too greedy.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Feishuang lunged forward. Guan Huailin drew his sword.

Bai Liqie reacted quickly, kicking the pile apart and reaching for the plant at the very bottom. Shen Wusang instantly flashed behind him and pinned his hand.

Xu Xianxing’s eyes widened, and with a sliding sweep, he kicked the plant into the Returning Immortal Sect’s crowd.

Seeing this, Tang Jianming charged straight into their ranks, ignoring his own safety.

In the blink of an eye, both sides broke into a full fight.

Lian Mu: “?”

She was momentarily confused, until she heard Xu Xianxing shout: “Lian Mu, grab the Wood Core Flower!”

Looking at the plant on the ground, she recognized it—it was the one she’d picked at the grave. It had grown in her spatial pouch, now blooming with a dirt-brown flower.

Lian Mu: “…”

No time to think. She drew her sword and rushed forward.

Chaos broke out between the Returning Immortal and Crimson Sky Sect teams. No one cared about negotiations anymore—everyone focused on that unexpectedly revealed Wood Core Flower.

Guan Huailin didn’t have time to question Lian Mu. He clashed with Lu Feishuang, trying to keep the strongest members of Crimson Sky Sect occupied. But Lu Feishuang was fast, immediately signaling other sword cultivators to interfere.

Bai Liqie was locked in a duel with Shen Wusang, both trying to subdue the other in a fierce, evenly matched fight.

Gao Linzhen, as an alchemy cultivator, didn’t join the melee. She went for the Returning Immortal Sect’s alchemists from behind.

Tang Jianming almost reached the flower, but a sword stabbed into the back of his hand, making him wince in pain.

Lian Mu got there first, snatching the Wood Core Flower amid the chaos—only to be blocked immediately by Lu Feishuang.

Guan Huailin was entangled with the Crimson Sky sword cultivators. Lu Feishuang struck at Lian Mu, and even the sweep of her sword carried overwhelming force.

Lian Mu instinctively raised her sword to block. The Broken Rainbow Sword clashed with Wealth Bringer—unable to withstand the tier difference, half of Wealth Bringer’s blade shattered on impact.

Lu Feishuang seized the Wood Core Flower in the next instant. But just then, her waist jade token lit up with a message:

“Azure Profound Sect’s first-seat team has successfully picked the first Wood Core Flower. All Azure Profound Sect cultivators will now be sent out of the illusion realm.”

Lu Feishuang froze, her hand pausing.

Everyone else faltered too: “?”

Azure Profound Sect got the Wood Core Flower? Then what is this one?

As the scene stilled, Lian Mu didn’t hesitate. Taking advantage of Lu Feishuang’s proximity, she reached out and yanked the flower right out of her hand.

Another message followed from the jade token:

“Returning Immortal Sect’s second-seat team has successfully picked the Wood Core Flower. All Returning Immortal Sect cultivators will now be sent out of the illusion realm.”

Lu Feishuang spun around, rage flaring in her eyes. “You…”

She had no idea what was going on—but the top two placements were sealed, and Crimson Sky Sect had been pushed below Returning Immortal Sect.

Once a flower was picked, a new one wouldn’t bloom for another thirty minutes—until the last sect was teleported out.

“What kind of trick are you playing, Returning Immortal Sect?” Lu Feishuang’s gaze darkened, and without mercy, she thrust her sword at Lian Mu.

But it didn’t hit. A protective barrier had triggered—jade token safeguards prevented any harm before teleportation.

Lian Mu twisted and bolted, half of Wealth Bringer still in hand, yelling, “Don’t let them get free loot—gather the spirit plants!”

The others snapped to it. Returning Immortal Sect disciples disengaged from battle and swept up the scattered spirit plants with incredible speed.

Crimson Sky Sect’s team lost it. Protective barriers or not, they just wanted to vent their fury before the others vanished.

Fighting resumed, but this time it was a one-sided assault from Crimson Sky Sect—while Returning Immortal Sect just stood there under their shields, unmoved.

Lu Feishuang held the flower tightly, staring at a nearby bud that was about to bloom. Once it did, she could pluck it right away.

Xu Xianxing watched from a distance and clicked his tongue. “Snatched it from under your nose—third place for free.”

His words earned death glares from Crimson Sky Sect, and several swords swung at him, only to bounce off the protective barrier.

But before Lu Feishuang could grab the second bloom, another message arrived:

“Clear Thought Sect’s first-seat team has successfully picked the Wood Core Flower. All Clear Thought Sect cultivators will now be sent out of the illusion realm.”

Crimson Sky Sect: “…?”

Lian Mu had no clue what just happened either, but she laughed anyway: “Looks like we’re counting down from the bottom now.”