Chasing after her husband? Is it even possible to win him back?

“…That’s not important.” Yao Jiangshu waved her hand forcefully, as if trying to dispel her embarrassment. “What’s important is that you have to get a ranking in this competition.”

"Understood." Chu Xunfeng nodded. "A top ten finish would be considered a success."

"You should also try your best to be in the top three!" The senior sister slapped her junior brother's shoulder hard.

"I've only been cultivating for less than three months!" Chu Xunfeng's eyes widened, as if he had been wronged.

"You've almost reached the peak of the Iron Bone Realm in less than three months!" Senior Sister gritted her teeth.

“But shortcomings are shortcomings,” Chu Xunfeng said with a smile.

"Do you even see me as your senior sister?" Yao Jiangshu pressed on the young man's shoulder.

"Yes." The young man blinked, giving a heartfelt answer.

"Then get at least one armor grade off for me." Senior Sister patted Chu Xunfeng's shoulder forcefully. "Senior Sister will also help you work hard."

"Help me..." The young man's smile froze on his face as he looked at the busty senior sister who stood up.

"Now is not the time to rest~"

"Junior brother~"

Chapter 18, The Autumn Hunt: Undercurrents Surge

Autumn hunt.

According to Master Xu Jiujing, the initial hunting expeditions into the Southern Wilderness Mountains were essentially aimed at reducing the frequency of monsters roaming the mountains during winter.

On the one hand, large-scale hunting can greatly deter the surviving monsters, preventing them from leaving the Southern Wilderness Mountains during the winter when they are hungry and trying to hunt in human cities.

On the other hand, the act of abandoning the carcass after hunting also allows surviving monsters to stockpile food enough to survive the winter.

For cultivators from various sects, hunting demonic beasts can yield a lot of useful cultivation resources. Even if they don't need them themselves, they can return to their sects to exchange them for contribution points, which can then be used to purchase the resources they need.

Each sect and faction would send out young disciples for training, and competition would also form between them.

As the saying goes, mutual encouragement and even fighting among cultivators is an indispensable part of the process of improving one's cultivation.

In short, it's a good thing for everyone.

This is an autumn in which only monsters are injured.

"Don't the demon race care?" Chu Xunfeng asked quietly to his senior sister beside him as he stood in the huge square in front of the Sword Pavilion.

"If we were to use an analogy, the difference between the demon race and the demon beasts would be like that between humans and monkeys. The Southern Wilderness Mountains are nominally under the jurisdiction of the demon race, but in reality, the demon race doesn't manage them and can't manage them," Yao Jiangshu explained softly. "The demon beasts have their own rules for survival, and the actual managers are someone else."

"Understood." Chu Xunfeng didn't ask any more questions, just nodded and remained silent.

The leader of Baidi City stood before a large group of people. "In three days, the annual Eqiu Hunt will begin. Disciples who have joined Baidi City within the last three years, step forward! All others, step back!"

"Good luck, junior brother." Yao Jiangshu smiled and nudged the boy beside her, taking a few steps back. "Remember, top-tier."

"Hmm." Chu Xunfeng took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The young man has now reached the peak of the Iron Bone Realm. He also carries many items and pills given to him by his master and senior sister. He even has gifts sent by two senior brothers who he has never met and who have not been in White Emperor City recently.

Looking at the nearly two hundred fresh blood from White Emperor City who had gathered, and seeing that everyone was full of fighting spirit and serious expressions, the sect leader nodded in satisfaction. "I won't say anything more. The tradition of the Autumn Hunt has continued for decades, and there are no changes this year. This year, the Fifth Elder will lead the Autumn Hunt. White Emperor disciples, all you have to do is hunt, bring back the spoils, and compete for a place on the three rankings. This is the rule of the tournament."

"The rules of White Emperor City are very simple. If you rank in the top ten of any of the three rankings, the sect will not be stingy with rewards. Do you all understand?"

"Yes!" The voices of a hundred people gathered together, deafeningly loud.

"Please fly the shuttle!" The sect leader raised his hands high, and something flew out from the sword hilt at the top of the Sword Pavilion, rapidly expanding into a shadow that blotted out the sky.

It was a painted boat with a hundred oars. Chu Xunfeng was looking up at the various mysterious engravings on the bottom of the boat when he suddenly felt his body lighten and he was floating in the air.

Looking around again, all the disciples had already floated up and were approaching the huge flying shuttle in the sky.

[The user is the one who cultivated the Dharma.]

"Hmm." Chu Xunfeng nodded slightly in mid-air, looked around, and suddenly saw a person who was different from others, mixed in with his disciples who were floating in the air by magic cultivators.

He stood on a flying sword, his lake-blue eyes calm as still water, wearing a pure white veil and a white robe embroidered with gold patterns.

"Young Miss?" Chu Xunfeng was speechless.

"Hmm?" The two were not far apart, and Xu Bailing seemed to hear the question that seemed to be on her own lips. She frowned in confusion, her indifferent eyes fixed on Chu Xunfeng, and her whole body seemed to exude an aura of dissatisfaction.

?

Chu Xunfeng was momentarily puzzled, not understanding where the young lady's sudden dissatisfaction came from, but he quickly realized it, yet he couldn't change his mind, so he could only remain silent for the time being. Only after he had steadied himself on the deck of the painted boat did Chu Xunfeng step towards Xu Bailing.

"Miss Bai Ling, are you also participating in the autumn hunting festival?"

“Hmm.” Xu Bailing seemed to be taken aback, her eyes flickering. “I haven’t been cultivating for three years yet, so of course I have to participate.”

The woman in front of him seemed to have calmed down again.

Chu Xunfeng remained outwardly calm and nodded slightly, but inwardly he was criticizing the young lady's thought process. It was just a title, yet it could make her, with her flawed personality, express emotions. It was truly astonishing.

“Chu Xunfeng, your aura is completely different from what it was a month ago.” Xu Bailing stared at Chu Xunfeng, scrutinizing him.

"Yes, I've reached the peak of the Iron Bone Realm."

One month! Peak of the Iron Bone Realm!

Many disciples on the flying shuttle were actually listening intently to the conversation between the two people at the edge of the deck. Although the conflict between Ding Yusong and Chu Xunfeng a month and a half ago had subsided considerably in terms of public attention, seeing the young lady and Chu Xunfeng reunite, these people were still eager to hear some gossip.

result!

Hearing such bizarre information, many people were stunned by Chu Xunfeng's undisguised voice.

“Mother is right, you are indeed a genius who is no less than mine.” Xu Bailing stared into Chu Xunfeng’s eyes.

"I don't deny that. If I were to be even more modest, it would just make me look like I deserve a beating," Chu Xunfeng said with a smile.

“A genius is a genius. Not everyone who takes a Grade 9 Elixir can achieve such rapid progress as you. They complement each other perfectly.” Xu Bailing praised him first, but the next second, a sharp glint appeared in her originally calm eyes. “However, since you are not far behind me… in the competition for the three rankings, we will be rivals.”

"Yes, I promised my master and senior sister that I would strive to at least reach the top rank." Chu Xunfeng smiled gently. "Although my master won't blame me if I don't win, but... Miss Bai Ling, your provocation makes me want to defeat you instead."

"I'm waiting for your challenge."

"nature."

—At the same time, in the Southern Wilderness Mountains—

The black-clad man in iron armor stood atop a mound. He knelt on the mound, his right hand pressed to the ground, his eyes gleaming with a deep, earthy yellow light. After a long while, he stood up and gazed into the direction of the Imperial State.

"We've received the message. The shuttle from Baidi City has already set off, and its target has been identified as the shuttle."

The bronze-faced man spoke in a hoarse voice, like the clash of metal, “Remember, erase all marks from your body. Whoever you are, signal after killing the target.”

"Remember, we will not return alive from this mission. After the target is dead, we will gradually kill the others at the Autumn Hunting Gathering. We will attack them indiscriminately until we are exhausted, and then commit suicide."

"Do not act rashly before receiving a signal, understand?"

"Yes," the other four men in black, kneeling behind this man, replied in a low voice.

"Remove your face armor and destroy it on the spot. From this moment on, we are already dead, understand?"

"Yes." The answer came without the slightest hesitation.

The four men removed their uniquely designed bronze animal-shaped masks.

The identities of these five people are becoming increasingly clear.

A bronze fanged beast, a secret guard of the Xu Kingdom.

Chapter Nineteen, Seeing My Ex-Wife Again

In the crisp autumn air of August, a slightly cool autumn breeze caressed the woman's beautiful face, gently lifting the strands of hair that fell across her forehead.

"Miss, the people from Baidi City are almost here." A familiar voice sounded behind her, causing Ning Qiu Ning, who was gazing at the desolate mountains, to turn her gaze away.

"Hmm." The woman, who had been practicing the Ruthless Technique for two months, looked increasingly aloof. Her expression was no longer calm, but rather cold and indifferent.

This inner and outer aura made even the maids who had served her for over a decade feel unfamiliar and awe-inspiring.

Ning Qiu Ning turned her gaze to the disciples of her own sect not far away.

A group of about ten people from the Supreme Sword Sect were gathered together, chatting casually, while Ning Qiu Ning and her maid were clearly outside their circle.

In fact, at the entrance of the hunting grounds, not only the Supreme Sword Sect, but also all the sects, large and small, in Bianzhou had gathered at the Autumn Hunting Conference. This group was actually waiting for the sects of the Imperial State.

The only sect in the Imperial State, Baidi City.

"Miss, I heard from Senior Brother Xun that Xu Bailing from Baidi City will also be coming."

“Yes, she is about the same age as me, and this year should be her last year, just like me.” Hearing her personal maid mention Xu Bailing, Ning Qiuning’s gaze narrowed slightly, and her expression finally changed. “This year, I will definitely compete with her for the top spot on the three lists.”

"Miss is the strongest!" The maid looked at Ning Qiu Ning with admiration and trust in her voice.

At least as a maid, she was quite competent.

"Let's skip the pointless flattery; she entered the Condensation Realm much earlier than me."

“But…” The maid opened her mouth, but was frightened back by Ning Qiu Ning’s icy gaze.

"The flying shuttle from Baidi City has arrived."

In the hall of the Autumn Hunting Festival, someone spoke up and reminded everyone of this, and most of the people present looked up at the northern sky.

A black dot was rapidly magnifying in the group's field of vision.