I courted death and then tried to escape, so the whole sect wants to get rid of me.

After a moment of silence, Mingran reacted, glared at Song Yao, and said in a sharp, urgent voice, "They've been fighting for so long, they're exhausted. How could you launch a sneak attack!"

That voice brought everyone's attention back.

Jiang Jin looked at Song Yao with disapproval: "Junior Sister Lin, what you did was wrong. It was an unfair victory. If you really wanted to go to the Demon Realm, you could have talked to her properly. Why did you have to resort to violence so casually?"

When the two Heavenly-level disciples spoke, others immediately nodded in agreement.

Song Yao nodded in agreement.

Yeah.

That's how we promote her.

It wasn't because she was too good, but because they were physically exhausted.

Seeing her nod, Mingran's expression turned even more unpleasant.

No.

Is this girl provoking her again?

What does this mean?!

"What happened?"

A cold, detached voice interrupted the one-sided spread of the conflict.

Zhu Zhao walked around from behind the platform and glanced at the disheveled disciples on it.

The cultivator in charge of the competition quickly ran over and, in a low voice, recounted what had just happened.

After listening, Zhu Zhao glanced at Song Yao.

The little girl stood there holding her sword, dressed in plain white, quiet and unassuming, just like her name suggests, like a piece of wood that never fights or vies for anything.

Zhu Zhao, too lazy to deal with their messy and troublesome affairs, simply said, "Go up and have another fight."

The disciples who had been swept away below the stage changed their expressions.

Others said they were exhausted and were ambushed, which is why they fell off the stage. Only they themselves know how fierce the sword energy was when it swept over.

Even at their peak, they might not be able to stop them.

Fight again?

Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

It's better to climb down the steps now.

The disciples almost simultaneously stood up and waved their hands resolutely: "We're not fighting anymore."

"Let Junior Sister Lin go, we won't go."

"Yes, yes, the opportunity should be given to the newly initiated disciples."

Mingran couldn't even stop them in time and could only watch helplessly as they limped away.

The cultivator glanced at Zhu Zhao furtively, and seeing that she didn't object, he made a note in the booklet and nodded to Song Yao: "Approved."

Song Yao responded and walked over to the selected disciples.

Jiang Jin looked at her, a slight smile returning to his lips, as if nothing had just happened, and said naturally, "Junior Sister Lin, you weren't here for the training, how come you can hold the sword so steadily? Did the Seventh Elder teach you?"

Song Yao silently moved a little further away.

What's wrong with this arrogant male lead? Why does he always seem to be testing her, whether intentionally or unintentionally?

She nodded indifferently.

Jiang Jin continued, "But I remember that the Seventh Elder doesn't seem to know much about swordsmanship. You're close to Second Senior Sister and the others, didn't she teach you?"

Song Yao: "..."

Here we go again.

She couldn't take it anymore and raised her eyelids slightly: "You won't believe anything I say, so why are you asking me anything?"

Jiang Jin: "...?"

Something's not right.

It seemed as if Junior Sister Lin's sword was speaking.

He came to his senses and found that the people in front of him had returned to their cold and quiet state, as if what had just happened was just his imagination.

Zhu Zhao's voice pulled everyone back from their scattered thoughts: "The stationed disciples have already checked that the demon realm we are going to is only a second-tier secret realm, which is not dangerous. That's why we can take you new disciples who can't even hold a sword steadily to train. But don't think that just because you are low-level, you can be careless."

"Two years ago, there were a few idiots who couldn't even beat the monsters, yet they couldn't take their eyes off the broken rocks in the demon realm and almost died there!"

She paused, her voice becoming even sterner: "There is only one objective on this trip: to capture the demon and rescue the villagers. If you delay our mission, you can stay in the demon realm and feed the demons. The sect will not waste a single bit of effort on a cowardly good-for-nothing."

"If you're scared now, you can quit."

Six or seven young disciples lowered their heads after being reprimanded, but their eyes made no attempt to hide their excitement.

As sword cultivators and spiritual cultivators, we naturally take it upon ourselves to save all living beings under heaven.

Most importantly, this time it was the second senior sister who personally led the team.

Second Senior Sister usually doesn't even bother to look at them properly, but if they perform well and make contributions in the demon realm, she might be able to give them a second glance.

"Go back and rest for a while, then set off in an hour."

"Those who are late, get out of the Nine Saints Hall."

Song Yao's eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked up to meet Zhu Zhao's gaze.

Zhu Zhao: "...Except for those who owe money."

-

Upon hearing this news, the Seventh Elder's hand trembled, causing the furnace to explode and a large hole to appear on the second floor of the Pill Pavilion.

He looked at his newly purchased, exorbitantly priced furnace cauldron with tears streaming down his face, then at Song Yao, who was carrying a small bundle and preparing to leave, and said incredulously, "Why are you going out to hunt demons? You haven't even gone to study, is there some mistake?"

Song Yao weighed the bag in her hand: "No mistake, Master, don't worry."

"Wait, wait, wait, is someone threatening you?"

The Seventh Elder grabbed her bag, extremely worried, "You, you're a pill cultivator, how can you hold a sword steadily? I'll go talk to Zhu Zhao and ask them to let you go."

Song Yao was both amused and exasperated: "I really wanted to go."

"You haven't even learned any spells or incantations, and your soul is still incomplete. How can you go to the demon realm? No, no, it's too dangerous."

The Seventh Elder grew increasingly panicked as he spoke, "For us alchemists to enter the demon realm is tantamount to suicide!"

He Yu poked his head out from the second floor, which had a large hole in it, his face covered in soot from the furnace. He tried to comfort her, saying, "Master, it's alright. Junior Sister got her spot by defeating those people, and she's only a second-tier demon realm cultivator. She's not in any danger."

The Seventh Elder turned and glared at him: "What do you know? A second-tier demon realm cultivator is still a demon realm cultivator!"

After glaring at her, he coaxed Song Yao, "I'll ask the Second Elder to teach you some swordsmanship. We'll go next time, okay?"

Song Yao felt a strange urge to laugh, her eyes crinkling as she said, "Master, don't be afraid, it's alright."

The boy's eyes were so bright that it was impossible to refuse him.

The Seventh Elder loosened his grip, and after a long while shook his head: "Sigh, alright, alright, you kids are so stubborn. Wait for me a moment."

He hurriedly entered the Pill Pavilion and took out several porcelain bottles: "This is for stopping bleeding, this is for detoxification, this is for concealing one's presence, and this is for temporarily increasing spiritual power... Take them all first."

Song Yao threw everything into the small bundle.

The Seventh Elder went into the room again and stuffed a few pieces of pastry into her bag: "Don't go hungry, come back early, and your master will make dumplings for you."

-

Everyone had a mustard seed bag, and when Song Yao appeared carrying a bulging bundle, it drew a few laughs.

Cheng Yue walked over to her and kindly said, "Would you like to put the things in my storage bag first?"

"It's okay."

Song Yao tucked the sword behind his waist. "It's not heavy."

Before she could finish speaking, a hand reached out and unceremoniously snatched the bundle from her back and put it into a mustard bag.

Zhu Zhao coldly said, "Bringing so many pills and food, are you here for a spring outing? If these kinds of pills attract demons, no one can save you. Keep them safe with me."