Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 393 : The Spiritual Mountain Competition (2)

Chapter 393: Chapter 393 : The Spiritual Mountain Competition (2)

A shrill whistle tore through the air as a fiery bloom erupted above the throng of competitors. The ground vibrated with the echo, and in that electrifying moment, the race began. With eager anticipation, the cultivators surged forward, a tide of determination flooding the barricaded mountain path.

As soon as they crossed the barricade, most cultivators took to the sky.

Soon, the azure canvas above their heads was filled with hundreds of figures, each of them relying on their advanced level of light foot skill to get ahead in the race.

Soon, only Qiao Wei and Zhang Fengxi were left behind.

"Oh, you are still here," Zhang Fengxi grinned at Qiao Wei, who nodded at him and replied, "Great minds think alike."

The goal was to get the red flag, but the red flag’s whereabouts were not disclosed. Therefore, what was the point of running faster than everyone else? They might as well use their heads and think.

"Is it possible to use tracking spells here?" Zhang Fengxi asked.

"No, the barricade is equipped with spell-nullifying magic. You can only use your weapons to deal physical or elemental attacks to monsters and beasts as you proceed through the competition."

"So it all boils down to luck? Whoever trips over the red flag wins?" Zhang Fengxi joked.

Qiao Wei broke into a grin.

"No, but there are useful pointers. Usually, when we encounter strong creatures, it means that the red flag is close by."

Qiao Wei produced a regular talisman to detect evil from his sleeve.

Right now, the talisman was glowing very faintly. It meant that there were no evil creatures around.

"Ah. Let’s hunt, then."

"Gladly."

Zhang Fengxi kept Qiao Wei in his sight, gliding through the trees like a shadow one step behind.

He maintained a constant alertness, ready to react to any threat, but discreet enough to stay out of Qiao Wei’s immediate line of sight.

Normally, competitions like these held little allure for Zhang Fengxi. Qiao Wei had sufficient skills and abilities to stand his ground.

He chose to participate because Qiao Wei, like Xie Jianyu, was a good and honest soul through and through. He was also hardworking by nature, always trying his best to be number one in everything that mattered.

While his commendable character undoubtedly made him stand out above the rest, it also made him appear gullible.

The Human Realm, just like the other two realms, was full of dishonorable people who sought to first make use of and harm people like Xie Jianyu.

For example...

Zhang Fengxi shot bullets of condensed spiritual power from his forefinger and hit a cultivator who was sneaking an attack at Qiao Wei.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" A pained male voice was heard, and then the owner tumbled away from sight.

Qiao Wei landed on the ground and furrowed his brows.

"What was that?"

Zhang Fengxi, an entirely immaculate picture of innocence, shrugged and said, "I don’t know. Maybe someone got attacked by a beast."

"Ah... Should we take a look?" Qiao Wei asked, concerned about his attacker’s well-being.

Zhang Fengxi grabbed his wrist and said, "No need. The beasts are not that dangerous and the cultivators who enter this competition are supposed to be the best of the best in their sects, right?"

"Oh. Right."

Zhang Fengxi smiled.

"Watch out for the red flag. Leave the rest to me."

"Un."

And so, Master Qiao Wei, The Venerable Sword Saint of Wushan, had a rather enjoyable time during the competition, tracking the red flag by defeating one challenging creature after another.

Behind him, Zhang Fengxi the exalted Supreme General of the Heavenly Realm, was busy protecting him from human beings who were determined to make him fail.

The condensed spiritual power bullets did not do much harm, but they served as adequate warning to the recipients.

Something along the lines of, "If you dare do anything else, do not blame me for being ruthless."

Qiao Wei and Zhang Fengxi went deeper into the mountain, and they arrived at a cave.

"It’s here?"

Qiao Wei nodded. He held the evil detection talisman up. The complicated script across the thin yellow paper was glowing bright red, indicating an ominous presence ahead.

"We must be very close," Qiao Wei concluded.

"Let’s move ahead, then," Zhang Fengxi tightened his grip around his Three Realm Spear and walked next to Qiao Wei.

The creature that awaited them was a gigantic three-headed lion, standing tall at approximately six meter height.

Three faces, each a mask of untamed fury, peered from atop its imposing shoulders. The central head, crowned with a mane of swirling gold, roared with a king’s fury, its molten eyes daring any challenger to cross its path.

From the left, a serpent-tongued head hissed, emerald eyes flickering with treacherous schemes, while the right, veined with blood and dripping venom, gnashed fangs that thirsted for carnage.

Their manes, like fiery clouds, swirled around their monstrous necks, each adorned with hues reflecting their twisted souls.

Golden flames danced around the central head, emerald shadows swirled on the left, and crimson tendrils whipped from the right like trails of dried blood. Razor-sharp claws, obsidian needles dripping from each paw, could shred through armored giants, while a serpent-tailed lash, tipped with a mace as heavy as a fallen star, could level human villages in a single, thunderous sweep.

Its roar, a symphony of terror, echoed across the hollow cave. The central head unleashed a bellow that shook the very foundation of the mountain, the left hissed with venomous whispers that slithered into unguarded ears, and the right, a bloodcurdling snarl, sent chills down Qiao Wei and Zhang Fengxi’s spine.

Each head seemed to control a separate limb, its movements as unpredictable as the winds of a celestial storm.

Qiao Wei’s jaw dropped open at the majestic sight of the beast that stood before them.

"Brother Zhang," he whispered in disbelief. "I am pretty sure that this creature is not supposed to be part of this competition."

Zhang Fengxi gritted his teeth.

Indeed, this creature looked like one of the ferocious beasts that hailed from the Demonic Realm.