Was it you that night?
Chapter 182 - 180: Love Arises Unknowingly

Chapter 182: Chapter 180: Love Arises Unknowingly

Lord Meng Yun took another careful look and indeed, it wasn’t his illusion.

Around Shen Qinghe, several men were standing. Besides him and Dongfang Wuya, there was Xiao Chen, and another was Yan Changsheng.

Not far away, Wu Ke was also watching the Shen sisters.

He had heard two years earlier that Nan Sheng was a woman who could charm anyone, who had all the proud sons of Sky Pole Sect spinning around her. So why was it that today he saw these proud sons all gathered around Shen Qinghe?

When he looked at where Nan Sheng was standing, he only saw several male cultivators of mediocre talent nearby, and two female cultivators talking to Nan Sheng, nothing more.

"Mr. Wuya, if you fancy Fairy Qinghe you’d better keep a close watch. It seems there are quite a few reckless admirers eyeing Fairy Qinghe," Lord Meng Yun whispered to Dongfang Wuya.

Don’t think you’re invincible just because you’re good-looking, in his opinion, every single one of Fairy Qinghe’s admirers is outstanding, and none of them are easy to deal with.

Out of so many proud sons, he naturally hoped Dongfang Wuya would win the beauty.

Dongfang Wuya followed the direction Lord Meng Yun was pointing and saw the two sticky cowhide candies, Yan Changsheng and Xiao Chen. Shen Qinghe was dressed like that, and yet they still stuck around her, like flies that couldn’t be shooed away, truly disgusting.

Seeing Dongfang Wuya’s slightly furrowed brow, Lord Meng Yun sighed to himself. This man was truly obstinate. Clearly, he cared about Fairy Qinghe but was unwilling to admit it. If he had to wait until Shen Qinghe threw herself into another man’s arms, Dongfang Wuya would be too late even for tears.

"Honestly, a man’s pride isn’t worth much. If you ask me, you might as well win over Fairy Qinghe’s body first, then capture her heart. Once a woman has given her body to you, her heart will follow. That’s my experience talking...."

Dongfang Wuya, increasingly annoyed, disappeared in an instant from before Lord Meng Yun.

Seeing Dongfang Wuya had run off, Lord Meng Yun decided to be thorough with his good deed and whispered confidentially to Shen Qinghe, "Fairy Qinghe, do you desire Mr. Wuya’s virginity? This lord can lend you a hand, but first you must let this lord see your face, to see if you’re worthy of Mr. Wuya."

Shen Qinghe found Lord Meng Yun too talkative. She pinched Shen Zhiyao’s palm, who understood the signal and explained, "Lord Meng Yun is mistaken. Our Qinghe regards Mr. Wuya as an elder, nothing more."

With that, she took Shen Qinghe and walked a little further away.

Before long, disciples from other sects in the South Desolate Continent also arrived at Yuheng Mountain one after another. This time, the sects ranked in the top ten all sent their elite to compete in the tournament.

The tournament was divided into two rounds. The first round was a contest on the platform, where Golden Core cultivators would face off against Golden Core cultivators, Nascent Soul Cultivators against Nascent Soul Cultivators, without the chance to challenge those from a different stage. The last six winners would enter the second round.

As for the second round, it was a survival challenge in the wilderness.

The wilderness survival challenge forbade the slaughtering of cultivators; once a hit was scored, the contest ended. Each level only allowed one winner, not only earning honor for their respective sect, but also the opportunity to enter the Black River Secret Realm for trials.

The Black River Secret Realm is a place that all cultivators dream of entering. However, the realm is extremely dangerous; only those cultivators with exceptional talent for cultivation have a chance to enter, and ordinary cultivators do not.

If a cultivator with incredibly good fortune enters the Black River Secret Realm, they might even find an immortal fate.

Those who can enter the Black River Secret Realm are all renowned individuals from The Four Seas and Eight Wilds, the elite among the elite from the great sects.

And the next opening of the Black River Secret Realm would be in one year.

Although Dongfang Wuya was the team leader, he did not bother with others, except for giving special instructions to Shen Qinghe.

"The format of this competition is unique. It tests a cultivator’s true ability, regardless of gender or Minor Realm differences. Thus, cultivators of higher minor realms have the upper hand. You have just stepped into the Golden Core Mid-stage, but I have just observed that there are eight Golden Core Full Completion Stage cultivators, so there’s a good chance you will face a Golden Core Full Completion Stage cultivator early on. You have the Black Rope to aid you, which is not a big problem, but caution is still advisable," Dongfang Wuya said succinctly.

In the past, Shen Qinghe would have felt Dongfang Wuya overestimated her, but now she had sufficient confidence.

She calmly replied, "I’ll try my best to make it to the second round!"

Seeing her confidence, Dongfang Wuya nodded in approval.

Only Shen Qinghe felt her luck was never that great, and with Nan Sheng, the Fated Female Protagonist, around, she had prepared for the worst.

As Shen Qinghe was about to draw lots, Dongfang Wuya’s eyes became complex.

Shen Qinghe smiled faintly when she noticed, "I know Uncle Master is worried about me, I will be careful."

"Who’s worried about you?" Dongfang Wuya looked away, his gaze flickering.

Shen Qinghe laughed silently, which Dongfang Wuya distinctly heard: "What’s so funny?"

"I’m not laughing. Anyway, I will definitely make it to the second round, not to let Uncle Master down!" Shen Qinghe said earnestly.

Although he was not her actual master, he had done everything a master could do, and she didn’t want to disappoint him.

Dongfang Wuya ultimately admitted defeat; he was indeed worried about her: "It’s alright if you don’t make it to the second round, but prioritize your own safety. Though the competition has rules, there are always some cultivators with evil intent. You need to stay alert, don’t be naively outwitted without realizing..."

Shen Qinghe listened intently, her eyes meeting Dongfang Wuya’s peach blossom-like ones. When he looked at her intently while speaking, it was as if she was someone very important to him...

Realizing her thoughts had strayed where they shouldn’t, she lowered her gaze to her toes and secretly thought that Dongfang Wuya’s most misleading feature was his affectionate peach blossom eyes, which made it too easy for one to misunderstand.

"Were you even listening to me?" Dongfang Wuya had been speaking for a while and seeing that Shen Qinghe had no reaction, he slapped his palm heavily on top of her head.

Shen Qinghe quickly nodded: "I listened, I listened, I will be cautious."

But then again, she just felt that he talked a bit too much, which didn’t fit his aloof character.

Dongfang Wuya continued to ponder if he had missed anything, but the major competition was about to begin, and Shen Qinghe was about to draw lots. He called out to her, "Shen Qinghe..."

Shen Qinghe turned her head towards Dongfang Wuya: "Does Uncle Master have any further instructions?"

All the myriad thoughts in Dongfang Wuya’s mind condensed into two words: "Be careful."

Shen Qinghe returned a radiant smile: "All right!"

Dongfang Wuya felt his hardened heart melting in the brightness of her smile, his own heart pounding faster and faster, to the point where he wanted to kiss her blooming smile, disregarding everything around him in front of the whole crowd.

Even though he denied it to himself over and over, and even though he had seen countless beauties, he knew that at some point, somewhere, she had entered his heart.

Shen Qinghe’s gaze met Dongfang Wuya’s dark, peach blossom eyes, which held a depth and obscurity she couldn’t comprehend.

Fortunately, the lot-drawing was starting, and she cast aside the confusion in her heart.

While Dongfang Wuya was lost in watching Shen Qinghe’s retreating figure, Wu Ke’s voice rang out, "Never thought I’d live to see the day when you’d fret over a woman like this, truly rare."

——

The goose had known for a while that it had feelings for the female goose, but simply refused to admit it.