Was it you that night?
Chapter 198 - 196: In this world, only she remains!

Chapter 198: Chapter 196: In this world, only she remains!

Watching her sister join the other cultivators, Shen Zhiyao’s eyes filled with warmth.

Qinghe’s health had been poor from childhood, and even though their biological father was an elder of the Sky Pole Sect with innumerable spirit pills and spirit grasses, not one of them benefitted Qinghe. As Qinghe grew older, her health worsened, and even medical cultivators said she wouldn’t live past twenty.

But now, not only was Qinghe alive and well, she was also blessed with the opportunity for cultivation and remarkable talent, all undoubtedly thanks to Mr. Wuya.

She stole a glance at Dongfang Wuya, yearning to ask what had transpired between him and Qinghe, but she dared not.

Never mind, she’ll wait for Qinghe to tell her.

Just as she thought to keep her distance from Dongfang Wuya, she suddenly heard him ask, "Does Shen Qinghe have anything she particularly likes?"

"Uh... she’s quite content with little, so there’s nothing in particular. But she used to wish to grow up quickly, to marry Yan Changsheng—"

"Shen Zhiyao, if you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak at all!" Dongfang Wuya cut her off.

By the time Shen Zhiyao looked again, Dongfang Wuya’s figure had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Shen Qinghe had just met with Nan Sheng, who quickly showed weakness, "Qinghe, we are fellow disciples, we should look out for each other during the competition."

"Wasn’t it you who lured my sister to the southern forest? You wanted something to happen between her and Elder Wu and then take the chance to steal him away, that was your malicious plan, wasn’t it?" Shen Qinghe went straight to the point.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Nan Sheng retorted with grievance, "How can you throw such unfounded accusations at me? Once is like this, twice is still the same, back when you tampered with the secret manual, causing me to go mad and become obsessed..."

"The secret manual wasn’t given to you by me, it was given by Yan Changsheng. Shouldn’t you be settling scores with him? What’s the use of crying to me, I’m not one of those male cultivators who fawn over you." Shen Qinghe couldn’t be bothered to waste more words with Nan Sheng, "In a while, we’ll see the true strength during the competition!"

Nan Sheng would certainly not admit to her scheming, and the best counterattack would be to take her place and win first place.

She would become a thorn in Nan Sheng’s side, a nightmare Nan Sheng could never shake off.

When the competition started, including Nan Sheng, five cultivators rushed to the front, while Shen Qinghe casually strolled at the rear.

For a survival competition, mythical beasts were surely present. Although killing them scored points, she believed that haste would not bring success.

As expected, within a quarter of an hour, she saw the five ahead deeply embroiled in a fight with the beasts.

With a thought from Shen Qinghe, the Black and White Rope transformed into a sword in her hand.

Drawing her sword, she plunged into the fray of flashing lights and casting shadows.

The attention of the other five participants was drawn by the commotion around Shen Qinghe. When they saw one mythical beast after another fall around her, they couldn’t hide their surprise.

Apart from Nan Sheng, no one had sparred with Shen Qinghe; they had only heard that her swordsmanship was swift and accurate.

But all those were just rumors. Only by seeing Shen Qinghe’s swords play firsthand did they realize just how swift her technique was.

While they were still entangled with the beasts, the ones around Shen Qinghe had already been slain by her sword. During this time, she didn’t even remove her veil hat.

Nan Sheng, wielding the Thousand Shadows Sword, also witnessed how Shen Qinghe wielded hers. Her heart was filled with envy and hatred. It should have been her to be the foremost female sword cultivator in The Four Seas and Eight Wilds, so why was Shen Qinghe’s sword speed so unbelievably fast?

She struggled to decapitate the last beast near her, and when she looked up, Shen Qinghe was already gone.

Damn it, how could Shen Qinghe be so fast?

But it didn’t matter, this time she was determined to win first place and not let Shen Qinghe steal the spotlight as the heroine.

She was the one destined to enter the Black River Secret Realm, where she would gain immortal fate, and thus later, she could ascend.

However, she could not let Shen Qinghe take away what belonged to her as the first.

Shen Qinghe soon realized that Nan Sheng was following her, but she did not pay attention and continued to move forward.

Before long, Shen Qinghe heard a disturbance.

Nan Sheng also heard the rustling sounds, resembling that of boneless creatures crawling. She looked up carefully and saw a giant python with its gaping maw descending upon her from above.

Startled, she hastily retreated several steps, nearly slipping and falling to the ground.

Fortunately, she supported herself on the ground with one hand, only to touch something slippery; she looked intently and realized she was standing on another coiled giant python.

It was not just that; giant pythons were everywhere around her, hissing at her with forked tongues.

She screamed in terror, "Shen Qinghe..."

Shen Qinghe simply ignored Nan Sheng’s life and death situation. She had noticed the giant pythons all around her earlier; she actually found these creatures particularly disgusting as well.

The Black and White Rope responded to her thoughts, instantly transforming into a black and white striped shield, protecting her within. Any pythons trying to approach her were blocked by the net-like shield.

Moreover, the shield had sharp blades all over it, leaving a gory mess wherever it went, yet the shield itself remained unstained by any blood or odor.

Shen Qinghe saw everything clearly, feeling even more that her luck was good to be chosen by such a miraculous magical treasure.

Subsequently, she passed through the Giant Python Den without the need to lift a finger.

Yes, this was a vast Giant Python Den, and crossing it was a necessary path to reach the mountaintop.

She had an innate fear of these soft-bodied creatures since birth, but as a cultivator, even killing fellow cultivators was the norm, let alone mere snakes?

Yet, she had not expected her life-bound magic treasure to play such a vital role at this moment.

The instant she left the Giant Python Den and looked back, she saw Nan Sheng covered in filth and blood, struggling with a python, looking extremely miserable.

Nan Sheng also saw Shen Qinghe and shouted angrily, "Shen Qinghe, we are fellow disciples, you can’t just leave me to die..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Shen Qinghe give her a disdainful smile and then depart without looking back.

Nan Sheng was so angry she felt smoke coming out of her throat; she swore to herself that she would make Shen Qinghe lose bitterly to her!

After leaving the Giant Python Den, Shen Qinghe breezed through all obstacles with ease, finding this so-called mountain survival less challenging than competing in an arena.

Seeing her destination within reach, Shen Qinghe felt everything seemed a bit too easy.

She looked back, the forested mountain appeared tranquil, with no sign of the other five individuals, including Nan Sheng.

She stood silently for a quarter of an hour, still seeing no trace of anyone.

When she concentrated and extended her Divine Sense, she still could not detect the presence of any other cultivators.

As a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator by now, her Divine Sense could probe up to ten miles away, which should be adequate for these desolate mountains, right?

But she saw not a single cultivator, nor any mythical beasts; there was no breeze through the mountains, everything was eerily silent. Of course, she also could not see Nan Sheng in the Myriad Snake Den.

In this world, it seemed she was the only one left!