The two stood there for a while before Xu Yuehuai spoke up: "We're probably in the central part of the desert, and it's a long way to go. Let Bai Ze come out and help us walk, so we can save time."
Ji Yuanchi had no objection and nodded gently. Then, Bai Ze appeared out of thin air. She lowered her head and bent down to let the two of them go up.
Riding Bai Ze through the desert, apart from the dazzling yellow sand, they found nothing unusual. The lack of anything unusual was the biggest anomaly. Along the way, they also picked up four or five orbs of light, as if they had been delivered to them out of thin air.
Beneath the ground, a black aura surged, not floating on the surface at all, making it unfathomable.
Outside the secret realm, many people came to check the situation immediately. Yesterday's competition stage was now filled with screens showing everyone's performance in the secret realm.
Zi Sangyi sat in her seat, trying to find Xu Yuehuai, but found nothing. The other sect leaders also couldn't find their senior sisters or brothers, and some of their personal disciples were also missing.
The only people visible on the screen are some of the weaker competitors.
For a moment, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, turning their gazes to the Valley Master of Dragon Roar Valley. The Valley Master wore a mask and a black robe, making it impossible to see the expression on his face.
The Zhentian Clan spoke first, "Does Valley Master Long have an explanation for everyone?"
The Valley Master of Dragon Valley moved his head slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on the large screen. He only said one sentence, "It's just a minor display problem, don't make a fuss about it."
He tried to quell everyone's doubts with a casual remark, but he miscalculated; no one believed his nonsense.
"What nonsense are you spouting! It's a display problem if one or two disciples are missing, but all the top disciples of all the sects are missing, and you still think it's a display problem!" The sect leader of the Gale Sect didn't give any face and shouted these words directly.
The Valley Master of Dragon Roar Valley remained calm and composed, showing no sign of guilt. "Don't be anxious. These things are normal. Why overthink a coincidence?"
He tried to brush everything aside with a mere coincidence, but the others weren't so lenient, especially the sect leader of the Gale Sect, who was known for his fiery temper. Naturally, he had to say a few more words in this situation: "I think you're just talking nonsense. Now, end the competition immediately, or make them all come out!"
"I didn't decide on this competition. Didn't everyone already know what the competition would be about? How could I possibly rig it? Aren't you all just worried that I did something?" Valley Master Long said calmly, which infuriated the people from the Gale Sect.
Even if he had a point, he couldn't articulate it, but the most suspicious party right now was indeed Dragon Roar Valley. They were the ones who organized this year's competition. The Zhentian Clan Chief glanced at him, frowned, and said with dissatisfaction, "Alright, let's think about this matter again. People from Dragon Roar Valley are all involved. I believe that Valley Master Dragon wouldn't be so heartless as to frame even his own disciple, would he?"
His voice was meaningful, as if he were testing or toying with someone. In any case, after he said that, the others quieted down a lot, as if they all thought he made sense.
The Valley Master responded with a smile, while Zi Sangyi watched from the side.
The one who pointed out the problem was the Zhentian Clan, and now the one saying to let it go is also a member of the Zhentian Clan. What exactly are they planning?
Suddenly, the matter became complicated and mysterious, making it difficult to understand. Everyone present wore a calm expression, as if they didn't care about it at all. He couldn't stop the competition by himself, so he simply continued watching, but in his heart, he was constantly thinking about what to do.
The Fifth Elder, who was sitting to the side, noticed the fluctuation in Zi Sangyi's emotions and whispered in his ear, "Something is definitely wrong with this competition. Let's think of a way to make them stop participating tomorrow. Even if the sect wins first place, it's better than everyone being wiped out here."
When the Fifth Elder spoke, his face was more serious than ever before. Zi Sangyi could also sense something unusual in his tone, and immediately nodded without hesitation in agreeing to the matter.
The First Elder watched silently from the side, constantly searching for Nangong Yu and Ji Yaocen. These were two children she had watched grow up since they were little, so it was impossible for her not to pay attention to them.
...
Inside the secret realm, Xu Yuehuai and Ji Yuanchi walked for a long time, collecting quite a few light orbs, but still couldn't find a way out. Ji Yuanchi disregarded the awkward atmosphere between them and said, "This place is very strange. There isn't a single living being here. It looks like there are only two people."
Xu Yuehuai also discovered this. She frowned, as if she had encountered some difficulty. She had just checked and found that this was not an illusion, which meant that they were still in the secret realm and had not been sucked into the illusion. But this was the worst possible outcome.
If this is the case, it proves that the danger level in their area has increased dramatically.
What does a place devoid of life signify? It suggests the existence of something that can suppress all living beings. But what exactly is this thing?
The truth remains unknown. Bai Ze's feet rustled on the desert sand, and a gust of wind swept around them, carrying sand that kept hitting Xu Yuehuai and Ji Yuanchi's faces.
The undulating terrain around them proved that they were moving forward, not standing still, so what exactly was going on?
Xu Yuehuai glanced at the boundless desert once more, her mind filled with many questions, yet she couldn't find a reasonable answer to any of them.
"Let's stop and rest for a bit." The two of them didn't know how long they had been walking, and the swaying and bouncing along on Bai Ze's back had made them feel a little tired.
When Xu Yuehuai came down, she saw Ji Yuanchi's pale face and dry lips. Compared to Xu Yuehuai, she had brought nothing with her.
Xu Yuehuai took out several fruits from his spatial storage without saying a word, and gave half of them to Ji Yuanchi.
Even at this critical moment, when life and death were at stake, she didn't hesitate. She took the food and ate it, and immediately felt alive again. Her parched lips were nourished, and her mind cleared up instantly.
Bai Ze returned to his space, first lying by the stream and drinking water for a long time before stopping. He also ate something to replenish his strength, waiting for Xu Yuehuai to summon him at any time.
Yuan Shui was leisurely eating fruit and snacks beside her. Seeing her like this, he chuckled twice and said, "Look at how hard you're working. Anyone who didn't know better would think she saved your life."
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