bookbashuk Chapter 30 The mantis stalks the cicada
Chapter 30 The mantis stalks the cicada
Chapter 30 The mantis stalks the cicada
Shen Li released her divine sense and cautiously moved forward, constantly sensing the movements around her and investigating the whereabouts of the other servants.
Occasionally, screams and the roar of spells could be heard from afar.
Shen Li chose to stay far away from those dangerous areas.
Suddenly, a golden light flashed in his mind.
The divination result has been updated.
Today's divination result - Inauspicious
[Suitable for: teaching cattle and horses, traveling by boat]
[Avoid: Opening a grave for a living person, breaking ground, or separating from the family]
[The divination reads: You wander in the trial grounds and find a storage bag, but your joy will turn to sorrow, and you will die and your life will end.]
Shen Li paused, her heart tightening: She found a storage bag? And then, she died?
This storage bag is probably not a windfall, but a trap!
He took a deep breath, his expression turning serious.
In the training grounds, the methods of killing were indeed varied and diverse.
As he was thinking, he stepped over a clump of bushes and saw a mutilated corpse lying quietly in a clearing with sparse weeds ahead.
Shen Li stared intently, only to see that the corpse's flesh and blood had been almost completely devoured, leaving only a bare, white skeleton exposed, and its tattered robes stained with dried blood.
Clearly, this servant, like Shen Li, had encountered a corpse-refining cultivator, but he was unlucky and lacked strength.
Moreover, he's not very bright. If he can't win, why doesn't he just crush the jade talisman and teleport away?
Although the servant was dead, his storage bag was still hanging intact on his belt.
From a distance, the storage bag appeared slightly bulging, exuding an alluring charm.
Anyone who sees it can't help but go over and take it; no one can resist such a free benefit.
But Shen Li felt a chill run down his spine, thinking to himself: Doesn't this just confirm the divination?
If he hadn't foreseen the danger, he would have already gone to retrieve the storage bag.
If he does that, the person hiding in the shadows will definitely launch a sneak attack.
What an ingenious trap!
Did the person in the shadows spot me?
Unable to be certain, he could only prepare for battle, slowly spreading his divine sense outwards to probe his surroundings inch by inch.
It took Shen Li a while to confirm that there was no one around her.
In other words, the hidden person is on the other side of the corpse.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Shen Li secretly calculated: I was very lucky not to be discovered just now. If I leave now, there is a possibility that my whereabouts will be exposed.
Rather than risk retreating, it's better to lie in wait and wait for the opportune moment to strike.
So he held his breath and waited to see what would happen.
And so, Shen Li remained motionless in hiding for three hours.
Although he was soaked with dew, he wasn't in a hurry. If you want to catch a big fish, you have to be patient.
Just when he thought the night would pass uneventfully, a very faint fluctuation of spiritual energy suddenly came from the nearby jungle.
Shen Li's spirits lifted, and she was secretly delighted: Finally, someone has come! She wondered which unlucky fellow was going to step into that trap for her.
This is going to be interesting.
A moment later, the bushes were gently parted, and a familiar face peeked out.
This person was actually Zhao Ping'an!
The servants in the miscellaneous service hall were known for their gossip and inquisitiveness.
Shen Li's lips twitched slightly: Old friend, how come it's you?
Thanks to you for spreading rumors for me, Pang Sicheng's conspiracy failed, and he got himself into trouble.
At this moment, Zhao Ping'an had already seen the corpse.
His gaze was immediately drawn to the storage bag at the corpse's waist.
Zhao Ping'an's eyes lit up, and he was secretly delighted: My luck is too good. I wonder which unlucky guy was eaten by a zombie. This storage bag is mine now.
He released his divine sense, sensed the surroundings, and confirmed that no one was around. Then, he walked towards the corpse with great joy.
But he never expected that two people were watching him from the shadows.
At this moment, Shen Li was concentrating on sensing the surrounding movements and capturing every fluctuation of spiritual energy.
Sure enough, just as Zhao Ping'an approached the corpse, Shen Li noticed a faint dark shadow moving in the nearby jungle.
The man actually disappeared into a dead tree, becoming one with it. As long as he didn't move, he wouldn't be discovered at all.
Seeing his prey come to him, the dark figure slowly made a hand seal, and a black short sword flew out silently from his sleeve, the tip of the sword pointing straight at Zhao Ping'an's back.
His actions naturally did not escape Shen Li's notice.
With a flick of her finger, Shen Li sent a small pebble flying silently, which landed precisely on the open ground in front of Zhao Ping'an.
He didn't want the person to notice his presence, so he didn't use his magic.
"Clatter".
The crisp sound rang out in the silent forest, exceptionally jarring.
"who!"
Zhao Ping'an was so shocked he almost jumped up.
But he reacted quickly, instantly channeling his magic power. With a flick of his wrist, a palm-sized bone shield appeared, growing larger in the wind and transforming into a bone shield that protected him completely.
At the same instant, a cold light pierced through the air!
"clang--!"
With a crisp metallic clang, the black short sword slammed solidly into the bone shield and was forcefully blocked.
The short sword failed to strike and flew back.
A figure slowly rose to his feet, revealing his form.
The man, in his early twenties, had a sinister face and looked at Zhao Ping'an with a mocking gaze, saying, "You reacted quite quickly. Zhao Ping'an, so it's you. What a small world."
Zhao Ping'an looked closely, his expression changing slightly: "Qian Wanhao?!"
This person is somewhat famous among the servants. It is said that he has just broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining and is one of the top performers in this competition.
Although his swordsmanship was only rudimentary, he was already among the best in the menial tasks.
Zhao Ping'an felt a wave of fear. If this person hadn't made a noise before launching the sneak attack, he might have been killed.
However, before he could figure out what had just happened, Qian Wanhao whispered, "Sword Control Technique—Swift!"
The black short sword hummed and transformed into a streak of dark light, shooting towards Zhao Ping'an once again.
Zhao Ping'an quickly activated the bone shield, and a layer of pale yellow spiritual light emanated from its surface, steadily blocking in front of him.
Qian Wanhao seized the initiative and continued his attacks.
"Clang clang clang!"
The short swords rained down like pear blossoms, relentlessly striking the bone shield.
Zhao Ping'an struggled to hold on, but was at a disadvantage and kept retreating.
"Zhao Ping'an, give up, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse." Qian Wanhao sneered, his short sword attacks becoming even more ferocious.
Zhao Ping'an gritted his teeth and said, "Qian Wanhao, why do you insist on killing me? Let's all live in peace and part ways, shall we?"
""
Qian Wanhao's eyes flashed coldly: "Why should I kill you? It's all because of your foul mouth. Besides, this is a trial; fewer people mean fewer competitors. Prepare to die!"
Having said that, he channeled his magic power, propelled his flying sword, and once again flew towards Zhao Ping'an.
Zhao Ping'an's face contorted in a grimace as he secretly groaned in despair.
He desperately wanted to crush the teleportation talisman to escape, but the other party clearly wouldn't give him that chance.
He himself had not yet reached the end of his rope.
Seeing that the battle was going badly, Zhao Ping'an gritted his teeth and stopped holding back.
He channeled his magical power, and with a flick of his wrist, another magical artifact was unleashed.