Chapter 15: Feeding the Tiger with Oneself?

"So, what?" Lin Fengmian asked with a faint smile.

Guan Chengtian's expression turned cold as he suddenly swung his hand toward Lin Fengmian's face. However, Lin Fengmian had been prepared, blocking the blow and grabbing Guan Chengtian's wrist, his tone icy, "You want to fight?"

Guan Chengtian grinned, "Not bad, you've got some skills. I underestimated you."

Their confrontation attracted quite a bit of attention from nearby disciples. Just as Lin Fengmian felt the situation might escalate, the sound of bells rang throughout Qingjiu Peak, echoing across the mountain.

Everyone's expressions shifted slightly. Some of the newer disciples looked confused, unaware of what the bell signified.

"It's the assembly bell, let's go!"

"What's going on? Why are we being summoned all of a sudden?"

Guan Chengtian shot Lin Fengmian a cold glare, yanked his hand free, and snorted, "Consider yourself lucky today! Let's go!"

With that, he and his group hurried away. Lin Fengmian stood still, sneering inwardly. Who's lucky? It's still up in the air!

If the bells hadn't rung, Lin Fengmian would have made sure Guan Chengtian learned why flowers are red. After all, cultivation gained from dual cultivation was ultimately a house built on sand. Guan Chengtian's foundation was far less solid than those who trained step by step.

Even though Guan Chengtian had only engaged in dual cultivation a few times, he was practicing the "Blazing Sun Art," a technique that made his foundation shaky. Lin Fengmian had always kept a low profile but was confident he could easily defeat him.

Everyone made their way to the square at Qingjiu Peak. Lin Fengmian roughly counted; there were about a hundred disciples left.

In the middle of the square stood a beautiful woman dressed in bright yellow robes. This woman, named Wang Yanran, wasn't extraordinarily beautiful, but her gentle demeanor and mature charm made her quite popular among the disciples of Qingjiu Peak.

Standing on the platform, Wang Yanran looked at the slowly gathering crowd and smiled. "Is everyone here?"

Her voice wasn't loud but carried across the entire square, clearly aided by some technique.

"Looks like everyone's here. Wang Senior Sister, what's this about?" one disciple asked.

"Yeah, did Senior Sister miss me?" another joked.

"Keep dreaming… look at yourself! If anyone, Senior Sister's definitely looking for me."

Wang Yanran laughed softly, like flowers blooming in spring, captivating the eager crowd.

"I didn't call you all here for romantic matters," she teased. "I've got some news for you."

"The sect will soon descend the mountain to recruit new disciples. This time, five outstanding disciples from Qingjiu Peak will be chosen to accompany the group."

Her words caused a stir among the disciples. Some were eager, while others showed little interest.

Wang Yanran smiled and continued, "Those who participate will not only be in close contact with senior sisters throughout the journey but also have a chance for intimate interactions."

"The sect has also prepared the flying treasure 'Clear Wind Leaf' and various secret techniques as rewards. Don't miss out on this opportunity, everyone!"

Her words hit the right spot for many, who suddenly became excited.

"Senior Sister, will you be going down the mountain with us?" one disciple asked eagerly.

"Senior Sister, is the flying treasure real?" another chimed in.

Wang Yanran extended her hand, revealing a leaf-shaped treasure. She smiled and said, "This is the Clear Wind Leaf. It will be distributed when we head down the mountain. Let me give you all a demonstration."

With a wave of her hand, the treasure floated under her feet, expanding to the size of a long sword and lifting her gracefully into the air.

Wang Yanran, standing on the leaf, flew in a circle above the disciples like a celestial being, attracting every eye in the crowd.

The disciples gazed up at her, catching glimpses of her fair legs beneath her split dress, making many swallow hard, bowing slightly as a sign of respect.

When Wang Yanran landed back on the platform, the disciples were no longer as indifferent as before. Each one now burned with desire—some for dual cultivation with the senior sisters, some for the flying treasure, others for the promised secret techniques.

Lin Fengmian, however, was thinking about how this might be his chance to escape if he could go outside the sect.

He asked loudly, "Senior Sister, how will the selection be made?"

Wang Yanran smiled warmly at the eager crowd, "The disciples must be at least at the sixth layer of Qi Refining and below the eighth layer to qualify."

"In three days, a senior sister will come to Qingjiu Peak to conduct the selection. The details of the test will be revealed then. Don't miss your chance, everyone!"

Upon hearing this, many disciples lost their enthusiasm, realizing they didn't meet the required cultivation level.

Lin Fengmian also felt frustrated. His cultivation level was at the fifth layer, just short of the sixth.

The requirement for the sixth layer made sense since some illusionary techniques needed that level to be performed. It was to ensure they could impress and deceive mortals when they descended the mountain.

But Lin Fengmian couldn't understand why they capped it at the eighth layer. Why would a higher level of cultivation be a problem?

Guan Chengtian laughed heartily and asked, "Senior Sister Wang, what will the selection test consist of?"

"You'll find out on the day of the test. Stay tuned for some surprises!" Wang Yanran said with a wink, before summoning a lotus-shaped flying treasure and soaring off towards Red Luan Peak, leaving a deep impression on the crowd.

Flying through the air—how many disciples dreamed of such a thing?

After the assembly, those who met the criteria were eager to try out for the selection. Meanwhile, those like Lin Fengmian, who were only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, began thinking of ways to break through.

The quickest method, of course, was to go to Red Luan Peak and engage in dual cultivation with the senior sisters. In just a few days, they could achieve a breakthrough.

So, many disciples started plotting to be chosen by the senior sisters, pulling out all sorts of tricks to catch their attention.

Lin Fengmian also felt conflicted, wondering how he could quickly reach the sixth layer in just three days.

Would he really have to go to Red Luan Peak and offer himself as prey to the tigers?

To work the land and water the soil for those enchantresses?

But even if he did go to Red Luan Peak and sacrificed his dignity, who knew what the selection test would involve?

What if he gained nothing from it in the end? If he started losing his vital yang energy, the senior sisters would surely be relentless.

Once someone broke the taboo, the other senior sisters from Red Luan Peak would pounce on him like sharks smelling blood, tearing him apart.

Those senior sisters had been eyeing Lin Fengmian for a long time due to his good looks, frequently taking liberties with him.

With these thoughts in mind, Lin Fengmian decided he needed to find out more about the test before deciding whether or not to take the risk of "feeding the tiger with himself."

Liumei was out of the question; he had offended her too deeply.

After much consideration, the only person Lin Fengmian could think of to help him was Xia Yunxi.

But it had been a while since he last saw her, and he didn't know if she was still being punished in confinement.