Zhao Huai wiped the sweat off his forehead. He fished out a small pebble from his clothes near his chest, a toy that Zhao Shuning often played with when she was a child. Then he let out a long breath slowly.
It had been so close just now. He had almost felt that his body was out of his control. Fortunately, it had just been a false alarm.
After putting the pebble away, Zhao Huai felt the power within him burning even hotter. He concentrated and could sense the surging power flowing through his limbs. His eyes gradually changed from a fiery red to the normal color.
Although he was puzzled, he didn't linger.
Even though Zhao Huai had always managed to come out unscathed from the Demon Valley, he still didn't dare to stay there for too long. The aura there made him feel both familiar and terrified.
After packing up his things, Zhao Huai slipped back through the cave he had come out of earlier. He stayed in the Demon Valley for another three days. After finding no other precious items, he finally left the valley.
In a few days, it would be the important day for the sect's talent selection. Although Zhao Huai didn't want to go, the Emperor had told him to follow the arrangements of the sect's elders. So he couldn't miss the competition.
Whether he attended or not didn't really matter to Zhao Huai. He planned to sit in the last row. The people in the front would be those with higher qualifications in the sect. They were older and taller than him. Sitting at the back, he wouldn't be able to see the competition clearly, and it would also allow him to slack off.
What Zhao Huai didn't know was that in previous years, the sect's selection had been just an ordinary event, but this year, there were many unexpected guests.
The sect, being such a huge and powerful organization, always attracted alchemist disciples from all over the Nine - Continent Continent to participate every year.
After leaving the valley, Zhao Huai returned to the sect. As he was entering the door, he ran into Lan Anran, who was just about to go out.
Both Zhao Huai and Lan Anran were the proud sons of the sect. The moment they met, the air was filled with a faint smell of gunpowder.
"Junior brother, you're back?"
Zhao Huai nodded slightly and didn't intend to say much to Lan Anran. He was about to walk into the inner chamber of the sect.
He was different from the other disciples in the sect, especially from Lan Anran. He hadn't originally intended to come to the sect. Later, he had voluntarily stayed, but unlike others, he didn't attach much importance to levels and cultivation methods.
But this was just Zhao Huai's view. Lan Anran saw things differently.
In the past, Lan Anran had been the envy of countless fellow disciples in the sect. He was young but had the highest level among all the sect's disciples. Even Elders Ji Qinglin and Xia Wanning had high hopes for him.
But ever since Zhao Huai had come, everything had changed. Zhao Huai's qualifications were no less than Lan Anran's. Moreover, the Emperor had personally given Zhao Huai guidance. The Emperor! Lan Anran had only seen the Emperor twice so far. But Zhao Huai had not only spent time with the Emperor but also received his guidance. Even Elder Xia often secretly discussed important matters with Zhao Huai.
"Junior brother, I'm talking to you. Are you looking down on me by just walking away like this?"
"Senior brother, do you have anything else to say?"
Lan Anran looked very gentle. From afar, he looked like a gentle scholar, as if he were too weak to even tie up a chicken. But although his appearance was kind, his heart was extremely firm, and he had an unyielding spirit.
"No."
"In that case, I'll take my leave, Senior brother."
As Zhao Huai took a step forward, Lan Anran reached out and grabbed the corner of his clothes.
"Senior brother?"
"You're just going to leave like this? Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"What is there to say between us, Senior brother?"
"Zhao Huai, you've been to the Demon Valley again, haven't you?"
Zhao Huai's eyes narrowed, showing a hint of fierceness.
"Zhao Huai, I can smell the aura on you. You must have been to the Demon Valley. You can't deny this."
"I don't intend to deny it. Senior brother has been to the Demon Valley too. Can't I go?"
"Zhao Huai, it's different. When I went to the Demon Valley, I had the permission of the elders. But every time you go, you do it secretly. This violates the rules of the sect."
"If I were to ask the elders for permission, they definitely wouldn't let me go."
"Since you know that, why do you still do it?"
"But I can come out safely. This shows that my ability is no less than yours, Senior brother. The reason the elders don't let us go in is just that they're afraid we don't have enough cultivation and won't be able to come out. Since I can come out safely, this worry is redundant."
"Junior brother, you're the most rule - breaking disciple I've ever seen in the sect."
Zhao Huai said, "If senior brother has nothing else to say, I'll take my leave."
Saying this, without caring about Lan Anran's expression, Zhao Huai walked straight past him.
Lan Anran was left standing there, stunned and at a loss.
"What's wrong with this Zhao Huai? He's different from before."
The look in his eyes just now had even carried a hint of killing intent.
In the past, this young man had always been gentle and elegant. But this time, after just a few words, he had become so unfriendly. This made Lan Anran even more suspicious of Zhao Huai.
When Zhao Huai returned to his room, he found that Elder Xia was already waiting for him.
"Back?"
"Greetings, Elder Xia."
Xia Wanning nodded slightly, a gentle smile on her face.
"You've been to the Demon Valley again?"
"I'm sorry, Elder Xia. I just..."
"Zhao Huai, the Emperor told you before he left that you'd better go to the Demon Valley less often. The aura there is mysterious. It might have a bad impact on your spirit."
Zhao Huai fell silent. Just now, he had almost blurted out what had happened to him in the Demon Valley. But when he noticed the inquiring look in Elder Xia's eyes, a hint of suspicion arose in his heart, and he held back his words.
"What's wrong?"
"Elder Xia, I'm fine."
"That's good. Elder Ji will be back tomorrow. We'll seal off the Demon Valley. From tomorrow on, neither you nor Anran should go there."
Zhao Huai nodded.
After Xia Wanning finished speaking, she got up and walked away gracefully.
"Elder Xia."
"Hmm?"
"Don't tell the Emperor that I secretly went to the Demon Valley. I won't go there again in the future."
"Okay."
Xia Wanning thought that perhaps Zhao Huai hadn't come into contact with that mysterious power yet. Otherwise, he wouldn't be like this.
"You should prepare. You have to attend the selection competition then."
"Disciple understands."