Their discussions were over, it was time to let the disciples in. Wich made a few of them tremble. They regretted their eagerness to enter the underworld. The kind of beasts the Doa protectors fought and killed during the one week they stood there, seemed like things of a nightmare for most of them. The eagerness for adventures had cooled off completely. To top it off, the Dao protectors only "Cleaned" an area. So there's still danger in the surroundings, and there' the possibilities they missed some of the hidden monsters. Only the most threatening creature was killed.

Those that became elder because of age, regretted no retiring. Because they were old, they'll be thrown out there to 'protect' the disciples, but it was clear they were the most disposable pawns.

Thinking that Elder Huang laughed out loud, and flew to stand right beside Zhi Rui. From his body, colorful after-image moved after him. On his side, came Xunhue.

Xun Lee squinted with her smile.

"Is elder Huang in a good mood?" Zhi Rui said with a smile of her own.

"Why wouldn't I be? These old bones of mine hadn't felt the excitement of the unknown for so long, besides, I've been reading about the underworld since I was little. to be able to actually enter it, is a fantasy becoming reality." He laughed out loud.

Through this small interaction, Elder Huang had signaled Xunhue with his eyes. Zhi Rui figured he wanted to say the girl was on their side, at least, she could be used. Since he was the Elder responsible for overseeing her actions, Zhi Rui thought it'd be good to listen to him now, so as to not cause discomfort in their relationship. It wouldn't be a problem put Xunhue to use, and if that makes him feel a little more appreciated, even better, as she could use him later.

Her deep green eyes bore down on Xunhue who bowed down midair.

"I'm sorry for my offenses, I was being moved by ambition, and -"

"Girl, we need to talk." A rusk, disgusting tone cut Xunhue off and spread in their group.

Zhi Rui's emotionless eyes looked at Xu Fenguyiing, who was the first to exit the underworld gate after the Dao protector's discussion.

She turned her eyes to the people around, and they distanced themselves with the exception of Ren Zu and Zun Buying, who jumped beside her. and Izaya who walked right beneath them on the ground.

"Scram." Xu Fenguying said lightly, to the nosy subordinates.

"They'll stay." Zhi Rui stated.

Xu Fenguyinh looked at Zhi Rui wit ha crooked face. "Did you forget whose money is allowing it to participate in this, or who's the one protecting you from level six cultivators?"

"Did you forgot why you're doing those things? If I don't win this, the only place you'll go to is misery town, of the hell empire. in the middle of nowhere continent."

His eyebrows twitched.

Xu figuring, the ex sect leader, kept silent for an entire ten seconds before laughing. He looked at her with venom in his eyes and pointed t Ren Zu.

In a second Zhi Rui understood the implication and sighed inwardly. She neglected thinking it through when she exposed Ren Zu.

She hardened her eyes and smirked. "Xu Fenguying, do you want a cultivation method that can get you to the venerable level?"

He scoffed, "Is it anything near whatever she has?" he asked aloud but sent a hidden message. "It doesn't matter if its demonic or prohibited. Give it to me, and everything will be fine."

"It is." Zhi Rui said aloud, "If you want to die in three years, then I can give you." But she answered in a similar hidden way.

He glared and observed Zhi Rui's eyes. 'Is she speaking the truth?' It mad sense in his head, to become a level fourth in less than four months is an achievement written only a couple of times in history. It was a fantasy even. So it made sense for it to be a self-harming method. But somehow, when it came from Zhi Rui's mouth he couldn't believe it, even more so with the chance to acquire such a method. But again, it's Zhi Rui he's talking to. He cannot trust her. Even if she did gave it to him, he would be too cautious to practice it.

He almost forgot, at the sight of treasure, bu his issue lays in another place.

"Enough bullshit girl," He said. He isolated the world around them from external ears and spoke freely.

"Whatever her cultivation method is, allowed for her to enter the fourth level in less than four months, This competition will last longer than that, what guarantees me that you won't have her cut my neck so you can get out of the agreement?"

Zhi Rui showed a crooked expression for his stupidity.

"I barely have enough to compete, and you want me to cut off one of my champions because of your insecurities? Are you a child?" She asked with complete seriousness.

Xu Fenguying showed no reaction and waited, evoking a rising frustration in Zhi Rui.

"I-I w-won't live long, I-I probably won't last two years." Ren Zu said trembling and taking furtive glances at Zhi Rui as she spoke. She acted like a child that commits a mistake.

Zhi Rui's eyes laid on her in surprise, she felt the Ren Zu hadn't lied. Although she said to Xu fenguying that there was a time limit, she hadn't expected it to be true.

"T-Two years at maximum, even if you're afraid of me, you know I'd only be at your level and you could just avoid me until the time pa-

Ren Zu tried to keep on talking but Xu Fenguying just waved his hand and silenced her.

"Two years or one, it doesn't matter." He said looking at Zhi Rui. "Get rid of her."

Zhi Ruis opened her mouth "I"ll make an oat-"

"How are you making an oath can bind her? and her cultivation speed is as transcendent as fantasy tales, I wouldn't believe in an oath made by her either."

Zhi Rui's emotionless eyes hid the frustration on her gut.

Xu fenguying frowned and suddenly said. "Choose, Fang Ling, the girl who stumbled on an ancient inheritance and became level fourth in seven months and will continue on living and evolving. Or the dying girl beside you." He said and went away in a flash;

Clouds of storms formed on Zhi Rui's eyes, but her outward appearance was calm, she turned around to Elder Huang who had distanced himself and transmitted the words of Xu fenguying, flurried he tried to contact Fang Ling. He tried three times and screamed on the token. But no answer came.

He looked at Zhi Rui with shame written on his face.

"..."

For a second, the image of the broken girl on the bandit camp came to her mind, Zhi Rui had taken the full inheritance from the pagoda, and gave it to the girl together with a story of how she got it. Nobody would ever question an ancient inheritance, she even got an offer to transfer to another branch, but she refused and chose to remain with Zhi Rui for the time being. Making the main branch relent reluctantly. She was to be a paragon of the righteous path, that'd cover for Zhi Rui's true ways.

But now she was in the hands of an enemy that Zhi Rui despised and hated form the bottom of her very existence.

Ren Zu bit her lips in anger at herself for becoming a burden, Zhun Xuying caressed Zhi Rui's back with her palm gently.

Emotionless, Zhi Rui stepped forward. "Let's go."

She was the first disciple to enter the underworld.