Chapter 5: Talent Competition?

“Lady Gu, this is Thousand Blossoming Grass, it can save a life in need… Yes, this is Hundred Spiralling Leaf, you can blow it whenever you need me and I will arrive as soon as possible…” Mo Bai seemed really worried about Gu Qingyu, and nagged at her the whole time. It took Gu Qingyu forever to get Mo Bai to finally leave her alone.

Gu Qingyu returned to the cliff once more, called out her ears and tail, and cautiously walked down the cliffside. She arrived at the pitch-black cave, but the darkness did not stop her. She was a cat spirit with night vision. Despite her fear, she proceeded. Suddenly, a few bats flew towards her. Gu Qingyu somersaulted backwards and avoided them.

“Hehe, it has been a while since anyone came here…” A hoarse voice rang out. With caution, Gu Qingyu watched a man walk out of the shadows.

No! Not a man! He had huge bat wings, long fangs and lengthy, dishevelled hair.

The bat demon licked his lips greedily, “It has been so long since I’ve had anything so sweet and fresh… Finally I can taste such delicacies again...Your blood will be delicious!”

Gu Qingyu shivered, but she was confident in her ability to escape, “Hehe! Only if you could catch me!”

She broke into a sprint and headed towards the heart of the cave at superhuman speed.

The demon spread his wings and flew towards her. In a blink of an eye, he stood right in front of Gu Qingyu. At that moment, Gu Qingyu had already grabbed the Illusory Spiritgrass, she held it close to her chest.

“Oh! You’re here for the Illusory Spiritgrass!” The bat demon had already blocked the entrance and it seemed that there was no other way out.

Gu Qingyu took a step back and felt something hard under her foot. She looked down…

“Ah!” Gu Qingyu screamed. It was a human bone!

“Hahahahaha…” The bat demon laughed maniacally as he flapped his wings and closed the distance between them.

Gu Qingyu yelled, "You psycho! Go away!”

Just then, in the nick of time, someone stood in front of Gu Qingyu. A lazy voice followed, “Do you really have to throw your life like that? Idiot.”

It is… Jia Qizhe! He’s come to save her!Gu Qingyu’s heart stirred…

“Jia Qizhe, you’re here!” Gu Qingyu got too excited, and exclaimed his name. “Oh dear, this is so embarrassing…”

“...” Jia Qizhe looked at Gu Qingyu, speechless.

“You really went all out for the Illusory Spiritgrass, I was just joking.” He shrugged in defeat, but it annoyed the hell out of Gu Qingyu.

“Jia Qizhe!” Gu Qingyu roared, “What the hell, you’re such a hypocrite!”

“But I never said I wouldn’t bring you along.” Jia Qizhe grinned, “Hypocrite? Sure, then let me show you how a true hypocrite looks like.”

“...” Gu Qingyu heard this and felt bad. “Hero Jia, I was just kidding, don’t do this…”

The duo was very focused on their banter, completely ignoring the bat demon right in front of them. And that demon was not happy about it, “Oi! Am I nothing to you two?”

“Hehe!” Gu Qingyu grinned creepily at the bat demon.

The bat demon shivered. He had scared many people in his life, and this was the first time anyone managed to spook him.

“Hehehe!” That devious grin was still plastered on Gu Qingyu’s face, she was most definitely not in a good mood.

“Well then,” Jia Qizhe looked at Gu Qingyu and said, “if you take care of him, I will bring you with me.”

“Huh?” Gu Qingyu blinked in surprise, “For real?”

“I never go back on my word.” Jia Qizhe smiled, almost as if he didn’t have any choice.

“But I got the Illusory Spiritgrass! You’re supposed to bring me along!” Gu Qingyu stomped, then looked at the approaching bat demon and gritted her teeth, “Accelerate!”

She ran to the side. The bat demon knew Ji Qizhe was not easy to take down, so he went after Gu Qingyu. Gu Qingyu then stopped in her tracks, and stretched out her hands, “Cat Flare!”

Immediately, a purple ball of flame shot out of her palms. It flew towards the bat demon in a beautiful arc. Jia Qizhe watched on without much surprise.

Flap!The bat demon spread his wings immediately and tried to dodge, but the flame was too fast. Bam!The flame hit the bat demon right in the face, and he fell onto the ground.

Jia Qizhe walked over to Gu Qingyu’s side and gently scratched behind her cat ears, “Hm, so cute.”

Gu Qingyu exploded, “Oi! You promised to take me away!”

He shrugged, “Alright.”

Is that… a yes?

Gu Qingyu cheered, “Oh yeah!”

“Don’t celebrate just yet.” Jia Qizhe looked at the bat demon on the ground.

At that opportune moment, the bat demon took flight once more towards Gu Qingyu, but a golden sword flashed from Jia Qizhe’s hand, and its swing destroyed everything in a bright flash…

By the time she woke up, it was already late-afternoon.

“Urgh…” Gu Qingyu rubbed her eyes, “This is...”

“Young Miss!” Someone pounced onto her, “I thought I would never see you again! Waaaaa…” Gu Qingyu then realized that she was in her room, and Xiao Qi was standing next to her.

“Oh right! Jia Qizhe...Where is he?” Gu Qingyu tugged Xiao Qi.

At the mention of Jia Qizhe, Xiao Qi’s eyes lit up, as if she had just seen the latest gossip in town. “Young Miss! Hero Jia was the one who brought you back! He actually cradled…ah no, dragged...that’s still not right, carried? Yes! He actually carried you back!” She felt pleased with the accurate description.

Gu Qingyu’s face darkened, gritted her teeth, “Then, did he say anything to my parents?”

Carried me back? It would be weird if my parents weren’t furious!

“Nonono, Young Miss.” Xiao Qi said seriously, “Hero Jia secretly brought Young Miss back, the Master and Madame are unaware that Jia Yingxiong carried you back. Hero Jia told them that you collapsed from practicing too much.”

“@#$%^&*!” Gu Qingyu punched the sheets in rage, “Can he be even more ridiculous?” As it turned out, yes, he can.

“Young Miss…” Xiao Qi spoke weakly, “Hero Jia also said that you must be the champion at tomorrow’s talent competition or he won’t take you with him…”

“[email protected]&¥/$…” Gu Qingyu was so shocked, she couldn’t string a sentence together.

How could he do that! We had a deal!