At the Green Illusion Realm’s exit, the three sect’s trial takers silently waited. 

Unfortunately even after a few days had pa.s.sed, no other survivors had arrived. 

There was still half a month left, before the conclusion of the Green Illusion Realm trial. Logically speaking, if there were other survivors, they would arrive at the exit during this period. 

Sadly, however, although no one said it outright, deep down, they all thought that no one else would be arriving here, as they feared that everyone else was probably killed off at the hands of the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect. 

During this period, Nie Tian was also unable to resume his rapid cultivation through consuming large amounts of spirit beast meat. 

His daily allotted portion of spirit beast meat wasn"t even one tenth of what he had gotten in the past. He wasn’t even able to get enough to properly fill his stomach. 

“If that weird Nie Tian over there hadn"t eaten so much, everyone wouldn"t have been reduced to this state of rationing our food.” Black Mist Palace’s Han Xin ripped small bites from her spirit beat meat, while hatefully glaring at Nie Tian. 

The Black Mist Palace’s disciples, while roasting the spirit beast meat, looked angrily towards Nie Tian. 

Pan Tao, Jiang Lingzhu, and the others were together with Nie Tian, and pretended to not hear the whispering. 

The spirit beast meat, that the Black Mist Palace had been carrying, was originally enough to support them until the exit reopened, so recently when Nie Tian had requested the spirit beast meat, Zheng Bin actually wasn"t stingy and had tried to satisfy him as much as possible. 

However, later on, with the arrival of Jiang Lingzhu, Nie Xian, and the Ling Bao Court’s An Ying, food suddenly became scarce. 

Because Zheng Bin and the others haddn’t encounter the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect, their trip back had gone very smoothly, and thus they had always had enough spirit beast meat to spare. 

The spirit beast meat was originally enough to satisfy them, as they would even have some spare. 

Due to the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect’s pursuit, Jiang Lingzhu, An Ying, and the others could only travel light, thus most of the spirit beast meat had been discarded midway. 

Jiang Lingzhu possessed a storage bracelet, but because of her lack of experience, had not stocked up on food. 

The food, that they had been carrying, had already been eaten before arriving near the exit. 

And because the door to the Green Illusion Realm was very close, there were no spirit beasts roaming around. Additionally, because they had wanted to prevent a surprise attack from the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect, they didn’t dare to go too far looking for spirit beast meat, and so they could only go to the Black Mist Palace and ask for food. 

Yet, the once abundant in food Black Mist Palace, a few days ago, had met Nie Tian, a single person, who had devoured a large portion of their spirit beast meat. 

So when they discovered that Jiang Lingzhu, An Ying, and the others had arrived completely empty-handed, there was no choice but to take out their reserves of spirit beast meat to give to Jiang Lingzhu, An Ying, and the others to eat. 

There was still half a month left until the exit of the Green Illusion Realm would open, however, the spirit beast meat was clearly not enough. 

And so for lack of a better option, everyone could only “save on food and clothing” (live frugally) and “tighten their belts” (live more frugally) as the days pa.s.sed by, hoping to wait until the day the exit of the Green Illusion Realm would open. 

The people from the Black Mist Palace, often very hungry, would think about Nie Tian as the “rice bucket”. 

And in the same way, when it came to the time to distribute food, they would all resentfully stare at Nie Tian, while softly cursing. 

Nie Tian knew that he was in the wrong, but he didn’t refute, allowing them to blame and grumble, as if he didn’t hear them. 

- Gu gu! - 

After swallowing a small piece of spirit beast meat, Nie Tian’s belly cried out in disappointment. With a bitter smile, he rubbed his tummy and said, “I’ve wronged you yet again today.”

Though his appet.i.te was the most astonishing, after the food shortage, he received the same amount of spirit beast meat from the Black Mist Palace as everyone else. 

If there were even people with small appet.i.tes frequently going hungry, then what could be said of Nie Tian"s current situation?

“Here, for you!” At this moment, Jiang Miao, who sat by Nie Tian’s side, placed a portion of her spirit beast meat in front of him. “I eat very little and am not the least bit hungry; this piece is for you to eat.” Jiang Miao whispered. 

“Yo!” Jiang Lingzhu chuckled in a strange voice. 

An Ying glanced over, but didn’t speak, as she quietly continued to eat her food.

Pan Tao showed a smile, as he chuckled. 

Jiang Miao’s face turned red. Embarra.s.sed, she lowered her head, not daring to look at Nie Tian. 

Nie Tian froze for a moment and with a slightly questioning look, looked at Jiang Miao. He noticed that Jiang Miao’s baby-like face was clearly thinner than before. 

“Thank you, however, I also am actually not too hungry.” Nie Tian didn’t pick up the spirit beast meat, but instead suddenly stood up and said, “I’m going to take a stroll around and see whether or not I can find some food to eat.” 

“Don’t! It’s too dangerous!” Jiang Miao hastily replied. 

“Nie Tian, don’t leave.” A bit farther away was Nie Xian, his face imposing. “The Ghost Sect and Blood Sect’s disciples most likely will come, and if you accidentally run into them, I’m afraid it will be hard for you to return to us.” 

“It’s no biggie, I’ll just walk about in the vicinity; if there’s a situation, I’ll return immediately.” Nie Tian firmly stood his ground. 

“I’m also a bit bored… Let me accompany you.” Pan Tao got up. 

“My idle self is also a bit bored; I also want to go around and do something.” Jiang Lingzhu giggled, before she also stood up. 

Their movements were immediately noticed by the Black Mist Palace’s Zheng Bin, who came over and asked about the situation. 

After Zheng Bin had asked about the situation, his expression dropped, as he turned to Jiang Lingzhu while saying, “We don’t know when the disciples of the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect will appear, or even how many will appear. With you guys leaving, our fighting power will be seriously lacking in strength, and if by any chance the Ghost Sect and Blood Sect unexpectedly rush over, we… I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold our own.”

“Okay, okay, forget it.” Jiang Lingzhu sat back down a bit helplessly. 

She knew that Zheng Bin’s concerns were not without reason, and at this moment, if she and the others left, Zheng Bin would be placed in an extremely dangerous situation; she ought to place the interests of the whole group, before anything else, as she couldn’t permit herself to be reckless. 

“Then what about us?” Pan Tao had a trace of displeasure on his face, thinking that Zheng Bin was far too controlling. 

Zheng Bin deeply looked him in the eyes and glanced at Nie Tian, as he hesitated. Eventually, he said, “If it’s just the two of you… Then I have no quarrel.”

“Do you think that we both are of no importance?” Pan Tao coldy snorted. 

“I don’t want to bicker with you, however, I hope that you guys can take my word of advice that it is best not to leave; it’ll be beneficial for everyone.” Zheng Bin replied. 

“I’m a person that can’t be persuaded!” Pan Tao turned his head and left. 

Nie Tian laughed and shortly after caught up with him. 

……

On the other side. 

Yu Tong and Mo Xi led seven people of the Blood Sect and Ghost Sect, as she was holding the blood compa.s.s, while standing in the middle of a pile of dried up bones. 

“Sixteen people, only one mile away from us.” Yu Tong packed up the blood compa.s.s, her dark eyebrows slightly creased. “The people who escaped from the palm of our hands should have merged with the Black Mist Palace. There is half a month left, and with them right at the exit of the Green Illusion Realm, waiting for it to reopen, we don’t have much time left.” 

“Sixteen people?” Mo Xi grinned. “Last time, when we were killing them in the Barrenland, their numbers were even higher; is this not the same as killing dogs, who’re fleeing in confusion? Yu Tong, what are you hesitating over? You’ve already broken into the Houtian realm, so which of them would be able to defeat you?” 

“There is one person…”

This sentence, Yu Tong did not say out loud, but rather in her heart. 

“We still have seven people and they have sixteen; the gap in the number of people we each have is too large. For insurance purposes…” Yu Tong took a deep breath, and a flash of blood-colored light suddenly appeared in her pupils, “I’ll prepare to fully use the Earth Web!” 

“Earth Web!” 

Mo Xi and the other Blood Sect people cried out at the same time, as their faces were full of shock, while they looked at her. 

“The Earth Web is your Blood Sect’s forbidden art, that requires the Zhongtian realm, before its true potential can be reached! Moreover, even if a Zhongtian realm cultivator is to fully display the Earth Web, after displaying it, the cultivator will also receive a vital injury!” Mo Xi continued with an imposing expression, “You just entered the Houtian realm. You cannot do it. Don’t force yourself!” 

“With the help of the blood beads, I can utilize the Earth Web.” Yu Tong firmly intoned, and from within her storage bracelet, brought out what Nie Tian had seen before: an eye-like, round, blood bead.

“Nie Tian!” She coldly shouted in her heart. 

“Senior apprentice sister, even if you have blood beads, if you use the Earth Web, you will also suffer a backlash.” A younger Blood Sect disciple worriedly urged. 

“Yu Tong, compared to this Green Illusion Realm trial, you’re actually what is more important to the Blood Sect. I think you also understand this.” Mo Xi’s face coldly sank, “I have worked with you before, so I know you have always been rational and won’t usually force yourself to produce strength beyond your limits. You ought to be clear-minded. If the Blood Sect knows, that you used the Earth Web to kill those guys, while hurting yourself in the process, contrary to expectations, they will punish you, right?” 

“What has happened to you? Among those people, who actually irritated you, making you suddenly become so irrational?” 

“I don’t need you criticizing every move I make!” Yu Tong severely shouted. 

As her words came out, she didn’t give Mo Xi, or anyone else, a chance to speak, and suddenly withdrew a bucket of watery blood from within her storage bracelet. 

After the bucket of watery blood flew out from her storage bracelet, she immediately poured it onto the ground. 

In a flash, a concentrated, b.l.o.o.d.y reek dispersed from her side, and a scarlet b.l.o.o.d.y mist emerged from within her body. 

After penetrating the ground, the bucket of watery blood, under the influence and control of her blood beads, advanced towards Zheng Bin’s group, spreading out towards their location just like the veins in the human body. 

……

Translator: Log Huttt
Editors: Zaccch and Sietse
From XianXiaWorld