My Five Bigshot Seniors: I am The Most Coddled Junior!-Chapter 115 - 67: Fighting [Third Update]

"When on earth can we get out of this damn Gravity Array?" Yun Ran wiped the sweat from her forehead, noticing her clothes were already wrinkled, she frowned and complained.

"Say a few words less, save your strength." Zhuo Tingqiu walked beside Yun Ran, and his condition wasn’t much better than Yun Ran’s. Seeing Yun Ran complaining while walking, he couldn’t help but say.

"Tingqiu is right. According to my calculations, we’ve only made it halfway, and there’s something you have to be particularly careful about with this array. You need to complete it in one go. If you stop, you’ll find it hard to stand back up." Compared to the others’ discomposure, Nan Hua looked much better. His face was normal, and he spoke with a calm tone, glancing at Yun Ran and said leisurely.

Hearing this, Yun Ran staggered and almost fell, thankfully Zhuo Tingqiu was quick to support her.

"Thanks." Yun Ran withdrew her hand, rarely thanking Zhuo Tingqiu.

Zhuo Tingqiu shook his head, indicating it was nothing.

"Geng Geng, are you okay?" Jun Wu had always been by Gu Qingqing’s side, constantly paying attention to her condition. Seeing Gu Qingqing looking a bit pale, he couldn’t help but ask worriedly.

Someone like him, raised to protect himself well, had undergone countless trials from childhood. An array like this Gravity Array was commonplace, so he didn’t feel it was hard at all and had the energy to care for Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing shook her head, took a bottle of Spiritual Dew from her Storage Bracelet and drank it, feeling her throat relax a bit, let out a long sigh.

Although she hadn’t experienced a Gravity Array before, she had undergone speed training with Senior Brother Si previously, which required her to carry weights, so her condition was much better than Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu’s.

Seeing her regain her composure after drinking the Spiritual Dew, her complexion recovering some color, Jun Wu was slightly relieved, staying silent as he accompanied her forward.

After walking for about another half an hour, everyone felt a lightness in their bodies, finally stepping out of the Gravity Array’s range.

Yun Ran’s legs gave way, and she sat on the ground, looking like she had just been fished out of water, plus her heavy breathing made her look far from being a proper lady.

Zhuo Tingqiu just like Yun Ran, collapsed on the ground, fanning himself with one hand while drinking a portion of Spiritual Dew with the other, finally feeling like he came back to life as the dryness in his throat subsided.

"Gosh, this thing is too intense. It’s really unbearable. I don’t want to go through it a second time!" Yun Ran looked back at the path they had taken. The array was transparent, completely invisible, but she could still recall the feeling, making her shiver.

"Same here, this Secret Realm’s trials are too cruel!" Zhuo Tingqiu echoed Yun Ran’s sentiments, unable to resist complaining.

Si Lin and the others were doing alright, not sitting like Yun Ran and company but standing quietly to regain strength.

Gu Qingqing drank several bottles of Spiritual Dew before she felt revived. Though she didn’t want to suffer again, she could vaguely sense that her Spiritual Power had solidified significantly, realizing the array’s benefits.

[Check your Spiritual Power.] She noted Yun Ran seemed oblivious and directly pointed it out.

Noticing, Yun Ran quickly circulated her Spiritual Power, soon discovering it had indeed solidified and even slightly increased, her face breaking into a smile, "Finally, it was worth something!"

Zhuo Tingqiu also felt the change in his Spiritual Power and nodded.

"Alright, once we’ve rested, let’s keep going. It’ll be time for Geng Geng’s meal soon." Si Lin looked at everyone and reminded.

Yue Zhao and the others weren’t really tired and immediately got moving upon hearing this. Gu Qingqing and Jun Wu exchanged glances and followed Si Lin, while Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu, having mostly recovered, quickly stood up and joined the others ahead.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Si Lin suddenly halted, prompting the others to stop instantly as well. His ears twitched, then he swiftly turned around, looking at the sky.

The others also tilted their heads back to look at the sky with Si Lin, and as they wondered, countless black dots appeared in their line of sight, changing their expressions.

"Not good, it’s the Red Ghost Swallows. Though they’re only level four, they’re pack animals, and their beaks and claws are extremely sharp. If you’re caught, it’s easy to leave a scar!" Yue Zhao, seeing the shapes of those black dots, exclaimed and informed everyone.

Upon hearing the name ’Red Ghost Swallows,’ everyone’s faces changed, knowing full well their characteristics. A group of Red Ghost Swallows was already troublesome enough, and now there seemed to be over a thousand appearing before them, all level four demon beasts, enough to make anyone want to flee.

The cries of the Red Ghost Swallows were sharp, as if piercing the eardrums, very uncomfortable. As they cried, they appeared close in the blink of an eye.

When Yue Zhao spoke, everyone had already drawn their weapons, fending off the attack of the Red Ghost Swallows.

Si Lin’s sword swept through, felling seven or eight Red Ghost Swallows at a time. Yue Zhao’s Piano Sound eliminated batches of them, Nan Hua’s fan blew them far away, unable to touch him. Mu Chen’s Red Flame Spear created a Fire Sea, enveloping the Red Ghost Swallows, turning them into roasted birds, while Rong Ye’s talismans made them fall in various forms.

Gu Qingqing wielded the Mixed Immortal Silk as if dancing, yet subdued wave after wave of Red Ghost Swallow attacks. Jun Wu’s scimitar swept out in a circle, bringing down a dozen more. Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu, both wielding long swords, sent Sword Qi shooting out, striking the Red Ghost Swallows down to the ground.

In no time, a pile of Red Ghost Swallow corpses littered the ground, creating quite a spectacle when heaped together.

It was as if the Red Ghost Swallows had received some order, recklessly charging at Gu Qingqing and the others. Even when injured and falling, they’d struggle to attack them, the numerous slain companions did not deter them.

Gu Qingqing and her group fought for two quarters of an hour before they managed to eliminate all the Red Ghost Swallows. Everyone bore peck wounds, appearing much more disheveled.

"Is this Secret Realm crazy? The whole Gravity Array wasn’t enough, they had to throw in a Red Ghost Swallow attack, and so many of them. It’s like they’re trying to kill us!" Yun Ran complained, adjusting her messy hair.

"Well, it is an Immortal Secret Realm after all. How could it be easy to make it to the palace?" Zhuo Tingqiu commented, applying medicine to a wound on his arm.

"I wonder what kind of treasure is here; it’d be frustrating if we end up empty-handed!" Yun Ran glanced towards the palace and pouted.

"Just say less." Thinking Yun Ran’s words unlucky, Zhuo Tingqiu gave her a knowing look.

Yun Ran glared at Zhuo Tingqiu but eventually closed her mouth.

After resting for a while, they continued onward.

After walking for about half an hour, they came across a river with fish in it. Si Lin decided to stop here for a while to prepare lunch for Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing’s five senior brothers were all good cooks. To speed things up, they worked together and, in the span of two quarter hours, prepared four dishes.

"Qingqing, just eat a little for now. Once we find a better place, we’ll cook something nicer for you," Nan Hua said, looking at the dishes and comforting Gu Qingqing.

Gu Qingqing shook her head, "It’s perfectly fine, you don’t need to make it too perfect."

She had seen some group members eating dried food along the way. Reflecting on the fact that no matter where she went, she could always have fresh meals with her senior brothers around, she felt extremely lucky!

Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu’s envy of Gu Qingqing was practically overflowing. Thankfully, they could still enjoy some of what Si Lin and the others cooked by sticking around Gu Qingqing.

After finishing their meal and resting a bit, they continued on their journey.

The mountain path had become much more rugged now. Yun Ran, whether due to poor balance or some other reason, nearly fell four or five times. If it weren’t for Zhuo Tingqiu constantly by her side, catching her each time she stumbled, she would be bruised all over by now.

"What’s going on with you? Why do you keep tripping? I’ve never seen you walk so unreliably before!" Zhuo Tingqiu mumbled as he helped Yun Ran up once more.

"I don’t know either, I usually walk fine. But here, it feels like my legs don’t listen to me, and I keep tripping," Yun Ran complained, feeling perplexed herself, as it was the first time she realized her walking could be so unstable!

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, they encountered the second wave of attacks.

This time, it was a swarm of Ghost Head Bees!

Ghost Head Bees, like the Red Ghost Swallows, are social creatures. Although both are Tier 4 demon beasts, the Red Ghost Swallows are formidable with their claws and beak, while Ghost Head Bees are dangerous because of their stingers. Their stingers are poisonous, and though not extremely potent, they can cause hallucinations, which could be deadly!

"Oh come on, not again! Won’t this ever end?" Yun Ran cursed as she watched the swarm of Ghost Head Bees approach.

The others didn’t look much better, not expecting the Secret Realm to have such endless tricks, overwhelming them!

"I wonder how those ahead of us managed to pass through. Did they not encounter these? And we didn’t even see any Red Ghost Swallow corpses just now!" Zhuo Tingqiu questioned in confusion as he fended off attacks from the Ghost Head Bees.

"Maybe they didn’t take the same path as us. We know this is an Immortal Secret Realm, and even though we started climbing from the same place, if this mountain itself is a vast array, then the Secret Realm surely wouldn’t let us walk the same path," Nan Hua explained as he waved his fan to blow away a bunch of Ghost Head Bees.

Hearing this, Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu paused in realization.

"No wonder we haven’t seen or heard anyone else along the way," Yun Ran reflected, now finding an explanation for why they hadn’t encountered or heard from anyone other than themselves.

"Focus, it’s not the time to discuss this," Si Lin said seriously, killing dozens of Ghost Head Bees with a single sword strike and helping Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu fend off an attack.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Si!" Yun Ran was startled and quickly thanked Si Lin, not daring to speak further.

This time, it took them half an hour to kill all the Ghost Head Bees before they could continue upward.

In the following two hours, they faced three more attacks in succession, with each encounter involving swaths of demon beasts. If not for their formidable capabilities, they couldn’t have held their own!

"It’s getting dark. Let’s rest here for tonight and adjust our states properly," Si Lin suggested as he looked at the sky, signaling the others to stop.

"Finally, we can rest. Today has been exhausting, and this Secret Realm is truly insane—where do they find so many social demon beasts, wave after wave, making it impossible to live!" Yun Ran sat on the ground, disregarding her image, fanning herself as she quickly vented.

"Oh, come on now, we’re all tired. The many trials of the Secret Realm just mean there’s a lot of great treasure inside. If you encounter them, just count your blessings," Zhuo Tingqiu seemed unbothered by dirtying his clothes, as he sat down and chugged a bottle of Spiritual Dew before retorting to Yun Ran.

"How do you know the treasure is great? What if it’s a trap?" Yun Ran retorted defiantly.

"Even if it’s a trap, just accept it. What else could you do?" Zhuo Tingqiu shot a condescending look at Yun Ran, successfully provoking her.

"Zhuo Tingqiu, come on, I challenge you!" Yun Ran stood up and looked down at Zhuo Tingqiu with frustration.

"Do you really think you can beat me?" Zhuo Tingqiu replied unfazed, with a seemingly amused expression.

"Of course, if you don’t believe me, stand up and fight me!" Yun Ran had wanted to challenge Zhuo Tingqiu for a while, and now that she finally had a reason, she wouldn’t let this chance slip by.

Seeing right through Yun Ran’s intentions, Zhuo Tingqiu shook his head helplessly and stood up, "Alright, if you insist on being humiliated, I’ll oblige!"

"Hah, who knows who’ll win!" Yun Ran scoffed indignantly.

Zhuo Tingqiu responded with a smile.

The two began sparring on an open ground nearby, while Gu Qingqing and the others sat in a row, munching on Spirit Fruits and drinking Spiritual Dew, watching the fight.

"Little Qingqing, those two friends of yours seem a bit odd!" Rong Ye, sitting next to Gu Qingqing and observing Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu spar, suddenly remarked.

Gu Qingqing turned to Rong Ye, puzzled by his comment.

"Just watch, those two will end up together someday," Rong Ye mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Gu Qingqing looked surprised, glancing between Yun Ran and Zhuo Tingqiu, perplexed as to how Rong Ye had come to that conclusion.