Chapter 21

“I’m talking about you,” Xia Zhitao said with a smile. “Zhang Lan, are you willing to join my team?”

The moment everyone heard that name, they were stunned.

What was wrong with Senior Sister Xia? The disciples other people chose all had their own strengths, but she was something else. Without the slightest hesitation, she chose the one ranked dead last.

Although Zhang Lan was very outstanding in written work and theory, her spiritual power was simply too weak. She could not cultivate even the most basic techniques, and every trial had placed her at the very bottom. She had only made it to the final trial by relying on luck.

Although the entry trial did not have much to do with the team leaders, the final ranking rewards were distributed by team, so all the inner disciples also took it very seriously, racking their brains to win the competition.

The disciples were puzzled as they made a path.

Her little junior sister hugged a wooden sword and charged over with great energy, even her ink-black hair blown into a mess by the wind.

She rushed all the way to Xia Zhitao without stopping and stood perfectly straight with a “pa,” not even out of breath, then shouted loudly, “I’m willing!”

The voice was so loud that even Xia Zhitao was startled. She burst into a “puchi” laugh and casually rubbed Zhang Lan’s hair. “All right, why are you so excited?”

Zhang Lan grinned foolishly and obediently stood behind Xia Zhitao, not forgetting to whisper in her ear, “I’ll definitely work hard and won’t embarrass Senior Sister!”

Xia Zhitao smiled and winked at her.

Although everyone was rather surprised by Xia Zhitao’s choice, having the last-place disciple taken away could also be considered solving a difficult problem for everyone else.

After the team leaders finished choosing, the masters finally unhurriedly announced the top ten disciples. Quite a few had already been chosen, but as long as they were willing, they could leave their current team leader and join another team.

As the first-ranked among the new disciples, Mu Si silently chose a senior brother from Jingtang Peak. And when it came to the disciples ranked eighth and ninth, their choice once again shocked the entire venue.

The Wang siblings walked side by side and stopped in front of Xia Zhitao, who had remained cold and deserted with no one else choosing her.

Wang Ze smiled gently and said softly, “Senior Sister Xia, may we join your team?”

Xia Zhitao looked at these two disciples of impressive strength and, under the focused gazes of everyone around her, felt a great deal of pressure. “Of-of course I would be more than willing. I’m only a little curious… why?”

Wang Yan put her hands on her waist, her voice clear and bright. “The two of us came for Senior Sister Xia!”

As soon as these words came out, Zhang Lan’s whole person became unwell. She gritted her teeth. “What do you mean?”

Wang Yan ignored Zhang Lan’s dark gaze and said loudly, “Senior Sister Xia has an extremely rare fire spiritual root, while my brother and I both have wind spiritual roots. Wind and fire generate and support each other. If we work together, we’ll definitely be able to win by surprise!!”

Wang Ze nodded and gently added, “Junior Sister Zhang Lan has a wood spiritual root, so she can also cooperate with us.”

Although he said this, everyone knew perfectly well in their [Read on BaiLianTales]hearts: the Wang siblings had come entirely for Xia Zhitao. As for Zhang Lan? She could go stay wherever it was cool…

Behind Xia Zhitao, Zhang Lan was about to explode from anger. She glared fiercely at the siblings and threatened them silently with her lips: “Do not covet Senior Sister!”

The other party remained unmoved and calmly walked behind Xia Zhitao, officially joining the team.

.

After the Wang siblings joined, four more disciples from the middle-to-lower ranks joined Xia Zhitao’s team one after another. At present, they were only missing one more team leader.

Unfortunately, the other inner disciples all had their own choices, and no one was willing to join Xia Zhitao’s side.

Just as the group was at a loss, a red figure suddenly appeared in the sky, scorching across the horizon like fiery sunset clouds. Someone shouted loudly, “Sorry, sorry! I’m late!”

That person leapt down from her long sword and landed steadily on the ground. She was dressed entirely in fiery red, with delicate brows and eyes. A small red fish swayed along beside her, looking rather interesting.

The woman in red put her hands on her waist, let out a breath, and said, “Aiya, how is everyone’s choosing going?”

“Jin Li, you came far too late,” the peak master of Yuwan Peak sighed helplessly. “The teams are already more or less decided.”

“No matter, no matter.” Jin Li did not mind at all. With light steps, she circled the venue, then suddenly stopped in front of someone.

Her eyes lit up with a swish, and the little red fish behind her also began bouncing up and down.

Under everyone’s eyes, Jin Li suddenly grabbed Xia Zhitao’s hand, her voice incomparably excited. “This disciple, can I join your team?!”

—What was going on? A senior sister from Yuwan Peak wanted to join her team?

Jin Li did not know Xia Zhitao, but Xia Zhitao knew her.

This woman in red standing before her was Yuwan Peak’s “treasure of the peak.” She had extraordinary talent, extremely high comprehension, and was also an immortal spirit cultivated into human form from a hundred-year koi.

For this entry trial, every team was probably begging for her to join. Xia Zhitao could not understand no matter how she thought about it. The other woman had actually chosen her.

“It would truly be a tremendous honor if Senior Sister Jin is willing to join.” Xia Zhitao felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, then asked the question in everyone’s hearts. “May I ask, if it’s not too presumptuous, why did you choose us?”

“I don’t know.” Jin Li smiled. “It’s just that ever since I was young, my luck has always been very good. This time, my intuition told me to choose you, so I came.”

After she finished speaking, the little red fish following behind her blew bubbles and slowly “swam” through the air.

That little fish slowly circled Xia Zhitao, then stopped beside the sulking Zhang Lan. It shook its fins and suddenly leaned closer.

Then Xia Zhitao saw her little junior sister hide behind her, revealing a terrified expression Xia Zhitao had never seen before.

Zhang Lan tugged at Xia Zhitao’s sleeve, her face full of resistance. “What [Read on BaiLianTales]is it doing? Make this fish go away!”

Author’s Note: Little Red Fish: I smell the aura of a big boss!

Zhang Lan: I’m not. I don’t. Go away.