‘What is this brain-dead idiot even saying? How dare she insult me? I should just walk up and slap her twice, give her a fierce kick to her weak spot, then reduce the ice essence and add some decayed grass. The effect would double instantly.’
Lin Huanhuan gave a cold smirk. “What kind of nonsense are you spewing? With that third-rate formation technique of yours, you dare to talk big? It’s full of holes, yet you’re still running your mouth. I really don’t know where you get your audacity.”
As soon as those words were spoken, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her with disbelief.
Shangguan Muqing was secretly delighted. ‘Haha, she fell for it. If I hadn’t wanted to let this girl disgust you, I would have slapped her myself. It seems Lin Huanhuan is truly driven mad by anger. I want to see how you’re going to end this.’
Ye Jinxiu was a bit worried. ‘What should we do? This formation master doesn’t look like someone to mess with. Huanhuan is being too impulsive. Even if she’s angry, she could just beat her up later. If she walks away now when we’re only one step from the end, she’ll offend everyone else too.’
Huyan Yazhi felt like she was going to explode with rage. She never expected someone to dare insult her most confident formation, especially when that someone was just a dandy.
“Hmph, you dare speak to me like that? What do you know about formations? Tell me exactly where my deficiencies are! If you can point them out, I’ll kneel and apologize to you. But if you can’t, you’ll kneel and apologize to me. Otherwise, I’m quitting right now!”
Huyan Yazhi spoke with furor, her eyes looking as if they could spit fire.
Lin Huanhuan gave a confident smile and listed everything she had noticed.
Huyan Yazhi was dismissive, but to make Lin Huanhuan admit defeat wholeheartedly, she said, “Fine, let’s try it, though it probably won’t work.”
The formation repair had reached the final stage — the very step Lin Huanhuan and the others were responsible for. Huyan Yazhi turned, intending to tell Yijia to follow the new instructions, only to find in shock that Yijia had already started.
‘Damn it!’ Huyan Yazhi clenched her fists, her teeth grinding. ‘Starting without waiting for my signal. When this fails to yield results, I’ll humiliate you along with her!’
There wasn’t much to do in the final step anyway, and since the method Lin Huanhuan described was much more concise and clearer than Huyan Yazhi’s, Yijia finished it alone in less than a few minutes.
Setting down the tools in her hands, Yijia looked up and said, “It’s done.”
One second, two seconds, and three seconds passed.
The formation remained exactly as it was before, completely motionless.
Huyan Yazhi immediately began her sarcastic mockery. “Oh, why isn’t the formation moving? Could it be because what I did before was different from Master Ling’s work, and the lack of compatibility prevented any effect? Surely that’s not it, right? With ‘Master’ Lin’s skill, she wouldn’t make such a minor mistake, would she?”
Lin Huanhuan’s expression darkened slightly, and a bad feeling surged in her heart. ‘What’s going on? Why didn’t it work? Could the inner demon have suddenly failed? It shouldn’t have.’
‘But this person is so punchable. Maybe I should just pretend to be driven to rage and give her a good thrashing. That seems viable. Although it might hurt my reputation, my name is already in the gutter. I’m not afraid of adding a little more infamy.’
As Lin Huanhuan’s gaze turned predatory, Huyan Yazhi stood tall and triumphant, preparing to demand that Lin Huanhuan kneel and apologize.
Right then, the nearest formation core suddenly erupted with a brilliant radiance. Specks of starlight bloomed abruptly, startling Huyan Yazhi so much she fell flat on her butt.
The other three formation cores followed suit, bursting with dazzling light. The starlight traced a lifelike pattern, and every living creature within the secret realm seemed to be connected to it. Thin veils of invisible water vapor gathered toward the center — gathering in the Mysterious Yin Pond — and the growth of the profound water was restored.
In a corner of the Mysterious Yin Pond, the Thousand-Year Jade Marrow, which had grown dim from the lack of nourishment, began to slowly regain its luster. It would likely be fully restored before long.
Everyone stared at the scene, entranted. When they finally snapped out of it, they all looked at Lin Huanhuan with shock.
Lin Huanhuan stood with her hands on her hips, a smug expression on her face as if to say: I’ve always been this awesome!
Ye Jinxiu stood up and looked at the Mysterious Yin Pond as it gathered profound water. She noted thoughtfully, “The gathering speed seems faster than the records indicated. Is it because the formation was broken for a while and is now overcompensating during the repair? Or is there some other reason?”
Although she didn’t state it explicitly, no one present was a fool. They quickly understood her implication: this was Lin Huanhuan’s doing, since the final step had been modified according to her instructions.
In an instant, most eyes shifted to Huyan Yazhi — some playful, some puzzled, and others mocking.
Even Shangguan Muqing gave her a silent nod of approval. ‘Even though it’s a bit annoying, seeing this show-off get slapped in the face is quite pleasing.’
Ye Jinxiu’s expression was one of shock. ‘When did Huanhuan learn this? How many secrets is she hiding? I really want to know everything.’
Yijia’s eyes sparkled. ‘To even understand something like this, she’s truly amazing.’
Huyan Yazhi felt like needles were pricking her back. Her expression flickered between shades of anger and embarrassment, her fists clenched tight.
Lin Huanhuan gave a cold laugh. “Well, Great Formation Master, what do you think? I believe this counts as my victory. Now, it’s time for you to pay the price.”
“You aren’t going to be a sore loser and back out, are you? You were the one who proposed the bet, after all. You can’t blame me for this.”
Lin Huanhuan sneered inwardly. ‘The price of backing out of a debt is much higher than just paying it, though not everyone understands that logic.’
Faced with this awkward situation, her enemy’s persistent pressure, and the mocking gazes of the crowd, the previously arrogant Huyan Yazhi took a deep breath and let out a sinister grin.
‘To think I’d be pushed to this point? It seems I can only use that move. I really didn’t want to use it in front of these low-born people, but I can’t worry about that anymore.’
Without a hint of hesitation, she marched forward aggressively.
Lin Huanhuan was startled and quickly pulled out her folding fan, preparing for a fight. ‘Crap, is she driven to desperation like a cornered dog? I’ll just kite her. She looks pretty frail; I probably won’t even need my super inner demon to deal with her.’
Then, before Lin Huanhuan’s shocked eyes.
Huyan Yazhi stopped three meters away, gave her a terrifying smile, and then bent her knees. With a loud thud, she knelt directly on the ground.
“Respected Miss Lin Huanhuan, please forgive my previous offense. As long as you can forgive this ignorant person’s transgression, I would even be willing to lick the soles of your shoes!”
She was in a prostrate posture, signifying complete submission.
Lin Huanhuan’s eyes went wide, and her mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg. ‘This knee-slide was way too smooth. She looked like she was going to hit me, but then she just knelt? Am I dreaming?’
The entire area fell into a heavy, silent atmosphere.