Chapter 2519

The formation shifted as the command "Move" was given. The ten disciples moved in a tight cluster, with guards positioned front, back, left, right, and center. It was a highly effective defensive formation.

"Senior Sister, I detect desert scorpions ahead. There are tens of thousands of them, about ten kilometers away," Chen Xiang reported. She specialized in medicine and possessed an exceptionally keen sense of smell, allowing her to detect threats through the air.

Cui Wan nodded and issued an order immediately: "Set up the Clearing Medicine Array."

The Clearing Medicine Array involved scattering specific medicinal powder within a hundred-step radius around them. This powder was designed to neutralize venomous creatures like scorpions; upon contact, the toxins would induce immediate unconsciousness.

"Yes," the other disciples responded in unison. They produced medicinal powders and began laying out the array. Once completed, Cui Wan inspected the perimeter, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "Good. Let’s rest here for a moment and have some snacks. We’ll wait for the scorpions to come to us."

Cui Wan spread out a mat and placed various snacks on it, inviting her junior brothers and sisters to eat.

Their leisurely demeanor made Zhu Yanyi, watching from outside, smile helplessly.

"Truly your disciples. They’ve learned your style well," the Silver Fox teased from the side.

"Isn’t this a good approach? Maintaining calmness in any situation keeps danger at bay. Overreacting often leads to peril," Zhu Yanyi smiled, satisfied with Cui Wan’s handling of the situation.

About half an hour later, after the disciples had finished eating, a massive swarm of scorpions surged forward.

The spectators outside gasped. Even Lang Yi frowned. "Why are there so many venomous scorpions in this secret realm?"

"It seems these ten youngsters are in for a rough time," Ping Chuan remarked with a hint of regret. However, in the Heavenly Fortune Competition, luck was the ultimate prize. If they failed due to the scorpions, it was simply bad luck.

But as soon as he finished speaking, the scorpions began to fall. Those that were still crawling collapsed shortly after, becoming motionless.

This continued for about ten minutes until the entire wave of scorpions lay still.

Cui Wan and her team finished their snacks, cleaned up the area, and then Cui Wan clapped her hands. "Alright, juniors, let’s collect the scorpions. Remember to use your bracelets to store them."

"Understood." The ten disciples moved forward to gather the scorpions. Each scorpion was a material for second-grade pills, worth only two points each. However, with fifty to sixty thousand scorpions, the total score was substantial. By the time they finished, their team had secured the top ten positions on the leaderboard. Gong Jue led with 16,000 points, followed closely by Cui Wan with over 15,800 points. The lowest scorer among them, Zhou Tong, still had over 11,000 points. Their team now dominated the top ten.

The spectators were speechless. If only a few scorpions had fallen, it might have gone unnoticed. But seeing the entire swarm incapacitated and collected revealed that these ten disciples were skilled in medicine.

"If I’m not mistaken, their medicinal skills are quite proficient," Ping Chuan observed seriously.

Lang Yi pondered for a moment. "I recall their sect leader mentioning that the Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect focuses on medicine and alchemy. Though it’s a small sect, this is their core strength. I initially thought it was just talk, given that the Medicine King Valley is the most renowned in this field. But now, it seems the Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect has some real capability."

Representatives from the Medicine King Valley were also present. Disciples from the five major regional sects did not participate in the preliminary rounds; they only joined from the third round onward, so they were merely spectators.

The leader from the Medicine King Valley, Yao Qing, was deeply dedicated to medicine and had reached the eighth level of alchemy. He had witnessed Cui Wan’s actions and commented, "These children’s techniques are somewhat immature, but their approach is optimal. While individual scorpions are insignificant, their sheer number makes them valuable. Without this skill, they wouldn’t have achieved such high scores."

"Elder Yao is correct," Lang Yi agreed.

"I understand now. Any disciple of the Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect learns to act like you," Ouyang Tianyun said, well aware of Zhu Yanyi’s style. "This is unmistakably your way. Using medicine instead of brute force. Look at them now."

"Isn’t this good?" Zhu Yanyi replied. "I think it’s wonderful. Doesn’t this feel more like life?"

"But won’t this make them stand out too much?" Hong Lian asked with concern.

"It doesn’t matter," Zhu Yanyi said calmly. "I never intended to be low-key."

Zhu Yanyi never demanded success in one attempt, but she never missed an opportunity to achieve it. Seeing her ten disciples perform so well from the start, she had no intention of remaining silent. She would claim every honor due to them.

"You…" Hong Lian looked at Zhu Yanyi.

Zhu Yanyi remained calm. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"This is our first time participating in the Heavenly Fortune Competition. Are you planning to cause trouble?" Hong Lian asked cautiously.

"Am I the type to cause trouble?" Zhu Yanyi glanced at Hong Lian. "You underestimate me."

Hong Lian paused. The Silver Fox then spoke slowly, "I think this is good. The Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect is destined to emerge. It’s better to show their exceptional nature now, before they fully reveal themselves."

Zhu Yanyi nodded. "So, let’s keep watching. If these children fail, so be it. But if they succeed, I won’t let the Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect remain hidden. We will take back all the honors we deserve."

Zhu Yanyi added softly, "The Azure Sovereign Qingdi Sect belongs to everyone. It will never remain hidden in the lawless zones forever."

Ouyang Tianyun watched the screen intently and said, "Let’s continue watching. These children performed well today."

Cui Wan and her team were unaware of the spectators’ reactions, but they were pleased with how easily they had dealt with the scorpions.

"Come, let’s summarize our experience dealing with the scorpions," Cui Wan said. Seeing that everyone had finished collecting, she sat on the ground and invited the others to join her.

The other nine disciples sat down around her, looking at her attentively.