My Cold Senior Sister Keeps Flirting with Me - Chapter 18

Days passed uneventfully until the day arrived for the Trial Grounds on the Back Mountain to open.

This Trial Grounds was relatively small. Only the Chief Disciple and Personal Disciples could enter directly, while Inner Sect Disciples needed to have at least Core Formation Stage cultivation to participate.

As a mere Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, An Ran once again benefited from the privileges that came with her status.

The Azure Mist Sect’s decision to hold this trial was aimed at securing strong results in the upcoming Year-End Grand Trial. Achieving high rankings in the trial would reflect the Sect’s strength and earn valuable rewards such as rare medicinal herbs and powerful Cultivation Methods.

The Grand Trial was a major event in the entire Cultivation World, held only once every five years. Disciples from various sects competed for rankings, making it an excellent opportunity to hone their skills.

Therefore, the Azure Mist Sect decided to provide its disciples with a chance to train and improve before the Grand Trial. This preparation was crucial for their growth and for facing the challenges of the upcoming competition.

In the days leading up to the opening of the Trial Grounds, An Ran’s Master gifted her numerous peculiar Magic Treasures and Talismans. He explained that these items would protect her and cautioned her to be wary of the dangers within the trial.

Filled with gratitude, An Ran thanked her Master and began cataloging the items in her Storage Ring.

She meticulously organized the Magic Treasures and Talismans her Master had gifted her, each possessing unique functions. Some replenished Spiritual Power, others healed minor injuries, while others enhanced defensive capabilities for survival. One talisman could even deliver a fatal blow to a Nascent Soul-level demon beast in a critical moment.

An Ran carefully placed each treasure in an easily accessible location, ensuring she could quickly retrieve them when needed.

After organizing the Magic Treasures and Talismans, An Ran descended the mountain to purchase essential camping supplies for the Trial Grounds.

The day the Trial Grounds opened finally arrived. The Azure Mist Sect’s highly anticipated Personal Disciples—Gu Ruohan, Li Chengfeng, Huo Shaoqi, Lu Yunyan, and An Ran—formed a small team and entered the mysterious realm with great fanfare.

Gu Ruohan’s cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul Stage, making it unnecessary for her to team up with others. She was fully capable of facing any challenge independently.

However, considering An Ran and Lu Yunyan’s relatively weak cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage, the Eldest Senior Sister seemed to want to personally oversee the operation while keeping an eye on her two Junior Sisters.

An Ran looked at Lu Yunyan with a puzzled expression. “Senior Sister Lu, you’re only at the Foundation Establishment Stage too? I always thought your cultivation had at least reached the Golden Core Stage, like Senior Brothers Li and Huo!”

Senior Sister Lu replied somewhat bashfully, “Actually, I spend most of my time in the Alchemy Pavilion refining pills, so I’ve neglected my cultivation a bit. Besides, I joined the sect many years after them!”

Ah, I see, An Ran thought, understanding dawning in her mind. Although Senior Sister Lu’s cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment Stage, her alchemy skills were clearly the most outstanding among all the disciples.

An Ran’s gaze swept over the team members. She noticed they had a healer, four damage dealers, but no tank.

Without a tank to draw aggro, how will we defend if everyone’s so squishy?

However, when they encountered their first demon beast, An Ran’s doubts vanished the moment she witnessed Gu Ruohan’s prowess.

Gu Ruohan’s Ruo Xue Sword, infused with Spiritual Power, radiated a terrifying chill. With a leap, she swung the blade horizontally, freezing the demon beast solid in an instant. The awe-inspiring sight left An Ran speechless.

Following suit, Senior Brothers Li and Huo unleashed their signature techniques. Senior Sister Lu, not to be outdone, repeatedly hurled her self-crafted Flame Burst Pills, transforming into a veritable violent healer.

During the battle, their roles were clearly defined. Eldest Senior Sister combined offense and defense seamlessly, Senior Brother Li moved with lightning speed, Senior Brother Huo could fight at both close and long range, and Fourth Senior Sister provided both healing and damage output.

Watching their formidable performance, An Ran clutched the Spirit Sword given to her by their Master, feeling utterly useless and like a complete novice.

Knowing this was An Ran’s first time participating in the Year-End Grand Trial and that she lacked combat experience, the group decided to let her take the lead against weaker demon beasts to give her some practice.

Soon, they encountered a demon monkey. Ashamed of her earlier lack of effort, An Ran brandished her sword and charged forward, taking the lead.

As the battle began, An Ran occasionally faltered due to nervousness. Seeing she wasn’t in any real danger, the others suppressed their urge to help and watched quietly from the sidelines.

Growing increasingly confident, An Ran raised her sword and brought it down fiercely on the demon monkey’s head. The monkey’s head fell to the ground with a thud, crimson bl00d splattering across the ground.

The demon monkey breathed its last, its life force extinguished.

After defeating the demon monkey, An Ran stood panting, sword in hand, when she noticed a sharp pain in her neck. She realized she had been scratched.

Not bad, she thought.

Gu Ruohan pulled An Ran close, took out a medicinal ointment, and began applying it to her neck. The pain made An Ran yelp loudly.

“Seriously? It’s just a little scratch. Why are you screaming so dramatically?”

An Ran grimaced in pain. “Shouting helps relieve the pain.”

Lu Yunyan rolled her eyes. “Such a drama queen!”

Senior Brother Li and Senior Brother Huo snickered quietly nearby.

Gu Ruohan, however, calmly put away the ointment jar without a word.

An Ran tilted her head and deftly formed a water seal with her fingers. Instantly, a clear spring gushed from her fingertips. She instructed Gu Ruohan to place her hands in the water sphere to thoroughly rinse off the remaining ointment.

An Ran’s palms tended to sweat easily, so she had always made a habit of washing her hands frequently. During her cultivation training, she had specifically learned a water-summoning technique to cleanse her hands anytime, anywhere. This technique was like carrying a portable faucet—incredibly convenient.

Watching them wash their hands, Lu Yunyan chimed in, “When you two are done, wash mine too!”

An Ran formed another water seal and rinsed Lu Yunyan’s hands as well.