"Hmm?"
Xiaofu gave Jiao Zhiming a suspicious look, not quite trusting his taste in women. He then asked again, "So, how do these three female candidates compare to our own Junior Sister Hong?"
"Compared to Junior Sister Hong, two of them fall a little short, but I guarantee you, it's not by much! As for the one with that ethereal aura, her beauty absolutely rivals that of Junior Sister Hong!" Shao Yushan stepped forward and answered earnestly.
Seeing Shao Yushan's expression, Xiaofu knew the two of them weren't lying. They wouldn't be acting like this otherwise. Those three female candidates from the West Mansion must be exceptionally beautiful.
Once he realized this, Xiaofu's interest in the three female candidates was piqued.
'If what Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming said is true, if those three really are that gorgeous, then losing that Beast-Attracting Pill wasn't such a bad trade-off. One Beast-Attracting Pill for three stunning women... that's not a bad deal at all.'
After a moment of thought, Xiaofu asked the pair, "Which way did they run?"
At his words, Shao Yushan pointed in the direction Mu Xianling and the others had fled. "That way. They ran that way."
"Alright then. I have a mission for you two. You are to capture those three female candidates, no matter what. Once you have them, send me a signal and wait for me to handle things." But that didn't seem quite right. Before Shao Yushan or Jiao Zhiming could reply, Xiaofu shook his head and amended his order. "Actually, never mind that. Just signal me the moment you find any trace of them. I'll deal with them myself."
"Uh..."
Hearing the mission Xiaofu had given them, Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming were stunned for a moment before it dawned on them. So, Master Fu coveted those three female candidates too and wanted to claim them for himself.
Once they understood Xiaofu's intentions, Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming exchanged a knowing smile. "Master Fu, rest assured," they replied. "We'll start searching in the direction they fled right away. The moment we have news of them, we'll signal you immediately."
"Good."
Xiaofu nodded, quite satisfied that Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming had understood him. He waved a hand dismissively. "You may go."
"Yes, sir!"
The two acknowledged the order and departed at once.
「Meanwhile.」
Mu Xianling and the other two ran until they were gasping for breath. Only after covering several miles did they finally stop, leaning against a large tree to rest.
Their chests heaved from the strenuous exertion.
They had already been pursued by the West District candidates for a long time. After managing to escape, they had run for miles without a break. Even as Martial Artists, they were now utterly exhausted. Their bodies had reached their absolute limit. If an enemy appeared now, they wouldn't even have the strength to flee, let alone fight back.
Thankfully, the two West District candidates hadn't followed them. It seemed the massive Level 5 Demon Beast had either delayed them or, perhaps, even killed them.
For the moment, they were safe. The three of them were still shaken, their hearts pounding with fear as they thought about how close they'd come to being captured.
If they had fallen into the hands of those two from the West District, their lives would have been ruined.
"Sister Xianling, it looks like those two scoundrels didn't follow us," Tang Shu said to Mu Xianling, glancing over her shoulder as she caught her breath.
"I think you're right," Mu Xianling replied with a nod. "That Level 5 Demon Beast was incredibly strong. It's no surprise they were held up."
"Sister Xianling, I was so scared... If it wasn't for that Demon Beast, we... we would have..." Tang Shu couldn't finish her sentence. At the thought of the horrifying consequences, her eyes reddened, and she broke down in tears.
Tang Shu was a strong girl. Normally, she was adorable and sweet, but when facing an enemy, she became incredibly serious. She was decisive in her actions, never giving her opponents an opening. Even when facing a superior foe she knew she couldn't defeat, she would never show a hint of fear.
And yet...After everything that had just happened, now that she was finally safe, she was crying.
It was a testament to the immense pressure she had been under. Those two from the West District had left a deep, psychological scar.
It was a scar that likely wouldn't fade anytime soon.
Mu Xianling's heart ached for Tang Shu. She reached out, pulled her into an embrace, and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "It's alright. Everything's alright now. It's all over. Those bad men aren't coming after us. We're safe. Besides, I'm here. I won't let them hurt you."
As she spoke, Mu Xianling felt her own tears welling up. But she couldn't cry. 'I'm the older sister. Right now, I'm all Tang Shu has to rely on.'
In truth, Mu Xianling was terrified. She was the one who longed for a warm embrace, for someone else's comfort. But seeing Tang Shu's state, she pushed down all her fear, all her weakness, and all her loneliness.
'If even I give in to fear, how will we face the dangers to come? How will we survive in the Little Extreme Sacred Land?'
'Someone has to be strong enough to bear this pressure, and right now, that someone has to be me.'
Tang Shu's arms tightened around Mu Xianling. "Sister Xianling," she asked in a small voice, "do you think... we'll live to see Brother Tang Yi again? Will he come and save us?"
At her words, Mu Xianling gazed into the distance. "He will," she said, her voice firm. "Tang Yi will come for us. We will definitely see him again."
"But I'm so scared," Tang Shu sobbed.

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