Chapter 5: The Final Showdown at the Mountain Stronghold (4)
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The crowd was left completely dumbfounded, eyes wide and jaws dropped at the scene before them.
There were actually two other contests happening at the same time, but no one cared about their outcomes now.
Almost all eyes were glued to the Woman in Red, who looked as if she had floated down from the heavens.
Her stunning beauty, her relaxed demeanor, and the swarm of hornets swirling above her head like a mini tornado…
These elements combined in a bizarre way, creating an aura of immense mystique and power that enveloped everyone’s hearts.
“Is there really someone in this world that hornets are afraid to mess with? She must be a goddess!”
“Good gracious, in my entire life, I’ve never seen anyone who can tame hornets! This is amazing!”
“Goddess! Yes, she is definitely a goddess!”
The crowd erupted in chatter, with all attention squarely on Lin Nan.
The Nine-Bag Elder looked positively green with rage.
Never did he think that his hidden killing move would turn into a mere prop for someone else to steal the limelight!
He was not just shocked; he was furious.
“k*ll her! k*ll her!”
He yelped desperately, trying to regain control over the hornets.
This was his survival tactic for decades! How could some luck-struck hag even compare?!
She likely just had some precious magic talisman to ward off bugs, giving everyone the wrong impression that she could dodge harm!
But he was confident those hornets wouldn’t dare defy his orders.
Sure enough, under his frantic urging, the hornets above Lin Nan began to gather anew and descend, soon enveloping her head in a cloud of black mist.
“Ha! Still pretending to be a fairy in front of me? Your only fate now is a more horrific d*ath!”
But the next moment, something shocking happened to the Nine-Bag Elder.
The swarm merely circled Lin Nan once, then formed a sharp arrow shape and shot straight at him!
This was the first time in years he’d witnessed a hornet rebellion!
No matter how much he shrieked, trying to stop the swarm, all his efforts were in vain—the black mist still came rushing toward him, completely trapping the Nine-Bag Elder in its center.
“Ahhhhhh…”
Screams erupted from the black mist as the Nine-Bag Elder flailed like a madman, running around in a panic.
The bystanders shuddered and instinctively took a step back, then another, as if doing so could give them a sliver of peace.
Lin Nan stood coldly, indifferent as she watched the beggar get engulfed by the hornets, his cries echoing in the air. Her expression was as calm as if she were viewing an event that had nothing to do with her.
Ao Hongtu and Mu Zhi exchanged worried glances.
The Nine-Bag Elder was an important figure in the Beggar Sect. If they cornered him to d*ath today, they would undoubtedly face fierce retaliation from the sect.
Although the Beggar Sect didn’t rank among the Seven Great Sects, their strength surpassed all seven combined, primarily because their disciples were spread all over the world. Wherever there was a city, there was bound to be a presence of the Beggar Sect—crossing them was not a smart move!
“Heroine Ta, can you spare him a life?” pleaded Ao Hongtu.
Mu Zhi chimed in, “Yeah, all the sects see each other around; it wouldn’t be wise to k*ll him.”
Lin Nan shot them a cold glance. “When he was trying to k*ll us, did anyone care about our lives? Those two old geezers from Kunlun Sect were just sitting on the sidelines, right?
Now that we have the upper hand, you both want to play nice?
Sorry, I believe in ‘an eye for an eye!’ Don’t pull those ridiculous rules in front of me!”
Mu Zhi and Ao Hongtu felt their cheeks sting with shame, awkwardly retreating to the side, too intimidated to say another word.
With a wave of her hand, even as the Nine-Bag Elder fell, the relentless swarm of hornets whirled into the air and, as if they had found a target, soared far into the distance.
The long-absent referee timidly inched closer to the Nine-Bag Elder. Just looking at the exposed skin, one could tell he’d been stung beyond recognition.
After checking his breath, the referee shook his head and turned to the two remaining old men from Kunlun Sect.
“Are you two still continuing this contest?”
A hush fell over the crowd. Admitting defeat was indeed a tough pill to swallow.
They thought they were guaranteed victory with the Nine-Bag Elder’s tactics, free from worry.
However, just minutes later, the tides had turned. If they continued fighting, two against three wouldn’t be in their favor; while they were reluctant, they had no choice but to admit their defeat.
“We… concede…”
After receiving confirmation from the two, the referee declared loudly, “I announce that the Burning Moon Azure City Team wins this round!”
Lin Nan left the arena nonchalantly, with Ao Hongtu and Mu Zhi trailing closely behind.
Somewhere along the way, the two had unknowingly become her sidekicks, a subtle change that even they hadn’t recognized.
Perhaps this was the intrinsic human nature: the weak obey the strong.
Moreover, just when everyone thought she was a goner, the hornets had merely buzzed around her and left her unscathed! Lin Nan had even turned the tables, commanding the hornets to turn on the old beggar!
Combined with Lin Nan’s unwavering, fierce attitude, they etched a deep impression in the minds of the two.
With the red figure passing beside them, the spectators unintentionally held their breath, lowering their voices.
It was as if a cold wind blew through, instantly chilling the previously lively discussions into silence.
Seated in the designated resting area for competing teams, Lin Nan glanced at the bald man about ten meters away.
His record was currently two wins out of two.
Honestly, the combination of Wudang and Shaolin was indeed formidable; few could last beyond ten moves against them.
At that moment, Liao Chen unexpectedly turned around, their gazes locking fiercely.
Lin Nan stood her ground, glaring back, her slender fingers gently tracing her red lips in a teasing gesture.
Liao Chen couldn’t hold up anymore and quickly bowed his head, muttering a Buddhist phrase.
It was as if looking at her for a second longer was a sin.
Beside them, Ao Hongtu and Mu Zhi were left dumbfounded.
The previously icy Woman in Red had gone from being unyielding in battle to actively flirting with a renowned monk from the Shaolin Temple.
This scene shattered their perceptions completely.
“I think I have my eye on that monk. What do you guys think I should do?” Lin Nan asked.
Ao Hongtu wiped his cold sweat, “…”
Mu Zhi looked up at the sky, “…”
