8 Chapter 8

Xu Ze stood atop the mountain, observing the determined climbers. The vast crowd resembled tiny ants, but Xu Ze acknowledged their efforts with a nod.

"Not bad, just like the original storyline. Although Ye Fan started off slow, he quickly surpassed over half of them and now securely holds the third position. Barring any surprises, Ye Fan shouldn't have any trouble passing the first assessment."

To preserve the plot as much as possible, Xu Ze deliberately designed three assessments identical to the original storyline.

Ascending the Sacred Mountain, deciphering the formation, testing one's talent.

The first and third assessments posed no problem for Ye Fan. However, the crucial part was the second assessment. Deciphering the formation was originally accomplished with the assistance of Lu Qingqing, one of the female leads, which could be seen as cheating.

But now, Lu Qingqing was nowhere to be found. Who knew if Ye Fan could smoothly pass it as depicted in the original storyline?

"Ahem." Xu Ze's deep contemplation was interrupted by a soft cough. He turned around to find Qu Qinghan's unexpected presence.

Approaching Xu Ze, Qu Qinghan stood still, observing the situation on the mountain path of the Sacred Mountain.

"It appears the assessment has already commenced," Qu Qinghan remarked impassively. She maintained her usual aloof demeanor as if her unpredictable behavior from a few days ago was a facade. Xu Ze gave a slight nod, yet for some reason, he felt a bit uneasy standing next to Qu Qinghan.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Ze realized that he and Qu Qinghan were standing a bit too close, almost as if they were glued together. Xu Ze glanced at Qu Qinghan, who seemed oblivious, gazing silently at the climbers on the mountain path. Her profile exuded coldness as if Xu Ze were shamelessly intruding.

Just as Xu Ze contemplated moving aside, Qu Qinghan suddenly leaned toward him, their shoulders brushing against each other. While fixated on the mountain, she uttered, "Among these climbers ascending the mountain, one stands out."

Xu Ze, still feeling the gentle contact on his shoulder, was momentarily stunned. Subconsciously, he looked down the mountain and, in that instant, his astonishment grew.

Amidst the group of struggling climbers, a figure clothed in green resembled a nimble spirit leaping across a mountain stream, swiftly making her way to the summit of the sacred mountain. The girl donned a green dress, tied her hair into twin ponytails, and possessed a pure and adorable countenance.

Lu Qingqing!

Xu Ze's eyes lit up with joy. 'Oh, how fortunate! I thought we would be lacking one of the ten heroines. Unexpectedly, Lu Qingqing arrived at this crucial moment! The future plot is now ensured!'

Although Xu Ze attempted to remain composed, the delight in his eyes did not escape Qu Qinghan's notice. Her eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly, and her gaze turned somber. She vividly remembered Lu Qingqing.

After all, in the ninth life, Lu Qingqing, like herself, was a woman abandoned by Xu Ze. However, despite sharing the same fate, Qu Qinghan felt no sympathy for Lu Qingqing or any other women forsaken by Xu Ze. Instead, she harbored a sense of discontent.

'Here I am, yet you still yearn for other women?' This thought, coupled with Qu Qinghan's twisted affection for Xu Ze, rendered her heart particularly fragile at that moment.

Witnessing Xu Ze's undisguised joy, Qu Qinghan became consumed by jealousy and couldn't help but feel a tinge of murderous intent. 'You scoundrel... So you're already interested in other women at this moment... I thought you were a sincere person!'

'Hiss...' The palpable aura of killing intent sent shivers down Xu Ze's spine, interrupting his moment of happiness. He instinctively glanced at Qu Qinghan beside him.

To his surprise, Qu Qinghan seemed to be focused elsewhere, her gaze fixed upon the group of climbers below the mountain.

'Could it be my imagination? But that killing intent clearly originated from beside me...' Xu Ze massaged his temples.

'Maybe I've been too mentally drained from worrying about the development of the plot lately, causing some perception issues. This is a serious problem. If a cultivator's perception becomes chaotic, they are not far from descending into demonic cultivation.' Xu Ze felt it was imperative for him to consult a psychologist.

Qu Qinghan peered down the mountain and calmly stated, "Holy Son, in your opinion, which of these climbers who have come seeking apprenticeship do you find the most promising?"

Xu Ze immediately snapped back to reality and replied composedly, "That girl dressed in green just now, despite having her profound energy sealed, was able to traverse the mountain path with ease under immense pressure. It indicates that she possesses an extraordinary physique and remarkable talent, making her a promising candidate for cultivation."

'Hmph, he chose that woman first?' Qu Qinghan's gaze darkened, and she silently took note of it.

"And the young man who currently holds the top position, although he appears to be struggling, there is no sign of perspiration on his forehead, suggesting that he is concealing his true strength. If I'm not mistaken, he will emerge as the victor in the first round of assessments." Xu Ze casually dropped a few vague remarks, but his true intention was to introduce Ye Fan, who ranked third, to Qu Qinghan.

After all, in the original plot, it was Holy Maiden Qu Qinghan who evaluated the climbers and discovered Ye Fan's exceptional talent. But now, with the plot having deviated, it was Holy Son Xu Ze who was overseeing the process.

This deviation left Xu Ze worried that there would be significant deviations in the future plot. Therefore, he decided to preemptively introduce the male lead to Qu Qinghan. However, upon hearing Xu Ze's initial comment, Qu Qinghan couldn't bear to listen any further. She nodded absentmindedly and offered vague responses.

In her heart, she was solely focused on how to drive Lu Qingqing out of the holy land. After pondering for a moment, Qu Qinghan made up her mind and gazed at Xu Ze, saying, "Holy Son, you have been occupied with the assessments in these past few days. Allow me to take charge of the remaining two rounds on your behalf."

Xu Ze was slightly taken aback.

'What's happening? The plot, which was on the verge of spiraling out of control, is actually correcting itself?'