WBICDPH Chapter 4 Part 2

Second: it had five female leads.

And finally, Hua Nanzhi was one of them.

She was a little devil in every sense: sharp, strong, wealthy, and cunning. She came from Chixia City, a mortal city rich enough to rival nations, and had been spoiled rotten since childhood—a true pampered princess.

After entering the inner sect, she would become the protagonist Han Ao’s junior sister. They would cultivate together, grow up together—barely qualifying as childhood friends.

At first, she despised Han Ao and constantly competed with him. Later, after surviving a dungeon together, she fell for him and officially joined his harem. Han Ao, in turn, gained access to Chixia City’s vast wealth and achieved financial freedom.

If Lin Jin remembered correctly, her cultivation at this point should be—

“Hua Nanzhi, early Foundation Establishment! Assigned to Mystic Realm Tier One!”

The red-clad girl was enveloped by the stone’s light, her figure dissolving into the trial realm.

Shen Bing excitedly slapped Lin Jin’s shoulder.

“So it really is her! Young Master Lin, she’s the only cultivator besides you to reach Foundation Establishment in this trial! I hear the elders are already observing you both as top immortal prospects. You’ve practically got one foot inside the inner sect already! Maybe you’ll even become a direct disciple after the trial—please take care of me in the future!”

“…Huh?”

Lin Jin’s soul nearly left his body.

“Only two of us?!”

Shen Bing nodded, confirming his despair.

Damn it. Stupid author couldn’t even write the settings clearly. If he’d known Foundation Establishment was this rare, why would he have stood out? Blending in with the Qi Refining crowd would’ve been the optimal strategy!

Now what was this “key immortal prospect” nonsense? And why was the plot suddenly going off the rails? Why was this kid hyping him up?!

Don’t drag me into protagonist rival territory! Don’t flatter me! Don’t turn me from a nameless NPC into an early-game boss destined to be crushed!!

Lin Jin felt numb inside. He forced a polite smile and attempted some useless corporate-style humility.

“No, no—she’s far stronger than I am. Same cultivation, but much younger. She’s the real prodigy. I can’t compare.”

Shen Bing pursed his lips, clearly unconvinced.

“She reached Foundation Establishment at fifteen. That’s impressive, sure—but not top-tier.”

Lin Jin smelled lore and immediately followed up.

“Oh? There have been even more astonishing figures?”

“Of course. Yanyu Mountain’s senior disciple Xiao Yunkong, and the current senior sister of Piaomiao Pavilion—both formed their foundations at thirteen. No one’s surpassed that yet.”

Lin Jin mentally checked them off and nodded in understanding.

“Next—Lin Jin!”

His name snapped him back to reality.

He stiffened, touched Qiuqiu hidden inside his robe, and pushed through the crowd.

Damn it. He’d gotten too caught up chatting and forgotten to plan.

What now? Go up and test his cultivation? Become the first eighteen-year-old with a stable Golden Core, get sent into hell mode, and be eaten alive by monsters?

Or turn and run? Either way, Piaomiao Pavilion and demonic cultivators would hunt him down.

As his thoughts spiraled, a faint burning sensation suddenly flared on the inside of his right forearm.

Lin Jin froze and curled his fingers slightly.

That’s right—the glowing white sigil left by the fallen god was still there.

Could it be…

Swallowing hard, Lin Jin raised his hand—but before he could touch the stone, the senior sister beside him spoke sharply:

“You’re carrying a living creature. What is it?”

“…?”

His fingers trembled as he glanced down at his slightly bulging robe.

It’s my dog. What else could it be?

He shouldn’t have felt guilty—but then he remembered what Shen Bing had told him that morning:

“Remember the demonic aura I mentioned? I heard that during last night’s chaos, a demon slipped into the mountain. It hasn’t been found yet. Demonic cultivators are treacherous by nature—it may have already transformed into something else and is lying in wait. We must be careful.”

Mountain slopes. Chaos. Demons.

Might as well report Qiuqiu’s ID number while I’m at it.

Lin Jin swallowed dryly.

He knew nothing about Qiuqiu’s origins. The pup had been given to him by a fallen god—it almost certainly wasn’t something innocent. If it really was some kind of demonic offspring, how was he supposed to explain that? Harboring demons was a capital crime.

Dead end after dead end.

Slowly, Lin Jin turned to face the senior sister’s stern gaze, clutching Qiuqiu tighter.

He forced an awkward laugh.

“It’s… a spirit pet.”

“A spirit pet?” She narrowed her eyes. “What I sense is turbid energy.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“What you’re carrying is not a spirit beast—it’s a demon.”