"Exactly!"
Lin Yuran did not forget to add fuel to the fire, "With so many of you here, it's impossible that no one heard the commotion, right?"
Feng Ninghe, however, stood up at this moment and met Lin Yuran's gaze.
Their eyes met, and an unutterable emotion flickered in both their gazes.
"So what if we heard it, and so what if we didn't?"
The cool female voice slowly descended.
Feng Ninghe's face, as fair as congealed fat, had features so exquisite they were beyond reproach.
The more composed she appeared, the more it stirred the hearts of others.
Sheng Linglong let out a muffled hum, her sarcastic voice clearly implying something, "I thought you were deaf, so you heard all those noises after all."
Feng Ninghe did not deign to reply, instead looking up at a spot not far away. "Miss Nan, this place is not suitable for lingering. We should be going."
Nan Rufeng did not hesitate and quickly summoned the accompanying cultivators to follow.
There were no other figures around them.
The puppets had all been eliminated, so logically, the area should be temporarily safe and free of danger.
Sheng Linglong did not forget to continue her taunts, "Nan Rufeng, you're the eldest daughter of the Nan family, yet you travel with a woman of unknown origin. I advise you to keep your eyes open. Don't be sold and still count money for others."
The sharp female voice reached Nan Rufeng's ears, and she couldn't help but frown, her forward steps faltering slightly.
"Sheng Linglong, my Nan family is not afraid of you. We don't need your reminder."
With that, she strode forward with large steps.
Seeing her demeanor, Sheng Linglong couldn't help but snort, "What are you being arrogant about? Isn't it just because you have the Nan family backing you?"
At this moment, a figure stepped forward a few paces.
Du Chang said without hesitation, "Shengtian Academy disciples, follow me. We'll follow them."
"What?"
"Brother Du, you actually want to follow them!"
Sheng Linglong was the first to show her unwillingness, quickly blocking Du Chang's path.
Seeing her beautiful face filled with anger, displaying the full temper of a young girl, Du Chang chuckled softly. "Linglong, Feng Ninghe was the first to leave. The moment she left, we were surrounded by puppets. Do you think this is a coincidence?"
To describe it as a coincidence was indeed too coincidental.
That woman had even warned them about the arrival of the puppets, but no one had believed her at the time.
Sheng Linglong bit her bright red lips tightly, hesitating slightly. "But..."
Before she could finish speaking, Du Chang interrupted her. "Feng Ninghe's group has no one injured, and even we have several injured. Let's follow them and see what happens first."
As Du Chang took that step, the cultivators from Shengtian Academy followed closely behind.
Ji Binyu's eyes showed a hint of contemplation. After a moment of thought, he finally chose to step forward. "Yuran, we'll follow them too. Our group has already lost one person. Following them means we won't have to fight alone if something happens."
Lin Yuran had no objections.
She was already itching to make a move on Feng Ninghe.
However, only by staying close to this woman would she have the opportunity to act.
Feng Ninghe strode forward, her divine sense gradually extending.
No matter which direction she walked, the long string of followers behind them kept pace.
She subconsciously turned her head to look behind her.
Those people did not dare to get too close, but they also did not dare to stay too far away, maintaining a certain distance.
Feng Xing's handsome face was cool and indifferent. He deliberately lowered his voice, "Master, what should we do about this large group of followers?"
Bai Niannian also chimed in at this moment, "Sheng Linglong spoke ill of us, full of mockery. Now she's still following us. Isn't that too ridiculous?"
Feng Ninghe did not stop walking and opened her mouth to explain, "No need to pay them any mind. Even if we told them to stop following, they might not listen."
Moreover, she did not believe that the journey would be so smooth.
The peak Nascent Soul stage puppet had already emerged from the cave and had even developed intelligence, knowing how to summon more puppets.
Having more people accompanying them would be more advantageous, and they might even be able to share the pressure at a critical moment.
"Miss Feng."
At this moment, a deep male voice came from behind.
Du Chang did not intend to hide his intentions and simply spoke up.
Feng Ninghe stopped her steps and looked back at the few people behind her.
As she turned her head, she met Sheng Linglong's angry gaze.
Du Chang straightforwardly revealed his thoughts, "Miss Feng, when you first entered this jungle, how did you know the puppets were coming?"
She spread her divine sense bit by bit, and as long as it was within the range of her念力 (nianli - mental power), she could sense things on the ground.
She could sense not only the puppets but also people.
Facing the question, Feng Ninghe replied unhurriedly, "By intuition."
She had no intention of telling the truth.
These simple words, however, delighted Sheng Linglong. A bright smile instantly appeared on her charming face. "Brother Du, didn't I tell you? How could she possibly know? It must be a coincidence!"
Du Chang gave Sheng Linglong a warning glance. "Linglong, you've always been pampered, but you should also know your limits."
He did not believe in such coincidences.
If one could sense puppets purely by intuition, then such intuition would be too terrifying.
The warning words made Sheng Linglong close her mouth with a look of unwillingness.
"Miss Feng, if you don't mind, let's travel together."
Du Chang took the initiative to speak. "There is still some time before the trial ends. Only by uniting can we last until the end. Traveling together is beneficial for everyone."
As long as there were more people, even if they were surrounded by puppets, there would still be a chance of survival.
Feng Ninghe pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Feng Linyuan and the others, her eyes clearly questioning.
She naturally did not mind traveling with Du Chang.
There was no great animosity between them; at most, they would help each other and get through the trial together.
However, she did not want to travel with Lin Yuran.
This journey, she had expended her divine sense solely to avoid puppets as much as possible. She was not a bodhisattva, so there was no reason for her to lead these unrelated people.
Sensing her gaze, Feng Linyuan strode forward and came to her side.
"Young Master Du, we naturally do not mind traveling with you."
The male voice fell, and Feng Linyuan met her gaze.
Even if they did not allow Lin Yuran and Ji Binyu to follow, these people would still trail behind.
This was what it meant to be unable to guard against them.
There was no need for them to go out of their way and do anything more.
Understanding Feng Linyuan's thoughts, Feng Ninghe nodded slightly.
"Several cultivators, please help us, save us!"
Suddenly, a figure rushed forward in a panic.
A cultivator, his clothes tattered and his body covered in injuries, his face smeared with dust.
Feng Ninghe lowered her gaze to him. "What happened?"
The cultivator, gasping for breath, quickly pointed in a direction. "Except for me who escaped to seek help, everyone else in our group is about to collapse! They are being surrounded by puppets!"