From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 250 The Treasure Hunt Begins: Xiao Yao's Journey to Find Treasure

"It seems the Immortal Realm Treasure Hunt Competition is about to begin..." The aged voice, carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement, reached my ears, causing me to involuntarily shift my gaze from the golden light to what was behind me.

The newcomer was Elder Lingyu, who still maintained his ethereal and otherworldly appearance, gently swaying his whisk in his hand.

He looked at the golden light in the distance. I composed myself and looked into the distance again. The golden light gradually dissipated, and in its place was a huge gate of light, which looked particularly magnificent between heaven and earth.

"This is the entrance to the treasure hunt competition." Elder Lingyu's voice broke my thoughts. "Once inside, everything depends on yourselves."

I took a deep breath to calm my excited emotions.

Purple Eyes whimpered softly in my arms, seemingly excited about the upcoming challenge.

I stroked its soft fur, giving it strength, and also giving myself strength.

I know this treasure hunt will be anything but easy, but I'm fully prepared and I won't give up easily!

Holding Zi Tong in my arms, I followed the crowd to the starting point.

Looking around, all sorts of contestants were ready to go, each with sharp eyes and a powerful aura.

I could feel their eager fighting spirit and their desire for the treasure.

Among them, I saw Ling Yun. He stood at the very front of the crowd, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, radiating a proud light. He was indeed a favorite to win the championship.

And then there was Qingfeng, with a meaningful smile on his face that gave off a cunning vibe.

Of course, Blood Shadow was also present; he hid in the crowd, his sinister eyes sending chills down people's spines.

I felt both excited and nervous. I knew I had no advantage whatsoever. In front of these geniuses, I was just a useless person without spiritual roots.

But I'm no longer the useless person who was bullied by everyone!

I now possess a powerful immortal pet, giving me my own strength and confidence.

I want them to know that I, Xiao Yao, am not someone who can be ignored!

A deafening bell rang out, announcing the official start of the treasure hunt.

The contestants rushed toward the gate of light like arrows released from a bow.

I was holding Zi Tong, ready to rush out, but I found myself deliberately pushed to the back of the line by other contestants.

"Hmph, a piece of trash without any spiritual roots dares to participate in the treasure hunt competition? He's really overestimating himself!"

"That's right, don't block our way, or you'll lose your life!"

Some harsh sounds entered my ears, igniting a fire of anger within me.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms, and I could feel a slight stinging pain in my fingertips.

The more they look down on me, the more I'll prove them wrong!

Watching the other contestants file in, the oppressive feeling of falling behind was like a huge net enveloping me, making it hard to even breathe.

I gritted my teeth unwillingly, then, holding Zi Tong in my arms, I resolutely stepped towards the portal...

"Wait! You can't go in!" A cold voice came from behind, carrying an unquestionable tone.

A flash of white light, and I felt a sudden weightlessness before landing steadily on the ground.

Looking around, I found myself in a deep valley, surrounded by towering cliffs. The light was dim, and the air was filled with a damp, rotten smell that made me want to vomit.

I immediately realized that this was not a paradise, but a labyrinth full of dangers!

The path underfoot was uneven, with each stone covered in moss and extremely slippery.

I took each step very carefully, afraid that I might accidentally trigger some mechanism.

Zi Tong also sensed the danger, and its fur stood on end, emitting a low whimper.

The valley was eerily silent, with only the faint sound of my footsteps and the sobbing of Zi Tong echoing through it, adding to the sinister and terrifying atmosphere.

I felt my heart beating faster and faster, and my palms started sweating. It was as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching me, which gave me the creeps.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past me. I instinctively leaped backward, barely dodging a fierce attack.

"Hehehe... Little girl, you're pretty quick on your feet!" A chilling voice came from the darkness; it was Blood Shadow!

He slowly emerged from the shadows, a cruel smile on his face, holding a dagger that emitted a ghostly glow. The dagger was dripping with an unknown liquid that reeked of a nauseating stench.

My heart sank. I hadn't expected to run into Blood Shadow so soon. He really was after me!

"Blood Shadow, what exactly do you want?" I asked, trying to remain calm, while secretly on guard, ready to deal with his attack at any moment.

"What am I doing? Of course, I'm sending you to your death!" Blood Shadow grinned maliciously and lunged at me again.

He was incredibly fast, and I could only barely dodge. His dagger still managed to cut my arm, and blood gushed out instantly.

The intense pain made me gasp, my heart filled with anger and fear.

This Blood Shadow was incredibly ruthless!

I clutched my wound, my eyes fixed on the blood-red shadow, a raging fire burning within me.

I absolutely will not let him kill me like this!

I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth against the pain, and prepared to fight back.

Just then, I suddenly heard a faint sound coming from the depths of the maze, as if something was moving.

"Looks like there are other 'guests' here..." Blood Shadow suddenly stopped attacking, turned to look into the depths of the maze, and a strange smile appeared on his lips. "Little girl, I'll go and greet the other 'guests' first. You can just wait here to die!"

After saying that, he turned into a black shadow and disappeared into the depths of the maze.

I stood there, stunned, filled with doubt and unease.

Other "guests"?

Could it be that other people also entered this maze?

I was hesitating whether to follow when suddenly a voice came from behind me: "Miss Xiao Yao, be careful!"

I turned around abruptly and saw Lan Meng running anxiously towards me.

She grabbed my hand and said urgently, "Miss Xiao Yao, are you alright? I just saw Xue Ying coming this way and was worried that you might be in danger, so I rushed over to check on you."

Looking into Lan Meng's concerned eyes, a warm feeling welled up in my heart.

It's truly rare to find someone so concerned about my safety in this perilous maze.

"I'm fine, thank you, Lanmeng," I said gratefully.

"Blood Shadow is cunning and treacherous, you must be careful!" Lan Meng warned worriedly. "I just found a small path over there that might lead to the treasure's location. Let's go together!"

I nodded and followed Lan Meng down the path she had indicated.

This path is hidden behind dense vines and is difficult to spot without careful observation.

I carefully parted the vines and followed behind Lan Meng, my heart filled with vigilance.

Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind came from behind me. I instinctively dodged to the side and at the same time struck the attacker with my palm.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, my palm strike collided with Blood Shadow's dagger, creating a shockwave.

I was jolted back a few steps by the force, and a sharp pain shot through the wound on my arm again.

"Damn it! This Blood Shadow is really persistent!" I said through gritted teeth.

Blood Shadow sneered, "Little girl, obediently hand over your treasure, and I might consider leaving you a whole corpse!"

"Dream on!" I retorted without flinching. "If you want my treasure, let's see if you have the ability!"

I once again engaged in battle with Blood Shadow, and the maze was instantly filled with the glint of swords and shadows.

While dodging the attacks of the Blood Shadow, I searched for an opportunity to escape.

My heart was filled with struggle. On one hand, I wanted to move forward quickly to find the treasure, and on the other hand, I had to avoid the malicious interference of the Blood Shadow. The tense atmosphere made me feel like I was suffocating.

Just then, a sudden inspiration struck me, and a bold idea popped into my head.

With a determined look in my eyes, I abruptly changed direction and ran towards a seemingly more dangerous area deep within the maze.

The people around me looked surprised when they saw what I was doing, not understanding why I was doing it.

Even Blood Shadow was stunned for a moment, then sneered and said, "Little girl, you're courting death!"

I ignored Blood Shadow's taunts and sped up, running towards that area.

I had only one thought in my mind: to take a gamble!

"Stop! Danger!" Lan Meng exclaimed, trying to stop me.

I sprinted forward, the surrounding scenery rushing past, the wind whistling in my ears, and I could almost feel the wind passing through my hair.

Lan Meng's shouts faded into the distance. I couldn't care less about anything else; I had no choice but to take a desperate gamble.

My heart was pounding violently in my chest, and I could even hear the sound of my blood rushing.

I ran into that area, and suddenly the view opened up before me.

The cramped passageway was gone, replaced by a wide underground river. The water was crystal clear, emanating a faint spiritual aura, and twinkling lights floated on the surface, like stars in the night sky.

The stone walls on both sides are covered with ancient runes, radiating a mysterious light.

This is a hidden shortcut!

I was overjoyed; I had made the right bet!

Without hesitation, I jumped onto a protruding rock by the river and ran swiftly along the riverbank.

The river water lapped against my ankles, bringing a refreshing coolness that seemed to wash away my fatigue from the journey.

I looked back and saw the other contestants still struggling in the maze, and I felt a surge of pride.

The shortcut was winding and tortuous, but the terrain was flat, and I made my way through without any obstacles, much faster than before.

I overtook one contestant after another, and they all stared at me in surprise. Lingyun and Qingfeng also noticed me, and their faces showed solemn expressions. They obviously did not expect me to suddenly appear here.

I even saw Elder Lingyu, who was standing on a high place overlooking the entire arena. When he saw me, a relieved smile appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly.

I was even more excited; I had finally proven my abilities!

As I ran, I felt the spiritual energy around me becoming increasingly abundant, and a strange fragrance filled the air, refreshing and invigorating.

The river channel is getting wider and the water flow is getting gentler.

A hazy white mist appeared ahead, and the outline of an island could be vaguely seen within it.

Filled with curiosity and anticipation, I quickened my pace and ran towards the white mist.

Passing through the white mist, I found myself on a beautiful little island.

The island is lush with vegetation, blooming with flowers, and has fresh air, making it a veritable fairyland.

In the center of the island stands an ancient stone tablet with three simple characters engraved on it: "Penglai Island".

"Penglai Island?" I murmured to myself, my heart filled with doubt.

This name seems familiar...

Suddenly, I sensed an unusual aura coming from behind the stone tablet. I turned around warily and saw a mysterious person dressed in black and wearing a bamboo hat slowly emerge from behind the stone tablet.

He had his back to me, so I couldn't see his face clearly. I could only see that he was holding a black dagger, which was gleaming with a chilling light.

"Welcome to Penglai Island..." the man in black began slowly, his voice low and hoarse, "You are the first contestant to arrive here..."

He slowly turned around, and his face, hidden beneath the bamboo hat, finally came into view...