My Nascent Soul Ran Away Again - Chapter 190: Don’t Speak, Kiss Me!

“Boom, boom, boom!”

The Ice Dragon Chariot’s mystic orbs clashed with the ethereal roots, shattering them in a spectacle of debris. Some roots, evading the orbs, became rigid upon contact with the chariot’s mist, breaking apart.

Outside the checkpoint, Lu Xuan watched through a screen, the scene reminding him of a game called ‘Zuma’ – the Ice Dragon War Chariot at the center, spinning and shooting ice orbs…

As Ao Sheng sighed in relief, preparing to move forward, the battlefield changed again. The roots that fell to the ground, upon touching the swamp’s soil, transformed into little mud figures wielding long swords and spears, attacking the chariot.

Besides these mud figures, the falling leaves of the banyan tree turned into little wooden figures, assailing the Ice Dragon chariot. They shattered upon contact with the mist, scattering on the ground. However, the fragments of the mud and wooden figures merged, forming new, stronger beings.

“In this level, these things are probably indestructible,” Ao Sheng’s expression darkened. “Move quickly!”

Ao Yuan nodded, not hesitating to follow the path frozen by his brother, swiftly moving forward.

The other contestants, noticing this, entered the sixth level. They had to fend off the attacks from the banyan’s ethereal roots while dealing with the harassment of the mud and wooden figures.

“Let’s go in too,” Lu Xuan said.

A layer of earthen light gathered, and the Nine Dragons Coffin plunged into the swamp like an octopus, its dragon corpses acting as arms, pushing through the mud with great effort.

The other contestants, seeing this, followed suit, turning the level into a mud-swimming contest. Whether it was the nobly-tempered Ice Dragon War Chariot or the blazing Fire Phoenix Flying Boat, all were smeared in mud, losing their former grandeur.

These flying boats were equipped with formations for easy cleaning after leaving the swamp.

Inside the level, the Tree People contestants were the most comfortable. Their wooden giant turned into a wooden boat, floating on the mud. Rows of branches grew from the sides of the boat, gliding like oars.

Faint green light emerged from the great banyan, falling into the wooden boats. This was the special ability of the Tree People’s chariot, absorbing natural forces in wood-rich environments for self-replenishment.

Seeing this, Ao Sheng regretted not incorporating similar functions into his chariot, given his Eastern Sea Dragon lineage’s affinity with wood.

The path through the muddy swamp wasn’t too long, and the contestants eventually understood the level’s mechanics. The newly born mud and wooden figures weren’t strong enough to break the chariots’ defenses. The best strategy was to forge ahead, avoiding direct confrontation with the banyan roots and not shattering the mud and wooden figures, bearing the external attacks to exit the swamp.

Except for one unfortunate contestant who hastily kept breaking the earth and wood entities, eventually creating a larger foe and getting eliminated, the rest passed safely.

“Our contestants this year are truly exceptional,” the male commentator remarked. “Only now, in the penultimate level, do we see the first elimination.”

“But don’t let your guard down; the sixth level isn’t over yet,” the female commentator reminded.

After emerging from the swamp, Lu Xuan activated the bronze coffin, shaking off the mud from its body, with the others doing the same.

Beyond the swamp stood an immensely tall tree, dwarfing the hundred-foot banyans in the swamp with its towering three-thousand-foot height.

“This is the Mother Tree supporting our Flying Boat Oasis. However, the contestants’ task in this level is not to climb it,” the male commentator explained.

“The Mother Tree is our ‘special guest,’ assisting contestants in this level,” the female commentator added. “It has lowered its branches to form a track. Contestants don’t need to pilot their chariots; just park them on the track for automatic advancement.”

“However, it’s important to note that during transmission, Peach Blossom Fairies will appear above the contestants’ chariots,” the male commentator continued.

“The Peach Blossom Fairies are incarnations of the Mother Tree. Defeating them will yield a petal – yes, there are bonus points in this level,” he said.

“So, those who haven’t scored yet, this is your chance to make an effort,” the female commentator said with a smile.

“However, unlike the Five Elements Vine level, the Peach Blossom Fairies will fight back against the contestants,” she warned.

Lu Xuan pondered this. To score in this level, a cultivator must leave the cockpit and stand above their chariot to defeat the Peach Blossom Fairy. This seemed like a rhythm game level to him.

The twelve chariots took their positions on the track, noticing that the Mother Tree’s track was dual-layered – a thick, flat branch below and a parallel one above, likely for conjuring the “Peach Blossom Fairies.”

As the contestants settled, the “track” began to slowly move, gradually accelerating to match the normal speed of the chariots.

As the contestants reached the midway point of the track, the bonus creature of this level, the “Peach Blossom Fairy,” began to appear. These small, girl-like figures, about a foot tall, were the incarnations of the Mother Tree’s will, all sharing the same appearance.

Dressed in garments made of peach petals, they had pink hair and eyes, giving them an ethereal charm. In their right hands, they held peach wood hammers, almost as tall as themselves. Once the contestants climbed atop their chariots, the Peach Blossom Fairies would use these hammers to gently tap their heads, leaving them with a blissful, smiling expression.

At first, the contestants remained still upon the appearance of the fairies.

Having come this far and experienced several challenges, caution prevailed. Missing out on extra points was preferable to risking elimination in pursuit of them. Thus, the conveyer belt moved smoothly, but an eerie silence filled the arena, with no one daring to act rashly.

The floating Peach Blossom Fairies smiled in unison, and then, they each untied a peach wood fan from their waists. As they gently fanned themselves, a light pink mist descended, enveloping the track.

Ye Banzhuang’s eyes widened in disbelief. The committee was playing big this time! The mist, a special kind of energy, could penetrate the chariots’ bodies.

Lu Xuan inhaled a bit of the mist, his expression turning odd. Turning to Cheng Lingzhu, he pondered for a moment before asking, “Do you feel… Something is off?”

“Huh?” Cheng Lingzhu was momentarily puzzled, “No, not really.”

Her cheeks blushed slightly, her breathing quickened. As they spoke, Cheng Lingzhu’s heartbeat accelerated. She turned to look at her husband’s handsome face, her eyes softening.

“It does feel… A bit unusual,” she admitted, her breath like orchids, biting her moist lips.

“Master, you two talk,” Ye Ban Zhuang blinked several times and tiptoed away from the flying boat.

“This mist seems to nourish the meridians…” Lu Xuan pondered, “But it appears to have a side effect of inducing warm feelings…”

He reached out to dispel the effect from Cheng Lingzhu, but she caught his hand. Looking at Lu Xuan with flushed cheeks and captivating eyes, she whispered, “Don’t speak, just kiss me..”