Cannon-Fodder Heiress Turns the Tables by Fortune-Telling

The young girl seemed to have been frightened, her eyes reddening instantly. She already bore two marks on her; another one and she would be eliminated.

"Thank you."

Yun Ran waved her hand: "Don't mention it."

After letting go of the young girl's hand, Yun Ran turned her gaze towards the direction from which the sword had previously attacked.

A man who looked rather formidable was holding a sharp sword, his eyes fierce as they fixed in the direction of Yun Ran and the others.

"Fellow daoist, aren't you a bit too heavy-handed!"

The young girl thought that the man might be an illusion; otherwise, why would he attack without a word.

However, she did not expect that the young lady who had just saved her would actually confront the other party. She was about to tell Yun Ran that the man was not human when—

The man's fierce gaze softened: "It seems you are real people."

Yun Ran: ...

It would seem that these people may have been greatly tricked by the illusions in this magical realm, which would explain their high level of alertness.

This made Yun Ran somewhat curious. Why hadn't she encountered a single person conjured by the illusion?

Just as she thought about it.

A voice from the Dragon Spirit echoed in her mind: [Hmph, if it weren't for our symbiotic relationship, could you as easily see through all the deception? Those illusory figures naturally wouldn't dare approach you after sensing my aura. Revel in your good fortune silently!]

As soon as the Dragon Spirit's voice faded, an 'illusory person' made its way towards them.

However, it was unclear if that person saw Yun Ran and sensed the aura of the Dragon Spirit on her, because after a quick exchange of glances, that figure immediately turned tail and fled.

What made Yun Ran somewhat speechless was that the illusion's appearance was far too crudely made. The 'person' only had an upper body resembling a human, while the lower half was clearly just a shadow.

The young girl watched the scene in bewilderment: "Eh, why did that person run away? Could it be that they were afraid we were illusions and thus scared?"

Meanwhile, the man glanced at Yun Ran, seemingly enlightened, but he kept silent.

Yun Ran had no intention of lingering there, nor did she wish to form groups with others.

"I'll look around elsewhere, you're free to do as you please."

The young girl, seeing that Yun Ran bore not a single mark of being struck, realized that Yun Ran must be a formidable person.

She now had only one chance left. If she could follow Yun Ran, maybe she could win by association.

"My name is Meena. It's fate that we met. Why don't we stick together, look out for each other?"

"I'm not used to traveling with others, sorry."

Yun Ran had already repaid Meena's earlier reminder, and now she naturally didn't owe anything.

Meena bit her lip, her eyes filled with disappointment — obviously having trouble accepting Yun Ran's refusal.

Unfortunately, Yun Ran was not the type to be morally blackmailed. This was just a competition, no one would die; there was no need to carry others along.

If this had been a real, life-threatening situation, Yun Ran wouldn't have said much more. At present, she didn't wish to have anyone relying on her to succeed.

As a member of Xuan Sect, there had never been any shortcuts to take. Success comes from merit alone and depending on others is unreliable.

Yun Ran turned and left, soon disappearing from sight.

Meena's eyes dimmed, but she quickly adjusted her mindset and looked towards the man who had not yet left.

However, before she could speak a word, that man also turned and walked away without any intention of offering help.

In the audience seats, some took note of this scene and felt Yun Ran was too heartless.

Especially after the welcoming ceremony arranged by Gu Yuan; many had recognized Yun Ran.

Some who loved a spectacle started to fuss more about it.

"This Yun Ran is really aloof, not giving anyone any face, acting as if she's afraid of others benefiting from her."

"Definitely. She seems so self-centered, probably worried about more people entering the selection."

"If it were me, in such a situation, I'd prefer to make more friends to accompany me. Yun Ran's vision and mindset are too narrow. She thinks she can take the lead in the selection and win. Little does she know that the real battle comes later and by then, when others have formed groups to face her, she'll be the first to be eliminated."

...

Spectators always think of themselves as strategists, wishing they could command the world.

Yun Ran, labeled as having a narrow outlook, suppressed the aura of the Dragon Spirit within her and soon encountered another illusory figure.

She didn't even need to discern its reality and simply pulled out a plain-looking whip, accurately striking down one after another.

This scene drew the attention of many.

Xie Xuzhi, sitting in the VIP room, watched as Yun Ran's whip dispatched one illusion after another with not a hint of hesitation, completely unsurprised.

However, the bodyguards behind him were almost popping their eyes out of their sockets.

Xie Xuzhi himself had participated in the grand competition before and by coincidence had also drawn the yellow zone, so he was very clear that in the illusion, people's judgment could be affected.

But now, Yun Ran seemed utterly unaffected, and her accuracy was astounding.

In that moment, he thought he understood why Gu Chu had been willing to bet all his resources on Yun Ran's victory.

The bodyguard felt moved as well and decided he would place a bet on Yun Ran's victory after his shift.

Yun Ran's whip crackled with power, and as the last of the illusions was dispersed by her strikes, the illusion over the valley collapsed before her eyes.

At this moment, only a third of the contestants remained in the yellow zone, with the number reduced to fewer than 100.

Meena was particularly disheveled, her forehead slick with sweat, and her clothes had become a messy tangle while evading the attacks of the illusions.

A new round of illusions had yet to begin, so what they saw now was the normal competition center.

Naturally, that included Yun Ran, who appeared unharried, her eyes revealing a mixture of envy and determination not to lose.

"That whip of yours isn't bad!"

Speaking was the man who previously wielded the sharp sword, his outfit as clean as new, seemingly at ease.

Yun Ran's gaze fell upon his sword, a Magic Artifact that was clearly of fine quality.

"Your sword is not bad either."

After speaking, Yun Ran began to survey the other contestants, determining with a glance how many would remain in the end. At most, fewer than 20.

It seemed the tales of heavy losses in the yellow zone were an understatement.