A sharp whistling sound suddenly tore through the air—
an arrow shot from the distance, aiming straight for Tianlan's head!
Startled, Tianlan jerked his head aside just in time—
but the movement threw him off balance, and he tumbled down from the tree.
He shouted in panic,
"Didn't they say we wouldn't run into other contestants directly!?
Old man— you lied to me!!!"
The instant he hit the ground, Tianlan rolled instinctively,
then scrambled behind cover.
No second arrow came.
He raised a hand to his cheek—his fingertips brushed against blood.
The arrow had missed, but still grazed his skin.
A few seconds later, Tianlan forced himself to calm down.
"I didn't sense anyone nearby at all...
Could it have come from beyond my vision range?
Either way, my position's exposed. I need to move—now!"
Suppressing his aura, he swiftly vanished into the forest.
In the viewing stands, the clan masters watched the scene unfold.
The Beast King Clan's master, Kuangchen, clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tch—so close! How did he dodge that!?"
The Sword Saint Clan's master, Yaofeng, chuckled lightly.
"Oh? Isn't that the boy from the other day?
To think he could evade Cangyu's arrow… not bad."
The Spear God Clan's master, Tingqiang, commented thoughtfully,
"Climbing a tree to observe was actually a smart move—
gives a full view of the surroundings.
Too bad he just happened to wander into Cangyu's range."
Hidden in the shadows, Youying murmured,
"His reaction was quick enough.
A bit flustered, but not bad at all.
If it weren't Cangyu, he might've gathered useful intel."
Fengyu nodded slightly.
"His luck's… contradictory, huh?
Unlucky to land right within Cangyu's range,
but lucky that her first shot missed.
Honestly, he didn't even need to run—
once Cangyu misses, she always relocates immediately."
The Fist King Clan's master, Zhenyue, burst out laughing.
"If it were me, I'd have chased right after her!
How can you just let an enemy walk away, huh, old man?"
The others fell silent, giving him speechless looks.
The Magus Clan's master, Cangsong, broke the silence.
"Indeed, being targeted by an archer is troublesome…
but not everyone can take hits like you, Zhenyue."
The Crimson Lotus Clan's master, Hongjin, smiled with interest.
"You all seem quite focused on that boy.
Is there something special about him?"
Kuangchen snorted.
"I just want to see him get eliminated already.
Weaklings who rely on luck don't deserve to stay."
Cangsong laughed softly.
"I simply find him interesting.
I'm curious how far he can go with his current strength.
He's only around D-rank, isn't he?"
Zhenyue clapped his hands and laughed.
"Hah! He does have that kind of aura—
the kind that makes you want to keep watching!"
Cangsong shook his head, smiling faintly.
"Alright, let's see how the others are doing."
Inside the barrier, the contestants continued to move.
Most had already explored the areas around them after about ten minutes in the jungle.
Some chose to hide and wait,
some began to hunt,
and others calmly roamed the forest at their own pace.
Xuan Ye, just like in the previous round, quietly summoned his barrier,
sat down, and pulled out a book to read.
Jianchen picked a random direction and began his exploration.
Jinhao and Kuangyan darted through the forest like wild beasts,
eagerly seeking prey.
After her failed attack, Cangyu swiftly changed positions.
She found a safer vantage point,
climbed up high again, and waited patiently for her next target to wander into range.
Tingyi and Yanlie moved steadily through the jungle, alert and methodical.
Lielian discovered a natural cave,
a smile curling at her lips—
as if she had just found the perfect hiding spot… or perhaps, the perfect trap.
Yingshi melted into the shadows, patiently lying in wait.
Meanwhile, Tianlan found a relatively safe spot at last.
He took a deep breath and began piecing things together.
"From that spot to here, it's roughly five or six hundred meters.
Didn't encounter anyone along the way—so contestants really are spaced apart.
Then where did that arrow come from?
…Forget it. Thinking won't help.
I need to find a proper base—somewhere with good visibility,
but hard to ambush.
And food… yeah, this round won't end anytime soon."
With renewed focus, Tianlan pressed deeper into the jungle.