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Chi Yu and He Xin had been **standing right beside Qin Shu**.

When they saw her **charge straight into the portal**, they were momentarily **stunned**.

But as soon as they snapped out of it, they **rushed after her**—

Diving straight into the swirling vortex.

Only then did the rest of the disciples suddenly start **to panic**.

———

"**Don't push!**"

"**Who stepped on my shoe?!**"

"**Help! Stop pulling my hair—I'll go bald!**"

———

Cheng Yan **watched the chaos unfold**.

He could **barely restrain himself**—

Until finally, he **swung his sleeve**—

And **shoved the entire group inside at once**.

Instantly, **silence** returned.

He then **casually cast a spell**.

The **swirling portal began to shrink**—

Until it finally **disappeared completely**.

With his job done, Cheng Yan **sat cross-legged**.

Now that these juniors were **stuck inside for ten days**—

At least **he could enjoy some peace and quiet**.

———

The moment Qin Shu **stepped into the portal**,

She felt **a powerful force pulling her in**—

Followed by a **sickening spinning sensation**.

It was like being on a **giant pendulum ride at an amusement park**—

And she hated it.

But before long—

**The weightless free-fall hit her.**

———

"**Ow!**"

She **landed hard on her backside** in a **patch of tall grass**.

Rubbing her sore **tailbone**, she slowly **got up**—

And **froze.**

She was standing **in the middle of a swamp**.

Murky pools of water stretched **as far as she could see**.

Everything around her was **thick with mud and mist**—

Except for **the small dry patch** beneath her feet.

———

Frowning, she **pulled out her Bodhi Leaf**—

Hoping to **fly out of the swamp**.

But just as she **lifted off the ground**—

The leaf **wobbled**—

And then **plummeted straight down**.

———

Qin Shu: **"Huh??"**

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Is there a **no-fly formation here**?"

———

Wasn't a **sect trial supposed to be about looting treasures**?

Why was she already **trapped** the moment she arrived?

**Was she truly a 'chosen one'—or just cursed?**

———

Qin Shu **sighed deeply**.

She recalled a **survival video** she had watched in her past life—

About how to **cross a swamp**.

The key was to **increase surface area** by **strapping wooden boards** to your feet.

But there was just **one problem**...

**She had no wooden boards.**

The only thing she had was...

**Two dragon scales.**

———

Pulling out the **two golden-green scales** that once belonged to **Xie Shiyuan**,

She held them up and **hesitated**.

They looked **too small**.

———

But then a thought struck her—

**If the snake himself could change size...**

**Why not his scales?**

———

Determined, Qin Shu **poured her spiritual energy** into the scales.

But—

Nothing happened.

———

"Figures..."

She frowned, but **her expression quickly shifted**.

Right!

She still had **his inner core** inside her.

———

Carefully, she **wrapped a thread of her own energy** around the **gold-green spiritual power**—

Extracting **just a tiny bit**...

And then **gently feeding it into the scales.**

———

**BOOM!**

Qin Shu **stared in shock**—

As the scales suddenly **expanded like inflated balloons**—

Growing **two to three times larger**!

———

Excited, she **poured in a bit more energy**.

The scales **kept expanding**—

Until they were each **the size of a large serving plate**.

———

Qin Shu beamed.

These **snake scales** were **practically spiritual artifacts**!

If Xie Shiyuan ever found out what she was thinking—

He would **probably sneer**—

And call her a **sheltered fool**.

———

She tested them by **placing them under her feet**.

When they **held steady**,

She carefully **stepped into the swamp**.

———

The moment her feet **touched the water**,

A few **bubbles** suddenly surfaced in the distance—

And then quickly **moved away**.

But **Qin Shu—too focused on her footing—failed to notice.**

———

Taking another step forward, she **grinned**.

"These scales are amazing!"

She looked around and **spotted a dense forest** in the distance.

That seemed like the **best direction to go**.

———

But just as she took **two steps forward**—

Something **felt off.**

———

She slowly turned her head—

And looked back **at the small grassy patch she had landed on**.

Something was **wrong**.

Why would **a random dry spot** exist in **the middle of a swamp**?

And—

Why did it suddenly seem **so much farther away**?

———

Qin Shu **pretended to walk away**—

Then suddenly **whirled around**—

Just in time to see—

The **"grass patch" wiggling its tail** as it **snuck off.**

———

Qin Shu: **"..."**

Oh.

It wasn't **solid ground at all**.

It was a **giant beast lying in wait**.

———

Her gaze swept across the **endless swamp** around her.

Her **stomach churned**.

There could be **hidden monsters** anywhere.

She needed to **be extra cautious.**

———

**With heightened vigilance,**

Qin Shu **began trudging forward**—

Slowly making her way **toward the edge of the swamp**.

———

Fortunately, because **this area was rarely explored**,

She actually **found a few valuable spiritual herbs** along the way.

**A small silver lining!**

———

Midway through, she received **messages** from **He Xin and Chi Yu**.

She quickly replied—

Letting them know she was **trapped in a swamp**.

She estimated she would need **at least ten hours** to escape.

But then—

Her **amazing** best friend sent her **a map**.

———

Qin Shu: **"Sister, where did you even get this?!"**

———

He Xin's smug voice rang through the transmission jade—

"I never fight unprepared battles!"

"I bought this map from **a senior disciple** who had been here before."

"I promised her **10% of my trial loot** in exchange."

———

Qin Shu clicked her tongue.

This woman was **ruthless**.

But—

She **had to admit**—

The plan was **brilliant**.

———

Using the map, she confirmed that the **forest ahead** was called **"Whispering Woods"**.

Once she **escaped the swamp**,

She **put away the snake scales**—

And **stepped into the shadows of the trees**.

———

Meanwhile—

**Behind her, deep within the swamp...**

The **hidden beasts finally dared to resurface.**

They all **sighed in relief**.

———

"That terrifying creature is finally gone!"

———

Little did Qin Shu know—

The **entire swamp** had been **frozen in fear**...

**Of her.**

———

Inside **Whispering Woods**, the air was **dense and musty**.

The deeper she went—

The stronger the **rotting scent became**.

Qin Shu immediately **sealed her nose with spiritual energy**.

"Poisonous miasma?"

———

Suddenly—

Something **small** and **squeaky** **fell from above**.

"**Squeak!**"

**Instinct took over.**

Her sword **slashed forward before she even thought**.

The creature **dodged at the last second**,

Twisting its soft body in midair—

And **latching onto a nearby tree**.

———

One glance told Qin Shu **everything she needed to know**.

This thing was **weak**.

**Which meant...**

It was **easy prey.**

———

"**Chase it!**"