Building a sect from scratch.

Chapter 176 Don’t be a coward, dog

The laughter was extremely faint, almost imperceptible due to the argument between Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren; it seemed only the two of them heard it. But Bai Chenxue, whose nerves had been on edge, vaguely sensed something. Even Jin Cai, who had been looking around and waiting for everyone, suddenly climbed up Bai Chenxue's dress and onto her body, finally shrinking into her arms and trembling uncontrollably.

"What's wrong, Jin Cai? Don't be afraid! It's nothing! Or do you want to go into the Pot Heaven?"

While comforting Jin Cai, Bai Chenxue frowned and looked around, but found nothing.

Shen Yun hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

Bai Chenxue stroked Jin Cai, who was nestled in her arms but didn't seem to want to return to the Pot Heaven Space, and said uncertainly, "I think I heard some laughter, and Jin Cai's reaction is also strange!"

Meanwhile, Lin Muning and Zhongzhou Jinli were trying to mediate the fight.

"Um, you two..."

"Hey guys! Stop messing around!"

However, Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren, who had made bickering a daily activity, completely ignored each other and instead got more and more into arguing.

"Stop barking, dog!"

"Don't be a coward, dog!"

"Stop barking, dog!"

"Don't be a coward, dog!"

"Hehehehehe..."

Another eerie laugh rang out, this time clearly audible. Everyone except Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren heard it! And it would never be mistaken for a whisper!
They looked at each other, and after confirming that the sound was not made by their teammates, their expressions changed instantly. Bian Yuanzhi was so frightened that he grabbed Zhen Junzi's arm.

But Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren seemed completely oblivious to what was amiss, and continued their fierce confrontation—

"Stop barking, dog!"

"Don't be a coward, dog!"

Bai Chenxue took a deep breath, punched each of them in the waist, and roared, "Can't you two wake up?!"

"Ow—"

"Ouch—it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! You traitor!"

As the saying goes, violence can create miracles. After two cries of pain, Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren finally stopped arguing.

Bai Chenxue then asked, "You two are truly geniuses! You can even cause a ruckus here! Didn't you hear anything laughing at you?"

The two looked at Bai Chenxue blankly, seemingly unable to come to their senses. Then, a not-so-loud but sharp and piercing laugh came to their ears, exactly the same sound that Zhen Junzi had mistaken for Jia Xiaoren's!
"Oh hahaha! Hehehehehe!"

"Fuck!"

"Mom!"

As if waking from a dream, Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren belatedly realized their fear. They screamed in terror, tears welling up in their eyes. They then instinctively hugged each other, pulling Bian Yuanzhi into their embrace, squeezing him so tightly he could hardly breathe. Ironically, this eased some of the fear in his heart.

Although Bai Chenxue was also a little scared, she managed to remain calm given the presence of so many players around her and the fact that they were in a game. She rolled her eyes at Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren, while Lin Muning nervously clutched her hand, and said disdainfully, "Look at you two, so pathetic!" Shen Yun, however, was bolder. He stood in front of Bai Chenxue and Lin Muning, and shouted sharply, "What nonsense! What are you pretending to be?! Get out here!"

"he he he he he……"

"Hahaha..."

"Hehehehehehehe..."

The laughter rang out again and again, sometimes near, sometimes far, sometimes in front, sometimes seemingly behind, making everyone a little irritated.

Zhongzhou Jinli silently flanked all her teammates, including Zhen Junzi and Jia Xiaoren, one in front and one behind. The former even pulled out a two-handed greatsword flashing with lightning from her backpack, ready to strike.

Seeing this, Shen Yun also took out a broad-bladed Tang sword with a cold, gleaming edge from his backpack and asked, "What do you guys say?"

"Who are you calling 'brother'?!"

Lin Muning snorted and, as she spoke, pulled a huge... bonsai from her backpack.

"?"

Apart from Zhongzhou Jinli, everyone else stared at Lin Muning in disbelief. Jia Xiaoren even asked exaggeratedly, "Wait, sister? I think even if you pulled out a tree branch as a weapon, it would be better than bringing out a potted plant! Are you planning to use it as a hidden weapon? Just swing the flowerpot and smash it?"

"Hehe! You just don't understand!"

Lin Muning proudly lifted the sapling from the flowerpot, then dug a small hole in the ground, pressed it in, and then, holding the sapling with both hands, closed her eyes and began to cast a spell, subconsciously telling the Central Continent Koi, "Protect me!"

The sapling's roots began to extend rapidly underground, but with some difficulty—for some reason, this place seemed unable to support plant survival, so the sapling could only "grow" by relying on Lin Mu Ning's own wood-elemental spiritual power.

The skill 【Scepter】 is very peculiar.

If you only hear the name and its corresponding concept, you might think it's a strange and useless skill that "transfers the trouble you get to someone else".

But in reality, it can exchange perception with any "living" or "thing with perception". At first, Lin Muning just tried it with players and NPCs in a proper manner. Later, she tried it with wild cats on the roadside and ducks in the pond. Then, she tried it with flowers, plants and trees - and it actually worked!
Because she herself has a wood spirit root, she is even more able to stimulate the growth of plants by infusing them with spiritual energy, and thus "exchange" perceptions with them.

This explains the scene Bai Chenxue and the others saw when they first encountered her—she was using the saplings to sense the location of the underground water source while simultaneously stimulating the plant roots to grow and loosen the soil, making it easier for the Central Continent Koi, who was responsible for digging the pit, to do so.

Of course, the purpose of her taking out this sapling now is also an experiment.

Based on her numerous previous attempts, things invisible to the human eye can often be perceived by plants and animals! Especially beings like demons and ghosts!
As Lin Muning infused spiritual energy into the sapling, the slender sapling grew almost as fast as it could be carried by the wind, and in the blink of an eye, it grew to the height of a person!

However, that's all she can do. Lin Muning's cultivation level is really limited. She can only do this to this extent because she does it often and is skilled at it. Otherwise, she probably could only control the sapling to grow roots.

Apart from Zhongzhou Jinli, everyone else was seeing this novel method for the first time, and they all held their breath and waited quietly for the result.

One or two minutes later, beads of sweat began to appear on Lin Muning's face. Three to five minutes later, the sweat soaked her hair, turning it into strands that stuck to her forehead and temples.

About two minutes later, Lin Muning finally exhausted her spiritual energy and collapsed to the ground. The sapling in front of her also quickly lost its vitality and withered and died.

Lin Muning herself was filled with terror. Her lips trembled as she almost cried out, "They're all ghosts! Run!"

(End of this chapter)