C16 The Outcome Was Already Decided

Ji Jinfei couldn't worry about saving any Demon Repelling Powder for Ji Yeying. With a swift motion, she scattered nearly all of it towards the Demonic Frog. The creature hesitated, affected by the powder, and didn't dare to attack. Ji Jinfei quickly grabbed Lei Jiuping and ran further away.

A figure rushed towards them, shouting, "Jinfei, you're such a spendthrift, throwing all that powder around! You know I just got here, and you're wasting it like that. Wait until we're out of here, and I'll deal with you." It was Ji Yeying, who had come to help. Seeing Ji Jinfei toss out enough powder to cost a small fortune made her heart ache.

Ji Jinfei couldn't care less at this point and happily shouted, "Master, you came just in time. We can't hold on much longer."

Ji Yeying dashed past, attacking the Demonic Frog, and called out, "Distract it! Aim for its belly. There's a red spot in the middle—that's its weak point."

Ji Jinfei quickly let go of Lei Jiuping, turned, and followed Ji Yeying. Ji Yeying leaped forward, facing the Demonic Frog. The creature, seeing a blur of movement, couldn't tell it was someone new and lashed out with its tongue.

Ji Yeying skillfully dodged the tongue and attacked. The frog snapped its jaws, but Ji Yeying soared into the air, sending her Pocket Universe Sword flying to embed in the ceiling, then leaped up again.

The Demonic Frog, now focused on the figure above, exposed its belly. Ji Jinfei arrived just in time to see the red spot in the middle, larger than expected. She swung her weapon, aiming straight for the vulnerable area.

The sword struck right at the weak spot, but Jinfei's strength wasn't enough to kill the demonic frog. It let out a painful croak and quickly retreated. Only then did Yeying swoop down from above.

"Master, you're amazing! You found the frog's weak spot in no time," Jinfei immediately praised, though it didn't make Yeying forget about her wastefulness.

Yeying landed a punch on Jinfei's head, shouting, "You spendthrift! Why didn't you use that demon-repelling powder sparingly? You used so much that it could've driven away demons just from the smell. Can't you save a little?"

"Easy, Master! It was a critical moment, and besides, that wasn't your powder. I tricked it out of Lei," Jinfei explained, rubbing her head.

Yeying calmed down a bit, feeling slightly better knowing it wasn't her own powder wasted. Still, she grumbled, "You can't be so wasteful. We could've made some money, but now we won't earn a cent. Even if you managed it, at least you could've earned some demon-repelling powder."

At the mention of this, Jinfei realized Lei Jiuping had disappeared. Alarmed, she shouted, "Oh no, that sneaky Lei! He took off while we were dealing with the frog. How shameless!" She yelled as she ran after him.

Yeying watched Jinfei's retreating figure, shook her head, and sighed, "Ah, winning or losing, it's all fate. Jinfei, you're just not lucky in love." With a chuckle, she followed.

When Jinfei burst through the door, she saw Lei Jiuping standing there. He had noticed the demonic frog retreat and figured it wouldn't come back. Seeing Yeying scold Jinfei, he thought it was the perfect time to make his move. Jinfei had caused him enough trouble, and now he wanted her to taste defeat.

Though he wasn't feeling great, with a dull pain in his chest hinting at a minor injury, now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Lei Jiuping pushed himself and quickly reached the exit, where the manager caught him. He had won the first round. Just as he was about to hand over the item, Ji Jinfei came running up.

"Lei, that's not cool. While I was fighting that demonic frog with our master, you just took off. That's pretty low," Ji Jinfei accused, gritting her teeth.

"Well, that's karma for you. You tricked me and took my Demon Repelling Powder, then sprinkled that luring powder on me. I didn't say anything about that, did I? You started with the dirty tricks, so don't blame me," Lei Jiuping shot back. Ji Jinfei looked at him, knowing she couldn't argue since she had indeed used deceit.

"Alright, alright, you two. None of this was exactly fair, so let's call it even. Now, hand over the items," the manager interrupted, acting as referee and extending his hand.

Lei Jiuping reached into his chest pocket, but his expression changed. Ji Jinfei, noticing his look, laughed and said, "What's wrong? Did you lose your powder?"

With a pained expression, Lei Jiuping turned his pocket inside out, spilling shards of glass everywhere. He sighed and said, "I didn't lose it, but during the fight with the demonic frog, it got smashed."

The manager looked at the mess, sighed, and said, "That means you didn't get the item. What about yours?" He turned to Ji Jinfei.

Ji Jinfei chuckled, "Kid, watch and learn. This is skill." As she spoke, she turned her pocket inside out, revealing another pile of broken glass. It seemed her item had also been shattered in the battle.

The administrator looked exasperated and said, "You're no different, what are you even learning?"

Lei Jiuping was thrilled, thinking that if it came down to a speed contest, he'd have the upper hand. He could finish much earlier, which would be enough to secure victory.

Ji Jinfei noticed Lei Jiuping's smug expression and chuckled, "Oh, Lei, don't get too excited. I knew my container was already broken. I was just messing with you."

With that, she unfastened a small pouch from her waist and pulled out a thermos. It was silver-gray and, despite a few bumps during their scuffle, remained intact.

"Wait a minute, isn't that the cup my dad keeps on his desk? When did you..." Lei Jiuping exclaimed upon seeing the thermos.

Ji Jinfei laughed and said, "I did my homework. I found out the medicine was in a glass bottle, which is easy to break. Besides, with all those creatures around, who knows what could happen in a fight? I had to be prepared."

"But that's my dad's cup," Lei Jiuping said, frustrated.

"Does it really matter?" Ji Jinfei replied with a grin. "Remember, our bet was about who could produce the medicine, not what it was stored in. Hey, Mr. Administrator, why don't you check it out?"

The administrator glanced between Lei Jiuping and Ji Jinfei, then opened the thermos Ji Jinfei handed over. Sure enough, it contained the medicine. He couldn't help but chuckle and said, "This kind of crafty thinking really reminds me of your mentor."

"Are you talking about me?" Ji Yeying's voice came from the exit.

The administrator quickly waved his hands, "No, no, I meant your student here is clever and resourceful, always thinking on her feet. She's quite talented, thanks to your excellent training. Excellent training." The administrator smiled obsequiously, leaving Lei Jiuping and Ji Jinfei bewildered by his quick change of attitude.

Ji Yeying ignored him and said coldly, "So, it looks like the outcome is decided."

"I announce the winner of this contest: Ji Jinfei," the administrator declared loudly, glancing at Lei Jiuping. "Jiuping, there's nothing we can do. You know the rules; we all follow them."

Lei Jiuping was seething, but there was nothing he could do. Even though Ji Jinfei finished later than him, she did bring back the item required for the contest, securing her victory.

Ji Jinfei looked at Lei Jiuping and laughed, "Don't forget, Lei, we had a bet. You have to pursue me ninety-nine times, remember? You can't back out now." She wore a triumphant smile, curious to see how Lei Jiuping would react.

Lei Jiuping's face was initially filled with anger, but then he remembered something and chuckled slyly, "Alright, a bet's a bet. I lost, fair and square. So, I'll pursue you ninety-nine times. But... heh." He paused, his smile turning a bit mischievous.

Ji Jinfei immediately sensed that Lei Jiuping was up to something, and sure enough, he continued, "Since I have to pursue you ninety-nine times, you can't agree to my pursuit right away, or you'd be breaking the deal. If you don't agree, you can't avoid me. Naturally, I'll complete this task as soon as I can, but I'll need to see you often. So, I guess I'll have to tag along with you guys?"

Ji Jinfei was taken aback. This meant she couldn't just avoid Lei Jiuping whenever she wanted. More importantly, it meant Lei Jiuping would be accompanying her everywhere. Even though he hadn't officially become Ji Yeying's apprentice, he could still observe during Ji Yeying's guidance sessions. It almost felt like Lei Jiuping had won after all.

"No way, how did it turn out like this?" Ji Jinfei exclaimed helplessly. She hadn't expected Lei Jiuping to turn the situation to his advantage in the end.