Unlike the other squads, Consort Dan's team had only two members, making it quite unique. But don't let that fool you—having only two members didn't stop them from being the biggest eye-catchers and the most talked-about pair at the gathering.
The reason was simple. Consort Dan's outfit—for the noble young men who were used to seeing her in her usual elegant and understated attire—revealed a wild, untamed side of her that sent their male hormones surging out of control.
"Strange, isn't Miss Consort Dan always the lone wolf type? How come she has a partner this time? Who's this guy? What gives him the right to team up with Consort Dan?"
"What the hell? Has the world gone mad? Even Consort Dan, who always goes solo, has started forming teams. My goddess is teamed up alone with another man—how infuriating, how infuriating!"
"Who is that guy? I have to find out later. Could it be that Consort Dan, whose standards are always sky-high, has actually found herself a sweetheart?"
"Sigh, if I could team up with Miss Consort Dan, I'd do it even if I had to pay out of pocket."
The endless muttering from countless men, their barrage of complaints about Jiang Chen—if all that turned into spit, it would have been enough to drown him ten times over.
Jiang Chen stood off to the side with an air of total composure, keeping exactly half an arm's length of distance from Consort Dan, completely ignoring the envy, jealousy, and resentment directed at him from all around.
Not far away, a venomous gaze landed squarely on Jiang Chen. It belonged to the First Prince, Ye Dai.
"Jiang Chen, what right do you have to team up with Consort Dan? Could Fourth Brother have also fallen under Consort Dan's charm? Otherwise, how could he bear to let Jiang Chen pair up with someone else?" Ye Dai's thoughts were twisted with resentment. He wished nothing more than to march over and crush Jiang Chen underfoot, then take his place.
It wasn't as though Jiang Chen was deliberately showing off either. He knew full well that teaming up with Consort Dan was a high-risk, attention-magnet kind of move.
Since this situation couldn't be changed, he simply shut down all his senses and decided to meditate with his eyes closed. Otherwise, all those looks of bitter resentment would be bad luck if he caught too many of them.
About half an hour later, Consort Dan's slender fingers gave his waist a vicious pinch: "Stop playing dead. It's our turn to go in."
"Huh?" Jiang Chen winced in pain and, in a daze, followed Consort Dan into the teleportation formation. A blinding flash of white filled his vision, and he passed through the portal.
The next moment, when his sight returned, he had already arrived in the world of the Labyrinth.
Before them stretched an enormous lake, its surface smooth as a mirror reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. At first glance, it was so beautiful it took their breath away.
The two of them had landed right on the shore of this lake.
Consort Dan gazed upon the picturesque scene, her spirits lifting immediately. She couldn't help but sigh: "It's truly gorgeous. This is the most beautiful landing spot I've encountered across my three Secret Realm trials."
But the words had barely left her lips when, without any warning, a geyser of water erupted from the lake's surface. A water arrow shot straight toward them, and within it, a ferocious Bronze-Headed Crocodile lunged forward, its massive maw gaping wide as it aimed for Consort Dan's slender neck.
Jiang Chen reacted in an instant, throwing a punch straight at the beast: "You vile creature, get lost!"
The punch was precise and powerful. It landed squarely on the crocodile's lower jaw a full meter before the beast could reach Consort Dan.
The Bronze-Headed Crocodile let out a miserable shriek. Its entire jaw shattered completely, dissolving into a spray of blood and flesh. The crocodile's body, along with its cries of pain, tumbled back into the lake.
The sudden ambush had caught Consort Dan off guard. Though she kept her composure, it had somewhat dampened the mood.
Her beautiful eyes glanced at Jiang Chen as she smiled: "Here I thought you didn't know how to be gentle with a lady."
Jiang Chen chuckled: "Don't read too much into it. I was just afraid that if anything happened to you, the old man would tear me apart when we got out."
"Heh heh, don't bother explaining. I don't want to hear it."
As she spoke, her long, graceful legs were already stepping onto the shore, heading toward the grassy terrain ahead, leaving Jiang Chen with a silhouette that was equal parts enchanting and wild.
Jiang Chen had to admit—the woman's figure gave her every right to be proud.
"Sister Consort Dan, impressive composure there," Jiang Chen caught up quickly and quipped.
"What do you mean, impressive composure?" Consort Dan pouted her cherry-red lips. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Your acting's not bad either. I'm actually curious—if I hadn't thrown that punch, when exactly would you have dodged?"
Consort Dan giggled but didn't answer, striding forward with light, buoyant steps.
"Jiang Chen, from here on out, you're my bodyguard. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I won't lift a finger!"
Consort Dan's full, graceful figure moved through the open wilderness, composing an incredibly beautiful sight against the wild landscape.
Jiang Chen sighed inwardly. He knew that in terms of scheming and temperament, this woman was a top-tier opponent. He let out a soft breath—well, since he was already here, he might as well settle in.
If she didn't want to fight, that was fine by him. After all, his real purpose in coming wasn't to rack up kills, but to train himself.
Placing himself in an unfamiliar environment where danger could lurk around every corner and deadly threats could appear at any moment—that was the true allure of a trial.
As they moved on, Consort Dan kept a brisk pace but didn't just rush through without looking around. She would occasionally crouch by the roadside, peering here, sniffing there, carefully observing her surroundings.