Chapter 24: Golden Thunder's Killing Intent

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From the moment she was brought through the door, her fate had already been decided: she was meant to be used to treat Sheng Shuer’s illness and restore her health.

Song Junyu felt a chill surge from the depths of her heart, finally crushing the last trace of wishful thinking she had clung to.

How laughable that she had once wailed and railed against the heavens, blaming her sect for its heartlessness.

If they had intended to use her from the very beginning, where could there have been any affection?

Even before her death, she had believed that they had changed their hearts. Who could have known that they had never possessed hearts at all?

So it was that no one in this world pitied her.

Only Aunt Liu had.

The sudden stillness and silence that froze the air caught everyone off guard. Sheng Shuer looked over in confusion.

Song Junyu paused slightly. In her raised eyes, tiny fragments of light flickered.

“Senior Sister truly is cherished. To have a master and senior brothers who care for you so deeply is something the rest of us can only envy.”

Sheng Shuer was even more delighted upon hearing this.

“Once you enter the sect, you too will find senior brothers and sisters who cherish you.”

“All right. Since the matter has been settled, then…”

Sheng Shuer was just about to move on and find another place to make her presence felt when she suddenly heard a voice within her mind.

“Wait.”

The voice sounded as though it belonged to a withered old man whose throat had been scorched raw, speaking from within Sheng Shuer’s consciousness.

“That girl lying on the ground—her blood will benefit you greatly.”

Sheng Shuer’s expression changed at once. She abruptly lowered her head and looked toward Li Zhaodi, who was still unconscious.

She replied silently within her mind, “This is not a convenient time. Once their examination is over, I’ll find a way.”

“Mm… The sooner, the better. Do not forget—our agreement lasts only fifty years.”

Burning ambition flashed through Sheng Shuer’s eyes. “I certainly won’t!”

Ever since learning the truth, Song Junyu had lowered her gaze.

From the corner of her eye, she naturally caught sight of Sheng Shuer’s expression just now.

All at once, the golden lightning within her body grew restless. Within it even lurked a killing intent unlike anything she had ever sensed before.

Without revealing the slightest sign, Song Junyu forced the power of the lightning back down. The sorrow in her heart was once again replaced by suspicion.

The golden lightning was the divine thunder Elder Zhong had spoken of. If it were merely an ordinary object, it could never have reacted so violently.

Moreover, she had recently become able to communicate closely with the divine thunder through the Formless Art. She could clearly sense that it was a living being, and that it possessed emotions much like a human’s.

Just now, it had wanted to kill… Sheng Shuer?

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Her countless doubts ultimately remained unresolved. After thinking it over, she decided that she must first reach the Golden Core stage, as the golden phantom had said.

When that time came, everything would become clear.

After Qian Lin left with Sheng Shuer in her arms, Lu Ling’s expression grew solemn.

“Liu Yu, what she said was true. Although I have always been in the outer sect, I have indeed heard that the Baoluo Fairy dotes greatly on this little disciple of hers.”

“The other disciples of the sect are just as indulgent toward her.”

Song Junyu’s gaze darkened, and the turmoil in her heart gradually settled.

Temper her blood so she could recover? What immortal sect would use such an unorthodox method to save someone?

“But according to the rumors, there is another disciple who has spent years away from the sect and has not returned for a long time. Apart from him, the rest of the disciples practically take their orders from Sheng Shuer!”

“By the way, Liu Yu, you seemed not to care much for the Baoluo Fairy earlier. Is there something else going on? But if you would rather not say…”

“I truly do not like her.”

Song Junyu raised her eyes to look at the two of them, her tone turning sterner.

“If you choose to join her sect in the future… then we will keep our matters separate.”

Unexpectedly, Wang Xinglong exchanged a glance with Lu Ling, and both of them rose to their feet.

“Then you really were worrying for nothing. Because of an elder in my family, I am planning to try my luck at the Artifact Refining Peak!”

Lu Ling also smiled faintly. “The Martial Extremity Peak is where my heart longs to go.”

Both replies were sincere and utterly earnest. Song Junyu pressed her lips together, and much of the knot in her heart loosened.

So be it. There was no need to uncover the truth all at once.

“In that case, let us get started as quickly as possible!”

The examination was centered on the identity jade tokens. Though the terrain here was winding and complicated, everyone should be gathered in this area.

She had to fight for the Foundation Establishment Pill and seize it!

Outside, upon the dragon-carved platform, everyone stared intently at the screen in the center, where ripples of watery light shimmered.

“Baoluo Fairy, the disciples assigned to supervise have already entered the vital area of the examination grounds to guard it. Is it not rather improper for you to send your disciple inside?” the Peak Master of the Artifact Refining Peak asked with a frown.

“Improper? It is a blatant violation of the rules!” the Peak Master of the Martial Extremity Peak sneered coldly.

Zong Zifu sat motionless, his eyes filled with indifference.

“Shuer has already reached the tenth level of Qi Refining and is only half a step from Foundation Establishment. With such talent, she has merely missed out on a great deal of experience because of her poor health.”

“Now she is only making up for a little of that. Peak Masters, surely you are not so devoid of human feeling?”

Shen Xiyue raised a hand and steadied the teacup before her, which had been jolted into trembling. Only then did she say unhurriedly, “If I remember correctly, whenever the sect distributes resources, it always prepares an extra share for Shuer…”

Her beautiful eyes lifted little by little, revealing a trace of coldness.

“Baoluo Fairy, do not make it sound as though the sect owes her something.”

“…”

The fingers Zong Zifu had wrapped around his teacup tightened.

Shuer was such a wonderful person, yet these people were making things so difficult for her. Were they all blind?

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Only the Peak Master of the Fragrant Elixir Peak could not be bothered to waste his breath arguing with Zong Zifu.

Baoluo insisted on having things her own way, arrogant and self-important. One day, she would pay the price before the laws of heaven.

Why argue with him now? It would be better to pay attention to these youngsters.

Still… why had he been unable to track that little girl’s battles all this time? The only scene he had managed to see was when Baoluo’s disciples appeared.

Perhaps it was merely his imagination, but that girl seemed to have grown stronger.

“Look!”

Zhang Tian’s sudden cry interrupted his thoughts. In the distance, the grand ranking board displayed before everyone had undergone a startling transformation.

The two most prominent teams, led by Qian Lin and Wen Zichang, were gradually being overtaken by a dark-horse team that was rapidly catching up.

The name of its leader shone brilliantly.

Ji Liuyu.

Inside the examination grounds, a small group moved backward in a tight back-to-back formation. Their expressions were tense, and they watched their surroundings with exceptional vigilance.

“Big Brother… why do I keep feeling as though there are sinister winds blowing around us? It’s as if someone is watching us.”

The older man pressed his lips together. “Stop talking nonsense! Keep an eye on our surroundings!”

In a tree not far away, Song Junyu and the other two quietly observed them.

Suddenly, her gaze sharpened as it fixed on the large bundles strapped to their backs.

What a heavy stench of blood.

One of the men seemed unable to bear it any longer and suddenly blurted out, “Big Brother! There’s something sinister about this place! Everywhere we go is the same… And the spirit-beast meat we’re carrying is far too heavy!”

“Shut up!”

Spirit-beast meat?

Lu Ling and Song Junyu exchanged a glance, a trace of speculation passing through their eyes.

Could it be…?

“Shut your mouth! Do you want to draw those two fiends over here?”

“…I didn’t mean to.” The complaining disciple’s voice grew softer and softer.

At that moment, the two fiends themselves were staring straight at them from the shadows.

When they dealt with Zhao Sui, had these men been watching from hiding?

Since that was the case, they could hardly blame them for truly acting like fiends.

Lightning had already begun to gather in Song Junyu’s palm.

Her eyes darkened, filling with a savage, violent light.

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