Chapter 30: Finding a Backer

Song Junyu did not yet know where the two old men stood, so she adhered to the principle that silence is golden.

She offered a faint smile and replied simply, "I have been fortunate enough to receive the Sect Master's guidance by chance."

The First and Second Elders had intended to press further, but seeing the current situation, they could only feel heartbroken and fell silent. Wasn't this implying that the Sect Master—that scoundrel—was actually good? Since the disciple herself was so convinced, they had no grounds to interfere any further. They had come hoping to scout some promising talent, only to find others had beaten them to the punch. It was truly a lack of respect for their seniority!

With this thought, the two old men were filled with indignation. They flicked their sleeves, departed from the clouds, and vanished from the spot, taking the other elders with them.

By now, the many disciples had chosen their future affiliations, and the apprentice-selection ceremony finally drew to a close.

When Wang Xinglong saw Song Junyu walking down, he sidled over, winking and gesturing. "Not bad at all! Looking at you now, have you actually become the Sect Master’s disciple?"

Song Junyu gave a slight nod. There was no need to hide this, and the person before her was a comrade with whom she had fought; he was trustworthy.

"And you two? Did you find a place to your liking?"

Lu Ling smiled and nodded. "We got what we wished for. It’s just that starting tomorrow, we have to go to our respective peaks to cultivate in isolation."

"We won't see each other for a while, but I wish you all smooth paths in your cultivation. If you run into any trouble, come find me."

"Naturally. Until we meet again."

After the three of them exchanged brief farewells, Song Junyu noticed Li Zhaodi standing quietly in the distance. She hesitated for a moment before walking over.

"How is it? Did you find a master willing to take you on?" Song Junyu’s voice was calm, much gentler than it had been in the assessment arena.

Li Zhaodi replied softly, "My aptitude is too poor. No one chose me, so I suppose I’ll be returning to the outer sect to continue as an outer-sect disciple." She added with a smile, "But Liuyu, I am already very happy to have met you today. I hope that when we meet again, I will have become someone who can protect herself, just as you said."

Song Junyu looked into those clear eyes for a long moment, then whispered, "Mhm."

Time flew by, and two months had passed since the apprentice-selection ceremony.

Song Junyu’s cultivation on the main peak had been exceptionally smooth. Due to her "death-defying" approach to training, she had once again snatched life from the jaws of death on the training grounds. In a short span of time, she had already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Gu Sanshi was astonished by Song Junyu’s rate of growth. "No wonder my master used to go on about you. You really don't care about your own life when you cultivate, girl."

"Now, can you tell your master why you are so obsessed with gaining power?" Gu Sanshi had actually been wondering about this for a long time, but he had always felt it was a private matter and couldn't be blunt. However, every time he saw her return from training looking as if she had been pulled from a pool of blood, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pity from one generation to the next.

Song Junyu sat on a small stool, having just fished out some medicinal herbs to apply to her arm. She lowered her head, her bangs fluttering gently. Two months had been enough to prove that the high-and-mighty Sect Master before her was, indeed, a man who followed his own whims. Aside from the rise and fall of the sect, he cared little for most things. He was different from everyone at Baoluo Peak—he was real.

Zhang Tian, who had been brewing medicine nearby, pricked up his ears, intrigued by the conversation.

Song Junyu was silent for a long time before shaking her head with a wry smile. As a Sect Master, how could he not have noticed the changes in her state of mind? Rather than being evasive, it was better to be frank. It wasn't that she had been truly won over in these two months, but she had genuinely sensed his disdain for Zong Zifu. The enemy of an enemy is a friend.

Thinking of this, she spoke softly, "There are no untold secrets. I was simply used as a blood vessel to heal others, and because I was disobedient, my dantian was shattered and my celestial bones were extracted."

Song Junyu stated these two sentences so nonchalantly that Zhang Tian didn't immediately grasp the gravity of them. It was only when the meaning sank in that a look of shock appeared on his young face. "A blood vessel?! The Zhentian Sect would never allow such evil arts to exist!"

Song Junyu finished wrapping the last of the gauze, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. "When hearts are twisted, what method is off-limits? I consider the blood-letting as repayment for the days they fed and raised me, but the extraction of my celestial bones—that is something I will never forget."

From the moment she spoke those words, Gu Sanshi’s expression lost its usual airy, carefree quality. "Is that truly the case?" He sneered, making no attempt to hide his disgust.

After a brief silence, his deep voice resonated. "Little Yu. Listen well: from now on, I will watch over you on this main peak. Aside from cultivation, where you must rely on yourself, you must also learn to leverage power to strike back."

Song Junyu was just about to stand up to return to her training, but the words rooted her to the spot, unable to move. She turned her eyes toward him in disbelief. "Sect Master, are you serious?"

Gu Sanshi remained in his lazy posture, but his expression was cold and resolute. "I am."

Song Junyu suddenly took a deep breath. Seeing that he was not feigning sincerity, she began to laugh. "Then Sect Master, don't blame me if I start acting like a scoundrel from here on out."

With that, she darted down the peak toward the direction of the Three Seasons Bridge. The feeling of having someone to rely on was truly wonderful. Her mood lifted, and her pace quickened.

Of the three paths of cultivation left by the Ancestor, she could reach the true place of cultivation once she passed them all. She had only one left.

Lost in thought, she soon reached the vicinity of the Three Seasons Bridge. But just as she was about to step toward the entrance, she caught the scent of heavy, pungent blood.

"What do you think about burying it here?"

"Oh, stop talking! Just finish the job quickly. If word gets out and someone sees, we're finished!"

"What are you afraid of? You have to trust our senior sister!"

"Hurry, hurry!"

Song Junyu was behind the thickets, obscured by dense branches; she could not clearly see the scene unfolding nearby. But for some reason, her heart hammered against her chest.

After some rustling, she sensed the disciples moving away. Song Junyu waited patiently for a moment before following the scent of blood, creeping toward the spot. They had clearly been in a rush; they hadn't even packed the dirt down.

Song Junyu crouched down, narrowing her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings. What was hidden beneath? For some reason, a voice in her heart urged her to uncover it.

Acting on instinct, she didn't hesitate and shoveled away the dirt. The object buried beneath gradually revealed itself.

The moment Song Junyu saw what it was, her pupils trembled violently!