Chapter 234: Isn't that what makes someone young?

Bai Yun roared as he flew over the capital, five golden lions the size of small hills trailing behind him, and further back, thousands of black ferocious birds blotted out the sky.

The commoners below all lifted their heads to watch, stunned into silence by the sight, many crying out in alarm.

"Isn't the capital forbidden for ferocious beasts to take flight? What is going on?"

"So many ferocious beasts? Are they going to attack the city?"

Of course, some with sharp eyesight saw Shen Qing atop the flood dragon's head: "Hey, wait, there's someone on the flood dragon's head!"

"The direction this horde of ferocious beasts is heading seems to be the Shen family!"

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, atop a high tower, Zhu Lingyue stood alone at the summit, the cold wind lifting her silken hair.

"You chose such a flamboyant way?"

The Shen family also noticed the unusual situation and came out one after another.

Many with keen eyes at the Yuan Dan realm said: "Looks like Shen Qing."

Many faces changed; they were all of Shen Yun'ya's lineage.

The Shen family patriarch originally had three sons, and from these three sons the Shen family split into three branches.

Shen Qing belongs to the first branch, while Shen Yun'ya belongs to the second branch.

Moreover, over the past few centuries, the number of heaven's chosen born in the first branch has greatly diminished, while the second branch has gradually taken the dominant position and become the most numerous.

Of course, where there is sorrow, there is joy; the joyful are the people of the first branch, namely Shen Qing's branch.

At this moment, in the sky, the white flood dragon had already arrived above the Shen family, gazing at the imposing Shen Qing atop its head; several Yuan Dan realm cultivators of the first branch flew into the sky, naturally led by Shen Qing's lifelong caretaker since childhood, Grandfather Shen Wangshan.

His gaze toward Shen Qing was filled with excitement.

"A-Qing, why did you return without giving us notice? We would have prepared a ceremony for you."

Every direct descendant of the Shen family who returns from the aberrant trials receives a grand welcome from the family, for surviving the aberrant trials already proves one's potential and strength.

Suddenly, a gaze filled with extreme hatred and killing intent came from within the crowd.

Shen Qing also felt her gaze, slightly turning his head, the corners of his mouth slightly rising.

Deep within the Shen family grounds.

Shen Ruoshan and Shen Shuyuan looked from afar toward the Shen family gate.

Shen Ruoshan's eyes were icy, he gritted his teeth: "He really dares to come back! And in such a flamboyant way!"

Shen Shuyuan snorted: "Don't rush, let him jump around for a few more days."

"In a few days, Shen Hai and the others will return, then we'll strike them down directly."

"These few days we'll lie low a bit; if he can kill Ouyang Xuanqing unharmed, it shows his strength is certainly not inferior to yours or mine, possibly even surpassing us."

Suddenly, Shen Ruoshan stopped walking: "Wait, where is Lan'er?"

Shen Shuyuan didn't turn his head: "I haven't seen her; maybe she went out."

"No, she was just with me a moment ago."

Shen Shuyuan stiffly turned his head: "She wouldn't have run to the gate, would she?"

The more they thought, the more likely it seemed.

Shen Ruoshan swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Shen Qing wouldn't dare attack Liu Lan in broad daylight with so many watching, would he?"

"Probably not?"

"Black Sun Subdues Demons Fist!"

Amidst everyone's terrified gazes, behind Shen Qing a black great sun instantly manifested, directly lunging toward Liu Lan.

Liu Lan's face changed abruptly; she hadn't expected Shen Qing to dare strike her openly before all, so she had no thought of defense.

Moreover, Shen Qing is now initiating from zero frame.

By the time Liu Lan reacted, it was already too late; Shen Qing had already lunged before her, that fist wrapped in black mist expanding rapidly in her pupils.

Bang!

Blood spattered; Liu Lan was directly sent flying backward.

This scene directly left the surrounding people dumbfounded.

Yet Shen Qing paid no heed to their gazes, stepped forward, arrived beside the flying-back Liu Lan, flicked out a hand, and directly seized her hair.

Bang bang bang!

Shen Qing seized Liu Lan's hair and slammed her hard into the wall; the specially crafted high walls of the Shen family were shattered into several large holes.

Immediately after, Shen Qing grabbed Liu Lan's arm with one hand, twisted it forcefully, with a crack, her arm was snapped clean off.

"Ah!!!"

Liu Lan couldn't stop her miserable screams, her blood-covered face looking terrified at Shen Qing.

"Shen Qing, I am your second aunt, how dare you strike me openly before all?"

Shen Qing laughed: "Liu Lan, I'm still curious how you dare come see me."

"Why dare strike you? You'd better think about where I've been these past few years."

By now, everyone recalled: this generation's three direct disciples, the eldest went to the Western Regions frontier, the second Shen Yun'ya went to the North Sea, and Shen Qing went to the more cruel and merciless place, the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Shen Qing reached out and twisted Liu Lan's other arm as well: "I won't just strike you; I'll make you wish for death! I tell you, when Shen Yun'ya died, he endured endless tortures—you won't escape either!"

"The dirty deeds you did against me, we'll settle them one by one!"

All this happened in an instant, plus Shen Qing's movements were too fast; they only now reacted.

A person from the second branch stepped out, his face grim: "Shen Qing! Are you going too far! You haven't given us an explanation for killing Yun'ya! Now you want to kill Liu Lan too?"

As he spoke, he lunged with one hand directly at Shen Qing's neck, his hand also surging with massive elemental power.

Shen Qing snapped his head back; his pupils already ignited with golden flames, the light of extinction shot out, instantly piercing through his palm.

"Judgment? I certainly will judge, but it is me judging you!"

"Shen Ruoshan and his wife stole my talent when I was young! They even tried several times to kill me!"

"But now that I think about it, they couldn't have done it alone — there must have been an accomplice. What do you all think?"

As soon as he said that, two or three people nearby changed their expressions outright — they were all Golden Core cultivators of the Second Pulse, and of course Shen Qing's innate six senses caught every move they made with perfect clarity.

Shen Qing let out a laugh: "Looks like quite a few people are involved in this after all."

Those few Golden Core cultivators of the Second Pulse stepped forward toward Shen Qing, their vital energy surging: "Shen Qing, did you go out for training and come back muddle-headed, daring to spout such nonsense?"

At that moment, Grandfather Shen Wangshan landed beside Shen Qing, stepped in front of the several Golden Core cultivators, and whispered to Shen Qing.

"A-Qing, Grandfather knows you've suffered injustice, but now the Second Pulse has many people — if you cause a scene, you'll be at a disadvantage. So later, say nothing — just walk away, and I'll hold them off."

Shen Qing glanced at Shen Wangshan — after all these years, it's still this old man standing in front of him.

But the place is still the same place, Shen Wangshan is still the same Shen Wangshan, yet Shen Qing is no longer the Shen Qing of before.

Shen Qing dragged Liu Lan forward a step, his gaze cold as he looked at the several speaking Golden Core cultivators.

"Is anyone else coming forward?"

As those words fell, several more Golden Core cultivators stepped out, their eyes icy.

"Shen Qing, we know you're a limit-breaker — it's normal to have pride, but this is the Shen family."

"Anyone can be a genius! Aren't you going too far?"

Seeing no one step forward, Shen Qing let out a laugh.

"Is this already going too far?"

"Then wait until I do something even more excessive — aren't you going to cry?"

The several Second Pulse Golden Core cultivators' eyes grew even colder: "Young people shouldn't be so full of vigor..."

In the next instant, a lifelike golden dragon phantom coiled above the Shen family estate, the dragon and elephant roaring echoed through the Shen household, and a savage, wild aura spread outward.

At that moment, all members of the Shen family changed their expressions.

And Shen Qing had already arrived before the Golden Core cultivator who had shouted the loudest, seized him by the throat with one hand, and lifted him up.

"If he's not full of vigor, then what makes him a young man?"